Black Hearts by Karina Halle Series: Sins Duet #1
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books on February 19, 2017
Genres: Romance, Dark, New Adult
Pages: Novel Length
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads
Rating:
Heat:
For Vicente Bernal, truth is all he’s known. The son of an infamous drug lord, Vicente was born to help run the family business, which means he’s been raised on a throne of sordid pasts and dirty laundry, violence and pride. But when Vicente stumbles across someone he’s not supposed to know about – a woman from his father’s checkered past – he sets out to California to find her behind his father’s back.
What Vicente doesn’t expect to find in San Francisco is Violet McQueen, the woman’s twenty-year old daughter. Beautiful and edgy with a vulnerability he can’t resist, Violet tempts Vicente from afar and though he promised himself he’d stay away from her, curiosity and lust are powerful forces. Besides, Vicente has always gotten everything he wants – why shouldn’t he have Violet too?
Soon his wants turn into an obsession, one that sweeps Violet into his games as they fall madly, deeply in love with each other, the type of first love that can drive a person mad.
But it’s a love with tragic consequences.
Both the truth – and the lies – not only threaten to tear them apart, but threaten their very lives.
Someone has to pay for the sins of the fathers.
And they’ll be paying the price with their souls.
At A Glance
I was expecting more, but it was still a good read.
The Good
I would highly recommend reading the Artists Trilogy and Dark Angels Trilogy before starting the Sins Duet. However, you could technically read Black Hearts by itself but you wouldn’t get the full effect.
Though not a perfect read, I fell head over hills for Violet and Vicente. Usually I don’t like weak characters, but Violet was so endearing. She is supper sensitive and emotional and it worked for her. But she could totally kickass too. She is completely too trusting and naïve when it comes to Vicente which only made things more diabolical with Vicente lying his ass off.
Vicente is an evil little devil. He is supper manipulative, like his father. I never knew what he was going to do. He could easily sex up Violet or kill her. It was weird, but I’m use to it with how Javier’s stories went. And just when you think he might be growing a little bit of heart, he does something savage that burns it to a crisp once again. Oh, Vicente. You are too much!
We get to see how life is going for our old favorites. Ellie and Camden have made it through the long haul, though not without some struggles. Bad memories, old ghosts, and all that jazz. Javier and Luisa are as fucked-up as always. Javier is as bad as ever and Luisa is as delusional as ever. I love it!
The Bad
The wow factor was not there. The Artists Trilogy and Dark Angels Trilogy were spot on. Wow factor up the wazoo. But the action and danger were lacking here. Vicente and Violet got to know each other, mostly surface stuff on Vicente’s part, and that’s about it. Boring. With the ending, I didn’t feel like Black Hearts was a complete book. I didn’t like the cutoff point with how little progress there was.
The Snuggly
HOT! So freaking hot. The sex was super naughty with a little BDSM. Can’t say anything bad about the sexual chemistry between Vicente and Violet. All good things.
Final Thoughts
I’m for sure reading the second book of the duet. I really hope it wows me more than this one. I still enjoyed myself with Black Hearts because the characters are too irresistible. Recommended.
Quotes
“All that matters is what happens with the here and now. The past is just ground beneath your feet, there to hold you up or be left behind.”
“If I ever feel the itch of worry, if I’m unable to ignore the anxiety building in my chest, I just take out my guns. Admire them. Then take them apart. It shows that something can become a total mess, rendered powerless, but all you have to do is clean them, make them more efficient, and put them back together again. It’s a puzzle with the same results every time.”
“My guns lie to the side of her strong, beautiful body; cold, hard steel next to soft white curves. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more beautiful sight in my life.”
Melliane
I didn’t know about this new series but I enjoyed one of her novels, I should try more!
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
I would highly recommend any of her books.
Melissa (Books and Things)
Oh sounds good! I do hope the second book is as good as the first.
Anna
The quotes are great. 🙂
Anna from elements of emaginette
Christy LoveOfBooks
Ahh, that’ too bad. I’m still excited to read it. It’s funny that Cam and Ellie’s daughter would turn out like that.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
I know, I really wanted to fall in love with this one.
kimbacaffeinate
I read the first Artisan book and one other by her. I need to add more.
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
She is a great author.
anna @ herding cats & burning soup
Woo on that cover! It’s been a while since I read her. Darn on it not having the wow pop but still sounds pretty good 🙂
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
Still a good book despite no wow.
Olivia Roach
Is it terrible of me to love manipulative characters? I love them so much, so I think I am going to like this main character a lot. And it’s surprising that you could like Violet even though she was usually the type of character you wouldn’t like!
Jennifer (Bad Bird Reads)
If you love manipulative characters then this one is for you.