Four of them. One of me. Who will give in first?It started when they stole me from my life. The daughter of a crime lord who ruled with an iron fist. The heir to a family of blood and ruin.They left only a whisper of a name in the air. Il Diavolo. A man whose reputation preceded him. Ruthless. Merciless. Cunning.The one they called the Devil. He was as beautiful as he was terrifying. Except I … He was as beautiful as he was terrifying. Except I wasn’t scared of him or his three friends. They might want to use me in their quest for revenge, but they picked the wrong girl. Or maybe I was the right one and none of us knew it quite yet.
Our connection is undeniable. Our fates are entwined. But loyalty and lies keep us all locked in a battle of wills and denial.
There’s only one thing I know for certain in this fight between the five of us. Secrets always catch up with you in the end. And my secrets were the worst ones of all.
A dark reverse harem series with cliffhangers and drama in abundance and a HEA in the final book.
Get ready to meet Ash and her boys – Quinn, Xavier, Eric and Rory.
The Devil’s Syndicate:
Deceived #1
Defied #2
Derailed #3
Debauched #4
Depraved #5
more
They kidnapped her right under her father’s nose for what he and his princess did. They would make sure both of them were destroyed. Who? A man who ran a prominent crime family in London. What Quinn, Xavier, Eric, and Rory didn’t realize when they took her was how much of an effect she would have on their lives. This book took off from the beginning and didn’t stop until the end. The chemistry and sexual tension that continues to build throughout the book builds as the five of them try to get to know each other. But will they like what they find? You won’t want to miss this first book of Sarah Bailey’s “The Devil’s Syndicate” series.
This book was great. I loved it. It got me out of a 2 week long book slump! I can’t wait to read the next one
I’m hooked, oh my this book is very good and yes it is a dark romance and it has elements in it that might not be for everyone.
Honestly this isn’t the first reverse harem I’ve read but it is one that I really like. Sometimes I do have a hard time with the storylines in them but this one it very good and it is addictive so I did end up buying the series after finishing this book.
I like how Sarah has written everyone’s story from their POV and how we don’t get to know everything right away and there as secrets that needs to be told by each character.
Yes this book has a cliffhanger but I don’t mind cause I’m starting the next one today cause I really want to see where this book ends.
Oh and yes I am in love with Quinn, the bad boy and the leader of the Syndicate. But I’m also falling for Rory cause he is so mysterious. You got to love the friendship between Eric and Xavier, how close they are, and still these four men are a family that will stick together even if Ashleigh might twist them up a little.
Deliciously dark and steamy, Deceived delivers mafia romance in a way that keeps the pages turning… and your eyes widening.
The characters in this book come alive and show brightly in the pages. The tension and the intrigue are written so well that you will be rushing to turn the page. I enjoyed reading this book and will be picking up the next one immediately. I can’t wait to find out what happens next! Do yourself a favor and pick up this one up. You will not regret it!
Good start to darker RH story/series
Deceived: A Dark Mafia Romance is the first book in The Devil’s Syndicate series by Sarah Bailey. This is the story RH story of Ash (h), Quinn, Xavier, Eric and Rory (the H’s). This book starts off with a very dark and disturbing premise that may be a trigger for some, so be warned.
Ash is kidnapped by four men because of who her father is. They chain her up, strip her naked and then mistreat her. But she is attracted to each of the men, thus the RH. This book lays some of the background and gives insights into each of the four men and how different they are but yet are tied together.
I thought this book had an interesting story-line but was a bit uneven at time. The one thing that bothered me was how the men treated Ash when she was taken and then she basically has a case of Stockholm Syndrome in falling for the men. I am intrigued enough by this first book to see where the story goes in the next book so will be reading that, especially as this book ends with a cliffhanger.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are all my own.
a very dark mafia reverse harem read and I loved every minute of it. I highly recommend this book. the main characters interaction with each other was great. there wasn;t a weak one in the bunch
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
She was determined but broken by the cruelty of her family!
by sewsummore
This book quickly grabbed my attention and never allowed it to be released. Ash was a gangster’s daughter and heir. Her had been kidnapping had been an act of revenge, but the desire for revenge began to dissipate as her captors learned more about the woman she was. Ash was determined but broken by the cruelty of her family. No longer innocent in the ways of the mob, there was a yearning inside of her to be loved and accepted for who she was, not what she represented. As Ash came to care for her captors, they, in turn, cared for her. She never wanted to leave. There is much more to her story, but you will have to buy the book to read more. At the end of this book is a cliffhanger leading into the next book, so be warned!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Be still my beating heart & libido!
Oh my, my first intro to this author & I’m in for the long haul. Flawless craftsmanship, compelling, deeper than many dark & erotic novels. It spoke to me on so many levels & I can’t wait for Book 2, I invariably give up on cliffhangers but this one has me hooked & impatient for more. This is no ordinary dark mafia romance, this will make your heart race with the tension, your toes curl with desire & you may be hooked line & stinker like me. Highly recommended.
Another dark, enthralling series by Bailey that will keep you on edge from the first page to the last. Her Corrupt Empire and Benson Siblings’ series were outstanding but this new series pushes one step further with a reverse harem twist. Deceived is bold, daring, dangerous and full of twists and turns that will hold you in suspense all the way through the story and a deliciously dangerous cliffhanger.
As with Bailey’s other series, her writing grabs you in such a way that you are immediately drawn to the characters and by writing in multiple POVs the story is even more compelling because it feels like you are really getting inside that character’s head and seeing their side of things and experiencing their emotions with them. Each of her characters’ in this read has an allure that will entice you to learn more about them. They have very different personalities but an unwavering bond of trust, commitment, and friendship forged from the tragedies of their youth. A few snippets regarding their background are shared but nothing in-depth yet; however, I am sure that will change as the series moves forward.
Each of the guys (Quinn, Xavier, Rory, and Eric) is introduced and has a voice in this first book but Quinn’s is the loudest and most dominant. He is a little off-putting to me, actually, some of his actions and reactions were a bit over the top and a few walked the line of crazy obsession but there were also a few things that made me pause and see him differently so I have hope for him; I am crossing my fingers. I enjoyed Xav, Rory, and Eric’s characters more and I am looking forward to learning more about each of them in the stories to come; especially Rory. I was really drawn to his character most.
On Ashleigh (Ash), the verdict is still out on her, for me. Even though she is an adult, in her early twenties, she still seems very ‘young’ emotionally, to me, and some of her actions/reactions slightly bordered on childish. She is the ‘innocent’ light to their dark, however, and brings hope and goodness into the lives. Her emotions are all over the place from first, being who she is – the family name she has to bear; second, being the heir to a twisted, corrupt, depraved legacy she wants no part of; third, being kidnapped and thrust into an unknown situation; and last, her attachment and confusing feelings towards her captors. She has a lot to deal with and sort out and I hope she will mature more as the series progresses.
This is a dark romance series and it has some elements that will push comfort zones. However, this book is also balanced with love, devotion, trust, friendship, betrayal, steamy scenes, funny moments, and suspense throughout. There is also, a cliffhanger at the end of this first book so you will want to read the series in order for full understanding and enjoyment.
*I received an arc of this book from the author, and I am voluntarily providing my honest review.
This is the first book in a new series called The Devil’s Syndicate. This is continuing story so be prepared for cliffhangers. I am not a fan.of cliffhangers myself but this author’s stories are well worth every single one. Meet Ash who is the daughter of a rough and tough crime lord that is stolen from her life for revenge. He is known as the Devil. But Quinn, Xavier, Eric and Rory have no idea what they captured with Ash. Attraction sparks between our characters and complicates everything but makes for an amazing start to the series. I was sucked right on down this rabbit hole and have no immediate need to crawl out. I cannot wait for more. Enjoy!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I have read a good number of reverse harem style books but I have never loved one like I loved Deceived!! The story was so well written, all four male characters were so different but yet loyal to each other, Ash was a fierce female that fought back where she could, and those sex scenes were steamy.
The story starts off with Ash being taken from her own home, during a party by four men, she wakes up in a cell with no clue why she’s there or what they want from her. Overtime she starts to feel attraction to each of them, even though she shouldn’t, and they all have some level of attraction to her. When she finally finds out why she was taken, it will force her to not only confront her own demons from the past but also test where her true loyalties lie.
Rory, Quinn, Xavier and Eric were all well developed characters that loved each other like brothers. They all had a rough start in life but they got their stuff together and now own a successful business. I just have to say that while all four men are charming in their own way.. I am totally drawn to Rory. He’s the strong, silent type that only talks when its necessary and he hates being around people. I can’t wait to find out more about him and really see him open up. Ash is the daughter of a mafia leader and he is grooming her to take over one day. I loved that not only was she a fighter but she was freaking smart! She was able to infer what was going on around her with minimal information.
Overall the book was amazing and I highly recommend it! It does end with a small cliffhanger but book 2 will be out shortly so you won’t have to wait long to see what happens next!
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Boy, was I excited when this puppy showed up on my Kindle! I’ve been looking forward to reading Sarah Bailey’s Devil’s Syndicate series for some time now and this is the first book of what will be a five book dark romance reverse harem series. I’m not a huge fan of dark romance because I feel that the female characters sometimes aren’t strong and don’t always have the full level of consent. In the beginning of this book I did struggle with that a bit, since Ash is kidnapped, but Ms. Bailey does an excellent job of showing Ash’s POV so we do see her growing into her feelings about the boys, as confusing as they might be. And, oh, the boys! Hello, sexiness! Quinn is our “bad guy” leader off the bat, although we eventually get a window into his character. As with most of this author’s characters, she does a great job with the development and evolution of the characters. Quinn, Eric, Xavier and Rory are all equally interesting and I absolutely LOVE the multiple POVs. The author is even clever enough to put each character’s name in a different font as their chapter begins, as if to represent the “mood” of their POV. I thought that was so well done. All in all, although I’m not a huge fan of dark romances, I’m always a huge fan of Ms. Bailey’s because she does such a damn fine job at developing the stories and characters. Oh, and the sexy times are HOT. Heck yes. Can’t wait for the next book to steam up my Kindle! A MUST READ for any dark romance fans!
This is the first book in The Devil’s Syndicate series and what an incredible story it was! A word of warning it does in a cliffhanger. From the first page I was hooked and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out what would happen next. Ashleigh is the daughter of ruthless crime lord. He never sheilded her from the truth as she will take over some day. She gets kidnapped by four hot as sin sexy men, Quinn, Rory, Xavier, and Eric. As Ash starts to get to know these men she learns there’s more to them than meets the eye. I loved watching their interactions and relationships grow. Such an amazing read, with twists and turns, secrets and steamy scenes. I’m so excited to read the next book in this series.
Major cliffy! But such a good one! It left me dying for the next book in series!
Wow, oh wow, this book! I love Ms. Baily’s Corrupt Empire and Benson Siblings series. So I was thrilled about The Devil’s Syndicate! Let me say she did not disappoint. The drama, tension, steamy scenes, and endearing characters have hooked me.
First off, Quinn had me in knots throughout the book. Some good, some bad. I probably shouldn’t like him as much as I do, but I like what I like! He’s a sexy and serious, no bullshit man. I love that about him. He and best friends Xavier, Eric, and Rory are all unique characters and incredibly close.
Now Ashleigh, Ash. The girl frustrated me, but she wasn’t offputting, and given her situation, HELLO, she was kidnapped! I can show her some grace. And she’s young at 21. She’s been through a lot and is confused about a lot of things, especially the attraction she feels toward all four men who happen to be her captors. It gets dicey because Quinn has claimed Ash as his own. Dang are tensions high among the guys and Ash. You just gotta read it to find out why.
*Thank you to the publisher for an advance reader copy. This review contains my honest opinion.*
This is book one of the Devil’s Syndicate series and what an excellent start to a series. Quinn and his three friends are all from backgrounds of abuse, neglect, and crime. Quinn has held them all together since they were children. They have a plan to kidnap Ashleigh, the daughter of a Mafia boss. It isn’t related what the reason is until the end of this book which does end in a cliffhanger. However Ash’s presence has more implications for these guys than they can understand. This is extremely well written with good world building, well defined characters, and a great story.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Deceived is the first book in the Devil’s sydicate serie by Sarah Bailey. I have really had a hard time to put it down. It was really good. Love all the characters and can’t wait to read the next one in the serie.
This author sure knows how to write her dragons. The characters are well developed and engaging and the chemistry is strong. The flow of the storyline made this a great read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.