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VICE: Dark romance cartel series
VICE
A Dark Cartel Romance
Power. Betrayal. Obsession.
Blair never intended to enter the brutal world of cartels—but when tragedy strips her of everything, she stops being a victim and becomes something far more dangerous. With blood on her hands and vengeance in her heart, she rises through the ranks, carving out a place in a world built to destroy women like her.
Now a queen in her own right, every move she makes is a gamble—and every ally a potential traitor.
Then there's Lorenzo.
The only man she ever trusted. The man she should hate but can’t resist. Possessive, ruthless, and loyal only to her, he’s the one thing standing between her and total ruin—or total surrender.
But in a world ruled by violence and shadows, love is the deadliest weapon of all.
As enemies close in and past sins demand their due, Blair and Lorenzo must will they destroy each other… or burn the world down together?
Gripping, brutal, and addictive, VICE is a dark romance where survival costs everything—and love could cost even more.
A Dark Cartel Romance
Power. Betrayal. Obsession.
Blair never intended to enter the brutal world of cartels—but when tragedy strips her of everything, she stops being a victim and becomes something far more dangerous. With blood on her hands and vengeance in her heart, she rises through the ranks, carving out a place in a world built to destroy women like her.
Now a queen in her own right, every move she makes is a gamble—and every ally a potential traitor.
Then there's Lorenzo.
The only man she ever trusted. The man she should hate but can’t resist. Possessive, ruthless, and loyal only to her, he’s the one thing standing between her and total ruin—or total surrender.
But in a world ruled by violence and shadows, love is the deadliest weapon of all.
As enemies close in and past sins demand their due, Blair and Lorenzo must will they destroy each other… or burn the world down together?
Gripping, brutal, and addictive, VICE is a dark romance where survival costs everything—and love could cost even more.
- GenresDark RomanceDark
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 30, 2025
4 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
October 4, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I started it at work when the package came, I ordered directly from the author and she writes how she packed the book with love and dedication. The cover design was sexy I fell in love just for that and she designed everything herself which is for me amazing, then secondly her dedication left my heart strings in tatters, her chapter art was so on point. Now lets get into the actual book, looking past a few editorial mistakes the story was amazing, the characters well developed and the plot twist! Excuse me miss ma'am I thought I knew what was coming and what you did was not expected well done on catching me off guard I haven't had that in a while in the dark romance genre. I would say the spice was excellent for this kind of story! For me it was still mild compared to others I have read but that is because I like the really dark stuff but I cannot wait to see how and what your next story in this series will bring! definitely a 5 star read and you could say I finished this in one sitting. I devoured this book like a starving woman! And I don't give 5 stars out so easily!
October 20, 2025
In a world ruled by men and monsters, she became both.
VICE isn’t a story—it’s a storm dressed as a romance. It drags you into the underbelly of the cartel world and dares you to survive it. Every chapter bleed power, pain, and lust so thick it’s intoxicating.
Blair isn’t your fragile heroine; she’s fire wrapped in silk, broken in all the right ways and still refusing to bow. Watching her evolve from victim to vengeance was pure art—ugly, raw, and mesmerizing. She doesn’t just claw her way to the top; she makes you believe she belongs there.
And then there’s Lorenzo De La Vega. My god. He’s sin weaponized—part Savior, part executioner. He’s not the type to promise love; he offers ownership, obsession, and protection that feels like a threat and a prayer at the same time. The chemistry between them? It doesn’t spark—it erupts. Every page feels like a loaded standoff between violence and desire.
Tarien Van Tonder didn’t write a romance—she wrote vengeance with heartbeats. The world she built is unflinchingly real: political, brutal, and unapologetically masculine, yet she gave us a woman who takes that world by the throat and makes it kneel.
If you want soft love and gentle hands, look elsewhere. This one’s for the readers who crave danger in their devotion, who want the burn of betrayal alongside the high of lust. VICE is dark, unrelenting, and utterly magnetic—a love story sharpened to a knife’s edge
What to expect:
💀 A cartel world that’s raw, political, and unfiltered — not the glamorized nonsense.
🔥 A love/hate dynamic that blurs every line between devotion and destruction.
🖤 Trauma, power, and the brutal cost of surviving in a man’s world.
🩸 Side characters (Carlos and Alejandro) who need their own books like yesterday.
VICE left me wrecked in the best way—violent, filthy, and emotionally savage. I devoured it in one sitting and still felt like I needed a drink and a confession after.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (but damn, each scene hits like a bullet)
VICE isn’t a story—it’s a storm dressed as a romance. It drags you into the underbelly of the cartel world and dares you to survive it. Every chapter bleed power, pain, and lust so thick it’s intoxicating.
Blair isn’t your fragile heroine; she’s fire wrapped in silk, broken in all the right ways and still refusing to bow. Watching her evolve from victim to vengeance was pure art—ugly, raw, and mesmerizing. She doesn’t just claw her way to the top; she makes you believe she belongs there.
And then there’s Lorenzo De La Vega. My god. He’s sin weaponized—part Savior, part executioner. He’s not the type to promise love; he offers ownership, obsession, and protection that feels like a threat and a prayer at the same time. The chemistry between them? It doesn’t spark—it erupts. Every page feels like a loaded standoff between violence and desire.
Tarien Van Tonder didn’t write a romance—she wrote vengeance with heartbeats. The world she built is unflinchingly real: political, brutal, and unapologetically masculine, yet she gave us a woman who takes that world by the throat and makes it kneel.
If you want soft love and gentle hands, look elsewhere. This one’s for the readers who crave danger in their devotion, who want the burn of betrayal alongside the high of lust. VICE is dark, unrelenting, and utterly magnetic—a love story sharpened to a knife’s edge
What to expect:
💀 A cartel world that’s raw, political, and unfiltered — not the glamorized nonsense.
🔥 A love/hate dynamic that blurs every line between devotion and destruction.
🖤 Trauma, power, and the brutal cost of surviving in a man’s world.
🩸 Side characters (Carlos and Alejandro) who need their own books like yesterday.
VICE left me wrecked in the best way—violent, filthy, and emotionally savage. I devoured it in one sitting and still felt like I needed a drink and a confession after.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (but damn, each scene hits like a bullet)
January 16, 2026
This was my first five star read of 2026 and I absolutely loved every second of it .
The book is extremely easy to get through since there are short chapters which I love and the pace was just perfect for me . It took my 2 days to finish just because of work but had I had the chance I would of devoured this book in a day .
I love the storyline as well ... It takes us on a journey from both the FMC and MMCs POV's . And I loved having the duel pov's for certain chapters ...it really helps you understand both perspectives of the characters.
The Authors writing really tickled my fancy :). This story played out like a movie in my mind which is how I know i enjoyed it . I didnt see the plot twists and turns that came and it surprised me because I can generally tell beforehand what's going to happen.
The book is extremely easy to get through since there are short chapters which I love and the pace was just perfect for me . It took my 2 days to finish just because of work but had I had the chance I would of devoured this book in a day .
I love the storyline as well ... It takes us on a journey from both the FMC and MMCs POV's . And I loved having the duel pov's for certain chapters ...it really helps you understand both perspectives of the characters.
The Authors writing really tickled my fancy :). This story played out like a movie in my mind which is how I know i enjoyed it . I didnt see the plot twists and turns that came and it surprised me because I can generally tell beforehand what's going to happen.
October 18, 2025
I enjoyed the book, easy read and the plot keeps you on your toes. In the end it was a solid book and i cant wait to read the next one!! Keep it up!
January 5, 2026
Tarien van Tonder does not ask for your comfort in VICE: You Left Me No Choice—she drags you by the throat into a cartel world soaked in blood, obsession, and brutal choices.
This is not a gentle dark romance. It’s a volatile, high-stakes descent where love is dangerous, power is currency, and survival demands teeth.
This first book in the VICE series is written for readers who crave morally gray men with ruin in their bones, women forged in trauma and defiance, and romances that feel more like a battlefield than a fairytale.
Blair & Lorenzo: Love as a Wound That Never Fully Heals
The heart of VICE lies in the scorched-earth dynamic between Blair and Lorenzo—a connection born in violence, sharpened by betrayal, and haunted by everything left unsaid. Their relationship is not safe, not clean, and never easy. It is raw, volatile, and suffocating in the best, most devastating way.
Lorenzo is power incarnate—cold, commanding, and dangerous in a way that seeps into every page. Blair is not fragile in the way the world expects her to be. She is feral, resilient, and furious, shaped by a life that taught her how to endure rather than break. Their chemistry is thick with tension, regret, and unfinished business, crackling every time they share the page.
Tarien’s dedication sets the tone like a curse and a promise:
“To the broken girls who became their own rescuer, and the men who learned that love is not possession, but sacrifice.”
This theme cuts deep. Blair’s journey is one of reclamation—of body, voice, and power—in a world that has repeatedly tried to reduce her to something owned. Lorenzo must bleed for the right to stand beside her, forced to confront the damage he caused and the cost of loving someone in a world built on control.
Expect to be held hostage by their push-and-pull. Expect to ache. Expect to rage.
A Dark Romance That Knows Exactly Where to Cut
The cartel backdrop is brutal and unflinching, amplifying the emotional stakes rather than overshadowing them. VICE thrives on forced proximity, dangerous alliances, and the constant threat of betrayal. The tension never relents—every interaction feels like it could tip into violence or ruin at any moment.
The spice is unapologetic and intense, used to explore power shifts, dominance, and emotional vulnerability rather than existing for shock value alone. Each intimate moment feels earned, heavy with meaning, and laced with hunger that borders on obsession.
This book does not romanticize safety. It romanticizes survival.
VICE: You Left Me No Choice is a viciously addictive series opener that sinks its claws in and refuses to let go. Blair and Lorenzo’s story is brutal, messy, and emotionally devastating in all the right ways—a romance built on scars, sacrifice, and the refusal to be owned.
If you love dark romance that leaves you wrecked, breathless, and morally compromised—where the hero must suffer for redemption and the heroine refuses to be tamed—this book will ruin you.
This is not a gentle dark romance. It’s a volatile, high-stakes descent where love is dangerous, power is currency, and survival demands teeth.
This first book in the VICE series is written for readers who crave morally gray men with ruin in their bones, women forged in trauma and defiance, and romances that feel more like a battlefield than a fairytale.
Blair & Lorenzo: Love as a Wound That Never Fully Heals
The heart of VICE lies in the scorched-earth dynamic between Blair and Lorenzo—a connection born in violence, sharpened by betrayal, and haunted by everything left unsaid. Their relationship is not safe, not clean, and never easy. It is raw, volatile, and suffocating in the best, most devastating way.
Lorenzo is power incarnate—cold, commanding, and dangerous in a way that seeps into every page. Blair is not fragile in the way the world expects her to be. She is feral, resilient, and furious, shaped by a life that taught her how to endure rather than break. Their chemistry is thick with tension, regret, and unfinished business, crackling every time they share the page.
Tarien’s dedication sets the tone like a curse and a promise:
“To the broken girls who became their own rescuer, and the men who learned that love is not possession, but sacrifice.”
This theme cuts deep. Blair’s journey is one of reclamation—of body, voice, and power—in a world that has repeatedly tried to reduce her to something owned. Lorenzo must bleed for the right to stand beside her, forced to confront the damage he caused and the cost of loving someone in a world built on control.
Expect to be held hostage by their push-and-pull. Expect to ache. Expect to rage.
A Dark Romance That Knows Exactly Where to Cut
The cartel backdrop is brutal and unflinching, amplifying the emotional stakes rather than overshadowing them. VICE thrives on forced proximity, dangerous alliances, and the constant threat of betrayal. The tension never relents—every interaction feels like it could tip into violence or ruin at any moment.
The spice is unapologetic and intense, used to explore power shifts, dominance, and emotional vulnerability rather than existing for shock value alone. Each intimate moment feels earned, heavy with meaning, and laced with hunger that borders on obsession.
This book does not romanticize safety. It romanticizes survival.
VICE: You Left Me No Choice is a viciously addictive series opener that sinks its claws in and refuses to let go. Blair and Lorenzo’s story is brutal, messy, and emotionally devastating in all the right ways—a romance built on scars, sacrifice, and the refusal to be owned.
If you love dark romance that leaves you wrecked, breathless, and morally compromised—where the hero must suffer for redemption and the heroine refuses to be tamed—this book will ruin you.
October 14, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Addictive, brutal, and emotionally ruthless — I couldn’t put it down.
VICE is not your typical dark romance,it’s raw, unapologetic, and dripping with tension from page one. Blair is the kind of heroine you don’t just root for, you feel her. A survivor, sharp-tongued and battle-scarred, she claws her way through a world built to break her. And then there’s Lorenzo De La Vega — lethal, obsessive, and infuriatingly magnetic. Their chemistry isn’t just spicy… it’s combustible.
If you love the following read this book!!
A cartel world that feels real...dangerous, political, and unglamourised
A love/hate dynamic that toes the line between devotion and destruction
Trauma, resilience, and the brutal cost of loyalty
Side characters you know are hiding stories of their own
It’s not a light read. It’s violent, filthy, and emotionally vicious, but that’s exactly what makes it brilliant. If you like your romance sweet and gentle, turn back now. If you crave morally grey chaos and characters who bleed for what they love…I ate this storry up in one night
Welcome to your next obsession. Can't wait for the next book, I spoke to the author about the grammer and spelling which was the only down side, but she has fixed this and I am greatful when a Author can take critique and better themselves and enrich their stories.
VICE is not your typical dark romance,it’s raw, unapologetic, and dripping with tension from page one. Blair is the kind of heroine you don’t just root for, you feel her. A survivor, sharp-tongued and battle-scarred, she claws her way through a world built to break her. And then there’s Lorenzo De La Vega — lethal, obsessive, and infuriatingly magnetic. Their chemistry isn’t just spicy… it’s combustible.
If you love the following read this book!!
A cartel world that feels real...dangerous, political, and unglamourised
A love/hate dynamic that toes the line between devotion and destruction
Trauma, resilience, and the brutal cost of loyalty
Side characters you know are hiding stories of their own
It’s not a light read. It’s violent, filthy, and emotionally vicious, but that’s exactly what makes it brilliant. If you like your romance sweet and gentle, turn back now. If you crave morally grey chaos and characters who bleed for what they love…I ate this storry up in one night
Welcome to your next obsession. Can't wait for the next book, I spoke to the author about the grammer and spelling which was the only down side, but she has fixed this and I am greatful when a Author can take critique and better themselves and enrich their stories.
October 5, 2025
This book destroyed me, utterly and completely. Then it proceeded to fix me and then make me obssessed with a man I can never have (because obviously he is fictional) but OMG Blair! the feminine rage, then her rage turns into a plan and let me tell you! yes queen girl/boss power is my fav trope I liked that it didn't end there she proceeds to empower more women. For a dark romance this is amazing because yes in the end we want the yearning from the male but she didn't make it the damsel in distress 90% of the book in need of the tall dark and beautifully handsome man to save her every 5 min. No this story was well thought out and written, the authors writing style is also very fast paced but not too much that I wanted to DNF it, it was the perfect amount! Give this book a chance it is soooo worth it
November 17, 2025
What can I say other than you need to read this..
This was the first time I have ever heard of silk bunnies, and I love reading and learning new things, especially because I haven't read a lot of cartel vibe books.
The middle was emotional and heartbreaking and healing. There were a few chapters where I was crying one after the other.
Great plot twists throughout. None of it was predictable to me.
I was emersed into the world and loved every 2nd.
This was the first time I have ever heard of silk bunnies, and I love reading and learning new things, especially because I haven't read a lot of cartel vibe books.
The middle was emotional and heartbreaking and healing. There were a few chapters where I was crying one after the other.
Great plot twists throughout. None of it was predictable to me.
I was emersed into the world and loved every 2nd.
October 7, 2025
The writing is cinematic, the pacing relentless, and the world… pure chaos wrapped in beauty. It’s dark, emotional, and devastating in the best possible way. You’ll root for Blair even when she’s burning everything to the ground.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews