Imperfect Affections by Charmaine Pauls

From the moment Leon Hart met Violet Starley, his dark attraction and obsession over her dictated his every move. In Imperfect Affections, the consequences of Violet’s actions and the implementation of Leon’s revenge finally comes to fruition when he decides to take her as his wife once and for all. If I were to compare Leon, he would be most similar to his younger brother—Damian Hart from Beauty in the Broken. This book was such a whirlwind of emotions, angst, and drama from start to finish. I was incredibly angry, sad, and frustrated by Violet and Leon’s twisted relationship because it simply did not have to be this way. However, this is a testament to Charmaine Pauls’ ability to write a character who is multi-faceted and may seem irredeemable because of how he treats his heroine to one who is deserving of her love in the end. Leon and Violet's story was simply heartbreaking, action-packed, dirty, and incredibly erotic.

“My love is born from an obsession. It's dark and tainted and full of wrongs, but Violet means everything to me.”

Following the cliffhanger ending from Imperfect Intentions, Leon now knows what Violet has done and vows to punish her for betraying him. This part of the book was incredibly difficult for me to read because of Leon's unnecessarily cruel and twisted actions. I hated what he was doing to Violet and it pained me to see him disregard her feelings when she had no choice in the first place. At this point in the story, Leon wasn't deserving of Violet's affections at all. His actions did have significant consequences in their relationship and in order for him to love and be loved in return, forgiveness was required from both sides. I was highly anticipating the moment Leon found out the truth about Violet and it certainly did not disappoint. In many ways, they both parallel each other because of their upbringing and perspective on love. Violet stole from Leon, which resulted in him stealing her.

“I want Leon. I want the life I glimpsed with him, even if it's imperfect. Even if it's not love. Because sometimes, there's beauty in imperfection.”

In the end, this book was everything I wanted for Violet and Leon—despite all the untruths and suffering they had to endure from each other. Their love wasn't perfect but it was enough for them. Actions often speak louder than words and it was clear to me that Leon was willing to protect and sacrifice himself for Violet no matter the cost. Gus and Elliot also got what they deserved. Fans of Charmaine Pauls and the Diamond Magnate world will not want to miss out on Leon and Violet's journey together because it beautifully ties up the entire Hart saga and any loose ends between our couple. It was so wonderful to see everyone again including Zoe and Maxime, Damian and Lina, as well as Ian and Cas. I highly recommend this duet to those who love reading dark and steamy romance with a morally gray anti-hero and a naive heroine who wears her heart on her sleeve.

*This ARC was generously provided by the author and publisher for an honest review*

Rating: ★★★★★