Reviews Under Locke by Mariana Zapata

Title: Under Locke

Author: Mariana Zapata

Series: Standalone

Release Date: January 19th 2014

Synopsis

He was my boss, my brother’s friend, a Widower, an ex-felon, and a man I’d seen casually with a handful of women. But he was everything that gripped me, both the good and the bad. Worst case scenario if things turned awkward between us, I could go somewhere else. I’d gotten over epic heartbreak before, one more wouldn’t kill me.

After moving to Austin following six months of unemployment back home, Iris Taylor knows she should be glad to have landed a job so quickly... even if the business is owned by a member of the same motorcycle club her estranged father used to belong to. Except Dex Locke might just be the biggest jerk she’s ever met. He’s rude, impatient and doesn’t know how to tell time.

And the last thing they ever expected was each other.

But it was either the strip club or the tattoo shop.

… she should have chosen the strip club.  

Goodreads 

Buy Links

Amazon US 

Amazon UK 

Author Bio

Mariana Zapata began writing love stories soon after she learned how to spell. She probably shouldn't admit that she started sneaking romance novels from her aunt's bookshelves way before she was old enough to even understand what it meant when a man flipped up a woman's skirt. (Don't tell her mom.) Luckily, she learned to love the process of two people falling in love instead of all the other juicy stuff.

Mariana lives in Houston, Texas with her longtime boyfriend and two beloved (and emotionally manipulative) Great Danes, Dorian and Kaiser. When she's not pretending to write, she's reading. You can usually find her burning somewhat edible experiments in the kitchen or cracking jokes at the expense of her family members.

She also loves to hear from her readers!

Blog 

Facebook 
Twitter 

Books by Mariana Zapata

Lingus

Under Locke

Reviews

“Life was hard sometimes and there was no book or movie that could prepare you for how harsh it could be.”

This book is, by far, one of my favorites of this year and ever too. I loved it. I admit, the title and cover got my attention, at first. Then I read the blurb and I was sold. 

We meet our courageous heroine, Iris Taylor at her lowest. Or, one of her lowest because she's been through hell and back and survived. What kind of hell is a secret not many know of and she plans on keeping it that way. She's not one to make friends but she does value her half-brother - her dad's a little too keen on sharing the love, if you know what I mean - and little brother that joined the Army. So, because life is pretty much crap, she moves to Austin to start over. The last thing she needs is a boss like Dex Locke. The asshole. Or Dex The Dick, as Iris calls him. 
I'm not one to fall for jerks. They have to do something major to make up for their dickness. So, imagine my surprise when I fell for Dex Locke, asshole or not. Let's just say, at first read, I had a love-hate relationship with him. Why? Because he starts off being a dick, then gradually changes, we notice this change, only to screw up a few more times, making me want to bang my head into a hard surface and cuss him. 
But again, he makes up for everything. Really. So, no wonder Iris - Ritz, as Dex calls her - falls in love with him.
I loved that she gave him hell, that she had a backbone and she wasn't, in any way, weak. Many would argue that if your boss treats you like hell and is a jerk, you should quit. Well, Iris couldn't afford to do that. She hated depending on others. Plus, her daddy dearest gets them all into trouble, so she doesn't have a choice. She sticks with Dex The Dick Locke and falls in love with him, in the mean time. And the big jerk does too.

“Right then, in that moment, Dex The Dick grinned. Grinned. And sweet mother of God, it was devastating."

Yes, Dex may be a jerk, an asshole, a bastard, but he's one sexy jerk/asshole/bastard. Big, wide, dark-haired, blue-eyed and tattooed. And with a heart of gold and his loyalties run deep. 

5 stars. Ms. Zapata has written two books, so far - she's also the author of Lingus. These are total opposites, yet both are favorites. Can't wait to see what else she has up her sleeve! Maybe a Dex Locke POV? I wouldn't say no to that. Ever. 

After many times being told by Iza to read Under Locke, I finally did it. And I wished I did it sooner. 

 
The story is about a young woman named Iris, who moves to Austin because she needs a job. She moves in with her brother who is just like their father used to be, a member of a motorcycle club. Thanks to her brother she finds a job quickly. Working in a tattoo-shop. (It was either that or a strip club.) This tattoo shop is owned by Dex Locke. Dex is also a member of the club. He's a smoking hot, dark haired, tattooed asshole. (Pardon my french.) They don't get along at first at all. And of course as in every romance novel, that changes. But not in a corny way. I love how this author writes. I have read Lingus before this. (Also recommended by Iza. She's a book-pusher. ;)) And Mariana Zapata's stories are just too hard to put down. She makes you feel everything the heroine feels. She makes you fall in love and laugh your ass off. And in the end you wish you didn't need to part with these characters. 

 
I find it really hard not to spill any spoilers, so I leave this review as it is. And tell you you should really read this story. You won't regret it. It's not your typical biker story.
Here is one of my favorite quotes from the book to end this review with some laughter.

"Maybe he wouldn't be so mad at the world if his pubic hair wasn't longer than his full-blown erection."

Best insult ever.

5 stars. Paperback worthy.