Cover Image: Dubious

Dubious

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Member Reviews

Gabriel and Valentina , this was a new author for me but I enjoyed the storyline and the main characters. If you like a dark romance then this is your book.

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Dubious was pretty standard fare mafia romance. He has some leverage over her, for whatever reason he wants her, he forces her, then they fall in love.
I love a good alpha story and Gabriel is that man. He is cruel and his downright dirty fantasies brought to life with Valentina were insanely erotic. She is the perfect 'pet' in his dark world and I could see her being the only light besides his incorrigible daughter Carly. Valentina is a noble woman and would do anything to save her brain-damaged brother Charlie from the sad lives they lead in the dangerous part of Johannesburg. I admired her tenacity and her ability to juggle so much in her young life.

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I LOVED Dubious. My heart broke and my stomach clenched for Valentina and her brother Charlie who had brain damage from a car accident and the predicament she found herself in being held captive by Gabriel & his sick and very twisted gangster family. It was exactly what i love to read in a dark and mob romance.

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I tried really hard to like this book. I thought that the description of it was so wonderful and good! Sadly however, I was left very disappointed by it.

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A story written in dual POV which gives the reader more of the thoughts and feelings of the main characters and brings it closer to the reader.
A story with tension, suspense and passion. Likeable characters that has a nice chemistry between them.
A bad boy that goes for the woman he wants and turns out to be very sweet and not at all the bad boy.
Drama, romance, danger, run away and twists are mixed in the story but it was sometimes a bit confusing and not clear to me. A cliffhanger to make it worse.
But enjoyable and engaging.

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I received this book free to review from Netgalley.


This is a story set in an alternate universe where crime has taken over. Gabriel is a crime lord known as the breaker and Valentina is studying to be a vet while taking care of her mentally handicapped brother. Valentina in a round about way comes into debt under Gabriel, on the orders to kill her to collect he decides to move her into his home and take the payment out any way that he sees fit for 9 years. The characters are fairly well developed and for a dark romance I really liked this one. That is one of my favorite genres so it was easy to fall in love with this one. I liked the storyline, it's not believable as I don't think it's meant to be, there were plenty of details that kept it interesting and made me want to keep reading. This one was a quick read for me and I couldn't wait to carry on.

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This book was amazing! Just the right touch of dark and intriguing. I felt like i was at the edge of my seat almost the entire time and had to finish right away. Basically i read the whole book in one night. Cant wait to read part two.

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I've always been a lover of Charmaine Pauls novels but Dubious took her writing to a next level. I loved it. This book was dark and at times disturbing, yet to me it did not read as a completely dark depraved novel, as Charmaine took us on a journey with Gabriel and Valentina.
From property to sex toy, we see how Gabriel slowly begins to fall in love with Valentina in spite of the fact that he is supposed to eventually kill her.
This twisted novel will leave you with a range of emotions. From anger to sadness to concern you will love every moment of it. The cliff hanger ending will have you stunned.
Dubious is book 1 in the Loan Shark Duet. With well-developed complex characters, a fascinating but troubled story-line, steamy scenes and a range of amazing supporting characters, this novel will have you hooked until the end, will leave you wondering what just happened and have you anxiously awaiting what comes next.
This page-turner was a riveting read and I can't wait to begin part 2 in this series.
**I Voluntarily reviewed and ARC of this novel.**

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This book was passionate, loving, and some parts were funny in an entertaining way.

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This is the first book of two in The Loan Shark Duet series and ends in a cliffhanger. The second book, Consent is available so you won't have to wait to find out the ending. This was a great book with lots of suspense, danger and twists. Gabriel is a loan shark and he meets Valentina when he is sent to kill her and her brother. Magda is his evil mother who vows to kill Valentina if he doesn't. No spoiler here, but this is a very intense book with passion and chemistry that's off the charts. Well written with developed characters and an entertaining story line. A great book that I received Net Galley and voluntarily chose to write a review.

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This is the first book by this author that I've read. This is the first book in this series. This story is heart wrenching from the start. This book has a cliff hanger ending so be warned have book 2 waiting. I just couldn't put this book down. Amazing characters with an exceptional story. On to see how the story unfolds.



Highly recommended

I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book

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Like the blurb, it gives off eerie vibes and that's what the story is all about.

It's a proper kill and run gone wrong

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It was interesting and enough to peak my interest. However, the story was something that I've read before. It wasn't fresh or original.

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Loved it! I was hooked from beginning to end. Great characters and an excellent story.

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Dubious by Charmain Pauls is part 1 of the Loan Shark Duet. This book ends on a cliffhanger. I would suggest part 2 be close at hand when reaching the end of part 1.

Valentina's brother found himself indebted to the infamous loan shark Gabriel the Breaker. Valentina has always felt responsible for her older brother Charlie. During Valentina's teenage years Charlie was in a severe accident that caused his brain damage and took their parents lives. When the money owed to Gabriel is more than Valentina can pay, she agrees to become Gabriel's live-in help.

Valentina and Gabriel eventually form a believable romantic bond. Their attraction to each goes beyond the physical. It is clear Gabriel cares for Valentina, and despite her situation, she begins to care for him. Gabriel's past is not conducive to a proper relationship, but he does his best to keep Valentina content. Valentina's compassion and patience help her bond with Gabriel. Gabriel's mother, the leader of their illegal activities, is mentally abusive to Gabriel and has been his entire life. When Magda repeatedly threatens Valentina's life, Gabriel does everything he can to keep Valentina safe. Valentina has a horrible set of circumstances that surround her parent's death and her brother's need for care. Their pasts create the desire to find comfort in each other, further drawing them into a relationship.

At its heart, this book is a very dark romance. Valentina is essentially Gabriel's indentured servant with little choice in what happens to her in his care. Valentina is unable to say no to Gabriel, and she is fully aware that his mother is not at all happy with her presence. I had to suspend these thoughts at times to enjoy the book, but in the end, I accepted their connection. I will most definitely be continuing their tale.

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Oh, Gabriel. So dark and depraved and delicious. Dubious is sort of a slow burn, in a way. It’s perfectly described in the titles of these books. I loved every minute. I enjoyed the tension between the characters. It’s stressful in the best way. I’m hoping all the pain is worth it in the end of this duet!

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Absolutely amazing!! Part 1 of the Loan Shark Duet has grabbed hold of me and held me captive from start to finish! This read was addicting in the best way possible. Valentina is such a strong person who will do what she must for those she loves dearly. Gabriel is not one to mess with and everyone knows that. When their paths collide it’s in a tragically beautiful way and all that follows is not for the weak of heart.

A total MUST-READ!!! I’m beyond ready to dive into part 2 of this duet!!!

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I loved the characters in this book. They were both strong but broken. I almost felt like Gabriel was Valentina's own special angel. I know he was holding almost as a slave, but she was better off with him and her brother was being taken care of. The only thing was that he was not with her. Her brother I mean. At the end of the book I went right to Amazon and purchased the second book loved it

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Yes! Yes! Yes!! Finally, a book that isn't your typical "romantic norm"! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a sweet romance any day, but a lot of the romance novels of late have become so predictable with each using the same storyline. Reading this book was refreshing because it is unlike any other. For one, Gabriel is not what you'd expect. He isn't a handsome billionaire heart throb that women swoon over and is far from the hero type. He has a facial deformity that has left him unattractive as well as other issues; I loved that part. He's dark, brooding and easy to hate but I love the "relationship" between him and Valentina. It began as a hate/hate kind of thing. Although she was afraid of him in the beginning, she looked beyond all of his flaws and grew to care for him while he unleashed feelings within she'd never felt. This book is dark, gritty, sexy and a definite page turner! Read it, you will not be disappointed!

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First I am so in love with this book. The concept reminded me of Twist Me but this story is completely different. It started off as Gabriel being in control but he really wasn't. He controlled everything but Valentina. She just didn't know how much control she had over him. He did everything in his power to save her then she left and is unprotected. I can't wait to read the next part of this duet.

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