The Chief

San Ricardo #1

by Arabella Black

They say I can’t be saved.

The Chief holds the highest power in San Ricardo, a small town in California. Near the southwestern American border to Mexico, the Chief helms an operation that steals from human traffickers.
He runs everything and everyone in San Ricardo.

Life in the Chief’s community is under control until the day of Grey’s arrival. He wants Grey to himself, but the young girl becomes infatuated with Remo, one half of San Ricardo’s infamous twins.

Underestimated in her past, Grey escapes and involuntarily lands in San Ricardo. As Grey fucks around with ravishing men, avoiding to face her intuition, the Chief’s own past starts to catch up with him.

*Small Town Mafia Romance. Subjects include human trafficking, rape, abuse, manipulation, themes of polyamory.*

Genres: Dark, Dark Romance, Romance, Menage, Smut, Erotica, Abuse

311 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 9, 2021

About the author

Best known for her dark and edgy style, Arabella Black specializes in genres like dark romance and reverse harem. Her stories often feature toxic book boyfriends and strong, rebellious heroines, designed to push the boundaries of traditional romance narratives. Her work appeals to fans of darker, more intense romance, often filled with high-stakes emotional drama and complex characters.

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Reviews

[Lady Raven RAVE! · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Style: Dark Romance
Story: 3/5
Enjoyment: 4/5
Dark Level: 2/5
Sexual Level: SEX-CITINGLY APPEALING
Triggers: Yes
Violence: Yes (Mild)
Male: Authoritative Figure & Mysterious
Series: N/A
Pages: loc.4181
Audio: N/A
Kindle Unlimited: Yes


STORY:
I felt like I just read a telenovela staring the residents of San Ricardo. This book dragged me on a ride of different emotions while reading this story. There are a multitude of themes presented to us, age gap, RH and a bit of mafia/cartel.

So I’ll start off by saying, I felt like I was reading 2 books merged into 1. The story as noted in the blurb, we have the chief, Charles, who steals women who are taken for human trafficking and set them up to eventually leave to go out on their own. Amongst the last batch is a young woman, Grey, who turns San Ricardo gated community upside down.

The first 50% of the book the author establishes the characters of the gated community, as they all played an intricate role in Grey’s life later on in the story. The first part of the story for me is like a slow burn that is packed with sex, lies and jealousy. As the story progresses, I am a little anxious as I felt as though I was in the middle of a psychological war trying to figure out if anyone is being manipulated and who is genuine, that also includes Grey. As we get to the second half of the book, this is where I felt its mafia adjacent. It’s not a hardcore mafia story, but there are connections that spices up the second half of the book as everything starts unfolding and betrayal is like another day in the neighborhood.

To note, this book has dark contents. It was not so much in the present, but more reading about Grey’s past that can and will trigger for some. Her past that she endured is what led her to being caught up in human trafficking.

CHEMISTRY:
As this story contains polyamory/RH content, sexually, you will not be bored. I have no complaints watching Grey being open and sexually free with herself, even though I know she did not have the best past.

SECONDARY CHARACTERS:
The twins - Remo is the good twin, and he was nice and all, but we know Vegas gave us a messy read. I loved him. He has issues, but once he got good coochie, he was half way decent.

Tara - liked her. Wasn’t sure at first but as the story progresses she was likable. The Epilogue and that secretive situation, I hope that will not be it and we get more.

Overall, I found myself engaged and curious with this story. The beginning felt different but connects with the second half of the story.

**Trigger: abuse mental and physical


****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.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

LIVE NOW

TEASER
"Make me feel good, Grey. I'm in pain. My brother will understand."
"Drop it."
"Are you sure you want to miss this, bro?"
"Yes, bro. Fuck off."
"Oh, I might fuck this girl that you like so much. How about that?"

A gripping Small Town Polyamory Mafia Romance down on the west coast.

Add to TBR HERE
Grab a copy HERE

[Arabella Black]

TEASER
"Make me feel good, Grey. I'm in pain. My brother will understand."
"Drop it."
"Are you sure you want to miss this, bro?"
"Yes, bro. Fuck off."
"Oh, I might fuck this girl that you like so much. How about that?"

A gripping Small Town Polyamory Mafia Romance down on the west coast.

They say I can’t be saved.

The Chief holds the highest power in San Ricardo, a small town in California. Near the southwestern American border to Mexico, the Chief helms an operation that steals from human traffickers.
He runs everything and everyone in San Ricardo.

Life in the Chief’s community is under control until the day of Grey’s arrival. He wants Grey to himself, but the young girl becomes infatuated with Remo, one half of San Ricardo’s infamous twins.

Underestimated in her past, Grey escapes and involuntarily lands in San Ricardo. As Grey fucks around with ravishing men, avoiding to face her intuition, the Chief’s own past starts to catch up with him.

*Small Town Mafia Romance. Subjects include human trafficking, rape, abuse, manipulation, themes of polyamory.*

Read it HERE

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a new boo and his name is Vegas.!!

"Your mom's a huge pain in the ass and not in the nice anal pain that your little Grey's been getting from my dick."

I mean..... I absolutely love him, he's a naughty little shit, he has the most filthiest mouths ever.!!

Another great book by Arabella. This one is definitely a favorite of mine. This was a completely different read for me. I haven't read much poly with elements of RH before. I can now say I loved it and I want more.

San Ricardo has a small gated community, and it run by the chief Charles with others. They save woman from human trafficking, they put them up, looks after them until there ready to start a new life. Obviously he doesn't do on this own his own. He has the twins, Remo and Vegas and a couple of other people who host the victims as well.
This time charles gets to host, and her name is Grey? She is damage but not broken, I was drawn to her a lot because of her habits, you will know what I mean when you reaD it. Her development in this book is crazy, as awful as her story is I loved it. Grey goes to live with the Chief, but not all is as it seems. While living with the chief she end up in the care of the twins. That's all I'm saying otherwise I will ruin it lol. I will say this book is so hot, like boiling hot, it is so sexy. The men are just yum.

The chief is serious, but also so loving. He accept her and her needs which is so hard for him. He comes from a mafia background, he's a man's man, which I loved.
Charles is like the daddy.
Remo is soft, he's emotional and connect with Grey on a level the others don't.
Vegas... says it how it is. He makes Charles and Remo unformable, he doesn't give a f**k. He wants what he wants and they have to deal with it and put up with him because they are family.

I feel like I've been left wanting more of this story. Arabella has also written an extended epilogue and omg it is the hottest thing ever.!! But I still want more LOL.! Hopefully one day... NO PRESSURE.

You must read this book then the extended epilogue after. I believe it is available Via email/newsletter signs up.!!!

ABSOLUTE MUST READ.!!

[Reading_with_Jett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! I wasn't sure what to expect but I knew that Arabella's unique writing style was gonna leave me wanting more. She did not disappoint.

I loved the characters in this book. Remo is such a sweetheart, I have a soft spot for him. Vegas is so funny and hot, his dirty mouth is a turn on 🥵🔥. Charles is like the father figure, he is protective and caring. Grey has suffered alot by the hands of her ex, so watching her character change and grow throughout the book was beautiful. Also, Tara was a breathe of fresh air, I would love her story.

🔥 2/3
Reverse haram, Mafia, age gap romance

[The Romantic Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Trope: RH, polyamory, some mafia
HEA: Open Ended (imo)
Cliffhanger: No
POV: Dual (Charles and Grey’s)
📖 Book Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
_____________________________
Book Review:
This was such an interesting plot. I’ve never read a book with a storyline like this. Situated in SoCal near Mexico, gated community group steals girls from the border that are about to be trafficked into US. They offer them safe place and help them get the life skills so they can move on afterwards. One of those girls is Grey. She was such an interesting unique character. Her emotions and experiences from the life she ran away from were raw. But at the same time we get to see her go on this journey where for the first time in her life she can make her own sexual choices and explore what/who she wants.
In terms of the plot itself. Quite a few twists and oh so many secrets. You can’t trust anyone! First half of the book had a lot of details until you figure out who is who. Second half picks up on action.
This is my very first reverse harem book, and I had no idea what to expect or what my impression would be. I’m all about how a book makes me feel. I was conflicted here. I didn’t know how to navigate. Am I supposed to root for one of the guys? I loved Charles (Chief) but at other times I loved Remo and Vegas (twins). Each relationship was stark opposite. I kept going back and forth. My heart definitely settled on Charles... I wanted him to win. He really wanted Grey all to himself, but it wasn’t about him and his wants. So he sucks it up for her. I loved that.

“I would murder anyone who dared to harm you.”

The steam was off the charts here. Dirty and nasty 🤣 Arabella didn’t hold back. Now the last couple of sentence of Epilogue have me going crazy! Is Grey going to pick one? All 3? Someone is gonna punch someone in the end out of jealousy. Can’t wait to read the extended epilogue in a few days.
One of the reasons why I knocked off a star was that I felt like I needed to know more about how Grey goes from this victim like person to someone who wants to explore the adventures of a sex. I needed to understand a bit more how she settled on wanting multiple partners to make this more complete. This of course is just my personal preference as a reader.

[Kelly_Reads_Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was very interesting in the blurb but I found it really hard to follow and connect with the story.
The characters were introduced quickly but they were not as complicated as I would have thought.
The Chief had good premise and promise but it didn’t feel it at all.

[Violet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Arabella Black. I wasn't sure what to expect but I was intrigued by the plot. I don't think I've ever read anything quite like this so I appreciated that aspect. I was pleasantly surprised and look forward to reading more by this author!

[Veronica Lancet · Rating 5 out of 5]

holy hell, this one was hot!!
I don't think I'm the only one with a *super* soft spot for Vegas.
But whatever you do CHECK THE EXTENDED EPILOGUE.
Damn *fanning myself*

[Yoneidis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
Although it took me a bit at first to understand what it was about the gate community and Chief’s role in all that, the guests and the hosts, then it turned out to be the most interesting and 🔥.
Chief is a man who, with the rest of the neighbors of the gate community, is in charge of housing and caring for victims of human trafficking. And apparently during their stay they have sex with them, although all of that is consensual.
Until Grey arrives, the girl who will change everything for Charles, aka Chief, and the twins Vegas and Remo.
Grey will be staying with Charles, but she will be with Remo with whom she has the strongest emotional connection and Vegas is a man always ready to make her have a good time.
All of them will develop different feelings for her, especially Charles and Remo, and when Grey’s life is threatened again, they will have to give her up to keep her safe.
And it’s that Charles and Grey have more in common than they expect, specifically one person, Charles’s mother, who is the head of a mafia cartel and the cause of years of torture for Grey.
A book with super 🔥🔥🔥 scenes between these 3 men and Grey.
I would have liked an epilogue will all of them living their new life together.

[Sara Reads Romance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything about this book made my heart flutter. The butterflies started working their magic and all the feels came my way. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book at all and it surprised me how much I ended up loving it. Grey, Charles, Remo and even Vegas kept me on my toes and unsure on what was to come next. Each of them are unique and very different from one another.

It’s a very intricate story with depth and interwoven characters that really kept my attention. This was one of those books that forced me to read them slow so I can savor every single word. I really didn’t want to speed read this book, though I totally could have, I really wanted to take my time reading this and it really paid off. I truly loved this book, it was an absolute joy to read. It is definitely one of those books that I’ll re-read at some point. And that extended epilogue! Hot damn, please give me more 🔥🔥

This is most definitely a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me!

I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Bookstagram3172 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
The Chief is about of group of people who live in a gated community and work for the police department. Charles aka The Chief is in charge. The people who live around him intercept human traffickers and ‘Grey’ goes to live with The Chief.
If you’re looking for a full on mafia romance then this book isn’t it, it’s very light on the mafia front and you don’t really see any mafia related stuff until further into the book.
I liked Charles’ character as well as Grey, she was interesting and I found the twins’ characters good too, particularly Remo, the nice twin!
Personally I enjoyed the story more from the half way point, it had me more consumed to want to know the whys and wherefores and understand who Charles and Grey exactly were. There were a few twists I didn’t anticipate which added to the story.
All in all, a good read.

[Glowstars · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off let’s start by saying that if you’ve read the Wraith Royals series, it is not indicative of the type of writer Arabella Black truly is. It’s almost like Grey and The Chief were written by a different person.

The Chief tore at my heart, made me laugh out loud (a rare occurrence), had me picking my jaw up from the floor in shock and squirm in my seat before… yeah, TMI. Having experienced this in less than 48 hours I feel like I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster of the best kind.

The Chief is the story of a woman who escapes from her husband after years of horrific abuse and torture. We follow her in the weeks after her escape as she begins to rebuild her life, reclaim her body and take charge of her sexuality. It’s a journey of discovery turned tragic by Grey’s anxious self-harm. All this is set to the backdrop of criminal activity disguised behind a veneer of law and includes a healthy dose of mystery and intrigue. There are secrets and lies galore and I’m not sure anybody comes out entirely unscathed.

Black could easily have failed with her portrayal of Grey. Writing about mental illness is never going to be easy, especially when so many people with the same condition have such varying experiences. Black writes sensitively when Grey is triggered and really works to bring the reader into the mind of the character, explaining the circumstances without the story losing its pace. She perfectly captures Grey’s urge to self-harm and the satisfaction she feels when she knows that her actions have gone unnoticed by those who are looking out for her.

Reverse harem novels can often seem like a trap. Characters can be similar enough that you often wonder why their individual aspects couldn’t have been combined into fewer characters. (Well, okay, we know it’s because you can’t have kinky group sex with only two characters.) In The Chief, Grey’s three love interests couldn’t be more different, even though there are threads that bind each of the men to the others. They all have such different energies but come together to form an amazingly strong and supportive harem that will do anything for its girl.

This is definitely a book where the trigger warnings don’t lie. It will be a difficult read for some, but if you can handle it, it’s a beautiful and well-written story with enough steam to keep you hot for days.

SHOULD YOU READ GREY OR THE CHIEF FIRST?
And there’s the big debate. I think a lot comes down to whether you’re testing the waters or in it for the long haul.

If you read Grey first then you understand more about the woman she is when she comes to San Ricardo and exactly what she’s hiding when she doesn’t want to tell anybody her story. You’re left constantly wondering about the twins (one of whom you’ve met before) and why one of them is hiding the truth about being the assassin.

If you read The Chief first then you know less of Grey and have the delight of discovering her own secrets at the same time as Charles and the Twins. That said, you have no idea of the depraved experiences Grey has had to endure and how they’ve shaped her. It may leave you in a free position to appreciate Vegas and Remo as you’re not questioning their pasts.

WHY YOU SHOULD READ THE CHIEF
* Laugh out loud moments
* Off the chart steam levels
* Amazing web of secrets and lies

[Corrine Pickering · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Chief by Arabella Black

*** 4.5 Stars ***

A really good full length mafia/RH read, that kept me captivated throughout with some great twists.

Arabella has done a fantastic job of weaving an intricate story, based in San Ricardo, California along the Mexican border.

Not sure I warmed to the Chief himself, but the twins ... whoa they're smokin !

A great read, most definitely worth a one-click.

[Ava · Rating 1 out of 5]

This started out intriguing but devolved into such ridiculous depths... The whole villainous mafia boss mother & wretched husband duo. And all the sick twisted things they & their men did to Grey... She's finally captured by her and then fizzle... Mother who could have sent goons to kill off her son anytime engineered such a ridiculous trap then of course winds up dead herself.
All three hunks of men wanting this wounded bird called Grey but the connection felt only physical, even Remo's intsawhatever wasn't believable.
All that scratching, deep enough to bleed from & nobody bothered to say clip her nails even while she was getting her hair done & asking for a bikini wax because of "boys".
I don't care how badass you think your character is but having sex on the pouch in broad daylight is a NO unless it's some sex cult commune out in some wilderness.
The Chief was pure tell no show, stood facing his vile mother like some chump while the bound & brutalized Grey had to "dive" in front of him & take a bullet.
This story was beyond ridiculous but when you hear how after 6 years of the most sickening rape & torture Grey endured her escape plan was to give herself over to human traffickers...
This is the kind of book that makes one question the author's Reason.

[Maria Vu · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Whom This May Concern:

I would first like to say that this is the first time I am reading a product of Arabella Black, so I did not know what to expect about her writing style.

The couple in this book is mainly Charles Dane, the Chief, and Grey. However, this book does contain polygamy. Grey has multiple relationships with different men in the book. Their relationship was complicated from the beginning. When reading the prologue, the reader is bamboozled by all the steamy scenes where the plot didn’t make sense. However, their relationship develops more clearly halfway through the book. Their conversations are not very elaborate. It is more like a cat and mouse chase in my opinion where the Chief is consistently chasing Grey and Grey is in her own world.

In this book, Grey is running from her past into the Chief’s arm. The antagonist reveals themselves at the end of the book with a tie into all of the character’s lives. Grey’s character development is more stagnant, but the readers read more about her introspective thoughts than any other character. There are moments in the plot that could’ve been elaborated better. The book is written from a dual point of view between the Chief and Grey.

The “romance” scene was steamy. I will never judge on the amount of romance scenes in a book, but more the quality of the scenes themselves. There was a ton of romance scene in the book, where the first scene happened in the prologue. I love that. I don’t want to read 50% of the book until there is smut. However, the majority of the scenes were very short. Where was the intense, long, can’t-believe-I-read-that scenes? So boo for the length, but the quality was good.

The ending of the book tied the book together and the character’s conflicts were address. However, I feel like there was something missing or something more could’ve been written from it.

With that being said, I give the book a 4 out of 5. There was romance, plot, and some cliche. However, I feel like the main female protagonist was very hard to portray without her sounding desperate in the not so good way. Through communicating with the author, I found out that there is an extended epilogue with a worth romance scene that tied the entire book together.

With thanks.

Disclaimer: I did get this book for free through Booksprout. However, I did not get paid for a skewed review. This is an honest review with no intentions to sway readers to persuade sales.

[Hazel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes you need to be corrupt to do good.

This is an enjoyable book with a lot more to the story than I expected, but also far less eroticism. Sexy but troubled Chief of Police. Charles knows he is playing with fire with Grey it feels so darned right (and hot) but the twins Vegas and Remo want her as well... and she wants them. Add in his family cartel and the real identity of Grey and an avalanche of trouble is on his doorstep. There are also a few unexpected twists and turns.
Chief Charles Dane rules his small town. He is doing the right thing in stealing back from traffickers yet he knows eventually it will all crumble. When the mystery Grey arrives with the next rescued group the dominoes start to fall as everyone's secrets are exposed.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jess Bracewell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!

I want to say this book has left me speechless but I also feel like I have so much to say about it but can't find the words that would do it justice. I know that sounds crazy but damn this book. It was so amazing! I worried how it would all play out but this author did it to perfection! I don't want to give to much of the plot away but it will suck you in. Grey was an awesome character who even tho she had been through hell was coping the best way she knew how. Throw in the Chief and the Twins and you have this amazing concoction. The sexy scenes were 🔥 like holy hell! Hubby loved that I wanted to jump his bone bout ever other chapter lol. Toward the ending, the plot really kicked up and had me on the edge of my seat. I can't wait to read Grey then the Twins! Overall a freaking amazing book that I'm still reeling from!

[Jenni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chief runs the San Ricardo town where nothings quite as it seems, he also rescues the trafficked women from across the border in Mexico and helps them set up life free. everything runs smoothly till Grey comes along, Chief becomes infatuated with her but Grey has her eyes set on another Remo one half of the famous twins of the town with a heart of gold yet his twin Vegas is another story. this is a well written RH romance with plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes. with steamy hot scenes your not going to want to miss a thing!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anja Dettmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm sad to give this one only 3 stars.
I liked to read it, because Arabella has a special and good way to write her books, but there was also something missing for me at the same time.

The mafia theme was a light one; somehow in the background. There were also breath stopping moments because of the turn of the events at some point.

I wish there would be more insight into the heads of the twins - especially Remo's head, who captured my heart. I really did like his character.
Also, I couldn't connect with the characters and couldn't see how their relationships evolves aside from their physical attraction.

This is solely my side how I felt while/after reading the book - you may see it different.

I kindly received an ARC for an honest review.

[lovelust andbloodygoodbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

At the beginning of the book, it was a little confusing to me in the manner of the story because it's stated that this book is a mafia book but I couldn’t really understand what was happening. Most of the action seemed to happen later on through the book and then towards the end of the book is when you really get to where the mafia side comes into play. Overall it's a good book but I felt it was just missing a little something.

Full review on website

Overall Rating 31/2 💋💋💋😘
Passion Rating 3 💋💋💋

[Tabatha Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story doesn’t hold back. Nothing is quite what it seems. Every twist full of angst and betrayals.

The inhabitants of the gated community in San Ricardo are more than they seem. They rescue victims of human trafficking being smuggled across the border. Grey doesn’t have a reason to trust anyone. She finds herself involved with her rescuers in a tense relationship with The Chief and the twin brothers who love across the street.

Every character seems to be full of secrets and allegiances aren’t necessarily what they seem. This one kept me on my toes.

It was a slow start for me and I felt confused for a bit trying to make sense of things that were slowly revealed through natural means rather than an info dump. I’m not criticizing that method, I think it worked for the story but it did leave me feeling like I didn’t know what was going on at first.

This is a very unique dark reverse harem. It’s definitely worth a read if you like RH or dark romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelsey Coussou Buckman · Rating 4 out of 5]

When reading something from Arabella, you really need to be able to get out of your own head & remember these are FICTION. The world & characters only exist within these pages. If you can do that, I really think you’d be able to enjoy her books.

You only have two choices with the main characters here: you love them or hate them. Especially Vegas. You could almost consider Charles & Remo as the “normal” ones. Grey is definitely traumatized & working through it how she feels best.

I loved them. I think they all help Grey in their own distinct ways, but she’s also good for them in her own ways.

[Ingrid Vermeulen-Quakernaat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this story, I read a first book by Arabella Black. And I must say; Pooh, intense!

For the story of The Chief there is the story of Grey. Grey, the wife of a mafia man who is anything but loving and treats her as a thing and shares her with men he considers friends. He doesn't give her a voice, he doesn't give her a sense of security, she has to do what he wants when he wants. Her husband's mistress humiliates her with her husband's permission and inflicts more pain on her than her husband can. Gray lives a life of fear and sees death approaching her. The only question is when and how.
The sequel tells the story of the Chief and his operation to save women from human trafficking. One of these women is Gray and she is placed with Charles, the Chief. Grey, with her history, expects nothing but to pay the price of salvation with her body. And even though Charles lusts after her, the outcome is different. She has a choice, something she has never been given before. She chooses Charles but also the twins Remo and Vegas. Vegas is a wicked man who turns her on by his nasty words.Remo, the other twin with a damaged soul where she finds recognition. Hot and steamy sex when the relationships deepen but also moments when Gray has panic attacks and she damages herself. Moments where Gray is aware of the secrets that are hidden deep, she cannot rely on those around her.

A good story with unexpected twists. The beginning is initially a confused start, but as you progress in the story, the storylines become clearer. A traumatized woman who rises above herself and regains her voice and choices. A story that won't let you go.
I hope to get the chance to read the sequel in The Twins.

I received this book as ARC from the author and voluntarily leave my review

[Caitlynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Chief is about a group of people who recuse people who have been taken by sex traffickers. The Chief is the leader, he often hosts girls in his home while he helps them to transition back to normal life. Grey is his newest girl and she catches his attention in more than one way. This one he wants more than anything to keep around.

Grey is not everything she seems, she went with the traffickers willingly because it was better than what would happen to her if she stayed. She never expected to be saved. But she's not only attracted to the Chief but also to his fellow rescuers and neighbours a set of twins Vegas and Remo. Who are interested in her right back. As the Chief and Grey's pasts catch up to them, they need to figure out how to keep everyone alive.

I really enjoyed the story, it dealt with some really hard issues without being overwhelmed by them or making them insignificant. I really enjoyed Grey and Vegas' character development but especially Grey. Seeing her development and finally being able to make her own choices and figure out what she wants was just so great.  It was a really interesting read.

I received a free copy of this book through Voracious Readers.

[SBee Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ Dark and twisted slowly being served ★

—>>> Charles “the Chief” Dane: “My operation stole from various traffickers, but it wasn’t enough. It never would be, but the operation boys and the gated community I commanded loved feeling like heroes. It was their drug, and I was their pusher man.”

Little did he know that a young woman named Grey was going to change the lives of the operatives when she was recovered along with fourteen others before being sold. Placed with Charles, she becomes important to him as well as the twins, Vegas and Remo, as she heals from her past ordeals and acclimates to living in America.

In the included prequel “Grey,” we read Vegas’ point of view as he sees Grey for the first time - “All I want is to find the woman that made me lose my mind.” The characters and situations pulled me in, and I was happy to revisit the crossover into the now-familiar Kingdom of Katantia.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know how to feel about this book. It had been on my TBR for awhile and it came recommended from a bunch of people. I tried so hard to get sucked into the story, but I just didn't get there.

For the prequel that was combined into the first book, I was so confused. I am assuming that was Vegas, but now I am not 100% sure. It was a struggle for me to get through the book and since the extended epilogue in book 1 seemed to end on a HFN, I don't really feel the need to read the second book.

Maybe this just wasn't the right book for me. The author was new to me, and not every book is a hit for every person. I will try again with something else by this author. In general the writing style was good, if a little disjointed to me. There seemed to be some grammatical issues but I honestly felt like they could have been on purpose. English wasn't the FMC's first language from what I gathered, so it would make sense occasionally her English would not be perfect.

[Layla - Talk To Me About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

" I heard every detail of what went on in that room. It was disturbing. She masturbated way too often for my liking, but who the fuck was I to tell her to keep it down. It wasn’t her fault that I could hear everything. "
I may have very un lady liked snorted at this...

This was my first book by Arabella Black and I'm about to fall down the rabbit hole of other works!
This book was just enough of a mix of steam and dark moments to keep me riveted to the page.
The characters all seem to have different sides which I don't think readers have been fully exposed to yet - maybe in the next book? But I'm excited and intrigued to know more about Grey, Chief, Remo & Vegas.

Occasionally I needed to reread certain aspects to understand what was actually happening but it didn't distract from the storyline too much.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 1st book in a new series. The Chief runs everything and everyone in San Ricardo, and with a team they rescue woman from human trafficking and give them a home to heal and start over in. Grey is one of the many women rescued, and is damaged, and she becomes infatuated with one of the twins Remo. Chief accepts Grey as she is and when danger comes back to haunt her, the men will do whatever they must to protect and keep her safe. This is a well written storyline, which is dark, raw, gritty, intriguing, and with danger, suspense, humor, family, manipulation, and is a steamy riveting page turner, with human trafficking, and a reverse harem. I was hooked throughout this riveting page turner, and I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I recommend.

[Elsie Pitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

You never know who your enemies are and I recommend you do not trust anyone! That is what I will tell you right now! This book is brutal but yet can be seen as beautiful too. It was growth and yes there were setbacks but trust me you will enjoy it if you like DARK stories. I am warning you now it is Dark and there are situations implied so do not go into this thinking it will be all rainbows and hearts it is not that kind of story! I really am glad I took a chance on this author/ The plot is in depth and the characters are very well developed. It is a good story!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.