The devil has a name, and it’s Cristiano de la Rosa. On my wedding day, he was the last man I expected to see standing at the altar. He wants to make me his queen. His brother wants to rescue his princess.Getting Cristiano to lose control becomes the name of the game, and the stakes are life and death. But as truth and lies blur, loyalty is tested, and our chemistry threatens to reach the melting … the melting point, the prize grows less clear. Either freedom no longer means what I think it does, or Cristiano is as devious as everyone says, and he’s mastered the art of playing my mind.
All I know for certain is that nothing is certain. And all you need to know?
This is a love story.
But even love stories have to end.
more
Violent Ends by Jessica Hawkins is book #2 in the White Monarch Trilogy, book #1 Violent Delights must be read first, this is NOT a standalone. If you have not read Violent Delights then do not read any further into this review because it may contain spoilers. Told in dual POV we delve further into Cristiano and Natalia’s story.
Violent Ends picks up right where we left off, Cristiano and Natalia are at the Church where they were just married, and then he sweeps her off to his home in The Badlands.
If Natalia wants to keep herself, her father, Diego and anyone else close to the Cruz cartel, then she has to stay with Cristiano. It’s her choice to make but it’s at a forced hand.
“I was metaphorically chained to Cristiano by the power he held over the lives of the people I loved. I couldn’t run. But that didn’t mean there weren’t ways to get free of him.”
The longer she spends with Cristiano and in his home, his city, and with the Calavera cartel, the more she starts to question everything that she’s been told. Each man benefits in some way or another so who can she truly rely on?
Who is telling the truth?
Who can she believe?
Who can she trust?
“You’re no longer someone’s sweet, pure, naïve princesa. You don’t live in the ivory tower anymore. You own it. You’re going to learn to rule from it, because that’s what it means to be Calavera royalty. And this dress is far more suitable for a queen.”
Jessica Hawkins is an absolutely amazing author and she has completely outdone herself with this one! The suspense and the anticipation that keeps you right on the edge of your seat, seriously this one deserves a whole LOT more than only 5-stars!
In Violent Delights I had the hots for the dark and dangerous Christano, well now, after getting to know the man behind the mask and seeing a completely different side of him, I am totally in love with this man! Cristiano is pushing Natalia to be stronger, to be wiser, but as he tries to build her up Natalia is in constant fear of his motives which causes her to continue to defy and push him to his breaking point. But patience? That man has it in spades, while Natalia is constantly pushing he is still standing strong. He can’t really fault her for jumping to conclusions and thinking the worst when she’s left with nothing but his ambiguous comments. I honestly never thought the all-powerful leader of the Calavera cartel, Cristiano had this side of him and it is an absolute pleasure watching it all play out. But as always, there is a reason for everything Cristiano says or does and as the mask is pulled back more and more through every chapter all will be revealed. I can NOT wait for this conclusion, I have ZERO doubts that it’s not going to be completely mind-blowingly explosive!
“But at the end of a kingpin’s long day of destruction, he was still a man, and he looked at me with a man’s eyes. His gaze wouldn’t release me, nor his large hands.”
Natalia, I understand why she’s acting the way she is and so determined to find a way out of the arrangement she has with Cristiano, her whole world has been flipped upside down BUT I want to shake the girl so she would WAKE UP, it is nowhere’s near as bad as things could have been! I think at this point she’s taking things a little too far. The way Cristiano has been with her since she’s been in the Badlands, the things he has done for her. Cristiano has shown her more respect in the short time that she has been in his home then she’s ever been shown. People may have respected her before but she was a woman and had to sneak for any information, Cristiano leaves all the doors open for her and all he expects in return is her loyalty. I’m SO glad that she’s finally “somewhat” seeing the truth about Diego for herself… I just don’t trust him AT ALL and I really don’t think he has her best interest at heart. In my review of Violent Delights, I hoped that in the next book we would see less naivety in Natalie and even though she is still blind as a bat and not willing to accept what’s right in front of her face… she’s getting there and once she does… she is going to be a magnificent Queen.
“Pain, resistance, and hatred were all things I could understand in a moment like this. but to be pleasured by the devil and enjoy it? That felt like the highest sin.”
The sexual chemistry is off the charts. Cristiano has no qualms with telling her exactly what he wants, but he refuses to consummate with her until SHE truly wants it, and actually wants HIM. Not just for the sake of consummating the marriage. Natalia is not unaffected by Cristiano but she fights the way he makes her body feel as if being turned on by him is a betrayal. She’s completely ashamed that at the hands of a murderer she could feel pleasure… and actually, enjoy it. So she continues to fight a losing battle against her own body. That dirty mouth on Cristiano shew, I have no idea how she’s held out this long!
GAHHH, that ending, talk about a cliffhanger! Jessica Hawkins KILLED me with that cliffhanger, I kept flipping back and forth like wait… wait a minute that can NOT be where we leave off! I can’t even say more than that without spoiling anything but OMG you guys are not ready for this one!
Deception, sacrifice, betrayal, murder, and lust, Violent Ends has EVERYTHING that makes an outstanding mafia romance, and it’s not even over yet! Gahh come on November, I can not wait for the conclusion of The White Monarch series, Violent Triumphs (White Monarch, #3)! This is one that I REALLY hate having to wait for! I HIGHLY recommend Violent Ends as well as the rest of this amazing trilogy!
I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book.
After the way the first book ended, I was so ready to jump right into this book. Jessica didn’t disappoint and this book kept me turning the page. All the twists that these books have thrown at me just make me want more. I can’t get enough of Cristiano and his dirty mouth! The chemistry that he has with Natalia is fantastic and the slow burn is just want I need in a book right now. The end of this book came too quickly and November can’t come quick enough for the next installment.
The truth and slow burn in this story sucks you in. Every word slays your mind and heart to cheer for the good guys and hope they win. Finding out the truth is eye opening and Natalia is thrown in the middle. She wars with herself to figure out if she continues to believe rumors and believe what is really in front of her. I’m team Cristiano!! Huge cliffhanger, can’t wait to find out what happens!!!
I can’t wait to read the next book.
Dear lord, I was so invested into this story. Violent Ends picks up where Violent Delights drops off so it would be helpful to read book #1 first. BUT, for those who have read Violent Delights and picked up Violent Ends, WHAT IN THE WOLRD?! This was such an amazing roller coaster of a ride with these two. I think I enjoyed Violent Ends so much more than Violent Delights just because we get to know more about Cristiano and Natalia. Also, it’s easier to figure who is who and how their world works because I’ve read book #1. Book #1 was a little hard for me to follow with a lot of characters and learning the cartel world.
Violent Ends brings a whole other level. *is it getting hot in here?!* The sexual tension between Cristiano and Natalia is off the charts. The asshole and the softer side of Cristiano was amazing. He makes this whole book. Just when you think you know who the bad guy is, another thing comes at you.
Jessica Hawkins brought another level of writing game to this series. The ending?! Dear god, tell me book #3 comes out soon! I need to find out what happened! I’m so invested! The writing was spot on, the story line moved along beautifully, and the relationship aspect was so full of angst that I couldn’t put the book down.
Do yourself a favor and read this book. If you haven’t, get Violent Delights now and then get your one click finger ready for Violent Ends!
The ruling of a kingdom, the takedown of dangerous threats, along with sacrifices and betrayals are all in a days work when you’re a part of the cunning and cutthroat world of one of the most powerful cartels in Mexico. Violent Ends showed us a Violent Delights and the repercussions of what some the characters will have to face going forward.
After barely surviving the cliffhanger in book one, I was more than ready to get some answers and see how this new dynamic was going to play out between Natalia and Christiano. Not a stranger to violence or the drug world, Natalia knows that the one that is golden besides power, is loyalty. After making a huge sacrifice for the sake of a loved one, those seven letters will ultimately turn out to be a blessing and a curse. With Christiano now in the mix, can these two survive each other without burning an empire to the ground?
“I am not your pawn. You can move me around, bury me, sell me, berate me, but you wont break me.
I have to say that as much as I enjoyed Christiano in the Violent Delights, I fell in love with him in this book!! He gave everything that I was asking for and he never held back when it came to saying what he wanted and going after it. From the very first chapter he was this force of nature and you wanted nothing more than to be swept up in his aura regardless of the consequences and don’t even get me started on the dirty talk!!!
As for Natalia, she irritated me in this book and I wanted more from her. I couldn’t understand some of her own conclusions despite the writings being written on the wall and she way too naïve for me. I wanted her to be stronger instead of her saying the words but at the same time, I feel she’s going to give us everything in the final book so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for that.
Now let’s talk about this cliffhanger shall we? My anxiety just went straight through the roof with that ending!! What are we supposed to until November? That’s what I said folks, NO.VEM.BER!! that’s straight up torture for me! With that being said, I can’t wait to see what’ going to happen next. Will Christiano have a Queen by his side to help him rule? Or will they no longer have an empire?
*Arc received for an honest review
Ah Book 1 was great. Book 2 was incredible. I can’t wait to see what Jessica has in store for us with the final book!
My heart is at my throat, and it’s all Jessica Hawkins’ fault.
This story, this series, is Jessica at her best. THIS is what she’s known for. The angst, the slow burn, the WTF moments.
I lived and breathed these characters for three days straight. After the cliffy from book 1 (Violent Delights), I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. The story picked right up from where it left off, and I felt I was on a roller coaster until the very end. The title of this book, Violent Ends, is 100% accurate….that ending was BRUTAL.
The hero (well, the one that really matters out of the two anyway! LOL) is alpha x 1 billion. The way he conducts himself and everything he does is extremely sexy and smart. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, escapes him. You can also TOTALLY feel his Latin spiciness and charm. But it’s not the typical “Rico Suave” bullshit; it’s different. He’s a man. TOTAL MAN. He’s mind is set on mainly one thing: SHOWING Natalia that all this time, she’s been in the shadows. That she needs to step in and own her legacy, as well as take the blinders (and the proverbial blindfold) off and SEE what’s right in front of her. She’s in for a BIG wake-up call; one that could change EVERYTHING. And I know it WILL change everything.
The heroine, Natalia, is a total diamond in the rough….like ROUGH ROUGH. She has so much maturing to do, but the glimpses of her strong personality and determination ARE there; I feel like they’re just misguided but that’s what Cristiano is there for. But will it be enough? There were times where I was very frustrated with Natalia’s back and forth and back again reasoning regarding Cristiano and everything around her, however when you’ve been told from the age of 9 that someone is as bad as bad can be, the worst of the worst, I totally get her hesitation.
And then we have Diego, Cristiano’s brother *cue eye roll*
He’s as weak as weak come, but he’s one to keep an eye on. Some see right through him, and some, like Natalia, hung by every word out of his mouth. Diego 100% groomed Natalia for YEARS to believe Cristiano was earth’s scum….when in reality Diego IS the scum. Diego only cares about Diego. His other fuel is jealousy and envy. But jealousy and envy can give you purpose and a warped sense of reality. He’s one to watch VERY closely in my opinion.
Needless to say I cannot wait for book 3, VIOLENT TRIUMPHS. And I hope (for my heart’s sake) that triumph indeed comes through!!
Violent Ends, duh! I was speechless.. How could it end like this???? This delicious burn romance will keep you guessing. The story had progressed with more details and the dark side of living within Cartel’s world.
The emotion mind game was heavier..
Christiano DeLa Rosa, I applauded his patience.. God have Mercy, a complicated man with a big heart. His emotions through the book were slowly emerging. The relationship and bond were different.. its more gritty.. ways to trust each others. The tension was burning! Come on…
OMG what a book. Ok, I dont know where to start with this book. Violent Ends is an incredible book, its book 2 of a 3 book series. This book starts off from where book 1 ends.
Jessica as all her fans know already is the queen of angst and the whole book takes us on a journey of tortuous foreplay is what I would call it. But I loved every single moment of it even though I was chewing my nails to get through it. I did not want the book to end and boy did Jessica leave us with a bang hanging on a fine thread.
Cristiano is such a hot alpha sexy as hell dirty talking strong man, he wants is to protect who is important to him and that makes him even more beautiful. I loved seeing the change between natalia and Cristiano relationship. I know for sure book 3 is going to be explosive.
I dont want to say much more because I dont want to spoil it for you. Seriously this book is amazing, I would give it 10 if I could so I’ll have to settle with the maximum 5 .
It is a must read and very much one of my favourites so far this year. Remember you need to read book 1 Violent Delights first.
Jessica at her finest. Enjoy
This is the second book in this series. It is NOT standalone.
I don’t know where Cristiano found the patience. In the first half of the book, Natalie constantly had me aching to put my hands around her trachea! That girl tested every nerve I had! I understand she is swimming in revelations and that her entire world has tilted on its axis, but she needs to stop making blind assumptions. She is an inquisitive and intelligent woman it is time to step up and take control. When Natalie finally emerges as the queen she was always meant to be I felt sorry for those who thought to keep her blinded.
In this episode, we see a bit of the darker side of Cristiano. We visit some of the events that forged the calculating leader he is today. We also get a glimpse of something else that lurks in his darkness, just beyond the brutality he so casually wields.
Diego … wait for it.
We pick up right where book one left off – at the wedding.
In Violent Ends, it felt like so many layers of the mystery were peeled away revealing the true depth of the deceptions and betrayals. I was not prepared for most of it!
Friends are sacrificed and enemies are uncovered.
This definitely kept me wanting, needing to know what lay beyond the twisted rumors
What words would I use to describe this book?? Not sure other than phenomenal on epic proportions!!A slow and steady burn! Had me smiling on the banter that took place as well as on edge of what’s to come! Had a mysterious feel to it! Kept try to figure out who was right and who was wasn’t! And the ending had me stunned! I need relief like no other!! Anxiously awaiting the next installment!!
Here we go with book 2 in this trilogy. Make sure you’ve read the first book before diving into this one.
Picking up right where we were left hanging in book 1, we get to endure about 80% of this book with a song and dance of back and forth of…
When and how we will consummate the marriage.
The writing as always by this author is fantastic.
But it’s not until the last approx. 20% of the book that the story starts to gain momentum. With that 20% the hints are given, the suggestions are there, the taste is on the tip of my tongue, but nothing is revealed.
I enjoyed reading this book. I wanted to bed Cristiano myself to help relieve his abstinence that Natalia was making him suffer through. I wanted to smack Natalia upside the head for being so annoying.
Bring on November so we can put all the pieces to this puzzle together and enjoy the picture it represents when finished.
Oh my oh my that ending!! This story is so intense I devoured book 2 in one sitting. I cannot put it down. And can we just talk about Cristiano? He is a book lover’s dream. All that alpha maleness. YEEEESSS! You can’t help but fall in love with him. I loved book 1 and I loved this one even more. Jessica you’re just so amazing and I seriously cannot wait for the next! All the feels for this series!!
I . AM . SHAKING!!!!
My first thought after reading Violent Ends was: how am I supposed to wait until November to read Violent Triumphs?! NO WAY!!! I need answers NOW!!
Although I thought this book was more character developing than storyline, I truly couldn’t take my eyes from my kindle until the end. The writing is so engaging, the expectation of knowing more, the secrets almost out left me in a state of craving for more!
AND that “little” something that I was always expecting to happen that it didn’t?! OMG I’ve been left shaking for it! What a tease!!
The slow burn dance between Cristiano and Natalia drove me mad! Cristiano is everything in this book! You get to know him and some of his secrets which shows the man he is and everything about him is just soooo HOT and SCARY!
I never thought I would want a book boyfriend to come to live more than I want Cristiano! He is now my number #1 for sure!
With this all I want to state is that this series is a must read!
i literally devoured this book. from the moment i started it i couldn’t put it down. jessica is a genius and this series is soooo good. i can’t wait already for the next.
Jessica Hawkins knows how to tell a story. Hook Line and Sinker. Well, because of how Violent Delights ended I was super beyond excited to get Violent Ends. To get some and ALL the answers. I love that this began right where we left off. It was like pressing ‘pause’ and then ‘play’ …. How good it felt to be back in this world OF Love, Lust, Betrayal, Survival and Loyalty.
The chemistry between these 2 is Freaken Off the Pages! Slow burn. Slooooow NICE burn. It is interesting to see the built-up of their relationship.
I like that Natalia started seeing things clear. Although at times I still wanted to yell at her “Grow up!” but I did see her growth throughout and in the end she was a different woman.
Many new introduced amazing characters. Fabulous characters from book 1. I’m excited to see where the last book of this trilogy will take us.
The ending…… I CAN’T EVEN. That’s what I have to say about THAT ENDING.
I NEED book 3 please.
This second installment in the White Monarch trilogy continues to take my breathe away! Violent Ends picks up where Violent Delights left off. Natalia has been tricked into marrying the man she has despised for most of her life, believing he murdered her mother. Then she is taken to live in a place she believes holds unimaginable atrocities. She grew up sheltered, treated like a princess, and never wanted to live in the brutal world of a cartel. Now she is in the midst it, and trying to find a way out. But she is surprised by how safe Cristiano makes her feel, and his dominance calls to her. He is complex and makes her question everything she knows. This slow burn, and seductive story takes us on a journey with twists and turns that are riveting and heart-stopping! In this world of power, money, and revenge, loyalty was everything and it is hard knowing who you could trust. Natalia frustrated me a bit with her naivete and some of her actions, but it only made me appreciate her more as she became stronger. This story is so beautifully written with captivating characters, brilliant banter, and sexual tension that leaps right off the page. I was completely caught off guard by the shocking ending and didn’t want it to end there. I loved this beautiful masterpiece and can’t wait to find out what happens in the final book, Violent Triumphs!
Do you want to FEEL what you read? Well this story, this writing is why I read. This second installment to the series gives a little more to background and view into their lives, but it also leaves me devastated waiting for the conclusion.
Christiano, Diego and Natalia are all taking their places. Christiano came out on top in this account, but I can’t wait for more. The angst and energy flow throughout the story and you’ll want to throw your kindle a couple of times, but JH brings it all to the table and slams this story. Can’t wait for more!
5 Stars!
Natalia Cruz is a beautiful 20 yr. old woman who grew up in Mexico in a world full of danger, and power, where loyalty and family was everything. She’s ready to marry the man she see’s her future with, when things take a drastic turn. Between two brothers she’s caught in a game where her fate has been sealed by the actions of others. She feels tricked, betrayed, manipulated, angry, and doesn’t know who to believe or trust anymore. One wants to rescue his princess, and the other wants to make her his queen. A debt is paid as two powerful families are joined, and the result is Natalia feeling as if she’s lost her freedom. She feels insignificant, and alone as she navigates her new reality.
Natalia finds herself at the mercy of the dark, rich, powerful, ruthless Cristiano de la Rosa. He’s dangerous, controlled, dominant, and surprisingly attentive. She couldn’t ignore how devastatingly handsome he was, or how he unsettled her with one look. He was sensual, alluring, and it would be so easy to fall under his spell. She had to resist him and the explosive chemistry between them. She could feel his hunger for her as she continually tested his control. When he was close she felt consumed by passion. It was inevitable he’d devour and destroy her if she gave in to her desire, but over time she began to crave and want the man she knew she should fear. She was confused as she kept uncovering more layers to this complex man who wore many faces. She didn’t know anymore where her loyalty was, and questioned was Cristiano the hero, or the villian?
Violent Ends (White Monarch #2) by Jessica Hawkins was amazing! I was completely consumed with this addictive story full of secrets, lies, and love. This series excites me and keeps me dying for more!!! Jessica really has written an intriguing fabulous series! I’m completely hooked! This book is not a standalone, and must be read after book 1, Violent Ends.