Beauty in the Broken

Beauty in the Broken

Without a doubt Charmaine Pauls’ Diamond Magnate Novel is a 5 STARS read! Beauty in the Broken is a richly layered story set in Diamond Country, South Africa and told in dual perspective, thereby allowing the reader to glimpse into the minds of two very guarded and damaged individuals. The name of the book says it all, poetic in its meaning, the deeply harrowing story leaves the reader wondering if the two main characters, Damian and Lina, ever stood a real chance of surviving the corrupt and exploitative diamond world?

Damian is out of prison, and he wants to punish the parties involved in framing him for theft, resulting in his false imprisonment. He intends to punish everyone who aided in framing him, even those who were indirectly involved, specifically, the rich, entitled, privileged and beautiful daughter of wealthy Diamond Magnate Harold Dalton. Damian has a score to settle and he will take no prisoners. With a penchant for cruelty, Damian blackmails Lina’s father for her hand in marriage and for the rights as her legal guardian, thereby gaining full control over her late husband’s fortune. Lina is declared mentally unstable and unfit to be independent. Damian hopes to exploit Lina’s condition to punish her for the part she played in his false imprisonment. It’s an ugly situation, Damian is cruel, a sadist to his core and he plans on breaking Lina until she is nothing but a shell of herself. The catch? Someone already beat Damian to it. Will Damian’s cruel sadistic tendencies tip Lina over the edge? Or is Damian’s brand of cruelty exactly what Lina needs to ignite the dying embers of her shattered heart and soul?

Wow!!!! I really can’t express clearly enough how much I loved this book! Beauty in the Broken gave me all the feels I look for in a book! Ms Pauls, I’m singing you praises for this beauty of a book! Damian and Lina’s story had me ugly crying over the death of innocence. To read about two people who have this potential opportunity to find their mark in the world but to then instantly have it ripped from them in one heartless act, had me crying in despair for Lina and Damian. The author has such a brilliant way of immersing the reader into this gritty world where corruption and greed reign, all cleverly disguised by wealth, luxury, and refinement. This juxtaposition gives a false sense of security whereby one assumes characters will err on the side of caution by making honourable decisions based on their social standing. However being wealthy and refined by polite society’s standard is not synonymous with being good and kind. Both Lina and Damian are fooled by this notion of wealth and refinement equating to goodness, and it is their lived experiences that tell a different story when placing trust in the wrong hands. They have both been exploited and now exist as shells of their former selves. It is harrowing and painful to read and yet so beautiful to see two broken people try to find their way in life again and learn how to thrive once more. They are truly “beauty in the broken”. Damian will do anything to have it all, and Lina learns how to navigate her new life without being further destroyed. Their life together is sad, destructive and so beautiful. Damian and Lina’s “dance” is breathtaking, intense and at times sweet and touching. I was cheering for both of these characters to get their HEA!!!! The secondary characters were also masterfully written with purpose to really explore Lina and Damian’s characters! I loved every part of this story and was sad when I turned to the last page and saw that it was over.

Everything about Beauty in the Broken is perfect! ❤️

Through the ringer!

Beauty in the Broken is amazingly, beautifully heart-wrenching and emotionally turbulent. It appears to be a revenge story about a young man, Damian Hart, who seeks retribution from a diamond magnate, Harold Dalton, for stealing his prospecting find and sending him to jail. Damian returns after six years in prison to take back Dalton’s diamond mine and his beautiful daughter, Angelina, as well.

The simple opening belies so much more hurt and loss and damage that is eventually revealed, that this reader was literally wrung out while reading it. Honestly, this was a challenging read. The shining light that carried me through all the painful ordeal was Lina herself. If you could see Lina’s karma it would be a glorious halo of light. She retains her honour, her compassion, and her capacity to love despite everything she has been subjected to. Damian and Lina’s love should have been pure and transcendent if not for the meddling of sociopathic crooks. That they can overcome everything that happened is proof of that. Charmaine Pauls has created another incredible love story. I don’t know how she does it without leaving a piece of her soul behind each time, but I am profoundly grateful to her for this gift!

This was my first Charmaine Pauls's book, and won't be my last. OMG! This story is amazingly dark, and beautifully written! I love all about it! The characters, the angst, the mystery, the suspense, the action packed, and the beautiful ending. Damian and Lina are really great characters. Damian is brutal, dominant, possessive, protective, dark, but he is also so much more than that. Lina is a beautiful and extremely strong character. They share an instant love, and a sizzling chemistry. I love that the story is told with dual POV. The storyline is heartbreaking, breathaking, totally captivating, and filled with twists and turns. Now, I am looking forward for more books written by this author.