Empire

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Pub Date 19 Dec 2016 | Archive Date 01 Jan 2017

Description

The breathtaking finale to the USA Today bestselling Cartel trilogy.


People aren't born monsters.
They're made that way.
They're created, fuelled by one singular moment in time when their universe shatters.
I'd been with Dornan Ross for the better part of a decade. Slept in his bed, sewn up his wounds, tasted his blood, seen inside his soul.
But even I wasn't prepared for what he did.
I should have known it would always come down to this, from the very moment I laid eyes on him in that motel.
I should have known his salvation was too good to be true.
Because it's all gone now, the impossible love I had for him bleeding away in the darkness that came afterward.
Now there's only hate.
Now I just want to escape.
Even if it means I have to kill him to be free.

Before the Gypsy Brothers series there was the Cartel -- from USA Today bestselling author Lili St Germain.

Praise for the Cartel trilogy:

'I have been on a crazy and wild ride with this trilogy and I hate saying goodbye. Empire was a PERFECT conclusion' Betul, Goodreads

'Empire was the perfect ending for this thrilling trilogy' Dee, Goodreads

'Awesome job Lili ... I am ready to hop on the back of a bike and join the club!' LiteraryGossip.com

'I can't believe it took me this long to finally pick up this author ... sign me up for more of the Gypsy Brothers!' Jasmine, Goodreads

'Sensational, shocking, compelling and totally addictive ... the best when it comes to dark, brooding and bloody romance' Kelly, Perusing Princesses

The breathtaking finale to the USA Today bestselling Cartel trilogy.


People aren't born monsters.
They're made that way.
They're created, fuelled by one singular moment in time when their universe...


A Note From the Publisher

Ebook on sale WORLDWIDE 19/12/2016 at all online retailers.
Paperback on sale in Australia and New Zealand 19/12/2016 at all good booksellers and online.
Paperback on sale in USA May 2017 at all good booksellers and online.

Ebook on sale WORLDWIDE 19/12/2016 at all online retailers.
Paperback on sale in Australia and New Zealand 19/12/2016 at all good booksellers and online.
Paperback on sale in USA May 2017 at all...


Advance Praise

Praise for the Cartel trilogy:

'Awesome job Lili ... I am ready to hop on the back of a bike and join the club!' LiteraryGossip.com

'I can't believe it took me this long to finally pick up this author ... sign me up for more of the Gypsy Brothers!' Jasmine, GoodReads

'Sensational, shocking, compelling and totally addictive ... the best when it comes to dark, brooding and bloody romance' Kelly, Perusing Princesses

Praise for the Cartel trilogy:

'Awesome job Lili ... I am ready to hop on the back of a bike and join the club!' LiteraryGossip.com

'I can't believe it took me this long to finally pick up this author...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9781460750063
PRICE A$29.99 (AUD)
PAGES 320

Average rating from 85 members


Featured Reviews

Can you love and hate someone at the same time?
Can you truly trust someone?
Can you forgive someone for the ultimate betrayal?

Holy Shitballs! Lili St. Germain knows how to brutally attack your heart! I knew what was coming in this book, but I was not prepared for the chest crushing and emotional outburst I experienced. I have so many mixed emotions while reading this. My thoughts kept drifting to what would I do in this situation. The rules these people follow aren’t normal life rules...nope you need to be conniving, cunning and bad ass to survive with these people. Betrayal among them is a death sentence, but can you really trust each other?

Dornan would never be able to run from the thing he came from. The thing that created him. The darkness didn’t just exist within him.
He was the fucking darkness

I hate him, I love him, I hate him, I love him. Dornan is both an angel and devil. I have never been so consumed by a story or character like him. He pushes all the right and wrong buttons.

Mariana is such a kickass kind of girl and you can’t help but sympathize with her. She loves to men, but also hates one. With Dornan she found solace, safety and love. But with John its a completely different feeling. I felt her push and pull through the whole series. I loved her character

John what can I really say about him. He wasn’t made for the life he was living. He was calm, sweet, protective and loved fiercely. I adored him.

I have read and felt everything unfold with this trilogy from the beginning. When I started Cartel, I had not yet read the Gypsy Brothers series, but I owned it. It sure moved up my TBR list, actually I started it right away because I couldn’t get enough of them! Empire is the perfect conclusion and I am very sad to see it come to an end, but sadly it has too. I really can’t say enough about the characters other than Mariana is my girl...She fought and was able to play with the big boys...so kickass! John is swoon worthy and will cherish everything about him, especially after the ending. He was a beautiful character! Dornan has been on edge these last two books. He is finally allowing the darkness to overtake him and become someone I wasn’t liking, but yet couldn’t stay away from. It’s like you know not to touch something hot, but your brain doesn’t always catch up with your hand...you burn yourself. That is how I felt about Dornan...I hate him and loved him.

People aren’t born monsters,
They’re made that way

The whole storyline is intense, gritty and eye opening. I felt the connection between all the characters. The hate and love. Lili wrote a phenomenal story that will gut you. You won’t know which way to turn, who to trust completely and your emotions will be on overdrive. My heart broke for all three especially at the end. OMG, that was all I said as I sobbed. She finally broke me along with her characters...damn her! LOL! As the story progresses, things you thought you knew might not be exactly what you think. The lines between right and wrong blur. Secrets and lies always come out, but really what is the truth? Everything has come full circle now...do you embrace the darkness or find a way out? I seriously DO NOT want this series to end. Lili has become one author I look forward to reading...I will always buy her work. I bow down to her and can’t explain how much her stories whisk me away to another world. She goes for the throat, but ends up grabbing your heart. Each book is a rollercoaster. You hate them, you love them, you get angry, you sob. Seriously woman, I think I might have to have a drink and smoke after reading your books..LOL! I will continue to say...I am heartbroken this series is ending. Powerful, Emotional, Steamy, and Raw...Thank you Lili for giving us Dornan, Mariana, John, Juliette, and Jase! Thank you!

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"People aren't born monsters. They're made that way."

I had mixed feelings while I was reading this book because I knew what would happen at the end. People who read the Gypsy Brothers series know what I'm talking about. Nevertheless I was also excited to be reunited with the amazing characters. Mariana, Dornan and John are one of the most intriguing characters I had the pleasure of meeting. Their relationship was very intense and complicated. My heart broke for all three of them.

I have been on a crazy and wild ride with this trilogy and I hate saying goodbye. Empire was a PERFECT conclusion to the trilogy. Lili managed to shock and surprise me throughout the book. So much was going on and I loved the plot twist. Mariana is such a strong character, and I have so much respect for her. She found a way to play with the big bad guys, and she stands her ground. We already saw Dornan spiraling out of control in the previous books, but it reached a new level in this book. I really felt sorry for him. John has been a very solid character in this trilogy and he has a special place in my heart. The ending was very difficult to read but it went the way it was suppose to go.

If you love unconventional dark romances then I highly recommend you to give this trilogy a try. Also make sure to read the Gypsy Brothers series, which is somewhat of a spin-off and will focus on characters you already met in this trilogy.

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"Why can't we ever turn back the fucking clock?"

This series has been a total #MindFu@kAlert. I read the Gypsy Brothers Series first, so I had prior knowledge about what was coming. I was afraid to read it, but I couldn't help myself. I was intrigued. I hated him, and I was afraid the author would make me like him, and I didn't want to. But I did... It was like being in a car crash, in slow motion, waiting for the impact. It wrecked me. And I loved it.

I had such mixed emotions about these characters. It's like the normal rules don't apply. All the senses that you would normally use to base your decisions on, aren't always dependable. The Gypsy Brothers and the Cartel have their own rules. If you live in their world, under their control, you follow them. The people that you've come to depend on, might not be looking out for your best interests. You can't trust your mind, because it might betray you. You can't trust your family because they might betray you, even if they don't want to. You can't trust your heart, because it will betray you too. By the time you find out that the person you love doesn't deserve it, it's too late. Is it possible to hate someone and love them at the same time? Will the pain eventually override the love until there is nothing left, or will you have to suffer forever? When the darkness overtakes the good, can it ever be recovered? Are love and hate really so close that it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins?

As I got deeper and deeper into this story, so many things became clearer. At the same time, things that I thought I knew, got muddy. The lines between right and wrong, love and lust, trust and betrayal got blurred. I was mentally struggling with the battle between my heart and my mind. I thought I knew where I was going, until I ended up somewhere else.

One thing I know for sure, without a doubt, is that the author is incredibly talented. She forced me to reconsider my stand on some things. She stretched my boundaries. She touched my heart. She fueled my anger. She pushed my buttons. She totally took me away from my boring life and served up some action and suspense that guaranteed that I'll be back for more of whatever she has on the menu next. The line forms here...

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