Diamonds in the Dust

Charmaine Pauls does it again. When she announced that she was writing a trilogy, I was over the moon. I love spending quality time with characters, so trilogies are my favorites.
Actually Charmaine Pauls is an automatic purchase for me, I have never been disappointed and never expect to be disappointed because this author is one sublime storyteller. A true wonderful woman that was given a gift. A gift she readily shares with all of her readers.

And the gift for her readers here, are Zoe and Maxime. Zoe's life is turned upside down when Maxime enters, but that’s not to say Zoe was doing so great to being with. She wasn’t. But she knew her circumstances and dealt with them. But Maxime with his own issues shakes Zoe to her core. And that’s where Charmaine leaves it.
I can not wait for the second book. All of three books will be released this year and I couldn’t be happier.
Book 1 rating: 5 Stars

I love this author’s writing style because in one chapter the reader is quickly drawn into this life or death battle between good and evil and I could not look away. Maxime is a ruthless and unpredictable predator who will get his way no matter who dies because violence is the cost of doing business in the French Mafia. He might be rich and well dressed but his clothes can’t hide the menace in his soul. When Zoe is forcibly dragged from her seedy apartment against her will she has no choice but to submit to everything Maxime wants or pay the brutal cost. She tries her best to stay strong but when her pride and dignity are ripped away with a brutal attack she sees only one way out. I’ve never been a huge fan of cliffhangers but this one is deliciously Machiavellian and it totally blew my mind. Best. Cliffhanger. Ever. I read an early copy of this book and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

Diamonds in the Dust: A Diamond Magnate Novel (Diamonds are Forever Trilogy Book 1) - Charmaine Paul

This book is a prequel to Beauty in the Broken (highly recommend this as another amazing read), part of the Diamond magnate series. It is captivating, hypnotizing, emotionally draining, empowering even in the face of imprisonment. This is a very dark story with the romance becomes buried under the emotional push and pull of the characters needs. If you have any triggers with forced consent , violent scenes and abuse then this series is not for you.
There is amazing character development between the two main characters, Maxime and Zoe, which is not only told throughout the book but also in their narratives. The story is told from both perspectives.
Zoe has been kidnapped by Maxime in an attempt to control her brother, Damian, who is in prison after being set up. Maxime is part of a French Mafia family who deals a great deal with mining diamonds. His initial plan to turn her over to his family changes when he decides to “keep “ Zoe, by making her his mistress. Somehow Maxime makes Stockholm syndrome work for their relationship. He has studied Zoe to the extent he knows her almost better than she knows herself. Maxime is an expert at controlling Zoe and finds himself falling for her,perhaps even “keeping her.
Zoe wrestles with trying to sort out Maxime who fluctuates between trying to make her dreams become reality and psychological /physical control. Although Zoe has submitted to her captures conditions to save her brother, she is slowly becoming drawn into the dream. This heroine though is no pushover and finds how she holds her own power over Maxime.
The psychological play between the characters had me drawn into the story from the beginning. As a reader you are confused how to feel about Maxime as the borders between good and bad become blurred.
This is a very hard book to put down, the story is fast paced, exciting , frustrating, thrilling, filled with this authors hypnotic speciality of dark sexy romance.
I loved that the book is told from both POV’s and although I knew this ended with a cliffhanger , omg didn’t see this one coming.