Received an ARC of Consent by Charmaine Pauls in exchange for an honest review

This book is the second in a duet so you do need to read the first Dubious before diving into this AMAZING story !!!!!

Let me begin by saying how talented Charmaine Pauls is as a writer. This book not only touched my heart but my soul as well - there are several places where I found myself thinking how does this author know how to convey exactly what it feels like for example to be devastated by a loved ones suicide or to be a character that should be so broken by all that has happened & yet always maintain a positive attitude & outlook ....

A few spoilers ahead but they do not give the story away .... Consent starts with Valentina on the run however after exhausting almost all his resources Gabriel does find her bringing her back to live with him where he discovers she is still pregnant with his child. Their story has a number of plot twists & some very unexpected events occur not only for the 2 main characters but also for the secondary characters as well ...

If I rate both book together they are easily 10+ Stars !!! All the details and loose ends are tied up very well in this book with the very important - significance of finding a wedding band ( I won't tell you who's )

This book is captivating - romantic - sexy & you just can't put it down !!! There is an amazing HEA that stays with you ... for me am amazing book is one I would definitely re-read again & again & again keeping with my favorites of all time ! Consent is easily both ✅ It serves as a reminder that true love is always meant to be ❤️❤️

Wooooooooooo! What a wild ride of emotions. I literally could not put it down. I read the whole thing in 24 hours I was so taken by this story and the characters. I have to say this book has given me all of the emotions. Every single one. I have so thoroughly enjoyed these books. Such an amazing story. These books were the first read from this author and they will FOR SURE not be my last. BEST BEST BEST possible end to the story in my opinion. It is going to be hard for me to find another book the way I have enjoyed this one.

I very highly recommend this book to EVERYONE!

So You Must Read the First Book Dubious BEFORE reading this as it is the second part of a Duet and the first book is a Cliffhanger! So Two full Novels, please read in order, or else you are going to be out in left field! Also this is def for 18 yrs and older so be advised, Hot Sex is involved, Nothing that should trigger problems as nothing is ever forced!

Oh Goodness very good storytelling by Charmaine Paul's! She brings you to the brink of thinking you might know something is about to happen and well she spins the corkscrew round and round some more and bam then she lets the string bounce your backwards...I truly loved Valentina, Charlie and Kris and yes even Gabriel and SOME of the side characters grow on ya! Oh something that happens with Charlie and then Valentina is just a wowzer, I was so damn mad....

It is a great love story though and it has a lot of very sad parts to it, and it has people intertwined more than you would have Ever Imagined! The things that happen just make you shake your head and wonder what the hell is wrong with people, regardless of were they live in the country, a gross perverted darkness can grow and fester inside of some people, people you know can be bad but you just never think they can truly be so Dark inside and it makes you wonder what happened in their young lives or yet if it is/was always about Money! Some people show true colors and some like to blend and live into the Grey and to me the worst are those lying blenders....

Gabriel who I do not even think of as The Breaker now, he has been so hurt in life that it just made him Hard as Hell! He truly does try to be as decent a sort of a man to Valentina that he can be in his mothers home. He figures out some secrets she has but not all of them as does Val, but she gets to be so trusting because her body betrays her, she does learn that a woman's body can be trained to Want and want it does! She learns that she got one mighty fine teacher and it is Hot, as in 18 yrs and older advised hot

Gabriel has been led through life to dovery terribly bad and scrupulous things in life and well he is not just Hard as a Shell and he is deeply scarred from it as well. As big a man as he is he has had many things happen to him physically. I am not spoiling those because they belong to this wonderful storyteller to tell you, how he gets them, about an ex wife and their daughter Carly who is well spoiled as she is the only thing not tainted in Gabriels life and her mother, well lets just say her and Magda are two pees in a pod...they are they type of women that get what they want and they want money and that is exactly how they are trying to raise Carly and as a teenager that's lived with her dad she comes to not appreciate her dads rules anymore and well you will learn all about Carly and her momma and well everyone!

And I will be looking forward to other books by Charmaine Pauls as this was my first time reading this authors wonderful work. I thank the author for giving me a chance to read BOTH ebook Advance Copies of this Duet for my honest review I truly enjoyed every minute and I went from one book right into the other the anticipation was Oh so worth it! I know the release of these two will be close so do not fear the cliffhanger it's so worth it, I promise!!! At least it isn't months in between, I have never been given a completes Duet to review and I love that they were finished, she had this thought out well!!! I also thank NetGalley! And I am telling ya folks if you love a Dark Suspenseful Romance, well you Need to read this book, it is Great, Bravo Charmaine Pauls I Loved it!
This book had me so very twisted and torn up and times, you will probably need tissues and might want to throw your Kindle a few times!

I loved the first book, Dubious, and was very excited to read this one. It did not disappoint!
These characters attached to my heart and did not let go. I loved them from the first book, and they kept their character and opinions through the series.
I highly recommend this book if you like erotic and alpha men!

The end to Gabriel and Valentina's story has so many twists, turns, deaths and mystery that it is completely unexpected. Surviving isn't enough anymore. Valentina is in love with her domineering, controlling, tormenting, protective, doting husband. Caught up in an expected pregnancy, she runs from Gabriel and the darkness that he promises. She is certain he doesn't want their baby. He impregnated her in order to save her life. He is completely captured by her. She is in love with him. She knows he won't believe her until she is free and can repeat the words willingly. Then the unexpected happens. The truth about her attack finally comes out. The villains and the length of their betrayal turn everything inside Gabriel dark. He wants revenge. She wants to start over. There is nothing Gabriel won't do for her... Consent is intense, unexpected, heartbreaking, filled with sadness and hope. She knows the truth in her heart and she won't stop until she gets back everything she lost. A new woman arises from the ashes. She is determined to provide for her family, to keep them safe, and to find Gabriel. I loved consent and the HEA that they both deserved.

I really liked this read. There are plots and twists that you know are coming, but don't see THAT happening!! I mean what gives??!!?? Sooo worth the read. The plot twisting itself is worth it! Great job and great read!! Gabriel and Magda with their relationship! I knew Magda was mean, but that woman I really really really despised! There is so much that happens. Must read series!!

I received this E-ARC from the publisher via Net Galley for my honest opinion. Thank you Net Galley!!

Get out the tissues. You will need them for this conclusion to Gabriel and Valentina’s story. This story runs the gamut of emotions. I was furious, excited, sad, hopeful and happy. I wanted to throw the book at the wall a couple of times with Gabriel and whole attitude. Valentina lives through more in a year than anyone should have to live through. Can this woman catch a break? I love how she never gives up and it pays off in the end. Yeah, still crying…..but tears of joy.

Well Charmaine has done it again! You have once again sucked me into the world of Val and Gabriel and I couldn't get enough. The plot twist in this story kept you guessing what was going to happen next and at one point and you know where I wanted to throw the book down and scream NOOO this is not happening! I can't wait for your next book to come out!!

This book was just as good as part 1 and only builds on the developing story. I would definitely read more books by this author.

Arc provided in exchange for honest review from Netgalley

I absolutely loved both books! Consent, the second book of Loan Shark Duet was an emotional roller coaster ride! This book was just as good if not better than the first in the set. The ups and downs kept me reading and not wanting to put the book down or for it to End!! I adored both Valentina and Gabriel and how their twisted beginning turned into something they both could not live without. Despite the sad parts, Consent was an exceptional ending to this fantastic story.

I didn't like this second book as much as the first one,but Charmaine Paul clearly got a new fan I can't wait to see what she's going to do next

Kindly provided with an ARC via the Author and Netgalley in Exchange for an Honest Review.......

Oooh I sooo wanted the next part of this read and I was VERY happy with the outcome !!!
Consent continues Gabriel and Valentina's story. Valentina's taken off and Gabriel's HOT on her heels and NO is NOT in his vocabulary !!!. I loved reading about Charlie, Quincy and Rhett as back characters as I think of them but who are all integral to the plot. Valentina is such a strong, feisty character who wants to show the world she can survive and stand on her own two feet. Then the next breath she is putty in Gabriel's hands *sighs and swoons*.

This was such a edgy, dark, emotional but beautiful read. I just LOVE Charmaine's work and this finale to The Loan Shark Duet did not disappoint me as a reader and a fan !!. I would recommend Charmaine's books to any and all !

Massive Thumbs Up Charmaine ! If only if only Gabriel was real !!!!!!

Many thanks for the opportunity xx

Later peeps xxx

This author shines writing erotic romance especially with the backdrop of the mob lifestyle, which I love!
-----
I had to add to this review after I thought about this book for a few days. Charmaine needs to write erotic suspense exclusively. Her other books are wonderful but I was BLOWN away by 'Consent'. I loved that regardless of how emotionally stunted Gabriel was he always had some show of tenderness towards Valentina. There was nothing overdone or eye roll worthy which I find happens a lot when I'm reading other authors. So best part - once I finish reading 'Consent' I rush to amazon to see when book 2 is released and to my dismay THIS one doesn't come out until October! So I go to netgalley to see if there's a release date for book 2 and Christmas came early this year!!!!! I looked up the books penned by Ms.Paul and found book 2!(Dubious) . Seriously made my day, I could've never waited, not even until October. Ok I'm done rambling.

Bottom line: there needs to be more erotic suspense authors like Charmaine. I ate this up, I haven't been this giddy over a book in a long time.

After reading the first instalment in this ‘The Loan Shark Duet’ I was eager to read what happened next and I wasn’t disappointed. ‘Consent’ by Charmaine Pauls was a brilliant end to the series and a four star read.

Gabriel and Valentina’s story literally continues on from where things left off in book one. Thinking that Gabriel would be angry with her Valentina is on the run but having giving little thought to how she will survive Valentina finds herself quite desperate. After searching for her Gabriel finds her and brings her home.

The characters in this definitely evolve from the characters they were when we first met them in the first book and it was great to see. Full of twists and turns, some expected but some not this book keeps you engaged and enthralled right up to the last word. This was a great duet by Charmaine Pauls and she gave a brilliant conclusion to Gabriel and Valentina’s story. For me it cemented how much I enjoy the writing of Charmaine Pauls.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A fantastic conclusion to the 1st part of the story (Dubious). I was still glued to every page. You could tell where the story was heading and certain things happened in the story to help the story along. Still very enjoyable.

5 stars. This was such an emotional ending to the duology and I loved every heart stopping moment of it. While the first book was a lot darker and heavier in subject matter, this one was really damn sad. Beautiful ending, but sad nonetheless. I can’t decide which book I loved more, they were both so fantastic!

This picks up exactly where <i>Dubious</i> leaves off and the beginning half of this novel had me on edge because I was terrified of how everything would turn out. Just when I thought the author was going to take the story one way, she threw a curve ball and took it in a completely different direction and I couldn’t keep up. The ending was nothing how I thought it was going to be and I loved it. It could’ve easily came off as cheesy but I think she handled it really well.

The character development in this series was so on point. Valentina from book one to the end was such an amazing transformation. I’m proud of the person she became and how life ended up for her. She’s incredibly strong but yet still so beautifully flawed.

Gabriel’s character made my heart ache. The things he went through were just devastating and seeing how much everything changed him was great. I felt for him and just wanted to hug him the entire time. The things he did were never justified but his redemption was worth it.

I think both characters got the most perfect ending for them. I really couldn’t imagine it ending any other way than what it did.

I also really like that we got to see a lot more of the side characters such as Rhett, Quincy, Kris and Charlie. They were a great and lovable cast of characters and I loved getting to know them more.

Overall, this was a beautifully dark series and I look forward to reading more from this author.

A great steamy smoking hot romance book that will leave you breathless and wanting more from this author. Gab and Val will make you feel their pain and their love. Twisted bug in a great way. Need more

A book with unexpected twists. And a very fine ending, that feels like it concludes the story, without "closing" Valentinas and Gabriels lives. I would absolutely recommend this for any romance and erotica fan out there! Just remember to read Dubious first.
The two books are wellwritten, giving a good look into the main characters motivation and thoughts, without that pesky feeling of trying to explain every little detail.
For me, both the locale and the forced seduction was a first, but Dubious and Consent certainly made me want to read more of both.

4.5*

This is part two Dubious has to be read first and the same goes for this review.

So Consent picks up exactly where Dubious left off. Valentina is scared and running but her fear overruled her common sense, she grabbed Charlie and ran not giving a single thought to money. Now it's too late, if she withdraws any money she'll give away their location and so she finds herself alone with Charlie, no money, no where to live and no job.

Gabriel is beside himself and desperate to find Valentina but he's not the only one searching for her Magda now has the excuse she needs to kill her.

We know it's only a matter of time before they're reunited but the question is what will happen then?

I only really had two small issues (and they are very small) with this book the first was Valentina not considering how she'd live once she ran (yes I know there's extenuating circumstances) and the second was the tragedy, Gabriel gets lost in himself and while I understood and sympathised I felt it went on just a little too long for me but it's difficult to imagine how someone would deal with that so...

This book has a load of stuff going on and I'm not even going to attempt to touch any of it (so no spoilers here) you need to find out for yourself as you're reading. It twists and turns some of which I saw coming some I didn't and it certainly kept me glued the whole way through.

It's a fabulous book (well two books) and the author has created characters I'll never forget, it's clever and interesting and I'm still a little surprised by how much I actually enjoyed it.

I'm all about the HEA and so I loved the ending for me it was perfect, the icing on the cake and I'll be looking out for other books from this author but....

I'm mentioning this only because I have friends who don't feel the same way. Dubious started as a dark read, Gabriel was a powerful and dominating man (although we always knew Valentina was his weakness) but in Consent he changes, the tragedy he suffers affects him greatly and he becomes a different man. I liked this change, I liked him and just about everything about this book but if, like my friends you like a man to stay dark and true throughout then this maybe isn't the book for you.

For the rest of us who love a great HEA then start reading now.

I very rarely give 5* but again this came very very close.

I voluntarily read a review copy kindly provided by NetGalley and Charmaine Pauls.

I really enjoyed this Duet of books. The characters were well developed. They were flawed, yet each changed. I really really loved it and cannot wait to read more by this author. I devoured these books!