Dubious

I need the second part of this book!
Loved Valentines will and tenacity. It took some time for me to get a reading/like Gabriel, I didn't always agree with his methods or ideas but his growth as a character is amazing to read. I will say I was a bit confused to begin with for the setting of the book. For a bit I thought it was a dystopian city, but later gathered through clues that it was Africa. Great read, full of angst, mystery and drama. I love the mystery behind what happened to Valentina. Can't wait for the second book!

Rating: 4 stars

ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review

This book was dark, taboo and suspenseful. It was everything that a reader can ask for- the bad taking what he wanted. No questions asked and damned be the consequences. However, he was not all bad, there were moments when we could see his tender and passionate side. I just love it when a bad guy can be redeemed but does not truly lose his edge. This was my first book by the author and I totally enjoyed myself. I am really looking forward to what she brings us next!

I first thought it might be too dark for me but I love the two main characters. Not so much the mom! Can't wait. To read more!

Loved this book

This was so good. I am really looking forward to the resolution of the storyline in the next book. What a cliffhanger :)

Overall a unique storyline. Good overall writing and romance.

This novel has the potential to be a best seller if given the chance. It offers a lot of twists and bends that ultimately prove to make and provide this novel with exceptionally entertaining content, making it more exciting to read and digest. The storyline provides curiosity as to the final chapter of the novel and allows the reader to remain engaged with the book which enables them to enjoy the full potential of the storyline and possibly even seeking further instalments due to it being so thoroughly entertaining. A book that you can visualise and envision within your imagination, is in my opinion, a successful novel that will go far.
I strongly recommend this novel with 5/5 stars. It is truly a pleaser.

Very well written. The chemistry between Val and "The Breaker" was amazing - I felt like I was in the room. I love the way that Val works so hard for her dreams (and to protect Charlie) and in such a way that she doesn't sell her soul. I loved this book.
The only negative is the cliffhanger. Nothing to do but wait.....

of course, this isn't a grand piece of literature, so I won't judge it with the same ruler as those intense pieces of work, however, as a free novel I was very impressed and found that I quite liked this novel. In fact, I could say I loved it as a simple, casual read

I have never read any of Charmaine Pauls books and now I wish I had.
Dubious leaves you wanting so much more and makes you impatient for the second instalment.
Having read a number of gangster/mobster books, I started this wondering what to expect but the story captivates and guides you through the traumatic life of Valentina and her brother Charlie. Valentina is a determined character who has many secrets but the love of her brother and a quirk of fate leads her in to the path of Gabriel a loan shark.
Valentina must pick up the debts of her brain damaged brother and Gabriel expects her to pay.
What transpires is a heart racing page turner.
The scenes between Gabriel and Valentina will leave you fanning yourself and championing Valentina's struggle.
The dynamics between Gabriel and his mother Magda have you on edge with an air of unpredictability.
And there is more to come from Gabriels' ex and his daughter.
You really do need to read this book.
5 incredible stars

Thanks to Netgalley,the author and publisher for providing this book for an unbiased honest review.

A Voluntary review in exchange for an ARC kindly provided by the Author and Netgalley.......

I was NEVER "Dubious" that this would be a smash hit and I was right !!!. Compared to Charmaine's Seven Forbidden Arts Series this series is darker, more edgy and the story has much more of shock factors bouncing at you from the pages.

Its Valentina and Gabriel's story and its quite the taboo love story, a love affair born from what should have been the end of Valentina's life at the hands of Gabriel. Sounds ominous.......well you'll have to grab yourself a copy when its released to find out more. Ah yes I hear the screams now at how evil I am . But seriously, I would not want to spoil this one for you. It will have you at the edge of your seat.

I will definitely be counting the days (or more realistically the months *sniffles into tissue*!!!) until the next book in this new series from Charmaine. I want more from this dark, passionate world !!!

Amazing start to a series Charmaine.

5 "Let me be your light" Stars From Me !!

Many thanks for this opportunity x

Later peeps xxx

Gabriel was someone others feared. One look or misdeed could be a death sentence. As a notorious loan shark he had one job. Settle a debt by killing Valentina and her brother Charlie. When it came time to pull the trigger he hesitated and fell prisoner to the pull Valentina had over him. He would stop at nothing to protect her and keep her safe from harm while making sure she works off her brother's debt. Each day her innocence and fighting for others can be seen and he admires her dedication and pride to do all she can.

I really enjoyed this book! I went into it without reading any reviews. Sometimes that works in my favour & other times not so much. Dubious was such a treat! I have a few niggles, but nothing that ruined the book for me. The location was a little unclear to me, but I caught up eventually. Also, the whiplash between Val & Gabriel was a little too much at times.. he tells him she hates him, then sticks her tongue in his mouth? I didn't like their sexual encounters at the start either.. I found it a little bit strange how they have sex once & the second time she's on all fours asking for it harder.. from what I gather her only experience is one time in her past, Tiny shoving himself down her throat & then with Gabriel, yet she's some kind of sex fiend with him.. Carly, Gabriel's 16 year daughter, was a complete head case! I felt like need counselling after her story line! Jeez!! It was really refreshing to read a some what light capture book. Gabriel was throughly intriguing because he didn't shout or beat Val. Might be a little sadistic of me, but I really liked him from the start! I understand this review is choppy, but I have so many thoughts, getting them out is a struggle! Overall, amazing storyline with some witty one liners thrown in, some seriously hot sexual encounters & great characters - Charlie & Val's relationship is adorable! I seriously can't wait for the next instalment! Thank you for allowing me an early copy.

This book will grip you from the first page till the last. The author paints a picture so vivid that you can't just stop at one chapter. She leaves you desperate for more because you feel for Val but also for the man that Gabriel is and want's to be. At the end you are left shell shocked and wanting nothing but for it to continue so that you know how it ends. I felt at the end of this book that I was left wanting more and now I have to wait!

5 STAR REVIEW

I was fortunate enough to have received an ARC from Netgallery by the author in exchange for an honest review

LOVED THIS BOOK & AUTHOR

This book just happened to pop up on my Netgallery feed. I had not read anything before by this author.

Charmaine Pauls will now be a new favorite & can't wait to read more of her stories !!!!!

The premise of this book is dark. Gabriel Louw invokes payment in all things and for the most part in very deadly ways. He carries the physical and emotional scars for exacting such payment. His name invokes fear of the worst kind. Valentina becomes trapped in a deadly web trying to make amends for a loan her brother owes to the Louw family. She is marked for dead but upon Gabriel's first glance he decides her payment will be as his property. Valentina knows if she does not obey & submit she is risking her own life as well as her brothers.

Valentina is a very strong character - she is a survivor - having survived things that could very easily break a person. Her love and loyalty to her mentally challenged brother is what motivates her in everything she does and her spirit will not be broken no matter how far she is tested or challenged. Gabriel's desire grows quickly for her and he finds himself at odds with the growing feelings he has for her. Valentina becomes the one good and precious thing in his life. Something he realizes early on he cannot give up.

I could not put this book down & read the story in 24 hrs. Within a few days I re-read the entire story again as the feelings it invoked for both of these characters just stayed with me. This book does not end in a HEA but the storyline will be resolved in Book Two. One thought that was running thru my mind was if you love someone with all your heart and set them free - will that person come back to you of their own free will - as love is never a guarantee ....

This book really evokes an emotional connection between the characters and I can't wait to find out what happens in the continuation of what I believe is their love story.

Highly recommend this book and rate it 5++++ off the chart stars !!!!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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 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.

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!!

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)

This is a Dark Romance based on Gabriel and Valentina. This is a new series by Charmaine Pauls and it's a must read book if you like steamy, emotional, hot, romantic with secrets and twists involved. Also if you interested in books by authors such as Anna Zaires, you'll love this one!

Valentina is a strong heroine with a huge protective and loyal streak, mainly to her brother who suffers from brain damage, Charlie (her brother) has gotten into a muddle with the Mafia and Valentina has no choice but to go with the Mafia (mainly Gabriel) who gives her a chance to go with him and work for him otherwise their both dead.

This is a great read, the ending is a cliffhanger, but makes me want to read the next one in the series more! Thank you for this ARC! Read now!

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.

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

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.

This gave me all of my recent cravings all rolled into one intense book. There's servitude to repay a debt, dubious consent/forced seduction, and mob/mafia influence. Set to release this October, it's definitely one to put on your tbr shelf. 

Valentina is a vet student who takes care of her brother after he suffered serious brain damage in a car accident. Set in Johannesburg, there's a lot of poverty and paying people off for protection. Val finds her brother gambling one night and discovers he owes a debt to a loan shark for 400,000 rand. Obviously, Val doesn't have the money to pay the loan shark, Gabriel, off so she's forced to work off the debt for nine years. What she doesn't know is that Gabriel wants to make her his and doesn't plan on letting her go at the end of the contract.

However, Gabriel's mother, who runs the family business, wants both Val and her brother dead. She puts Val through grueling tasks to set her up for failure, but Val doesn't break. Meanwhile, Gabriel trains her to desire his body and what it can do to her, and she struggles with her heart and her mind's attraction to him. Gabriel starts having deeper feelings for Val and he devises a plan to ensure her safety from his mother. 

I thought this was really well-written because it felt real; Val's reluctance with Gabriel was believable and I loved that she didn't really secretly desire him outside of the bedroom. When the heroine starts falling in love with her captor right after a sexual encounter, it kind of ruins the whole dubious consent thing, so I really appreciated this. It also showed Val's desperation and strength through all her interactions with Gabriel and his mother. There was solid character development and many secondary characters started to steal my heart. I can't wait for the conclusion to the story!

couldn't out it down! So happy to have the chance to find and read! Definitely a new author for me!

4.5*


Firstly this is a cliffhanger but since both books are being released back to back it didn't present the usual wait which is the part I struggle with.

The book paints a desolate picture, it's set in Johannesburg in what has become known as drug valley, everyone with money moved leaving the area for the drug dealers, Mafia and gangs.
It's safe to say Valentina is struggling, after losing both her parents she looks after her brain damaged brother, Charlie. She's trying her best to give them a future by training to become a vet but she hardly earns enough to get by on top of feeding and looking after Charlie she has huge college bills to cover.
She's barely keeping her head above water which is bad enough but the book opens with her arriving home from work one night to find Charlie missing. She knows where he'll be, her neighbour a car thief named Jerry was supposed to be watching him but as well as being a car thief he also has a gambling problem and she discovers Charlie is not only gambling but he's a VIP and owes four hundred thousand rand.
She never thought to declare him incompetent and revoke his financial signing power.

Gabriel Louw is known and feared and he's come to collect, Valentina has nowhere to go and no way to pay the debt.
Gabriel has orders to kill both Valentina and Charlie to set an example and reinforce that's it's a bad idea to mess with the Louw family but Gabriel wants Valentina and offers her a different deal. She's his for nine years while she works off her brothers debt in any way he sees fit.

Magda (Gabriel's mother) is furious she wants Val and Charlie dead and so Valentina finds herself property of the Louw family and made to clean the huge mansion.
Magda pushes because she needs her to fail, she's determined to kill her whereas Gabriel is intrigued and obsessed and needs her alive but his mother is a cruel and powerful woman who always gets what she wants.

Gabriel turned out to be an interesting character and not what I was expecting. I've read books similar to this before and in them the Gabriel character is always top of the food chain with total control and command and while they may have demons they answer to no one.
The fact that Magda is very much at the top of food chain adds another dynamic to this book. Gabriel is also scarred and disfigured and far from the male perfection I'm used to but the attraction between him and Val is unlike anything either of them has felt before.
Gabriel's obsession increases along with Magda's determination to push Valentina to fail. Valentina is caught in the middle with nine long years stretching out before her but we all know one way or another she's not making those nine years as she is now, something has to give.

Valentina is strong, unbelievably strong and her love for her brother is, at first anyway the only thing that gets her through each day. As things progress Gabriel turns into the only thing getting her through the nights.

This in itself makes for compulsive reading but the more Gabriel gets to know Valentina the more both she and her past confuse him and he starts to investigate.

By this point, faults and all I just wanted Gabriel and Valentina to be together and this is the point a lot of books would end, with a nice HEA and I'd be happy.
But here there's Magda and Gabriel needs to find a way to keep Valentina alive.

I'm running on 3 hours sleep since I stayed up to finish this and even then I barely resisted starting Consent.

It's safe to say this book was a surprise, I wasn't expecting to enjoy it anywhere near as much as I did and it's very close to getting 5* which is a rating I very rarely give.

And so it's straight onto Consent now for me.

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!

The book was well written and fast paced. The characters are believable and the story is well developed. There are a few characters I hope will get their just desserts in the upcoming book, and I hope the heroine catches a break or two. The only thing I might take exception to, was the unexpected ending. It seemed like one really long book had originally been written and the publisher decided to chop it into two to get a series out of it. (That's how I felt about the Fifty Shades Series) That said, I will definitely be reading the second book to see what happens.

***ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review***

Fans of the Consequence series by Aleatha Romig will fall in love with Dubious by Charmaine Pauls. This is one lone shark series you don't want to miss. Captivating from the beginning to the end, Charmaine writes a suspenseful mafia romance of control, passion and love that will have you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next!

"Valentina is a natural submissive, my favorite kind of conquest."

Finding herself at the service of Gabriel Louw, the Breaker of the Napoli family, Valentina has ended up in quite a predicament! Her brother has racked up thousands upon thousands of dollars of debt and the lone sharks have come to collect. instead, Gabriel strikes a deal... Val is to be his "property" for 9 years. To be whatever he wants, when he wants. She will do anything to see her brother not harmed. Even though she would rather see herself in better circumstances, she comes to rely on Gabriel for comfort and lust. he trains her to be ready for him at a moments notice which she soon craves.

Enemies lurk at every corner waiting to pounce on Val and give Gabriel backlash on his new acquirement. As Gabriel learns more and more about Val, he begins to fall for her, but at the same time keeping his harsh ways. When the enemies become to close to comfort, can Gabriel find a way out for Valentina or will she meet her end?

A dark mafia romance that I devoured on a 4 hour plane ride. I loved the storyline, characters and plot! reminds me a lot of other dark romance authors, but Charmaine Pauls has her own unique style of writing that I admired that sets her apart. This is the first book in the duet series and I can't wait to continue on to find out the conclusion for Gabriel and Valentina!

I really liked this book. It was dark yet there was a ray of hope throughout. The characters were very well developed and I found I couldn't put the book down because I was so interested in what would happen next. I gave it only 4 stars because it was a cliffhanger and I prefer the full story in one book.

<b>I LOVED THIS BOOK!!</b> That being said, it's not for everyone.

This is a dark, gritty, romance. It plays with the idea of consent and at first, I did not know if I would even like it, let alone get through the book. I was proved very wrong about that within the first 10% of reading it. This book is set in Johannesburg, South Africa. I've never read a book set in this location. But it was very interesting learning about the city--it has big class disparities, poverty, pockets of lawlessness, racial divide, and areas that are very corrupted.

The way Charmaine Pauls writes is a revelation. It's intelligent, emotionally-driven, and well done. The minute I had a thought of, "But what about this? Or that?" She would answer those burning questions that if unanswered would have been plot holes or issues I'd have with the book. This particular book is written from both the Hero and Heroine's point of view, which alternates in a clear way.

Valentina is a student getting a correspondence degree to be a vet and lives the crime ridden area of Berea in Johannesburg, South Africa. She's on her own with her disabled brother Charlie. He had a traumatic brain injury as a teenager and can't live on his own. She's had a rough childhood, a mother who was questionable at best and a father involved in crime.

Gabriel grew up in a rich crime family, dealing in loans and effectively is a loan shark that does his mother, Magda's bidding--to a point. They conflict quite a bit about the family business. Magda is basically the boss of the family business. She calls the shots, for the most part. Gabriel is the epitome of a tortured hero. He scarred emotionally and physically. His mother is basically a cruel bitch. She was the arbiter of his abusive childhood. To say they don't get along and butt heads over the family business, is an understatement. Gabriel's reputation precedes him. He is called <i>The Breaker</i> and enforces loans that aren't paid.

He is tasked with killing Charlie who has racked up debt at one of their casino bars, to the tune of R4000,000 (about $30,000 USD). Someone (not Gabriel) loaned him the money even though he's disabled and now he has to pay. The problem is, Valentina barely makes ends meet and the neighbor tasked with watching him in exchange for her cleaning his place, a petty criminal and gambling addict, but the only one she can trust, has gotten Charlie in this mess. When Valentina finds out, she takes Charlie from the bar and not soon after the loan shark, Gabriel is there with two of his thugs to kill them both for not paying their debt.

Gabriel is intrigued and taken aback by her bravery and protectiveness and love for her brother (love that he's never known from his family) and offers her a deal to work for him for 9 years to pay back his brother's debt. It's either that or he kills her brother. She wants to make monthly payments but that's not an option. She has to do anything he says. He wants her as his property. <spoiler>My only big issue with this beginning scene is one of the guards/thugs, Rhett, shoots her dog, Puff. It's later explained it was an act of mercy so he didn't end up a street dog starving to death (a big issue in S.A.) because Rhett is told they're there to kill Charlie and Valentina by Magda to make an example out of them, not strike a deal). The first beginning scenes also involve rape, which is a touchy subject for some.</spoiler>

When he brings her back to his house, his mother, Magda, is not pleased. She lets her know her and Charlie are dead if she so much as makes a mistake (which she is planning on). She doesn't want other "customers" and associates to think they've gone soft on those who don't pay their debts. Magda decides she'll be the maid for their palatial house. She's set up for failure.

Gabriel visits her in her room, on her first night in the house. Thinking she'll be raped by him, he instead says he won't sleep with her until she begs for it. Though they do engage in some sexual activity that night.

This book was emotional, intense and a rollercoaster. I don't normally go for books like this. But I <b>LOVED</b> it. It was so well done.

It reminded me of a mix of the Sopranos meets Sons of Anarchy meets I don't know what. There's crime, murder, rape (if that puts you off entirely, this is not the book for you), betrayal, and lots of dark emotions. It's an intense read. <b>I could not-put-it-down.</b> Pauls really focuses on the character development of both Gabriel and Valentina and some of the secondary characters, which can be rare for erotica novels. Gabriel and Valentina grow to have a deep connection and bond. He does what he can to shield her from his mother, Magda. Ultimately, he wants her trust and love and he made the deal with her to save her and her brother's life.

<b>Fair warning:</b> This book is filled with intense sex scenes, BDSM, including sadomasochism, plays with and focuses on the concept of consent.

I'm not sure what's stopping me from giving this 5 stars. For me, I wish Gabriel was sometimes a bit nicer to Valentina. It wasn't that he was mean or cruel. But sometimes, when she would ask him questions, he didn't say the most endearing things. For example, <spoiler>at one point in the book, he's already admitted to himself he cares for her and obviously has feelings for her. But when she asks if he's sleeping with anyone else, he does say no. But then says, "I'll let you know if I do." It's so unbelievably OFF CHARACTER to me. Given he says he's never had such an emotional and physical connection and previously had thoughts that he didn't want to sleep with anyone else but her. So why be so cavalier??</spoiler>

This book ends on a <b>cliffhanger</b> and I kind of wish it did not. Book 1 is 241 pages and so is book 2. To me, a single book of 482 pages would have been better. But luckily I have an ARC of book 2, so off I go!

<i>This book book was generously provided to me by NetGalley and the Publisher for an honest review.</i>

The plot has tension, suspense and passion that can't be denied as the excellent story unfolds. It comes highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this for an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading this! The plot was great and grabbed me from the start...add in the bold and beautiful characters and I couldn't put it down! Oh and lets not forget the dirty, steamy hot sex scenes.
Valentina and Gabriel are 2 characters with some deep emotional and external scars..their stories allow you to really get into their heads and believe what is going on. You can feel what they are feeling and see why they act how the act. Their emotions and darkness that surrounds them both make them absolutely perfect for each despite how they came together.
Wonderfully written! I enjoyed it so much I have already started the 2nd book!

wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did, the relationship between val and Gabriel just screams off the page. the intensity and passion between the two of them is just electric. the characters feel very real and very strong. very descriptive.
there are elements of humour that make the story seem less dark, and then there are elements that are just a bit too unrealistic.
the story itself is brilliantly written, well paced and emotive where it should be. I loved this and cant wait to read the next.

This book was sexy, interesting, and steamy. Definitely need to read part 1 to understand part 2 and I loved the build up of the attraction and relationship between the main characters and the storyline behind it all.

A badass loan shark who is called The Breaker. This is not your typical love story. It is dark and dreary and passion-filled. Gabriel. Enough said. How much more can Valentina’s life handle? She just has nothing going right for her until Gabriel. He does skirt the line of dubious consent but he does it out lust (really his love that he does not recognize) for Valentina.

Beware this does end in a cliffhanger which I usually do not like to read. This book was a surprise and I need to know what happens so I am definitely reading the next book.

Now hmmm where to start? I really enjoyed this book more than I thought. It has a Pepper Winters type vibe. So, if you like that author you definitely will like this one. This read is sensual and heart breaking. Valentine and her brother have had a rough go of it. Their parents died, Charlie has brain damage. Valentine has guilt issues thinking that it is her fault her brother is like he is. I really feel like there is going to be a major turn and twist in this story. I Can Feel It Coming!! Magda Despises Valentina.. Why? Well, I am definitely Reading 📚📚 this next one!

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

Dubious by Charmaine Pauls is a really good surprise,I didn't expect to like this story as much as I did.
Firstly the book is far way from the typical stereotype indeed the hero is not the handsome billionaire that we can read everywhere,he's scarred inside out,at the begining he even seems repulsive,more beast than man. So it was pleasant to see him change in the eyes of Valentina,to progressively see her care for him.
I like the dynamic between him and her,the push and pull and their fiery attraction.
I can't wait for the next book

This story was fabulous. I loved the characters and the plot.. The author had me interested from the first page and I could not put the book down.
I am looking forward to book 2 in this series

Gabriel Louw is a merciless loan shark who destroys lives in the name of his family's business. Physically and emotionally damaged, the respect he earns comes from the fear he imposes on those who break their promises. If you owe, you pay, or you die. In a country devasted by poverty, crime, and corruption, the likes of Gabriel rule. That's what put Valentina on his radar. The Haynes were a job. A bullet for Charlie, the brain damaged man who owed him too much. Another for his beautiful, loyal and fearless sister. The love and loyalty she revealed at the threat to her brother's life, awoke something inside Gabriel that he couldn't resist. From that moment on, she sealed her fate. She became his. He knew he would have to break her first, but soon she would beg for his touch. She would come to beg for his dominance too. Dubious is the first installment of a dark romance series where free will can be taken away, dominance and submission are more than sexual games, and family can be both a life sentence or salvation. Secrets, however, are destructive and when kept can destroy all hope, and risk love and life. An addictive read that will keep readers entranced and desperate for more.

Loved it, The Breaker and the Vet Yes Please Give me more.... I Loved it, and I think you will as well!

So this is set in Johannesburg South Africa. That surprised me, and I Liked it! The author was super descriptive about certain areas and how they were so different but really not so different then here. We learn how people were treated because of were they lived and the status they have because of who they are and how much money and power...it starts out in a small ravaged city that is left in ruins an ran by the mafia, and some Mean Loan Sharks more than the police. Valentina was left to care for her brother Charlie after her parents died, she was in college on a small type of grant and she wanted to be a Veterinarian more than anything. They lived in a terrible area, in a run down shack that was left to her and Charlie whom was also in an accident and left brain damaged and needed constant care, her neighbor was suppose to keep an eye out on her brother for her while she went to school and helped at the vet Clinic. One day she comes home and no Charlie and even though it is about to be dark she goes out when she knows she shouldn't, to look for Jerry and Charlie, she believes Jerry who is very nice to her and Charlie, but he is also a bad guy and loves to gamble, he is a car thief. So she is worried and wants to find her brother and boy does she...she finds much more than she wants. She meets up with the several people one known as "The Breaker aka Gabriel, he is huge and badly scarred and walks with a limp. The Breaker...well he is very hard to get to know and a real bad guy, he does whatever he needs to collect a debt...but once he saw Val, well all bets are off he wants her and he will have her and he doesn't care what he has to do to take her and break her...

Val does get out of the dirty pub were Charlie has racked up a ridiculous amount money he now owes the breakers family but he didn't even understand he was gambling, she manages to get him out, for now and is furious with Jerry! On her way home we meet another character that seems to think he owns "Val" and well he is Vile, this place is just a terrible place and Charmaine Pauls gives us a wonderful view into these people lives and well Val and Charlie they should have never been in this place period! Its drug dealers and thugs that is all that is left and she pays a price but its not near over...because the Breaker is coming....

The ruthless Breaker has a job and its to get the money that Charlie has bet playing cards...instead of making it easy and doing what he is told to do by his Vile mother, he makes a deal with Valentina to work off her brothers bet, at his home, its a quick shot offer and she has minutes to get what little possessions she has and to take her brother to her only friend the Vet. and Gabriel takes Val home, his mom is livid. She will have to live with them for 9 years to pay off the debt. Oh Magda I have nothing good to say about Magda and I doubt you will either...Val knows what her life will be now, a slave to these people, she will clean and do the laundry of a huge mansion and she will be Gabriel's...and boy does Gabriel want her, more than anything he has in a long time. And he has a long time, 9 years to use her, he knows it wont be that long before Magda his mom insists that he kill them instead but she will allow him this time for now and he will take it well because its done its what he did! They have Guards and watch dogs, she will never get away from these people and what about Charlie...

So many secrets in this book...they way this author twists this tale will have you staying up all night trying to finish it regardless of what is going on. And she is descriptive, the erotic sex is built up very well, The juicy tid bits that she slowly feeds us in this first book makes you rush to finish and get to the next book if you are lucky enough as I was to get the privilege to read them both and jeeze are the both so very good. I cannot believe how I started out feeling about these characters, some you just know you will like and some well you will Love to Hate! Its got such a great storyline and for it to be in this place, well it could been in NY or Chicago

I want to thank Charmaine Pauls for a wonderful job writing and setting up this first book of the Duet, it had me on the brink of thinking one thing was going to happen and then bam we would go in the next direction. I offered this Advanced ebook by the Author and NetGalley for my honest review! I hope you will take the time to get to know these people and this Place, its an awesome story, loved it!

Valentina is trying to keep care of her disabled brother. He gets into trouble with gambling, then enters Gabriel. He demands payment.

Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley.

Okay, this author is new to me and I'd never heard anything about this mini-series (there's this book and one after it). But the description sounded a little crazy and a little outside my comfort zone so I figured I should at least give it a chance. I liked a lot of things about this book and I disliked a few as well.

I think I liked Valentina. She reacted in ways that maybe I wouldn't have but she had other things to consider. Of course, Valentina didn't have a lot of choices about much in her life. She was busting her ass to make ends meet so she can take care of her mentally handicapped older brother and when things seem like they're at their worst, something just a little worse happens. I was shocked at the sexual assault towards the beginning of the book and my discomfort with it hung on for quite a while. It made me like the book a little less for a long time. But dammit if Valentina didn't put her big girl panties on and just kept moving forward. She's quiet and abused but she still manages to be a force to be reckoned with.

Gabriel was tough... he's the hero of the book but he's a horrible effing person. He's a loan shark but he's super crazy rich. I mean, I have a picture in my head of what a loan shark looks like but at no point was "rich" one of my descriptors. But whatever. He's hot, he's big (muscular), and he's rich. So he MUST be likable, right?? Well, it wasn't that easy. He's essentially kidnapped Valentina and has made her a slave. But she's a slave that he gets to have sex with whenever he wants. Like, she doesn't get to say no. Even later in the book, when he starts to genuinely care about Valentina, I had a hard time liking him.

The Sexy Time was extremely plentiful but I can't say whether it was hot or not. In one way, holy hell YES it was hot!!!! But Valentina is there against her will, Gabriel's goon killed her dog, she's threatened with death just about every day, her brother's life is in danger... I could go on but my point is that it was difficult for me to feel all hot and bothered when I remembered all that stuff. And the relationship between Valentina and Gabriel was progressing but it wasn't easy for me to forget all the crap Gabriel had done to Valentina in the beginning.

This book was crazy-well written. I couldn't believe how angry and upset I felt at some of the things that were happening with Valentina, her brother, Gabriel, Gabriel's mom, everyone. And when I was feeling things about the BAD GUYS, that's really saying something about the writing! But this is definitely one of those books that should come with a trigger warning. So many horrible things happen in this book... if rape, sexual assault, dubious consent, or abuse bother you, don't pick this one up. I wasn't totally sure, after finishing THIS book, that I wanted to continue with the second. But I had to see what was going to happen and how Gabriel and Valentina would get away from Gabriel's mom, who was the absolute worst. So I continued on....but that's for the next review!

I don’t read a lot of contemporary romance/erotica simply because the escape into another time and place is as important as my enjoyment of the connection between people. However, when I saw that Charmaine Pauls’ The Loan Shark Duet took place in Johannesburg, South Africa my interest piqued. A dark story set in a uncommon locale definitely sounded like something I needed to try.

Valentina will do anything to protect her brother, Charlie, after the car accident that left him with brain damage. She just never thought she’d have to bind herself to Johannesburg’s most notorious gangster, Gabriel Louw, to pay off Charlie’s gambling debt. For nine years Valentina belongs to Gabriel to be used however he sees fit; she just never anticipated how gentle, caring, and respectful her master could be when taking what he wants…or how he makes her want to be more than just his possession.

Dubious should not have worked for me at all. The basic premise denies Valentina the ability to consent to anything Gabriel does to her, which is something I prize highly in anything focusing on sexual relationships. Frankly the idea of the heroine belonging to the hero repulsed me on a purely intellectual level, but Charmaine Pauls’ writing and careful scenario hooked me emotionally. The deciding factor was how Gabriel proceeded with his seduction of Valentina. Given their agreement he could have forced her and called it fair; of course Valentina has no right to deny Gabriel’s desires, but he lets her set the pace. Rather than setting taking her virginity as a goal, he moves slowly to make his playtoy want his touch and crave sex (okay, Gabriel’s reasons are pretty nefarious, but I still appreciated his focus on Valentina’s pleasure), and penis in vagina sex doesn’t occur until Valentina asks/begs for it. It’s definitely not an example of How Relationships Should Be Done TM, but it transformed a dub con scenario into something palatable.

Gabriel’s kind treatment of Valentina can’t change the fact that he’s in the business of doing unethical things, and his mother and ex-wife exemplify how women generally survive in his world. Valentina is strong, but she lacks the ruthless edge necessary to play the games in mafia society, so just being in the Louw household makes her an easy target. She manages to get Gabriel’s employees on her side (some of the cast seem to magically be drawn to her), but Magda Louw, her owner’s mother, just wants an excuse to make the young woman disappear…permanently.

Magda’s desire to dispose of Valentina sets up the one point in the plot that I found nearly unforgivable. It is so pivotal to the cliffhanger and book two, Consent, that I have to vague book it, but suffice it to say that Gabriel makes a choice that enfuriates me.

At the end of the day I wanted to know if Valentina and Gabriel could make it beyond hot sex and bad decisions to form a real relationship. Despite everything I was rooting for those crazy kids and wanted some type of HEA, not just steamy erotica.

4 Snobby Teenage Daughters out of 5

I received a copy of this book through NetGally. This is the first book I have read by this author and it will definitely NOT be my last. What an amazing book! I am so wrapped up in the characters and story line that I cannot wait to read what happens next. This is definitely one of those books that will keep you up and night reading and wanting more and more and more.

Valentina: Beautiful and fragile but very brave girl with big dreams and now stuck in a 9 year commitment bending to Gabriel's every need.

Gabriel: They call him the Breaker. He is a loan shark with a very rough exterior. He knew he wanted Valentina as her property the first time he saw her.

It is amazing how the story unfolds. Left off with a cliffhanger but as the next book is released I will for sure be reading it RIGHT AWAY!

This is part II This is an author that I am going to follow! It doesn't disappoint. If you liked the first one you will like this one too.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review. The story caught my attention from the beginning and held it until the very end. Gabriel is Mafia and he has possession of Valentina as payment for a debt. He becomes obsessed with her and then comes to love her. She loves him but he can't believe she could love him after what he has done to her. The sexual content is explicit but a good read. There is a HEA but a lot happens before this comes about. This book was read out of sequence and after reading it, I reread the 2nd book which makes it a great 2 book series. I would highly recommend this book but read it first.

The book was addicting.From the very beginning I was drawn in and hooked on to the story.The story is hot and sexy.Valentina finds her brother gambling one night and discovers he owes a debt to a loan shark a lot of money. She doesn't have the money to pay the loan shark, Gabriel.She's forced to work off the debt for nine years. What she doesn't know is that Gabriel wants to make her his and doesn't plan on letting her go at the end of the contract.
When I started reading I couldn't put it down.I received an arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My Review of Dubious (The Loan Shark Duet #1)
by Charmaine Pauls.
My Rating 4 Stars
New author for me, but once I read the blurb it was a no brainer, I had to read.
Amazing story with steamy scenes, and emotional rollercoaster that keeps you on the edge of your seat and the intensity of the characters kept me turning the pages and wanting more.
The perfect match for Gabriel is Valentina with her admiral spirit and her emotional strength with how she cares for her brother this is a woman who is a strong heroine within these pages and just when I thought I knew how the story was going to go…Cliffhanger, Oh My Hell! I can’t wait to read the second in this duet!
** I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Author and Netgalley **

Wow. First book by this author and I will def be coming back for more! Hit and steamy and yum!!

Totally enjoyed this one! The characters were likable and well developed, the love story unfolded slowly just the way you'd expect it to with the rough start they had. The secondary characters also added much to this book. It has some twists, and keeps your interest to the end. I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed this one.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m so glad I requested the second part of this duet, I don’t think I would’ve survived until November after that cliffy! (Okay, slight over exaggeration, maybe?)

Poor Valentina, how many hard knocks can someone take in their life? Life for Valentina is already a struggle and her past tragic, and all of this before Gabriel enters her life.

Gabriel takes Valentina in order to pay a debt, she is to be his ‘property’ for 9 years. But we all know it’s never that straight forward. Gabriel is a complex main lead and in no way a knight in shining anything. He’s dark, he’s ruthless, possessive and brutal. And even knowing all this, I come away from this book, liking him? Hmm, maybe. I’m not sure. I know that although he comes across harsh, Valentina brings out a vulnerability in him that softens the reader to him.

I liked how the book is told from duel POV, honestly without it I don’t think I would’ve warmed to Gabriel in the slightest. I think it’s only his inner monologue that shows his vulnerability because although some of this actions do lean towards him being ‘kind’, they could also be interpreted as him taking care of his ‘property’.

This book is dark, not as dark as I was expecting but dark nevertheless.

I will be diving headfirst into book 2 right after posting this! Who needs sleep? Or to work? Pftt!

I would definitely recommend this book and I will be keeping an eye out for this author in the future!

*copy received via NetGalley*

This was so good!! Dark but tender. Gabriel and Valentina's relationship hit all the right notes! I cannot wait for book two!!!

This was a fun, unpredictable and sexy read. I enjoyed it, and am really in love with the whole series. Can't wait for more! I think this was my favorite so far.

Absolutely would give this book 5 stars! Dubious was so addicting I had to read more and before I knew it, it was 2am. Gabriel and Valentina's story was so intriguing and I had to know what was going to happen next. Valentina's character was just as "brave" as she wanted her brother, Charlie to be. I can't say enough about her caring and tender love for her brother and animals, it truly touched my heart. Gabriel's character was just Ahh! He was tender and sweet with Valentina, but scary and dominating too. I just love how he was portrayed and took care of his "property". On a darker side of the plot it was everything I enjoy reading and can't wait to read the next book and find out the ending to their story.

Gabriel=Extremely intense, loyal, scary, lonely man.
Valentina=Caring, strong willed, bad ass, loyal woman.
Magda=Satan in women’s clothes.

This is a very intense, sexy book. Charmaine did a get job putting it all together. Gabriel is a very intense, scary man who everyone fears with good reason, but Valentina will do whatever she has to do to protect her brother Charlie. Gabriel takes what he wants because he doesn’t think anyone will ever chose him for what he is. Well I think he met his match with Valentina. But if Magda has her way Valentina will never see the light of day.

This is an amazingly, sexy, book full to the hilt with intensity. You never know what might happen when you turn to the next page.

Great job Charmaine Pauls. Can’t read book 2 soon enough.

I was generously given an ARC for a honest review. I do not normally read dark romance but this book kept me glued to the pages! And I have the next book Consent ready on my Kindle. But before I get sucked into that book, I wanted to write this review because I enjoyed Dubious far more than I expected. Ms Pauls is a new author for me....I was introduced to her writing in the Kindle Worlds Krinar series. Her take on the Krinar series was fresh and interesting. This book is more like Anna Zaires Twist Me series, where the heroine is forced to be with the hero in the beginning. Gabriel is dark as they come....basically he is a killer. And Valentina's story is so very sad.....and Charlie is heartbreaking. The book is set in South Africa but it could be set in any urban city where drugs, crime, and human predators feed off the weak. I won't get into the plot of the story......there is darkness but there is also lightness where she slowly starts to affect Gabriel. There are times where it is very hard to like Gabriel because of his actions but considering his upbringing and current life its a wonder he can even love. The book ends on a cliffhanger but the 2nd book will come out very soon after Dubious is released.

Well written suspenseful story. This dark romance between Gabriel and Valentina deserves a 5 star rating for the well written and well thought out plot. His mother is detestable and I hope she gets what she deserves in the next book.

This Mafia style story is heartbreaking and gripping but ends in a huge cliffhanger which I hate. That being said, the author is talented and weaves a great tale.

If you don't mind the cliffy, this dark intense romance is sure to please!

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book via NetGalley.

A good quality read. I was drawn in the whole way. I'm honoured to have received a copy from NetGalley

Well, color me blown away. I've never read anything by this author before and I went into this one totally blind. I really wasn't sure what to expect, to be honest. What I got was a fantastically well written and paced book with a plot that kept me turning the pages like a mad woman. I loved that it was set in South Africa. It gave the book a real uniqueness. There was minimal OW/OM drama. I wouldn't say it was overly angsty. There were some twists and turn and smokin' hot sex scenes. It had an excellent cast of interesting secondary characters, and both main characters were likable.

I loved that the author made the hero "ugly." Oh, he is still has a body that makes women weak in the knees. But he walks with a limp and has severe facial scarring. I guess what I am trying to say is that he wasn't "perfect" in physical appearance or actions. I adored him though. He was the perfect anti-hero to me. Damaged and dangerous and mean with glimpses of vulnerability that only the heroine brought out. I loved this heroine as well. This poor girl had so much shit happened to her, but she just kept battling forward. Her scenes with her mentally impaired brother squeezed my heart. She was a fighter for sure. Lastly, since this is a duet it, of course, ends on a rather large cliffhanger but book two is releasing in November so we won't have long to wait.

Two HUGE thumbs up from yours truly.

When I read the blurb and synopsis for this book I was expecting a dark story. While this had plenty of issues with possession and other dark urges, the story itself did not read as depraved. In fact, I could almost see why Val ended up accepting her fate. Gabriel is over the moon for her...

The author did a great job conceiving this story and the writing flowed easily. It was tough to put down mainly because it was damn HOT in so many places.

But all good things must come to an end and this one ended with a cliffy and the promise of more dark urges and training to come. Watch out for Momma tho! I have a feeling things are going to get nasty.

Valentina isn’t in a good place, but she is working hard to dig herself out of her circumstances. She’s taking care of her brother who has brain damage, going to school, and working. She’s determined to make it. That is, until she entrusts the wrong person to keep an eye on her brother. Her brother is indebted to a loan shark for a lot of money. Now, she is forced to work for him for nine years. She works for the family as a maid during the day, but she’s at the mercy of Gabriel’s desires at night.

This read is just what the doctor ordered. It’s a dark and steamy story that will take you on a wild ride. The first quarter of the book takes some time to suck you in, but it worked for this story. Things really begin to pick up and you’ll find yourself not wanting to put this book down. You’re going to enjoy this one!

"Property is more untouchable than a wife."

Fucking fantastic. It's dark, unexpected, and straight out sexy. I can't remember how many times I cussed because of this book. I am sure this book made me cuss the most, even it's after effects on me kept me cussing with everything I do. I didn't think I'd make a fuss with this book, especially when it's related to mafias and gangs but after I finished it last night, I found myself unable to stop myself my talking about it to my friends. I cannot stop thinking about this book and it's preventing me from falling asleep at night. There's something about lust at first sight when it comes to books. I find that appealing to me, in literature form only of course.

P L O T

I can't say it's face paced, but it is in it's own pace. Charmaine takes us one day at a time. I can't say the same for the problems and issues that just come one after another. Even if you remove all the sex scenes in this book it's still quite interesting. However, the characters wouldn't seem very normal since human beings have sex as their basic need.


C H A R A C T E R S

"I'm not a made monster. I was born one."

That line right there is not an original, but it has never sounded so true. I always hate this character design where the guy thinks he's not worthy to be loved, but Gabriel Louwe has many reasons to feel that way. Physically and emotionally. Valentina also has every reason to be designed as proud, she has taken care of her older brother for many years all on her own despite being broken a lot of times and bearing scars almost as ugly as Gabriel's. I love each character no matter how dark they may be, I love how I hate them too.


W R I T I N G

"His eyes run over my body as if he's looking for sins in my soul."

I love how every named character is involved in some way and they're not just bystanders in the story. They have lines to say and roles to play.

I find writing erotic books very, very challenging. It has a lot of sex scenes and you need to make sure they don't sound the same and they need to keep the interest of the reader. There's only so much you could do with the human body during that lustful, private moment and how you describe it could be how another author does too and you need to find that unique voice to stand out. I highly respect authors of this genre for having their way with words.


O V E R A L L

Together we're invincible. As long as he's with me, no one else can touch me.

I don't know what else to say but 'You have to read this book'. This is my first mafia/gang themed book and I am not disappointed. I don't think it's overly done, nothing sounds exaggerated. I cannot express more how I loved this book so much and I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoy reading broken families, broken souls, mafia/gang theme and of course erotic books.

There is just so much to say about this book. It leaves you with a whirlwind of mixed emotions. There were many times where I found myself disgusted with not only the hero but also the heroine. And yet there were just as many times where a loved both of them and could empathise with them. First off, I loved the fact that the book was set in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was unique and refreshing. However, judging from how Charmaine Davis describes it, it does seem like Joburg is a dangerous and scary place.

Gabriel Louw is a loan shark who has a very bad reputation. Scarred physically from many fights and attacks, he is a monster of a man. He is dark and dangerous and only seems to have a soft spot for his teenager daughter Carly. He runs his business with his mother Magda. An even bigger monster than Gabriel, Magda has no qualms about killing anyone who gets in her way. She even shot Gabriel in the foot when he was a child when he refused to kill someone with her bidding. According to her, showing weakness is the biggest sin that one can commit. So when a young man with brain damage owes them 400,000 rand in gambling debt they decide to kill him and his only family, his sister in retribution. But it seems that Gabriel has finally found someone that softens his cold heart and makes him feel human again.

Valentina is doing everything to make ends meet. After losing both parents she is left to take care of her brain damaged brother. Charlie is all she has left and she will do anything to make sure that he is safe. So when she discovers that he has been going gambling while she is at work and now owes one of the deadliest mafia families a fortune she has no idea what to do. She knows that she can never find that much money and it seems that the only way that they are going to collect is through taking their lifes. But it seems that the dangerous Gabriel Louw has another idea. An idea that is a breath away from slavery. She has to work as his family's live-in maid and work for free for nine years. And also do everything that Gabriel asks of her. Everything.

And even though the mere sight of him scares her to death, she gradually finds herself being drawn to him and soon finds herself craving him and even trusting him. But with Magda determined to find fault in everything that she does and threatening her with death, she knows that her days are numbered and that she has to find a way to ensure that her brother is safe.

I must admit that I'm not a big fan of forced seduction. But there is just something about Gabriel that draws you in. Maybe it is the suffering that you feel deep within him or the tender way that he loves Valentina and tries to protect her even when she has no clue what he is doing. The book ends on a cliffhanger and leaves you breathless waiting to find out what's in store for this tumultuous couple whose not only relationship seems to hang from a thin tread but whose very lives are in constant danger. A romance that will have you constantly at the edge of your seat!!!

4 "surprising" stars
This series was my first ever read from Ms. Charmaine Pauls. So, as an experiment I truly didn’t pack much expectation with me while embarking on the journey through its pages. This traveller believes lighter the luggage, easier the climb. No sound is more piercing than the shattering of false thought expectations. I thank Ms. Pauls for saving my feelings in that regard.
This book came as a pleasant surprise to me. When my mind was in turmoil about where to move the sail next, this one showed its way. The story is engaging with the characters showcasing their own individual point of view and feelings along with all the factors combined as a whole. True, the plot feels a little predictable and before-read. But I solemnly believe ‘Go on the feel, man!’. Most of the things are likeable even after all their minute flaws, in fact, because of them. Plus, this one ends in a cliffhanger, to be continued in next and last read in the series. And I am a huge sucker for a cliffhanger.
So, yeah! I’ll go back for more. Definitely going to complete this series and then, consider the author for another read in the not so distant future.

Intense, suspenseful, dark and passionate.
This is book one of two and will leave you waiting with baited breath to read the second!

You know, I read some glowing reviews before reading this. I read where this was an unexpected read and yet I’m still kind of shocked with how much this story affected me.

Valentina just breaks my heart. The unfairness of everything she has had to endure and still comes out fighting. Most people would have broken long before. But the biggest surprise? Gabriel. The fact that this author took an evil man who does unspeakable things to people and made me care about him just astounds me. The obsession. The need for love in such a bleak world. The good hidden behind the evil.

Even the side characters were a surprise. The author showed us a little glimpse into the brutality of these men and then gives us the humane side of them. How can people have such opposing sides is fascinating. The complexity to all the characters made for a fascinating read.

I was so wrapped up in this book, I completely ignored life. If you can handle dark or triggers such as rape and physical violence, you really should check this book out. It does end on a cliffhanger, but you won’t have to wait long for the next book. Personally, I can’t wait to see how such an impossible situation is going to turn out. ARC provided by NetGalley.

I finished the book in two days. At first, the intent was to finishing so I could give my review before its release date. Since I only received it a few days before. But honestly, I couldn't wait to get back to reading.

The premise of the story evolves around, Valentina, (the heroine) and Gabriel, (strangely...the hero) . I say this, because, although he's known as a drug lord and killer, we never see this, Only when he kills a man for attacking Valentina.

The heat levels are some of the best I have ever read, Very descriptive, and real. The emotions are all there. It was well written, to see that a who is ugly in appearance, captivates you sexually, finding him erotically beautiful.

The plot to me was different, and I'm sure others will have issues with the whole mafia/drug lord as the main conflict. But, it is only a story meant to entertain our thoughts for a short time. And without conflict, we don't have a story.

The duet POV's worked well. Most times, it spoils the anticipation for the reader--always knowing what the other is thinking. This sometimes is a spoiler for me. Not this time. It was well executed and kept my interest.

Well done, Charmaine Pauls. Looking forward to Consent.

5 Dubious Stars!

I’m not a made monster. I was born one.

Charmaine Pauls’ Dubious completely took me by surprise. It’s a blending of morally gray actions in murky situations with this diabolical eroticism that sweeps you right in. I need the conclusion to this...pronto!

Gabriel is a loan shark in an area where crime rules the day. He’s one of the top dogs and his assignment? Take out a woman and her brother who owe his family money. But one look at the woman in question has Gabriel defying his family’s wishes and taking the woman as his own.

Valentina finds herself in an untenable situation when her brother racks up more debt than she can pay. She agrees to Gabriel’s demand—working as his maid and as anything else he requires. She only needs to last nine years...

But the forced pleasure he puts on her complicates everything Valentina thought she knew.

First, the book is set in South Africa. I really enjoyed that. The area Valentina lives in is fraught with corruptness, danger, and savagery. Valentina, however, is willing to do whatever it takes to get her and brother out of there. Valentina has a core of steel, and I admired the hell out of this woman. She meets fire with fire, and even though her choices are slim, they’re very much still her choices and she owns them.

Now, Gabriel. He’s one complication after another. Sometimes, I despised him and others, I really felt for this guy. I was a big bleeding heart reading this novel, and I couldn’t step away.

There’s a cliffhanger (of course), and it’s so good I was panting for the next. I’m so happy that both parts are releasing close to the other because dang…I need it.

Be aware that there is forced seduction. There are moments are dubious consent, but it’s tempered and wrapped up in Valentina and Gabriel’s POV in such a way that you’re pulled like a rubber band this way and that.

If you’re wanting a read that takes on and tests boundaries, one that colors outside the lines and makes us question the right and wrong of it all as well as the decisions we make for those we love—for what we protect—then you’ll need to run for this book.

Deliciously dark, inevitably erotic, and heart-wrenchingly enthralling, Dubious keeps your adrenaline pumping all the way through.

Amount of sex 3 / 5
How explicit 4 / 5
Story 5 / 5
Overall: 5 / 5

Wow! This story just blew me away!

Dubious is an intense and emotional story and the first in the Loan Shark Duet by author Charmaine Pauls. It does end on a cliffhanger, but rest assured the second in the duet, Consent, is being released on November 14th!

The storyline is unique and the characters are well developed and complex. It did touch upon some difficult subject matters that some people may have a hard time with. I personally have read a lot of dark books and I believe Dubious was written perfectly. The difficult scenes were not overly graphic, which was great as I have read some that were dark and very explicit.

Dubious grabbed me from the very beginning and I can’t wait to find out what happens next! A definite add to your TBR list!!

*Voluntarily Reviewed an Advanced Copy*

Some of my GR friends had read and given rave reviews for this book. I’d been eyeing it a little distrustfully up until that point. Initially, when I first met Gabriel, I thought my friends had surely lost all their marbles. This guy is in this apartment to kill two people. And one of them is the heroine, Valentina. Well, okay, I knew he wasn’t going to outright kill her…the story would be over very quickly if that were the case.

He’s one tough and hard anti-hero. He is not a good guy. Until you get to know him and are allowed into his thoughts. Then you realize that at the heart of him he just wants to be loved despite his appearance and his money or any of the things his status can bring the woman he’s with. And Valentina has had some incredibly hard and awful things happen to her but she’s a survivor and she’s survived it all in order to care for her brother. To atone for what she believes is her fault.

This is an incredible read! I was sucked in within a few short paragraphs and hated to put it down. There is definitely some rough sex and if you’re sensitive to dubious consent, rape or sexual abuse this is definitely one you need to skip. However, if you can wade through all of that and you like an anti-hero who makes no apologies for who and what he is, this is certainly one you’ll want to read.

This is an honest review of an advanced copy provided by NetGalley.

Dual POV
Safe – no cheating but a little ow drama through ex-wife and ex-lover but very little and nothing to make you want to throw your kindle
Triggers - definitely

Life has a way of not doing what you want. Oh sure things can "work out" but really being property to "The Breaker" isn't quite what most have in mind.

Charmaine Pauls has you from the beginning. A tense situation and your protective side flairs up faster than you can say 400 hundred thousand rand. Btw, I have no idea how much money that is but I assume a lot.

Playing on your sympathies, you are forced into the role. You wouldn't choose anything else. Or at least I wouldn't.


It's so hard not to fall for...well, I will keep that part to myself. But it's hot, consuming, and so very unfinished. You will get to the end and want to scream in frustration. Good thing book two comes out in a month!

A wonderfully well written dark romance.
Gabriel may have the name of an angel but he is anything but. Valentina is a victim in a mafia game but she is strong down to her core. It will take all of that strength to survive what Gabriel has in store for her.
A shocking cliffhanger ending rounds out this 5 star novel.

The minute I read the blurb for Charmaine Pauls' Dubious, I knew I needed to read it. It was dark, sexy, consuming and so addicting. I could not stop reading and tapping for the next page. Gabriel was so damn sexy. He was controlling and so domineering that I couldn't wait to see him explode as you could just see how deep Valentina affected him and got under his skin. Their chemistry was hot and their banter out of control combustible. He wanted her and would have her at all costs. I could not get enough of this story. This was dark and somewhat taboo but oh what a delicious ride!! I absolutely can't wait to read book two, Consent!

Faced with her brother's huge gambling debt, Valentina offers herself to loan shark Gabriel Louw in exchange for her brother's life. She never would have expected that being his live-in employee aka "his property" would change her life. I absolutely FLOVED this story! It was dark and sexy and so so engrossing. I could not stop reading the minute I started. I loved that Gabriel was so drawn to her. He didn't want to admit it but he was just as emotionally attached to her as he was physically attracted to her. They had a connection that he could not deny nor would he allow anyone to stand in his way. Likewise, Valentina was drawn to his dark needs, passions and desires. I love that she began to care for him. And that ending?! OMG. I can't wait to start Consent!! What an amazing story!

Charmaine Pauls is quickly becoming an automatic one-click for me. Her novels are sexy, filled with strong heroes and heroines and have stories that are so consuming. I CAN'T wait for more from her in the future! Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula 

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

This was a lot darker than I imagined it would be but I really enjoyed it. It's probably one of the darkest romances I've ever read. Pauls does not hold back right from the beginning and I really respect that from an author. What I really enjoyed was going through the motions with Valentina. You could really feel all the struggles she went through. Just like her, you want to hate Gabriel but he does a really good job of getting under your skin in a good way. I even found myself warming up to Rhett and Quincy. This isn't like most romances and it was really a breath of fresh air. A few things to note...it does end in a cliffhanger but you'll be so engrossed in the story you'll want to keep reading. There are also possible triggers in this story; the biggest one being rape. If that's not your cup of tea, I'd steer clear. I'm really looking forward to reading Consent and more from this author.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars
A gripping read with an interesting cast of characters. The dubious or forced consent brought on by Gabriel’s infatuation with Valentina was, as it should be, a bitter to pill to swallow. Valentina’s predicament with Gabriel, though, was quickly overshadowed by his mother’s abrupt and cruel behaviour.
Full review to be added soon.

I haven't read anything by this author before and this book was a total surprise to me. I started reading fully expecting to dislike our main man Gabriel but have ended up feeling the complete opposite. Is he brutal, is he capable of unspeakable acts, absolutely, but this author has such talent that she made me second guess any preconceived ideas I had. By allowing us to see into his mind we gain a better understanding of how he works, that underneath he is capable of feeling joy and sorrow like the rest of us. He is not a handsome man, his body and face scarred from a life lived with violence and I liked that he is damaged on the outside as well as on the inside. He definitely has some redeeming qualities I could focus on. Now his mother on the other hand ...

I love a strong female character in a story and Valentina is certainly that. I have such admiration for her and everything she has endured and continues to endure in her life with such stoicism. I like the fact that her incredibly stressful life has not prevented her from having a kind and loving heart. In the beginning we see that she is completely controlled by Gabriel but over time we realise that she is not totally powerless and that when feelings begin to develop we can't be sure who the captive actually is.

Dark, violent and sexy with lots of great anticipation, Dubious has a fantastic storyline that is wonderfully written. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the conclusion of this story in Consent.

5 DIRTY & DEPRAVED stars! This book is immorally good. (A perfect example of Dark Romance)

After reading Dubious the first part of The Loan Shark Duet I wonder who is more twisted: the author for writing one of the darkest books or me for reading it. I am a proud fan of Dark Romance. There is something about this genre that draws me into a world where not all is sweet and perfect. The darker, the better!

Charmaine delivers an intense book, (a perfect example of Dark Romance). The plot is beautifully twisted. The characters are so complex that the story behind each of them is hideously raw.

The heroine is strong as a rock but soft as a flower. She lost her parents and her only family is her brother. Life is hard for her because living in a dangerous neighbourhood only can lead her to suffer sexual harassment or to die and many other things that most of women suffer daily. Things will get harder because of her brother. He will put both them in danger. She only has him and she will do anything to protect him no matter if she has to sacrifice herself.

Life is not easy and Valentina is going to discover it in a bittersweet way.

“Her fear excites me. Her courage intrigues me.”

There is not a Charming Prince. There is not a knight in shining armour. There is only a monster ready to claim Valentina, to own her and the worst part is that she will enjoy it and crave it.

Gabriel is the most twisted dominant man that you can imagine. His mind is powerful and his presence is overwhelming. He has something that makes you crave the darkness. He is dangerously possessive. It is like his heart is made of stone. Gabriel is a sinister fallen angel. Pain and sex are synonyms to him. The word love is not in his vocabulary until he took possession of Valentina.

“The smell of her desire drives me crazy. She’s wet, and the possessive side of me revels in the knowledge that I’m the cause. I’m the master of her desire”

The attraction between Valentina and Gabriel is sinfully dangerous. She is a natural submissive and he is a dark dominant. The pull and push is a game they play no matter what the consequences are, because lust wins every time they are close. Valentina will be an eager student and Gabriel will be an astute teacher. Desire and lust are two powerful things that will cloud their senses.

“He twisted and primed my body, playing it like an instrument until it gave him the tune he wanted.”

Holy heaven! Brownie points to the sex scenes because they are dirty and hot. They will make you blush like a teenager. The chemistry and passion Valentina and Gabriel share are depravedly perfect.

“He took my freedom and made my body a slave to his, but right now, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Dubious is a MUST READ you should not miss. I highly recommend you this book. If you are into Dark Romance, you will enjoy it as a kid in a candy store. It’s deliciously addictive and provocative. I need more Gabriel. I can’t wait to read the conclusion of this duet.

“Don’t you understand what you’ve done to me? I want you, Gabriel”

This story really impressed me. The two main characters are special and the story is special. Gabriel is an antihero with a strong and determined personality, obsessed with Valentina. She is courageous and does everything for her brother.
The author's style is rich in details, very detailed and capable of engaging the reader in history.
Suspense, mystery, eroticism, sensuality, all perfect qualities in this novel. I love the setting e the secondary characters like Magda and Carly.
There are very hot scenes and I love the development of the story between Gabriel and his Valentina.
For the full review (in italian) go to the site L’amica dei libri!
http://amicadeilibri.blogspot.it/2017/10/recensione-dubious-di-charmaine-pauls.html

'Dubious' by Charmaine Pauls is the First Book in "The Loan Shark Duet" series. This is the story of Valentina and Gabriel. This book will end with a cliffhanger to set you up for the next book 'Consent'. This is also a somewhat dark romance too. Gabriel isn't angel for sure and when he goes to take care of a few 'problems' he sees Valentina. But in his life of business problems don't survive. But he wants Valentina and he takes her. But things do go as smoothly as he wants.
This is a story of a good women turning a bad man. Loved it and cannot wait for the next installment!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/profile/A2HX0B5ELOPP5Z?ie=UTF8&ref_=sv_ys_3
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1831318-sissy-s-romance-book-review-for-you
https://twitter.com/soapsrus68
https://www.facebook.com/RomanceBookReview

Love romantic reads of any type (erotica and emotional). Written beautifully!

Gabriel is a ruthless loan shark who has no mercy for people who owe him money. But when he sets eyes on Valentina for the first time, he wants her, and what he wants he gets. Valentina is a young and proud woman, struggling to survive and support her disabled brother, Charlie. Charlie loves playing cards and now he has a huge debt. Of course Valentina can't afford to pay the money so she offers her service to Gabriel, in exchange for her life and her brother's. She sacrifices her freedom for nine years to the most feared man in town. What she doesn't realize is that Gabriel has no intention to ever set her free but plans to possess her by using manipulation. Will she be able to resist him? A dark, suspenseful read that I couldn't put down! The chemistry between Gabriel and Valentina is undeniable and you can feel every emotion that they experience! Both have been abused in the past and have never felt true love and affection, so it's heartwarming to see them falling for each other and not admitting it! Gabriel is a strong character but we are able to see behind his façade and I loved that he was also vulnerable when it came to Valentina! I also enjoyed the fact that Valentina is very dynamic and isn't afraid to defend herself and her brother! But she can't resist Gabriel, who's willing to do everything in his power to keep her with him! An unexpected romance between two people who are so different and yet so perfect for each other.

5 "She's no longer my captive. I'm hers." Stars

Talk about messing with my head and heart...

I finished Dubious three nights ago. The next day, I got drunk... because of cliffhangers and shit. While reading Gabriel & Valentina's journey I found myself hooked, the author's writing, the characters, and the flow of the story made it utterly unputdownable. Once I started reading, there was no stopping me!

I'm a dark romance lover. There's something truly special about this genre that has the power to test my boundaries and draw me into a world where not all is unicorns and rainbows.

"What I'm doing to her is selfish, wrong, and immoral, but I've never claimed to be a good man."

Gabriel was the anti-hero, a beast of a man you can't help but fall for, and Valentina was definitely his prey. I loved Gabriel. He was different, yet the same. The same because he was the kind of dangerously possessive male I loved to read about. But different because he wasn't handsome. Or that's why what the author tried to sell me but I couldn't for the life of me see him as anything other than hot. Dangerously hot. Scars and all.

It was like a cat and mouse game where you find yourself biting your nails or squeezing your legs with every turn of the pages. I'm not one to go into detail about the story, so if you're ok with that then carry on.

Dubious... It's depravity. It's edgy. It's gritty, but also incredibly romantic in its on way. It has this Beauty and the Beast vibe but in a dark-ish way that will melt your heart, no matter how dark the story gets. A dark romance that will make your toes curl.

Get yourself a cozy spot, pour yourself a shot of whiskey and enjoy the ride.

"I always knew Valentina was going to play havoc with my body, but what the hell is she doing to my heart?"

And mine.

What a fabulous book! I am besides myself with wonder. This book is dark, but there is so much light that shines through, too. Gabriel is a loan shark and takes Valentina as a payment from her brother’s loans. She tries to get out of it because her brother, Charlie, is mentally challenged and can not make correct decisions. But Gabriel is unmovable and she becomes his property for 9 years or Charlie dies. When this happened, I hated Gabriel. But as the story progresses, I am falling for Gabriel just like Valentina did. He is scarred literally and mentally. He feels he is not good enough to love because of his ugly facial scars. He has dark desires with Valentina, but also is very caring and devoted to her. Their journey is fascinating and I can not wait to find out what happens. It ends on a whopper of a cliff hanger, but the second book will be out soon.

Just loved it one of the best Dark romances I have read and I read a lot of them.The chemistry between Valentina and Gabriel is off the charts hot don't get me wrong I did feel for Valentina she just cannot catch a break and Gabriel is definitely evil but I still found him growing on me the more I read.This is a fantastic read that pulls you right in and I am looking forward to the next one.

I have mixed feelings for this book. Part of me knows that if the situations in this book were real life, then Gabriel and Valentina's relationship would be very a very unhealthy relationship like a Stockholm syndrome situation. The other part of me that lives in a book fantasy world, loves their complicated, possessive, and very sexual relationship. The way Gabriel seduces Valentina to crave him and his kinkiness, is so hot. She hates that she wants the man who now owns her for the next nine years. I loved that Valentina has a backbone. She also understands that she's giving up a part of her life to protect her brother, therefore she must submit to Gabriel and his evil mother. She finds herself in a very tough situation, and feels she must protect her family at all cost. Dying to read the next book!

My first time reading this author, and I definitely enjoyed the story. Dark, gritty and edgy. Characters were well written, and I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

Valentina was barely getting by taking carwbof her brother before her whole life completely flipped upside down more then she could ever imagine! In the midst of it all she found love within her captor. He not only posessed her but found love again within himself. This was a great read. I cant wait to read the 2nd book!

OMG! That was amazing! I need the second book. THE ENDING!

A gripping story, set in Johannesburg, full of heat, passion and suspense.
I'm cheering Valentina from the sidelines!

🌟🌟🌟🌟STARS
Dubious (The Loan Shark Duet, #1) was a delight to read and once I started there was no stopping me, I was on a mission to finish this.
So the low-down on Dubious was that Valentina Haynes a young veterinary student manages to get on the wrong side of the Louw family courtesy of her car thief neighbour, who while watching her disabled brother Charlie lets him run up gambling debt's at a local club.
Sent in on a kill order Gabriel Louw wanting Valentina for himself offers her an out, come work for him for nine years to pay off her brother's debt and he will let her brother go.
Now this book was fantastic and was such an easy read.
Despite the subject matter involved here, this was not in any way for me dark.
Gabriel rather than force Valentina (who is now working as a maid in his home).
Gradually seduces her senses with his brand of charisma and skills.
Alongside Gabriel, Valentina has to endure his mother Magda. who from day one is unhappy with her son's decision to allow the Hayne's to continue to exist and is just looking for an excuse to end Valentina.
I also loved the fact that Gabriel wasn't your typical looker and was covered in scars, this to me was an actual plus rather than a minus because I do adore me a less than perfect anti-hero.
Gabriel also came packed with a spoilt teenage daughter and I get the impression from her behaviour that she was less than aware of her father's profession.
I also thought it was a stroke of genies to set this in South Africa, Johannesburg to be precise.
This made it stand out for me from the norm, I can honestly say I don't think I've read this genre of story set in this background before.
This made this really original.
The tale told here was not very angsty but that didn't matter.
As this story progressed, two things became very clear to me, Gabriel's self-confidence in his own appeal was low, more than likely due to his scarring.
He felt that his money and power was all he had to offer besides the obvious things as well of course.
The second being Valentina has vastly underestimated how much Gabriel wants to protect and keep her, the former going to such extremes that it was bound to come crashing down around his ears just through miscommunication.
There were some very interesting side characters here Quinn and Rhett, Gabriel's bodyguards being two that grew on me and I believe they both generally liked Valentina.
Also, her friend Kris was a diamond watching her brother Charlie, maybe for the next nine years, this was definitely above and beyond.
Bet we would all love a friend like that.
So the only reason I pulled this down a star was that I feel that Gabriel himself would with this sort of reputation and power be less than inclined to allow his mother to pull his strings.
Yes, I know in the beginning she was described as having all the power.
I just fail to see, how with Gabriel's sort of nature he has allowed this status quo to go unchallenged all these years, I just can't see it.
After all, he is the muscle and scary face of the Louw's family loan shark franchise.
I actually just really wanted him to tell his mother to go screw herself.
So Would I recommend this? Hell yeah!!!
Dubious was well written with great developed characters and an interesting storyline.
It also really helped that the hero and heroine were both extremely likeable people.
Even considering the hero's occupation.
And the way this was left. well just Phew, so need that next instalment.
Dubious ended on such a fantastic cliffhanger.
I would like to say thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with a free ARC.
This is my own free and honest opinion of Dubious.

ARC REVIEW: loved the storyline; young lady Valentina, studying to be a veterinarian in South Africa, who is also taking care of her brother, Charlie, who suffered a brain injury in a car accident that killed their parents. Strong female lead, who sees the good in everyone even her the loan shark capturer and his goons. She is working off her brothers gambling debt to Gabriel, then throw in his crazy mother Magda, the daughter, Carly and an ex-wife Sylvia, you have a great page turner, can't wait for the next book in this series.

As a new reader to the darker erotica I was skeptical that this type of book would grab and pull me in however the book had a much greater effect on me than just pull me in. I felt the emotions of both Gabriel and Valentina very strong. The author did a wonderful job of making you feel part of the story. I truly felt hanging at the end and am very grateful that the second book will be out soon. I couldn't put my ereader down with this book and I am waiting in anticipation for Consent. Loved the book.

I loved reading the exciting and intriguing first book in The Loan Shark Duet series. I reviewed an ARC by NetGalley.
Gabriel, the enforcer for the mob, is suppose to kill Valentina and her brother, Charlie. Gabriel wants Valentina for himself and makes a deal. Valentina will do anything to save her brother's life and becomes Gabriel's property. Valentina tries keeping up with her vet studies, cleaning the mansion, waiting on Gabriel and his mom, the mafia boss, Gabriel's sex slave, seeing her brother and best friend on the weekends, but can't keep up with her dreams to become a vet. Valentina is starting to fall in love with her captor.
Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written and engaging story a reader literally cannot stop reading from beginning to end and full of anticipation for the second book in the series.

Valentina feels responsible for the accident that left her brother Charlie a shell of the person he was before. Her neighbor Jerry is no help at all. Thanks to jerry Charlie racks up a debt of 4 hundred thousand dollars. I feel for Valentina, all she wants to do is protect her brother even if it means doing not so pleasant things to keep a roof over their heads.
Gabriel doesn’t give her much of a choice, its either a live-in position with him or a bullet between Charlies’ eyes. His desire for Valentina is such that he goes against his mother, Magda’s orders to keep her. Moving in the Gabriel is like living in a pit of snakes. Valentina does not know who to trust, or how she will survive 9 years there.
Soon Valentina starts caring about her captor. She anticipated his visits even if he withholds taking things too far with her at first. She lies awake at night waiting for him, craving him, desiring relief that only Gabriel can give her.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2177993886

Gabriel is a monster. The Breaker. When he sees Valentina he wants her. So he takes her, trains her and makes her his property. All with the threat of her brother's life being held over her head. She's to remain his property for 9 years, the length of time it will take for her to work off the 400,000 rand debt her brother owes.

What a way to start off a "relationship." And yet, it is a relationship, eventually. It's a forced one, but a relationship nonetheless, because both grow to have feelings for each other, even though neither ever admits it to each other or to anyone else. She because she knows better than to admit to her captor that she has feelings for him. He because she's his property and if he admits feelings, his mother just may kill her as she so desperately wants to.

Dubious is a twisted, fairly dark (but not obscenely so) story. It's not really a romance, but it is steamy, seriously steamy. And I ended up rooting for Valentina and Gabriel by the end. Beware, this is the first part of a duet, so there is a cliffhanger. The good thing is that Consent is already available, so no need to wait for their conclusion.

This was a first read by this author. It didn't take long to understand Charmaine's writing style. I have to say I loved this one a lot! It has great descriptions, plot and character development. I couldn't put it down. Plus, beware there is a major cliffy at the end and THANKFULLY I have the next one on my kindle. Oh I can't wait to see what the conclusion will be for this loan shark duet!

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!

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!!!