Enrique finds the woman whom he cannot get out of his head after seeing her clearing her leaf-filled gutters and ready to fall. Elodie has no idea who just became her hero. Enrique is the CARTEL KING, and he never expected to find someone who draws him the way she does. But would she even look at him twice when she learns the truth?
Elodie planned to never get involved with another man after her divorce and certainly no one involved in criminal activities. She is not exactly clean as the driven snow but her life has changed and she is going to do everything in her power to keep things nice and peaceful. Unfortunately, her heart has other ideas. She is also the mother of three grown sons – and a rather sweet moment comes later in the book between the “Jefe” and the sons.
CARTEL KING is the first of author Sabine Barclay’s new Cartel Brotherhood. It follows the lives of the cartel in New York and is part of “The Syndicate Wars” with her other mafia, mob and bratva members. It is a steamy, action-packed and intriguing read.
Enrique Diaz and Elodie McCann are an older couple than what is usually portrayed in these dark, steamy mafia reads. He is the single head of the cartel and she – well – she is an amazing woman that readers will have to read CARTEL KING to find out more about her.
It is a sweet romance that builds slowly with walks and rowing, one of the common interests, to the hot and steamy that is always found in Ms. Barclay’s books. The secondary characters are well-developed, and the personalities are just varied enough to give a different viewpoint.
I will have to admit that there are some parts of CARTEL KING that I had to reread to be able to put all the names and actions together. It felt like the author was trying too hard to bring in all the past characters from her other books and it made it confusing.
Other than a few sections CARTEL KING is another intriguing read by an author who can spin a steamy tale.
Enrique—I control everything in my criminal empire. I was born into this life and know no other. Men cower when I look in their direction. That’s why it surprises me when a woman ready to fall off a ladder catches my attention. I don’t need a second chance at love. I bring too much darkness. I definitely don’t need a woman to complicate my life with a list of secrets nearly as long as mine. But something draws me to her. Despite my family’s warnings, I’ll pursue the woman I can’t control. I’m the man she never knew she wanted.
Elodie—I left an unhappy marriage to start a new life in a new state. I don’t need a man any more than I need a root canal. My second chance is freedom. I’m middle-aged and happy to be on my own. Besides, my past isn’t one I can share with someone outside my family. No one can know who I was. But the man who walks up my driveway and insists upon helping me is unlike any I know. Others might fear him, but I don’t. He’s a different man with me. I see the man he wants to be, but only with me.
Only fools think they can stand in our way, but they learn the same thing others have before.
I’ll burn it all to the ground before I let go.
Cartel King is an interconnecting, standalone Dark Mafia Romance with a HEA and no cliffhanger. It contains EXTRA-STEAMY scenes that will make your toes curl and your granny blush. The Cartel Brotherhood is a six-book series that’ll keep you warm at night.
Discover the four NYC rival families that make up The Syndicate Wars world. Each family has their turn to be heroes in their own series. When it’s not their family’s turn for love, discover whether they’re the villain. You’ll meet all 24 men of the Four Families throughout the interconnected series, each taking their turn to fall in love. By the end, you’ll have a love/hate relationship with them all.
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