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Dirty Angels #2
Dirty Deeds
“He’s fearless. Ruthless. Soulless.”
As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal has had her share of suitors. She's also had more than her fair share of tragedy within her messed-up family. But what she hasn't had is love. Real, rip-your-heart-out, tear-your-clothes-off, all-consuming love.
At least that was the case until she met an American tourist, Derek Conway, a ripped ex-soldier with steely eyes and a commanding presence.
What started as a chance encounter between the two in Puerto Vallarta, a weekend full of hot sex and mindless passion, has led to something more.
Something deadly.
Because Derek isn't the type of man to fall in love. He's not a man who sticks around.
And he's definitely not in Mexico on vacation.
Derek is a mercenary, a killer-for-hire, a man who does the ugly jobs for the highest bidder.
Unfortunately for Alana and Derek, the highest bidder has the power to destroy whatever worlds they have created for themselves.
The highest bidder can destroy everything.
Dirty Promises is book 2 in the Dirty Angels Trilogy and can be read as a standalone. It features a morally grey anti-hero assassin, secret identities, betrayal, and lots of action and sex. It is not as dark as the other two books in the series and is more romantic suspense.
As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal has had her share of suitors. She's also had more than her fair share of tragedy within her messed-up family. But what she hasn't had is love. Real, rip-your-heart-out, tear-your-clothes-off, all-consuming love.
At least that was the case until she met an American tourist, Derek Conway, a ripped ex-soldier with steely eyes and a commanding presence.
What started as a chance encounter between the two in Puerto Vallarta, a weekend full of hot sex and mindless passion, has led to something more.
Something deadly.
Because Derek isn't the type of man to fall in love. He's not a man who sticks around.
And he's definitely not in Mexico on vacation.
Derek is a mercenary, a killer-for-hire, a man who does the ugly jobs for the highest bidder.
Unfortunately for Alana and Derek, the highest bidder has the power to destroy whatever worlds they have created for themselves.
The highest bidder can destroy everything.
Dirty Promises is book 2 in the Dirty Angels Trilogy and can be read as a standalone. It features a morally grey anti-hero assassin, secret identities, betrayal, and lots of action and sex. It is not as dark as the other two books in the series and is more romantic suspense.
276 pages, Paperback
First published February 10, 2015
106 people are currently reading
4675 people want to read
About the author
Karina Halle
122 books19.6k followersKarina Halle is a screenwriter, former music & travel journalist, and the New York Times bestselling author of Grave Matter, Blood Orange, & The Royals Next Door, as well as 80 other romances across all sub-genres, ranging from spicy rom coms to gothic horror and dark fantasy. Needless to say, whatever you're into, she's probably written an HEA for it.
When she's not traveling, she, her husband, and their pup Perry, split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, and their condo in Los Angeles.
When she's not traveling, she, her husband, and their pup Perry, split their time between a possibly haunted 120 year-old house in Victoria, BC, and their condo in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 273 reviews
March 29, 2017
I have had 'Dirty Deeds' on my TBR for a long time now. Javier Bernal is one of my all-time favorite anti-heroes and I just can't get enough of him. So, when I heard that this spin-off series would feature him, I couldn't wait. I dived right in to the first book in the 'Dirty Angels' series.
However, after I finished the first book, I lost some of my enthusiasm for the series. Don't get me wrong, the first book was fantastic and as it turns out, so was this one. It's just that I was single-mindedly focused on Javier and when I saw that my favorite bad guy wasn't going to be the central focus of 'Dirty Deeds', I moved it to the back burner.
That being said, I really wish I hadn't done that now. 'Dirty Deeds' ended up being a terrific story. While it isn't as "dark" as any story centered on Javier would be, it was well worth reading. It was packed full of danger and suspense. It was a highly entertaining read.
'Dirty Deeds' tells the story of Alana Bernal, Javier's youngest sister. She has spent her life trying to survive the violence of the cartel world that she was born into. She just wants to have a safe, normal life, but has always known that this was not her fate.
Alana tries to distance herself from her cartel kingpin brother, Javier, as much as possible. She works as a flight attendant and keeps her brother's identity a safely-guarded secret. Alana knows that regardless of her lack of a close sibling relationship with Javier, she would be used as a pawn for his enemies. If she ever doubted it, she need only remember the murder of her sister and her family at the hands of one of Javier's enemies.
Dereck Conway is an American living in Mexico and working as a contract killer for the cartels. He doesn't care why a hit is ordered, he only cares about whether or not he is paid. He has long since came to terms with the fact that he has sold his soul to the highest bidder.
When Dereck is hired to kill Alana Bernal, he finds himself wanting to know more about his mark. There is something about her that stirs an interest in him. He has never allowed himself to humor any curiosity about a job before this and knows that he is walking a dangerous line. He shouldn't care about what she did to get a death warrant, but he does.
On the day that Dereck goes to complete the kill, an accident changes everything. In no time, Dereck goes from assassin to protector. He insinuates himself into Alana's life. The deeper he gets, the more clear it becomes that he has no intention of ever letting her go, much less killing her.
Despite their connection, Alana and Dereck have built their relationship on lies. The deception runs deep. Alana has not been honest about who her brother is or why it is that somebody might want her dead. Dereck hasn't even told her his real name and the story he gave her about his life is entirely fabricated.
In time, the truth is revealed and the little trust in their relationship is called into question. When this happens, everything hits the fan. Alana, not knowing whether or not Dereck is a threat, places herself in real danger trying to get away from him.
Although not the central focus of this story, Javier is certainly a strong influence. His relationship with Alana is the motivation for the price on her head. His enemies have become her enemies by association.
It is clear that Javier is changing. He was always dark and dangerous, with a highly questionable code of morality. However, 'Dirty Deeds' shows a transformed man that has become completely consumed by the power and danger of his life as a cartel leader. I was taken aback by the cold indifference of his treatment of Alana. No doubt, this book foreshadows events to come in 'Dirty Promises'.
This book is part of a series and the books should be read in order to fully understand what is going on. In fact, I would recommend reading all of the books in 'The Artists' series prior to starting the 'Dirty Angels' series, since this series is a spin-off series and does reference events in the earlier series quite a bit. Not to worry though, all of the books in both series are wonderful if you like dark, dangerous stories with some romance thrown in.
Like it's predecessors, 'Dirty Deeds' does not disappoint. I postponed reading this one because I wanted more time with Javier, but wish I hadn't done that. Although he isn't a huge part of this book, he was definitely influential. Alana and Dereck's story proved to be engaging and entertaining in and of it's own right. If you're a fan of these series, I definitely recommend this book and these series.
However, after I finished the first book, I lost some of my enthusiasm for the series. Don't get me wrong, the first book was fantastic and as it turns out, so was this one. It's just that I was single-mindedly focused on Javier and when I saw that my favorite bad guy wasn't going to be the central focus of 'Dirty Deeds', I moved it to the back burner.
That being said, I really wish I hadn't done that now. 'Dirty Deeds' ended up being a terrific story. While it isn't as "dark" as any story centered on Javier would be, it was well worth reading. It was packed full of danger and suspense. It was a highly entertaining read.
'Dirty Deeds' tells the story of Alana Bernal, Javier's youngest sister. She has spent her life trying to survive the violence of the cartel world that she was born into. She just wants to have a safe, normal life, but has always known that this was not her fate.
Alana tries to distance herself from her cartel kingpin brother, Javier, as much as possible. She works as a flight attendant and keeps her brother's identity a safely-guarded secret. Alana knows that regardless of her lack of a close sibling relationship with Javier, she would be used as a pawn for his enemies. If she ever doubted it, she need only remember the murder of her sister and her family at the hands of one of Javier's enemies.
Dereck Conway is an American living in Mexico and working as a contract killer for the cartels. He doesn't care why a hit is ordered, he only cares about whether or not he is paid. He has long since came to terms with the fact that he has sold his soul to the highest bidder.
When Dereck is hired to kill Alana Bernal, he finds himself wanting to know more about his mark. There is something about her that stirs an interest in him. He has never allowed himself to humor any curiosity about a job before this and knows that he is walking a dangerous line. He shouldn't care about what she did to get a death warrant, but he does.
On the day that Dereck goes to complete the kill, an accident changes everything. In no time, Dereck goes from assassin to protector. He insinuates himself into Alana's life. The deeper he gets, the more clear it becomes that he has no intention of ever letting her go, much less killing her.
Despite their connection, Alana and Dereck have built their relationship on lies. The deception runs deep. Alana has not been honest about who her brother is or why it is that somebody might want her dead. Dereck hasn't even told her his real name and the story he gave her about his life is entirely fabricated.
In time, the truth is revealed and the little trust in their relationship is called into question. When this happens, everything hits the fan. Alana, not knowing whether or not Dereck is a threat, places herself in real danger trying to get away from him.
Although not the central focus of this story, Javier is certainly a strong influence. His relationship with Alana is the motivation for the price on her head. His enemies have become her enemies by association.
It is clear that Javier is changing. He was always dark and dangerous, with a highly questionable code of morality. However, 'Dirty Deeds' shows a transformed man that has become completely consumed by the power and danger of his life as a cartel leader. I was taken aback by the cold indifference of his treatment of Alana. No doubt, this book foreshadows events to come in 'Dirty Promises'.
This book is part of a series and the books should be read in order to fully understand what is going on. In fact, I would recommend reading all of the books in 'The Artists' series prior to starting the 'Dirty Angels' series, since this series is a spin-off series and does reference events in the earlier series quite a bit. Not to worry though, all of the books in both series are wonderful if you like dark, dangerous stories with some romance thrown in.
Like it's predecessors, 'Dirty Deeds' does not disappoint. I postponed reading this one because I wanted more time with Javier, but wish I hadn't done that. Although he isn't a huge part of this book, he was definitely influential. Alana and Dereck's story proved to be engaging and entertaining in and of it's own right. If you're a fan of these series, I definitely recommend this book and these series.
August 10, 2016
2 1/2 stars.
Hmm. This book is fine. It has a flawed female protagonist who isn't afraid to enjoy sex and doesn't take crap from all these big alpha males roaming around. It has an equally flawed male love interest who is strong, has a sweet side, and has a whole bunch of dark secrets. In theory, it does nothing wrong.
However, these two characters simply weren't memorable enough to carry this story. Alana Bernal is Javier's sister but, unfortunately, she's merely a shadow of her brother. Her character is less complex, less torn apart by inner good/evil turmoil, and ultimately less interesting. You'll remember Javier Bernal from Sins & Needles, Shooting Scars, Bold Tricks and Dirty Angels, and if you don't, then I recommend you go read them (in that order). He's such a fascinating villain. The author skillfully makes you go through stages of disliking him, pitying him, hating him, and loving him.
In Dirty Deeds, even Javier feels one-dimensional. He becomes little more than a nasty little drug lord; I didn't like it. I should also mention that the author's trademark darkness is gone, in favour of a standard romantic suspense novel. Maybe its predecessor - Dirty Angels - was too much for readers, with the scenes of torture and rape, but I think Halle's gritty style is what makes her books stand out in a over-saturated genre. This one, comparatively, did not stand out for me.
Also, the way this romance played out just seemed kinda... boring. The fact that Derek is an assassin hired to kill Alana doesn't factor in much. He basically decides in the first couple of chapters that he won't do it and proceeds to flirt with her in a bar and arrange dates (and keep her safe from future would-be assassins). I guess meeting in a bar and swapping numbers is how most of these things work in our boring real lives, but for a suspense novel supposedly full of assassins and drug lords I expected more.
Not only was it very tame, but I felt no chemistry or connection between Alana and Derek. It was edging towards instalove when Derek set eyes on Alana and immediately decided he was no longer a cold, emotionless assassin. So forced and unnatural.
I think I'll wait and see what the reviews are like for the third installment before rushing off to buy it.
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Hmm. This book is fine. It has a flawed female protagonist who isn't afraid to enjoy sex and doesn't take crap from all these big alpha males roaming around. It has an equally flawed male love interest who is strong, has a sweet side, and has a whole bunch of dark secrets. In theory, it does nothing wrong.
However, these two characters simply weren't memorable enough to carry this story. Alana Bernal is Javier's sister but, unfortunately, she's merely a shadow of her brother. Her character is less complex, less torn apart by inner good/evil turmoil, and ultimately less interesting. You'll remember Javier Bernal from Sins & Needles, Shooting Scars, Bold Tricks and Dirty Angels, and if you don't, then I recommend you go read them (in that order). He's such a fascinating villain. The author skillfully makes you go through stages of disliking him, pitying him, hating him, and loving him.
In Dirty Deeds, even Javier feels one-dimensional. He becomes little more than a nasty little drug lord; I didn't like it. I should also mention that the author's trademark darkness is gone, in favour of a standard romantic suspense novel. Maybe its predecessor - Dirty Angels - was too much for readers, with the scenes of torture and rape, but I think Halle's gritty style is what makes her books stand out in a over-saturated genre. This one, comparatively, did not stand out for me.
Also, the way this romance played out just seemed kinda... boring. The fact that Derek is an assassin hired to kill Alana doesn't factor in much. He basically decides in the first couple of chapters that he won't do it and proceeds to flirt with her in a bar and arrange dates (and keep her safe from future would-be assassins). I guess meeting in a bar and swapping numbers is how most of these things work in our boring real lives, but for a suspense novel supposedly full of assassins and drug lords I expected more.
Not only was it very tame, but I felt no chemistry or connection between Alana and Derek. It was edging towards instalove when Derek set eyes on Alana and immediately decided he was no longer a cold, emotionless assassin. So forced and unnatural.
I think I'll wait and see what the reviews are like for the third installment before rushing off to buy it.
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February 8, 2017
3-ish Stars!!
Karina Halle delivered another great installment in this series, this time, a more suspenseful one that features Alana Bernal, Javier Bernal’s younger sister, thehero antihero from the previous installment. While I didn’t enjoy this one as much as the previous installment, I liked it enough for me to give it 3(ish) stars. In my opinion this second installment had a lot of potential. I liked the premise, very intriguing and the writing was great, most of the time flawless, but I would have wanted the plot to be a little more developed at times.
Derek Conway is a war veteran, now a mercenary for hire, a trained assassin for the highest bidder. He changed “jobs” after his wife was killed in front of him years ago. Since then he became a shell of a man without caring for anything or anyone. When is hired to take out Alana Bernal, he is taken aback by her beauty and innocence. His protective instincts start to show the instant he lays eyes on her and all he wants is to keep her safe. Alana is the sister of the most notorious drug lord in Mexico. She doesn’t have a close relationship with her brother trying to live a “normal” life working as a flight attendant, having some close friends etc.
Derek is ready to do his job, until he witnesses how Alana survives a horrific hit and run. He was fascinated by Alana before and also very curios to find out what had she done for someone to want her dead, but now he’s willing not only to find who wants to harm her, but also to protect her.
This second installment was not as exciting as the first one. At least not to me. Like I mentioned above, I liked the premise and I also enjoyed how the suspense aspect was done. While the story didn’t keep me at the edge of my seat liked the previous book in the series, I found it interesting enough.
I liked both main characters. Both these two characters’ backgrounds were well developed and both of them were portrayed pretty well. However, to be honest, I expected Derek to be portrayed as a darker character than he was. Since he’s a mercenary for hire and everything. I liked the way he was with Alana, but I expected for him to be more conflicted about…everything since he does what he does for a living. Also his “transformation” from anti-hero to hero wasn’t believable at all. Not to me, because the relationship between these two unfolded in a very short period of time. And that’s why I thought the romantic aspect was underdeveloped. Needless to say I didn’t feel too much chemistry between Alana and Derek. I liked them together in some way…their tenderness and everything, but I can’t say I connected too much with them as a couple.
Overall, a good enough read!
Karina Halle delivered another great installment in this series, this time, a more suspenseful one that features Alana Bernal, Javier Bernal’s younger sister, the
Derek Conway is a war veteran, now a mercenary for hire, a trained assassin for the highest bidder. He changed “jobs” after his wife was killed in front of him years ago. Since then he became a shell of a man without caring for anything or anyone. When is hired to take out Alana Bernal, he is taken aback by her beauty and innocence. His protective instincts start to show the instant he lays eyes on her and all he wants is to keep her safe. Alana is the sister of the most notorious drug lord in Mexico. She doesn’t have a close relationship with her brother trying to live a “normal” life working as a flight attendant, having some close friends etc.
Derek is ready to do his job, until he witnesses how Alana survives a horrific hit and run. He was fascinated by Alana before and also very curios to find out what had she done for someone to want her dead, but now he’s willing not only to find who wants to harm her, but also to protect her.
This second installment was not as exciting as the first one. At least not to me. Like I mentioned above, I liked the premise and I also enjoyed how the suspense aspect was done. While the story didn’t keep me at the edge of my seat liked the previous book in the series, I found it interesting enough.
I liked both main characters. Both these two characters’ backgrounds were well developed and both of them were portrayed pretty well. However, to be honest, I expected Derek to be portrayed as a darker character than he was. Since he’s a mercenary for hire and everything. I liked the way he was with Alana, but I expected for him to be more conflicted about…everything since he does what he does for a living. Also his “transformation” from anti-hero to hero wasn’t believable at all. Not to me, because the relationship between these two unfolded in a very short period of time. And that’s why I thought the romantic aspect was underdeveloped. Needless to say I didn’t feel too much chemistry between Alana and Derek. I liked them together in some way…their tenderness and everything, but I can’t say I connected too much with them as a couple.
Overall, a good enough read!
February 18, 2015
3.5 stars!
I picked up this book because of the amazing premise – a tough (anti) hero is sent to kill the heroine but instead, they fall in love while trying to escape the villain’s evil clutches? Yes please! But for me, this book was different from what I thought it would be, and in the beginning, I really struggled with it…even thought about setting it aside and moving on. In the end, however, I’m glad I rolled with it, because the pace did pick up and I enjoyed the story for what it was worth. I would advise potential readers to not expect a dark, twisted romance, but just an average romantic suspense storyline.
A war veteran turned hired assassin, Derek Conway is a man with nothing to lose. After serving in Afghanistan and then seeing his wife gunned down in front of him, he’s disillusioned with the world and emotionally distant from others, and for the past few years, has assassinated blindly based on whoever pays the highest price. But he’s about to meet his match…because his next assignment is to take out Alana Bernal, the sister of Mexico’s most notorious drug lord.
For a relative of a drug lord, Alana has kept her identity under wraps and lived her life as a normal citizen. Despite her family background and upbringing, she’s pretty naïve and too trusting of others, and when she survives a seemingly random hit-and-run, she puts her faith in Derek to keep her safe while they go on a wild country run to evade her attackers.
While I did enjoy the suspenseful plot from the middle of the book and onwards, I could barely get into the first part of the book. For starters, I didn’t understand how Derek could go from emotionless killer to protective hero in the first 6% of the book I read. What makes these assassin storylines so appealing to me is that buildup and inner conflict, but sadly, that aspect was missing so Derek came off as a big softie rather than the soulless assassin he’s rumored to be. I also thought the romance was too sudden and didn’t feel that deep connection between Derek and Alana, and to be honest with you, I never felt it. I sure did like these characters individually though, and I understand that in a romantic suspense setting, straddling the line between life and death puts your priorities into a whole different perspective, but their relationship wasn’t one I was invested in. I was sort of like, if they’re together, great! If not, oh well.
Once I got used to those things, though, I started liking the plot itself because it did pick up, and the book had my full attention. And even though the reveal of the true villain was a letdown, I liked the buildup up to that point. There were also a few heart-to-heart scenes between Derek and Alana that I found touching, and I could feel Derek’s desperation and desire to keep her safe.
Now here’s the part that was a bit of a smack in the face for me. I am NOT a fan of the way things wrapped up in the end. Romance wise? It was beautiful and couldn’t be more fitting for these characters. But I don’t like how the author left certain plot twists hanging in the end. Because of this ending, I can for sure tell you this book emphasizes romance first, suspense second, and I don’t know…I needed a better balance between the two. It does set up the last book in the series, but because it does, I would say this book is not a standalone. There’s no way you could read this book and NOT need the third one in order to get answers.
I know I complained more than praised in my review, but taking the book as a whole, I did like it slightly more than I disliked it. No matter what, the story was compelling and had me flipping pages. As long as you go in not expecting a dark storyline, I think you’ll enjoy this book to a certain degree.
I picked up this book because of the amazing premise – a tough (anti) hero is sent to kill the heroine but instead, they fall in love while trying to escape the villain’s evil clutches? Yes please! But for me, this book was different from what I thought it would be, and in the beginning, I really struggled with it…even thought about setting it aside and moving on. In the end, however, I’m glad I rolled with it, because the pace did pick up and I enjoyed the story for what it was worth. I would advise potential readers to not expect a dark, twisted romance, but just an average romantic suspense storyline.
A war veteran turned hired assassin, Derek Conway is a man with nothing to lose. After serving in Afghanistan and then seeing his wife gunned down in front of him, he’s disillusioned with the world and emotionally distant from others, and for the past few years, has assassinated blindly based on whoever pays the highest price. But he’s about to meet his match…because his next assignment is to take out Alana Bernal, the sister of Mexico’s most notorious drug lord.
For a relative of a drug lord, Alana has kept her identity under wraps and lived her life as a normal citizen. Despite her family background and upbringing, she’s pretty naïve and too trusting of others, and when she survives a seemingly random hit-and-run, she puts her faith in Derek to keep her safe while they go on a wild country run to evade her attackers.
While I did enjoy the suspenseful plot from the middle of the book and onwards, I could barely get into the first part of the book. For starters, I didn’t understand how Derek could go from emotionless killer to protective hero in the first 6% of the book I read. What makes these assassin storylines so appealing to me is that buildup and inner conflict, but sadly, that aspect was missing so Derek came off as a big softie rather than the soulless assassin he’s rumored to be. I also thought the romance was too sudden and didn’t feel that deep connection between Derek and Alana, and to be honest with you, I never felt it. I sure did like these characters individually though, and I understand that in a romantic suspense setting, straddling the line between life and death puts your priorities into a whole different perspective, but their relationship wasn’t one I was invested in. I was sort of like, if they’re together, great! If not, oh well.
Once I got used to those things, though, I started liking the plot itself because it did pick up, and the book had my full attention. And even though the reveal of the true villain was a letdown, I liked the buildup up to that point. There were also a few heart-to-heart scenes between Derek and Alana that I found touching, and I could feel Derek’s desperation and desire to keep her safe.
Now here’s the part that was a bit of a smack in the face for me. I am NOT a fan of the way things wrapped up in the end. Romance wise? It was beautiful and couldn’t be more fitting for these characters. But I don’t like how the author left certain plot twists hanging in the end. Because of this ending, I can for sure tell you this book emphasizes romance first, suspense second, and I don’t know…I needed a better balance between the two. It does set up the last book in the series, but because it does, I would say this book is not a standalone. There’s no way you could read this book and NOT need the third one in order to get answers.
I know I complained more than praised in my review, but taking the book as a whole, I did like it slightly more than I disliked it. No matter what, the story was compelling and had me flipping pages. As long as you go in not expecting a dark storyline, I think you’ll enjoy this book to a certain degree.
February 24, 2015
4 Dirty Stars.
Alana Bernal (Yes, as in Javier sister!!) is in danger. Someone is out to kill her and when you want a clean job there’s one man you call to do the job.
Derek is an ex-military haunted by his past, when it’s hired to kill Alan he believes it’s going to be just another job, until he sees Alana and everything change.
Things happen and now Derek is decided to keep Alana’s life safe, but when someone that has a very careful plan is out to kill her, soon both of their lives are in danger.
By now everyone knows that I’m a huge Karina Halle’s fan and I’ll read almost everything she writes. And despite this has not been my favorite book of hers, it was a sweet and sexy reading. There was some aspects that I didn’t particularly liked, especially towards the end and how she ended up making Javier and Luisa’s lives (even) more complicated. I really hope that will be something she will solve in the next book.
If you’re hesitant about this because you believe this a dark reading, it’s not. It’s a wonderfully written love story, with suspense and mystery in the background. It’s engaging and it’s sexy. If you liked the previous one, you’ll definitely like this one as well.
Rating: 4 Stars.
Characters Development: Derek was nice and sexy and I liked how protective of Alana he was, but I really didn’t lie how much time it took him to confess his real identity. Alana was sweet and I really like her beaver towards the end. We got to see (a little) more of Javier and Luisa and it was nice.
Steam: Hot.
Sensible Subjects:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
Alana Bernal (Yes, as in Javier sister!!) is in danger. Someone is out to kill her and when you want a clean job there’s one man you call to do the job.
Derek is an ex-military haunted by his past, when it’s hired to kill Alan he believes it’s going to be just another job, until he sees Alana and everything change.
Things happen and now Derek is decided to keep Alana’s life safe, but when someone that has a very careful plan is out to kill her, soon both of their lives are in danger.
By now everyone knows that I’m a huge Karina Halle’s fan and I’ll read almost everything she writes. And despite this has not been my favorite book of hers, it was a sweet and sexy reading. There was some aspects that I didn’t particularly liked, especially towards the end and how she ended up making Javier and Luisa’s lives (even) more complicated. I really hope that will be something she will solve in the next book.
If you’re hesitant about this because you believe this a dark reading, it’s not. It’s a wonderfully written love story, with suspense and mystery in the background. It’s engaging and it’s sexy. If you liked the previous one, you’ll definitely like this one as well.
Rating: 4 Stars.
Characters Development: Derek was nice and sexy and I liked how protective of Alana he was, but I really didn’t lie how much time it took him to confess his real identity. Alana was sweet and I really like her beaver towards the end. We got to see (a little) more of Javier and Luisa and it was nice.
Steam: Hot.
Sensible Subjects:
Love Triangle:
Cheating:
HEA:
July 18, 2016
Everyone is in for such a treat!
If you read The Artists Trilogy you may remember Derek Conway ... The American ... The Gringo ... G.I. Joe ... Well he's back & he's adding a few more titles to the list ... Assassin ... Action Hero ... Lover ... Liar.
And if you read Dirty Angels you may remember Alana Bernal as Javier's gregarious little sister ...Flight Attendant ... Sex Pot. She's also back & taking on some new roles ... Target ... Fighter ... Savior ... SoulMate.
This book is not quite as gritty as it's counterparts ... But there is still plenty of action and anxiety to keep you on your toes. Like most of KH's other books, it's the characters that draw you into the story and then the crazy action and drama that leaves you feeling breathless in the end.
Thanks to Karina Halle for giving me advanced access to this fucking fantastic book! I loved it!
♥♥♥
If you read The Artists Trilogy you may remember Derek Conway ... The American ... The Gringo ... G.I. Joe ... Well he's back & he's adding a few more titles to the list ... Assassin ... Action Hero ... Lover ... Liar.
In his cargo pants and white t-shirt, with his buzz cut, steely eyes, and sheen of sweat on his muscles, he looked every inch the man who was going to get me out of here. My man.
And if you read Dirty Angels you may remember Alana Bernal as Javier's gregarious little sister ...Flight Attendant ... Sex Pot. She's also back & taking on some new roles ... Target ... Fighter ... Savior ... SoulMate.
Everything about her glowed, so hot, so warm, so larger than life.
“You know what you are?”I asked her, leaning in until my lips grazed the rim of her ear.
“What?”
“Sunshine.”
Redemption.
This book is not quite as gritty as it's counterparts ... But there is still plenty of action and anxiety to keep you on your toes. Like most of KH's other books, it's the characters that draw you into the story and then the crazy action and drama that leaves you feeling breathless in the end.
There was no redemption here. There never really was. Not for someone like me. The ones who do the dirty deeds can never really be washed clean.
Thanks to Karina Halle for giving me advanced access to this fucking fantastic book! I loved it!
♥♥♥
February 18, 2015
3-3.5 STARS
This second book in the Dirty Angels trilogy was about Derek Conway, mercenary/killer-for-hire that was first introduced in Ms. Halle's The Artist's Trilogy and Alana Bernal, one of Javier Bernal's twin sisters, one of the only two of his family still alive.
The premise was promising, Derek's hired to kill Alana from a familiar yet unknown individual. No reason given and no indication of Alana's connection to Javier. Yet, when the rubber hits the road, we are thrown a curve ball. In less than 5% into the book, shit was going down a la Ms. Halle style...
I buckled up and prepared for the ride...that never quite got to the high point...
I don’t know if it was Derek or if it was Alana but I just didn't feel the connection between these two. It was a miss...
Derek's an assassin, a broken, bad man that has no boundaries so I expected and wanted him to be grittier/darker than he was. Alana was feisty and everything you'd expect Javi's sister to be yet, I bonded more with Violetta in TAT. And that live wire buzz that I got from KH’s TAT and Dirty Angels, the edge of your seat, what's coming next vibe that had me...
just wasn't there.
With all that said, it was a fast read and perhaps if this hadn't been Ms. Halle's, I might not have had such high expectations. I'm looking forward to Dirty Promises with more of Javi. I hope that buzz is back because it promises to be a showdown!
BR
This second book in the Dirty Angels trilogy was about Derek Conway, mercenary/killer-for-hire that was first introduced in Ms. Halle's The Artist's Trilogy and Alana Bernal, one of Javier Bernal's twin sisters, one of the only two of his family still alive.
The premise was promising, Derek's hired to kill Alana from a familiar yet unknown individual. No reason given and no indication of Alana's connection to Javier. Yet, when the rubber hits the road, we are thrown a curve ball. In less than 5% into the book, shit was going down a la Ms. Halle style...
I buckled up and prepared for the ride...that never quite got to the high point...
I don’t know if it was Derek or if it was Alana but I just didn't feel the connection between these two. It was a miss...
Derek's an assassin, a broken, bad man that has no boundaries so I expected and wanted him to be grittier/darker than he was. Alana was feisty and everything you'd expect Javi's sister to be yet, I bonded more with Violetta in TAT. And that live wire buzz that I got from KH’s TAT and Dirty Angels, the edge of your seat, what's coming next vibe that had me...
just wasn't there.
With all that said, it was a fast read and perhaps if this hadn't been Ms. Halle's, I might not have had such high expectations. I'm looking forward to Dirty Promises with more of Javi. I hope that buzz is back because it promises to be a showdown!
BR
September 13, 2015
***3 Underwhelming stars***
*Sigh*. I really wanted to love this one, but it was just okay. I loved the Artist's Trilogy, and this book did have a few fun moments that lived up to the original series, but overall I was disappointed.
I think my main struggle with the book was that the romance wasn't very well developed, and I just didn't feel the chemistry or connection between Derek and Alana. Derek was a paid assassin hired to kill Alana, but took one look at her and had a complete transformation and change of heart. It just wasn't believable to me.
Then, I kept being pulled out of the story with a combination of cheesy sex scenes and poor editing. I don't know, I just didn't feel invested in it.
The second half was better than the first half, so I am glad I finished it.
For friends new to this author, I would recommend this series,
,
,
,
I love Karina Halle's Experiment in Terror series also. Sadly, her last two books have just not worked for me, so I won't be reading her new releases unless I'm convinced to do so by friends. It makes me too sad to not love her books, so I will wait for friends to screen for me.
* Just one last fun fact since I mentioned the editing issues. Ami's copy didn't have the same mistakes in it, we compared notes. I'm not sure how that happened?!?!
February 19, 2015
I was completely thrilled when I first saw the synopsis for Dirty Deeds – Derek and Alana, both characters we’ve got to know over this series and the Artist’s Trilogy who apparently don’t know each other, are thrown together under the most dangerous of circumstances. it was a highly exciting prospect and it really didn’t disappoint.
Karina Halle has dished up another serving of high-octane, edge of your seat, thumping good romantic suspense – a thriller to grab your attention and race you through to the very end. I always read the books in this series and the Artist’s Trilogy at breakneck speed as the action romps along at a rate of knots and I’m completely enthralled and desperate to know what is coming next. I can’t put these books down and I read this in two sittings – one evening and the following morning.
Of course we've met both Alana and Derek before – Derek is the mysterious assassin that helped out Elllie and Camden back in Bold Tricks and Alana is one of the only two of Javier Bernal’s sisters still living after the furious turf wars have claimed just about all of his family. And so we’re back in the murky, dangerous world of the Mexican Drug Cartels and Derek has been hired for mega-bucks to put a bullet in Alana. He doesn't know why, he doesn't really care – he’s a cold-hearted gun for hire only interested in the money. Just as he’s about to carry out his mission, Alana is knocked down by a hit and run driver in front of him and everything changes.
I do so love me a strong anti-hero and Derek fits the bill perfectly. He’s ex-military, disillusioned and heart broken by the murder of his beautiful wife years ago – he’s single-minded, emotionally cold and completely deadly. It was wonderful to see his supposed next victim unlock his icy cold heart and see this man begin to truly live again. He knows that Alana’s life is in imminent danger but can’t quite bring himself to tell her the truth and I knew eventually his lies would find him out. The only problem is the revelations will put Alana in greater peril than ever before.
Alana is another fabulous Karina Halle heroine – she’s feisty, strong and very passionate. You definitely don’t find shrinking violets in a Karina Halle book. She’s mostly blissfully ignorant of the threat to her life during the book, despite the horrors of her past but I felt the threat to her life keenly the whole way through – like a dark, ominous shadow hovering on the horizon. When these people want you dead, you don’t have long to live.
With the threat to Alana looming large, Dirty Deeds is a book to devour in one sitting – the action never once becomes stagnant and the pace is excitingly fast as these two unlikely lovers slowly get to know one another and revel in their connection even though all the lies and deceit are rapidly gaining on them and about to blow their fragile and temporary happiness right out of the water. All the way through, I really couldn't see a way out for these two and how they could escape the assassins hot on their trail and was dying to know what was going to happen next.
The ending leaves many threads loose and makes me wonder about the as yet unrevealed plot of the final book of this trilogy – Dirty Promises. There’s so much to tie up and we obviously haven’t seen the last of Javier and Luisa and I can’t wait to read it to see how it all ends. It promises to be a THRILLING conclusion and I fear for some of my favourite characters.
This was a quick read for me – Karina Halle’s style is engaging and compelling. There’s no over-blown descriptive passages, no flowery declarations of love – it’s straight up thrilling, attention grabbing romantic suspense. If you love a pulsating suspense, a steamy romance and a badass cold-blooded killer for a hero then Dirty Deeds will definitely work for you.
4 badass stars
September 15, 2015
Really amazing! Bummer I had been spoiled earlier about the most important parts of the book, but still really enjoyed it! This is a great combination between romance and action! :)
Want to read
March 9, 2015“He’s fearless and ruthless. Soulless.”
Freaking excited about this mysterious Derek...
HOLD ON A BLOODY MINUTE...
As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal
Bernal? BERNAL???
Freaking excited about this mysterious Derek...
HOLD ON A BLOODY MINUTE...
As a flight attendant, Alana Bernal
Bernal? BERNAL???
As in JAVIER's sister?????????????
February 18, 2015
Dirty Deeds, book two in the Dirty Angels series, involves Alana and Derek. Alana is infamous drug-lord Javier Bernal's sister. Derek is a hired assassin, a mercenary. He's American veteran but living in Mexico, dealing with deep seated issues related to wartime in Afghanistan. What started out as a simple vacation in Mexico has evolved into years of violence and murder on his part. Whoever pays the highest price, he will work for...he will kill for.
Alana is a flight attendant and one of two living siblings left of Javier's. She's lived a life full of violence at the hands of her drug cartel family. She's forever lived in fear and is chronically plagued by nightmares related to the murders of her parents and sisters. Because of this, her relationship with her brother is very estranged. Her only other sibling lives in the US. She's single and has supportive friends but that's just about it... Until she meets Derek.
When Derek meets Alana, she's the first woman in years to make him want to be a better man..to do the right thing by her. In a botched murder attempt on Alana, Derek finds himself from assassin to protector. She stirs something primal within him. Maybe he can be redeemed...by saving Alana Bernal, the woman who clearly has a mark on her head.
I'm all for the anti-hero role suddenly morphing into a hero role but it has to be a gradual thing. This flip of the switch, suddenly 'I'm all about doing the right thing' transposition makes it difficult for me to really connect with the character. Is he good or is he bad?
The relationship between Derek and Alana grew at a believable pace yet I was still constantly questioning what makes a man put his life on the line for a woman he barely knows...a man that's an assassin. Because of this constant question in the back of my mind, I just didn't connect to their love story the way I could have. He basically sets eyes on her and he's a changed man...for her.
Dirty Deeds starts out a bit slow but quickly ramps up into full suspense with a nice dose of drug cartel darkness. The last third of the book saved my rating, quite honestly. I found myself looking here there and everywhere for snippets related to the cold and elusive Javier. I loved his book...his character and can't wait to get more from him. Derek was an anti-hero, he just wasn't quite as believable an antihero as I'd like!
This book can be read as a standalone but I'd highly recommend reading book one, Dirty Angels first. Just to get the basics of the drug cartel family. Alana has cameos in book one also. This book comes to a great conclusion with a fantastic epilogue but there's a lot more story to tell in their future...
Looking forward to the next book because...wait for it...we get more Javier!
My Dirty Angel (Javier fangirl) review- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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August 11, 2016
Amazon Pre-order Sale! $2.99!!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S7R7GZK/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
Ooooh, yesss! <3
Who's ready for Derek Conway?!?!?!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S7R7GZK/ref=cm_sw_su_dp
Ooooh, yesss! <3
Who's ready for Derek Conway?!?!?!
Want to read
February 20, 2015
September 12, 2015
REVIEW TO COME
4.5 Stars!
(Copy provided by author)
4.5 Stars!
(Copy provided by author)
February 27, 2015
Title: Dirty Deeds
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Type: Standalone Book 2 of Dirty Angels trilogy
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
Derek Conway was an American ex-soldier resided in Mexico. He worked as a mercenary for the highest bidder, jumping from one cartel to another, never dipping his feet in one place for too long.
A fateful phone call brought him to the beautiful flight attendant, Alana Bernal. Alana happened to be one of the two remaining sister of Javier Bernal, the notoriously ambitious cartel boss.
A mistake led to Derek being Alana’s protector. While on the run, hearts started to soften risking another single mistake could be the end of both of them.
I have to admit I never found Derek to be attractive in The Artists Trilogy because I was too blinded by Javier’s sex appeal. But I did found him mysterious and intriguing – I wanted to know more about him.
Now that we finally got his book, I still feel like I didn’t know him (and still didn’t like him enough) because I just couldn’t connect with his character. I was hoping for someone more… hardcore maybe. Derek just seemed too mild.
I’m feeling the same with Alana. She was okay, but still not interesting enough for my liking. She could use a little more character development. And their sexy times were lukewarm too.
The story was decent, but I wish there was something more to it. I like that we got enough actions, so that parts kept my attention. From the direction of this book, I’m counting on the last book to have an explosive ending – one way or another.
P.S.: I know I’m being hard and it’s unfair to compare this series to TAT but this is a spin-off so it’s pretty much inevitable.
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Type: Standalone Book 2 of Dirty Angels trilogy
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:
The ones who do the dirty deeds can never really be washed clean.
Derek Conway was an American ex-soldier resided in Mexico. He worked as a mercenary for the highest bidder, jumping from one cartel to another, never dipping his feet in one place for too long.
A fateful phone call brought him to the beautiful flight attendant, Alana Bernal. Alana happened to be one of the two remaining sister of Javier Bernal, the notoriously ambitious cartel boss.
A mistake led to Derek being Alana’s protector. While on the run, hearts started to soften risking another single mistake could be the end of both of them.
I have to admit I never found Derek to be attractive in The Artists Trilogy because I was too blinded by Javier’s sex appeal. But I did found him mysterious and intriguing – I wanted to know more about him.
Now that we finally got his book, I still feel like I didn’t know him (and still didn’t like him enough) because I just couldn’t connect with his character. I was hoping for someone more… hardcore maybe. Derek just seemed too mild.
I’m feeling the same with Alana. She was okay, but still not interesting enough for my liking. She could use a little more character development. And their sexy times were lukewarm too.
I was falling in love with this man. Fast and hard, just the way he lived and fucked. I wondered if he would love the same way too.
The story was decent, but I wish there was something more to it. I like that we got enough actions, so that parts kept my attention. From the direction of this book, I’m counting on the last book to have an explosive ending – one way or another.
P.S.: I know I’m being hard and it’s unfair to compare this series to TAT but this is a spin-off so it’s pretty much inevitable.
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
March 22, 2017
If you're interested in this book, chances are you are already familiar with Karina Halle's work already...which means you've very likely been introduced to her amazing The Artists Trilogy which has birthed two spin-off series to date. Dirty Deeds is the second installment in the second spin-off. It features a romance between Derek Conway (the America GI Joe from Bold Tricks) and Alana Bernal (Javier's sister). Someone is killing off all of Javier's family and Alana is the current target. Derek plays surprising roles in this story and I enjoyed getting to know him more. Alana was a strong but very vulnerable heroine, and I enjoyed her as Derek's counterpart. I have read multiple reviews that address the lack of chemistry between the two which I would have to agree with but I do believe this may have been purposeful as you can never really bond with someone else when significant secrets are standing in the way. In my opinion, Dirty Deeds was a sexy, suspenseful, and action-packed addition to this collection of dark romance. Check it out!!
My favorite quote:
"The past was brutal and the future was unclear, but the present was brilliant."
Note: Dirty Deeds fits into Karina Halle's world of dark romance in the following order:
The Artists Trilogy (published 2013)
#0.5-On Every Street
#1-Sins & Needles
#2-Shooting Scars
#3-Bold Tricks
Dirty Angels Trilogy (Spin-off, published 2014-2015)
#1-Dirty Angels
#2-**Dirty Deeds**
#3-Dirty Promises
Sins Duet (Spin-off, published 2017)
#1-Black Hearts
#2-Dirty Souls
My favorite quote:
"The past was brutal and the future was unclear, but the present was brilliant."
Note: Dirty Deeds fits into Karina Halle's world of dark romance in the following order:
The Artists Trilogy (published 2013)
#0.5-On Every Street
#1-Sins & Needles
#2-Shooting Scars
#3-Bold Tricks
Dirty Angels Trilogy (Spin-off, published 2014-2015)
#1-Dirty Angels
#2-**Dirty Deeds**
#3-Dirty Promises
Sins Duet (Spin-off, published 2017)
#1-Black Hearts
#2-Dirty Souls
March 14, 2017
Karina Halle has that gift that draws me in deeper and deeper into the dark and dangerous world that she has created in her Dirty Angels Trilogy.
Dirty Deeds is the 2nd book in that trilogy and after reading the 1st, Dirty Angels, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... I wondered what else could possible happen to the Bernal family!!!
Wow, Alana Bernal’s story was not exactly what I was expecting. It could be read as a standalone, but it’s definitely better if you have read the previous book and as it ties in a bit with The Artists Trilogy…even better.
My heart went out to Alana Bernal….what she has endured in her life due to her family’s bad “deeds”….it’s a wonder that she has remained such a likeable and endearing character…
Into her life comes someone totally unexpected…and someone who does not have such good intentions ….
Their journey takes them on a suspense filled trip as they try to discover who is behind the hit and why. I was really surprised when I discovered who the villain was behind Alana’s hit.
Despite my reservations about Derek and his real feelings for Alana, I did warm up to him as the story progressed. Alana, I just found her totally likeable. What a life she has lived because of the sins of family….so damn sad. But yet, she managed to keep just a “don’t feel sorry for me” kind of attitude. She confronted her obstacles and did something about overcoming them.
I was a bit baffled about the appearance of Javier and Luiza…where does the Bernal family go from there, I wondered.
Okay, so I absolutely loved the epilogue!!!! Made me smile but still left a bit of a shadow in Derek & Alana’s life…..will they find everlasting true happiness together?????
The only thing I was a bit put out about …..Why was this story so short????
Dirty Deeds is the 2nd book in that trilogy and after reading the 1st, Dirty Angels, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... I wondered what else could possible happen to the Bernal family!!!
Wow, Alana Bernal’s story was not exactly what I was expecting. It could be read as a standalone, but it’s definitely better if you have read the previous book and as it ties in a bit with The Artists Trilogy…even better.
My heart went out to Alana Bernal….what she has endured in her life due to her family’s bad “deeds”….it’s a wonder that she has remained such a likeable and endearing character…
Having no contact with her family i.e. Javier Bernal and her sister, Marguerite, her life as a flight attendant with an airline and few friends, Luz and Dominga, is one of day by day. Sex with anyone she finds attractive, she’s at the point in her life that she thinks she will never find someone who will truly love her.
Into her life comes someone totally unexpected…and someone who does not have such good intentions ….
Derek Conway was a very very bad man…..a remorseless killer who had given up a long time ago, feeling anything at all…there was nothing redeeming about him…
But his latest mission, to kill Alana Bernal, turns into something totally unexpected.
Two people, with two totally different backgrounds, both holding their own secrets …but seeing something in each other that draws them together… The chemistry between the two is undeniable….
Their journey takes them on a suspense filled trip as they try to discover who is behind the hit and why. I was really surprised when I discovered who the villain was behind Alana’s hit.
Despite my reservations about Derek and his real feelings for Alana, I did warm up to him as the story progressed. Alana, I just found her totally likeable. What a life she has lived because of the sins of family….so damn sad. But yet, she managed to keep just a “don’t feel sorry for me” kind of attitude. She confronted her obstacles and did something about overcoming them.
I was a bit baffled about the appearance of Javier and Luiza…where does the Bernal family go from there, I wondered.
Okay, so I absolutely loved the epilogue!!!! Made me smile but still left a bit of a shadow in Derek & Alana’s life…..will they find everlasting true happiness together?????
The only thing I was a bit put out about …..Why was this story so short????
July 24, 2019
My first encounter with Derek in Bold Tricks left me much intrigued with him. The cold-blooded assassin isn't so cold-blooded as he appears to be after all and learning that made me all the more determined to read about his HEA. Which of course, for the majority of this book, seemed not to be guaranteed, and it was nerve wrecking.
So, Derek is anonymously hired to kill Alana Bernal (Javier's sister) which due to a series of events turns him from her assassinator to her protector. Of course it isn't an easy task, since the guy who hired Derek keeps sending more people to kill Alana and so both of them run all over the west coast of Mexico trying to hide.
Alana isn't the most likeable of heroines. Though she lives life by the moment and has an upbeat personality she is extremely stubborn (a family trait perhaps?) and takes unnecessary risks which, taking under consideration her upbringing, is at least stupid.
But together, Derek and Alana, have explosive chemistry and it's obvious from the start that they are perfect for each other. This book is more romantic suspense than dark romance and to tell you the truth I liked how light it was after the heavy stuff that happened in "Dirty Angels".
Javier and Luisa has a brief appearance in this story, too short for me to understand the state of their relationship or how being married is working for them. So I'm anxious to see how things will be in the next book.....
So, Derek is anonymously hired to kill Alana Bernal (Javier's sister) which due to a series of events turns him from her assassinator to her protector. Of course it isn't an easy task, since the guy who hired Derek keeps sending more people to kill Alana and so both of them run all over the west coast of Mexico trying to hide.
Alana isn't the most likeable of heroines. Though she lives life by the moment and has an upbeat personality she is extremely stubborn (a family trait perhaps?) and takes unnecessary risks which, taking under consideration her upbringing, is at least stupid.
But together, Derek and Alana, have explosive chemistry and it's obvious from the start that they are perfect for each other. This book is more romantic suspense than dark romance and to tell you the truth I liked how light it was after the heavy stuff that happened in "Dirty Angels".
Javier and Luisa has a brief appearance in this story, too short for me to understand the state of their relationship or how being married is working for them. So I'm anxious to see how things will be in the next book.....
September 16, 2015
Dirty Deeds centers on Alana Bernal, the younger sister to the infamous drug lord, Javier Bernal a.k.a. my man, and Derek Conway a mercenary for hire. Derek is hired by an unknown buyer to kill Alana. Even though Derek accepts the job, the bounty on her head seems very high for a woman working as a flight attendant. As Derek pursues Alana, circumstances change the course of their fate and he becomes her protector rather than her assassin. With the large bounty still looming, Alana trusts Derek to keep her safe but her world shatters when she discovers his secret. Alana is then forced to rely upon her own instincts and to seek the protection her brother can offer.
With devious forces at work, Alana discovers another layer of betrayal. For her benefit, Derek is well versed in the lack of loyalty among cartels and is never far from Alana. However, Alana proves she is a Bernal when confronted with the person who orchestrated her murder.
“I have Javier’s eyes, I told him. That explains why you want to fuck me so badly. You’re in love with him. You want him. He straightened up, shaking his head. You little bitch. It can be our secret. I flashed him a big smile.”
While I enjoyed the action and sexy scenes, I was left wanting a little more from this plot. Perhaps, it was because Javier is such an integral force and/or omnipresent character within this series, but the few scenes with Javier were so captivating that it left me wanting more of him rather than Alana and Derek. Despite my own personal preference and lust for Javier, Karina still delivers an amazing story with consistent writing and a fast paced action plot.
I cannot wait for the third book in this series, Dirty Promises, which centers on Javier and Luisa Bernal.
With devious forces at work, Alana discovers another layer of betrayal. For her benefit, Derek is well versed in the lack of loyalty among cartels and is never far from Alana. However, Alana proves she is a Bernal when confronted with the person who orchestrated her murder.
“I have Javier’s eyes, I told him. That explains why you want to fuck me so badly. You’re in love with him. You want him. He straightened up, shaking his head. You little bitch. It can be our secret. I flashed him a big smile.”
While I enjoyed the action and sexy scenes, I was left wanting a little more from this plot. Perhaps, it was because Javier is such an integral force and/or omnipresent character within this series, but the few scenes with Javier were so captivating that it left me wanting more of him rather than Alana and Derek. Despite my own personal preference and lust for Javier, Karina still delivers an amazing story with consistent writing and a fast paced action plot.
I cannot wait for the third book in this series, Dirty Promises, which centers on Javier and Luisa Bernal.
Want to read
August 26, 2013DEREK <3
I predict readers will be doing a lot of this......
I predict readers will be doing a lot of this......
February 17, 2015
"She was staring at me so intently that I knew I could never fade into the background after this."
My oh my! Ms. Halle has done it again! Dirty Deeds offers another amazing ride on the crazy train. Stops include: shoot em ups', hit and runs, full on fire power, hot sex, plot twists, more hot sex, and a tender romance!
Derek is a killer. We met Derek in the Sins and Needles Trilogy. (Which I must say, is still my favorite of Ms. Halle's work! If you haven't read that series, stop reading this review and read them first! You will not be disappointed!) Sins & Needles
While partying it up, Derek receives a call. He needs to take someone out. A woman. He doesn't hesitate and accepts the job. The only problem is that when Derek sees his mark he can't seem to get the job done.
"Not only was she beautiful, but there was something adorably awkward about her. What had she done?"-Derek
Before Derek has time to come to settle his nerves, Alana is hit by a car. She ends up in the hospital with a broken leg. Now Derek has to figure out who was trying to kill her and why.
Alana is one tough Latino. She and her friends escape from the hospital for a night out of partying.
"Car accident or no car accident, assassination attempt or no assassination attempt, she wasn’t going to let anything hold her back."
Derek has been tracking her and trying to find all the pieces to the puzzle. He meets Alana. Posing as a tourist, he gains her trust and they begin to see each other.
"But I guess my sorry little life felt like it was missing something. Stupidity, perhaps. She shot me a look over her shoulder that told me I was in for it. If only she knew."-Derek
Of course, their relationship is based on a lie. What kind of upstanding Halle book would this be if there wasn't deceit and tension between our main characters?
Derek begins to fall hard for Alana. He had loved once. Then he lost it. Alana has been floundering around never able to find true fulfillment. If only they didn't have a killer after them!
As they grow closer together, the bedroom scenes are smoking hot! One hot bodied military man and a smokin' hot Latina = hours and hours of bliss!
"He looked like the sort of man who could protect me, who could take care of me. He was a soldier. Those were the type who never showed fear, who never ran from anything. For the most part they were honest and noble and brave."
The tension continues to build as Derek's conscience begins to weigh heavy on his heart. He has developed true sincere feelings for Alana and is more determined then ever to keep her safe! Of course the question on everyone's mind is will we get to see Javier in this book?
Overall, Dirty Deeds is another 5 star read for me! It was a bit of a slow starter. But once things took off, I was completely engaged in the story. Alana is an amazing heroine and she definitely found her match with Derek. The action is intense. And I loved the ending!
As far as what is to come next.....
"I felt like I wasn’t trying to f*** something out of me; instead I felt like I was trying to take something from her. Love. Her soul. Her everything. Whatever it was, it made me better."
My oh my! Ms. Halle has done it again! Dirty Deeds offers another amazing ride on the crazy train. Stops include: shoot em ups', hit and runs, full on fire power, hot sex, plot twists, more hot sex, and a tender romance!
Derek is a killer. We met Derek in the Sins and Needles Trilogy. (Which I must say, is still my favorite of Ms. Halle's work! If you haven't read that series, stop reading this review and read them first! You will not be disappointed!) Sins & Needles
While partying it up, Derek receives a call. He needs to take someone out. A woman. He doesn't hesitate and accepts the job. The only problem is that when Derek sees his mark he can't seem to get the job done.
"Not only was she beautiful, but there was something adorably awkward about her. What had she done?"-Derek
Before Derek has time to come to settle his nerves, Alana is hit by a car. She ends up in the hospital with a broken leg. Now Derek has to figure out who was trying to kill her and why.
Alana is one tough Latino. She and her friends escape from the hospital for a night out of partying.
"Car accident or no car accident, assassination attempt or no assassination attempt, she wasn’t going to let anything hold her back."
Derek has been tracking her and trying to find all the pieces to the puzzle. He meets Alana. Posing as a tourist, he gains her trust and they begin to see each other.
"But I guess my sorry little life felt like it was missing something. Stupidity, perhaps. She shot me a look over her shoulder that told me I was in for it. If only she knew."-Derek
Of course, their relationship is based on a lie. What kind of upstanding Halle book would this be if there wasn't deceit and tension between our main characters?
Derek begins to fall hard for Alana. He had loved once. Then he lost it. Alana has been floundering around never able to find true fulfillment. If only they didn't have a killer after them!
As they grow closer together, the bedroom scenes are smoking hot! One hot bodied military man and a smokin' hot Latina = hours and hours of bliss!
"He looked like the sort of man who could protect me, who could take care of me. He was a soldier. Those were the type who never showed fear, who never ran from anything. For the most part they were honest and noble and brave."
The tension continues to build as Derek's conscience begins to weigh heavy on his heart. He has developed true sincere feelings for Alana and is more determined then ever to keep her safe! Of course the question on everyone's mind is will we get to see Javier in this book?
Overall, Dirty Deeds is another 5 star read for me! It was a bit of a slow starter. But once things took off, I was completely engaged in the story. Alana is an amazing heroine and she definitely found her match with Derek. The action is intense. And I loved the ending!
As far as what is to come next.....
"I felt like I wasn’t trying to f*** something out of me; instead I felt like I was trying to take something from her. Love. Her soul. Her everything. Whatever it was, it made me better."
August 24, 2017
3 Redemption STARS
Mas que reseña de Dirty deeds, este es un resumen de mi relación amor-odio con la autora.
Si me hubieran preguntado en el 2014 quien era mi autora favorita. Sin dudar hubiera contestado que Karina Halle. En ese año leí mas de 15 libros de ella y amé cada uno de ellos.
El primer libro que leí en el 2015 fue de ella, y aunque no lo disfruté tanto, seguía amando a Karina. Pero luego salió el tan esperado Where Sea Meets Sky , y me sentí defraudada. Fue un libro que me aburrió y no logre terminar de leerlo, además de todo el drama que se formo aquí en goodreas debido a que Karina estuvo reportando y eliminando las reseñas negativas de ese libro. En ese momento me sentí defraudada por ella como escritora y como persona. Que una escritora no sea capaz de manejar las criticas es algo inmaduro, poco posesional y también hipócrita. Lo cual cambio mi opinión sobre ella y su trabajo.
Dirty deeds fue un libro que esperaba con muchas ansias y como tal lo compre en preventa, así que lo tenia desde el primer momento que lo publicaron, pero mi mala vibra a Karina me quito todas las ganas de leerlo, eso y las malas reseñas que también recibió este libro.
El año siguió, Karina publico varios libros, la mayoría con reseñas negativas, y para mi malestar todos eran románticos contemporáneos y yo creo que Karina es demasiado talentosa como para estancarse escribiendo cliché romances.
Pero cuando Dirty Promises (el tercer libro de esta trilogía) salió y todos hablaban maravillas de el, sumado a mi eterno amor por Javier Bernal me llevaron a reconsiderar la ley de hielo que le tenia a Karina.
Dirty deeds me costo mucho tiempo leerlo, leí los primeros capitulos en 4 meses. Pero me forcé a seguir leyéndolo y cuando menos me lo esperaba ya estaba completamente enganchada.
Me di cuenta que la razón por la que no avanzaba no era porque el libro fuera malo, era porque yo aun seguía arrastrando mi enojo contra la autora, en cuanto deje ir eso, empecé a disfrutar la lectura.
Este es un libro cortito, que aunque no es la gran cosa, tiene un aspecto extraordinario. Es un libro en ingles, que muestra una historia que se desarrolla en México, con personajes mexicanos y aunque es en ingles igual sientes la esencia del lugar y la cultura.
Es raro y genial al mismo tiempo, como una autora anglosajona logra hacerte sentir como si estuvieras en México, te hace sentir el clima, los colores, la alegría, todo lo representativo de cada lugar. Y también refleja toda la decadencia y problemas que sufre la sociedad mexicana.
Los personajes dejaron mucho que desear y el instan-love no se termina de sentir, pero al final cumple el propósito de dejarnos con las ganas de leer el libro final de la trilogía. También nos deja rezando que Javier nunca se entere de nada o todo podría terminar muy mala para Derek y Alana.
Ya he hecho las pases con Karina Halle, igual me resisto a leer sus libros de The Pact y The Play, porque preferiría que siguiera escribiendo historias locas, como la serie de Experiment in terror o como The Devil"s Metal, esas historias que me hicieron enamorarme de su pluma.
Larga vida Karina Halle.
"My survival instincts were stronger than my soul."
Mas que reseña de Dirty deeds, este es un resumen de mi relación amor-odio con la autora.
Si me hubieran preguntado en el 2014 quien era mi autora favorita. Sin dudar hubiera contestado que Karina Halle. En ese año leí mas de 15 libros de ella y amé cada uno de ellos.
El primer libro que leí en el 2015 fue de ella, y aunque no lo disfruté tanto, seguía amando a Karina. Pero luego salió el tan esperado Where Sea Meets Sky , y me sentí defraudada. Fue un libro que me aburrió y no logre terminar de leerlo, además de todo el drama que se formo aquí en goodreas debido a que Karina estuvo reportando y eliminando las reseñas negativas de ese libro. En ese momento me sentí defraudada por ella como escritora y como persona. Que una escritora no sea capaz de manejar las criticas es algo inmaduro, poco posesional y también hipócrita. Lo cual cambio mi opinión sobre ella y su trabajo.
Dirty deeds fue un libro que esperaba con muchas ansias y como tal lo compre en preventa, así que lo tenia desde el primer momento que lo publicaron, pero mi mala vibra a Karina me quito todas las ganas de leerlo, eso y las malas reseñas que también recibió este libro.
El año siguió, Karina publico varios libros, la mayoría con reseñas negativas, y para mi malestar todos eran románticos contemporáneos y yo creo que Karina es demasiado talentosa como para estancarse escribiendo cliché romances.
Pero cuando Dirty Promises (el tercer libro de esta trilogía) salió y todos hablaban maravillas de el, sumado a mi eterno amor por Javier Bernal me llevaron a reconsiderar la ley de hielo que le tenia a Karina.
Dirty deeds me costo mucho tiempo leerlo, leí los primeros capitulos en 4 meses. Pero me forcé a seguir leyéndolo y cuando menos me lo esperaba ya estaba completamente enganchada.
Me di cuenta que la razón por la que no avanzaba no era porque el libro fuera malo, era porque yo aun seguía arrastrando mi enojo contra la autora, en cuanto deje ir eso, empecé a disfrutar la lectura.
Este es un libro cortito, que aunque no es la gran cosa, tiene un aspecto extraordinario. Es un libro en ingles, que muestra una historia que se desarrolla en México, con personajes mexicanos y aunque es en ingles igual sientes la esencia del lugar y la cultura.
Es raro y genial al mismo tiempo, como una autora anglosajona logra hacerte sentir como si estuvieras en México, te hace sentir el clima, los colores, la alegría, todo lo representativo de cada lugar. Y también refleja toda la decadencia y problemas que sufre la sociedad mexicana.
"The poor were detutely poor. The rich were rich beyonde their wildest dreams. The rest of us struggled in the middle."
Los personajes dejaron mucho que desear y el instan-love no se termina de sentir, pero al final cumple el propósito de dejarnos con las ganas de leer el libro final de la trilogía. También nos deja rezando que Javier nunca se entere de nada o todo podría terminar muy mala para Derek y Alana.
Ya he hecho las pases con Karina Halle, igual me resisto a leer sus libros de The Pact y The Play, porque preferiría que siguiera escribiendo historias locas, como la serie de Experiment in terror o como The Devil"s Metal, esas historias que me hicieron enamorarme de su pluma.
Larga vida Karina Halle.
September 24, 2015
I have died and gone to book heaven!
There is nothing better than an entertaining story with a plot and this my friends has it! From murdering cartels, evil assassins and innocent bystanders getting caught in the crossfire. You want blood...there will be blood! The intensity and heat between Derek & Alana scorches the bedsheets and even then it sizzles out of control! Quick somebody call nine one one, Ooooh this one is for the records, abso-fucking-lutely loved it!
There is nothing better than an entertaining story with a plot and this my friends has it! From murdering cartels, evil assassins and innocent bystanders getting caught in the crossfire. You want blood...there will be blood! The intensity and heat between Derek & Alana scorches the bedsheets and even then it sizzles out of control! Quick somebody call nine one one, Ooooh this one is for the records, abso-fucking-lutely loved it!
March 22, 2015
Loved it!
Derek was everything I expected him to be. I wanted to read a book about him sinse first time I "met" him in S&N.
I loved the fact that he never turned into a love sick puppy, even during his weakest moments, and always managed to stay somewhat cool, calm and collected. It's nice to see that in male main character for a change.
The other thing I liked was the heroine. I love how straightfirward and unapologetic, without being mean, she was. It made me feel normal :). We don't appreciate honesty enough these days.
Overall it was a fantastic book.
Derek was everything I expected him to be. I wanted to read a book about him sinse first time I "met" him in S&N.
I loved the fact that he never turned into a love sick puppy, even during his weakest moments, and always managed to stay somewhat cool, calm and collected. It's nice to see that in male main character for a change.
The other thing I liked was the heroine. I love how straightfirward and unapologetic, without being mean, she was. It made me feel normal :). We don't appreciate honesty enough these days.
Overall it was a fantastic book.
September 9, 2016
3ish stars
I liked this installment but I didn't love it. I am not an Este fan at all.....
I need more Javier and Luisa bring on the next book in this crazy series. I think I'm prepared
February 16, 2015
Welcome back to the world of deceit, death, action packed bullets a blazing along with some hot fucks.
In the next installment of Dirty Angels series, we meet again Derek Conway not to be confused with Conway Twitty who could carry a tune with his guitar, this Conway carries his tune with his gun as he is an ex-military now assassin. He blindly takes a job to kill a woman and this woman is none other than Alana Bernal, sister to Javier Bernal(bad ass extraordinaire who by the way we see again). What becomes a job to kill becomes a job to protect. Unknown variables come into play that brings Derek and Alana together on another level. Their attraction is instant and the need to stay alive is put to the limit. Derek and Alana both have demons. Their past is what brings them to the present and hopefully to the future.
In the world of the cartels, someone and everyone is trying to get to the top. People are put in situations for their climb to ascend. The deceit in this story took me by surprise. I'm highly anticipating how Dirty Promises will go. As always, the writing of Karina is refreshing and I love the way she uses simple words to make an impact with her stories.
All in all...read the book.
ARC provided by author
In the next installment of Dirty Angels series, we meet again Derek Conway not to be confused with Conway Twitty who could carry a tune with his guitar, this Conway carries his tune with his gun as he is an ex-military now assassin. He blindly takes a job to kill a woman and this woman is none other than Alana Bernal, sister to Javier Bernal(bad ass extraordinaire who by the way we see again). What becomes a job to kill becomes a job to protect. Unknown variables come into play that brings Derek and Alana together on another level. Their attraction is instant and the need to stay alive is put to the limit. Derek and Alana both have demons. Their past is what brings them to the present and hopefully to the future.
In the world of the cartels, someone and everyone is trying to get to the top. People are put in situations for their climb to ascend. The deceit in this story took me by surprise. I'm highly anticipating how Dirty Promises will go. As always, the writing of Karina is refreshing and I love the way she uses simple words to make an impact with her stories.
All in all...read the book.
ARC provided by author
December 21, 2015
“Sometimes people are mysterious because they have something to hide.”
Dirty Deeds is the second book in the Dirty Angels series, about Derek Conway and Alana Bernal.
Derek is hired to kill Alana but when the offer is too good to be true, the warning bells sound and he turns the offer down. Derek decides to investigate Alana instead, because if she is worth that much dead, perhaps someone would be willing to pay more for her to be alive. What he finds is not what he imagined and what he received was more than he could have hoped. When he was hit with deja vu his world nearly fell apart.
For me, I missed the gritty hard Derek, the killer. I expected more alpha, less “push over”. Alana, too, was not what I expected. I expected feisty, yet got timid. The two together were “mushy and more sweet” so not what I expected from their characters in previous books. I expected/wanted sparks, flames, banter, even clashing. Not instant lust.
What I did like were the chase scenes and the fight scenes. KH does these fabulously! I am always on the edge of my seat. These redeemed the book for me and kept it at a 4 star read.
February 20, 2015
3.5 hmmm. This a toughie. I adore Karina and all things KH. Javier is my #1, I went into this with an open mind knowing this wasn't his book, knowing full well I desperately wanted more of him. I admit I did squeal like a kindergartner when he made some brief appearances. I'm not sure if that effected my overall feelings towards this book. Alana is not Javier. She is very separated from him and his lifestyle. Although this book sets us up for what I predict an epic Dirty Promises I was never fully sucked into Alana or Derek's world. There was some fast pace, jaw dropping moments. The last 25% is what KH does best. Guns a blazin' gangsta style. So overall I liked the setup, and how things played out. So even if I didn't fall madly in love with these two, the actions that took place had to happen. Am I making sense here? This book definitely laid the foundation for the show-case-show-down known as Dirty Promises. Is it summer yet? I CANNOT WAIT for Promises.
Want to read
February 17, 2015Ex-soldier, Mercenary, a Killer-for-Hire!
Have to meet this Mystery Man Derek!
And did I read it correctly?
Alana Bernal as in Javier Bernal????
HIS SISTER!!!!
OKAY!!!!!
Have to meet this Mystery Man Derek!
And did I read it correctly?
Alana Bernal as in Javier Bernal????
HIS SISTER!!!!
OKAY!!!!!
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