Rating: ★★★★½

Rounded to five stars.

From the outset, the premise of this book had me hooked, and it didn't disappoint.

The prose exudes sultriness and satisfaction. Not much else to say - the language was complex, perfectly suited to the genre of historical fiction, and it made the read that much more enjoyable. In The Assassin of Venice, we also find a strong female protagonist in Valentina Riccardi - while she was savage, determined, resourceful, and extremely intelligent, she never shied away from vulnerability and showing love to the people in her life who deserved it. She stole my heart, completely and utterly. I see in her a concrete resilience I have not seen since Jude Duarte. The ensemble cast of characters is equally captivating - Ambrogio, Bastiano, and Amalia were amongst my favorites, though Valentina is unquestionably the character I adore the most.

Another thing I enjoyed about this story is its social commentary and parallels it draws. The political intrigue is masterfully woven into the narrative, adding layers upon layers of complexity and depth that call for further reflection. I also appreciated the candid exploration of Valentina's profession, and how it avoided romanticizing or glorifying the work that she did, instead shedding light on all the realities that she encountered.

The seamless integration of before and after chapters felt organic and essential to the plot's progression also.

Most of the relationship dynamics are beautifully crafted, adding richness to the narrative. Valentina's relationships with Ambrogio and Amalia were my favorites to read about, but every single dynamic does the characters justice. The romantic relationship portrayed between Valentina and Bastiano has both a palpable chemistry and a tenderness that tugs at the heartstrings. You cannot help but to root for them.

While the ending felt slightly abrupt, I must say I wished for extended scenes to further develop certain relationships, this book is still one that will certainly stay with me. Nonetheless, this book is a must-read for anyone seeking an enthralling tale filled with intrigue, passion, and unforgettable characters.

The Assassin of Venice
by Alyssa Palombo
Pub Date: 18 Jun 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Valentina Riccardi is many things: beautiful, cultured, deadly. As one of Venice’s famous courtesans, she’s perfectly positioned to seduce powerful men, get them alone, and assassinate them. Spies. Traitors. Who they are doesn’t matter—only that they made an enemy of the Council of Ten, the shadowy and seemingly omniscient power from which Valentina takes her orders without question.

Venice is her home, and after losing everything once before to an invading army, there is nothing she won’t do to protect her city, for there is nothing she loves more.

Almost nothing.

She vowed to never fall in love again, but Valentina can’t help but give her heart to Bastiano Bragadin, a fellow assassin. But when Bastiano starts asking the wrong questions, Valentina receives a new assignment: kill him.

Yet the more Valentina learns about the Council of Ten, the more she wonders if they are truly acting in the interest of the Venetian state, or using her for their own dark ambitions. If Valentina is to save Bastiano, she must untangle their conspiracy—with the help of her fellow courtesans—before it’s too late.

I greatly enjoyed reading The Assassin of Venice. This is my first introduction to the talented author, Alyssa Palombo, and it will not be the last. I loved it. Five stars.

This had a great mystery to it and I loved the use of the 16th century. I was invested in Valentina the story. And the fact that she was a courtesan worked really well in showing her choosing between love and duty. I was hooked from the first page and it felt like the right time period. I enjoyed the use of assassins in this and it was an overall great concept that worked really well. I would love to read another book in this world. In from the author. Alyssa Palombo has a great writing style. And I'm glad I got to read this.

Valentina Riccardi may be one of Venice’s most famous courtesans, but she’s also deadly. Having lost everything to an invading army, she’s got nothing to lose, so when she’s approached with a plot to seduce powerful men and assassinate them, she agrees. All in a day’s work, right?! In her eyes, anyone who is an enemy of the Council of Ten is an enemy of hers…almost anyone.

When Bastiano Bragadin, a fellow assassin and love interest, appears on her kill list, Valentina needs to rely on her fellow ‘cortigiane oneste’ to reduce the power of the governing body of Venice. Can she rely on her network? Will she be forced to make a choice? What about her safety and that of her beloved Bastiano?

I came for the cover, but stayed for the author’s ability to bring 16th-century Venice to life! Her examination of the honest courtesans and the intelligence gathering in Venice was spectacular. I was riveted with this exploration of the clandestine extracurricular activities of a Venetian courtesan. Renaissance Venice was rife with political tension and this paranoid political climate was the perfect backdrop for a perfectly placed woman to covertly collect and coax information from influential clients. I’m always in awe of Palombo’s historical fiction and although this one was a little darker, bloodier, and sexier than I was expecting, it was a riveting read into the ‘what if’ and featured fabulous twists.

Congratulations on a spectacular cover, Lynn Andreozzi. I was initially drawn to a cover with a front view of a character - so rare now in cover design! When I read the book and went back to the cover, I could see the dagger, the stance and stare, and the ‘V’ for Valentina on her bodice!

Trigger warnings: murder/violent death, war-related violence, death of parents, death of loved ones, brief mentions of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault.

I was gifted this copy by Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

I love this book. Valentina is a force to be reckoned with. A true bad ass! I love how she was able to get into the politics of venice in a very entertaining way.

I read this ARC in exchange for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

This came to my attention with the stunning cover. To discover it was set in my absolute favourite historical era, the Renaissance, sealed it for me

I read this over Xmas

I'm so glad I basically shut myself away so I would gorge on this. It is stunning. Beautifully written, I was totally lost in the world created, So vivid

I can't recommend this enough.