Violent Delights (White Monarch Book 1)

“Betrayal had a price, and even family had to pay.”This series has been on my radar for a while now, but I am not big on starting a series and knowing I have to wait months in between installments.....mainly because my memory is crap and I always forget most of what I’m supposed to know. So, I wait until the series is complete or near complete. In this case I waited quite a while after it was complete BUT I am glad I did......because this was one of those I couldn’t put down until it’s conclusion. It’s THAT GOOD.Reading the blurb, I had an idea of what to expect YET also wasn’t fully capable of understanding the complexity that this series held. Two brothers, one girl. A tragic betrayal that seemed to start it all. You will be forced to pick between brothers, not knowing the true scope of how much of their “monster” they are showing you. But it was SO MUCH MORE than even I imagined. It is packed with secrets.....it’s addicting and angsty in a way that I can’t even begin to explain. And what’s more? It gets even better in the next one. From the freaking prologue I was at a level of obsession with these characters that might not have been necessarily healthy.Overall Plot/Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Plot Pace/Speed: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Cristiano de la Rosa: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Diego de la Rosa: ⭐️⭐️Natalia Cruz: ⭐️⭐️⭐️Steamy Meter: 🔥Angst Meter: 🖤🖤🖤🖤Book Facts:Told in: Primarily from Natalia’s POV, with small POV segments from both Diego & Cristiano.About: In the first installment of the White Monarch trilogy, the princess of the Cruz Cartel Natalia has planned to get far away & stay far away from that dangerous life. The plan? To have her father release the love of her life Diego from his duties so they can live their happily ever after without looking over their shoulders. But when a monster from their past comes out of the shadows, it’s not just Natalia’s plans that are in danger.....this monster is out to own her as well.Safe Read? Yes, although it does contain some cartel-related violence and scenes.Ends in: A cliffy that continues in the next installment (already out).My Thoughts:There were so many things I loved about this book. It’s one where even the things you hate (characters, decisions, etc) can’t be considered negatives because they bring so much to the story. In this installment, she does a great job at showcasing two brothers who are enemies with secrets we (as the reader) aren’t meant to uncover or know. Yet, what you are given about both of them is what you use to “pick” which one you are rooting for. That one for me? Without a doubt it was Cristiano. Sure he’s the “bad” guy, assumed to have committed the single worst crime against Natalia & her family.....yet I knew from that very first scene that he is so much more than we are shown and that he was the “better” brother. But in this installment? He is very very bad, and so good at it. He is everything I love in an antihero. As for Diego, the good brother, he is hiding some stuff......I cannot wait to see what those things are.I loved how realistic the entire cartel world Jessica created was. Never once did I feel like something was far-fetched or ridiculous. And the sexual tension & chemistry between Natalia & Cristiano is only going to get hotter....I just know it. But if I had to pick one “negative”, it would be Natalia’s blind loyalty & devotion to Diego. She’s a smart girl, yet she abandons every ounce of intelligence when it comes to Diego. I could normally chalk this up to love and the beauty of such an incredibly deep trust, BUT not when it is so evident he is manipulating her for his own gain. Hopefully she starts to question more in the next installment.My Verdict:This is an absolute MUST READ series. I have to warn y’all though.....before you even think about opening this make sure you have enough time to finish the series. You are not going to want to put it down until you get to the conclusion, TRUST ME. Jessica created a series that is worthy of the hype surrounding it.“As I told you before, brother, once this was done, there’d be no turning back. She is mine. If you, or anyone, touches her again, I will rain down a fury the likes of which not even the Maldonados have seen.”

“Life or death. There’s always a choice, Natalia.”Looks can be deceiving. This is the first installment of the White Monarch series about a Mexican cartel, the virgin caught between warring brothers and a family gun nicknamed The White Monarch with a bloody history. What could be more messed up than that? Truth, trust, and lives are on the line, and I’m hopelessly addicted to the manipulative romantic triangle at the heart of it. The captivating narrative totally absorbed me in the twisted dynamics of the criminal La Rosa family cartel, the manipulated virginal daughter Natalia, and the turbulent, romantic triangle created by brothers Diego (the good foot soldier) and Cristiano (the black sheep assassin) who are older than Natalia. I was hooked on the mysterious murder of her mother, the disappearance and long estrangement of brother Cristiano, and the game-changing return of Cristiano and his impact on LITERALLY EVERYTHING. I loved this guy so much.We’re supposed to believe in the star-crossed love story between Diego and Natalia – but frankly, she’s a young and a naïve idiot and he acts like a despicable (supposed) hero in wolf’s clothing and a manipulative liar. Or is he? Is Cristiano actually a savior to be trusted … or is he? What game are these brothers playing? Those sex-on-a-stick boys made me crazy and my stomach clenched at Natalia’s foolish decisions. But, who cares, because bad boy Cristiano already has my heart. More of his sizzling sex appeal is very much needed, so I expect him to be a driving force in the next book.I was breathless and on edge from the prologue to the cliffy, wondering what was in store for Natalia in the war between Diego and Cristiano, and where the cartel is headed as they drag her along with it. It definitely wasn’t the typical romantic triangle. Then that cliffhanger and heart-palpitating twist made me tingle all over with wary excitement. Is this girl going from the frying pan into the fire with each step? The more I knew about Diego, the less I liked, while those tantalizing and enigmatic moments between Cristiano and Natalia had me salivating for the next book to find out which one wins the romantic tug of war. Can’t wait to see if Diego gets what he deserves. Are those brothers good or evil … or am I the fool? As for Natalia’s snake in the grass dad … I’m hoping Cristiano will be his grim reaper. The series is off to great start, even if it’s a bit of a slow crawl.

This is book 1. I wasn’t sure wasn’t sure if i’d like this book but i gave it a chance and wow i’m so happy i did. This book has a good storyline that will keep you interested you won’t want to put it down. Theres not much romance in this one and no 🌶, But it’s so interesting. This one does end on a cliffhanger.. and wow it’s getting serious!I absolutely recommend!!

Well where do I start?A love story like no other- princess of a cartel is in more danger then she thinks. When life is ripped out from under her what does she do?Join Natalia & Her Man on a roller coasterWell done Jessica Hawkins what a beautiful story

Secrets, lies and betrayal! A love triangle with brothers? What more could you want. An absolute page turner! Can’t wait for the next book.

This was a good book; well written with minimal editing errors (a nice change for kindle books); and a strong story. However, whilst technically a romance, I felt there was little actual romance. By this I mean (by example) the MC and FC do not get together until the end of the first book (with limited interaction during the first book); and although there's some dirty talking in book 2 and a couple of steamy scenes, they don't have sex until almost half way through the 3rd book and limited focus on the actual build up of their relationship/connection. The emphasis is definitely more on the story as a whole with the "romance" being an element of or secondary to the story but not the driver.The story managed to flow across all 3 books and retain a "hook" but it did feel dragged out and I confess to getting completely fed up with the FC for harping on about how much she hated the MC despite much evidence for her hatred being unfounded (the reason for them not getting together properly until book 3). The ending was fine and a decent climax but I just felt it lacked punch and was actually relieved when I finally finished book 3.It's unlikely that I will read another book by this author. If I do, it won't be another trilogy or duet. There's slow burn and there's a "damp fizzle" and this was moving too much into the latter than the former for me

I’m glad that I finally read this book and series as it’s been on my radar for a while!I’ve never read a cartel/mafia romance and so I wasn’t sure what to expect but I think this would tick all the boxes. It definitely doesn’t shy away from the horrors of cartel life and the dealings that these kingpins oversee in drugs, weapons and at its worst, human trafficking. Needless to say this book is set against a dark and depraved background and the author doesn’t shy away from the more gruesome details of what is done in this kind of life. The story kicks off with a murder and the stakes only escalate from there with betrayals, a fair bit of angsty forbidden romance, and life threatening games.Most of the characters are morally grey though as you’d expect there are also those completely devoid of morals and emotions. The story is told through Natalia’s perspective but we get additional perspectives from Diego and Cristiano in two chapters, and these three make up the triangle that this story centers on. There is a bit of a love triangle and while this isn’t a trope I normally like, I found that I was actually okay with it because I wasn’t fooled for a second by one of the de la Rosa brothers. Ngl, I was team Cristiano from the start! I was expecting a lot of fast paced action but this was definitely more of a slow burn, much like the romance ends up being. I think the characters are a little stereotypical—Natalia is the sheltered mafia princess, Diego is the charming and “loyal” brother, and Cristiano is the enigmatic, brooding, and violent brother with a terrifying reputation. But I still enjoyed them in the setting and although I can already predict how things will play out in terms of the plot and characters, I’m still eager to read on!This first book really set the stage for the coming books as the characters and cartel history were well-established, as well as the angsty romance which fuels the conflict between the brothers and Natalia. That ending has me excited to see where the story goes next! Bring on the Calavera cartel and what lies behind the Badlands.

I really enjoyed this story.The questions surrounding the families in this book have left me wanting more.Tali was a likeable female lead but at times her devotion to Diego did irritate me. Only because she is so blinded by him. I didn’t like Diego and I’m hoping revelations about his behaviour will come to light in the next book.As for Cristiano. Now him I absolutley loved. He’s dangerous, alluring and wants to protect Tali. I really want to know more about him and I can’t wait to see the progression of his and Tali’s relationship.Roll on book number 2!