What do you think?
Rate this book
Recovery Enforcement Division #1
The First Sin
Alexi Steele is determined, relentless, and driven to protect the innocent. She’s a top agent of the NSA’s clandestine Recovery Enforcement Division, specializing in human trafficking and sex crimes. Her current mission: To infiltrate the inner circle of Boston’s exclusive S&M clubs in order to save thirteen young women who are about to be auctioned off to the highest bidders. But Lexi’s only way in is under the “control” of her new partner in crime, Nicholas Donovan.
Nick will do whatever it takes to bring down the billionaire sex-ring mastermind who’s kidnapped his sister. But the games he must play as Lexi’s “dominant” are burning away his icy control, and blurring the lines between partners. Meanwhile, their enemies are closing in as they enter a devastating race against time…bringing them dangerously close to THE FIRST SIN.
Nick will do whatever it takes to bring down the billionaire sex-ring mastermind who’s kidnapped his sister. But the games he must play as Lexi’s “dominant” are burning away his icy control, and blurring the lines between partners. Meanwhile, their enemies are closing in as they enter a devastating race against time…bringing them dangerously close to THE FIRST SIN.
353 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2009
59 people are currently reading
798 people want to read
About the author
Cheyenne McCray
161 books1,756 followersCheyenne McCray fell in love with reading and writing early, deciding in kindergarten that one day she would become an author. Today, she is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling fiction author who’s sold millions of books worldwide. Having published more than 100 novels and novellas in contemporary and paranormal romance, urban fantasy and romantic suspense, she is now also writing cozy mysteries as Deb Ries.
Chey grew up on a ranch in southeastern Arizona and delights in creating stories of suspense, love, and redemption with characters and worlds her readers can get lost in. Chey and her equally geeky husband live with their two dogs, six ducks (the neighborhood celebrities), and a small flock of chickens in a small Arizona town where she enjoys gardening, crazy quilting and, of course, writing.
Find out more about Chey, how to contact her, and her books at https://cheyennemccray.com.
Chey grew up on a ranch in southeastern Arizona and delights in creating stories of suspense, love, and redemption with characters and worlds her readers can get lost in. Chey and her equally geeky husband live with their two dogs, six ducks (the neighborhood celebrities), and a small flock of chickens in a small Arizona town where she enjoys gardening, crazy quilting and, of course, writing.
Find out more about Chey, how to contact her, and her books at https://cheyennemccray.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
February 3, 2009
Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Feb09
Four stars for the story...three for the violence.
Whoa. “The First Sin” by Cheyenne McCray was a very hard book for me to read. Those who regularly read my reviews know I enjoy just about anything that’s written, including erotica. My ‘line’ so to speak, is drawn at the point where events and sexual acts veer from mutually consensual. When one or more persons performs sexual acts (not just penetration) against another person’s will…that’s rape—and that’s NEVER sexy. If harsh scenes of strong BDSM (at the least) and sadomasochism and torture bother you…stop reading now.
Alexi Steele is as hard as her name and it’s the life she’s lived that made her that way. She’s proficient at fighting, whether hand-to-hand or with weapons. She’s also a crack shot at just about anything that can be fired. All these talents make her a good weapon and she’s grateful that these days she works for an NSA clandestine organization called RED that stands for Recovery Enforcement Division. RED is super secret and pretty much operates outside the rules. That’s necessary because they go after the baddest of the bad and Lexi’s department in particular deals with Human Trafficking and Sex Crimes. Her latest mission involves infiltrating a BDSM-cover ring that drugs, kidnaps, and auctions women as sex slaves. But just as Lexi is ready to go undercover, she gets a new ‘partner’ Nick. Now, instead of Lexi as dominatrix, it will be Lexi as submissive…too bad Lexi really doesn’t have a submissive bone in her body.
Nick’s sister is one of the women sold as a sex slave by this ring. There’s absolutely NOTHING he won’t do to find his sister and shut down the operation. When he sees Lexi, he quickly realizes just how attracted he is to her. But of course, that should come in handy seeing as how they’ll have to be together in every sense of the word in order to make their cover real. Nick just didn’t realize how much he would enjoy ‘having’ Lexi.
This story was hot enough to singe my eyebrows. But, I just couldn’t ever get past the pain and violence involved. Lexi is a woman who has undergone torture at the hands of not one, but two groups during her military stint in the past. Now in this story, she’s humiliated, whipped, stripped, caned, carved and tattooed, beaten several times, drugged, starved, and ‘clamped’ with needle sharp-toothed rings through her nipples and clit as part of one torture scene. And the story of Nick’s sister Kirsten as a sex slave was just as hard to read about. It was all I could do to force myself to keep reading without skipping pages to escape these painful scenes. Maybe I’m too sensitive to this subject or maybe I’m too much of a prude, but this book zoomed right past my comfort zone before I’d read one third of it!
The story is suspenseful and tight. The action kicks off at the first page and doesn’t let up until the last one. Short chapters with date stamps and insight into different character’s thoughts only ramp up the tension. Even time swaps and voice changes didn’t interrupt the smooth flow of the overall story. If it hadn’t been for the continuing torture scenes, I’d have loved the whole book.
Four stars for the story...three for the violence.
Whoa. “The First Sin” by Cheyenne McCray was a very hard book for me to read. Those who regularly read my reviews know I enjoy just about anything that’s written, including erotica. My ‘line’ so to speak, is drawn at the point where events and sexual acts veer from mutually consensual. When one or more persons performs sexual acts (not just penetration) against another person’s will…that’s rape—and that’s NEVER sexy. If harsh scenes of strong BDSM (at the least) and sadomasochism and torture bother you…stop reading now.
Alexi Steele is as hard as her name and it’s the life she’s lived that made her that way. She’s proficient at fighting, whether hand-to-hand or with weapons. She’s also a crack shot at just about anything that can be fired. All these talents make her a good weapon and she’s grateful that these days she works for an NSA clandestine organization called RED that stands for Recovery Enforcement Division. RED is super secret and pretty much operates outside the rules. That’s necessary because they go after the baddest of the bad and Lexi’s department in particular deals with Human Trafficking and Sex Crimes. Her latest mission involves infiltrating a BDSM-cover ring that drugs, kidnaps, and auctions women as sex slaves. But just as Lexi is ready to go undercover, she gets a new ‘partner’ Nick. Now, instead of Lexi as dominatrix, it will be Lexi as submissive…too bad Lexi really doesn’t have a submissive bone in her body.
Nick’s sister is one of the women sold as a sex slave by this ring. There’s absolutely NOTHING he won’t do to find his sister and shut down the operation. When he sees Lexi, he quickly realizes just how attracted he is to her. But of course, that should come in handy seeing as how they’ll have to be together in every sense of the word in order to make their cover real. Nick just didn’t realize how much he would enjoy ‘having’ Lexi.
This story was hot enough to singe my eyebrows. But, I just couldn’t ever get past the pain and violence involved. Lexi is a woman who has undergone torture at the hands of not one, but two groups during her military stint in the past. Now in this story, she’s humiliated, whipped, stripped, caned, carved and tattooed, beaten several times, drugged, starved, and ‘clamped’ with needle sharp-toothed rings through her nipples and clit as part of one torture scene. And the story of Nick’s sister Kirsten as a sex slave was just as hard to read about. It was all I could do to force myself to keep reading without skipping pages to escape these painful scenes. Maybe I’m too sensitive to this subject or maybe I’m too much of a prude, but this book zoomed right past my comfort zone before I’d read one third of it!
The story is suspenseful and tight. The action kicks off at the first page and doesn’t let up until the last one. Short chapters with date stamps and insight into different character’s thoughts only ramp up the tension. Even time swaps and voice changes didn’t interrupt the smooth flow of the overall story. If it hadn’t been for the continuing torture scenes, I’d have loved the whole book.
July 23, 2009
3 ½ stars – Romantic Suspense/Thriller/BDSM
Whew boy this one is a doozy to rate and review. Especially since I’m a fan of Cheyenne McCray and really wanted to like it, but I definitely had some issues with it. First off, like most other reviews warn, it’s extremely graphic, gritty, dark, and disturbing and is chock full of sexual and physical violence and torture. I’m not easily squeamish when it comes to violence in books or movies because I’m good at separating fantasy/entertainment from reality, but the subject matter at the heart of this story is sadly all too real and very unsettling. The harsh actuality of human trafficking and sexual slavery isn’t a commonly or easily addressed subject for a romance novel, and I respect author McCray’s tackling of such a difficult topic. It’s shocking and appalling really that such a horrifyingly widespread problem gets so little mention or media attention.
Alexi Steele is an ex-Army Special Forces sniper who was captured by an unknown enemy, tortured, and practically brainwashed into becoming an assassin. She was saved and recruited by a high-powered official in the NSA’s Recovery Enforcement Division (RED), a clandestine agency specializing in human trafficking and sex crimes. Now in an attempt to atone for past sins, she’s a top agent for RED and heading up Operation Cinderella with a mission priority of infiltrating the inner sanctum of Boston’s exclusive S&M clubs in order to rescue several young women who have been recently kidnapped and are about to be auctioned off for sexual slavery to the highest bidder for domestic and international buyers.
Nick Donovan is an ex-Navy SEAL and former Special Forces operative who joins RED’s Operation Cinderella as co-team leader with the condition that he be allowed to aggressively pursue his sister’s kidnappers using any means necessary. His sister Kristin is one of the unfortunate victims of the sexual slavery ring, and he's determined to get her back before it's too late. The parts of the story that detail Kristin's abduction and captivity ordeal are excruciating to read.
Nick and Lexi go undercover as a Dom/sub to infiltrate the elite Boston S&M clubs that are suspected of being owned and run by possible traffickers/sex slave ring leaders. In order to gain access to the club’s inner circle, Nick and Lexi must pass a series of Master/slave “tests”. Let me just say that I’m not prudish about BDSM in my books, but there are some scenes in this that pushed way beyond my comfort zone/tolerance level and had me cringing in disgust and outrage. Lexi has to endure public humiliation and being whipped, caged, caned, flogged, and threatened with rape (all to the extreme) for the sake of the case. I had a hard time believing that a woman who barely survived being brutally tortured in the past would be able to tolerate that kind of treatment, even for the benefit of rescuing abducted women. But Lexi is one bad ass, tough cookie (Steele indeed) and could probably take Jason Bourne in a 1:1 fight.
Unfortunately, this book blurred the line between stark realism and extravagant fiction and some things just didn’t quite work for me. One of the biggest issues that I had with this book is that it’s told mainly (about 80-90%) from Lexi’s POV, so there isn’t enough insight into Nick’s character. Another issue I had is that I didn’t find Lexi’s reactions and responses at all believable. I mean, she suffers cruel treatment in the S&M clubs and shrugs it off pretty much right afterward like it’s no biggie, and also when she’s rescued after being brutally tortured by the sex slave ring mastermind; she immediately makes jokes about it and acts like an immature, horny teenager, begging Nick to cave in and have sex with her, broken body and all. I just don’t think so. I don’t care how much of a hard-ass fighter she is or how sex-god-hot Nick is, I didn’t buy it, especially given Lexi’s horrific past. I also didn’t find RED’s above the law, vigilante operation tactics realistic. I get that it’s a clandestine organization, but torturing and killing suspects (even if they are evil scum who might deserve it) with total invisibility and without accountability seems a tad far-fetched.
Overall, it’s a decent romantic suspense thriller, but be forewarned because warm and fuzzy this ain’t. I’m torn on what to rate it, but since I can’t quite say that I “really liked it” for 4 stars, I’m settling on 3 ½ stars.
Whew boy this one is a doozy to rate and review. Especially since I’m a fan of Cheyenne McCray and really wanted to like it, but I definitely had some issues with it. First off, like most other reviews warn, it’s extremely graphic, gritty, dark, and disturbing and is chock full of sexual and physical violence and torture. I’m not easily squeamish when it comes to violence in books or movies because I’m good at separating fantasy/entertainment from reality, but the subject matter at the heart of this story is sadly all too real and very unsettling. The harsh actuality of human trafficking and sexual slavery isn’t a commonly or easily addressed subject for a romance novel, and I respect author McCray’s tackling of such a difficult topic. It’s shocking and appalling really that such a horrifyingly widespread problem gets so little mention or media attention.
Alexi Steele is an ex-Army Special Forces sniper who was captured by an unknown enemy, tortured, and practically brainwashed into becoming an assassin. She was saved and recruited by a high-powered official in the NSA’s Recovery Enforcement Division (RED), a clandestine agency specializing in human trafficking and sex crimes. Now in an attempt to atone for past sins, she’s a top agent for RED and heading up Operation Cinderella with a mission priority of infiltrating the inner sanctum of Boston’s exclusive S&M clubs in order to rescue several young women who have been recently kidnapped and are about to be auctioned off for sexual slavery to the highest bidder for domestic and international buyers.
Nick Donovan is an ex-Navy SEAL and former Special Forces operative who joins RED’s Operation Cinderella as co-team leader with the condition that he be allowed to aggressively pursue his sister’s kidnappers using any means necessary. His sister Kristin is one of the unfortunate victims of the sexual slavery ring, and he's determined to get her back before it's too late. The parts of the story that detail Kristin's abduction and captivity ordeal are excruciating to read.
Nick and Lexi go undercover as a Dom/sub to infiltrate the elite Boston S&M clubs that are suspected of being owned and run by possible traffickers/sex slave ring leaders. In order to gain access to the club’s inner circle, Nick and Lexi must pass a series of Master/slave “tests”. Let me just say that I’m not prudish about BDSM in my books, but there are some scenes in this that pushed way beyond my comfort zone/tolerance level and had me cringing in disgust and outrage. Lexi has to endure public humiliation and being whipped, caged, caned, flogged, and threatened with rape (all to the extreme) for the sake of the case. I had a hard time believing that a woman who barely survived being brutally tortured in the past would be able to tolerate that kind of treatment, even for the benefit of rescuing abducted women. But Lexi is one bad ass, tough cookie (Steele indeed) and could probably take Jason Bourne in a 1:1 fight.
Unfortunately, this book blurred the line between stark realism and extravagant fiction and some things just didn’t quite work for me. One of the biggest issues that I had with this book is that it’s told mainly (about 80-90%) from Lexi’s POV, so there isn’t enough insight into Nick’s character. Another issue I had is that I didn’t find Lexi’s reactions and responses at all believable. I mean, she suffers cruel treatment in the S&M clubs and shrugs it off pretty much right afterward like it’s no biggie, and also when she’s rescued after being brutally tortured by the sex slave ring mastermind; she immediately makes jokes about it and acts like an immature, horny teenager, begging Nick to cave in and have sex with her, broken body and all. I just don’t think so. I don’t care how much of a hard-ass fighter she is or how sex-god-hot Nick is, I didn’t buy it, especially given Lexi’s horrific past. I also didn’t find RED’s above the law, vigilante operation tactics realistic. I get that it’s a clandestine organization, but torturing and killing suspects (even if they are evil scum who might deserve it) with total invisibility and without accountability seems a tad far-fetched.
Overall, it’s a decent romantic suspense thriller, but be forewarned because warm and fuzzy this ain’t. I’m torn on what to rate it, but since I can’t quite say that I “really liked it” for 4 stars, I’m settling on 3 ½ stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2009
VERY HOT AND SUSPENSEFUL.
YOUNG WOMEN ARE BEING KIDNAPPED FROM LOCAL NIGHT CLUBS AND SOLD INTO SEXUAL SLAVERY. NICK DONOVAN'S SISTER IS ONE OF THE VICTIMS. IN ORDER TO LOOK AND RESCUE HER HE JOINS UP WITH THE RECOVERY ENFORCEMENT DIVISION (RED) THAT DEALS IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SEX CRIMES. ALEXI STEELE IS A RED OFFICER WHO AGREES TO GO UNDERCOVER INTO LOCAL S&M CLUBS AS NICKS SEX SLAVE.
THE SEX SCENES ARE VERY HOT AND THE BDSM SCENES NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. NICK AND ALEXI HAVE TO MAKE IT LOOK REAL AND LET ME TELL YOU, THEY DO. THERE IS ALSO ALOT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND RAPE. I HAD A HARD TIME PUTTING THIS BOOK DOWN AND CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK.
CAUTION: THIS BOOK INCLUDES SCENES WITH WHIPS,DOG CAGES, CANING, BEATINGS, RAPE.
YOUNG WOMEN ARE BEING KIDNAPPED FROM LOCAL NIGHT CLUBS AND SOLD INTO SEXUAL SLAVERY. NICK DONOVAN'S SISTER IS ONE OF THE VICTIMS. IN ORDER TO LOOK AND RESCUE HER HE JOINS UP WITH THE RECOVERY ENFORCEMENT DIVISION (RED) THAT DEALS IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND SEX CRIMES. ALEXI STEELE IS A RED OFFICER WHO AGREES TO GO UNDERCOVER INTO LOCAL S&M CLUBS AS NICKS SEX SLAVE.
THE SEX SCENES ARE VERY HOT AND THE BDSM SCENES NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART. NICK AND ALEXI HAVE TO MAKE IT LOOK REAL AND LET ME TELL YOU, THEY DO. THERE IS ALSO ALOT OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND RAPE. I HAD A HARD TIME PUTTING THIS BOOK DOWN AND CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK.
CAUTION: THIS BOOK INCLUDES SCENES WITH WHIPS,DOG CAGES, CANING, BEATINGS, RAPE.
March 7, 2021
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers: http://www.romancingthereaders.com/20...
I first read this book when it was under a different publisher and a different title. It was originally called The First Sin. I know the author mentioned making changes but after all these years, it was about 2009 when it first came out, and unless I read them back to back I couldn't tell you. all the changes.
I really enjoy McCray's books and start with her when she wrote for Ellora's Cave. Because of that I already know how she writes and uses sex in her books. If you don't like graphic sex then I might not read this one. She has other series that are still sexy reads, just not as dark as this one.
I really enjoyed how kick-ass Lexi is. She's very strong in charge woman. In the book, she goes through a lot and I don't know how she comes out of it in one piece but she does.
You will also like Nick and feel for what he's going through too. He's fighting for his sister's life. He works along with Lexi to save her and others and to bring down the horrible men that endangered them.
I have to say that this story is a very quick read. It's one of those that build and build until the end. McCray does a wonderful job of taking you on this journey along with her characters and I wouldn't have missed it. This story isn't for everyone but for those who don't mind this type of writing and are willing to try I think you'll enjoy it very much.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for an honest review
I first read this book when it was under a different publisher and a different title. It was originally called The First Sin. I know the author mentioned making changes but after all these years, it was about 2009 when it first came out, and unless I read them back to back I couldn't tell you. all the changes.
I really enjoy McCray's books and start with her when she wrote for Ellora's Cave. Because of that I already know how she writes and uses sex in her books. If you don't like graphic sex then I might not read this one. She has other series that are still sexy reads, just not as dark as this one.
I really enjoyed how kick-ass Lexi is. She's very strong in charge woman. In the book, she goes through a lot and I don't know how she comes out of it in one piece but she does.
You will also like Nick and feel for what he's going through too. He's fighting for his sister's life. He works along with Lexi to save her and others and to bring down the horrible men that endangered them.
I have to say that this story is a very quick read. It's one of those that build and build until the end. McCray does a wonderful job of taking you on this journey along with her characters and I wouldn't have missed it. This story isn't for everyone but for those who don't mind this type of writing and are willing to try I think you'll enjoy it very much.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
https://twitter.com/Romancingreader
ARC received for an honest review
March 6, 2009
First couple of chapters in, I thought I was onto a 5-star read. I could hardly believe it when this book turned out to be the most horrid book I've read next to Catherine Coulter's Hemlock Bay, which I detested.
The level of sexual and physical violence in TFS is far more than what I've come across in erotic e-books and while I'm not a fan of BDSM themes, I don't find them offensive. I just find them boring, hence I haven't bought any after the initial curiosity-driven purchase. No, it was the amount of violence in this book that spilled over to the protagonists that bothered me.
I'm all for kick-ass heroines and gritty plots but when Lexie Steele slit the villain's throat then practically did the happy dance after that, it became a little too much for my stomach. When I read in the next couple of sentences that her team, including the hero, are grinning - yes, GRINNING! - as Lexie cuts the villain's throat then everyone celebrates and starts placing bets on a ballgame, I felt sick. I felt like I needed a shower to wash off these guys from my skin.
Wanting revenge for the killing of her colleague is one thing, wanting to bring down the guys responsible for abducting Nick's sister and turning her into a sex slave is understandable. But, the way the heroine and the RED team relish the killing that they do made it hard for me to tell the good guys from the bad.
The chemistry between Nick and Lexie was wonderful at the start and the info given on Lexie's imprisonment and torture did give a good backdrop and tone to the story to come. So, I would have enjoyed this book if not for the Lexie turning out so vicious and almost psychopathic in her taste for violence.
Needless to say, I won't be following this series. Just way too happy about the killing for my tastes.
The level of sexual and physical violence in TFS is far more than what I've come across in erotic e-books and while I'm not a fan of BDSM themes, I don't find them offensive. I just find them boring, hence I haven't bought any after the initial curiosity-driven purchase. No, it was the amount of violence in this book that spilled over to the protagonists that bothered me.
I'm all for kick-ass heroines and gritty plots but when Lexie Steele slit the villain's throat then practically did the happy dance after that, it became a little too much for my stomach. When I read in the next couple of sentences that her team, including the hero, are grinning - yes, GRINNING! - as Lexie cuts the villain's throat then everyone celebrates and starts placing bets on a ballgame, I felt sick. I felt like I needed a shower to wash off these guys from my skin.
Wanting revenge for the killing of her colleague is one thing, wanting to bring down the guys responsible for abducting Nick's sister and turning her into a sex slave is understandable. But, the way the heroine and the RED team relish the killing that they do made it hard for me to tell the good guys from the bad.
The chemistry between Nick and Lexie was wonderful at the start and the info given on Lexie's imprisonment and torture did give a good backdrop and tone to the story to come. So, I would have enjoyed this book if not for the Lexie turning out so vicious and almost psychopathic in her taste for violence.
Needless to say, I won't be following this series. Just way too happy about the killing for my tastes.
October 6, 2009
More along the lines of a 3.5. The story focuses more on Lexi's job and the case she is working on than it does the romance and that works for this book. I don't know if I would even call it a romance between Nick and Lexi, it's more like just sex with them not even realizing they have feelings for each other. In fact, feelings were never even discussed. There was no HEA between Nick and Lexi. I think this will be an on-going series with Nick and Lexi slowly realizing they love each other.
I usually like the guy characters more than the women characters, but I liked Lexi, she was pretty kick-ass.
I usually like the guy characters more than the women characters, but I liked Lexi, she was pretty kick-ass.
February 26, 2021
Formerly titled: The First Sin
Alexi Steele is a top agent of RED ... Recovery Enforcement Division. RED specializes in human trafficking and sex crimes.
Alexi's job is to breach the inner circle of S&M clubs to save young women who are abducted and then auctioned off to the highest bidders. Her new partner, Nick Donovan, has already been accepted in his undercover role. They will have to work together to bring down the rich and powerful who are behind this human trafficking ring.
Action starts are the very beginning and maintains its level of suspense until the unexpected conclusion. The characters are deftly drawn, both Alexi and Nick being strong, determined, and both have a personal reason for going after this criminal ring.
WARNING: Possible triggers : rape, torture, graphic intimate moments, violence, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this Romantic Suspense on Steroids. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Alexi Steele is a top agent of RED ... Recovery Enforcement Division. RED specializes in human trafficking and sex crimes.
Alexi's job is to breach the inner circle of S&M clubs to save young women who are abducted and then auctioned off to the highest bidders. Her new partner, Nick Donovan, has already been accepted in his undercover role. They will have to work together to bring down the rich and powerful who are behind this human trafficking ring.
Action starts are the very beginning and maintains its level of suspense until the unexpected conclusion. The characters are deftly drawn, both Alexi and Nick being strong, determined, and both have a personal reason for going after this criminal ring.
WARNING: Possible triggers : rape, torture, graphic intimate moments, violence, physical abuse, mental abuse, sexual abuse.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this Romantic Suspense on Steroids. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
April 25, 2012
Beware of What Lurks in the Shadows!
As I began reading this novel, it was extremely interesting, full of espionage, special ops, and secret undercover agencies, bringing forth justice to those deranged, terrorizing, masterminded criminals in our diversified country.
The terminology used by Ms. McCray, when describing in full detail what the "RED" agency consist of, and their different divisions were on point.
I immensely enjoyed the romance element between Alexi Steele & Nick Donovan, even though they were enrolled into "RED," for different reasons, they still had a common goal. To capture the evil-doers, and recover as many men & women who were being sold as property to the highest bidder. Especially for Nick, because it was a personal mission more than anything else. And above all, they were able to discover LOVE, UNDERSTANDING, and a sense of SECURITY, within each other.
At times, I'm going to admit it was difficult to read, because of the derogatory way the women were being treated during captivity. Tortured, beaten, raped or gang-raped, drugged to the point you had no control over your own body, it was all hard to swallow and accept. Unfortunately using a pleasurable act of BDSM, for the gain of something sinister, is demoralizing to those people who actually enjoy the fantasy behind it all.
Ms. McCray was able to uncover the reality that is occurring everyday behind the façade of normal locations where single men and women gather to find company, a relationship with the other, upon opening our eyes to the hidden dangers surrounding us.
When I used to attend a club/bar, my mother would always warn my friends & I, to never accept a drink from a person we didn't know or if we left an unfinished beverage at our table, never drink from it again. Order a new on by going to the bar & watching the bartender mix the beverage. She was terrified if someone would slip something in our drink to either rob us, attack us, or God forbid rape us. But never in a million years would I ever imagine being SOLD. I've heard it being done in other countries, but NOT here in the USA.
Was this a romance novel? No, it should not be considered under romance. But a definite HELL YEAH, to being a SUSPENSE/THILLER, KICK-A** ADVENTURE!!
WELL DONE Ms. McCray THIS NOVEL DESERVES WELL BEYOND A 5 STAR RATING IN SUSPENSE/THILLER!!!
As I began reading this novel, it was extremely interesting, full of espionage, special ops, and secret undercover agencies, bringing forth justice to those deranged, terrorizing, masterminded criminals in our diversified country.
The terminology used by Ms. McCray, when describing in full detail what the "RED" agency consist of, and their different divisions were on point.
I immensely enjoyed the romance element between Alexi Steele & Nick Donovan, even though they were enrolled into "RED," for different reasons, they still had a common goal. To capture the evil-doers, and recover as many men & women who were being sold as property to the highest bidder. Especially for Nick, because it was a personal mission more than anything else. And above all, they were able to discover LOVE, UNDERSTANDING, and a sense of SECURITY, within each other.
At times, I'm going to admit it was difficult to read, because of the derogatory way the women were being treated during captivity. Tortured, beaten, raped or gang-raped, drugged to the point you had no control over your own body, it was all hard to swallow and accept. Unfortunately using a pleasurable act of BDSM, for the gain of something sinister, is demoralizing to those people who actually enjoy the fantasy behind it all.
Ms. McCray was able to uncover the reality that is occurring everyday behind the façade of normal locations where single men and women gather to find company, a relationship with the other, upon opening our eyes to the hidden dangers surrounding us.
When I used to attend a club/bar, my mother would always warn my friends & I, to never accept a drink from a person we didn't know or if we left an unfinished beverage at our table, never drink from it again. Order a new on by going to the bar & watching the bartender mix the beverage. She was terrified if someone would slip something in our drink to either rob us, attack us, or God forbid rape us. But never in a million years would I ever imagine being SOLD. I've heard it being done in other countries, but NOT here in the USA.
Was this a romance novel? No, it should not be considered under romance. But a definite HELL YEAH, to being a SUSPENSE/THILLER, KICK-A** ADVENTURE!!
WELL DONE Ms. McCray THIS NOVEL DESERVES WELL BEYOND A 5 STAR RATING IN SUSPENSE/THILLER!!!
March 15, 2010
This book was just okay for me. It wasn’t the subject matter, which was dark and really out of my comfort zone, but very well written. It was the fact that it is written in first POV. I really didn’t find Lexi all that likeable. She was just too “bad ass” for me. There were not a whole lot of feminine characteristics to her. I couldn’t relate to her at all, and on some level I need to be able to just a little. I think this would have been a great book if it weren’t written in first POV.
Nick is likeable enough, but really you only get a shell of a character. You never get to hear his thoughts. On some level I found it hard to believe that a man like Nick would be remotely attracted to a woman like Lexi.
I really like McCray’s Moving Target and her Armed and Dangerous series, but I have to say this is a series I think I will avoid the rest of, unless she changes writing styles.
Nick is likeable enough, but really you only get a shell of a character. You never get to hear his thoughts. On some level I found it hard to believe that a man like Nick would be remotely attracted to a woman like Lexi.
I really like McCray’s Moving Target and her Armed and Dangerous series, but I have to say this is a series I think I will avoid the rest of, unless she changes writing styles.
June 19, 2016
I love most of the books I've read by Cheyenne McCray so that's why I didn't look at the description of this book before picking it up. I hate the BDSM scene and some parts of this book were very intense and disturbing. I liked the basic concept of secret agents kind of doing black ops work but the major premise of this series is sex crimes which I have issues with. I need to read the second book for a challenge but if it's similar to this one, that'll be the end of this series for me. I don't find this romantic at all and would rather spend my time reading books that interest me instead.
Honestly I thought the relationship between Alexi and Nicholas was too fast. Yeah they are both hot but there must be something more to a relationship that just lust. The first sex scene felt more like rape to me than anything else and instantly turned me off from Nicholas. The remainder of the book was a chore.
Honestly I thought the relationship between Alexi and Nicholas was too fast. Yeah they are both hot but there must be something more to a relationship that just lust. The first sex scene felt more like rape to me than anything else and instantly turned me off from Nicholas. The remainder of the book was a chore.
January 4, 2010
I know many people praise Cheyenne McCray, but I just don't get all of her work. This is the second book that I've read by her and this one was torture, Literally. The story line made me cringe and the torture scenes made me nauseous. I suppose that is a sign of a good author if she's able to effect her reader so strongly, but for me it was just a bit too much. Some of the reviews listed this as BDSM, it's freaking torture, rape, and mutilation. There is no love story, as least not one that could brighten the darkness though out the book.
Three stars because it was well written, but I'm pretty sure she crossed some line I didn't even know I possessed.
Three stars because it was well written, but I'm pretty sure she crossed some line I didn't even know I possessed.
July 11, 2012
A good suspensful read, but I couldn't get into the characters. I was expecting more romance and a little less of the police drama that it actually was.
May 28, 2018
Alexi Steele is part of a special ops team called RED - which specializes in human trafficking. One of her teammates are murdered and she is more determined than ever to take down the ring. Nick Donovan has decided to join Red - but for his own reasons- his sister Kristin has been kidnapped by the Sex Trafficking ring. He will do anything to take them down and find his sister.
Alexi and Nick go into a BDSM club undercover to discover information about the ring. Things heat up and there is a lot of kick but action.
The story is well written and loaded with heat. Fast paced and holds you attention.
Alexi and Nick go into a BDSM club undercover to discover information about the ring. Things heat up and there is a lot of kick but action.
The story is well written and loaded with heat. Fast paced and holds you attention.
August 9, 2023
Page turner.
Lexi is an agent with the very secret R.E.D. Her department deals with abductions and human trafficking, never an easy day for them. Lexi and Nick are great characters and so easy to relate to.
The story is harrowing at times.
Lexi is an agent with the very secret R.E.D. Her department deals with abductions and human trafficking, never an easy day for them. Lexi and Nick are great characters and so easy to relate to.
The story is harrowing at times.
March 4, 2019
This ended up being a fairly intense story with quite a bit of violence - almost more so than the sexy times parts. I don't think I'll continue with the series. Just a bit too much for me.
January 20, 2012
First in the Lexi Steele romantic suspense series revolving around an agent for RED and based in Boston.
My Take
Oh, lord, this was just disturbing. Okay, yeah, the subject matter, kidnapping young women and selling them as sex slaves is bad enough, but the ordeals that Lexi goes through in her undercover role...euff and then there's the torture when she gets kidnapped. Phew. Definitely not arousing [for me].
If this is supposed to be an undercover assignment, wouldn't it make more sense for Lexi to have an apartment/home to match her undercover identity? Nor did I really feel the passion between Lexi and Donovan. Sure the words were good, but there wasn't any depth to it.
I certainly enjoyed Kristin's vengeance at the end...you go, girl!! I can't fault McCray for the action or the tension. She really cranked it up and I had a hard time putting the book down.
The Story
Kristin Donovan is Nick's sister and just finishing up a psychology paper when the guy she starts dancing with at a club buys her a drink. A drugged drink. He seems/seemed like such a nice guy until he tipped her sluggish body into the panel van.
It's this kidnapping that changes Nick Donovan's mind about joining RED. He's already experienced as a dominant and that is exactly what Operation Cinderella needs to go undercover at three high-end sex clubs in Boston.
It's a major upset for Lexi Steele. It's her op and she had planned on going in undercover as the dominant with Agent Perry as her submissive. It's just not in her nature to submit to anyone. But, for the sake of Special Agent Stacy Randolph whose body was found floating in Boston Harbor and all those girls about to be auctioned off, Lexi will swallow her pride when Karen insists Lexi take Nick on as her partner in this sting.
Each owner requires that Lexi undergo a submissive test and it just goes from bad to worse as Lexi and Donovan appear for the first time in each club. And in each club, they gather more and more information.
The Characters
Special Agent Alexi "Lexi" Steele, a.k.a., Alexi McGrath is her seedier undercover ID, and a.k.a., Alexi Adams for the elite, had been a sniper in Special Forces and then an FAS-blackmailed assassin. Now she's an agent for RED thanks to Karen. She comes from a large Boston-Irish family who thinks she travels for an interpreting organization. There's Mammy, Daddy, Zane who also works for RED, Troy, Sean is the baby, Evan, Ryan on leave from the Marines, and Rori who never eats. Gary was her boyfriend until she caught him.
Special Agent Nick Donovan, a.k.a.,, Sire Dunning, is absolutely hunkalicious and a former Special Ops. He's brought some friends in on this assignment: Mike Freeman, Aaron Lloyd, and Eric Harrison. And they're all big as trees! Even better, Donovan loves to cook! My kinda guy!
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Karen Oxford runs the Recovery Enforcement Division (RED), a completely dark organization split off from the National Security Agency. Very few know of its existence. Darlene is Karen's assistant; she hates Lexi. Georgina is Lexi's best friend. Isabella Chavez replaces Randolph. Lexi's three lead agents on her particular team are David Takamoto, Rick Smithe, and Marti Jensen. Seth Taylor is in charge of the technological analysts and hackers. SA Weiss is going undercover as a professor at Harvard while SA Marti Jensen will play his willing coed to snare some pervy professors.
Chancy Yeager is their informant on this case with inside tickets provided by Holly Endicott to the three most exclusive clubs in Boston: the Champagne Slipper owned by Lucca Tarantino, the Crystal Twilight is run by Jason Strong, and the Glass House run by Benjamin Cabot. Mistress Danica, Slave Kathy, and Slave Samuel prep Lexi for her appearance in the Champagne Slipper. Schilling is something of a dark horse in this operation. Professors Michaels, Galsband, Allen, and Grumman.
The Cover
The cover is seductive with two barely dressed people getting up close and personal about to kiss, all in shades of blue with band of gilt pushing the title into view.
The title is...hmmm...I guess if you consider Lexi accepting Nick as a partner, it could be considered the First Sin in their working and personal relationships.
My Take
Oh, lord, this was just disturbing. Okay, yeah, the subject matter, kidnapping young women and selling them as sex slaves is bad enough, but the ordeals that Lexi goes through in her undercover role...euff and then there's the torture when she gets kidnapped. Phew. Definitely not arousing [for me].
If this is supposed to be an undercover assignment, wouldn't it make more sense for Lexi to have an apartment/home to match her undercover identity? Nor did I really feel the passion between Lexi and Donovan. Sure the words were good, but there wasn't any depth to it.
I certainly enjoyed Kristin's vengeance at the end...you go, girl!! I can't fault McCray for the action or the tension. She really cranked it up and I had a hard time putting the book down.
The Story
Kristin Donovan is Nick's sister and just finishing up a psychology paper when the guy she starts dancing with at a club buys her a drink. A drugged drink. He seems/seemed like such a nice guy until he tipped her sluggish body into the panel van.
It's this kidnapping that changes Nick Donovan's mind about joining RED. He's already experienced as a dominant and that is exactly what Operation Cinderella needs to go undercover at three high-end sex clubs in Boston.
It's a major upset for Lexi Steele. It's her op and she had planned on going in undercover as the dominant with Agent Perry as her submissive. It's just not in her nature to submit to anyone. But, for the sake of Special Agent Stacy Randolph whose body was found floating in Boston Harbor and all those girls about to be auctioned off, Lexi will swallow her pride when Karen insists Lexi take Nick on as her partner in this sting.
Each owner requires that Lexi undergo a submissive test and it just goes from bad to worse as Lexi and Donovan appear for the first time in each club. And in each club, they gather more and more information.
The Characters
Special Agent Alexi "Lexi" Steele, a.k.a., Alexi McGrath is her seedier undercover ID, and a.k.a., Alexi Adams for the elite, had been a sniper in Special Forces and then an FAS-blackmailed assassin. Now she's an agent for RED thanks to Karen. She comes from a large Boston-Irish family who thinks she travels for an interpreting organization. There's Mammy, Daddy, Zane who also works for RED, Troy, Sean is the baby, Evan, Ryan on leave from the Marines, and Rori who never eats. Gary was her boyfriend until she caught him.
Special Agent Nick Donovan, a.k.a.,, Sire Dunning, is absolutely hunkalicious and a former Special Ops. He's brought some friends in on this assignment: Mike Freeman, Aaron Lloyd, and Eric Harrison. And they're all big as trees! Even better, Donovan loves to cook! My kinda guy!
Assistant Special Agent in Charge Karen Oxford runs the Recovery Enforcement Division (RED), a completely dark organization split off from the National Security Agency. Very few know of its existence. Darlene is Karen's assistant; she hates Lexi. Georgina is Lexi's best friend. Isabella Chavez replaces Randolph. Lexi's three lead agents on her particular team are David Takamoto, Rick Smithe, and Marti Jensen. Seth Taylor is in charge of the technological analysts and hackers. SA Weiss is going undercover as a professor at Harvard while SA Marti Jensen will play his willing coed to snare some pervy professors.
Chancy Yeager is their informant on this case with inside tickets provided by Holly Endicott to the three most exclusive clubs in Boston: the Champagne Slipper owned by Lucca Tarantino, the Crystal Twilight is run by Jason Strong, and the Glass House run by Benjamin Cabot. Mistress Danica, Slave Kathy, and Slave Samuel prep Lexi for her appearance in the Champagne Slipper. Schilling is something of a dark horse in this operation. Professors Michaels, Galsband, Allen, and Grumman.
The Cover
The cover is seductive with two barely dressed people getting up close and personal about to kiss, all in shades of blue with band of gilt pushing the title into view.
The title is...hmmm...I guess if you consider Lexi accepting Nick as a partner, it could be considered the First Sin in their working and personal relationships.
November 22, 2018
Alexi Steele is no wilting flower. She’s a tough-as-nails agent with the Recovery Enforcement Division (RED), a clandestine branch of the NSA. Right now, all of Lexi’s attention is focused on an operation to uncover a sex slave ring that is kidnapping young women in Boston and auctioning them off. To bring down the bad guys, Lexi has to infiltrate the inner circle of an elite group of BDSM clubs. And she has to do so as a sub for her sexy new partner.
For Nicholas Donovan, this isn’t just another op – it’s personal. His sister has been kidnapped and will be sold as a sex slave to the highest bidder. Nick’s prepared to do whatever it takes to rescue Kristin. What he doesn’t count on is the attraction he feels for Lexi. As he and Lexi are pulled farther into their mission, desire takes hold of both agents. But their newfound relationship may not last, as their mission takes a deadly turn and a criminal mastermind closes in on the pair.
Readers be warned: this book is not for the faint of heart. The First Sin is a dark and dangerous ride with heroes who command your respect as they work to bring down the lowest of the low.
Lexi is one of the toughest heroines I’ve ever encountered and I loved her for it. She’s brilliant and strong, and Cheyenne McCray doesn’t just pay lip service to these attributes, she shows Lexi proving them again and again. Nick is Lexi’s match on every level. He possesses the same intelligence and strength, along with a heightened protectiveness because of the personal nature of this mission. I’m not above saying I appreciated Nick’s innate sexuality; that was a definite plus. But what really got me is his respect for Lexi and her abilities. They worked together perfectly, both as RED agents and as lovers. I can’t wait to watch both their personal and professional relationships grow as the series continues.
The villains in this story are truly vile, sadistic b*******, and Ms. McCray doesn’t hold her punches. However, The First Sin is the stronger for this, as the importance and urgency of Lexi and Nick’s mission is driven home. What’s more, not only are the RED agents’ excellence highlighted by taking readers through the situations Lexi and Nick encounter on their mission, by taking readers through Kristin’s captivity, Ms. McCray emphasizes Kristin’s strength of character. My heart broke for all the story’s protagonists, and I also hope to see Kristin again in the series as she heals from what was done to her.
While The First Sin is not a “happy” book, it does have its lighter moments. Nick and Lexi are also sensual, sexual people and it would be a sin indeed to not mention the heat these two generate. One thing that’s a bit different about The First Sin is that the book is mostly, but not entirely written in the first person. The majority of the story is told from Lexi’s point of view, and those sections are written in the first person. The parts of the book from Nick and Kristin’s perspectives, however, are written in the third person. This took a bit of getting used to, but didn’t impact reading experience. I truly enjoyed The First Sin. It’s not a light read, but it is entirely captivating and I’m looking forward to reading the next Lexi Steele novel, The Second Betrayal.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
For Nicholas Donovan, this isn’t just another op – it’s personal. His sister has been kidnapped and will be sold as a sex slave to the highest bidder. Nick’s prepared to do whatever it takes to rescue Kristin. What he doesn’t count on is the attraction he feels for Lexi. As he and Lexi are pulled farther into their mission, desire takes hold of both agents. But their newfound relationship may not last, as their mission takes a deadly turn and a criminal mastermind closes in on the pair.
Readers be warned: this book is not for the faint of heart. The First Sin is a dark and dangerous ride with heroes who command your respect as they work to bring down the lowest of the low.
Lexi is one of the toughest heroines I’ve ever encountered and I loved her for it. She’s brilliant and strong, and Cheyenne McCray doesn’t just pay lip service to these attributes, she shows Lexi proving them again and again. Nick is Lexi’s match on every level. He possesses the same intelligence and strength, along with a heightened protectiveness because of the personal nature of this mission. I’m not above saying I appreciated Nick’s innate sexuality; that was a definite plus. But what really got me is his respect for Lexi and her abilities. They worked together perfectly, both as RED agents and as lovers. I can’t wait to watch both their personal and professional relationships grow as the series continues.
The villains in this story are truly vile, sadistic b*******, and Ms. McCray doesn’t hold her punches. However, The First Sin is the stronger for this, as the importance and urgency of Lexi and Nick’s mission is driven home. What’s more, not only are the RED agents’ excellence highlighted by taking readers through the situations Lexi and Nick encounter on their mission, by taking readers through Kristin’s captivity, Ms. McCray emphasizes Kristin’s strength of character. My heart broke for all the story’s protagonists, and I also hope to see Kristin again in the series as she heals from what was done to her.
While The First Sin is not a “happy” book, it does have its lighter moments. Nick and Lexi are also sensual, sexual people and it would be a sin indeed to not mention the heat these two generate. One thing that’s a bit different about The First Sin is that the book is mostly, but not entirely written in the first person. The majority of the story is told from Lexi’s point of view, and those sections are written in the first person. The parts of the book from Nick and Kristin’s perspectives, however, are written in the third person. This took a bit of getting used to, but didn’t impact reading experience. I truly enjoyed The First Sin. It’s not a light read, but it is entirely captivating and I’m looking forward to reading the next Lexi Steele novel, The Second Betrayal.
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed.
April 17, 2009
Warning: Dark and Very Graphic
Alexi Steele is a top RED agent. She and her team plan to infiltrate exclusive S&M clubs of Boston’s inner circle; young ladies seem to be disappearing from clubs around Boston, never to be seen or heard from again. Word is, the women are being auctioned off to the highest bidder. And Lexi is determined to bring them down.
Nick Donovan’s sister is one of those missing young women. His only hope to finding her - join RED. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Karen Oxford, Lexi’s direct boss, has been trying to recruit him for years - nothing but the best of the best for RED’s clandestine operations. He’s turned her down every time, but now he has no choice, for he’s sure it’s the only way of finding his sister. Plus, he’s been eyeing Lexi: he wants her.
Now Lexi isn’t happy to end up stuck with Donovan. For her, he’s too close, too emotionally involved. Now she has no choice but to include him in the op, and now he’s her partner. The man is gorgeous as sin; does she want him as a partner in an S&M club? Only time will tell.
And as they go further under cover, not only are they getting close to who is behind the missing women, but they’re getting closer to each other as well, and they can’t deny themselves any more. But will this pose a problem for their undercover operation? Time is ticking, and both are afraid they may be too late.
**An excellent first novel!
I’ve never read a full-length Cheyenne McCray before. Now I’m wondering what the hell too me so long, LOL!
Lexi is a strong woman with a difficult past. Her family has no idea what she went through a few years before. Details of her past capture and torture are what Lexi hold deep - no one knows the full extent. But during her capture and subsequent torture, she was given an option: join them and become their assassin, or die - very slowly and very painfully. To save herself, she did as they asked, never asking questions, yet always looking for a way out. And just when she was close to getting caught, Karen Oxford gave her that way out. Now nightmares plague her. Lexi is one hell of a strong woman, who is willing to do what it takes to get the job done, no matter the cost to her. No one in her family, save her brother who is also another RED agent, knows what she actually does for a living, and Lexi has to keep it that way. I think not being able to talk about her past, holding it so close, is what hurts her the most, and when Donovan arrives into the picture, she may tell him some of it, but he doesn’t look at her as a monster; he understands what she went through.
Donovan will do whatever it takes to find his sister. Both, he and Lexi are like pitbulls, never giving up. Both are strong, determined characters, and the heat between them is palpable! Whew *fanning myself*! Some of those loves scenes would have fogged my glasses if I was wearing them!
The action is superb. The mystery is great and I’m glad it’s not completely over, which means on to Book #2, LOL!
Warning: Memories of Lexi’s past torture, her capture by one of the current bad guys, as well as the BDSM aspect of the book, are very graphic and are not for everyone.
Alexi Steele is a top RED agent. She and her team plan to infiltrate exclusive S&M clubs of Boston’s inner circle; young ladies seem to be disappearing from clubs around Boston, never to be seen or heard from again. Word is, the women are being auctioned off to the highest bidder. And Lexi is determined to bring them down.
Nick Donovan’s sister is one of those missing young women. His only hope to finding her - join RED. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Karen Oxford, Lexi’s direct boss, has been trying to recruit him for years - nothing but the best of the best for RED’s clandestine operations. He’s turned her down every time, but now he has no choice, for he’s sure it’s the only way of finding his sister. Plus, he’s been eyeing Lexi: he wants her.
Now Lexi isn’t happy to end up stuck with Donovan. For her, he’s too close, too emotionally involved. Now she has no choice but to include him in the op, and now he’s her partner. The man is gorgeous as sin; does she want him as a partner in an S&M club? Only time will tell.
And as they go further under cover, not only are they getting close to who is behind the missing women, but they’re getting closer to each other as well, and they can’t deny themselves any more. But will this pose a problem for their undercover operation? Time is ticking, and both are afraid they may be too late.
**An excellent first novel!
I’ve never read a full-length Cheyenne McCray before. Now I’m wondering what the hell too me so long, LOL!
Lexi is a strong woman with a difficult past. Her family has no idea what she went through a few years before. Details of her past capture and torture are what Lexi hold deep - no one knows the full extent. But during her capture and subsequent torture, she was given an option: join them and become their assassin, or die - very slowly and very painfully. To save herself, she did as they asked, never asking questions, yet always looking for a way out. And just when she was close to getting caught, Karen Oxford gave her that way out. Now nightmares plague her. Lexi is one hell of a strong woman, who is willing to do what it takes to get the job done, no matter the cost to her. No one in her family, save her brother who is also another RED agent, knows what she actually does for a living, and Lexi has to keep it that way. I think not being able to talk about her past, holding it so close, is what hurts her the most, and when Donovan arrives into the picture, she may tell him some of it, but he doesn’t look at her as a monster; he understands what she went through.
Donovan will do whatever it takes to find his sister. Both, he and Lexi are like pitbulls, never giving up. Both are strong, determined characters, and the heat between them is palpable! Whew *fanning myself*! Some of those loves scenes would have fogged my glasses if I was wearing them!
The action is superb. The mystery is great and I’m glad it’s not completely over, which means on to Book #2, LOL!
Warning: Memories of Lexi’s past torture, her capture by one of the current bad guys, as well as the BDSM aspect of the book, are very graphic and are not for everyone.
March 2, 2017
Que buena estuvo esta historia, quiero saber más. ;)
December 26, 2016
Awesome!!
June 18, 2011
This book is 1st in a new series, and as usual per Chey, its HOT. I enjoyed the story itself but I felt the characters were a tad cliched by now and isn't just everybody doing BSDM club visits these days? Maybe I am just tired of all the kick-ass female mercs who completely bury their feminity yet are so physically gorgeous and tough they make the tall, dark and dangerous ex-SpecOps hero fall in love or at least lust with them at first meeting. Get real for a change! In The First Sin, R.E.D., a "security" agency takes on the finding of abducted young women who are then auctioned off to buyers usually from the high-end BSDM scene for their personal use. Absolutely a good thing to do, but who hired them? Why were the police not able to get anywhere near the same intel as RED, even without RED's 007-ish gadgets (which were just great, by the way)? The BSDM club visits were sizzling but there was unbelievable torture involved; a club owner states that the doms (called "Sires") were to be all about giving their subs pleasure - but the owners themselves went so far past that into just plain old S&M.
Anyway, the gist of this story is great and the book is a fast, erotic read. Just don't take the details of the plot too serious and you'll really enjoy it plus look forward to the next installment. And before anyone thinks I'm too harsh, isn't ALL romance/suspense fiction best read that way?
Anyway, the gist of this story is great and the book is a fast, erotic read. Just don't take the details of the plot too serious and you'll really enjoy it plus look forward to the next installment. And before anyone thinks I'm too harsh, isn't ALL romance/suspense fiction best read that way?
August 28, 2016
I found this book by chance while sifting through my library bookshelf. This is a new author for me and I wasn't disappointed! I was in the mood for something different, and this was perfect. It was more of a romantic suspense novel. It had excitement, steam, romance, and plenty of GRIT. Oh, and Nicholas Donovan.
Lexi Steele is a VERY tough heroine. She's an ex sniper/assassin. She's survived hell and lives through it again in this novel.She and Donovan get paired together to go undercover at a BDSM club to uncover who kidnapped his sister. They have to put on quite an act to get accepted into the club, but their attraction is NOT an act. It doesn't take long for their partnership to develop into more.
This book is pretty dark in parts. It has quite a bit of violence (sometimes bordering on gratuitous). But I enjoyed it and will continue with the series.
He was raw power and masculinity in one satisfying tasty package.
Lexi Steele is a VERY tough heroine. She's an ex sniper/assassin. She's survived hell and lives through it again in this novel.She and Donovan get paired together to go undercover at a BDSM club to uncover who kidnapped his sister. They have to put on quite an act to get accepted into the club, but their attraction is NOT an act. It doesn't take long for their partnership to develop into more.
This book is pretty dark in parts. It has quite a bit of violence (sometimes bordering on gratuitous). But I enjoyed it and will continue with the series.
March 11, 2009
Reviewed by Marisa O'Neill for Romance Novel TV
First Sin is a Lexi Steele Novel and the heroine, Lexi Steele, is all sorts of damaged. However she is not a victim - she’s one of the strongest heroines I’ve read. First Sin was violent and hard hitting. The characters are strong and determined, and the story is not a pretty one. As a top agent for a deep undercover government agency Lexi teams up with Nick, a former SEAL, to bring down a group of seriously deranged people who kidnap and sell woman into slavery. It was a hard story to read, violent and filled with torture, action and the seedier side of life. Yet, I have to say, I kept turning the pages, I wanted to know more. This heroine has a complicated history yet a straight forward approach to life – she’s the hero of this book, in every sense of the word. The characters stayed with me long after I finished reading, and, yes, I’m looking forward to the next Lexi Steele novel. 4 stars
First Sin is a Lexi Steele Novel and the heroine, Lexi Steele, is all sorts of damaged. However she is not a victim - she’s one of the strongest heroines I’ve read. First Sin was violent and hard hitting. The characters are strong and determined, and the story is not a pretty one. As a top agent for a deep undercover government agency Lexi teams up with Nick, a former SEAL, to bring down a group of seriously deranged people who kidnap and sell woman into slavery. It was a hard story to read, violent and filled with torture, action and the seedier side of life. Yet, I have to say, I kept turning the pages, I wanted to know more. This heroine has a complicated history yet a straight forward approach to life – she’s the hero of this book, in every sense of the word. The characters stayed with me long after I finished reading, and, yes, I’m looking forward to the next Lexi Steele novel. 4 stars
January 14, 2011
Alexi Steel works for RED and at present heads the operation called Operation Cinderella where her team is trying to uncover the masterminds of a racket for kidnapping women and selling them to the highest bidder. She has worked as an assassin and a sniper with special forces before that, she can fight and is tough and fits well in a man’s world.
Nick Donovan has just joined RED’s operations to help with Operation Cinderella – he wants to find his missing sister. He is to be Alexi’s partner.
Alexi was ready to go undercover as a Dom part of a partnership to penetrate into some of Boston’s exclusive B & S Club but when she is introduced to Donovan she is told that he will now be her partner and she will be the slave to his Dom. This is something she was not expecting but neither was she expecting what happens to her when she is with Nick.
I enjoyed this book, it has great sex between Alexi and Nick and lots of action too.
Nick Donovan has just joined RED’s operations to help with Operation Cinderella – he wants to find his missing sister. He is to be Alexi’s partner.
Alexi was ready to go undercover as a Dom part of a partnership to penetrate into some of Boston’s exclusive B & S Club but when she is introduced to Donovan she is told that he will now be her partner and she will be the slave to his Dom. This is something she was not expecting but neither was she expecting what happens to her when she is with Nick.
I enjoyed this book, it has great sex between Alexi and Nick and lots of action too.
May 26, 2012
Holy Cow, is the first thing I thought of when describing this book. Romantic Suspense, BDSM and craziness all wrapped up in one book. When I was almost done, all I could think was what else can this poor girl go through? Lexi is a strong, sassy, intelligent RED agent. She is leading her own team and refuses to take failure as an option. Her professional life has been what nightmares are made of and she is determined to be good at her newest job as a team leader. I enjoyed watching her realizes her strengths and her weaknesses. This book is not for the faint of heart. It takes you in to the deep dark world of human trafficking and BDSM clubs. I describe it as being very disturbing while being super hot at the same time. The author knows exactly how to make you "feel" for and with the characters. There is someone in this book that you will relate to, no matter who you are. I highly recommend this one.
May 5, 2009
Alexi is an agent for a secret government organization Recovery Enforcement Division that works to find human traffickers and their captives.
Nick's sister has been taken from a nightclub and sold into slavery. He joins the organization and partners with Alexi to find his sister.
They go undercover to BDSM clubs to find the bad guys. Alexi is a strong woman, but must play the part of the Sub.
This was a good story. I felt that the book was more about what they do to get the bad guys and rescue the girls, than a true romance between them.
Nick and Alexi have a strong physical attraction for each other and even though there are a few good sex scenes, I never felt that they were deeply in love. Nick isn't much of a talker and maybe that's why I never really felt he's truly (in love) with her. The big strong silent types aren't my cup of tea.
Nick's sister has been taken from a nightclub and sold into slavery. He joins the organization and partners with Alexi to find his sister.
They go undercover to BDSM clubs to find the bad guys. Alexi is a strong woman, but must play the part of the Sub.
This was a good story. I felt that the book was more about what they do to get the bad guys and rescue the girls, than a true romance between them.
Nick and Alexi have a strong physical attraction for each other and even though there are a few good sex scenes, I never felt that they were deeply in love. Nick isn't much of a talker and maybe that's why I never really felt he's truly (in love) with her. The big strong silent types aren't my cup of tea.
July 10, 2010
First Sin is a Lexi Steele Novel and the heroine, Lexi Steele, is all sorts of damaged. However she is not a victim – she’s one of the strongest heroines I’ve read. First Sin was violent and hard hitting. The characters are strong and determined, and the story is not a pretty one. As a top agent for a deep undercover government agency Lexi teams up with Nick, a former SEAL, to bring down a group of seriously deranged people who kidnap and sell woman into slavery. It was a hard story to read, violent and filled with torture, action and the seedier side of life. Yet, I have to say, I kept turning the pages, I wanted to know more. This heroine has a complicated history yet a straight forward approach to life – she’s the hero of this book, in every sense of the word. The characters stayed with me long after I finished reading, and, yes, I’m looking forward to the next Lexi Steele novel
April 9, 2016
Did not like it, and skipped through much of it. I can deal with grittiness and dark themes. The BDSM and the sex-trafficking are also topics I can read about (even though they aren't my favorites at all). As another reviewer said - I don't want to read about the heroine high-fiving her teammates after slitting someone's throat. At that point I'm not sure what the difference is between the good guys and the bad guys. Also, Ms. McCray falls into a common fault that makes me crazy - a character is hurt and injured, but within a page is back on their feet with a completely unrealistic recovery. In this case Lexi is beaten up by the sex-traffickers, including a broken arm and cracked ribs, but is ready to have sex (and these two don't have sweet sex) the minute she sees the hero again. Not a series I plan to continue.
March 19, 2010
What can I say but holy fuck this was intense! I've never seen such a strong and deadly heroine. Lexi and her new partner in crime, Nick Donovan, have sizzling chemistry, with their undercover antics as a BDSM pair while trying to dig out an illegal sex trade a clever catalyst. The subject matter is grim and gruesome; it's kind of like Law and Order: SVU on crack and stripped bare (to put it crudely), so I would only recommend this to readers who love a gritty suspense/thriller. Lexi's showdown at the end is just omfg awesome; it pretty much gouged my eyes out. I'm looking forward to reading the next novel now!
Rating: 4.5/5
Rating: 4.5/5
July 24, 2011
This is the first book of McCray's I've read and I have no plans to read any of her other books. It is a dark and sexy novel and an easy read. The plot is about the sex-slave trade and BDSM which is quite descriptive in the book (didn't bother me but may bother some). What I didn't like was actually the main character, Lexi. Sure, she's strong, doesn't take crap from anyone, independent, etc. etc. but in my opinion, way way over the top. I know this is just fiction but I just found it ridiculous. I mean seriously, she has the special agents basically prostituting themselves out to solve the crimes not to mention while his/her peers watch. Give me a break.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews