5 stars. This was super freaking addicting! Right from the very beginning I was drawn in and hooked on to the story and I was dreading come to the end. This could’ve easily been 2x longer than what it is and I would’ve been perfectly happy.

I knew this was going to be a dark read but this was brutal at times! It was intense and just an overall very heavy book which honestly, if I’m going to read adult romantic suspense novels, the darker the better. This definitely delivered on that front.

This was my first book by this author and I am super impressed with her writing style. I loved it. She did a great job with the pacing, the story was intriguing, the setting was so different (it’s set in South Africa!) and the characters were perfectly flawed and fucked up. There were just so many elements to this that just worked for me.

Valentina was a great character. Despite her situation I feel like she stayed true to herself all the way through. She was so strong and so kind that it was easy to root for her. I felt for her so much and yet she still preferred to look at the positive side of things in a situation that could’ve easily broken her. It was admirable. I also love the way she took care of her brother, Charlie, which that entire situation ripped my heart out. So good.

Gabriel is an enigma and I hate that I love him so much. There is so much more to his character than the surface level and I really enjoyed seeing just how complexed and twisted he was. I just can’t wrap my head around his character but I was so infatuated the more he opened up and let his guard down even a little bit. I want more of his character because there’s still so much more to know about him.

Overall, this was a fantastic read and I’m looking forward to the second and final book.

A twisted steamy smoking hot romance book that is shocking but you can't put it down. A great introduction to this series

Dubious
The Loan Shark Duet #1
Charmaine Pauls
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I wasn't too sure I would like this when I first started to read it. It's a very dark book and I didn't like the path it was taking. But I kept reading and surprisingly I started enjoying the story. I had a hard time wrapping my head around how Valentina could have feelings towards Gabriel. But as I continued I could picture the two of them ending up together.

It was a surprise that the book takes place in South Africa, but it was a welcomed change of scenery. It has some hot scenes that are very well written, and the plot gets you going through the book at a very fast pace.

Shame the way the portuguese were depicted, but that's a personal view only ;).

I absolutely adored this book, and I can't wait to see how it all plays out in the sequel, Consent. Fair warning, if forced seduction bothers you in a book, steer clear of this one. If not, this a great book, with well developed, believable characters, and an intriguing plot.
The way the view skips from Valentina, to Gabriel, and back again, works really well, giving the reader a good look into the thoughts and motivations of both main characters.

Loved this! The book drew me in and I wanted to know more. So many unexplained avenues still needs to be explored in the next book. If readers are unfamiliar with South Africa, they might find some things confusing (ie rand is currency)

A whole lot of no for me. Erotica doesn't mean rape or sexual assault. This book needs a trigger warning. I stopped reading after Val was assaulted by the small time crook.

How do you fix something that is broken...even when you glue the pieces back together it will never be the same... Gabriel is the most sadistic, cold-hearted, broken, masochistic bastard...and yet you find a way to love him in spite of. Underneath all the coldness lies a heart and you get the feeling that he is not inherently evil but has become what his mother and father have made him. Valentina is one of the strongest female leads I have bonded with and rooted for with every fiber of my being. She loves with her entire mind, body, and soul and even when you know there is no way she can take any more pain and suffering she finds a way out of no way. This story has all the elements of a heart pounding, stay up all night, type of book and I did just that.(I was up until 3am!) I was invested in this couple like no other and I wanted them to experience the love that life had denied them for so long. Their love story is different, a little bit sadistic, a little bit sad, all-consuming but oh so sexy. This is definitely a must read.

Absolute amazing read! Could not put it down! Am dying to know what happens with Gabriel and Valentina!!

This is the first book I've read from this author and I absolutely loved it. This book is perfect for readers who enjoy a good mafia read and dark romance. This ends with a huge cliffhanger and I can't wait to see what happens next. Whatever happens I hope Gabriel finds Valentina before his mother Magda does because she is looking for any reason to get rid of Valentina, and Valentina just signed her own death warrant for the second time. The first time she was saved by an angel or better yet "The Breaker." As head of one of the most powerful families Magda doesn't believe in second chances and I have a feeling it will become mother vs. son with Valentina in the middle. However, Valentina may hold power over all of them if she can live long enough. I cant wait to start the next book. This book is definitely worth reading.

4.5 “you’re my property “ stars
Gabriel Louw is a marked, scarred and tortured Loan Shark who was sent to take out Valentina and her brother for not paying their debt. Instead Gabriel spares them and forces Valentina into slavery for 9 years to pay off her debt.
The story takes place in South Africa using the Rand currency which is about 75C American Dollars for every 1 Rand.
This story is both a back plot that is sexually based and one that is all character development. We hate the characters we are supposed to hate, we feel bad for Valentina and boy does Gabriel really confuse us.

This story is filled with sex, BDSM, and even <spoiler> forced pregnancy </spoiler>
And I am off to book 2

But let me leave you some delicious bits

<b> the only connection between us is his cock that slams violently into my body. An ache spreads inside of me. He pulls back and does it again; stretching and burning me with that dull pain that tells me he is too rough. He fucks me so hard my body shifts up to the headboard. Over and over he pounds into me, and all I can do is hold on while I give him everything I’ve got. With every thrust he growls, keeping his face turned away from me. He’s never taken me this brutally before and even as it hurts my soul revels in his possession. For now, I don’t care that I’m a price tag and an empty body. I just want to be his </b>
<i> I can’t honor my promise. I hope you’ll forgive me. </i>

This was a great story filled with intrigue and suspense. The author created some great characters and an engaging storyline. There was a great combination of emotional angst, mafia elements, and romance. The chemistry between Gabriel and Valentina was very well done and one of my favorite parts of the story. It had elements of darkness that some may be sensitive to, but I absolutely loved it. The story ends on a cliffhanger that has me excited to read the second book. I am glad to have found a great new author to follow!

Steamy, Intense, Emotional...

These words are not enough to describe how amazing this story is, I devoured it and I fell in love with the plot and the characters from the first page.

I don't wanna spoil anything, so I'll stick with the things that made me keep reading without being able to take my eyes away from the book.

*Twists and secrets are two things that will definitely draw you deep and will surprise you many times!

*Steamy, hot scenes with "dirty" sexy dialogues that are going to wet many panties! (you've been warned!)

*And of course our amazing, bold characters!

Gabriel and Valentina are two bold personalities with deep "scars", I found myself connected with them and their stories, the darkness inside them is what will make them the perfect match for each other.

At the beginning, I was a little bit confused with Gabriel and his intentions but page after page his character won me and I can say that he is one of my favorite heroes and as a girl is also my favorite from the two of them.. and by that, I don't mean that I don't like Valentina but I have the tendency to like more the male characters..

As I said they have deep scars, Gab has corporal, emotional scars and a mysterious vibe that made me feel goosebumps many times. As for Valentina, she also has many dramatic, painful memories.. the thing that is very admirable about her character is her emotional strength (a really tough nut to crack), all the things that she had to accomplish about her studies and how she cares for her sweet brother Charlie and also her repeatable fight for survival will make her one of the strongest heroines I've ever read!

It's so difficult, to sum up this review, there are so many things that I want to say but as I said I don't wanna give up any spoiler.. one tiny thing that I will give you is that the first book is ending with a huge cliffhanger, which personally left me with open mouth and lot's of questions about what will happen next.

The pace throughout the story and the plot with the characters develop steadily keeping the dynamic 'till the last page...

So, as you can see I really loved the story I most certainly recommend it and I can't wait to read the second part of the series!!

Fantastic. Can't wait for book two
Loved these two crafters. I'm so looking forward to see what happens next. I normally don't like cliffhangers but this book was fabulous

I absolutely loved this book, much to my surprise. I stayed up way too late trying to finish it, so be sure you have some extra time to spend on this one before you begin. This book takes place in South Africa, so some of the terms were unfamiliar to me, but not so much that you didn't get the gist.

Valentina lives in a run down neighborhood infested by crime and desperation. She cares for her older brother who suffers from a brain injury. She's also in school studying to be a vet, so she's not always home to be with him. She arrives one day to find her brother missing, only to find him gambling at a local club. Her brother manages to rack up a huge debt and can't pay, so a hit is put out on the two of them.

That's when Gabriel, one of the heads of the mafia, shows up at her house to carry out that hit, only he doesn't and takes Valentina as 'payment' for 9 years. At this point, I really hated Gabriel since it was so obvious that her brother didn't know what he was going and they took advantage of that. Plus, he was just a really big jerk and that's an understatement.

But this book reals you in right from the start and it's hard to hate the guy when what he does is protect her from his evil mother who just wants her dead so badly for some reason. The emotional connection these Gabriel and Valentina have protects her in this book, but how far will that get them in the next?

Gabriel is scarred in more ways than one, so he doesn't see himself as a handsome guy. But he has a soft side under that gruffness and Valentina and his daughter are really the only ones to ever see that. But unlike some books where the guy just pretends to be tough and bad, he really is a bad guy and should not be underestimated.

I liked Valentina because she was willing to do anything to protect her brother. That dedication and love made me really respect her. She was strong in her own way, even if being strong meant she had to submit to Gabriel and his demands. She was also determined to change their future, even if it was a bit naive. And her ability to get those hardened thugs (like Rhett and Quincy) to fall over their feet to please her was just amazing.

Because this book is dark and touches on subject that some may not be able to handle, read it with caution. It's not pretty and this is not some flowery romance. But it does hold your interest and keep you on edge the whole time. Plus, that ending makes you all the more ready to jump right into Book 2.

I enjoyed this. I didn't realise when I started reading the book that the story was set in South Africa, so that was a surprise. Although we are told about it in the story, I found it hard to picture the area/location the book is set in (I don't know much about South Africa to be able to imagine the story). I look forward to reading the next book in the series.

First of all ... Dubious is a dark romance that includes forced seduction, scene of sex, BDSM and violance. This is first novel of a two-part duet and ends on a cliffhanger. So, be warned!!

Dubious was my first book by Charmaine Pauls and it wont be the last for sure. Generally, the story was very engaging and intense but also hot and sexy, well presented and well thought out.

Our main hero, Garbiel, is a criminal who is scary and dangerous from the outside, but  there is some kind of vulnerability in him but he can't show that to anyone, even Valentine. She is innocente strong girl with a survival instinct, she will do anything  for her brother and herself. Even if it means that she must sacrifice her dream and her life.

With the course of events they emotions are changing, there is no more pure hate and lust between them. And I'm little surprised that He is the one, that first admitted his true feelings for her - even if it was only to himself. Usually it is a girl that is more this mushy about her feelings, than a big bad alpha male. But I thought it was very sweet. I like when a strong man have a sweet side.

 I really like this book. And now I need next book from this duet.  I have a feeling that it will be something good good good.

This is one those books I wasn't sure about. I have never read anything from this author. So there is was another reason why wasn't sure about this book. This book blew me away. Honestly I thought is was a book based in Vegas, no South Africa, which is new for me too. As I read the story it sucked me in. Valentina is lives in the worst crime infested part Johannesburg. Taking care of her big brother, who has brain damage, and is indebted to a loan shark. Gabriel is the loan shark who wants Valentina, instead of killing her.

Without giving more about the book. This book was dark. There are times when a dark romance is what is needed to get back in reading. I look forward the second book in this duet.

Definitely an interesting read. I enjoyed the character of Gabriel, but I wasn't in love with Val she was a little bit of a contradiction. Some of the characters were a hot mess, but that's what kept me reading. I look forward to the next book.

Having read a couple of books by Charmain Pauls I was excited to get reading this one and am so pleased I picked it up. ‘Dubious’ is a bit of a dark taboo read that reals you in from the beginning. This was a four star read for me.

Book one in a duet this gives you the introduction to Gabriel and Valentina’s story. Gabriel is a loan shark and out to collect payment in the form of getting rid of Charlie and his sister Valentina. However one look at Valentina and everything changes for Gabriel. Instead of killing Valentina he decides she can work off the debt I another way.

Through this book we find endearing qualities in Gabriel just as Valentina does and although taken to pay off her brother’s debt we find out just how much of a fighter Valentina can be. There was a lot more emotion to this story than I expected but then again it is Charmain Pauls so I shouldn’t have been surprised.

This is a book that definitely left me wanting more and I can’t wait to get some answers to the questions I was left with. Will be looking out for book 2 and anything else Charmaine Pauls comes up with.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.