*****Mel’s Review*****

5 She Was Mine. Just Mine. Always Mine Stars!
(ARC provided by author)

In Dirty Promises Javier & Luisa are on top as King & Queen of one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico, but it takes sacrifice & hard work to be the Patron. Javier has suffered so much loss as a result of his success, & he is now slowly unraveling. He is consumed by anger & guilt and wants others to suffer as he is. Unfortunately his pain is affecting his relationship with Luisa. Javier feels he needs to keep her at a distance for her own good. He thinks he has a black soul, & that he’s no good for Luisa anymore.

Luisa is hurt Javier is shutting her out, & just wants her husband back. It’s crushing her that he’s pushing her away & she is determined to get him to pay her attention again, even if it’s only his wrath she gets. Javier has done terrible things, but never made apologies for who he is. He is ruthless, intelligent, charming, brutal, & immoral, but with Luisa he can be tender & extremely loving. She misses the passion that has always been between them & wants her Javi to return to her.

-After everything, he was still everything.

-When Javier was cruel he was brutal, but when he was tender, it was almost more disarming.

-He was a possessive man through and through and he needed to own me both body and soul.

-Javier was it. If anything went wrong, if it all went south, there wouldn’t be anyone else. I wanted him forever or I wanted nothing.

While Javier isn’t being himself & is distracted by the job, one of his men is jealous of him & wants everything he has. We get a lot of action & plenty of gore. If you can’t handle dark & twisted this may not be for you, but if you can then OMG what an amazing thrilling ride! This is one of those books that you have to forget your morals & immerse yourself into this different world of corruption & vengeance where everyone has a monster lurking inside dying to do bad things. Lol, the couple that tortures together stays together! ;))

-I love you, Luisa. Even when I thought I didn’t have it in me, I do. I love you.

-“You really are the woman for me, aren’t you? Have I ever told you that there’s nothing sexier than seeing bloodlust in your eyes?”

-I saw in her what I saw in myself, something dark and frightening and unstoppable.

I first met Javier in On Every Street. I read all 7 books in this series in a row & each one was just as fabulous as the last. Had me on the edge of my seat & were full of excitement! At times I haven’t always liked Javier’s behavior, but I always felt a pull in my heart for him & all he has endured in his life. I’ve really enjoyed seeing how he’s evolved through the years & with each book I loved him even more! He is such a complex character. He will be so ruthless, but then so gentle, & oh his capacity to love. This man loves like he does everything else in life, giving 100%! I was so happy he finally found his queen. A strong woman that was worthy to stand beside him & accepts him as he is. They make an incredible team & are unstoppable together.

-“You’re my queen.”

-“My beautiful queen.”

-I couldn’t imagine life without him, couldn’t belong to anyone but him. My king, my king, my king.