Charmaine loves to write dark and edgy romance that will melt both your e-reader and your heart.
She's a mom of two teenagers, an adorable dog, and a dominant cat. Her country of birth is South Africa where many of her stories play off. Her French husband kidnapped her to the south of France where she currently lives with her family.
When she's not writing, you'll find her in the kitchen baking cakes or in the gym lifting weights (because ... all those cakes!).
Holy hotness! This entire series had me in a chokehold from beginning to end. I went from completely hooked in Coerced Kiss, to emotionally wrecked and desperate for more in Coerced Wife, to completely satisfied and still not ready to let go in Coerced Queen. This is exactly why I love a dark, possessive anti-hero, and no one does it quite like this author.
Saverio is everything I crave. He is intense, overprotective, commanding, and completely gone for Anya before he even realizes it. I loved watching him pull her into his world while neither of them fully understands what’s happening between them. The tension, both emotional and physical, just keeps building, and that constant thread of danger running alongside their relationship gave everything an edge that never let up. And that ending in book two. Cruel in the best way. I was completely tormented and needed the next book immediately.
But what really made this series stand out for me was Anya’s growth. By the time we get to the final book, she has fully come into herself in a way that completely shifts the dynamic. I loved seeing her step into her strength and confidence. She was not just keeping up with Saverio anymore, she was his equal. And seeing him face vulnerabilities he never expected while still holding onto that fierce, possessive edge made everything hit even harder.
This whole story was so well developed from start to finish. I was completely invested, completely captivated, and honestly just did not want it to end. The moment I finished, I already missed them and wanted more, and that is always the sign of a series that really delivers.
I read the trilogy as separate books,but now they’re being released as a beautiful boxset,i thought i might take the opportunity to leave my reviews here,too.
Coerced Kiss
Charmaine Pauls is on my list of favorite authors,so you can guess how happy i was when i heard Coerced Kiss was coming. When the ARC landed in my inbox,i couldn’t wait to find out how Anya and Saverio met,so i dove right in. Having finished,i can tell you i totally adore them both! I know,i know….the reason they know eachother was bad,i mean Saverio díd kill her boss. And the reason he came after her was,initially,to kill her. But he didn’t…..no,instead he’s doing everything he can to keep her safe! And when he finds out her secret? He does everything to keep that safe,too! Only problem is,he lives in a dangerous world,and his boss still wants her dead…. Telling him Anya is his alibi,keeps her alive for now,but how long will that last?? And is that all she is to him? The way he is with her,his reactions….they tell a different story. And even though Anya thinks he keeps her close so she won’t go to the police,her reactions can’t be denied,either. Even though she worries the “arrangement” they have will end,she can’t help,but give in to him. He makes her come alive,and strangely enough,he makes her feel safe…. At the same time,she makes him feel things he’s never felt before,and he wants more…. But will they get the time to explore what the future brings? I really hope Coerced Wife will give me some answers!!!
Coerced Wife
Coerced Wife is the emotional rollercoaster i expected to be,and more….so much more! After that cliffhanger of Coerced Kiss,i needed Coerced Wife badly,but after reading it,i’m not sure my heart is ready for Coerced Queen….. As always,i’m very grateful that Charmaine was so very generous to give me the ARC,because it meant the wait was shorter,but i really,really need her to hurry with Coerced Queen,or i won’t survive the heartache!
Anya and Saverio may be together,but at the same time,they’re not. He says he’s keeping her to protect her and her unborn baby,and because she’s his alibi. At the same time,he’s so very passionate in bed,and caring during the day. His actions say one thing,his words another. Anya may have fallen for her captor,but she realizes the way he loved his ex-wife may prevent him from ever loving her. While he makes sure the baby’s father will never be able to get custody of her baby,he also shows her he intends to be in it’s life,permanently. After hearing the reason why from his vindictive,spiteful ex,she has an extra reason to worry about everything that’s happening. When Sav finds out how good Anya is with numbers,he hires her as his accountant,drawing her deeper into his world. Plus,to make sure she,and the baby,are safe from opposing forces,he announces they’re to be married. And there’s nothing Anya can do about it….
But what happens at the wedding had me throwing my iPad,screaming in despair….. Charmaine,you tore out my heart with that cliffhanger,and stomped on it for good measure! You’d better make up for it…..PLEASE!!!!
Coerced Queen
Coerced Queen was the perfect finale to this rollercoaster ride,it had personal growth,deeply felt emotions,ánd twists and turns throughout! After Coerced Wife,i was on pins and needles,waiting with baited breath what would happen next. So,when the reviewcopy of Coerced Queen arrived,i dove straight in,and didn’t come up for air until i was finished.
I’ll admit,i wasn’t hopeful of getting a happy after at first,not with Sav’s condition,or his emotions. That man may have been in love with his wife,but he kept denying his feelings……and i wanted to shake him until he woke up more than once,but with the condition he was in,i decided to give him a little more time. After all,i didn’t want to make things worse by hurting him beyond repair…. In the meantime,i was rooting for Anya,that woman was só strong! She may just have given birth to sweet little Claire,but she was already taking care of business for Sav. Making sure he had everything he needed whilst in hospital, and arranging the best help for his recovery when he finally got home. Taking over at Dark Arts,running the business,ánd finding ways to get the information they needed about the ones responsible for the situation they were in. Once Sav was home,he did his part,but there were ways she could get information from people that wouldn’t talk to him….. All Sav wanted,was for his wife and daughter to be safe,and he’d do anything to make sure they were. If only Anya cooperated…..the danger she put herself in to get things done was seriously bad for his health! Add to the mix that b*tch of her mother,who’d escaped the center she was in,and was up to no good….
The twists and turns kept me on my toes,and the hopelesness Anya started to feel of ever gaining Sav’s love hurt,badly. The time he needed to admit what he felt for her and Claire made me fear he’d be too late…. In the end,eveything was as it should be,and my battered heart got what it needed so badly. I’ve always known Charmaine to give me all the feels with her stories,and make me love them in spite of the hurt,and this one’s no exception. Loved every second!
Coerced Trilogy by Charmaine Pauls is everything I crave in a dark mafia romance—and then some.
This second book doesn’t just continue the story—it consumes you. The pacing tightens, the tension sharpens, and suddenly Anya and Saverio aren’t just characters anymore… they’re an obsession. Their connection deepens into something raw, volatile, and utterly addictive. You can feel every ounce of longing, every moment of conflict, every push and pull between desire and control.
And the emotional turmoil? It’s relentless in the best way. Both Anya and Saverio are stripped bare—vulnerable, fierce, broken, and burning for each other in ways that hurt as much as they heal. I didn’t just read their story—I felt it.
The cliffhanger hit like a punch to the chest. No warning, no mercy—just an overwhelming need to dive straight into the final book because there is no way you can walk away from that ending.
This installment completely outshines the first for me. I fell hard for both of them—Anya with her quiet strength and fragile innocence, and Saverio… intense, possessive, dangerous, yet so achingly human beneath it all.
And the conclusion? It delivers everything. Angst that twists your heart, passion that burns through the pages, unexpected turns that keep you breathless, and heartbreak that lingers long after the final word.
Charmaine Pauls once again proves why she’s one of my absolute favorites—her ability to create deeply emotional, character-driven stories is unmatched.
This isn’t just a good read—it’s an experience. One that grabs you, wrecks you, and refuses to let go.
~Coerced Kiss~ Spectacular start to a phenomenal series! Sav is not a nice man, in fact he is doing monstrous deeds when Anya stumbles upon him in a dark alley. Sav is to silence her forever but finds that act impossible to complete and devises a plan to keep them both safe. Anya had not had a great life and is carrying a secret from everyone in her life. She does not like Sav’s plan but the other options are deadly. These characters had me captivated with their story. This story gradually unfolded at a perfect pace. I could not put this book down. ~Coerced Wife~ I was so excited when Coerced Wife landed on my kindle 📖and I dropped everything to continue reading this fabulous series, needing to find out what this couple does next and the antics of this domineering man. Sav does not disappoint in his demanding and manipulative ways. He threatens Anya to do as he says, never asking her what she needs or how she feels. He believes he knows best when it comes to what is good for her and good for their relationship. Poor Anya is struggling, as she does care for him, but does not want a relationship where she is dictated to and is so uncomfortable with the whole mafia family relationship and the meddling of Luigi. ~Coerced Queen~ What a spectacular ending to the New York Underworld series!! Saverio and Anya were the most unlikely couple starting with how they met and showing how they were raised and their beliefs. But when it came to family and love their actions and outcomes were aligned and so very similar. This finale checked off all my boxes, there was chaos and mayhem, violence and retribution, tears and devastation. But it was explosive so fitting for this couple and this story. Well done Charmaine Pauls, another addictive and well written series ❤️❤️
Coerced Kiss - What would you do if you saw something you should not have and realized right away that this could end your life? Anya's caught between a rock and a hard place. A witness to a murder, her life is in danger. And the deeper she goes, the more oppressive the heat. Saverio's cold-blooded demeanor is contradictory. One moment he is all hard angles, brutal and harsh and the next, he saves her life. But something has to give: will he follow his instructions or will she scrape by hidden in the shadows?
Coerced Wife - The saying "no good deed goes unpunished" definitely fits in this second story of the trilogy. Anya and Saverio have grown closer in their dangerous games, but feelings are hard to define when deception is the key to survival. Manipulation and deviousness are the hallmarks of this relationship.
Coerced Queen - This final story in the trilogy just ties up all of the angst and the danger and the coercion and the longing by Anya and Sav. While darkness held sway, there were moments of light in which Anya bursts forth into her own. Sav's possessiveness is curtailed but nothing will hold back the storm of their union.
I fell in love with this dark mafia series, filled with excitement, unexpected twists and turns, and plenty of heat. The story is told from the alternating points of view of the two main characters. Anya has a mundane life, which is abruptly interrupted when she becomes an accidental witness to some nefarious mafia business. And Saverio is a kingpin in the New York underworld. Secrets, lies, murder and broken promises abound between the two protagonists, and slowly but surely, the truth is revealed. It is obvious these two are perfect for each other, but they continually fight each other and their feelings. I was addicted to these characters and this world, and I was sad to say goodbye to this wonderfully mismatched couple. This was an exciting and unpredictable 5 star series.
I read thee books separately and reviewed separately. All five STAR review.
Coerced Kiss I was so excited for a new Charmaine story, especially since this one is set in New York (her first American-based book). It did not disappoint. This edge-of-your-seat story keeps you wondering when/if/can Saverio do what he threatens. I was exhausted but in the very best way. There is one piece of the story that I need to know the significance and cannot wait for book two. One thing, there are some terms that are different in the U.S. and threw me a little, but I know what was being said so it is all good.
Coerced Wife Shocked, I say, shocked. I did not see that coming. That right there is the reason you should pick up this series (two books in, one to go). I am so standing by Anya and her speaking up for herself. I have to say, Saverio is so sweet and kind but that also leads to Saverio being a little bit over the top right now (not always in a good way) and I need to see him taken down a peg or two. I think he will be. 😊
Coerced Queen What an amazing way to end this story. I was afraid at the end of the second part of this story not knowing where it would go but you get the wow what the heck happened in this story. I was blown away by the sensitivity, anger at situations and the absolute power of love. I cried, I was angry and I felt hope. I love all of Charmaine’s stories but this last of the trilogy ranks right up at the top (with others).
Coerced Kiss Anya finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, and now she's under the control of a powerful and intimidating man. Saverio is ruthless but so irresistible, and evokes intense emotions in her, fear but also an unprecedented allure! Anya is caught in his web, with no hope of escaping. Coerced Kiss is the deliciously gripping beginning of the exciting new trilogy by Charmaine Pauls. Anya and Saverio's tumultuous relationship is gripping and breathtakingly sinful! Coerced Wife Anya is trapped in a world of peril and deceit and her only hope is Saverio, a relentless man, who will stop at nothing to protect the woman he believes belongs to him. But Saverio has his own secrets and Anya knows she shouldn't put her life in his hands. Coerced Wife is gripping and seductive, filled with tension and tantalising characters. Coerced Queen In Coerced Queen Anya and Saverio's relationship is challenged, and Anya needs to be the strong one, in order to protect her family. She is determined to fight for the man that owned her life and captivated her heart! Now Saverio gives her a choice, but there's only one way for her, the one leading to him! Coerced Queen is a magnificent and powerful story of love blooming under the most impossible circumstances!