Charmaine Pauls Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Charmaine Pauls

For readers who are new to Charmaine Pauls' intense, dark romance novels, the absolute best starting point is The Loan Shark Duet. Comprising the books Dubious (2017) and Consent (2017), this breakout duet established her signature style of morally ambiguous antiheroes, high-stakes power dynamics, and gritty settings. Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, the story follows Valentina, a resilient woman who finds herself trapped in a debt agreement with a dangerous loan shark named Gabriel. Reading these two books in order gives you the perfect introduction to Pauls' style of romantic suspense.

If you prefer a standalone story before committing to a multi-book character arc, Beauty in the Broken (2019) is an excellent alternative. It is part of the larger Diamond Magnate collection but functions perfectly on its own, showcasing the author’s ability to build deep emotional tension, complex family dynamics, and satisfying redemption arcs.

What to Know Before You Start

Before diving into Charmaine Pauls' extensive bibliography, there are a few key details to keep in mind:

• Dark Romance Themes: Her books feature intense, dark romance tropes, including forced proximity, captivity, debt dynamics, enemies-to-lovers, and heavy power imbalances. Trigger warnings are common, so readers should check individual book details if sensitive to dark themes.
• South African Settings: Unlike many contemporary romances set in the US or UK, many of Pauls' stories utilize South Africa's vivid contrasts. The settings range from Johannesburg's criminal underworld to rich, exclusive diamond mining sectors, adding a unique cultural and atmospheric flavor to her books.
• Standalone vs. Duets/Trilogies: While the overarching collections (like the Diamond Magnate books) are set in the same world, they follow different couples. You do not need to read the collections in a strict chronological order, but you must read the individual duets and trilogies in numerical/publication order to avoid spoilers and follow the plot.
• Collaborative Works: Pauls frequently collaborates with fellow dark romance author Anna Zaires. Together, they have written the White Nights Duet, the Darker Than Love books, and entries in the shared Krinar World.

The Diamond Magnate Universe (Hart Family Saga)

The Diamond Magnate universe is Charmaine Pauls' largest and most popular collection of interconnected novels. Set against the backdrop of the South African diamond industry, it is split into several distinct subseries and standalones. What makes this universe unique is that the books are connected through the stories of the Hart siblings. While you can read these subseries in any order, the books within each must be read sequentially:

Diamonds Are Forever Trilogy

This trilogy follows the intense, slow-burn relationship between Zoe Hart and Maxime Belshaw, a powerful figure in the French mafia controlling the diamond trade. Maxime kidnaps Zoe to manipulate her brother, leading to a tumultuous relationship. Read them in this order:

1. Diamonds in the Dust (2020)
3. Diamonds in the Rough (2020)
5. Diamonds are Forever (2020)

Beauty in the Stolen Trilogy

This trilogy centers on a heist and a dark, captive romance between Ian Hart and Cassandra 'Cas' Joubert. Ian is a notorious criminal who kidnaps Cas after a casino robbery. Read them in this order:

1. Stolen Lust (2021)
3. Stolen Life (2021)
5. Stolen Love (2021)

Beauty in Imperfection Duet

This duet explores the complex relationship of Leon Hart (the middle brother of the Hart family) and Violet, a fiercely independent woman dealing with a congenital limb length discrepancy. Read them in this order:

1. Imperfect Intentions (2022)
3. Imperfect Affections (2022)

Diamond Magnate Standalones

• Beauty in the Broken (2019) - A popular standalone focusing on Angelina, a wealthy but troubled widow, and Damian Hart, an ex-con seeking vengeance.

The Loan Shark Duet

As her breakout work in dark romance, this duet remains a fan favorite. Gabriel and Valentina's story must be read in order:

1. Dubious (2017)
3. Consent (2017)

Corsican Crime Lord Series

This four-book series dives into the dangerous and seductive world of a Corsican crime syndicate. It follows the arranged marriage and power struggle between Angelo Russo and Sabella Edwards. Follow this reading order to see the full story unfold:

1. Love Like Poison (2023)
3. Hate Like Honey (2023)
5. Tears Like Acid (2023)
7. Kisses Like Rain (2023)

Collaborative Duets & Shared Universes

Charmaine Pauls has partnered with USA Today bestselling author Anna Zaires to create several popular dark romance collaborations and sci-fi romance spin-offs.

White Nights Duet

Co-authored with Anna Zaires, this duet centers on Alex Volkov and Katherine Morrell. Read them in order:

1. White Nights (2021)
3. Midnight Days (2021)

Darker Than Love Books

Another collaboration with Anna Zaires, this project includes a prequel and a main novel. While it connects to Zaires' Tormentor Mine series, it can be read on its own:

1. Sweeter Than Hate (2019) - Prequel Novella
3. Darker Than Love (2020) - Novel

Krinar World Series

The Krinar World is a shared sci-fi romance universe created by Anna Zaires, featuring a mysterious alien race that has colonized Earth. Charmaine Pauls has written several standalone romances set in this world. They can be read independently, though they are listed here in publication order:

1. The Krinar Experiment (2017)
3. Krinar Diplomacy (2017)
5. Krinar Solace (2018)
7. The Krinar's Informant (2018)
9. The Krinar Code (2019)
11. The Krinar Eclipse (2019)

Other Romance Duets and Standalones

Outside of her major crime and diamond syndicates, Pauls has written contemporary romances that focus on age-gap dynamics and standalone romantic suspense.

The Age Between Us Duet

This duet features a high-stakes age-gap romance that should be read in order:

1. Old Enough (2018)
3. Young Enough (2018)

Standalone Novels

These standalones span different genres, from her early contemporary fiction to romantic suspense:

• Between Yesterday and Tomorrow (2011) - Her debut novel.
• The Winemaker (2013)
• Second Best (2014)
• The Astronomer (2014)
• Catch Me Twice (2019)

The 7 Forbidden Arts Series

Unlike her contemporary dark romance series, the 7 Forbidden Arts series is a paranormal romantic suspense series. Each book revolves around individuals with elemental magical abilities (like pyromancy and aeromancy) and the dangerous secrets they hold. The recommended reading order follows their publication:

1. Pyromancist (2015)
3. Aeromancist: The Beginning (2015)
5. Aeromancist (2015)
7. Hydromancist (2015)
9. Geomancist (2016)
11. Necromancist (2016)
13. Scapulimancist (2017)
15. Chiromancist (2017)
17. Man (2017)