On Every Street by Karina Halle Series: The Artists Trilogy #0.5
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Published by: Metal Blonde Books on March 9, 2013
Format: eBook
Pages: 138
Source: Purchased
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When young con artist Ellie Watt decides to call herself Eden White and go after the drug lord who ruined her as a child, she never expects to fall for one of his henchmen.
But Javier Bernal is no ordinary man. Subtly dangerous and overwhelmingly seductive, Eden finds herself passionately in love with Javier, the very person she's set-up to betray.
With her body and heart in a heated battle against her deep need for revenge, no one will walk away from this con a winner.
Betrayal and heartbreak go hand in hand in this dark and treacherous world Karina Halle created, but I never expected to be left with my heart in pieces by the book’s end…Damn you Javier, I should hate you but I can’t just yet…
ON EVERY STREET is the story Ellie Watt, a broken young woman who grew up to be a con artist like her parents and is hellbent on getting revenge from Travis, the man who scarred her when she was a young girl, who also happens to be a powerful drug lord. To get to him, Ellie will have to assume a new identity (under the alias Eden White) and seduce the man closest to her enemy, Javier Bernal. Falling for her mark was the last thing on her agenda and Eden will soon learn that even the best con artist doesn’t stand a chance against love.
“It’s funny what love can do to a person. It strips them of everything, even their instincts. It creates a new reality for you to adhere to, a new world where you break the rules just to keep the love intact.”
Excuse me if my thoughts are all over the place, that’s just a side effect of reading this gut-wrenching story! I never thought it possible for me to become so invested in two dysfunctional characters, but Eden and Javier won me over with their intensity and deception. Ellie/Eden is fearless and hell bent on vengeance when we’re first introduced to her, all a result of her past. It’s easy to relate to her anger, but you can’t help but wonder what her life would be like had she chosen a different path. When she meets Javier, Eden lets her guard down and allows her feelings to take over, which you know will just come back to bite her in the a**! Even with all her flaws, I could not bring myself to dislike Eden, she’s a product of her environment and you want to root for her because you know there’s more to her than this ruthless young woman.
“The person my heartache would spit out wouldn’t be Ellie Watt and she wouldn’t be Eden White. I didn’t know her name, but I knew she wouldn’t possess a heart. I was fucking scared of her.”
Javier, what a tangled web you weaved! His sex appeal and charisma are undeniable, even when you learn that he’s just as dangerous as his drug lord boss. He takes the term bad boy to a new level but still had me swooning, WTF? He’s the perfect mix of gentleman and rebel which is definitely enticing, just ask Eden! I thought I found a new book boyfriend in Javier and then he goes and shows his crazy side with his possessiveness and betrayal…he left Eden’s heart (and mine) in pieces. You’ll love him and hate him, maybe even at the same time.
“I could never forget your voice. You sound like an angel who’s gotten her wings dirty.”
The dynamics between Eden and Javier are what makes ON EVERY STREET a marvelous character driven story. These two tortured souls have a strong connection to their pasts and are faced with choosing love over vengeance. Eden and Javier have lived in a world of deception and lies until they fall for each other, watching them open up to one another was more intimate than the sex. It’s hard to believe that these two people love each other when most of their relationship is based on secrets and lies, but the passion in them is far too strong to call it lust.
“You want revenge. You want vindication. And I hope you get those things. But the relief will be fleeting. Because you can never right the external wrongs until you fix what’s inside of you.”
Karina Halle is a master at manipulating your emotions with her storytelling! She has a way of humanizing even the most repulsive qualities in her characters, allowing the reader to connect emotionally, good or bad. This unconventional love story commands your attention from beginning to end, drawing on all your emotions and leaving you breathless. Yes, Karina…I’m a masochist when it comes to your writing…give me more!
A special thanks to Laura @ Little Read Riding Hood for recommending I read this book first, after reading Sins & Needles I know my thoughts on Javier would have been completely different had I read OES last! xoxo
I’ve been holding off getting this book, but the more reviews I see, I’m realizing that I have to get it…lols.
Great Review!
Sharonda
What a great review. This book sounds awesome. I’m going to check it out. (And I bought it!) Can’t wait to start it. 🙂
TA GREY