One Night Stand: On Every Street by Karina Halle
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| KINDLE |
On Every Street (The Artists Trilogy #0.5) by Karina Halle
Contemporary
Metal Blonde Books (March 12th, 2013)
Heroine: Eden White/Ellie Watts – Rookie Con Artist, Emotionally Scarred
Hero: Javier Bernal – Mexican Drug Cartel, The Mark
Setting: USA
Review:
When Karina Halle emailed me asking if I would review On Every Street, there was absolutely no hesitation on my part. I immensely loved Sins & Needles. Her writing is edgy, thrilling, captivating, and oh so very addictive. To say I was eager to learn how Ellie and Javier met is an understatement. However, this story can be read as a stand-alone. You can read it before you read Sins & Needles. From personal experience, if you read this story after Sins & Needles, it’s even better.
"I want to hurt the man who hurt me. I want to destroy him for destroying me. And I won't be happy, I won't be free, until I do so."
Javier and Ellie’s story opens up six years in the past. When Ellie Watts was six years old, her grifter parents used her in a con. And, because this con goes terribly wrong, Ellie suffers the consequences. She has the scars on her leg to prove it. Emotionally and physically stunted by this incident, Ellie wants vindication against the drug lord, Travis, who damaged her. With revenge as her motivation, she changes her name to Eden White, learns the ropes of conning, and then hits the road to exact her vengeance. However, Eden makes a rookie mistake. She falls for her mark. Not the man who burned her, but the man who is closest to Travis.
Javier Bernal is the epitome of sexy, smooth…scary. Once Eden tries to take on Javier, she ends up falling for the sexy Mexican gangster. Their attraction towards one another is almost kinetic. And, because they have such intense chemistry, their frenzied relationship becomes a whirlwind of passion, sex, and borderline obsession. Even though Eden knows the kind of man she has fallen for, she can’t escape the lust-filled addiction she has for Javier.
As the relationship progresses, Eden falls in love with Javier. And eventually she’s able to let go of her past and her reasons for seeking out Javier in the first place. Revenge is a thing of the past. Then Ellie Watts slowly starts to dissipate, becomes a stranger to Eden. She has created a new life with Javier. He is her lover, her everything. The feelings they have for one another is wild and passionate and intense. So intense that Javier marks Eden as his and promises to never let her go. Ever.
“You know,” he began, voice low and full, “if you were to ever leave me, I’d come looking for you, on every street.”
“You promise?”
“Always.” And I knew he kept his promises.”
This highly emotional story completely consumed me. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I kept remembering how this all ends, especially since I did read Sins & Needles. But that didn’t stop me from rooting for the sinful drug lord and the innocent, perhaps a bit naïve, Eden. However much I distrusted Javier, I truly believed he loved Eden. I felt like I was also being seduced by Javier. I fell for him. Hard. And I really tried not to. Javier has this way with sensual and poetic words, he’s romantic, thoughtful, and the way he trusted Eden drew me in like a moth to a flame. I felt compelled to forgive him when he would screw things up. And even though I already knew what happened between them, the blow didn’t feel any softer. By this point, I was invested in their relationship. I was crushed by Javier’s actions. Destroyed. Miz Halle made me fall for Javier and then…damn, my heart hurts. I want answers. Why? Why? Why?
He lied. I lied. Any love that starts out under a lie is bound to kill you.
On Every Street is superbly written in every way possible. Miz Halle has a way with creating highly flawed characters and weaving love and passion into a dark and twisted story. Her words hurt me. This story hurt me. This story sucked me in, chewed me up, and spit me out. I was wrecked. Knowing there is more to this story is the only thing that keeps me from emailing Miz Halle demanding answers. I. Want. More. Obviously I’m jonesing and need another fix. Shooting Scars can’t be released soon enough. And to any reader who has yet to read Sins & Needles… Read it now!
Thoughts While Reading:
6.0% - "WOW... This is going to be good. Javier is smooth, sexy...scary.”
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