The Man from Sanctum

4.5 stars-- THE MAN FROM SANCTUM is the third instalment in Lexi Blake’s contemporary, adult MASTERS & MERCENARIES: RELOADED erotic, romantic suspense series-a spin off from the author’s various interconnected Masters and Mercenaries series, as well as a cross over with the author’s LAWLESS series. This is Dom/security specialist/former CIA Special Ops Deke Murphy, and IT/computer programmer specialist Maddie Hall’s story line. THE MAN FROM SANCTUM can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line and series is revealed where necessary. NOTE: Due to the nature of the story line premise there are some scenes of bondage and discipline, domination and submission including spanking. Told from third person perspective THE MAN FROM SANCTUM follows the rebuilding romance relationship between Dom/security specialist/former CIA Special Ops Deke Murphy, and IT/computer programmer specialist Maddie Hall. Approximately seventeen years earlier Maddie Hall’s heart was destroyed when her high school sweetheart, Deke Murphy, sent our heroine packing, without looking back. A disastrous Special Ops mission destroyed our story line hero, and in the ensuing years, Deke Murphy found a home with McKay-Taggart Operations, a group that specializes in undercover and dark ops investigations but Deke never expected to come face to face with the woman he pushed out of his life, a woman who is desperately looking for help in the face of a potential disaster. Enter IT/computer programmer Maddie Hall, and the woman with whom Deke is still in love. What ensues is the rebuilding relationship between Deke and Maddie,and the potential fall-out betrayal and vengeance are the name of the game. Maddie Hall was devastated the day the boy/man that she loved pushed our heroine out of his life, and Deke refused to be the reason she stayed behind. Deke Murphy’s time in Special Forces left our hero a shell of his former self, having endured a lifetime of pain and suffering like no one else. Rekindling his relationship with Maddie has always been a priority but Maddie needs a Dom in an attempt to ferret out a potential betrayal and the possibility of a her life’s work used for nefarious purposes. The relationship between Deke and Maddie is one of second chances: a rekindling romance and relationship in which Maddie needs to go undercover as a submissive, and Deke is the only man she trusts as her controlling Dom. Maddie is a newbie in the world of BDSM, a little naïve to the nuances of a Dom/sub relationship but Deke is determined to prove he is the man she has always loved. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate; the Dom/sub relationship contains scenes of bondage, discipline and spanking-our heroine isn’t a true submissive, and pushes at the boundary between submission and control. There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and familiar secondary and supporting characters including most of whom we have met in previous story lines including Ian and Charlotte Taggart, IT specialist Mae Beatrice Vaughn aka MaeBe, former CIA agent Kyle Hawthorne, CIA operative Drake Radcliffe, Adam Miles, Jake and Boomer. We are introduced to Maddie’s boss and world renowned inventor Nolan Byrne, and his ‘associate’ Jane Adams. Once again, the members of The Club/Sanctum/and McKay Taggart are a family, such that each person is a part of the whole, a family that is often closer than blood but deception places the team in jeopardy leaving heart break and mistrust in its’ wake. THE MAN FROM SANCTUM is a story of power and control, betrayal and vengeance, forgiveness and acceptance, love and understanding. The premise is intriguing, revealing and captivating; the romance is seductive, erotic and intense; the characters are desperate, energetic, determined and strong.

This was, once again, a “I’m going to read for a bit and then finished the whole things because I couldn’t put it down” read. I was immediately drawn into the story, the mystery, all the interpersonal dynamics and connections and conflicts. The suspense, off the charts, because this is the one, the one where the big bad is revealed to everyone and it all falls apart. The emotions, our long haul relationship had the blow-up moment, the heartache that will change them both, and left you needing them to get that HEA all the more. But that is for later, because this love story is for Maddy and Deke. The steam and attraction between our main characters is still there, all the things unsaid from all those years ago, all the doubt and insecurities. Madeline and Deke had so much undone, unsaid, unfelt, but throughout their story, they finally have that chance. They think they are ready for it, but they aren’t, it still takes work and commitment on both their parts. But when they do that, reach those moments, it is the thing they have been chasing, missing, wanting, since they were last together, and it is perfection <3

5 Star Review of The Man From Sanctum (Masters and Mercenaries Reloaded #3) by Lexi Blake Deke Murphy and Maddie Hall’s second chance at love story ticked all the boxes for me. I was captivated by the story that Lexi Blake wove and read this one in almost one go. Years ago Deke dumped his high school girlfriend Maddie knowing it was the right thing to do for her. Fast forward seventeen years and Maddie believes that Deke is the only man who can help her when she suspects that her boss is part of an international conspiracy. As they work together secrets are uncovered and danger surrounds them. The chemistry is just as intense as it once was as is their connection. This was a fast paced story that kept me on the edge of my seat whilst reading. There was plenty of heat, steam, suspense and danger and was a great addition to the series. The characters are well developed and engaging which I have come to expect from Ms. Blake. A strong story will characters whose story you cannot help but become invested in. Seeing some familiar faces and the scenes at the club just added an additional layer to my enjoyment of The Man From Sanctum.