From USA Today Bestselling Author Cora Kenborn comes a steamy second chance romance full of political intrigue, family betrayal, and shocking blindsides.Love is the deadliest lie.I never meant to start a war.Then I fell for the boy my mother warned me about.A lowlife.A criminal.To me, he was just Matty. To the world, he was Mateo Cortes, soulless killer for the Carrera Cartel.We … Cortes, soulless killer for the Carrera Cartel.
We were the virgin and the villain. The debutante and the devil.
He swore we’d end in ruin. I swore love would conquer all.
I was wrong.
Running saved my life, but now a costly mistake has put it back on the line. Forced out of hiding, I’m given minutes to decide my fate: inmate or informer. The DEA plans to bring down the Carreras by infiltrating their ranks.
I’m the pawn.
Mateo is the target.
Four years ago, I started a war. Now I’m back to end it, and this time I won’t run from the dark.
My devil will come for me.
And God help anyone who gets in his way.
*The Carrera Cartel books are all standalones and can be read out of sequence. However, if you prefer to avoid spoilers, it’s highly recommended that you read them in order.
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Faded Gray Lines is an f’ing HOT as sin read!
All I can say is WOW! I went in to FGL’s with high expectations after reading Blurred Red Lines and they were exceeded beyond my imagination. Leighton and Mateo were a wonderfully, explosive pair and made a perfect match. Mateo is the perfect alpha male hottie book boyfriend and I’m totally in love with him!
Cora Kenborn, you are amazing. You nailed this one out of the park! I can’t wait to see what you have in store for us next!
WOW! I was completely blown away by Cora Kenborn’s Faded Grey Lines. This book was absolutely PHENOMENAL and should not be missed for any reason!!! If you follow my blog, you know I am a huge fan of Kenborn’s work and I have been greatly anticipating the second book in the Carrera Cartel series. Without a doubt this book is five-star worthy… hell, realistically its deserving of more than five stars! I won’t bore you with my version of a synopsis of the book as there are going to be plenty of reviews that list those already. But please continue reading for why I LOVED this book so much.
Cora Kenborn writes extremely entertaining romance that will live you completely captivated. I have read everything in her backstock and as much as I loved her words before, yet in my humble opinion Faded Grey Lines is absolutely her very best work to date. I was just consumed with this book and stayed up all night to finish because putting it down for sleep just was not an option! As the second book in a series, I was sure I couldn’t love it more than Blurred Red Lines…only I did! Also, I often refuse to read books out of order just as there are some readers who prefer to start at the beginning as well. However, if Faded Grey Lines happens to be the book that speaks to you the most when looking to read Cora Kenborn’s work, then it’s important for you to know that this book is a standalone. I found the story to be fast paced and the plot was unpredictable. The writing was excellent, and the exceptional layering of humor, angst, suspense and sizzle truly made this book one of a kind in the mafia romance genre.
Faded Grey Lines is full of sizzle! The chemistry between Mateo and Leighton is undeniable. I’m a sucker for second chance romance and that’s exactly what Mateo and Leighton are given in Faded Grey Lines. Their love story is not perfect, but their love for one another was intense – especially given their ages. Now, after years of separation, the consuming love they once shared has new life breathed into it. Mateo is an alpha after my heart for sure. He’s a little bit of an asshole, a whole lot sexy, loyal and dominate with his woman… you know basically that super sexy book boyfriend we all love!! It’s important to know that while Mateo is the underboss to Val, he is still very alpha and totally worth your time. Hell, I’m willing to bet after reading the sexy times in Faded Grey Lines, you’ll need fresh panties and fresh batteries !! Then, there is Leighton… our heroine is this beautiful composition of intelligent, timid, strong-willed and snarky. She is determined to fix the mess she made and yet keeps digging the ditch she’s in deeper and deeper! As vulnerable as Leighton is, she is only that way with Mateo and her brother, Brody.
As far as a series goes, the Carrera Cartel is one of my very favorites mafia romances. You will be hooked on Cora Kenborn’s writing immediately and I promise you won’t be able to put these books down! Whether you are a longtime lover of Cora’s brand of romance, or brand new to her work, there is something to love for everyone. Get started with the Carrera Cartel books – Blurred Red Lines and Faded Grey Lines – now so that when the third book is released, you aren’t still behind!
What A Great read! This one will keep you on The Edge during The whole read and craving to get to The end of The story to see what will happen next!
Leighton and Mateo are Great and will melt your Heart for sure as always in Ms. Kenborn novels.
Leighton made one huge mistake and now id on The Run coming back to The Home Town. Will są manage to survive There and open to New possibilities?
Mateo is most trusted Val man and getting There ain’t Easy nor filled With Good Deeds. He is so different from Leighton That he wants to keep Her as far as possible, but when old secrets will be revealed will he manage to do so?
Read Full of action, emotions, twist, and turns!
This was a very intense, highly emotive story featuring two strong characters. Mateo and Leighton’s story had some dark elements and although it’s not my go-to trope, it had my attention from the very first page. I felt like I was thrown on a merry-go-round with these two, and stayed there throughout their complicated story. The chemistry was hot as he!! though and the characters felt larger than life at times, hence the merry-go-round feelings lol. But, it all just worked and that’s what matters.
I really enjoyed this story and look forward to more by this author.
Mateo is a hot, sexy, protective alpha and Leighton is a feisty, strong, beautiful damsel in distress. Mateo and Leighton’s story is a rollercoaster of secrets, lies, humor, suspense, angst and a mafia romance that had me hooked from page one. Faded Grey Lines is book two in the Carrera Cartel series and I can’t wait to read the next one. Great writing, amazing characters and a great storyline make this a 5-star must read.
~WRITING – PLOT – PACE~
Fifteen months ago I read Blurred Red Lines and LOVED it. Ever since then I have been dying to get my hands on book two. So was it worth the wait? Very much so. Did I enjoy it as much as book one? Well, not quite, but it was still a very enjoyable and solid read. The writing was excellent. It was well paced. The plot was engaging and kept me turning the pages. So why not 5-Stars? I am not a huge fan of secrets, or rather, secrets that are stretched out for almost the entirety of the book. In this case, it is 65% before we find out a huge one. That alone wouldn’t have been an issue except that the heroine goes to tell the hero her secret at least four times (I think) when something interrupts them, and then she tells him to “forget it” or “it wasn’t important.” I’ll be honest, I almost threw my tablet the third and fourth time this happened. I was left feeling annoyed and frustrated, and that lowered my enjoyment of the story some. Last, it was all wrapped up in a sweet HAPPY FOR NOW.
~HERO~
MATEO…Mateo was the other reason this didn’t quite reach 5-Stars. I liked him a lot, but he was no Val. Which sounds silly to say as he is a totally different character, but I wanted a bit more alpha bada**. I found him just a bit too bland. I also didn’t understand why he was so butthurt when he sees her again. She had NO idea what his real name was or that he was part of a cartel, so how in the world did he expect her to know he was in prison and wait around for him? That said, he was still a very likable hero. He was sweet. He was sexy. He was all about Leighton once he got his head out of his a**.
~HEROINE~
LEIGHTON…Leighton, I enjoyed quite a lot, well apart from her inability to spit out her secret that is (lol). She was strong. She was feisty. I loved her interactions with Brody. She had a couple TOO STUPID TO LIVE moments, but overall she was a good solid heroine.
~SECONDARY CHARACTERS~
There were quite a few secondary characters in this one. Some good…some bad. We see a tiny bit of Val and Eden (which I loved). The main secondary character was Brody, Leighton’s brother, and the hero set to star in book three. I am super intrigued by Brody so I can’t wait to see what this author has up her sleeve for his book.
~HEAT LEVEL~
Low to Medium. I wouldn’t say this was overly high on the heat scale, but we do get a few suitably spicy sex scenes. The frequency felt organic to the story.
~ANGST LEVEL – SEXUAL HISTORIES~
Mediumish. This couple had some major communication issues to start with which I found vexing. Logically I know that if the author cleared up all the miscommunications right off the bat, there wouldn’t be much of a story left to tell. But as a reader, it is often a bit frustrating when things are drug out that normal people would have discussed the minute they saw each other again. Moving on…neither were virgins. Both had slept with other people in the four years they were apart, and there was no OW or OM drama.
~IN THE END~
I enjoyed this one a lot. Like I said, it was a solidly written and well-paced book. The plot was entertaining. There was some heat. Some murder. Some twists and turns. Some revenge. The characters both secondary and main were well developed and intriguing. This one gets a solid two thumbs up from yours truly, and I am looking forward to book three.
WOW!! This was the PERFECT addition to the Carrera Cartel series. I opened this book and couldn’t put it down! From the very beginning Faded Gray Lines grabs your attention and offers twists and turns that keep you wanting more! Mateo’s story is so compelling, the characters are extremely relatable and so real! I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone and everyone!!! You will NOT be disappointed!
Leighton and Mateo’s story is unique in that it’s a second chance Mofia story. We get to meet Matoe in book one and I would totally recommend reading it first to understand the story line and characters. Leighton gets herself in some trouble and she calls apon her brother Alex who is running the Cartel in the states. Alex then calls in a favor from his boss to help out his sister and this is where Mateo comes in. Once Mateo gets to the states to help with Leighton problem this is where the twists start and the past comes face to face again. I love this one even more then the first and can’t wait to see what we get in book 3.
Faded Gray Lines by Cora Kenborn is page-turning, exciting and absolutely gripping.
Leighton is in the wrong place at the wrong time. She hears things that she should not know. Because of this, there is a body lying motionless on the floor.
Now she is between a rock and a hard place. Embroiled with the DEA and the Carrera Cartel, she must look out for herself and her family.
She seeks the aid of her brother, who tells her to pack her bags and move in with him.
Mateo is a criminal in the Carrera cartel, he is brutal and feels no guilt. That is until he meets his Star. But, Star is not who she said she was and Star is not her real name, it’s Leighton.
With bad blood and secrets between them, will they be able to find their way back to the lovers they once were?
This was an edge of your seat romantic suspense. It is the second book in the series and is told in dual POV.
Faded Gray Lines is an exceptional read and had my complete attention.
Leighton was a daring heroine. She did what needed to get done in order to safeguard both her and her family’s future
Mateo was both obsessed with and repulsed by Leighton. I loved that although he did not trust her, he protected her first and foremost.
This book was exciting and was definitely hard to put down. It you are looking for a suspenseful, action-filled, steamy romance, this is for you!!
I received an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I absolutely love, flove, adore Mateo and Leighton’s story.. This book gets all the feels, is very well written keeping you throughly engrossed and not anticipating the twist. Steamy scenes are on point leaving you wowed. And as normal with this author you have to hold your sides with the humor. I’m so excited and look forward to reading Brodys story..
Faded Gray Lines is the second book in a trilogy, however, it can be read as a stand-alone. This is one of those books that you will not want to put down. Mateo and Leighton’s story has all the feels. It kept me on the edge of my seat from the beginning to the end.
I will definitely read this story again. Do yourself a favor and get your copy today!
Faded Gray Lines is the second book in the Carrera Cartel series. Get ready to have your mind blown!!! Mateo and Leighton will both steal your heart. So many raw emotions. The details in the book was like a movie was playing in your head. I love books that can make me escape reality for awhile. Hats off to ya Cora. Great book, you don’t want to miss out!
“Faded Gray Lines” is the second book of the Carrera Cartel series, and it tells the story of Mateo, Val’s most trusted man from “Blurred Red Lines”. When I read that book, I saw potential in him because he is not the typical cartel guy. He has a sweet edge to him, and I wanted to know more about his personality and who would he like.
You don’t need to have read “Blurred Red Lines” to read this, but there could be spoilers if you haven’t read it.
Mateo didn’t have it easy, and he arrived to the rank in the cartel he is now because he showed Val his loyalty. But before he got close to the top of the hierarchy, Mateo met the person who could have been the partner of his life; if only the life he chose wouldn’t put itself in between. When you are a member of an illegal organization, you can’t reveal your true identity to others and the company you pick to warm your bed will be forgotten the next day, but some people you can’t forget.
Leighton made a mistake. A big mistake. And because of it, she needs her brother’s help and she goes to Houston. But this time it will be hard to save herself. Not only because of what she did, but also because of she is surrounded by beasts who want her head – or her body. She has to choose wisely to make it unscathed from this mess and protect the people she loves.
Mateo and Leighton are that couple that is destined to be separated. He does illegal activities, he is wrapped to the bone in the cartel because his boss will trust him with his life – and this happens once in a life-time. So when Mateo meets Leighton, he knows that he has to leave her alone. She is angelic, demure, innocent – she is everything he is not. Yet, the perfect life she seems to lead isn’t truly brilliant like it may seem, and she is eager to run away. But they can’t be together, and life at some point reminds them of it and drives them apart, leaving a baggage of secrets trailing behind them. When they meet again, it’s evident that love never faded, especially when I believe they were each other’s first love. Destiny decided to give them a chance, but they need to come clean about who they are and what they are hiding, or it won’t work.
As every Cora Kenborn novel, this one is filled with action and surprises in every chapter. You can’t take a breath because it all starts moving from the first chapter and until the end, there is never a static moment in the story. Being this a romantic suspense story, there are good and bad people, but the author messes with your head so you never know who did this or that until their misdeed is revealed, and it’s never who you expect. What I like about her books are these moments of shock and surprise where things you believed until then are questioned and you keep asking yourself what will happen and how the hero or the heroine will save himself/herself.
If you’ve loved Cora Kenborn’s other novels, you’ll also love this. Compared to “Blurred Red Lines”, I think this one is less violent but it doesn’t mean a bad thing in my book, because the story is well balanced so you have the right dose of everything, and in the end you’ll be satisfied of the outcome.
Next book hopefully is about Brody, and I can’t wait to read the story from the side of “justice”.
Oh god I feel like I just binge watched a series on Netflix! That was an amazingly story-the first I’ve read by this author, and i must admit I was totally and completely engrossed in the story. I can’t remember the last time I lost myself so completely in a world created by an author-but it was just too thrilling of a story to not want to be running right along side the characters.
I do believe I guessed the secret correctly when Leighton first started dropping hints- I’d like to say I’ve pretty much seen every episode of every kind of crime drama on cable, pairing that with my love of books and it pretty much gives me a female Sherlock Holmes status. Though I did kind of guess what was going on between the characters, I still let out a huge “whoop whoop” complete with an air first bump knowing that the author created such amazing twists and turns without them being too cliche. LOVED everything about the plot-there’s nothing I would change about the writing.
Mateo was a totally loveable character for me. He was so alpha and protective yet he knew he was emotionally scarred from what happened in his past when he put all his eggs in one basket. He didn’t want to get hurt again, but he still always toed the line of what was right, for people he cared about.This author also did an amazing job wth the supporting characters. I’m totally excited to read Brody’s book.
My only one complaint I have is that I really wasn’t a fan of the cover! The story is so absolutely amazing and I think the cover is a bit cheesy. It definitely doesn’t take away from the amazing story, and I will most definitely be picking up book 1 and one clicking book 3 when it’s available!!! – By Victoria
I love Kenborn’s writing style. She masters mafia romance brilliantly and with ease. The characters are STRONG, the romance HOT, the story balanced between INTENSE and TANTALIZING!
I have been waiting what seems like forever for this book. I loved Blurred Red Lines and I just needed more of the Carrera Cartel. This is Mateo’s (Val Carrera’s right hand man) and Leighton’s (sister of a lieutenant of the Carrera clan) story. It’s a bit of a second chance mafia romance. The heroine is strong and a survivor, and the hero is dangerous and deadly, but with a devoted tenderness.
While I favored the ferocity and brutality of the criminal violence we see in Blurred; the action, secrets, lies and betrayal in Faded brings the supporting cartel qualities a reader seeks in a story about a syndicated group. A great read but I recommend to read Blurred first to truly enjoy the complete story. I look forward to more of the Carrera saga!
Family is not always blood. The cartel is family and they take care of their own.
4* Stars
Mateo is a badass mafia lt thst steals your heart. Leighton is in trouble and unexpectedly the only one she could turn to is someone she never expected to see again. There were so many delicious twists and turns in this book, it made for an engaging read. This book could be read alone, but seriously the entire series is worth your time. Second Chance/Mafia Romance, you can’t go wrong!
I loved this story, old friends and new come together, Mateo and Leighton were perfect together.
Mateo…mmm….alpha all the way. I love a good dark romance, but wow what a read!!! Cora Kenborn has done it again. Faded Gray Lines kept me glued to my seat as I embarked on a journey into the Carrera world. Readers have been anticipating Mateo’s story and they are in for one epic ride. Great story, great characters, good pacing and just the right mix of angst, comedy, plot twists and suspense to keep it interesting. I am looking forward to the next book in this series as I have greatly enjoyed the first two.
I love how when you read Cora’s books you go on an emotional roller coaster, and this book definitely didn’t let down!
This book is about Leighton who winds up getting calling her brother to help her out.,but the last person she expected to see was Mateo. Mateo is Vals right hand man for the Carrera Cartel. So you know this is going to be a hot, steamy romance (especially if you read Blurred Red Lines).
Definitely a must read! You’ll feel emotionally torn while reading the book, and get sucked into the characters!
I love this seriesMatty and Stars amazing beautiful broken 2nd chance love story.This book rocked my world couldnt put it down.Need more.can’t wait for Brody
A must read. Follow Mateo and his love on their journey. Will true love conquer when so many truths are brought to the light after an accidental murder? You won’t be disappointed and you won’t want to put this book down!