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Carrera Cartel #1

Blurred Red Lines

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A TOP 100 INTERNATIONAL AMAZON BESTSELLER

Obsession is the deadliest vice.

Valentin

As the heir to the devil himself, my name is whispered in fear and respect. I take no prisoners and leave no witnesses. Mercy doesn't exist in my world until one mouthy bartender turns it upside down.

Chaos forces me to kidnap her, but insanity compels me to cross a dangerous line.

My obsession with her risks both my empire and our lives, but now that I have Eden beside me, I won't let her go. If we burn, we burn together.

Eden

My life has always been riddled with bad decisions, but one night of being in the wrong place at the wrong time changes it forever. Abducted and held against my will, I find myself thrust into a long-standing cartel war as an involuntary pawn.

I'll make it out of here, and when I do, the guilty will fall one by one.

As long as I can stop myself from falling for the kingpin. The one who takes everything and promises nothing. I should hate him. He holds me prisoner, but I'm the one who refuses to leave.



*The Carreras are not good men. They commit crimes to line their pockets and sin to warm their beds. They use foul language, wield weapons like utensils, and every single character's morals are questionable at best. This is a dark romance. There may be triggers, so if you are easily offended, this story may be too much for you.

If you're still here, bienvenidos! The cartel is waiting...

**The Carrera Cartel books are all standalones and can be read out of sequence. However, if you prefer to avoid spoilers, it's highly recommended that you read them in order.

443 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2017

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About the author

Cora Kenborn

55 books2,000 followers
Cora Kenborn is a USA Today Bestselling author of over thirty-two multi-genre novels, including the Carrera Cartel Trilogy.

While best known for her dark and gritty romances, Cora infuses sharp banter and a shocking blindside in every story she writes. She loves a brooding antihero who falls hard for a feisty heroine who stands beside him, not behind him.

Although she’s a native North Carolinian, Cora claims the domestic Southern Belle gene skipped a generation, so she spends any free time convincing her family that microwaved mac and cheese counts as fine dining.

Oh, and autocorrect thinks she's obsessed with ducks.

Stay up to date with Cora:
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Website: www.corakenborn.com
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2CPrPrx
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Facebook Reader Group: http://bit.ly/CoraTAA
TikTok: https://bit.ly/CKTikTok
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Twitter: http://bit.ly/CoraTwitter

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5 stars
807 (37%)
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688 (32%)
3 stars
415 (19%)
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137 (6%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 436 reviews
Profile Image for The Sassy Bookworm.
3,596 reviews2,765 followers
March 25, 2017
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descriptionThis is an OK cover. The guy featured is a pretty good representation of how "I" pictured the hero. Unfortunately, the typography and its placement throws off the compostion quite a bit.description

descriptionOh, man was this book SO SO good. It sucked me in from the first page and didn't let up until I read the last word. I was sad to see this one end. I hope we will see more of this couple as well as some of the secondary characters in books to come.

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It was amazingly well written. Had an intricate and well paced plot. Had interesting and well developed main characters. Had some intriguing secondary characters. It had action. It had heartbreak. It had betrayal. It had violence and murder. It had romance. It had some hot sex scenes. All wrapped up in an ending befitting this couple to a "T."

Two HUGES thumbs up from yours truly.description

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Profile Image for Leigh.
1,285 reviews285 followers
May 6, 2017
Blurred Red Lines didn't work for me. The only reason I gave it 2 stars is because I actually managed to finish it instead of giving up like I wanted to around 56%. To be honest it started pretty ok and I was actually excited because I just love organized crime romances. I just love those brutal bad boys and the woman who tame them. Unfortunately I never felt any connection between Val and Eden. I thought Val was ok he was definitely not boss material to me, I actually found him weak. Eden was annoying and bordering on TSTL. I don't think I would bother following this series.
Profile Image for Elfina Renee.
612 reviews222 followers
May 31, 2017
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I love the way Cora Kenborn didn't hold back on the violence and sinister acts. At times heartbreaking and I reach for the box of tissues, others I was screeching off with their heads. So full of action and romance, this author singed the sheets!

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This was no mistake. This was no joke. This was real, and the only person left to protect him hid in the corner crying for her own pathetic life. I willed my feet to move, but the signal from my brain to my feet short circuited, leaving me paralyzed.
20 reviews
March 20, 2017
The most delicious kind of twisted dark cartel romance! Absolutely loved it ❤️❤️❤️ Valentin, or Val is a TOTAL boss, heir to the Carrera Cartel, with a past that has blackened his heart the man dominates, and is wild, dark, and a dangerous kind of sexy. He is ruthless and unstoppable, until he meets fiesty, mouthy leading lady Eden, a woman with a world of pain locked behind a fortress of sass, and his empire of control and solitude crumbles. Eden and val act upon a dangerous high stakes attraction for each other, and HOT DAMN, these two burn in the best possible way *for* each other. Your kindle is guaranteed to overheat so be warned! Smexy steamy times ahead! There's not enough awesome words I can say about this book, the leading characters are compelling, I really enjoyed and was sympathetic to the struggle Eden experienced with battling lust, fear and revenge for the man she should hate. To say Val and Eden's relationship is complex occurring against the backdrop of a deadly cartel war, is an understatement! The secondary characters were very well done as well. The action was exquisitely written and first class, and the story had amazing pulse tripping pace. Once again, this brilliant author has given me the experience of being *in* a sexy thrilling movie I didn't want to hit pause on, not even for a moment! I am so excited for this release!
Profile Image for Syndi.
3,134 reviews911 followers
December 21, 2020
Welcome to Carrera family! Since I read El Diablo by Miss Robinson, I longing to read a good mafia romance. Blurred Red Lines is far cry from El Diablo.

The story that Miss Kenborn brings is mucb tamer and milder. This is a romance story between Valentin and Eden. I wish there is more plot/ twist and nuch darker story. Instead I got more romance.

Valentin is bit disappointment. He is not menacing as promised. More like cinfuse and conflicted hero. Eden stole the show. Instead of damsel in distress, she is sassy and brave.

Overall I do enjoy the story OK.

3 stars
Profile Image for Carla Bulian.
1,396 reviews380 followers
January 3, 2019
3,7. O enredo prometia no início, mas foi ficando repetitivo e sem graça.
Infelizmente!
Profile Image for Crystal.
238 reviews6 followers
March 24, 2022
Blurred Red Lines is the first book in a new Cartel Series by Author Cora Kenborn. This is the story of Valentin Carrera, a Drug Lord in line to inherit the Head of the Cartel and Eden Lachey a down on her luck barmaid.

Wow, I don't even know where to begin. I fell in love with Cora Kenborn's writing style with her first book Fame and Obsession so I was very excited to hear about her new series. I got my hands on this copy and it was EPIC.

This was an AMAZING book. I was captivated from the first sentence all the way until the last sentence. I couldn't put this down. What Eden went through and witnessed was just GUT WRENCHING. I don't do spoilers but let's just say I bawled like a baby. I LOVED Eden as a character. She was quick witted, didn't take crap off anyone, she knew what she wanted and didn't care (for the most part) what people thought.

Valentin... oh my VAL. I LOVE him. Like seriously... he is my ULTIMATE book "boyfriend" you know what no HUSBAND. I LOVED HIS CHARACTER. He was who he was and made no apologies for it. You don't like it? Move along. Man... some of the scenes with him HOT **melting**

I mean, what would you do if you found yourself basically kidnapped by a man that you have been drooling over for MONTHS only to find out he is the soon to be head of the largest Cartel in Houston? Then... you find out he might just be the man responsible for what she witnessed (spoiler not gonna say)... and then... well.. you find you are STILL attracted to this man. How do you cope? What do you do? Do you fight the feelings? Do you give in to them? What?? Oh Man... talk about rock and a hard place! I can't even begin to imagine being in Eden's shoes. But wow... for the author to invoke such reactions for me... I LOVED IT!

The character development was just off the charts amazing. To have 2 COMPLETELY different characters with VASTLY different upbringing and lives collide and then you are able to see how each character helped the other grow...Epic writing. They pulled strengths from each other. Eden helped make Val basically FEEL again. This has to be some of the best writing I have ever read.


The secondary characters are great, I think that there are some more stories to be told there and I look forward to reading more of this series.

Ms. Kenborn is an extremely talented writer and is going places. I can easily see this book made into a movie or a tv show... mm... that would just be so amazing. Overall, this book by far is my favorite book of 2017. It will be hard to push this book from my number one spot for this year.
Profile Image for Doris.
2,771 reviews110 followers
January 5, 2020
Thrilling. Suspenseful. Fantastic. Those are just a few words to describe Blurred Red Lines. Only an author like Cora Kenborn could have made me switch to reading Cartel/Mafia novels because no one can write like she does by the way she draws you into her stories and keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. She throws surprises at you right and left and she breaks your heart at other times. This is another of her books that I couldn’t put down because it was that good.

Eden was made into a tough girl by all the things that had happened to her in her life but being tough doesn’t mean that she doesn’t have feelings even if she herself doesn’t want to acknowledge them. She witnessed the brutal death of someone very close to her which set her on a path that was looking for nothing but revenge. She had no idea that the Reaper was going to play such an important part to her finding not only the person who killed her loved one but would also be someone that she fell for even if he was keeping her captive. Valentin Carrera was the head of the cartel in the US with the only person above him being his father who led the cartel from Mexico. He was ruthless but then again he had to be in his business. Val had a catastrophe early in his life too which shaped him into the man he is today. He vowed then to not let anyone close to him ever again. He never would have guessed that this red head would work her way into his life and make him rethink everything that he once believed in.

Cora Kenborn is an amazing author and you would be doing yourself a favor by picking up one of her books just to see the dynamics that she brings to her characters whether they are rock stars or drug lords. You will get lost in her books and taken on the ride of your life leaving you feel that you can’t get your hands on one of her books fast enough. Blurred Red Lines was an exceptional book and I highly recommend it.

I received this book as an ARC for a freely given and honest review.
Profile Image for XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy.
1,483 reviews479 followers
March 23, 2021
Audiobook review. This story took us on quite a ride. Eden was very much a contrast to most heroines and at first I found myself judging a bit. Then I checked myself and just let my perceptions go. She is flawed, prickly, and reacting to what’s happened to her in the past but that instantly entices our hero Val. Val himself is quite the contrast. A ruthless criminal with a heart. One that is tied to one of the most powerful families in the Mexican cartel.

I enjoyed how the plot developed. The world building is excellent. The relationship progression and the associated internal conflict was executed well. The translations to Spanish left something to be desired. As a native speaker I cringed every time they said “El Muerte”. It really distracted me, affecting the flow of the story. However, the set up for the rest of the series was definitely enticing and kept me interested.


The narrators, Brian Pallino, Sarah Puckett, and Alan Carlson did a fantastic job despite the incorrect Spanish translations. They had great tone, pitch, and pace and switched between characters well.

Complementary copy received and voluntarily reviewed.
305 reviews4 followers
April 1, 2017
This Cartel book packs a punch! The head of a Cartel. The relative of a victim of the Cartel. An explosive passion. Have you ever wondered about the line between love and hate? The line between pain and pleasure? It is a fine line, when blood and passion become involved, it becomes a Blurred Red Line! This book is so well written you can feel yourself in the story, the passion, the hate, the anguish,and the love, you are in the middle of it all! I was blown away by the intensity of this book. It has everything I want in a darker romance. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be fully immersed in a book!
Profile Image for Catherine Wiltcher.
Author 38 books2,610 followers
January 3, 2020
Beautifully written and compelling, Eden was the type of heroine I LOVE! Kick-ass and smart, she meets Val head-on. Sparks fly. Hearts ignite. A great start to the series and I'm diving right into the next book!
Profile Image for Expresso.
873 reviews133 followers
March 28, 2017
First rodeo with Cora and it definitely won't be the last! What a deliciously dark read!

I absolutely love the main characters. Two people from opposite ends of the socioeconomic spectrum and their so called "thing" works!

Cora has quite the skill with words. She created a story that is realistic and mind-blowing! I could not put this story down. I love drama and this story has it in SPADES! I recommend this story if you're a lover of drama and darkness!

Five stars!
Profile Image for Angie.
68 reviews3 followers
March 23, 2017
Have you ever read a book that just drew you in, so much so you completely lose track of time and realize that hours have passed? Yes, that's exactly what happened to me while reading author Cora Kenborn's book Blurred Red Lines. This book is the first in the Carrera Cartel Series and to say its amazing is a complete understatement! I will give fair warning, this review is much longer than my others BUT contains no spoilers. I have read 'dark' type books before but I've tended to stick with just those authors. Cora Kenborn was a new author to me but I so enjoyed another book written by her, that I jumped in this one and am SO glad I did!

The dark journey this author takes us on in Blurred Red Lines is unlike any I have experienced before. We have been used to, good vs. evil...things are said to be black or white but in Val and Eden's world we soon learn those two do NOT exist. We are thrust into a Cartel world in which we quickly learn there is evil and more evil. There is no black or white....only grey.

Valentine 'Val' Carrera has been groomed since birth to take his place as the leader, the ultimate Drug Lord of the Carrera Empire. This is the only world he has ever known...a world of violence. Where murder, blackmail, rival cartels, kidnappings are the norm. A world that at the "old" age of 9 his father taught him the intricacies of fine tequila....at the ripe old age of 16 he fully understood the act of murder. A world where just the mention of the name Carrera, strikes a fear unlike any people have known. A world where it's killed or be killed! He is El Muerta , The Reaper. He gets what he wants and holds the strings of many ....even in the political world to ensure what he wants happens. What he doesn't expect is her! The only way to keep her safe is under lock and key, kidnapped. What is this pull he has to her? His world isn't safe, he is feared yet hated by many. Its too dangerous...as the author shares insight into Val's world in her blurb, "Murder is business in my world, but when an innocent man’s death puts a witness on my radar and in my basement, I try to convince myself I’m keeping her safe to discover her secrets. It’s a lie. I want her, and with my enemies closing in, I need her now more than ever."

There's a fine line between love and hate.

Eden Lachey has lived in a hell all of her own. Her life is in no way what she wants but getting out of that hell is easier said than actually done! She masks her feelings with one night stands, men she has no intention of moving forward with. One night, one phrase from her past that only two share its meaning is exclaimed and it changes everything. Eden witnesses the murder of an innocent person, a botched cartel hit. She promises herself she will stop at nothing to right this wrong! She will seek and get revenge for that night...the night that thrust her into a world she could never imagine. A world in which friends become enemies, a world she is now prisoner to, a world he rules. It's him, she knows...those gold-flecked chocolate eyes, they are nothing but Danger. She should loathe him, despise his existence...this pull to him should repulse her. But that pull/draw she has towards him is so strong, the fight to keep the hatred is weakening as the author shares in her blurb, "That is if I can stop myself from falling first. For him. The one I should hate myself for wanting. He’s the one that holds me prisoner, but it’s me who refuses to leave." Eden's internal battle about Val is so full of raw emotion. How can you care, for the one you should hate? The one who in essence, destroyed the only good in your life?

They both learn that there truly is a fine line between love and hate!! That the pull they have to one another is something they cannot deny. It cannot be thrust aside. The author shares in her blurb as Val comes to terms with this, "This dangerous attraction between us risks both my empire and our lives. I’ve spent my life in a solitude of my own choosing, but now that I have Eden beside me, I won’t let her go. If we burn…we burn together. " The journey the author takes these characters on, I am still reeling over! The twist and turns this book took, at times left me in utter shock!!!!

The characters in this book just blew me away. Its more than the leading male and female role. We are introduced to characters that ignite such raw emotions in a reader. Those we hate, those we want to hate, those we KNOW have such depth and cannot wait to see their story being told. Eden's characters is so full of grit. She is the quintessential strong willed leading lady. She is NOT weak, she knows what she does and does not want. We are given a front row seat to the inner turmoil she continually battles thru out this book. We feel that battle thru the authors writing. Val is that strong alpha male that will never show weakness. He was thrust into a life that would break a weak person, weakness is not allowed. It's not in his character to let his men, enemies see any shred of unravel being powerless is not something he will allow. The raw emotions you see both Eden and Val share, battle and accept thru the course of this book is just phenomenal.

As I stated there are other characters that caused this reader to sit up and take notice!!! One in particular has ties to both Eden and Val. We catch glimpses of that inner turmoil, this characters battle is truly that of good vs. evil and this is one story I CANNOT wait to see unfold! Oh the host of amazing people in this book, I impatiently await their fate!

This is one book I cannot recommend enough. If you are a fan of darker reads, love the cartel/mafia type genre of books, then this is the book/series for you!

***I was honored to receive an ARC for an honest review***
Profile Image for Cheryl O'Harney.
1,184 reviews21 followers
March 26, 2017
First time round I was extremely lucky enough to have beta read this book, that was back at the end of December 2016 going into the January of 2017 at the time I said to Cora that this was going the best book of 2017 and I still stand by that fact. Let me tell you I didn't just read this book I lived it, yip I lived and breathed it I was gripped I'm talking edge of the seat material I was even vocal whilst reading it, there were times my husband looked at me like he was questioning whether or not to have me committed into a mental institution and it only got worse towards the end of the book, there was a certain part I was reading whilst in bed where I screamed yes that's right I actually screamed waking him up resulting in him almost shitting his pants.

As your already aware after reading the blurb this is a cartel book based in and around the world of Valentin (Val) Carrera heir to the Carrera Cartel and Eden a firecracker of a woman who's thrust into a long-standing cartel war that sees her ending becoming his prisoner and what starts off as a dangerous attraction soon becomes so much more. There's plenty of angst and excitement with twists and turns galore making this hands down the best cartel book I've had the pleasure of reading. I cannot wait to see what's in store next for the Carrera Cartel especially my man Mateo, that's right biatches he's all mine from his man bun right down to the tips of his leather Prada's I should point out Cora doesn't actually specify whether or not he wears Prada shoes I'm just assuming he does I mean c'mon a man as hot as him is bound to have expensive taste anyway moving on.....

This is one book you DO NOT!! want to miss trust me you will not be disappointed, Cora Kenborn you are a legend it's authors like yourself that inspire me to want to read.

5 big Mutha-fuck-ing stars out of 5.
Profile Image for Lady Raven RAVE!.
1,827 reviews1,341 followers
December 2, 2021
2.50⭐️⭐️

Style: Dark Mafia Romance
Story: 3/5
Enjoyment: 2/5
Dark Level: 2/5
Sexual Level: GOOD
Triggers: Yes
Violence: Yes
Male: Sexy
Series: Book 1
Pages: 334
Audio: GOOD(m/f)
Kindle Unlimited: Yes


STORY:
I am on the fence with this book. I liked it, but only because it’s in audio and the dramatics and accents that went into it. I am not sure if that’s good or bad. However, if I was reading this book, I would have aborted before 50%. There was a lot going on, and it was easy to follow, but this story was too detailed. It was a slow slow slow burn for me. With that being said, I appreciate the details and storytelling that went into this book. The author established both characters individually before they came together.


SEXUAL CHEMISTRY:
It wasn’t bad. When they finally got to it, it was that I hate you sex, and then they kept saying it wouldn’t happen again but couldn’t help themselves.


SECONDARY CHARACTERS:
I really like Matteo he stood out. So many players but no one else did.



OVERALL:
It wasn’t bad, it was too drawn out but at times interesting.



TRIGGERS: violence a lot of it.


****I don’t equate these stories to real life. It’s about personal taste and what you would or want to tolerate with the books you read. I know we all have different opinions and preferences with what we read. I based my book reviews on my preferences and what I like, and while these preferences may not be the same for others, I hope this review was still helpful.
Profile Image for Jos.
1,724 reviews135 followers
May 7, 2018
4.5 Stars

Wow, I really loved this book! There was a lot of action, suspense, hot sex and great characters. My only minor issue and reason for the half star deduction was Eden at times. Idk she started off so-so almost like a woman whore lol yeah, talk about role reversal mostly from her inner thoughts mind you, I didn't have to read about her woman whoring ways literally but the fact that she wasn't shy about what she was. Anyways, she was tough to warm up to and then I warmed up to her BUT she was still a tad too "rough and tough" for me.

The one thing for sure was the AHMAZING chemistry between Val and Eden and their love for each other was so genuine and believable and Val, btw, was a 5 star hero in my eyes, LOVED him:)

I can't wait to continue with this series as there seems to be some interesting characters that I hope to get books on like Marisol and as funny as this sounds because it was just thrown in the storyline but wonder if we will meet Brody's sister...the Sr in college that was mentioned briefly, hmmmmm hope so!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Meagan Kent.
17 reviews2 followers
March 23, 2017
Because I live in Houston, where this book is set, I had high expectations. Cora took my expectations and blew my mind! Every place described in this book was accurate and made me feel like I could jump in the car and drive to wherever they were to help them out. Not only that, but the whole story was amazing! Eden is an awesome chic that is done putting up with the make ego, until she meets Val. They are beyond explosive with each other in such an awesome kind of way! I was on the edge of my seat the whole way through this book trying to figure out what was gonna happen next and who was behind certain things that happened. Boy was I in for a surprise when all my theories were terribly wrong and what/ who was behind everything was so much better than what I expected! Cora Kenborn had proven herself to be a genius once again! I can't wait to see what she has up her sleeves for the Carerra Cartel next!
Profile Image for Arien/Sloan.
255 reviews3 followers
March 23, 2017
I could not put this book down!! I absolutely loved it. Eden is the kinda gal who is down to earth and you just love right from the get go. Val is dark mysterious and you know you should probably hate him because he's a bad guy but you can't help but fall in love with. This story is amazing and a must read, especially if you are a fan of Cora Kenborn. She has given you two characters that you will love, it is action packed, hot, steamy and even tugs at your heart strings with everything that is going on.
Profile Image for Heather Matlock.
329 reviews2 followers
March 26, 2017
Dark and gritty this book had me at the edge from start to finish. I have a new favorite mafia romance author hands down. It is the perfect mix of danger and romance to keep you coming back. The betrayal and angst alone makes the anticipation almost unbearable I was sweating and shaking as I got closer to the end because i wanted to draw the story out for as long as possible.
Love Cora Kenborn! My favorite new favorite author for sure!
Profile Image for Dani.
Author 112 books2,293 followers
April 4, 2017
What an INCREDIBLE book!!! This story was one heck of a roller coaster but one I didn't mind riding with Eden and Valentin. These characters are incredibly well written, they pull you into their world, grip you until you're right there along with them. This is definitely one of my top reads for 2017!

If you like your romance dark, if you love your alpha scorching hot, and your heroine strong and beautiful then you NEED to one click this book. The suspense will keep you on the edge of your seat and the romance will have you both needing a cold shower and hoping your Kindle doesn't melt while you turn the pages.

Cora did an incredible job with this book and I can't wait to see what she does with the second book. Needless to say, I need that ASAP!!
44 reviews
April 8, 2017
My first book from author Cora Kenborn and it definitely won't be the last! I don't usually read crime/ cartel books but I REALLY enjoyed this one. Suspense, intrigue, PASSION fantastic characters who could ask for anything more in a book!
Profile Image for Jamie Speck.
305 reviews3 followers
Read
July 29, 2021
Just wow!! I have read several other books by Cora Kenborn, that I loved, but i was not sure what to expect knowing that this was being billed as a dark romance. I was sucked right in from the first words and what a wild ride it was. We have all the crazed drama of a drug cartel war, mixed in with a relationship that by all means should not happen, yet it does. The characters and plot development was spot on , bringing us into this crazy dangerous world. I can't wait for more from this series. Add this to your must read list.
Profile Image for ✨ tweety ✨.
364 reviews67 followers
March 29, 2017
This is the 3rd book by author Cora Kenborn that I read and it was different from her previous series, Lords of Lyre (which you should totally read if you like rock star romances with lots of suspense and high sexual tension, BTW!). This book is towards the dark romance genre more than new adult, but perhaps it's just me being used to action, gritty and violent scenes, that I am not shocked anymore. XD Anyway, you decide. I don't like to put books into categories.

Blurred Red Lines is the story of two people who lead very different lives. Eden Lachey is a bartender who has an uneventful existence made of arrogant drunkards and a drug-abusing father. Among the clients of the bar, there's one man who catches her attention every time. She's attracted to him, but she knows fair well that he is danger. Valentin 'Val' Carrera moved to the US from Mexico when he was young. Boss of the Houston leg of the Carrera cartel, he has to keep his identity a secret not to hinder his 'business'. This becomes hard whenever he visits the bar owned by his lieutenant where an alluring cherry-haired bartender works. They both know that they shouldn't look for more than a swift exchange of words, but they can't help the pull that there's between them. Sometimes the people we want to avoid at any cost are the ones that understand us better.

As usual Cora is good at writing strong female characters, and Eden was no exception. She always tried to stand up for herself despite the situation, and every choice she made was her own. She was the kind of character who thinks with her brain and not with the male character's balls.

Val is one hell of an alpha hero. He is Mexican, and this part of his character fascinated me because I love Latin characters (I study Spanish, duh!). He was confident and ruthless, but had a warm side but he never becomes 'soft'.

If there is one thing that I love about Cora's characters, is that they evolve through the book but they stay loyal to themselves. You can understand their journey of self-improvement as you move along the pages. It's interesting to observe how the single character and the couple starts off and how it ends, because the personalities of these people are really palpable. It's awesome how she's able to build one-of-a-kind characters who stand out of the crowd and give them lots of moments of self-reflection and great hate-sex. The sex in her books is not the simple copy-and-paste act I've read in many other novels which turns out to bore the hell out of me at some point, but a raw, lustful, passionate kind of experience that blows your mind and personally makes me think: "holy f***!". The characters can also be romantic and mellow, but not of the kind that gives you diabetes, lol.

Val and Eden are that kind of couple you never think could make it. They both have abandonment issues, especially daddy issues. They were left alone early in life and had to take care of themselves and/or of their older men, ignoring their inner desires.

Eden uses sex to cope with the loss of her mother and the absence of her father, who is a drug addict. Her only significant presence in life is her brother, but their relationship is difficult as well because he doesn't accept her choices. Eden's way to resolve her issues, the sex with strangers that interest her, is a clear way for her to try to catch the attention of her family but at the same time, it isn't. Since her mother left her and her brother (who knows, perhaps she could appear later in the series) she's wandered around in the search of an equal figure, hence the hopping from a man to another; it is the reaction to the abandonment she's suffered. When she has sex with men, even if they don't satisfy her sexually because of course it's only lust and not love, it's like she compensates the lack of affection she's received with the sexual act, where the primal need to have sex is linked to the primal need to be loved by your parents. When she eyes Val in the bar, she is attracted instantly because he is the kind of man that she has sex with. He is dangerous, mysterious, and it's the epitome of what she's looking for, he is "death" personified. No wonder in the book he is known by other cartels with the name "El Muerte" (The Reaper). Val represents the almost-death experience she needs to have to get high. She's equally drugged as her father but her substance of choice it's sex. Her encounter with Val will prove her that while he's indeed a Reaper, he can also take her to the brink of eros. Their relationship swings from Eros to Thanatos, and the amazing sex scenes they have as well as the witty banter prove it. This is why I think Eden adapts to the life Val has so soon. Because that's what she needs to live. For her, the chaotic life Val leads is peace.

Val has a similar problem. He was born into a powerful cartel family, and he HAS to follow his father's footsteps or else he'll end up dead, no exception. He seems to be okay with living like a reckless boss, but you can tell that is hard for him because had he the power to follow another road, he would've probably taken it. But now it's too late to change, and when he meets Eden he realizes it. I can't see him stop being a boss, but at least he discovered his feelings aren't buried in a dark side of his soul. When he meets Eden, she is just another whim for him, the usual woman he wants to have for his own pleasure. But when he talks to her, sees her skills (he wants a drink made in a certain way and only Eden knows how to make it) and how she fits into his world despite he sees her as a light force in contrast with his person, he realizes that she can push his buttons in the right direction and make him a better man despite his life. Besides the fact that she's able to tame him, it's always the sexual experience that is a sort of epiphany moment for the both of them, but for Val works the opposite way. For him, meeting Eden and merge with her in the sexual act reunites his "good" part with the "bad".

Long story short, Val and Eden complete each other in such a fantastic way I don't even know how to explain it anymore. lol.

The story is a well-constructed plot full of action and suspense, like I already said. You can't take a breath because every page there's something waiting in the dark to crush the characters and nothing will be the same ever again. And when it seems the story would resolve blandly, the author does the opposite of what you thought she would do. The amount of UST and hate-sexy is amazing as well. I would have read it faster but since the story was steady yet full of events, I wanted to take into mind what happened, so that I could appreciate how the story was crafted even more.

If you're looking for a gripping story with complex characters, high-level sexual tension and many other things, then you should definitely read this book. It can be dark but believe me, there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. I forgot to mention, even the secondary characters are interesting! I wonder if the second book will still be about Val and Eden or perhaps about Mateo? He was cool. ;)

RATING: 5/5 stars

I voluntarily review a copy of this book.
Profile Image for Thetta James.
Author 15 books104 followers
November 18, 2020
Eden was his kryptonite. He was danger in the flesh. Together they were a stick of C4, threatening to detonate and destroy everything and anything within striking distance. This book was pure, raw, emotion that ripped open every wound that dared to close. Death, destruction, sex, and heat. Cora told a twisted, dark tale of mafia life. The Carrera Cartel are fearless and loyal. Eden’s demons wanted to come out and play. She struggled with letting go....until him. Val was the only person that she could abandon the sliver of sanity that she held onto. She commanded Val’s demons to give up control so that she could soothe them into submission, but still allow them to surface when he needed to protect her. I could not stop listening to this read. The narrators were simply magnificent and their voices drew me into this Mafia World and I gladly took a seat. Reveling in the sweet seduction of dirty talk and filth. Picturing the need and attraction between Eden and Val was easy because the story was read with such passion and angst. This book hit that sweet spot where you teeter on the brink and fall into the abyss, bouncing off every emotion until you land softly at the end where all is right with the world. As much as I loved Eden and Val, I’m looking forward to Mateo’s story. The twist at the end made my breath catch and I could feel Val’s confusion, his heartbreak...just everything in that moment of realization and truth. This was so worth the wait and I’m looking forward to listening to the rest of the series. Cora, you should definitely take a bow with this one!
Profile Image for Nancy.
65 reviews1 follower
April 5, 2017
Although this is not a genre that I typically read, I read this book because I have loved every book written by Cora Kenborn so far that I of course thought I should check it out. I wasn't disappointed! I absolutely loved this book so much that I have now read it twice!
The lives of bartender Eden Lachey and up and coming cartel boss, Val Carrera collide during one horrible night. She has seen him before, she should hate him, but there's this crazy attraction where clearly the lines between love and hate are blurred. This is a fast paced, action packed, sometimes bloody mess of a thriller. You want to hate Val, but you can't and you see why Eden may think that somewhere in there is a quality worth redeeming. Their lives are turned upside down and he goes against everything he's been told for her. (maybe a slight spoiler, but...)
This is an extremely well written book. The plot moves you along at a crazy pace that makes the book very hard to put down because you just can't wait to see where this crazy storm is going to end. There are charachters in this book that you will love to hate, and charachters that will make you crazy love them and will keep you guessing through out the book. This goes to the greatly woven story and amazing charachter development that Ms. Kenborn writes.
Profile Image for Cat Imb || The Reading Cat ||.
417 reviews41 followers
April 3, 2017
I received an ARC of this book from the author via Give Me Books. Thank you Cora Kenborn and Give Me Books!

What a wild, wild ride this was. I'm a sucker for cartel and organized crime books, and this one did not disappoint!

This book features the feud between the Mexican and Columbian cartel. It demonstrates their conniving-ness and their reach. This book was filled with blood, betrayal, and carnal desires. What the author did extremely well, was surprise me at every turn. I am usually good at predicting what is going to happen, but when it came to this book, Kenborn didn't slip up.

The reason why I'm not giving this book a higher rating, is because I wasn't like: "WOW, dear lord I love this book!". I believe that is because despite all of the betrayal going on within the book, there is still a lot of "blind" trust, which, I couldn't wrap around my head.

However, that ending was great. The plot twist - I never saw it coming. Thinking back, I should have connected the dots, but it took me by surprise, so BRAVO!
Profile Image for Jenn Amy.
894 reviews80 followers
December 29, 2021
Blurred Red Lines, Carrera Cartel book #1 is my first book by Cora Kenborn and it most definitely will not be my last! This is a dark mafia romance featuring the son of the leader of the ruthless Carrera Drug Cartel. Valentin has been groomed to take over since he was nine years old. This world is dark and dangerous. Violence, murder, kidnapping is the norm. This is one suspenseful read! There was so many things happening at all times. I had so many questions and was on the edge of my seat until all was revealed. Eden has been thrown into Valentin’s world after witnessing an innocent man’s murder. One that she is closely connected with and is out for revenge. She is fiercely strong and one heck of a fighter! She does not back down from inserting herself in the line of danger to exact her revenge. She meets Valentin head for head every time and the sparks and heat coursing between these two was addicting and intense forming an unbreakable connection between them. I loved the relationship between Eden and Mateo and his book is next. I cannot wait!
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