You'd think a book about love in the midst of the Mexican cartels would be more compelling. But nope. This was just boring. The heroine was a milquetoast who the author tried to convince me was strong and feisty. The hero was boring and sort of soft for what he was supposed to be and I didn't see how he ran a cartel. It seemed like he was going to be overthrown at any moment. And did I say boring? Somehow the author didn't make me care at all about her characters. Not only that the writing style was not effective. For instance most everything that happened with Salvador was told not shown so wasted angsty opportunity there.

And somehow I'm supposed to believe that after this total bad guy offers to give up his life o' crime for her she decides she wants to live the life of a drug lord's woman. So totally lame. ( )

I had pretty high expectations for this book having read the Artists Series, Javier the main character from this one is a big character in that, which could have left me with the mild dissatisfaction I'm feeling now. Dirty Angels was a good read, just not spectacular.

Javier, our favorite drug lord, decides he wants a bigger piece of pie of the dirty money business in Mexico. He decides this can be accomplished by kidnapping the new wife of Salvador, not our favorite drug lord. Luisa is to be that lucky kidnappee. Previously, Luisa had been minding her own business working as a former beauty queen waitress trying to support her blind mother and beginning stages Alzheimer's father. Salvador waltzed in one day, did some courting, and then asked her to marry him. He's a drug lord though, so the yes is really implied and Luisa doesn't put up a struggle as now her parents will have the money needed to see to their health and comfort. However, it turns out to be a really bad bargain for Luisa as Salvador beats and degrades her. On a night she decides to make a run for it, she is instead taken hostage by Javier's men. Javier plans to keep her for a week, each night carving one letter of his name into her back, giving time for Salvador to pay what he is demanding to get Luisa back. Luisa doesn't think Salvador will pay to get her back, doesn't want to go back to him anyway, and lives expecting to be eventually killed by Javier. But, oh, what tangled webs we weave, when first we practice to deceive, huh, Javier?

This book has a lot of rough elements to it but if you have read or are a fan of Karina Halle, this should come as no surprise. What did surprise me was how this story dealing with drug cartels and Javier seemed watered down. This story is more emotional and dare I say romantic? Luisa and Javier are obviously two very damaged people, who while being rough with each other manage to bring out their softer side at the same time. I'm not sure I ever really understood their attraction to each other though; it was never explained, not developed well, and came on pretty quickly. They were slightly wooden characters.

It took until the book was half over before I felt into it; this is when the suspenseful/action side picks up more with will Javier let Luisa go, what happens if he does, what will he compromise to get her back, and a suicide mission. The pacing and writing are good, the story overall was just missing a spark for me. I'm still going to read the next in the series which will feature Javier's sister Alana and Derek who we got to see a little bit of in the Artist's Series. I'm trying to temper my expectations for that one.

A little sidenote, this is considered a standalone but if you don't read The Artist's Series before this, you will be missing a huge chunk of what makes up the character Javier. If you're looking for something a little darker and rough and tumble it's a good one to pick up. ( )

FGMAMTC Blog Review
I've always liked Javier. If you didn't like Javier and just want to read this book because you think it's more about The Artist Trilogy, it's not and thus may not be for you. As written in the author's message with the blurb and at the in the front of the book, it contains dark elements. It isn't terribly graphic but does hint at unprotected sex, rape, torture, death, blood, etc.

Louisa has always been poor, forever struggling just to make it. She works in a tourist restaurant bar, envious of the vacationing co-eds and dealing with a sexually harassing jerk of a boss. The only bright spot in her life is her parents, a father loosing the battle with Alzheimer's and a blind mother. She once was a beauty queen with opportunities, but now she's just another floundering laborer trying to support her family. One day the biggest drug lord in Mexico, Salvador Reyes, comes into her workplace with his sites set on her. She knows that if she refuses him, she'll probably be killed anyway. And by marrying him, she can afford to take care of her parents and stop working. Next thing you know, she's married and living in hell being beaten, raped and tortured regularly. Her only solace is knowing her parents are being cared for.

I closed my eyes and imagined, just for one moment, what it would be like not to live in fear. To actually feel happiness and love from a man. My heart practically shuddered from the realization that I'd never, ever have that for as long as Salvador Reyes lived.

Javier's goal has always been to climb the leadership ladder in the world of narcotics. In the other series, we saw him rise from 2nd in command to leading a Mexican drug cartel. In this book, we find out that his cartel is not the most powerful so of course he wants to gain more control. He kidnaps Louisa in order to make a trade for jurisdiction over certain drug pipelines.

The wife of the jackal is the greatest card you can play in this game.

Javier's intentions toward Louisa become more hazy as time goes on.

"Why do you want to break me so badly?" she asked quietly, just as my hand went to the doorknob.
I paused and thought about the truth. Without looking back at her I said, "Because I want to destroy beautiful things before they can destroy me."

Although he is not a good man, he is one of the few in his line of work that still lives by a certain honor code.

This is a new Mexico. There is no code among men because there are no men anymore. Only monsters who sit behind their desks and give orders."

Javier has loved before, in his way, but he's never loved anyone equal to his desire to rule the drug trade. He has never found a woman for whom he would want to change nor a woman who would never ask him to change. Is it possible?

The morning light was streaming in through the window, illuminating her like an angel, but a dirty one.

I think this story is amazing, very well written. It's exciting, sexy, dangerous, dirty. I've been waiting on the edge of my seat for more Javier as soon as I heard this book was coming. Dirty Angles is one of my top reads for 2014, and I will definitely read the rest of the series.

Javier has got the biggest sex appeal of almost any character I can recall. The way he talks during a sexy scene so gets to me. Mmmmmm.

toni


FangirlMoments and My Two Cents

FULL REVIEW CAN BE FOUND AT http://fangirlmomentsandmytwocents.blogspot.com/2014/06/dirty-angels-by-karina-h... ( )

I am book hangover now. I just finished Dirty Angels by Karina, and all I am going to say is WOW. I was totally lost in the book. Hated putting it down to go to sleep or go back to work during lunch. This isn't the happy go lucky love story so many authors go for. The poor girl who falls in love with the billionaire only to be heartbroken and he realizes what he lost. No this is twisted world of Drug Cartels and the dirtiness which lies within those worlds. Karina brings into the life of a girl who does what she thinks is best and your heart breaks for each and every page.

This is a must read. Now I have to go back and read the stories that lead up to Javier so I can see who he is more. This is the first book I have read outside of the EIT books by Karina. I will now be buying all her books. ( )

After Sins and Needles I still wasn't sure I felt about Javier, now, now I know how I feel about him. I Love him and he can make me his Queen anytime.

Loved the story. Full of details that made it believable and even on some scale relatable. The girl who came from nothing and was nothing, finding what she needs in an unlikely place. Is it weird I feel all warm and fussy inside after readying about a DEA rid and a sexy sense on a beach?

I can't wait for more Dirty advertiser from Javier's sister. ( )