What do you think?
Rate this book
The Deana-Dhe Duet #1
Debts and Diamonds
Arden, Lorcan and Carrick are the men everyone fears...
They are known as the Deana-dhe.
Dealing in debts, they steal information and they manipulate.
To them I am Cyn.
I’m their original sin.
The mute girl they never wanted to be drawn to.
The girl who put a spell on them, who became their cailleach.
You see, I’m a modern day witch, skilled in the art of alchemy.
A long time ago I made a deal with the Deana-dhe, and they’re back to cash in on my debt.
But if I’m the apple they never wanted to take a bite out of, then they’re the snakes willing to use me for their own gain.
They want me to make diamonds, a drug that has the ability to heighten the senses, and manipulate emotions.
They want me to reverse the spell I put on them.
But how can I?
I may be a witch, but there’s no f*cking with love.
**This is a contemporary, why choose romance with dark themes and a hint of magic. Please note that some of the content may be triggering to some readers.
They are known as the Deana-dhe.
Dealing in debts, they steal information and they manipulate.
To them I am Cyn.
I’m their original sin.
The mute girl they never wanted to be drawn to.
The girl who put a spell on them, who became their cailleach.
You see, I’m a modern day witch, skilled in the art of alchemy.
A long time ago I made a deal with the Deana-dhe, and they’re back to cash in on my debt.
But if I’m the apple they never wanted to take a bite out of, then they’re the snakes willing to use me for their own gain.
They want me to make diamonds, a drug that has the ability to heighten the senses, and manipulate emotions.
They want me to reverse the spell I put on them.
But how can I?
I may be a witch, but there’s no f*cking with love.
**This is a contemporary, why choose romance with dark themes and a hint of magic. Please note that some of the content may be triggering to some readers.
364 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 15, 2022
805 people are currently reading
4066 people want to read
About the author
Bea Paige
66 books1,571 followersA writer of gritty, dangerous love. A hopeless romantic. A lover of dark heroes. A drinker of red wine and a scoffer of Haribo sweets.
Librarian Note: Also writes under the name Kelly Stock.
Librarian Note: Also writes under the name Kelly Stock.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews
December 17, 2022
These characters were first introduced in the Academy of Stardom series. Also, a lot of their backstory is in The Dancer and The Masks duet. So, even though this is the first book where they're main characters, it would make a LOT more sense if you read those, first.
I’ll be honest, Academy of Stardom is one of my favorite RH series....that said, all the books that Bea Paige has put out since then have been not bad, but just okay. So, I was pleasantly surprised this was very enjoyable. It’s definitely the best thing she’s written since Finale.
This is sort of a second-chance, kind of an "enemies to lovers" read, about Cynthia, aka Cyn (who was introduced in The Dancer and The Masks) and the 3 guys known as the Deana-Dhe (who were first introduced in Breakers): Arden the leader, Carrick the mean one, and Lorcan, the sort of nice one (none of these guys are really nice). These 3 Irish guys have a fearsome and mysterious reputation in the criminal underworld. Everyone thinks they’re borderline supernatural beings, and the guys lean into that. Cyn is the only person who knows they’re just human. (This book is set in the modern world, but it does flirt with being almost paranormal – Arden is just a man, but he DOES have premonitions).
Cyn has been mute ever since she saw her mom’s murder as a kid. She’s also got a nearly supernatural ability to use plants to make natural remedies and substances. This book has alternating chapters in the past and present, similar to Freestyle. Jumping between past and present doesn't always work, but it's done well, here.
In the past, we see Cyn as a teen get sent to a remote boarding school for “troubled” teens. Cyn’s dad is an Irish crime lord, and he’s angry that his daughter is mute. So he instructed the school to pair her up with the 3 worst guys, to scare her into talking. Arden, Lorcan, and Carrick do some intense bullying (the worst things they do is forcibly pour alcohol into her mouth, and also strip her, tie her to a tree at a party, and let everyone write mean things on her body). Some of the bullying parts are hardcore, but because of the 2 timelines, we never linger too long on them. Also, the bullying scenes all end feeling like Cyn kind of still has the upper hand. Because as much as the guys try to provoke her into talking, she never does.
In the present-day chapters, they’re all around 23/24. Cyn owes them a debt for finding the identity of her mom's murderer, and the guys have come to collect. They've brought her to their home (they live on their own island in a spooky old monastery) to make Diamonds for them (a special drug). But as the present day timeline unfolds, it becomes clear that Cyn has her own agenda and secrets. So once again, she has the upper hand, even though it initially seems like the guys hold all the power.
I like how this book isn’t a full-on paranormal, but it does have some elements of it. This story almost feels like a fairy tale – a mute girl with a tragic past, and 3 criminal guys with fearsome reputations who bring her to their remote home and give her a task. And they’re unhappy when she’s not doing that task fast enough….meanwhile, she’s stalling for her own reasons. So, there are some Scheherazade vibes, and some Rumpelstiltskin vibes too. (And even thought it's set in the modern day, it has a timeless feeling, there aren't references to characters checking social media on their phones, or anything).
I wasn’t sure how the 3 guys were going to work as heroes of their own story, since they were so MYSTERIOUS when they appeared in previous books. When enigmatic side characters get their own spotlight, that can ruin the appeal. Sometimes they work better as side characters! But, this book found the perfect balance between peeling away their mystique, but still making them interesting. (I also didn't expect it to have MM - it does, between Arden and Carrick).
Cyn is easy to root for, filled with quiet strength. Everyone underestimates the mute girl, and she uses that to her advantage. I enjoyed the power play between them.
Even though I've been a bit disappointed in Bea Paige's recent books like Heads You Lose, THIS book shows that she's still got it. It's the best thing she's written since Academy of Stardom. I’ll be eager for the second book in this duet.
I’ll be honest, Academy of Stardom is one of my favorite RH series....that said, all the books that Bea Paige has put out since then have been not bad, but just okay. So, I was pleasantly surprised this was very enjoyable. It’s definitely the best thing she’s written since Finale.
This is sort of a second-chance, kind of an "enemies to lovers" read, about Cynthia, aka Cyn (who was introduced in The Dancer and The Masks) and the 3 guys known as the Deana-Dhe (who were first introduced in Breakers): Arden the leader, Carrick the mean one, and Lorcan, the sort of nice one (none of these guys are really nice). These 3 Irish guys have a fearsome and mysterious reputation in the criminal underworld. Everyone thinks they’re borderline supernatural beings, and the guys lean into that. Cyn is the only person who knows they’re just human. (This book is set in the modern world, but it does flirt with being almost paranormal – Arden is just a man, but he DOES have premonitions).
Cyn has been mute ever since she saw her mom’s murder as a kid. She’s also got a nearly supernatural ability to use plants to make natural remedies and substances. This book has alternating chapters in the past and present, similar to Freestyle. Jumping between past and present doesn't always work, but it's done well, here.
In the past, we see Cyn as a teen get sent to a remote boarding school for “troubled” teens. Cyn’s dad is an Irish crime lord, and he’s angry that his daughter is mute. So he instructed the school to pair her up with the 3 worst guys, to scare her into talking. Arden, Lorcan, and Carrick do some intense bullying (the worst things they do is forcibly pour alcohol into her mouth, and also strip her, tie her to a tree at a party, and let everyone write mean things on her body). Some of the bullying parts are hardcore, but because of the 2 timelines, we never linger too long on them. Also, the bullying scenes all end feeling like Cyn kind of still has the upper hand. Because as much as the guys try to provoke her into talking, she never does.
In the present-day chapters, they’re all around 23/24. Cyn owes them a debt for finding the identity of her mom's murderer, and the guys have come to collect. They've brought her to their home (they live on their own island in a spooky old monastery) to make Diamonds for them (a special drug). But as the present day timeline unfolds, it becomes clear that Cyn has her own agenda and secrets. So once again, she has the upper hand, even though it initially seems like the guys hold all the power.
I like how this book isn’t a full-on paranormal, but it does have some elements of it. This story almost feels like a fairy tale – a mute girl with a tragic past, and 3 criminal guys with fearsome reputations who bring her to their remote home and give her a task. And they’re unhappy when she’s not doing that task fast enough….meanwhile, she’s stalling for her own reasons. So, there are some Scheherazade vibes, and some Rumpelstiltskin vibes too. (And even thought it's set in the modern day, it has a timeless feeling, there aren't references to characters checking social media on their phones, or anything).
I wasn’t sure how the 3 guys were going to work as heroes of their own story, since they were so MYSTERIOUS when they appeared in previous books. When enigmatic side characters get their own spotlight, that can ruin the appeal. Sometimes they work better as side characters! But, this book found the perfect balance between peeling away their mystique, but still making them interesting. (I also didn't expect it to have MM - it does, between Arden and Carrick).
Cyn is easy to root for, filled with quiet strength. Everyone underestimates the mute girl, and she uses that to her advantage. I enjoyed the power play between them.
Even though I've been a bit disappointed in Bea Paige's recent books like Heads You Lose, THIS book shows that she's still got it. It's the best thing she's written since Academy of Stardom. I’ll be eager for the second book in this duet.
December 23, 2022
First of all, I would like to say that I have loved the Deana-Dhe from the second we met them in Academy of Stardom and their story was well worth the wait! More recently, I've been anticipating this book since I finished The Masks and The Dancer all the way back in January and I had a lot of expectations going in about what I wanted. This book had things I didn't anticipate but also completely surpassed all of my expectations! We already knew these characters had some history together but man do they have HISTORY! Years of it to be exact! To accommodate this, the writing maintained a solid pattern of going between the past and future but it was done so well! We would get a scene from the past and then have it referenced in the present or vice versa and overall I loved the flow of the story in general.
I mention this in every review but idc, Bea's writing is beautiful, she is one of the few authors whose writing can captivate me so thoroughly with every book of hers I read! She makes me feel so much emotion while I read and I love that she consistently prioritizes her characters making emotional progress before any spice comes along, it makes the spicy scenes feel so much more significant and intimate and unsurprisingly I loved it in this book too!
Another thing I like about this series and the world that Bea has created is that it's contemporary with a touch of paranormal/magic which I never see! I usually read things that lean heavily into contemporary or paranormal but not both. To explain, it's set in a contemporary world but we've got clairvoyant characters who see visions of the future and an herbalist FMC whose so good at her craft some could argue she's a green witch! It helps to add the perfect amount of magic while still keeping everything set in our modern world!
And finally, the characters. I loved them just as much as I thought I was going to and man does it feel good to fall in love with a story this deeply again! I am so freaking excited for book 2, I cannot wait! This book was focused around establishing their history and giving the characters time to reestablish their connection to each other. But the next one? The next one will be highlighting exactly why these men have such a fearsome reputation in the criminal underworld, I'm so ready to watch them go feral! Bring it on Bea! 🤭
I mention this in every review but idc, Bea's writing is beautiful, she is one of the few authors whose writing can captivate me so thoroughly with every book of hers I read! She makes me feel so much emotion while I read and I love that she consistently prioritizes her characters making emotional progress before any spice comes along, it makes the spicy scenes feel so much more significant and intimate and unsurprisingly I loved it in this book too!
Another thing I like about this series and the world that Bea has created is that it's contemporary with a touch of paranormal/magic which I never see! I usually read things that lean heavily into contemporary or paranormal but not both. To explain, it's set in a contemporary world but we've got clairvoyant characters who see visions of the future and an herbalist FMC whose so good at her craft some could argue she's a green witch! It helps to add the perfect amount of magic while still keeping everything set in our modern world!
And finally, the characters. I loved them just as much as I thought I was going to and man does it feel good to fall in love with a story this deeply again! I am so freaking excited for book 2, I cannot wait! This book was focused around establishing their history and giving the characters time to reestablish their connection to each other. But the next one? The next one will be highlighting exactly why these men have such a fearsome reputation in the criminal underworld, I'm so ready to watch them go feral! Bring it on Bea! 🤭
December 18, 2022
"ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴏᴜʀ ᴇɴᴇᴍʏ, ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴀᴠɪᴏᴜʀ, ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴏᴜʀ ꜱɪɴ, ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴏᴜʟᴍᴀᴛᴇ."
Please know that this book has TW/CW like bullying, bloodplay, childhood trauma, and death of loved ones off-page. So if this book isn't for you, then skip along respectfully. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Bea for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. OMG, this book may be my favorite in Bea's overall series. It's so angsty, powerful, and the most amazing enemies to lovers I have ever read. I had to devour this book in one sitting. There is no shot I couldn't put it down!
If you followed the Our obsession series, we continue our story with thirteen aka cyn and the Deana-Dhe and we get to learn about their history together. She is a talented healer and some say witch and prolly a green witch if you ask me. She has history with the most feared men in the land. Seriously no one fucks with them. They are men who find out every secret and deal in debts and Cyn is a debt to be collected.
It may be a love-hate relationship between most of them, but the tension is so delicious I just love them. Cyn is a mute girl and made a vow that she will never ever squeak, scream or speak a word around them. And what do these men say? "Challenge Accepted".
Ah, I super love this book. Like I am super obsessed with this. I love Cyn. She is so fierce and so clever minx. I love the men. You will slowly, slowly and I promise you will fall in love with them. It is a slow burn but their chemistry is so electric and I knew from chapter 6 that I would cry from this book and the angst would be so good. This is really good shit. I would say this book is a diamond itself to be honest.
💎 MM/MMFM
💎Slow to medium burn and then it ignites to the most powerful ooof!
💎Bully romance
💎Primal Play
💎Unhinged and obsessed men
💎Organized crime
💎Enemies to lovers
💎Close proximity
💎C@ptive
Rating 5/5 💎💎💎💎
Spice Level 3/5🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
Please know that this book has TW/CW like bullying, bloodplay, childhood trauma, and death of loved ones off-page. So if this book isn't for you, then skip along respectfully. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Bea for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. OMG, this book may be my favorite in Bea's overall series. It's so angsty, powerful, and the most amazing enemies to lovers I have ever read. I had to devour this book in one sitting. There is no shot I couldn't put it down!
If you followed the Our obsession series, we continue our story with thirteen aka cyn and the Deana-Dhe and we get to learn about their history together. She is a talented healer and some say witch and prolly a green witch if you ask me. She has history with the most feared men in the land. Seriously no one fucks with them. They are men who find out every secret and deal in debts and Cyn is a debt to be collected.
It may be a love-hate relationship between most of them, but the tension is so delicious I just love them. Cyn is a mute girl and made a vow that she will never ever squeak, scream or speak a word around them. And what do these men say? "Challenge Accepted".
Ah, I super love this book. Like I am super obsessed with this. I love Cyn. She is so fierce and so clever minx. I love the men. You will slowly, slowly and I promise you will fall in love with them. It is a slow burn but their chemistry is so electric and I knew from chapter 6 that I would cry from this book and the angst would be so good. This is really good shit. I would say this book is a diamond itself to be honest.
💎 MM/MMFM
💎Slow to medium burn and then it ignites to the most powerful ooof!
💎Bully romance
💎Primal Play
💎Unhinged and obsessed men
💎Organized crime
💎Enemies to lovers
💎Close proximity
💎C@ptive
Rating 5/5 💎💎💎💎
Spice Level 3/5🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
April 1, 2023
I kinda wanna have a hissy fit about this book. Until that cliffy ending I honestly planned to give up. I’m not a fan of any of the characters really and the heroine was a doormat surrounded by rich brats who held a ridiculous grudge. Once again we another story where characters are tormented for their parents mistakes. And yes this is a bully read, I think the guys are dicks and took it too far. Heroine was so disappointing giving in to them at every turn. When they tied her up and let her be stripped naked and marked by her peers, that’s a bridge too far in my book. If she wasn’t a stronger doormat who knows what that could do to a teenagers psyche. All this complaining but damn now I wanna see where things go, heroine hasn’t made a stand or anything but perhaps the guys have a chance to suffer over what they’ve done to her in the past.
December 8, 2025
This is objectively a very good book
The way the story unravels, with 90% percent of the past chapters being in the FMC's POV and 90% of the present chapters being from each MMCs' POV, it kept things interesting.
While the past is being told to us,
・
・
・
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
The way the story unravels, with 90% percent of the past chapters being in the FMC's POV and 90% of the present chapters being from each MMCs' POV, it kept things interesting.
While the past is being told to us,
・
・
・
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🕮⋆˚࿔✎𓂃 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
December 16, 2022
At last, we can dive into the world of Deana-Dhe and the enchanting character of Cyn. I’ve been enamored with her since we met her in the Masks world, and the Deana-Dhe have been menacingly swimming around like hungry sharks since we met them in the Stardom world. They are enigmatic, depraved, almost gleeful in the way they manipulate and terrorize others. I was so curious just what was behind their story and if, in fact, there was any redemptive qualities to these mysterious foes. Fortunately, Bea has such a keen ability to integrate humanity and charisma into even the darkest of her heroes, and Debts and Diamonds paints a compelling, empathetic, and complicated history between these four characters.
Part origin story, part enemies to lovers, masterful game of chess, we get to discover these characters in multiple eras as we find out just what the history is between them all and what has led to the desperate, volatile, and dangerous arrangement that now exists between them. Pain and abandonment really unite them- their need to control and destroy, Cyn’s need to heal and her muteness are all manifestations of similar adversity. But they all waffle between that connection being cathartic or a threat- a delicate, fragile, and chaotic back and forth. Bea takes a really relationally immersive approach here- with a lot of flashbacks to help shape our understanding for their dynamics. And with the carefully woven dash of magic, there’s an ethereal and otherworldly feel to the story.
The Deana-Dhe transition beautifully into leading anti-heroes. Bea somehow maintains their air of mystery and menacing aura while also humanizing them. She gives them substance, differentiates each, and layers dimension on dimension. They are certainly worthy of a full story- easily stepping out of the shadows. But Cyn is the star- I loved how Bea gives her a quiet and vulnerable strength. She’s clever, gently coercive, and enchanting. And her muteness adds an interesting layer to her connection to the men, empowering her allure and protecting her secrets.
Each of them has their own motives and game, all of which intersect with their attraction, longing, and complications with one another- what a tangled web they weave. The heavy emphasis on the past keeps progress in the present more slow, and we’re lighter all the answers and have a slower burn, which only means we’re in for a jaw dropping conclusion to the duet. Prepare for a cliffhanger and a hunger for more- excited to see just how their mind games play out.
November 13, 2025
Intense read! Enemies to lovers. 1FMM. Why choose dark bully romance. Soul mates. Dark dangerous broody MMCs. Check the triggers first! It was just an okay for me.
December 9, 2024
3'5 Porque no soy muy fan de los saltos temporales en cada capítulo.
January 20, 2023
This book was so weird. What also PISSED ME OFF was that somehow the author gave her dialogue when she wasn’t supposed to speak yet so what was the ducking point tbh
July 6, 2024
3.5⭐️’s-ish - my downgrade in rating comes in two parts, a good portion regarding the audiobook version:
The first: while I understand the need for “flashbacks” to explain why the MC’s are the way they are, there weren’t a lot with the FMC outside of the institution all of the MC’s met at. It doesn’t seem to explain the FMC very much and why/who she is. I also found the ‘interruptions’ of the flashback scenes a bit repetitive as a lot of those scenes were explained/detailed by the other MCs at one point. I felt like a good portion were helpful, but not very transparent in regard to the emotional/mental aspects of the MCs. I hate to say it, but I felt the need to skip some bits because they were monotonous.
The second: as I mentioned, I’m listening via audiobook. While the voice actors are good, I’d have to say their accents were lacking. Honestly, the range in voices the FMC voice actress is typically outstanding, especially when narrating make characters… but merging all of the range with a thick Irish brogue…. It was cringey. It stinks because I usually enjoy her narration! She went in and out of the accent every five seconds. The male voice actor was the same in the beginning, but managed to hold steady for the most part as the book went on. The problem with the male voice actor was the lack of distinction between the three MMC’s.
While I say this, I still give this book a better than average rating because they still did a good job beyond the nightmare of a hurdle this book would have brought for the most seasoned actor/actress.
And the plot was intriguing enough to pull me into the second!
The first: while I understand the need for “flashbacks” to explain why the MC’s are the way they are, there weren’t a lot with the FMC outside of the institution all of the MC’s met at. It doesn’t seem to explain the FMC very much and why/who she is. I also found the ‘interruptions’ of the flashback scenes a bit repetitive as a lot of those scenes were explained/detailed by the other MCs at one point. I felt like a good portion were helpful, but not very transparent in regard to the emotional/mental aspects of the MCs. I hate to say it, but I felt the need to skip some bits because they were monotonous.
The second: as I mentioned, I’m listening via audiobook. While the voice actors are good, I’d have to say their accents were lacking. Honestly, the range in voices the FMC voice actress is typically outstanding, especially when narrating make characters… but merging all of the range with a thick Irish brogue…. It was cringey. It stinks because I usually enjoy her narration! She went in and out of the accent every five seconds. The male voice actor was the same in the beginning, but managed to hold steady for the most part as the book went on. The problem with the male voice actor was the lack of distinction between the three MMC’s.
While I say this, I still give this book a better than average rating because they still did a good job beyond the nightmare of a hurdle this book would have brought for the most seasoned actor/actress.
And the plot was intriguing enough to pull me into the second!
June 21, 2025
Despite everything I am about to say, the connection between the characters felt very strong, even though we learn almost nothing about the MMCs.
I am not the biggest fan of jumping between the past and present in the timeline. The shift between "what we are feeling is not real, it's just the blood pact" to "we actually love you" happened abruptly.
There are no side characters besides a few who appear in the past, nothing really happens throughout the book. Now that I have finished the book, it feels like a very long introduction to the action that is supposedly going to happen in the second book.
I am not the biggest fan of jumping between the past and present in the timeline. The shift between "what we are feeling is not real, it's just the blood pact" to "we actually love you" happened abruptly.
There are no side characters besides a few who appear in the past, nothing really happens throughout the book. Now that I have finished the book, it feels like a very long introduction to the action that is supposedly going to happen in the second book.
August 9, 2025
I have very mixed feeling about this book, some parts of it I found very strange and uncomfortable but the actual storyline I ended up really enjoying, it wasn’t over complicated nor was it over simplified and it was all put together really carefully
December 16, 2022
“We’re the Deana-dhe. Brothers in arms, purveyors of truths and lies, dealers and debts. Legends. We’re also human. We’re men who hate, who hurt, who bleed. We’re men who love.”
Bea Paige knows how to get you addicted… I’m hooked for sure. What a story!! I need my next fix!? 🤣
Syn AKA 13 in previous books ends up at silver oaks institution…. After seeing her mother being murdered. Her father sent her there to be “fixed.” Syn hasn’t spoken since her mothers death, not for the lack of trying. Here is where she meets the Deana-dhe, Carrick, Arden & Lorcan. A long time ago she made a deal which left her owing a debt… of course, the day came they come to collect that debt. They call her their cailleach (a witch) they want Cyn to make diamonds, a drug that has the ability to heighten the senses and manipulate emotions. She might be mute, but she is loud in every other way that counts.
I absolutely love the flash backs from present to past, seeing how they met and their journey to the present. I adore all the guys, even moody Carrick. And broody Arden. Lorcan softens to Cyn the most at first 🥰
That ending has left me wanting so much more!!! Shits about to go downnn😝
Bea Paige knows how to get you addicted… I’m hooked for sure. What a story!! I need my next fix!? 🤣
Syn AKA 13 in previous books ends up at silver oaks institution…. After seeing her mother being murdered. Her father sent her there to be “fixed.” Syn hasn’t spoken since her mothers death, not for the lack of trying. Here is where she meets the Deana-dhe, Carrick, Arden & Lorcan. A long time ago she made a deal which left her owing a debt… of course, the day came they come to collect that debt. They call her their cailleach (a witch) they want Cyn to make diamonds, a drug that has the ability to heighten the senses and manipulate emotions. She might be mute, but she is loud in every other way that counts.
I absolutely love the flash backs from present to past, seeing how they met and their journey to the present. I adore all the guys, even moody Carrick. And broody Arden. Lorcan softens to Cyn the most at first 🥰
That ending has left me wanting so much more!!! Shits about to go downnn😝
December 15, 2022
ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀ ꜱᴛᴀɴᴅᴀʟᴏɴᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀʟʟ ᴍʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ʜᴏᴏᴋᴇʀꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴇᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀɴᴀ-ᴅʜᴇ ɪɴ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍʏ ᴏꜰ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴅᴏᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ʟᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ʟᴀᴅʏ ᴄʏɴ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴏʙꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ ᴅᴜᴇᴛ. ɪꜰ ɪᴛ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ɪ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ.
ᴀʀᴅᴇɴ, ʟᴏʀᴄᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴄᴋ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ꜰᴇᴀʀꜱ...
ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀɴᴀ-ᴅʜᴇ. ᴅᴇᴀʟɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴅᴇʙᴛꜱ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜱᴛᴇᴀʟ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴍᴀɴɪᴘᴜʟᴀᴛᴇ.
ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴡɪʟʟ ɢɪᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏꜰ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀɴᴀ-ᴅʜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴍᴄ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴍᴇ ʙɪɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀ ꜱʟᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴏɴ, ʜᴀᴛᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴛꜰ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ. ɪ’ᴍ ꜱᴏ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʜʜʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ’ꜱ ᴀʟʟ ɪ’ʟʟ ꜱᴀʏ ꜰᴏʀ ɴᴏᴡ.
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
ᴀʀᴅᴇɴ, ʟᴏʀᴄᴀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴄᴋ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴏɴᴇ ꜰᴇᴀʀꜱ...
ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴀʀᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡɴ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀɴᴀ-ᴅʜᴇ. ᴅᴇᴀʟɪɴɢ ɪɴ ᴅᴇʙᴛꜱ, ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜱᴛᴇᴀʟ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴍᴀɴɪᴘᴜʟᴀᴛᴇ.
ᴛʜɪꜱ ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴡɪʟʟ ɢɪᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏꜰ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀɴᴀ-ᴅʜᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ꜰᴍᴄ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴍᴇ ʙɪɴᴅᴇᴅ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴀ ꜱʟᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛᴇɴꜱɪᴏɴ, ʜᴀᴛᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴛꜰ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛꜱ. ɪ’ᴍ ꜱᴏ ᴇxᴄɪᴛᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀʜʜʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ’ꜱ ᴀʟʟ ɪ’ʟʟ ꜱᴀʏ ꜰᴏʀ ɴᴏᴡ.
ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
December 28, 2022
This book is addictively good! It's the kind of ready that doesn't leave you, even once you've put it down or finished. It stays with you, the characters a part of you now.
Full of unexplainable magic, where you're not sure what's science, and so packed with emotion it bursts at the seams. I love that about Bea's book, they grab your heartstrings and don't let go.
I loved the insights into the past, the way they were interwoven with the present day and the way the relationship between them all unfolded was sublime. You don't notice that it's a slow burn because the plot is so gripping, then tension so high it's like eating your favourite dark chocolate; decadent and a little bit sinful.
I'm on tenterhooks for the next book, I know it's going to be just as magical, dark and delicious.
Full of unexplainable magic, where you're not sure what's science, and so packed with emotion it bursts at the seams. I love that about Bea's book, they grab your heartstrings and don't let go.
I loved the insights into the past, the way they were interwoven with the present day and the way the relationship between them all unfolded was sublime. You don't notice that it's a slow burn because the plot is so gripping, then tension so high it's like eating your favourite dark chocolate; decadent and a little bit sinful.
I'm on tenterhooks for the next book, I know it's going to be just as magical, dark and delicious.
January 6, 2023
DNF - quit at 7%
At my age (61), life is way too short & my time is too important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.
At my age (61), life is way too short & my time is too important to force myself to read a book I'm not enjoying, especially when there are so many other books out there waiting to be read.
December 16, 2022
Debts & Diamonds
by Bea Paige is the first book in
The Deana-Dhe
duet series.
The story follows Cynthia ‘Cyn’ O’Farrell and The Deana-Dhe aka Arden Dálaigh, Carrick O’Shea and Lorcan Sheehan all of whom made appearance in Bea’s other series Their Obsession duet.
Since there was a lot to be learnt about Cyn and the Deana-Dhe’s aka Arden, Carrick and Lorcan, considering the past history they shared.
It led to Bea displaying a narrative that had us going back and forth, transporting us between the past and present. Allowing the characters to fill in the missing pieces along the way.
When a memory was mentioned in the present, Bea would lead us through memory lane to learn the back history within the next chapter. Ultimately making for a thorough and detailed plot.
However that didn’t mean everything was answered straight away, seeing as secrets were still being kept and mysteries were still to be unravelled.
Yet it worked well since it played in keeping us in suspense at times from the build up that kept us hanging on. Particularly when it came to the mystic element that was included, considering the part it played with having connections to Cyn and Arden due to the special gifts they possessed.
Which just so happen to hold importance, as it played a big part of the storyline since it carried a link between them all.
Bea did a good job with the first part to the duet series in not only bringing the characters to life, given all that we learn about each of them. Courtesy of their individual POV chapters.
But also presenting the developing relation between Cyn and Arden, Carrick, Lorcan. Having us riding the wave from the many ups and downs they all travelled, filled with a lot of changes within emotions and feelings being discovered.
As well as displaying angsty-ness with tensions running high in certain events and situations they were faced with.
The showcasing of very distinct personalities between each of the Deana-Dhe had been executed well by Bea.
It’s what allowed Arden, Carrick and Lorcan to stand on their own very loud and clearly, that even without even seeing their name you would be able to tell whose chapter you were reading. At least IMO this was the case.
One thing to add is just like with Their Obsession duet, Bea had me falling hard for one in particular that being Lorcan.
Seeing as he was my favourite it had me wishing their would’ve been a few more chapters from him, not only because he didn’t see to get as many as the others.
But the fact that despite his personality making him seem like it was the easiest to crack open out of the three, it felt like there was so much more to be said and discovered about him IMO. Something that will hopefully happen in Curses and Cures.
No surprise it ended on a cliffhanger, considering it is book one in The Deana-Dhe duet series.
However that didn’t stop the ending from having you wanting to know more, and seeing how it will all play out for Cyn and Arden, Carrick and Lorcan aka The Deana-Dhe in the finale Curses and Cures.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story follows Cynthia ‘Cyn’ O’Farrell and The Deana-Dhe aka Arden Dálaigh, Carrick O’Shea and Lorcan Sheehan all of whom made appearance in Bea’s other series Their Obsession duet.
Since there was a lot to be learnt about Cyn and the Deana-Dhe’s aka Arden, Carrick and Lorcan, considering the past history they shared.
It led to Bea displaying a narrative that had us going back and forth, transporting us between the past and present. Allowing the characters to fill in the missing pieces along the way.
When a memory was mentioned in the present, Bea would lead us through memory lane to learn the back history within the next chapter. Ultimately making for a thorough and detailed plot.
However that didn’t mean everything was answered straight away, seeing as secrets were still being kept and mysteries were still to be unravelled.
Yet it worked well since it played in keeping us in suspense at times from the build up that kept us hanging on. Particularly when it came to the mystic element that was included, considering the part it played with having connections to Cyn and Arden due to the special gifts they possessed.
Which just so happen to hold importance, as it played a big part of the storyline since it carried a link between them all.
Bea did a good job with the first part to the duet series in not only bringing the characters to life, given all that we learn about each of them. Courtesy of their individual POV chapters.
But also presenting the developing relation between Cyn and Arden, Carrick, Lorcan. Having us riding the wave from the many ups and downs they all travelled, filled with a lot of changes within emotions and feelings being discovered.
As well as displaying angsty-ness with tensions running high in certain events and situations they were faced with.
The showcasing of very distinct personalities between each of the Deana-Dhe had been executed well by Bea.
It’s what allowed Arden, Carrick and Lorcan to stand on their own very loud and clearly, that even without even seeing their name you would be able to tell whose chapter you were reading. At least IMO this was the case.
One thing to add is just like with Their Obsession duet, Bea had me falling hard for one in particular that being Lorcan.
Seeing as he was my favourite it had me wishing their would’ve been a few more chapters from him, not only because he didn’t see to get as many as the others.
But the fact that despite his personality making him seem like it was the easiest to crack open out of the three, it felt like there was so much more to be said and discovered about him IMO. Something that will hopefully happen in Curses and Cures.
No surprise it ended on a cliffhanger, considering it is book one in The Deana-Dhe duet series.
However that didn’t stop the ending from having you wanting to know more, and seeing how it will all play out for Cyn and Arden, Carrick and Lorcan aka The Deana-Dhe in the finale Curses and Cures.
*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2022
The Deana-dhe are more legend than men. The worst monsters fear them. Arden, Lorcan, and Carrick deal in secrets and when it's time to pay their debt, you don't dare disobey. No one is safe from them. But the Deana-dhe have a weakness. A girl without a voice but with a will strong enough to stand against them. She captivated them as a young girl and now they are calling in the debt of the woman. They want Cyn to pay her debt in diamonds. But after her debt is paid, will they be able to let her walk away or will they finally listen to their souls?
The Deana-dhe have intrigued me since they were first mentioned in the world of Bea Paige. I continue to be in awe of this rich world she has created. Each story exists within this shared world but is standalone, although characters occasionally cross over. The reputation of the Deana-dhe is one of mysticism and mystery mixed with lethality. I loved the idea of these enigmatic men. They weren't what I was expecting. I knew they were lethal but I wasn't prepared for their cruelty. They enjoyed hurting Cyn because they could. I struggled with this. I would have preferred more visions, less spite.
The story alternated between their past and present-day, allowing the reader absolute insight into the twisted relationship these four share. We see behind the Deana-dhe to when they were just boys tormenting a traumatized girl. We saw how she helped shape them into the men they became. As I said, I struggled with this story. My sympathies were with Cyn. Childhood trauma, selective mutism, and a lonely, loveless existence are made worse by her father's idea of tough love. Her stubborn strength, her mysterious powers, and her inherent goodness attracted the boys' attention. But these boys were vengeful and destructive and sought to hurt her as much as they wanted to possess her. I understand the cause of anger but not the intensity or why once they knew Cyn, their need to continue hurting her. I'm going to need a huge redemption arc in the second book because even after their internal revelations, they were still quick to anger. I think they would have hurt her again because while they have accepted her as one of them, they have not accepted her as an equal. I kept picturing her as one of their beautiful butterflies, and them cruelly plucking her wings off. They started to understand the truth but still had a way to go. They have held on to their anger, fear, and hate for too long. They have much to prove to me.
This book is beautifully written. It's disturbing and ugly. It bares the souls of all four characters as children and adults. It examines their complicated relationships; we see the lies they tell as well as the rare moments of honesty they share. I thought it was a bit slow at times as it repeated the inner thoughts of the men but it picked up momentum towards the end. The cliffhanger set up a fantastic second book of this duet. I can't wait for Arden, Lorcan, and Carrick to prove their worth, and for old friends to help join the hunt. Plus, I look forward to Cyn causing a bit of trouble herself. She knows how to handle difficult men. Especially now that she's found her voice. Then, maybe, they will all truly understand being soul-tied.
The Deana-dhe have intrigued me since they were first mentioned in the world of Bea Paige. I continue to be in awe of this rich world she has created. Each story exists within this shared world but is standalone, although characters occasionally cross over. The reputation of the Deana-dhe is one of mysticism and mystery mixed with lethality. I loved the idea of these enigmatic men. They weren't what I was expecting. I knew they were lethal but I wasn't prepared for their cruelty. They enjoyed hurting Cyn because they could. I struggled with this. I would have preferred more visions, less spite.
The story alternated between their past and present-day, allowing the reader absolute insight into the twisted relationship these four share. We see behind the Deana-dhe to when they were just boys tormenting a traumatized girl. We saw how she helped shape them into the men they became. As I said, I struggled with this story. My sympathies were with Cyn. Childhood trauma, selective mutism, and a lonely, loveless existence are made worse by her father's idea of tough love. Her stubborn strength, her mysterious powers, and her inherent goodness attracted the boys' attention. But these boys were vengeful and destructive and sought to hurt her as much as they wanted to possess her. I understand the cause of anger but not the intensity or why once they knew Cyn, their need to continue hurting her. I'm going to need a huge redemption arc in the second book because even after their internal revelations, they were still quick to anger. I think they would have hurt her again because while they have accepted her as one of them, they have not accepted her as an equal. I kept picturing her as one of their beautiful butterflies, and them cruelly plucking her wings off. They started to understand the truth but still had a way to go. They have held on to their anger, fear, and hate for too long. They have much to prove to me.
This book is beautifully written. It's disturbing and ugly. It bares the souls of all four characters as children and adults. It examines their complicated relationships; we see the lies they tell as well as the rare moments of honesty they share. I thought it was a bit slow at times as it repeated the inner thoughts of the men but it picked up momentum towards the end. The cliffhanger set up a fantastic second book of this duet. I can't wait for Arden, Lorcan, and Carrick to prove their worth, and for old friends to help join the hunt. Plus, I look forward to Cyn causing a bit of trouble herself. She knows how to handle difficult men. Especially now that she's found her voice. Then, maybe, they will all truly understand being soul-tied.
December 19, 2022
I was intrigued by the Deana-Dhe when I met them in the Academy of Stardom series and they were so aloof and mysterious but more dark and dangerous too. I mean who wouldn't love three tatted god-like bad boys. I do have to admit that the current versions of Arden, Lorcan and Carrick seemed much tamer versions than what we got to see of their teenage years. To say there is history between these three and Cyn might be understatement of the century. Those glimpses into the past were really raw and messed up at times that I can see why all the reviews mention that this is a darker romance story. I mean these three are the definition of anti-heroes but I couldn't put this book down. I was absolutely captivated by these men and Cyn.
Some of the things they did to Cyn were downright awful but there were also so many sweet moments too mixed in. They were clearly fighting their attraction and connection with Cyn at every turn and failed more often than not and then would punish her to reset that boundary. Those moments were really hard to read especially the tree scene. I don't often like to bounce between the past and the present but I'm really grateful that Bea chose to splice the two together. For every chapter or event in the present that they experienced, we got to see the history that sparked that turmoil for them.
Cyn was so stoic in this story but you could tell there was this underlying fire as she waited for the guys to come around to what she already knew to be true: that she was theirs and they were hers. It was all very poetic that I wanted to know more about their time together once they all started to come around but we skipped right to the Shylock and the Skull Brotherhood drama. I mean that cliffy definitely set us up for one intense second book and I can't wait!
Some of the things they did to Cyn were downright awful but there were also so many sweet moments too mixed in. They were clearly fighting their attraction and connection with Cyn at every turn and failed more often than not and then would punish her to reset that boundary. Those moments were really hard to read especially the tree scene. I don't often like to bounce between the past and the present but I'm really grateful that Bea chose to splice the two together. For every chapter or event in the present that they experienced, we got to see the history that sparked that turmoil for them.
Cyn was so stoic in this story but you could tell there was this underlying fire as she waited for the guys to come around to what she already knew to be true: that she was theirs and they were hers. It was all very poetic that I wanted to know more about their time together once they all started to come around but we skipped right to the Shylock and the Skull Brotherhood drama. I mean that cliffy definitely set us up for one intense second book and I can't wait!
December 14, 2022
(Arc review)
If you’ve read Their Obsession duet, you already know these characters, but this time we get to know Cynthia and the Deana-dhe’s - Carrick, Arden and Lorcan - story.
Cyn a skilled witch/scientist/alchemist of the modern times, and she can create almost anything from plants. She also doesn’t speak since she was 4.
The Deana-dhe deal in favors, and Cyn owns them. And that’s how she ends up in their secluded island, developing a new potent drug for them.
But that’s not a simple business transaction, because those 4 have a past that extends to their school years. They studied in the same board school for “damaged” kids, and their interactions back then were a mix of the 3 boys making the girl’s life a living hell, trying at all costs to make her talk (or moan, or scream), and she snogging one of them.
The 3 boys are very damaged. They don’t trust Cyn at all and don’t give the girl a break. But she outsmarts then many times, including when it comes to a secret or two.
I love the ambience of this book, it’s very British, with all the grey skies, rain, secluded island and cold beach. And it’s perfectly mixed with years of family drama and a little bit of magic: not only Cyn’s gifts challenge science, Arden has visions of the future and the 4 of them are tied by more than story, by a true soul bond none of them can escape. And boy, do they try.
I haven’t read many Bea books yet, but I can already tell she always have something unexpected and new in her stories. Great book, I love it.
If you’ve read Their Obsession duet, you already know these characters, but this time we get to know Cynthia and the Deana-dhe’s - Carrick, Arden and Lorcan - story.
Cyn a skilled witch/scientist/alchemist of the modern times, and she can create almost anything from plants. She also doesn’t speak since she was 4.
The Deana-dhe deal in favors, and Cyn owns them. And that’s how she ends up in their secluded island, developing a new potent drug for them.
But that’s not a simple business transaction, because those 4 have a past that extends to their school years. They studied in the same board school for “damaged” kids, and their interactions back then were a mix of the 3 boys making the girl’s life a living hell, trying at all costs to make her talk (or moan, or scream), and she snogging one of them.
The 3 boys are very damaged. They don’t trust Cyn at all and don’t give the girl a break. But she outsmarts then many times, including when it comes to a secret or two.
I love the ambience of this book, it’s very British, with all the grey skies, rain, secluded island and cold beach. And it’s perfectly mixed with years of family drama and a little bit of magic: not only Cyn’s gifts challenge science, Arden has visions of the future and the 4 of them are tied by more than story, by a true soul bond none of them can escape. And boy, do they try.
I haven’t read many Bea books yet, but I can already tell she always have something unexpected and new in her stories. Great book, I love it.
March 27, 2023
Having read the Academy of Stardom series, I couldn't wait to know the story of the Deana-dhe and their love story.
There was always a change between the present and the past and that was done by having a chapter in the present and then immediately having one in the past. I myself had a lot of trouble with that at the beginning because I was more interested in the present, and didn't find the chapters in the past interesting. However, the chapters in the past are necessary to understand the storyline.
The main character Cyn, short for Cynthia has not talked for years due to her mother's death and is mute. Her character had nice moments, but I do think she was portrayed more strongly in the summary of the book than her character really was.
Then there were the characters Arden, Lorcan and Carrick. Lorcan was not it for me. Like Cyn, his character had nice moments, but because of how he almost never stood up for Cyn knowing that he himself knew how wrong it was what Carrick and Arden were doing made his good moments easy to forget. Carrick was always looking for reasons to be angry with Cyn, and Arden was the only one whose reason for disliking Cyn I could still somewhat understand.
I was very dubious about the book and still found it rather disappointing. Especially with how the Deana-dhe were presented in the Academy of Stardom series.
The last four chapters did give me another reason to continue reading because of how the book ended with a cliffhanger.
There was always a change between the present and the past and that was done by having a chapter in the present and then immediately having one in the past. I myself had a lot of trouble with that at the beginning because I was more interested in the present, and didn't find the chapters in the past interesting. However, the chapters in the past are necessary to understand the storyline.
The main character Cyn, short for Cynthia has not talked for years due to her mother's death and is mute. Her character had nice moments, but I do think she was portrayed more strongly in the summary of the book than her character really was.
Then there were the characters Arden, Lorcan and Carrick. Lorcan was not it for me. Like Cyn, his character had nice moments, but because of how he almost never stood up for Cyn knowing that he himself knew how wrong it was what Carrick and Arden were doing made his good moments easy to forget. Carrick was always looking for reasons to be angry with Cyn, and Arden was the only one whose reason for disliking Cyn I could still somewhat understand.
I was very dubious about the book and still found it rather disappointing. Especially with how the Deana-dhe were presented in the Academy of Stardom series.
The last four chapters did give me another reason to continue reading because of how the book ended with a cliffhanger.
July 5, 2024
I was so curious about Cyn’s story when she was introduced as Thirteen in the Masks series, finding out she had her own duet made me so excited for more. The story is divided between flashbacks to the time they spent at Silver Oaks and present time, which I lOVE. You see why their dynamic is as tense as it is, why there’s trust issues, and why the Deana-Dhe are divided between themselves on how to handle her. Cyn won my heart before ever entering into this duet so I’m definitely bias but she is so kind and wise despite all the trauma she’s endured, while the Deana-Dhe believe they are human because of her alone, she is what makes them strong. She makes them feel, lessens the pain they will always carry. I adore her dynamic with them and the Deana-Dhe’s dynamic in general. They might be “the almighty badasses” but they care for one another deeply and they all bring something new to the table keeping their group strong. My heart hurts with how we left off but I can’t wait to see how the Deana-Dhe and Masks come to Cyn’s rescue.
March 28, 2025
It was a dark, intoxicating, and utterly addictive read!
The audio is narrated in dual POV by Maeve York and Stefan Cordova.
Tropes:
Dark why choose MFMM
Insta love/hate
Strong and powerful FMC
Bullying
Gang/Mafia
Elements of paranormal (she is a healer, one of the MMC has visions of the future)
Slow burn/fast pace
We finally have Cyn’s story.
To fully understand her and the Deana-dhe, I strongly recommend reading Their Obsession Duet before this one.
Cynthia, Arden, Lorcan, and Carrick share an intertwined past and present, bound by a soul-tie curse.
The spice (🌶️🌶️🌶️/5) is intense—especially if you enjoy an FMC who dominates her men.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Suicide attempt
Minor: Cancer and Self harm
The audio is narrated in dual POV by Maeve York and Stefan Cordova.
Tropes:
Dark why choose MFMM
Insta love/hate
Strong and powerful FMC
Bullying
Gang/Mafia
Elements of paranormal (she is a healer, one of the MMC has visions of the future)
Slow burn/fast pace
We finally have Cyn’s story.
To fully understand her and the Deana-dhe, I strongly recommend reading Their Obsession Duet before this one.
Cynthia, Arden, Lorcan, and Carrick share an intertwined past and present, bound by a soul-tie curse.
The spice (🌶️🌶️🌶️/5) is intense—especially if you enjoy an FMC who dominates her men.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping and Suicide attempt
Minor: Cancer and Self harm
December 14, 2022
Debts and Diamonds is book one The Deana-Dhe Duet. A why choose romance.
Since the Deana-Dhe first appeared in Academy of Stardom I've been keen for their story. I'm not sure how I expected their journey to play out, as always Bea hooked and reeled me in. I don't usually enjoy past and present flashbacks, but the way they seamlessly flow within the story was perfect.
The detail into Cyn's healing talents is brilliant. I really enjoy her as a character she has a different vibe from Bea's previous FMC's. You never feel like you're reading the same character with her stories.
Definitely another favourite here from Bea. The way the characters lives weave into the same world always gets me. I'm looking forward to seeing where Curses and Cures leads us.
While this duet focuses on the Deana-Dhe and Cyn it does mention characters from previous series and could offer spoilers for their stories. The best reading order to follow the correct timeline would be Brothers Freed trilogy, Academy of Misfits, Beyond the Horizon, Academy of Stardom, Their Obsession and Grim & Beast Duet.
Since the Deana-Dhe first appeared in Academy of Stardom I've been keen for their story. I'm not sure how I expected their journey to play out, as always Bea hooked and reeled me in. I don't usually enjoy past and present flashbacks, but the way they seamlessly flow within the story was perfect.
The detail into Cyn's healing talents is brilliant. I really enjoy her as a character she has a different vibe from Bea's previous FMC's. You never feel like you're reading the same character with her stories.
Definitely another favourite here from Bea. The way the characters lives weave into the same world always gets me. I'm looking forward to seeing where Curses and Cures leads us.
While this duet focuses on the Deana-Dhe and Cyn it does mention characters from previous series and could offer spoilers for their stories. The best reading order to follow the correct timeline would be Brothers Freed trilogy, Academy of Misfits, Beyond the Horizon, Academy of Stardom, Their Obsession and Grim & Beast Duet.
February 6, 2023
This book was such an easy read and I mean that in the best way possible, it seemed like I flew through it so quickly.
The plot is neither over complicated nor is it over simplified.
It is simply one of the best RH if not THE best RH romance that I’ve read so far. The characters are dynamic and so much fun, and you’re definitely left needing to know everything after the ending!! I can’t wait for the next book! Calendar marked!
The plot is neither over complicated nor is it over simplified.
It is simply one of the best RH if not THE best RH romance that I’ve read so far. The characters are dynamic and so much fun, and you’re definitely left needing to know everything after the ending!! I can’t wait for the next book! Calendar marked!
June 10, 2023
This is a childhood enemies to lovers book between Cynthia and Deana-dhe. This characters were previously introduced in The obsession duet.
Their story begins with family rivalry thing and then after time passes, how they start to grow on each other. I liked the way author interconnected the events of past with present. I loved character's personality and their 'Ying-Yang' dynamics.
However, the characters and story was introduced with lot of potential. I was expecting more of childhood story of Deana-dhe which would have been helpful to understand what led them to be cruel. Genuinely I don't have any idea why they were that way. Moreover, Deana-dhe were supposed to be 'scariest', and I was definitely disappointed in that regards.
Cyn was bang on the best ❤
I was hyped up for this one but it was a little disappointing for me.
Their story begins with family rivalry thing and then after time passes, how they start to grow on each other. I liked the way author interconnected the events of past with present. I loved character's personality and their 'Ying-Yang' dynamics.
However, the characters and story was introduced with lot of potential. I was expecting more of childhood story of Deana-dhe which would have been helpful to understand what led them to be cruel. Genuinely I don't have any idea why they were that way. Moreover, Deana-dhe were supposed to be 'scariest', and I was definitely disappointed in that regards.
Cyn was bang on the best ❤
I was hyped up for this one but it was a little disappointing for me.
December 19, 2022
Phenomenal as always
I don’t know how she does it but everything Bea Paige writes is amazing and this book is no exception. I absolutely adored Cyn and the Deana-Dhe and I can’t wait for the second book in this series and to find out what happens next. Such an amazing book and it hooks you right from the start. Absolutely amazing
I don’t know how she does it but everything Bea Paige writes is amazing and this book is no exception. I absolutely adored Cyn and the Deana-Dhe and I can’t wait for the second book in this series and to find out what happens next. Such an amazing book and it hooks you right from the start. Absolutely amazing
December 29, 2022
Bea Paige has blown my mind one more time with Debts and Diamonds, first book of her new duet The Deana-Dhe, and it’s already tearing me apart waiting for the second part Curses and Cures after that brutal cliffhanger. I have become quite a fan of her after reading The Dancer and The Masks duet and now, finally learning about Cyn’s past who was an enthralling character in the that duet has been an exquisite experience. The Deana-Dhe was portrayed as quite the mystery in TDATM and now we get to read about the history behind their personas. Though, it is a slow-burn, the plot is fascinating and once the heat takes the floor, it is muah 💋!
December 18, 2022
WHY da hell are her books so weird now….
Displaying 1 - 30 of 246 reviews