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The Dark Prince #1

The Dark Prince

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Chase Marcel is determined to change the world. Tired of living by the way that life has been for years in the Mafia Family he was born into, he has spent years planning. Planning to change everything everyone knew. Summer Meads, a girl born into the world as a slave and forced to grow up tossed from one house to the next, must survive. She knows nothing of her bloodline to the Mafia world, even when she met Chase when they were children. To save Summer, and to take down one of the most feared Mafia families, Chase must marry her. At what cost will Chase and Summer’s marriage cost not only them, but the Marcel family? How can a slave girl be helpful for the Mafia family?

468 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 2016

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About the author

Autumn Winchester

25 books163 followers
I’ve always been passionate about storytelling and impressed by the influence it has on people and the decisions they make in life. My novels are something that won't be found anywhere else.
I live in a small town in Colorado. I have 4 kids, 4 dogs, and a cat.
I love to write. I am more than just an author; I'm a storyteller.

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5 stars
60 (37%)
4 stars
40 (24%)
3 stars
39 (24%)
2 stars
12 (7%)
1 star
11 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for  Rosebud.
1,052 reviews196 followers
May 22, 2017
"I want to see numbers 10, 20, and 12" he stated before the person could answer.

And so begins Summer Mead's journey with a new owner.

* * *

Dark mafia romance story that does cross over into uncomfortable sexual dub-non con and areas surrounding sex trafficking/slavery. For those with triggers this may not be a story to read so proceed with caution.

This is definitely a book for a limited fan base though for those who are fans of dark/mafia/mystery-suspense/twist & turns this may be one to grab. It is more than the blurb indicates yet not as twisted as it could have been. I am almost wanting to say it's deceptive but can't really commit that strongly so I'll just leave my statement and move on.

The overall story is pretty complex and all over the place in terms of what is going on from scene to scene. I really feel an editor (if there was one) dropped the ball or the author might want to think about having an editor for future stories, especially when a story is this complex. I freely admit I got lost and unfortunately did an eye roll when the final reveal played out. I feel I have a devious mind and love to play Sherlock Holmes when I can but even this was a stretch to connect the dots. Again. My opinion only.

I really could do a book myself with my self perception of this story and my feelings on what worked and what didn't. Standout is the book cover. Totally appropriate and for anyone grappling with the decision to read or not to ... that cover gives you an indication of the tone of the story. Bravo for that cover. The book title itself is another thing. The only connection to Dark Prince is that the main character is son of mafia king pin. Thus, I struggled (personally) to connect the story to that title....

The problems I had were that while I appreciated and enjoyed the overall story, content did not flow and scenes were all over the place which was frustrating and took me out of the story multiple times. I do however like the way the author thinks in not making a story just about the current circumstances and characters. She pulled in a mix of variables and outside factors that enriched the reading experience... if only that mix had flowed in a more cohesive and tangible manner...
Profile Image for Dawn Foster.
1,173 reviews16 followers
May 10, 2016
Excellent story! I enjoy reading a good mafia story and this one is no exception. Reading about Chase and Summer as their story is beginning, and looking forward to following their story as it continues. Thank you Autumn.
Profile Image for Simplistic.
258 reviews1 follower
May 10, 2016
Miss Winchester done an excellent job for a first book. Dark Prince is book 1 of her Dark Prince Trilogy. You get to go into the life of Summer and Chase and find out about their lives that lead them to one another. Summer was a slave destined to be a Princess and Chase is her Prince, determined to save her and give her a better life. He just happens to be the Prince to the Throne of the Marcel Mafia family. Take a chance and delve into their story. I loved this story from start to finish and can't wait for it to be completed.
Profile Image for Cloe Michaels Reads.
44 reviews6 followers
February 7, 2017
The Dark Prince Trilogy by Autumn Winchester

Autumn captures the heart of the reader with this trilogy, the first book The Dark Prince is set with Case Marcel Prince of the Mob Marcel Family set to take over when his father Ivan retires. But Chase is not your ordinary Mafia Prince out for how much money his men can make for him, or for revenge for wrong doings done to his family. No Chase is determined to make the world a better place for his family and the world by ending human slavery, human trafficking, drugs and the selling of weapons.
Chase starts his mission in The Dark Prince by purchasing 2 female slaves Summer Meads and Clare her younger sister. Chase has always wanted to free Summer, he first met her when she was a skinny young girl of five upset because her father was making her live with him instead of with her mother Emma. Chase made a promise to that young girl on that day that he would free her. Little did he know that it would take him many years to fulfil that promise. Chase did at the first chance he could. Chase being Summer’s new handler forces Summer to marry him on her 18th birthday, you think he has not changed but he does this to protect her.
Throughout the book, Chase and Summer’s love develops slowly as Chase gently encouraged Summer to learn to think has an independent woman, after all the abuse and trauma she has lived through in her young life. She has never been her own person but the property of evil men that use and abuse a child. Chase is the even caring husband wanting what is best for Summer Allowing her to learn to make decisions about her own life slowly. There is a tragedy in this first book that affects them deeply and causes Summer to take a few steps backwards in becoming a strong you woman. Summer must face her demons both the living and those from her past. Summer learns of all those that tried to help her in her past but failed for different reasons. By the end of the book Summer realises what Chase always knew and that was she was a survivor and that she was loved
Autumn has written this book in a way that allows the reader to feel each emotion that the characters are going through. To what to scream at times when something goes wrong but also cheering when Summer makes a step in the right direction. This is not your typical mafia story all action packed with detailed love scenes but more a tragic love story that must stand the test of time and adversity that comes at them at all corners. You sit and wonder as you read the first book how much more can these two go through, when will they get a break and their happy ever after. The first books set the scene for the journey these to loves must face and how they overcome it.

The second book in the trilogy is called Becoming His Princess
In this one we are again joined by Chase and Summer. In this book, Summer is kidnapped and what the kidnappers will do to Summer before Chase can find her has him worried sick about it, while terrifying Summer. There is only one scene where the kidnappers have their way with Summer but only to a certain point and the details are not too graphic. Chase is on a mission to find her before it is too late. What Chase does not know is that Summer has a way out, her escape and that there are some of Chases men on the inside helping Summer escape her captives and get to safety.
This is the start of Summer’s journey in becoming the princess that Chase need to change the world. Summer also meets two of her uncles but in this book, does not know this all she knows is they are helping her escape and hide her away from everyone including Chase and the man looking for her.
Though this book is about both Chase and Summer’s journey into becoming who they need to be it does focus on Summer’s start of her transformation. If you have read the first book, then you will defiantly want to read this one just to see the changes being made in both Summer and Chasse. It is also the bridging book between books one and book three. Setting the reader up for what they can expect from book three.



Book three the final chapter is: Princess of Darkness
This book is the climax of everything that has been set up in the first two books the story line continues with Chase searching for Summer. Summer spending time with her uncles in Colorado learning to be the Princess that she was destined to be.
Summer (known as Grace in this book) learns how to take down her emery, how to use anything for a weapon and how to be point blank spot on target with a gun. Grace makes a new friend in this book. She discovers herself and become a woman of great inner strength that she never realised she had. This book Grace also finds out her life story from her uncles, who her real father is and what she must do to protect those that she loves the most. This book Grace does without any questions what she needs to do to take her role as princess of the Marcel family. She also finally believes that she deserves to be princess and the princess that Chase should have.



This series is an easy to read Mafia series, the details that are given about the lives of the characters is believable but not graphically that it might cause reader to become upset by what they read. I would recommend this series to anyone looking for a good well written series that is in the genre of crime, love and mafia. It has suspense, intrigue but also written in a way that you feel and experience the development of each character as they face the challenges those around them have put them in. there is no real graphically detail sexual scenes. But the love scenes that are written showing the gentleness of Chase, how he wants to cherish and treasure his princess. Wanting to love her in ways that she has never experienced. To show her the art of love making
Though there are some very sick, twisted evil characters in this series there is mention of what they want to do to Summer, how they want to torture her but there are no details of this happening to Summer either in her past or her present. The author has been careful to give away enough details to explain Summer’s life but not to be too explicit.
Ultimately this is a story of love that has had to stand the test of time and the true evilness of the world. It is also about one finding themselves with and without the help of others the tests one must take and learn from while doing that. It is about the inner strength one must have to continue living through such adversity and trauma, how much can one person’s mind, body and spirit can take before they give up.

Profile Image for ⏃ : ✦ villainous_vixen ⏃ : ✦.
777 reviews114 followers
June 12, 2016
*Received a copy for an honest review*

There are so many emotions running through my head. I just finished this book, and I am beyond amazed at how good this book was!

I am a hard core fan of Mafia, Bratva, Mob romance. I have read countless books that resolve around this genre. I will also say it's my favorite. Now I am new to author Autumn Winchester, and I will say this, I can't wait for what she comes up with next. Hopefully she will make a sequel.

Just looking at the cover gave me chills. Our heroine Summer Meads, is a former slave. She is lost, broken, and alone. Barely hanging on, she just want's this madness to end. Her wish is granted when Chase Marcel walks back into her life. Her Dark Prince.

Chase, what can I say he was a love/hate kind of character. He knows what Summer goes through every day, and he want's it to stop. The only way is for him to marry her. He cares so much for her, and would do anything to give her a better life!

The storyline was really good, lot's of action, betrayal, and love.
But the question is, will there new found marriage last?
Read to find out.

I highly recommend if you are a mafia lover, such as myself.
Profile Image for Simplistic.
258 reviews1 follower
April 16, 2016
Miss Winchester done an excellent job for a first book. Dark Prince is book 1 of her Dark Prince Trilogy. You get to go into the life of Summer and Chase and find out about their lives that lead them to one another. Summer was a slave destined to be a Princess and Chase is her Prince, determined to save her and give her a better life. He just happens to be the Prince to the Throne of the Marcel Mafia family. Take a chance and delve into their story. I loved this story from start to finish and can't wait for it to be completed.
Profile Image for Paula Genereau.
3,008 reviews39 followers
May 20, 2016
Wow!!! This book was awesome. I really loved it. It kept me in all kinds of suspense. Chase is one determined person. He's planned for years to change his mafia family. He met a girl named Summer as a child. She is a slave. The only way for him to save her is to marry her. Will this be a bad idea or will it work

I can't wait to read more by this author.
Profile Image for Monica.
202 reviews
April 17, 2016
A story of a young woman finding her way our of the darkness and finding her Prince.
Profile Image for April Conaway.
42 reviews
August 3, 2017
I was actually decently happy with this book. Could it have been better yes. It wasn't as dark as I expected. I just like my mafia men to be more dominant, rough, violent etc towards other people. Chase, he was a good start had good bones as a character but I would love to see him be more rough, dark hearted with the mafia bits. I do like how he was more tender with Summer. Overall it wasn't a bad read. I did skim through a good majority of the flashbacks after I read the first few. You can tell it's a flashback the font changes. I just felt there was to many and didn't really help me with the story. Starting the next book in the series to see what happens with Sarah.
Profile Image for Le Ann.
88 reviews
March 13, 2018
DNF. I always finish a book no matter how bad, but I just couldn't do it; half way through this one I finally gave up. This book is so boring. There was so much redundant rambling on about emotions and feelings that the story line disappeared. The main characters were constantly contradicting themselves and were so sappy I couldn't stand it.
Profile Image for Lisa mcgreavy.
45 reviews
November 25, 2017
Wow

I love the book and now going to read the next instalment you picture chase rugged and hard then you can picture him soft I really like chase haha not to sure of summer though good author deserved a 5* rating
276 reviews2 followers
February 23, 2022
Loved it!!!

I loved this book. I love their story so far. Chase is an amazing man. He kept his promise. Can't wait to see were this goes. Must read series!!!
Profile Image for Dusty Summerford (Reviews by Reds).
339 reviews27 followers
June 30, 2016
**Received a copy in exchange for an honest review**

This book caught my attention from the blurb alone. I was definitely loving the story, however I would suggest some editing. The errors would pull me out of the story and I would have to reread. But... The story alone deserves 4 stars!! So overall, a great debut for Autumn Winchester.

You follow Chase whom is the leader of the infamous Marcel Mafia Family. He has big plans for the mafia family. Chase met a girl named Summer as a child. She is a slave now. So Chase buys her.
It is a very intriguing story. It just needs some finishing touches.
Profile Image for Yvonne Evans.
431 reviews9 followers
August 1, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. The characters are complex and the interaction between them and the story is amazing. This story is a tragic love story and I was actually rooting for the couple, some of the characters even had me shaking my head and telling them off called one a dumb notch. I enjoy watching the characters change throughout the story they grow and deal with their emotional issues and your actually pulling for them. I would recommend this book as a really enjoyable read hope there is a second one because it kind of leaves you hanging.
Profile Image for Rachelle Reads .
255 reviews5 followers
June 26, 2016
Needs work

There is a good story in here but it's in desperate need of an editor and fleshing out the many over abundance of nonessential details. Also I really cannot see a man in the Mafia saying "Heck and Heavens" those phrases have a very feminine feel to them.

I've read many Mafia stories and this one is on the lighter side.
161 reviews9 followers
November 30, 2016
Decent story needs editor

From the beginning to the very end it was a good story of a Mafia Prince and his princess. It's not your typical love story or even Mafia romance but has a difference that makes the characters seem believable.

Only issue I have is the poor editing. Get the issue resolved and you have a decent book.
Profile Image for Saucy Sierra.
526 reviews79 followers
January 5, 2017
Blah.

It was a very frustrating book to get through. The Dark Prince. Don't bother if you like "darker erotic mafia books". The title and description are very misleading. BUT! I cannot not read the rest of the trilogy. Maybe book 2 will be better. And be edited.
Profile Image for Ginger  Snaps .
141 reviews6 followers
January 11, 2017
Loved the book strangely the prince was not as dark as the future princess though it's really her story that is highlighted and I feel for her so much. Which is good thing in my opinion you can't feel bad and care for a character you don't like and I certainly loved both main characters.
Profile Image for Windy Harris.
106 reviews2 followers
June 18, 2016
Wish it was more to thus

Wish it would have ended better to many stones unturned a a long read....... If there is another book I hope it has closure can't say I will read it
Profile Image for Renae Brock.
6 reviews2 followers
October 19, 2016
Fantastic book, it keeps you wanting more. It is going to be a great series. Highly recommend
2,617 reviews23 followers
April 9, 2017
this was a awesome book i read! its about a young woman who has been put through hell as a young child all because she was born into the mafia world. she is sold to a mafia prince and he treats her like a quenn, but at what price is she going to pay for all this? thanks for giving me a chance to read this book!
Profile Image for Karen Mossman.
Author 31 books193 followers
October 7, 2017
This is a strange one, I haven't quite read a book like this before, so I shall start by telling you why this is a fantastic story.

I've never heard of Autumn Winchester before this, so had no idea what her writing style was like. This woman knows how to tell a compelling story. It was such a great read as it tells of poor Summer and what she went through and her prince coming to her rescue.

There was also the story of other characters and they were equally as interesting. The Mafia world, the hits, the drugs, the sex and the horror were all weaved into the background. I just loved it. It was a fabulous read.

Sadly, there were major problems with this book as it had lots of errors. Things like missing words, or the wrong word - sight for site, and know for no. Words were often repeated in consecutive sentences. The formatting was off, the paragraphs had double spaces between them, and separators in the paragraphs sometimes appeared in the middle other times at the side. I found it over wordy and desperately needed a good editor to sort it out.

I don't give negative reviews and this is NOT a negative review. If I don't like a book, I will not finish it. I read this one right to the end.

Despite all its faults, I would still highly recommend it. It's an adult story you can get lost it. It deserves to be the very best it can be because Autumn Winchester is a fantastic story teller. She knows how to weave intrigue, mystery, murder, crime and romance all into a fine story line.

This book should be 5 stars, but I can only four and for the storyline, it doesn't deserve to 3 stars.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews

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