Violent Delights: An Arranged Marriage Romance

This was a new to me author and being a first in series I felt it was the perfect time to jump in and test the waters Violent Delights opened with a bang, literally capturing my curious nature right from the start and closed leaving my inquisitive nature dangling off a cliff (yes it is a cliffhanger but ohhhh so worth it!) The story is mostly from Natalia's POV we do get a chapter or two where Cristiano and Diego get their voice in - This worked perfectly with the storyline as both of them seemed to hold secrets that IMO may be game changers. I do not want to give out any spoilers as Hawkins crafted such a delicate timeline of events dotted with small clues (I almost missed one I actually went back a bit when I rethought a characters wording) "Loyalty didn't guarantee loyalty, even to your own blood. Anyone, even the most loyal disciple, could turn" - Cristiano I definitely recommend this if you enjoy a touch of suspense and a bit of mystery in your romance, let us not forget the sexy leading man. Yes, I have chosen sides but I know this could change as events unfold in book two. Even if the whole love triangle thing (which it is but it isn't) is not your cup of tea. The storyline and the cast make this an entertaining and engaging read that you do not want to pass up. The copy I read was comp. I need book two now

4.5 stars. Natalia Cruz learned early in life that blood is inevitable, family means everything and not everyone can be trusted - this comes with being a cartel princess. She also has her own memories that have clouded her thoughts since childhood, as muddled as they are. I wouldn't say that Natalia is naive, but she is most definitely impressionable, curious and stubborn. Once her mind has been made up, she is difficult to persuade otherwise, even if she doesn't have all of the information. She doesn't want to live amidst constant violence, bloodlust and greed for power so she is hoping to move to California with the love of her life and be dissociated from all of that. Natalia is very young, so I gave her wide berth for that because she sees what she wants to see, and not what's really there. When I read the synopsis for this book, I already sensed discord brewing between the 2 brothers, Diego and Cristiano, with Natalia in the middle. I was immediately partial to one of them and then after seeing one of the teasers, I remained firm on that side of the court. As I was reading the book, I had the perspective of an observer through Natalia's POV, where I could pick up clues of the things that she could not see right in front her because she refused to. Diego and Cristiano are both older than her, so they have seen and lived the ways of the cartel firsthand, experienced loss and betrayal and the rise to power, whereas Natalia is mostly sheltered from it. But they have completely different ways of interacting with Natalia because of their experiences. One of them tries to convince her of his worthiness with words but very little action behind it, while the other does nothing to deny her claims against him knowing the effort is futile, but his movements speak volumes. It will likely take time for Natalia to see who really has her best interests at heart. To me, there's no contest as to whom is right for her. I loved the tension forming because Natalia's gut is speaking to her, even if she has set the speaker sound down on low. The characters and plot have been set up in such a way that the reader is constantly dangled with tidbits that keep one engaged, but still enticed to figure out the rest of the story. There is so much information that is being kept from Natalia and I am definitely eager for more answers, but at this time, the truth will not set her free because she has to have her own self journey to discover it. The prologue started with a bang, but even the end of this closes with a bang, too, in cartel style. I can't wait to see where this story leads next.

OMFG! Is it June, yet??!! This is one of those stories when you can take a good guess at what is going to happen, and you so want to be right but you so DON'T want to be right, either! LOL "You've already met your true love." Natalia Cruz is the princess of her father's cartel. Innocent and sheltered, but brave and stubborn, too. She also has demons that haunt her. Diego de la Rosa is her best friend and love of her life - the constant in her life, her rock, her future. Cristiano de la Rosa is the monster of her nightmares. Older, mysterious, the prodigal son. He ignites feelings which both arouse and repulse her. "My body drew toward his, as if he were the sun pulling me into its orbit." Gah!! This story is like a game of chess with an opening gambit that totally sucks you in. Each character piece is introduced into the game as the story develops. All the characters have an endgame - some have their moves planned out, some make their move as a reaction to others. I spent the whole time anticipating what would happen next. I found it nail-biting and butterflies-inducing. There are lots of questions and I've come to my own conclusions but this author is good at leading you up the garden path! I was absolutely caught up in this story. It was thrilling, tense, suspenseful, and I loved the chemistry between the characters. I'm absolutely gagging for the next book and June can't come soon enough!! FYI - I'm totally #TeamCristiano! <3