Under Locke

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In these stories, Rosie Danan explores the unique dynamics found in friend-to-lovers relationships, often playing up their comedic chemistry and situations while simultaneously providing an uplifting romance between two delightfully different characters. Dang MZ also accentuated Dex's Texan accent 🥺 Y'all I got so despo that I had to Google how Texan accent sounds like 😭

SO I reread this only a week after finishing it, I just couldn't get the characters out of my head and I didn't want to read anything but this. And I don't regret a thing. I loved it just as much the second time around, I relate hardcore to Iris and I just want a Dex for myself. I highlighted some of my favourite passages this time around so I'm just going to add them into the review.Character Development: She creates memorable and complex characters that are easy to connect with, and readers enjoy watching their journeys and growth throughout the stories. Oh, and I hate how much Iris felt sorry for herself. It made me feel less sorry for her because of it. Having gone through everything that she had, I would think she'd have a little tougher skin. But if someone so much as looked at her funny her lip started quivering. It just didn't feel believable that she could be that meek with that upbringing. I mean, I'm not even that meek and life ha It’s not Grumpy Sunshine because they are both grumpy. I love all of these books very much, but the banter in love is the best. They are iconically funny together. They do not get along at all, but you get crumbs of them throughout the entire book, and you start to see that evolve. The figure skating aspect is also incredible. This is one of my best books, and it has been getting a lot of hype, as it deserves it. If you want to start with Mariana Zapata’s best books, it’s a very good one. 9. Luna and the Lie

Yes, I said it: steamy right next to the words slow burn; because I don’t care what anyone says- the appetizers leading up to the main course are just as important (even if we don’t see any until the over 50% mark). Sure, we don’t get tons of smexy scenes, but I did NOT feel the slow burn like I normally would because of the emotional connection between Iris and Dex. And this was a home run for me. No more hesitation to read Mariana Zapata on my part any more!Though Iris was really shy, and a beginning.. a pushover, she never did get on my nerves. Recently, I've been feeling real judgy towards heroines. I just find something that always bothers me. Thinking about it now, I don't think I was ever like that with Iris. Only I hadn't anticipated a job with the infamous Dex. A man that I'd heard enough of in ten minutes to know that I wasn't exactly going to be working for the Pope. 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. this is beginning to get ridiculous, but I still adore this book every time I read it, it's my comfort read This book have truly been a great surprise to me. Motorcycles Club are REALLY not my thing, and I REALLY don't have patience for neither Alpha Males and not so much to SUCH long books (unless it's a PNR with a longer world building) so this one - being so capturing and engaging was so NOT what I was expecting. Yeah Dex got on my nerves a few times and yeah, Iris could be a bit annoying with the worshiping of Dex's perfect body but truth be told, it simply didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. The book just held me on the edge of my seat and all those little things didn't bother me that much. Even Dex's behavior at the beginning, since I knew there's going to be some sort of redemption on his part, I looked for it from the start and saw not this horrible guy, but someone who has struggled all his life with his temper, a closed off man who doesn't know how to truly rely on others. Iris was everything he needed as well, someone to ground him. It was beautiful to see him change yet in a genuine way. He didn't become a whole different person, no, it was more realistic than that.

But honestly, I totally loved Iris. She had loads of self respect. Was she insecure and naive at times? Sure. But at the core she was strong. Despite saying how hot Dex was about 10000x times she didn’t once act like she lost her brain cells because of it. When timid, virginal and naive Iris first meets Dex, the sexy and drop dead gorgeous owner of Pins and Needles the Tattoo Shop she hopes to get a job in, she couldn't stop drooling at his flawless face, 6' 3" smokin hot body and colorful tattoos. But as soon as he opened his mouth his arrogant, rude, impatient and alpha personality came out and she hated the jerk. He, along with other characters, are members of the Widows MC but this isn't really an MC listen. However, and after a lot of arguing, they slowly learn to trust each other but the poop really hits the fan when The Reapers MC comes to collect on a debt that her dead-beat Dad owes (who she hasn't seen for years) and he has run off with the money..... so they're threatening her and her brother for the cash.That earned him a laugh from me. Patience? Dex? Even after more than three years, that would still never be a term I'd use to describe him. And it probably never would. He'd started to lose his shit during our layover when Trip had called for instructions on how to set the alarm at the new bar. The scene where Dex finds Iris sleeping on her couch and he carries her to bed lives in my head rent free 🥹. And he always made sure that whatever gathering they were going to, had vegetarian options for her 🥺❤️ Mayhem was smoky and smelled faintly of piss and not so faintly of beer. The place was old, with stained bars and scuffed hardwood floors that had seen better decades. Pool tables were set up on the far side of the bar that smelled like... yep, that was pot. I was pretty sure—only about ninety-nine percent sure—smoking was illegal inside but I definitely wasn't going to complain to the abundance of tattooed and leather-vested men that mobbed the floor. However, once it settles and who was who, what connected them and the history of the characters made itself known, it just flowed and I started to really enjoy it. as for the female lead, Iris.... at first, I liked her. Sweet, considerate, gentle and someone who loves her family very much. but after a while, she just became annoying. being meek is bearable but every time she got butt hurt, she just became such a cry-baby. every single time. A bit immature for her age like she's a teen who pouts around and holds grudges every time her feelings got hurt.

What kind of life was I living if I let my fears steer me? This was a gift I’d forgotten to appreciate lately. For so long I’d been happy to just be alive but now...now I had Dex. I had my entire life ahead of me, and I needed to quit being a wuss and grab life by the balls. In this case, I’d take his nipple piercings. I also loved the close relationship that Iris had with her brother Sonny. He was protective of her but not in an obnoxious way or OTT. Julie James manages to balance these attributes with allure and charm in each leading lady she creates, such as in Stitches. Iris and Dex did not like each other from the beginning. Dex saw Iris as an obligation. Iris saw Dex as a brute who made her angry and sad all the time and as a result she wanted to quit, but she needed the money. It is a kind of 'enemies to lovers' story, but the hatred will not last long because the book is really long and before it finishes you will probably have forgotten that they hated each other in the beginning. Diverse representation: Most of her books represents diverse characters, including people of color and LGBTQ+ characters, which diversity and appeals to a wide range of readers.It is rare I like the heroine as much as the hero in a book, but I really liked Iris, with her insults and "That's what she said" jokes and high fives. There was just something very endearing about her.