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booksbymary1's review
4.0
4.5 stars
“Dressed all in black, he looked like the sexiest motherfucking Grim Reaper I could imagine.”
“Dressed all in black, he looked like the sexiest motherfucking Grim Reaper I could imagine.”
denizyildiz's review
1.0
I gotta say, I am not sure what I expected. But certainly not this. I expected more cute and less gore.
I could have totally lived with the heavy and rather devastingly gruesome bits of this. But I could not reconcile the romance. Stockholm syndrome and all, it made absolutely no sense to me. Neither of the MCs did. Their character building was ok, I guess, but they felt too thought-through and too put together.
Cartel is simply not my kinda of thing.
I could have totally lived with the heavy and rather devastingly gruesome bits of this. But I could not reconcile the romance. Stockholm syndrome and all, it made absolutely no sense to me. Neither of the MCs did. Their character building was ok, I guess, but they felt too thought-through and too put together.
Cartel is simply not my kinda of thing.
scrappyreadermum's review
2.0
This was a very troubling book. First ten percent I was like oh this is good then Dornan was like, I like the look of her blood. Then on it just got worse. He’s not okay. She is going through trauma and is probably attached to him due to that not because of him. This book got two stars because the author is a good writer. If she wrote something less troubling it would be fantastic.
fictioncourt's review
4.0
ARC was kindly provided by the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.
4 what just happened stars!
After reading the book basically my mind was in a shocked what did I just read state. This is definitely NOT the Dornan Ross I'm familiar with and lets be honest hate, this one had a soft-ish side, not happy go lucky but not as dark and gritty as I thought it was going to be, it's the prequel of a huge story and I guess it makes sense that it would start somewhat grayish and turn to the coal black fucked up state the story turned to.
Cartel was not what I had in mind that's for sure!
Mariana, oh that poor girl; she's not even sold from her father to Emilio Ross, she's just given away like she's nothing in order for Emilio not to kill her family. Her fate would have been the same as any girl that Emilio captures - SOLD - if Dornan hadn't interfere. Not saying that staying with Dornan is a good thing - although Mariana will tell you differently - but it's sort of better than being sold to probably the worst person Emilio could think of (slowly torture her father by torturing her) - not a good family in case you had any doubt.
What started out as a captivity situation between Mariana and Dornan involved into something... I can't really put into words. Dornan is Dronan, he's ruthless and even more ruthless, so ruthless and cruel and just an awful person it's both unsettling and fascinating reading his background story from when he wasn't so ruthless. His relationship with Mariana (even though it reminded me weirdly of his relationship with Julz, in a very disturbing way but I could see some similarities) and his relationship with his father had a few key points in the story where Dornan's character shows a big character development.
If you liked the Gypsy Brothers series (DUH!) you'll definetely be surprised with this book, good surprised - like me - I hope!
4 what just happened stars!
After reading the book basically my mind was in a shocked what did I just read state. This is definitely NOT the Dornan Ross I'm familiar with and lets be honest hate, this one had a soft-ish side, not happy go lucky but not as dark and gritty as I thought it was going to be, it's the prequel of a huge story and I guess it makes sense that it would start somewhat grayish and turn to the coal black fucked up state the story turned to.
Cartel was not what I had in mind that's for sure!
Mariana, oh that poor girl; she's not even sold from her father to Emilio Ross, she's just given away like she's nothing in order for Emilio not to kill her family. Her fate would have been the same as any girl that Emilio captures - SOLD - if Dornan hadn't interfere. Not saying that staying with Dornan is a good thing - although Mariana will tell you differently - but it's sort of better than being sold to probably the worst person Emilio could think of (slowly torture her father by torturing her) - not a good family in case you had any doubt.
What started out as a captivity situation between Mariana and Dornan involved into something... I can't really put into words. Dornan is Dronan, he's ruthless and even more ruthless, so ruthless and cruel and just an awful person it's both unsettling and fascinating reading his background story from when he wasn't so ruthless. His relationship with Mariana (even though it reminded me weirdly of his relationship with Julz, in a very disturbing way but I could see some similarities) and his relationship with his father had a few key points in the story where Dornan's character shows a big character development.
If you liked the Gypsy Brothers series (DUH!) you'll definetely be surprised with this book, good surprised - like me - I hope!
jomorando's review
3.0
I liked the plot of the story but the lead female character Mariana just got on my nerves too many times for me to give this 4 stars, but it wasn't so bad that I don't want to continue the series. I still want to see what happens
nicspears's review
4.0
4.5*
Goddamm you Lili for making me kind of fall in love with Dornan 'Fuckin' Ross!!! I say kind of because I'm not too sure right now. I should hate him, I know that...
I absolutely despised him in the Gypsy Brothers series. The cold, malicious bastard deserved everything he got in that series. But here, in 'Cartel' we see a completely foreign side to him. A kind of softer side to him. If that's even possible. He's still the dark and intensely dangerous man we know him as just a less shade of black.
Lili takes us on one hell of a rollercoaster ride in Cartel that will have you feeling all jumbled up inside.
A book full of intense hate, hunger, compassion and angst this is a perfect start to this series.
I can't wait to dive into Kingpin and to delve deeper into the dark and dangerous world that is Dornan Ross, Mariana and the cartel kingpin that is his father..Emilio Ross.
Goddamm you Lili for making me kind of fall in love with Dornan 'Fuckin' Ross!!! I say kind of because I'm not too sure right now. I should hate him, I know that...
I absolutely despised him in the Gypsy Brothers series. The cold, malicious bastard deserved everything he got in that series. But here, in 'Cartel' we see a completely foreign side to him. A kind of softer side to him. If that's even possible. He's still the dark and intensely dangerous man we know him as just a less shade of black.
Lili takes us on one hell of a rollercoaster ride in Cartel that will have you feeling all jumbled up inside.
A book full of intense hate, hunger, compassion and angst this is a perfect start to this series.
I can't wait to dive into Kingpin and to delve deeper into the dark and dangerous world that is Dornan Ross, Mariana and the cartel kingpin that is his father..Emilio Ross.
tracy81's review
5.0
Holy Crap!!
Holy Crap, this book took me on a serious rollercoaster ride of emotions and it wasn't the warm fuzzy kind that's for sure frustration, compassion and hate were the main ones through this book!!!
Emilio Ross Kingpin of the cartel is a sick and twisted man who does what he wants when he wants to whomever he pleases takes Mariana as debt owed to him then hands her over to the Gypsy Brothers MC mainly his son Dornan
If you've read the Seven Sons series you would have already met Dornan who was a sick twisted son of a gun, The sins of the father prevail in this case but this story starts 16 years before the Seven Sons series so we see a whole different side to him and although I never fell madly in love with his character I did feel compassion and pity for him and caught a glimpse of the man he would've been IF his father wasn't who he was.
Mariana my heart broke for her she made a decision to save her family one that will come to haunt her for the rest of her life but she's super smart and feisty so I'm hoping she'll hold her own against these sick twisted f....rs !!!!!
What an amazing start to this series looking forward to reading the next instalment from the dark twisted mind of Lili St Germain
Holy Crap, this book took me on a serious rollercoaster ride of emotions and it wasn't the warm fuzzy kind that's for sure frustration, compassion and hate were the main ones through this book!!!
Emilio Ross Kingpin of the cartel is a sick and twisted man who does what he wants when he wants to whomever he pleases takes Mariana as debt owed to him then hands her over to the Gypsy Brothers MC mainly his son Dornan
If you've read the Seven Sons series you would have already met Dornan who was a sick twisted son of a gun, The sins of the father prevail in this case but this story starts 16 years before the Seven Sons series so we see a whole different side to him and although I never fell madly in love with his character I did feel compassion and pity for him and caught a glimpse of the man he would've been IF his father wasn't who he was.
Mariana my heart broke for her she made a decision to save her family one that will come to haunt her for the rest of her life but she's super smart and feisty so I'm hoping she'll hold her own against these sick twisted f....rs !!!!!
What an amazing start to this series looking forward to reading the next instalment from the dark twisted mind of Lili St Germain
after_i_finish_this_chapter's review
2.0
2.5 stars
Normally I like captive type stories but this was just...meh. I blame on the fact that I read it in audio book from.
Normally I like captive type stories but this was just...meh. I blame on the fact that I read it in audio book from.
maria_nanci's review
5.0
I've read (and loved!) the "Seven Sons" series and was thrilled when I saw this prequel trilogy. You could read either the series or the trilogy first, but you'll definitely want to read ALL of them to get the full story.
After her father loses a shipment of cocaine, Mariana offers herself up to Emilio Ross (the head of the Il Sangue cartel) in exchange for her family's lives. She eventually encounters Dornan (Emilio's son and VP of the Gypsy Brothers Motorcycle Club) who saves her from being auctioned off and hides her away for himself. Even in the midst of all the violence and brutality, these two characters forge a complicated bond.
After reading the "Seven Sons" series, I hated Dornan Ross with a passion. He was evil incarnate and did some truly despicable things. What's funny is...I kind of LIKE him in this book. Don't get me wrong, he's still a horribly dark character and can't be redeemed, but I almost feel sorry for him and realize how he's become this person. Even though I know there won't be a happy ending to this tale, I can't wait to read the next two books in this trilogy.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
After her father loses a shipment of cocaine, Mariana offers herself up to Emilio Ross (the head of the Il Sangue cartel) in exchange for her family's lives. She eventually encounters Dornan (Emilio's son and VP of the Gypsy Brothers Motorcycle Club) who saves her from being auctioned off and hides her away for himself. Even in the midst of all the violence and brutality, these two characters forge a complicated bond.
After reading the "Seven Sons" series, I hated Dornan Ross with a passion. He was evil incarnate and did some truly despicable things. What's funny is...I kind of LIKE him in this book. Don't get me wrong, he's still a horribly dark character and can't be redeemed, but I almost feel sorry for him and realize how he's become this person. Even though I know there won't be a happy ending to this tale, I can't wait to read the next two books in this trilogy.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.