Cartel Wives

A True Story of Deadly Decisions, Steadfast Love, and Bringing Down El Chapo

By: Mia Flores

Narrated by: Joy Nash

An astonishing, revelatory, and redemptive memoir from two women who escaped the international drug trade, with never-before-revealed details about El Chapo, the Sinaloa Cartel, and the dangerous world of illicit drugs.

Olivia and Mia Flores are married to the highest level drug traffickers ever to become US informants. Their husbands worked with--and then brought down--El Chapo, as well as dozens of high-level members of the Mexican cartels. They had everything money could buy: luxury cars, huge houses, and expensive jewelry--but they chose to give it all up when they cooperated with the US government. They knew that life was about more than wealth; it was about love, family, and doing what's right. Cartel Wives is a love story, a "Married to the Mob" story, an insider's look into the terrifying but high-flying empire of the new world of drugs, and, finally, the story of a major DEA and FBI operation.

Interesting

I started listening to the Podcast Surviving El Chapo featuring the Flores twins and I was hooked right away! I wanted to know more about their life partners and their point of view and this book did just that! I loved it! These women are some badasses!

love it

the narrator was okay. novela style. it could be better. but was genius at the same time.

Oh my gosh! So beautifully written!

When the book first started out with the long list of names, I thought this listen would be dry and long. After the list, the book is interesting from start to finish and doesn't skip over any parts of the timeline. The 2 authors have very different voices and opinions and it's amazing to see 2 different lenses for the same story. The production of the book does a great job at making the authors' tales cohesive. Power to these women too!

Almost unbelievable

This story was too real and nearly unbelievable all at the same time. The fact that those boys were taught the drug trade at 7 years old is beyond comprehension for most of us regular people. But if we acknowledge the ways of the world and the fact that people will do whatever it takes to survive, and even excel and take pride in something they’re good at then it becomes all too believable. I’ve been steeped in narco culture lately because it is interesting and fascinating the lengths that people will go to for money and power. These women knew what they were in for and still dove in head first. I love their honesty at the beginning when they ask the reader not to forgive them for their choices, but to understand them and I think I do. The love they share with these men is very real and very strong. Although they made very bad choices as a family I can feel the love they displayed for each other and it’s something I can relate with. I am very family oriented and will do anything for my family. Though our family business doesn’t involve millions of dollars, luxury living and death and destruction the way the Flores families did I can very much empathize with them for sticking together through it all. I highly recommend this book because it is raw, real, and entertaining as any true crime story can be.

Great book

I loved it. Very detailed as much as they could. The definitely lived a rough life at the very end