Diamonds in the Rough by Charmaine Pauls

ABOUT THE BOOK

A DARK MAFIA ROMANCE

Girls like me, we know how to survive.

We each have our own little ways, but we acquire those skills at the same tender age.

If you ask me how many times a person can die, I'll tell you many times. As many times as a man stabs you in the stomach with betrayal and wrings out your heart with lies.

Girls like me, we live.

We don't get a choice.

We step over the cliff and fall.

Eat, sleep, die, and repeat.

* Diamonds in the Rough is Book 2 of the Diamonds are Forever Trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. Diamonds in the Dust (Book 1) must be read to follow the story. Diamonds are Forever (Book 3), which concludes the story, will be released on 15 September 2020.

Other novels in the Diamond Magnate collection:

Standalone Novel

Beauty in the Broken

Diamonds are Forever Trilogy

Diamonds in the Dust (Book 1) - 19 May 2020

Diamonds in the Rough (Book 2) - 14 July 2020

Diamonds are Forever (Book 3) - 15 September 2020

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

REVIEW

Diamonds in the Rough is the second story in the Diamonds Are Forever trilogy by Charmaine Pauls. Diamonds in the Rough ensnared me from the beginning. I could not set this early copy I received down. By the end, I was bouncing in my seat.

The men are very dominating, but the leads are not abusive to their women. It may upset readers sensitive to those topics, but I enjoy the depictions. Charmaine Pauls creates the most intriguing dark and sensual characters. 

After a tumultuous start, Zoe accepts her place with Maxime. His dominance becomes a passionate craving for her, and the couple begins the semblance of a relationship. When Maxime neglects to inform Zoe of crucial personal issues, Zoe has to determine what compromises she is prepared to make. 

Random Spoilery Thoughts: Maxime broke my heart. Zoe struggles, and when she finally reaches some peace with her complex situation, he consistently makes it worse. I believe this will be a harsh lesson for him, especially when those feelings he doesn't think exist smack him in the face. I absolutely cannot wait for the third Diamonds are Forever.

Diamonds in the Dust by Charmaine Pauls

ABOUT THE BOOK

A DARK MAFIA ROMANCE

Men like us, we see things.

We do things, things that make us unfeeling.

That's the price of power and money, of living la belle vie and running the French mafia. Then she came along like a pretty wildflower pushing through the cracks on a dirty pavement - fragile yet resilient, a breath of beauty among the filth. She was supposed to be just another job, a nameless person I was to pluck from her life and hand to my brother, nothing but a pawn in the gamble of our diamond business.

There's a psychological label for men like us.

We lack empathy and guilt.

We do things to have what we want, things that make flowers wilt.

* Diamonds in the Dust is Book 1 of the Diamonds are Forever trilogy and ends on a cliffhanger. Diamonds in the Rough (Book 2) will be released on 14 July 2020, and Diamonds are Forever (Book 3) on 15 September 2020.

Other novels in the Diamond Magnate collection:

Standalone Novel

Beauty in the Broken

Diamonds are Forever Trilogy

Diamonds in the Dust (Book 1) - 19 May 2020

Diamonds in the Rough (Book 2) - 14 July 2020

Diamonds are Forever (Book 3) - 15 September 2020

PURCHASE ON AMAZON

REVIEW

Diamonds in the Dust by Charmaine Pauls is the first in the Diamonds are Forever trilogy.  It also serves as a prequel to the Beauty in the Broken story, which for me, was a surprising benefit.  

This book is about dominance, as is a common theme by Charmain Pauls.  For this reason, it will most likely not appeal to everyone.  But what I love about her work is the emotional journey the characters traverse while coming to terms with their desires.  Her characters fight a battle of wills, but in the end, complement one another.  Once I start, I cannot put them down.

Maxime is dark, assertive, and seductive.  Zoe is struggling to come to terms with the severe changes in her life and her altering desires. By the end of Diamonds in the Dust, Zoe and Maxime have a long way to go, but I look forward to their journey.  

Deep Cover by Scarlett Cole

Amy and Cabe are working on different angles of a criminal case at the Lucky Seven Casino and a dedication to doing the right thing, for all of the parties involved, was a priority. A past crime involving Amy's mother supports her drive to stop the female disappearance at the Lucky Seven. Cabe and his team have a similar investment. Sokolov's crime syndicate has directly threatened the lives of family members of the Eagle Security team. They possess equal justification to make sure the casino becomes crime free. Bringing the villains down became as essential to me as it was to them. The team worked intelligently and well together, and it was clear they were all becoming great friends. I remained invested in the characters during the attempt to end these atrocities.

Amy's father is a professional poker player, and her uncle runs a casino. Due to her resources, she has the skills to go undercover at the Lucky Seven to investigate the missing women. As Amy goes undercover as a card dealer, the stress builds. The owner of the casino, Faulkner, has charm but at the same time, he crosses a line that justifies caution and suspicion. In contrast, Amy's direct supervisor Ortega is respectable with Amy and the rest of the staff. Who is helping Sokolov launder money if anyone? Who is responsible for the missing women, the indecent boss or the moral one? These questions fuel the anxiety. Cabe and Eagle Securities focus their attention on the money laundering. Cabe attempts to befriend Sokolov while covertly searching for the money switches. Cabe and the team do their job well. Cabe's instincts and reactions are appropriate to what I believe an ex-NAVY Seal would be. He is protective and keeps his team, which now includes Amy, safe.

I enjoyed Cabe but, his contribution is primarily guarding Amy's back. I would have liked to see Cabe play a more prominent role in the end battle, rather than just being Amy's knight in shining armor. Along the same lines, I felt an agent with Amy's qualifications could have needed less saving. I also sense Amy being more assertive in the face of danger would have made her more interesting. A  dynamic involving a couple fighting together is a delicate balance. I still found their decisions sound and them both to be capable in their jobs.

When reading romance novels, I am most committed when the plot surrounding the couple can stand on its own. I find that Deep Cover was one of these novels. Having said that, the romance in Deep Cover was also quite captivating. The characters, for justifiable reasons, decided not to pursue their attraction to each other. In high-pressure situations, that only lasts so long. When they give in to the chemistry between them, it is explosive. Well done there. This relationship develops while they are getting to know each other without bringing sex into the equation. I welcome this method as it is more believable. I recommend giving Deep Cover by Scarlett Cole a chance. I received this book from Netgalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest review.

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Indiscretions of A God by Sunniva Dee

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Indiscretions of a God by Sunniva Dee is the third book in the Porn Star Boyfriend series. Each book is a stand-alone novel, no prior knowledge of the series is necessary to enjoy this installment. Isaias is a mogul currently heading Lucid Entertainment, a high ranking company specializing in adult entertainment. Isaias is asked for a favor by family one evening and meets Tatiana, who is training to be a nun. The couple is immediately drawn to each other and keep getting thrown together. The attraction between them grows as danger closes in around them.

The emotional feel in this book is different for me than the other two books in the series. The threat from Isaias's mobster ties is the main drive in Indiscretions of a God, rather than the struggles derived from a partner making adult films. Within the crime thriller plot is the love story and a good one at that. Isaias and Tatiana have this sharp bantering they do which I enjoy. Isaias is quite rough around the edges and very full of himself, but Tatiana is a strong female character that gives as good as she gets. You get the hint early on Tatiana is more than she seems, and she is the perfect match for Isaias.

As always the time spent at Lucid is not just an opportunity to insert sexual encounters. Those present are there to do a job, and it is as respectable as it can be. There is a nice subplot here I later learned has a connection to a prior series, which I now plan on reading. One side note on a specific Lucid character I feel compelled to express, Belen is just horrible. I hated her personality in Twin Savage, and this book did not help my opinion in the least. If she ever gets a full story, she will have to work hard to gain my sympathy. She is very much an antagonist.

There many sides to the character's personalities in the Sunniva Dee stories I have read so far. I enjoy the realness of the emotions she creates. Love does not come easy for all people, trust is not automatic in couples, and not everyone easily obtains their happily ever after. These things are what keeps me coming back to the Porn Star Boyfriend series. I will be moving on to her other stories soon. All opinions are my own and may not match that of others. I urge all readers to come to their own conclusions.

Consent by Charmaine Pauls

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Consent by Charmaine Pauls is Part 2 of the Loan Shark Duet.  Consent begins with the cliffhanger that Dubious ended on.  For that reason, I would suggest reading Dubious before Consent.

I enjoyed Consent more than I did Dubious. With the first novel, I had a hard time getting past the way Gabriel made Valentina his property. Gabriel's past abuse tainted how he could express love, and Valentina wasn't as much of a prisoner as it seemed, but it still bothered me. In Consent, this changes. Gabriel and Valentina learn of a shared connection from their pasts. Due to this, they get free of his mother's hold over them. Although these past events were a terrible way to gain that freedom, it works to their advantage. The twist was welcome. I also loved the way their story unfolds so that they can be together. Valentina gains control and is no longer at Gabriel's mercy.

Be warned this is a dark romance. There is a strong domination/submission theme in this book. I had slight issues with their story because of Gabriel's possessiveness, but in the end, I thought it turned out beautifully for the couple. I applaud the author for ridding my unease with Valentina's relationship with Gabriel. I recommend giving Dubious and Consent a try.

All opinions are my own and may not match that of others. I encourage readers to come to their own conclusions. I voluntarily received an ARC copy of this book through NetGalley.