Blaire: Part 1 in the Dark Romance Series

Strong 4.5 - The plot was good and didn't lag. The story line kept me interested through-out the entire book. I think Gray did a good job portraying Blair's psychosis. This condition was carefully and flawlessly developed with drugs as well as physical and metal manipulation to make her Maksim's perfect slave. Blair is Maksim's head of security and she has been conditioned to literally worship and protect Maksim. Charlie - our Hero - sees Blaire [in action fighting James] while attending a poker game and he is fascinated by her. He wants her to do a job for him and since Maksim owes him, Maksim agrees that Charlie can have Blair for three months but not to take her virginity. Charlie starts out as an egotistical domineering man that now (for three months) owns Blair but when feelings begin to develop he gives Blair something that she has never received - kindness and actual freedom. Blaire is very confused about these different feelings that she's beginning to develop towards Charlie. She continues to wait for the trap - for what Charlie really wants from her... but it never seems to come. There seems to be no alternative motive for his kindness and that confuses Blair. Charlie's actions encourage Blair to begin to feel emotions - to feel hope and desires.I noticed one person said that this ended on a cliffhanger but No I really don't believe that it did. There was a nice conclusion and wrap up to the story.HEA - Yep - Although Hard to believe after reading about Blair's torture.Details - They were very good yet not overwhelming. I was able to get just enough of the details to picture a room or an event to make me feel comfortable. This allowed me to picture the rest in my mind - the way I wanted it.Character Development - In my opinion this could have been better. I should not have been able to guess 30% into the story that the author was from the United Kingdom. In my opinion Gray's characters could have been more individualized. If a Mexican Mafia boss is in London he's typically not going to use the UK's slang. He probably wouldn't use words like 'trainer'. And by the way - it took me 75% of the book to figure out what a trainer was (and I workout) - I'll let you guess when you read the book lol. Charlie's mannerisms were individual but his character was not independently developed well. The word 'wanner' [want to] was used a lot by Charlie. I've heard of 'wanna' but never 'wanner'. In my limited experience talking with Mexican Mafia Bosses I have never heard this slang used. ;) I guess if Charlie was a London native I would have expected this type of vocabulary but since he wasn't I just didn't think the vocabulary worked with who he was.On the other hand I felt that Maksim's character was developed better. Gray added Russian words to make him seem realistic. In Charlie's case it was more like "he swore in Spanish" instead of actually saying what he said.Overall I liked the book and will be purchasing more from Gray.

I’ve been putting this book off for a while and decided to finally read it and I am so glad I did. Strong female main character and the story line just makes you want to keep turning the pages to find out the ending. The spice was about a 3/5, and it wasn’t the darkest book I’ve read, but there are some strong triggers. I’m excited to continue reading their story in book 2.

I absolutely love the strength of Blair’s character. Blair’s torment with captivity is evident with her whiplash. This portrays a sad reality of human trafficking. Everyone knows Charlie is dark… but he is actually darker than this book portrays to the reader.

Intense, gripping, chest pounding, dazzling. I might could go on describing the river of emotions this book brought to me. I "wanna wrap it up and swim in it until I drown" - to quote a song by Nine Inch Nails that would the theme for this book, The Only Time; this book is all the sexy passion and angst and fervor of what a good dark romance should be.Blaire doesn't want to disappoint her master, Maksim. Despite how he treats her, he's all she's known since she was child, in fact, can't even remember a time before Maksim was her master. He's trained her to be his "pet", maybe like an attack dog who gets rewarded with protecting its master. Then, she is 'sold' to Charlie for a term of 3 months to pay off a debt. With Charlie she learns a different way of life, of love, and tenderness and freedom. How can she ever go back to Maksim after the 3 months is over?I loved this story of Blaire, Maksim and Charlie so much that I dreamt of it.If you're ok with some seriously messed up psychological thriller type story lines, and you're ok with blood and violence, violence against women, then you'll do fine with this book. Because, yes, the heroine of this book does get put through hell and back over the course of her story. BUT she is also a very strong woman, literally and figuratively. Blaire is emotionally strong, she can withstand anything that anyone throws at her and she has been trained to regulate her emotions, her breathing, her heart rate to assess any situation. I like a strong woman who calculates and strategizes her moves. She's very cautious with men, trying to analyze every possible motive for their actions. She has full situational awareness at all times, except when she's been drugged and even then she's aware she's been drugged and tries to mentally counter-act the symptoms. I mean, this chick is bad ass! And even when she does get a little softer when she starts living with Charlie, she's still just as bad ass for her strength in allowing herself to grow.The book ends in a cliff-hanger BUT the 2nd one is not far off.

Watch the trigger warnings they're for real! Although extremely dark this story is heart warming. Not in a sappy saccharine way but a hard fought one. Blaire is a real tough emotionless biotch. But once this nut is cracked open watch out. The Author does a great job describing her physical, mental and emotional abuse as well as her difficult journey back to humanity. Kudos.

It's been a while since I've read a dark romance and this book did not disappoint. I absolutely loved everything about this story. Im usually disappointed with authors claiming dark stories and don't deliver but this one was on part! I'm happy to say next to Dinah Harper and Sam Mariano, who are my all time fave dark romance authors Anita Gray is one too! Please be mindful it is dark. And I love it so don't read and complain it's dark because the author gives fair warning. Happy reading!

Couldn't tear my eyes off your book ! I love every words of it ! The bond between Blaire and Charlie is breathtaking and hypnotizing ! Love your writing !!!!❤

What can I say? I was GLUED to this AMAZING dark, psychological read. I am a self-confessed book whore when it comes to dark  reads and I put this up there amongst the best. It has an original plot line and in Blaire and Charlie the author has created a truly awesome couple – their relationship is complex and intense and the scenes between them range from deliciously dark to sweet. I need to point out that it contains some brutal scenes of violence, physical and sexual in the book (dubious and non consent, bdsm, torture and abuse) which are not for the faint hearted. Blaire is one of the most kick-ass and lethal females I have come across of late yet she is so vulnerable. I wept for her as the plot unfolded and little by little we leared about her history and Maskim’s role in it. The way the author drip feeds this information adds to the suspense and I was gob smacked when I learned about her past.I ADORED Charlie – just what is his game? What hold does he have over Maskim? Can Charlie protect Blaire or is he just exploiting her too? Will Blaire overcome Maskim’s conditioning or is it too ingrained in her psyche? Will Charlie succeed in breaking her hard exterior to reveal the woman beneath and how will this impact on her? Will his kindness save her or lead to her destruction? I was fascinated with the psychology of the relationships in his book and if you love dark romance as much as I’d encourage you do add it to your ‘to read pile.’ I’m relieved that part 2 of Blaire’s story is out at the end of this month so that I can see what happens next.

I came across this book by accident. I had never heard of Ms Gray before but the provocative picture drew me in. And it definitly expressed the content.This was an intense furious read. The storyline fastpaced and consistent. Blaire's character was well developed and believable, some of the other protagonists a little less so.But please don't use "wanner" anymore !!! It makes my toes curl. :-}. Having that gotten off my chest, I'm hoping part two of Blair will be out soon. I want more !!!

This is what dark romance is all about!!!!!!!!!!! I was spellbound and held captivated from the first chapter till the last word in this deliciously and intoxicating book. We are introduced to the endearing, skilled, brilliant and enigma that is Blaire, she has no memory of who she was or where she comes from. All she knows is that she serves and protects her underworld Master Maskim, that's what she is conditioned to do so without question or hesitation. One night, she is introduced to the domineering, brooding, sexy and mysterious Charlie Decena. After a few run ins between Blaire and Charlie, there is an unexplainable connection and chemistry that neither can deny. Blaire is then promised to Charlie for so many weeks, she is to obey his every command or else. While in Charlie's care, Blaire cant help but question everything she has been taught and lead to believe. She also cant help the unknown feelings she starts to develop towards Charlie. When you live in the dark underworld of secrets, lies and deceit who can Blaire trust when the truth surfaces and threatens everything??'Blaire' was refreshing in the dark romance world with a kickass, witty yet vulnerable and innocent Blaire and a sexy badass Charlie with his air of mystery and authority who has a caring quality that's unexpected, these 2 broken and jagged pieces that fit one another perfectly. This book gave me a major book hangover for all the right reasons and I cannot wait for the second instalment. It was dark, twisted, erotic, sexy, witty, compelling and sinfully wicked