Diamonds in the Rough

This series is captivating, the characters become people you find yourself thinking about, their emotions and the many conflicts from all sides. It has dark elements, with violence. Twisted true love, is this the worst or the best ? Zoe, kidnapped & isolated, is a very strong young woman, in the first book, “Diamonds in the Dust”. An excellent read, impressive writing that draws you in and makes you cry right along with Zoe. I’ve found a new favorite author! I wish all of Charmaine Paul’s books were available on Apple Books, now I have to search other ebook sites to find her well written books.

Diamonds in the Rough: A Diamond Magnate Novel (Diamonds are Forever Book 2)- Charmaine Pauls This second book in the series evoked even more emotional angst , highs and lows,than the first book. The story of Maxine and Zoe continues with Max doing everything he can to make Zoe happy as “his” female.A big problem is his inability to actually love anyone (although I believe he does), and his loyalty to “The Family” and what he believes are his “ responsibilities”. Zoe continues to fall deeper for this anti-hero kidnapper that has gone way past Stockholm syndrome. I applauded her attempts to assert herself around his family and staff. Her determination to succeed at a fashion design school and even reaching out for friendship. The story was totally engrossing and I developed the same love/hate feelings for Max. The final twist though just gutted me and I was glad she just didn’t go along with Max’s betrayal. Another cliffhanger ending that left me breathless and waiting impatiently for Book 3.

Wow! This story makes you feel all the drama that Zoe and Maxime are going through. It is stunningly well written and it has so much depth and personality to it. Yes, at times I think Zoe is a bit naive and wish she had a stronger backbone but her personality is so kind and caring that you absolutely feel her pain and anguish. The story has me anxious to find how where it is leading. Yes, it does end in a cliffhanger but the ride to get there is so worth it. The emotional pain and sorrow, the bit of action and the secrets that are revealed make such a great story. It is most definitely worth reading and doesn’t disappoint. The series is a must read!

What can I say!!! I am furious!!! I love it!!! I am angry!!! I can’t wait till the next book!!! Yup. That is what I will say. All of them. This book is fabulous!!! I thought the first one was good. But dang it. This one was even better. Zoe and Maxime continue their adventure in this second book. Oh by the way. If you haven’t read the first one then you need to because you don’t want to miss anything when it comes to this couple. I love them both!!! The chemistry is crazy between these too. I absolutely love them. Of course if you can’t tell I would definitely recommend this book. I wish I could give it more than five stars. It is really that good. I can’t wait for the next one!!!

How is it possible that Diamonds in the Rough (Diamonds are Forever Trilogy #2) is even better than the first book? More profound deception, more lies, bigger betrayals, and the relationship between Zoe and Maxime gets even more complicated. As usual, Pauls' writing is superb; she pulls you into Zoe and Maxime's world with her intensity and detail until this crazy world fades away. I never thought I would say this, but even though the book ends with a cliff hanger, it was pure perfection, and I don't think that Ms. Pauls could have written it any better. Over the next thirty months, Maxime continues to control and manipulate Zoe, and she remains his prisoner. But in this book, he doesn't just manipulate her body, but somehow manages to manipulate and capture her heart. "The bitterness of being forever unloved and eternally lonely will chip away at my heart until nothing but hard, polished hate is left. I hate him as much as I love him, but I hate myself more for loving him." All Zoe has ever wanted is to be love. As you read this book, Zoe's emotional pain is palpable. My heart and soul ached for her. Even though Zoe has accepted her fate, she is not weak. She is far from a vulnerable heroine; she loves with all her heart and is at times forgiving to a fault. However, don't be fooled by Zoe. Never forget she is a survivor and she will surprise you! And she certainly surprises Maxime. Oh, did you want me to tell you how she surprises him? Sorry, that is not going to happen, no spoilers in my reviews. "We're diamonds in the rough, cutting our edges together. I no longer want to leave. I want to try, because maybe, just maybe, there are ways to survive Maxime, and maybe I don't have to do it alone." Maxime is a dark, cunning manipulator with a massive helping of danger; he is pure mafia-- hard and unyielding. But I was not able to hate him—quite the opposite. I was rooting for him and hoping that Zoe will help him be a better man, and in some little ways, Zoe has done that, but the darkness continues to call to him, and he fully embraces it. "She's the light to my h*ll, the hope to my infernal darkness. Men like me are born dark. We inherit it from our fathers and pass it on to our sons. She's the only brightness I'll ever have in my life..." Maxime has given her snippets of her desires, but that all comes with her unconditional surrender to him. The man has some serious control and trust issues. All Zoe wants is for Maxime to love her, but he believes he is incapable of loving anyone. How wrong he is, he loves her; he doesn't realize it yet, and neither does Zoe. My feelings ranged from loving Max one page and then wanting to slap him on the next page. Maxime is truly a tortured soul. Diamonds in the Rough should come with a warning label: Danger, you are about to lose your mind in a world swirling in darkness, and the hottest most passionate romance-- that you will not be able to put down. I devoured this book in one sitting, and it left me breathless and wanting more. Ms. Pauls' writing has a way about it that puts you in the mind of her characters. You feel their love, their pain, their heartache, but also their hope. The Diamonds are Forever Trilogy is not to be missed. The first one, Diamonds in the Dust, can be read NOW. The second book, Diamonds in the Rough, will be available on July 14, 2020. The third book, Diamonds are Forever, will be available September 15, 2020. I highly recommend this series if you like a dark antihero and a beautiful, resilient heroine wrapped up in a stunning sexy package. * Please note the quotes in my review are subject to change once the book is published. * ** I kindly received Diamonds in the Rough from Charmain Pauls. I was not, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. **

If you are looking for a series to get your emotions so revved up that you can't think straight? Read this series. I'm not sure I can even put into words. I'm feeling betrayed just as much as the heroine is feeling it. I wanted to cry and lash out just like she wanted to. And that ending! Oh man, was that cruel to end that way. September can't come fast enough for the next book to release. I say all these things in a good way. The fact that I am feeling this strongly proves what an outstanding job the author did to make these characters come alive. This author writes edgier stories and she writes dark enough to push at the boundaries I have set for myself. I find myself nervous but excited to see what she will bring to wrap up Maxime and Zoe's love story.

Rough like uncut Diamonds, dull in appearance like the pain of unrequited love, but brilliant nonetheless, cause Diamonds Are Forever ! Charmaine pulls no punches and doesn't slow down on the turns. The story careens at breakneck speed towards the impending crash, leaving treadmarks on Zoe's heart. What started as an act of meticulous planning in book 1 soon turns to a mangled mess in book 2. "He’s a hardened criminal with a dark heart, and I’m a naïve romantic with an abandoned princess fantasy. Somehow, we work together. Somehow, we’ve rubbed off on each other. We’re diamonds in the rough, cutting our edges together." Just like the gems, the story is packed with compressed heat of passion shared between Maxime and Zoe hart. She's the quintessential Stockholm Syndrome victim and a girl with virginal, impressionable heart. "He made me dependent on him in every sense—materially, physically, and emotionally. There’s nowhere else to turn to. There’s only this house now, this beautiful place I both love and hate, and him. Love and hate." Maxime remeins true to his form of being a cold-hearted, cold-blooded terminator with an agenda. He has obligations and doesn't let his emotions tamper with his destiny. He doesn't change his tune, only Zoe and me fell for this stone cold mafia don-in-the-making. Only nobody discounted for the emotions that silently creep between them and cage their hearts “I’m still the pathologically lying, manipulative, coldhearted with the versatile criminal behavior and lack of moral judgment.” “And high intelligence,” she adds, “not to mention ruthlessness.” Zoe just wanted to be cuddled and loved and my heart just broke for her. It's awash with tears, very heavy on the sentiments and takes a toll on the heart. I never saw the twist coming and got a whiplash from the slap in the face. Exactly like book 1, the ending is on a major cliff ie and my heart legit died crying. Cannot wait for book 3 now

This book was so absorbing that I lost track of time! You must read book 1, Diamonds in the Dust, as there was a resolution to the cliffhanger. That incident and resolution made Maxime realize he has deeper feelings for Zoe. She fell deeper under his spell too, but truths come out she didn’t know. She goes through so much in this book, and I totally felt for her. She was stronger than she realized, and I admired her for that. Maxime’s layers get peeled back more, and I loved that as he was a fascinating anti-hero. Zoe was the light to his darkness, and he refuses to give her up. They are bonded but their push/pull and love/hate relationship was so intense in this book that it almost broke me. What did break me was the last twist in this book; I was sobbing which goes to show how invested I am in these characters and their story. I have no idea how this story will play out in book 3 after that ending, but I cannot wait to read it. I love and highly recommend this book and series! *I received an advanced copy of this ebook for my honest review.*