Title: Dirty AngelsSeries: (Dirty Angels, #1)
Author: Karina Halle
Date Published: June 14, 2014
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books
**warning: this book contains situations which might be triggers for some people. Please see the bottom of this description to see if this is the kind of book that you'll love or piss you off**
For Luisa Chavez, a twenty-three year old former beauty queen, a better life has always been just out of her reach. Sure, she’s had men at her feet since she was a young teenager but she’s never had the one thing she’s craved – security. Having grown up in near poverty, her waitressing job in Cabo San Lucas can barely let her take care of herself, let alone her ailing parents. Every day is another unwanted advance, every day is a struggle to survive.
When Salvador Reyes, the depraved leader of a major Mexican cartel, takes an interest in her, Luisa is presented with an opportunity she can’t afford to pass up. She’ll become Salvador’s wife and exchange her freedom and body for a life of riches – riches she can bestow upon her deserving parents. But Luisa quickly finds out that even the finest wines and jewels can’t undo the ugliness in her marriage, nor the never-ending violence that threatens her every move.
Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible.
As it is, being the wife of Salvador makes her an ideal target for rival cartels and there’s one particular man who needs Luisa as part of his cartel’s expansion. One particular man whose quest for power has destroyed lives, slit throats and gotten him out of an American prison. One particular man who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.
That man is Javier Bernal. And he wants Luisa. He wants to take her, keep her, ruin her.
Unless she ruins him first.
***WARNING*** This book deals with drug cartels and as such it contains a lot of sex and violence and some violent sex. It can get pretty ugly, pretty dark and pretty crazy. There is drug use, abuse, a bit of torture and dubious consent. The hero is not a hero and the villains...well, they're even worse. If this sort of thing bothers you, PLEASE DO NOT READ IT. This ain't no cupcake farting unicorn kind of book. If you are even a bit squeamish about violence, brutality and rape, this is your warning to stay away from a book that you certainly will not like (and why read books that you know you won't like?)***
***While this is a spin-off of The Artists Trilogy, prior knowledge of the books is not needed. DIRTY ANGELS is the first in a trilogy, however each book can standalone and follows or introduces different characters***
My Thoughts
I am a big fan of Karina Halle's, Sins & Needles series. I remember staying up late one week and reading all three books (plus, the novella) back-to-back. There's just something very intriguing about her writing, and her words leave me hanging on the edge of my seat, eagerly waiting to find out what will happens next. The images and characters that she creates just have a way of staying with you. Dirty Angels was no exception.
I was extra excited when I found out that there was a spin-off about one of my favorite characters, Javier Bernal. I know, I know...Javier is a bad, bad boy. Yet, there is something fascinating and captivating about him. The man has charisma! At the same time, my heart breaks for the guy. I want him to find peace or whatever it is that will make him truly happy. Or at least find redemption in some way.
Dirty Angels takes place after Bold Tricks, and he has been working his way up the cartel ladder. He's not the same Javier as he was before, and things have worn him down. In Dirty Angels, he meets Luisa, a former beauty queen who has lived in poverty and works hard each day to provide for her elderly parents.
Wow! There were lots of sparks and chemistry in this book. No surprise, since this is Javi we are talking about. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to think about Luisa at first, but I have a feeling, as the series progresses, that I will grow to like her more and more. She definitely has the makings of a strong, yet devoted character. I just hope she does not lose the good in her heart. I did worry about Javier at times, as sometimes it seemed to lose a little of what I love about him. However, I did start to to see it come back.
As it said in the synopsis, this book is not for the squeamish. There are some scenes that may make your stomach turn a little. I am not sure if Dirty Angels is considered a standalone, but I would definitely read the Sins & Needles series first. It just makes it that much better! :)
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