Deadlock by Moira Rogers (Southern Arcana #3)
Paranormal Romance
January 4, 2010
E-Book
Samhain

Reviewed by Mandi

Favorite Quote: “I’m all wolf honey. One-hundred percent alpha bastard.”

There is just something about this Southern Arcana world by Moira Rogers that I love. I think the combination of the over the top alphas, the camaraderie between the pack and the continuing story lines and fantastic world building really intrigues me. I have been waiting for Alec’s book for quite some time. He describes himself as a “crotchety old bastard” (he is 44) and let me just get this out of the way – he has a beard. (that noise was my heart thumping.) Getting back on track, Alec is the scary alpha that everyone thinks is a bit crazy. Deep down he is in pain from losing his wife years ago because she was human. Alec is a pureblood shifter and his relatives didn’t take to his marriage kindly. He is not over that loss yet, and when he starts to develop protective feelings and more for Carmen, a half-blood, he becomes deathly afraid to be put in a situation where loss will hurt him again.

Carmen is new to the New Orleans area and works as a doctor at a clinic for supernaturals. Her uncle and father are using her as a pawn to gain political advantage. She refuses to participate, and they don’t take kindly to her answer. When a witch attempts to put a spell upon her, it makes her shifter blood go totally out of whack. Alec at first comes to her rescue because he takes care of his people in New Orleans, but his feelings quickly go beyond just protectiveness.

As time marches on, he knows he can’t be without her. This book has more of a slow build up, with some hot smoking tension – wait until you read “the cage” scene. (my heart is thumping again.) Alec loves having sex, he just doesn’t like to be friends with the women he sleeps with – until Carmen comes along. He is so darn intense with such dirty talk. I think we need some examples:

“I’m going to kiss you. Deep. Hard. You okay with that?”

“Believe me, honey, you wouldn’t be quiet riding my cock.”

“Sex with an empath.” She reached up and clenched her hand in his hair. “It doesn’t have to stop when you come.”
His next thrust inched her along the bed. “Sex with a shifter means it just starts again.”

“Maybe it has nothing to with instinct. Maybe I just want to fuck you.”

It was hard to really grasp onto Carmen as I think so many other characters outshine her in this book. Andrew and Kat, who have a huge history introduced to us in previous books, really steal the show at the beginning. Maybe it’s because we only first meet Carmen in this book, and we have had time to grow to love all the other characters, but everyone else seems to have such a strong presence in this series, and I didn’t always feel that with Carmen. I liked her, I just think she is overshadowed.

That being said, Andrew and Kat – I thought I would die from the sexual tension between Alec and Carmen but Andrew and Kat’s tension just blows the roof off the story. I am so excited to see how their “relationship” plays out in their book Cipher out next in the series in September 2011.

I suggest you read Crux and Crossroads before diving into Deadlock.

Rating: B+

Recent Reviews:
Novel Thoughts and Book Talk – Loved it.
The Geeky Bookworm – 5/5
Escape Between the Pages – 4/5
Goodreads

This Series Includes:
Crux
Crossroads
Deadlock
Cipher – September 2011

Author’s Website.