Kingpin: Book 2 (Cartel)

This author does not hold back at the ruthlessness of what life is like in the cartel. I felt for Ana. In the first book, I hated that she was in the position she was in. In this book, I could feel how she was happy out of a sense of being indebted to Dorian. This Dorian is not the same man that he was in Gypsy Brother's series. I felt for him. I could see where he was losing his morals and was turning into the devil that he portrayed in that series. The fact that I was liking him in this book, despite knowing how he is later, is a testament to the skill of this author.Even though this is a prequel to the Gypsies, I'm still loving this because it adds a depth to that series that I didn't even know was missing.

Kingpin is part 2 of the Cartel Series and it did not disappoint! It was filled with a lot of suspense, confusion for Mariana and Dornan, and we watch as this book starts out 9 years later and what happens.Mariana has spent the last 9 years a prisoner in her apartment. She goes to work 5 days a week for the Cartel, and on Sunday she waits for Dornan's visits which have become sporadic at best. Mariana knows this is all she will ever have in exchange for the protection Dornan gave her 9 years ago. Now however she watches as the darkness slowly invades Dornan, as well as herself, and she does two things she thought in her wildest dreams she would never do.On top of this, she is always alone, never getting anything but Dornan's little scraps of time. Unfortunately Murphy has been coming in her life to threaten her to do certain things for him, he needs her help, and tries to get it by threatening the lives of her family and son. Mariana is forced to make a choice, and involves John, when Dornan is too busy to help. This makes her know even more she will never be first, and at the same time the dynamics between her and John change as well.Mariana loses any hope after Dornan creates the ultimate sin in her eyes, not once but twice, which makes her afraid of him forever. Mariana loses something precious to her, and she just shuts down.This book is filled with death, violence, blood, and so much killing, and at the same time there is also glances of a love that is slowly dying. The plot twists in and around adding so much angst and uncertainty and it is bringing everything into focus for the final book in this series.Mariana knows that her Dornan, the man she thought she loved all these years, has been slowly turning into his father, and there is nothing she can do anymore. Will Mariana run? Will she lose the nerve to take off and stay, living this life? What will happen to all of them?I gave this book 5 stars, and can't wait to read the conclusion of this series!

This second book in the 'Cartel' fast-forwards nine years into Mariana's captivity. Still trapped in the same apartment, unable to leave of her own volition, and spending her days cooking the books for the cartel, Mariana remains devoted to Dornan. She loves him, despite it all.Regardless of her love for Dornan, Mariana spends most of her time alone, longing for his next weekly visit. She's come to realize that she will always have to settle for scraps where Dornan is concerned. He will never place her first. They will never get out of this life. They are never going to be together in any meaningful way, beyond the stolen moments that she treasures each Sunday.As Mariana comes to terms with her life circumstances, she commits to stay the course. However, Murphy has a need for her particular skill set. With her family again threatened, she is forced to undergo drastic measures to ensure the safety of her son. Her actions will change everything.Finding herself in a really bad spot, Mariana calls on Dornan, only to be reminded of her place in line behind his wife, family, and business. Desperate, she calls on John to help her fix the mess she's made, changing the dynamics of their relationship forever. Now, this man knows all of her most dangerous secrets, things that Dornan doesn't even know.As this story progresses, we have a front row seat to the decline of Dornan. Little by little, the darkness of his daily business has seeped into his soul, leaving a cold, callous man in it's wake. He cannot un-see the things that he's seen, and it is slowly killing the humane side of him.Eventually, Mariana has to face the fact that the man she loves, no longer exists. She finds comfort in the arms of his best friend and begins to look for a way out.This book was far more gritty and raw than the first book in the 'Cartel' series. Even though I know where this story is headed, I cannot pull myself away from it. I have loved every minute of this story. Even knowing that this will end horribly, I am dying to get my hands on the next book.

OMG, could anything be better than the Gypsy Brother's, could Lili Saint Germain get any better with the Cartel series. The answer to that is YES YES YES. Amazing book that is wonderfully written and the story of Dornan Ross and Marianna continue's from the first book Cartel, these books are a prequel to the Gypsy Brothers series.Even though in the Gypsy Brothers series I tended to loathe Dornan, I knew deep down he had some good in that heart of his, and in Kingpin we get to see the good side, the kind heart, how he grew up and what makes him the way he is in the Gypsy Brothers books. I felt so sorry for him, ending up really liking him and by the end I was in love with him !!! Yep not something I was prepared for in any way. He is seriously hot and comes across as sexy as hell, and he and Mariannna fall in love in a warped kind of way.Marianna - feisty with a run away mouth that gets her in to trouble more often than not, but a woman you have to totally admire and pity at the same time. They are digging themselves into a deeper pit with the help of Dornan's best friend John and the excitement, the tension, the OMG moments flow off each and every page keeping you on the edge of your seat, or in my case up very late into the early hours finishing this extraordinary book !!!We as fans of Lili have waited patiently for this second book, but oh my it was sooo worth the wait. I'm now champing at the bit for Empire, the third and final book in this series.I can't recommend that you read this series enough. Start with the Cartel series and move on to the Gypsy Brothers series, you won't regret it and you will never forget the impact these brilliant books will have on your life.One of my favourite series ever, 5 wonderful shining bright well deserved stars, if I could give more I would without hesitation.Lili Saint Germain, you rock girl and I love you dearly for bringing these books into my life. Well done !!!!!!!!!!!

God I love him,I hate him,I love him, I hate him !!!!!I couldn't decide on an emotion Dornan fcuking Ross is like no other he's a nasty evil mother sucker you just love too hate but towards the end of this book I flat out hated him and his sick and twisted ways.Poor Mariana she just can't catch a freaking break from one dire situation to another the nine years between Cartel and Kingpin have not been easy by any stretch of the imagination having read the Seven Sons books I know how she meets her end I just hope in Empire she finds a bit of happiness before then !!!!Another amazing 5* read from the twisted ruthless mind of Lili St GermaineRoll on Empire now !!!!!

This is a love/hate story. Mariana is still in the same dire situation as in the previous book but now she has seen far more of the IL Sangue Cartel/Gypsy Brothers business dealings and how sick and evil these people really are. Drug Trafficking and money laundering was bad enough, Mariana has witnessed at first hand, the lowest side to their business and it seems too much to bear the lengths that they will go. Dornan has us in turmoil with our love/hate relationship, and his own discovery of a ghost from his past seems to have tipped him over the edge to the dark side, we knew it was too good to be true as our feelings took a turn for him in Cartel. It can only get worse for Mariana.

WOW!!!!OMG Lili has blown me away with KingPin this has been one rollercoaster.Mariana was so loving and accepting,I felt so much for John, he was like a knight in shining armour,Dornan well what can i say about him?? you get to see why he has done the things he has done, he tried so hard to be a better man and you get to see a few glimpses of the man he really tried hard to be.Now i cant wait to see how Empire turns out and find out more answers to my many questions i have.

Well what can i say that has not been said by the other reviews other than I agree with every single word, i loved this book as with another reviewer Dornan was horrible in Gypsy Brothers but in the Cartel series he is so much nicer, although i have already re-ordered Empire i know how this book will conclude and looking forward to see how Lili weaves this story in her own brilliant way. Would recommend this book plus the Gypsy Brothers series.