Wounded: A Damaged Heart Story

by Margaux Paris

All I see is red.

Red for the scars carved into my sister.

Red for the family who destroyed her.

Red for the girl I can’t stop wanting, even when I know she’s poison in my blood.

But here’s the thing about poison—once it’s in you, it never lets go.

Natalie Vallen should be nothing to me. She shares blood with the man who broke my sister, and every time I look at her, I’m reminded of everything I couldn’t protect.

She’s under my skin. In my head. Crawling into the cracks of a heart I thought was dead.

Loving her is wrong. Wanting her is betrayal.

But when it comes to Natalie…

All I see is red.

381 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 10, 2025

About the author

Margaux Paris, a 35-year-old romance enthusiast and indie author, calls Sydney, Australia home. She made her debut in 2025 with her first novel, Broken, which is part of a duet. Her follow-up, Flawed, hit kindle in July 2025. With a passion for reading any romance novel she can get her hands on, she felt inspired to pen her own stories.

Margaux is just beginning her exciting journey in the literary world, having recently released her first novel.

When she's not immersed in writing, you can find her wrangling her three young sons or diving into another romantic and spicy read.

Reviews

[Nikki Riches · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ 4🌶️

What can I say?! Margaux Paris knows how to write chemistry between characters that is so strong and unbreakable, you find yourself obsessing over this book every minute of the day.

Nat and Tyler have an undeniable bond and will overcome some serious obstacles to ensure they get their second chance.

This book made me laugh, cry and sometimes question my own moral compass… and the best part?! I still got my fix if my favourite psychopath.. Jax Fucking Bennett.

[Vanessa Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW 📚

I don’t know what this says about me (probably a lot) but goodness me Tyler you are 🥵

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tyler and Natalie were once each other’s whole world - until Michael’s crime forced them apart. Five years later; neither has truly moved on. Natalie keeps her distance from relationships and the community while Tyler throws himself into anything that might help him forget what they shared (but it doesn’t)

Until one day Tyler walks into a coffee shop and straight back into Natalie’s life.

✨ Check your triggers
✨ Possessive MMC
✨ Childhood lovers
✨ Dual POV

Tyler and Natalie share an unbreakable bond - yet so much stands in their way, trust, trauma, family and guilt. After everything they’ve endured the question remains - is their love strong enough to withstand the pain of the past?

I also really enjoyed the supporting characters - Nate, Tori, Jax, and Ally. I’m especially hoping Nate gets his own book! The banter, the found-family dynamic and all the cheeky jokes in between made their presence such a highlight!

[Read.Recap.Repeat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love doesn’t just scar — sometimes it bleeds 🩸

This book hit me right in the chest.

Wounded by Margaux Paris is an emotionally raw, banter-filled romance that explores guilt, trauma, loyalty, and the messy, complicated way love survives when the past refuses to stay buried. It’s heavy without being hopeless, sharp without losing heart, and unexpectedly funny in all the right moments.

Natalie is fighting to reclaim her independence after years of living under impossible expectations, while Tyler is carrying guilt and anger that threaten to consume him. Their connection is layered, tense, and loaded with unresolved feelings, the kind that simmer quietly before boiling over.

What really stood out for me was the banter. The dialogue is sharp, witty, and laugh-out-loud funny even when emotions are running high. The sibling dynamics add so much depth, and the found-family moments balance the darker themes beautifully. And Natalie’s Skittles obsession as a coping mechanism? Relatable, clever, and oddly comforting.

This is a story that doesn’t offer easy answers or tidy solutions. It leans into moral grey areas, emotional growth, and the idea that healing isn’t linear but it is possible.

If you enjoy romances that are messy, emotional, funny, and deeply human, Wounded is absolutely worth the read. 🩸💔✨

[Bobby Ashman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it was my favourite from the series.
I loved the characters. Tyler was so tough but sweet.The live he had for Natalie, There relationship was beautiful, fun and real .
I really enjoyed the banter between Jax and Tyler. Jax was scary but the way he would burn the whole world for Hannah.
The story had such real feel to it, you felt connected to the characters.

[Sarah Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW
⭐️’s - 5/5
🌶️’s - 4/5

Holy Smokes Wounded is the icing on an already ridiculously amazing cake.

Margaux Paris is the mastermind behind a truly unforgettable masterpiece. Her characters are so realistic and relatable. The banter will have you laughing out loud randomly, the plot line is raw and unapologetic, and let's just say there's enough spice to make your book club blush.

Five years have passed since Natalie and Tyler, high school sweethearts, went their separate ways following a traumatic experience that had a devastating impact on their lives and families.

Natalie has decided to break free from her controlling parents' influence after discovering a long-buried secret.

Tyler is drowning in his guilt daily and try’s to fill the void with his promiscuous ways.

♥️Favourite Bits♥️-

“I don’t want perfect. I just want honest.”

May cause spontaneous heartbreak, emotional whiplash, and unplanned attachment to stray kittens.

I’m a moth to his flame, reckless enough to burn just to feel the fire.

“Because every single time I’m inside someone else,”
“All I see is red.”

This series is highly addictive and will have you hooked. So heck yes I totally recommend diving into the, Damaged Hearts Series!🖤🖤

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say, I’m a sucker for anything Margaux!
I absolutely love this whole series!
The way the books are written they just flow so easily.
The Aussie banter just had me in stitches.
I can’t decide who my favourite character is but Nate definitely has my heart and I need more of him!

This book had me in all the feels!
I was mad, sad, happy, then mad again. I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster and wanted to scream multiple times haha.
Tyler & Nat were complicated hearts who let the world around them destroy their own happiness and that just broke me.
The end had me smiling and kicking my feet and this book definitely had some unexpected but very welcome parts 😝

Margaux I cannot wait for my next read by you! Please let me know asap who the main characters are haha!

[Hannah Caller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wounded is raw, emotional, and beautifully messy. Margaux Paris dives deep into trauma, healing, and the terrifying hope of loving again. The characters are flawed but real, the chemistry intense, and the emotional payoff totally worth the ache.
If you love your romance with depth, vulnerability, and characters who fight their way back to love (and themselves), this one’s for you. It’s not light—but it’s powerful.

[allza.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly didn’t think Margaux could top broken or flawed but… drum roll please! Wounded topped them both (sorry not sorry) The banter between Tyler and Natalie is top tier and I found my self messaging Margaux at all hours pissing myself laughing 🤣 The consistent pull between these two had me turning pages super quick, engaged the whole way through and loving it all! I can’t wait to see what Margaux pulls out for her next project/s because she’s become an auto read author for me 😍

[Allyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hooked from the first chapter! Loved the cross over with previous stories and how they slotted into the storyline.
The pull between Nat and Tyler is one for the ages childhood sweethearts that have never got over one another.
Am anxiously waiting to see if Nate gets his own story……..

[Chanel Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaux just keeps raising the bar with every new release!

Tyler and Nat’s story was raw, emotional, chaotic, absolutely adorable at times.
Tyler had me swooning one minute and wanting to strangle him the next for his frustrating (but somehow justifiable) choices.

The storyline just kept getting better, each chapter pulling me in deeper until I was stressed, invested, and absolutely glued to the pages. The ending was Perfection.

Jax had me absolutely cracking up especially when it came to Princess Murderface and I’m crossing my fingers that Nate gets his own book next!

[Casey Smailles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wounded by Margaux Paris.

Tropes:
Forbidden romance
Enemies to lovers
Obsession
Family rivalry
Trauma bonding
Protective hero
Redemption arc
Love / hate banter
Possessive MMC

Firstly thank you to the wonderful Margaux for the opportunity to read her book Wounded this is a standalone but it does take place is the Damaged Hearts world. I devoured this book and it ruined me. Margaux has this wonderful way of writing amazing characters.

Wounded follows Natalie and Tyler. These two are like moths to a flame. They once dated but Natalie’s brother is A psycho (if curious I highly suggest Broken and Flawed) they break up. Fast forward and fate decides to meddle and they end up living in the same building. One day they run into each other. Will fate succeed and bring these two back together? Or has too much happened?

These two have a powerful connection, electric chemistry, amazing tension, angst, great banter, A man who is obsessed with his girl, it’s emotional, they help each other grow and heal together, its steamy and the spice is 🔥🔥 the scene with Tyler and the unicorn mask scene 🥵🥵

Guys, I loved this so much. Please head over and add it to your TBR or even pro order your copy ready for release on 10th November 2025.

Ratings: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

“I know what you’re risking by letting me back in. Your sanity. Your family. The whole house of cards you built to stay upright after I left.” Her fingers twitch in mine. “But I’m not asking you to fix it all today. I’m asking you to believe I’m not going anywhere.”

“We’re more than our last names, Red. We always have been.”

“What if this wrecks us all over again?” I brush my fingers across her cheek. “Then we rebuild. Again. And again. As many times as it takes.” Her breath catches. Her hand closes around mine. “Okay,” she says. “But if you leave again, I’m setting fire to your car.”

“But now,” he says, brushing his thumb across the edge of my hoodie, “I wake up, and you’re here. Your toothbrush is next to mine. There are Skittles in the drawer instead of condoms in the glovebox. I’ve memorised your tea order. I wash your hair some nights. And I look around and realise…” He exhales. “I don’t want to run anymore.”

[Caryn James · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started strong, with loads of tension, miscommunication, and emotional pull that had me fully invested. Unfortunately, as the story progressed, the constant recycling of feelings and inner thoughts became repetitive and started to feel stagnant. By around chapter 33, I noticed a clear pattern forming—one that kept me hanging on longer than I probably should have.

The continued overuse of the word “like” was almost hilarious. I actually started counting how often it appeared, and it turned into a game by the time I finished the book. The word “like” was used over 1,000 times—for comparison, my friends’ current reads clocked in at 478 and 570. The author would describe something, then immediately describe it again using “like”, for example: “Jax watches her disappear into the bedroom like a man watching his life burn down in slow motion” or “slamming my back against the wall with a thud that feels like surrender.” It was simply too much. Chapter 34 alone contained 33 instances of this. Necessary? Absolutely not.

I had to pause when I read the line, “So you want to play sexy stranger, rapist in the dark?” Given that Michael raped Ally, having Ally’s brother Tyler direct this comment at Michael’s sister Natalie felt uncomfortable and misplaced. Rather than adding to the scene, it distracted from the story and raised my eyebrows.

After all my nit-picking, I did enjoy this book. With fewer “likes” and a little more sustained tension, and less repetition it would have been even stronger. That said, the author is firmly on my radar—I’m keen to see her growth and what she has in store next.

[Hope Everly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wounded by Margaux Paris is another masterpiece of raw emotion, banter, and heartache. Written in first person, told through the alternating perspectives of Tyler and Natalie “Red,” this book asks a powerful question: have you ever been so wounded that you think it’s easier to hurt someone than to love them?

Tyler is broken, convinced he’s too damaged to love what he truly wants. His answer? Numb the pain with meaningless sex and alcohol. Natalie is his match—his balance—and together their story is messy, beautiful, and addictive. Two wounded souls, destined to collide, destined to challenge one another, and destined to make you feel everything.

Margaux Paris delivers again. The banter had me smiling, laughing, even cursing out loud. At times, I wanted to shake the book and shout, “But why??”—because the emotional pull is that strong. This is romance at its rawest: complicated, painful, but worth every page.

Margaux, you’ve proven again why you’re my favorite Australian author—the Australian answer to Chloe Walsh. I didn’t think you could get funnier, sharper, or more heartbreaking, but Wounded proves you absolutely can. Brilliant work.

[K · Rating 5 out of 5]

“All I see is red”
Another brilliant book by this incredible author. Margaux is the queen of writing characters navigating heavy, emotional situations, all while delivering razor sharp banter that has me laughing out loud.

This is a second chance romance between Nat and Tyler, who have to overcome some series obstacles for their HEA. There was so much trauma, so much history and every character in this book left a mark, especially Nat who stole my heart from the first page. She is the type of girl you want to be friends with and her sharp wit was absolutely top notch. Tyler had me grinding my teeth at times but hey, we all love a damaged soul… right?

Special mention to my favourite psychopath Jax who brought just the right amount of chaos and had me absolutely cackling at his expense.

Margaux if you read this I am BEGGING for Nate and Tori to get their own book/s. This cannot be the end of these incredible characters!

[Neen T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another smooth flowing read that had the chapters just flying by!

The story of Tyler and Natalie was a great edition to the Damaged Hearts series.

A dark contemporary with hidden secrets and emotional baggage.

I thoroughly enjoyed the love, the chaos, the inner turmoil, the trauma!
And, of course, the healing, overcoming hurt and learning to trust again.
"Perfect chaos" indeed! 😁

The banter between our main six characters was top-notch, and the one-liners had me cackling!

Fav side character: Princess Murderface! 🤣

[Jade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tyler and Natalie really put me through the wringer emotionally, but I totally loved this book! 📖🥰😭😱😫🥵 And can we talk about Nate? He's hilarious, and I'm really hoping he gets his own book. 🤣🤞 Also, Tori is such an amazing friend to Nat, right? 👯‍♀️💖 I loved it, and I can't wait for Book 4! 🤩

[Ellen Gudino · Rating 2 out of 5]

Idk how I’m supposed to root for these two when he f**** any girl that walks near him. Um no not for me 🙃