🌶️🌶️🌶️

💜 Age Gap
🖤 Mafia romance

OMG, I so need the next book…ASAP. Guinevere is visiting Italy for the first time against her family’s wishes. She meets Raffa who is actually a very bad man but becomes so protective of her its priceless. I really enjoyed this book can’t wait for this story to finish and I really want Martina story.

Another amazing start to a duet by Giana darling! I love the mafia aspects and I love the romance!! The cliffhanger of an ending really got me!!

I just finished My Dark Fairy Tale by Giana Darling and I am wrecked.
Ugly crying at 2 a.m., clutching my chest, whispering “no no no” like that would change anything. I knew this Italian love story would break me—and I still wasn’t ready.

Raffaele Romano is the monster in the shadows, Guinevere the light he never thought he could touch. Their love? It’s fire and silk. Blood and roses. A collision of fate and fury.

Giana’s writing sings and slashes. Every word is dripping in passion and pain. Every moment between them is a slow dance toward devastation—and I couldn’t look away.

I didn’t just read this book. I felt it. And now I’m hollow. Waiting for October like a sinner waits for absolution.

This isn’t just a story. It’s a dark spell.

The audio was superb and the narrators really brought the story to life, it made me feel even more and idk if that’s good or bad lol it’s good I’m sure! It was just so beautiful

I received this ALC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was one of, if not my most, anticipated reads for 2025 and it did not disappoint! Not. One. Bit. In true Giana Darling fashion I was dazzled from the very beginning. I’m completely and utterly obsessed with Raffaele and Guinevere. These two. They already own a piece of my soul. Watching these two people, who couldn’t be more different, slowly fall in love with one another was just an absolute chef’s kiss. My heart is full and I haven’t felt this way about two characters in a long time. Usually, after I read a book, I completely blank on almost everything I’ve read. But there’s those special cases where a story has touched me so much that I remember absolutely everything, this is one of those. I laughed, I gasped, I swooned, I cried. My belly did the thing, multiple times. SIGH 😮‍💨 I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED IT! Also, can I mention the audio? Phenomenal. CJ Bloom and Dane Anderson did such a wonderful job bringing Raffa and Guinevere. I honestly don’t think I could imagine anyone else voicing them.

MY HEART HURTS. That ending. Will I survive? That’s the question. Another top read for 2025! And I’m dying, dying for the second book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such an amazingly dark & beautiful story.
I loved Guinevere & Rafa’s romance, it was so intense, encouraging, all consuming, dark, filthy, beautiful, raw & passionate.
They both fell so hard so fast, against all odds. I absolutely loved how Rafa was Vera’s quiet strength & encouragement while she was discovering herself and dealing with her medical condition.
This was a beautifully dark & passionate story with two broken hearts.
I am anxious for the rest of their journey.

Thank you so much to Valentine PR, Brilliance Publishing, and Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this phenomenal story. The narrators, CJ Bloom and Dane Anderson absolutely crushed these characters.

I have been wanting to read this author for a while now and have not had the chance. This was the perfect opportunity to listen. The story starts of so strong and had me hooked from the very beginning. I immediately thought how will this keep up with the intensity? It does!! I could not stop listening. The accent is the icing on the cake. I fell so in love with the backstory of her sister and how Guinevere has ended up in the situation that she is in. I love the way Raffa says her name and the nickname he gives her. I was so enamored that we got to see this other side of Raffa. All while we still got snippets of his mafia life. It was such a perfect balance. I was so smitten with this side of Raffa.

Guinevere was so naive but it plays into the story well. I was captivated with hearing her learn and the patience he had with her. The way she became so close with his friends and family just made this story that much better and that much harder to handle everything that transpires. I am yearning hard for the next book in this series.

꧁𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼꧂

💙 “𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒐.”

💖 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒚 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒊𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒐.”

🖤 “𝑮𝒖𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝑰 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒍𝒚. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒂 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒘𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒖𝒑 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎.”

OH my how I love me some swoony, dreamy mafia romance. And paired with the lyrical prose and sizzling chemistry that only Giana Darling can create, I knew I’d be swept away in this luscious and addicting Tuscan vacation turned epic mafia romance love story. My Dark Fairy Tale is dreamy and delicious- and

From the first meet cute and mafioso to the rescue, I knew I’d be consumed by this story. The ingenue on an Italian adventure, much to the chagrin of her protective parents. The reluctant mafia king who

Guinevere is so charming. Innocent, hopeful, curious eyes wide open looking for connection- to her roots, to her family, to true self. She’s a substantive character with alluring contracts. She’s somehow both naive to the world yet a bit broken by it. There’s a gentleness and a grit to her all at once. Her very journey is bold and brave. And she has the most big and beautiful heart. Is she reckless or fearless? Perhaps a bit both, because she’s got that youthful hunger for meaning. For living. And our mafioso Raffaele is just delicious. He’s my favorite kind of mafia man- reluctant, full of conscience, but capable of cunning ruthlessness when required and with plenty of alpha dark edge. I love how he too is a man of contrasts- the man who saves a young woman in danger, but also the man who leads a mafia empire. And he somehow wears both mantles effortlessly.

The romance here is actually delightful sweet, swoony,and lower angst (at least until that cliffhanger)- and the darkness really lies int he world around them. Raffa falls unexpectedly hard for Guinevere - and he truly sweeps her (and us) away. Their chemistry is equal parts gentle connection and that Giana Darling heat, even if we have a bit of a slower burn. And Italy itself serves as the beautiful third in this picturesque romance- a vibrant, immersive, and captivating character that is the perfect backdrop for a romance that’s just as beautiful as the setting.

CJ Bloom and Dane Anderson narrate, and I loved them both. Dane brings the swoon and edge I craved in Raffa, and CJ delivers the curious wonderment and innocent of Guinevere while also capturing her spirited sass. I also appreciated the accents- I've listened to several audios with italian characters and the men have sounded like a temu nintendo mario- so I was a bit worried, but Dane makes it delicious.

The cliffhanger we see coming, but it still pulls the rug out from under you and leaves you screaming for more. Can’t wait for the finale!

🥀 age gap (11 years)
🖤mafia
🥀good girl× mafioso
🖤grumpy sunshine
🥀age gap
🖤hidden identity
🥀forced proximity
🖤Italian summer vibes/Tuscany vacation adventure
🥀touch her & ☠️
🖤billionaire anti-hero
🥀alpha, protective hero
🖤Chronic illness rep

This is the first book in the My Dark Mafia Romance series. Raffaele and Guinevere's age-gap slow burn romance is intense, raw, and captivating. They are interesting opposites characters. Raffaele is dark, enigmatic, and protective. Guinevere is beautiful, kind and sunshine. They complement each other. The plot is intriguing, and intricate. CJ Bloom and Dane Anderson did a good job bringing these characters and this story to life. I enjoyed it. Looking forward to listening to the next book in the series.

Omg, I need a Raffa in my life. This a dangerous man that has a soft spot for the petite tourist that has attracted his attention for the first time ever. He is in a dangerous world and he knows they have an expiration date. He still wants her, and treats her like a princess, while still allowing her to be herself. She went on this trip to Italy without her family knowing, her dad begged her to stay away from this dangerous place, but she feels a pull to this side of the country. When masks fall and truths are discovered, things take a turn. This will leave you in a cliffhanger and I’m counting the days for the next book! The audiobook was phenomenal, always love the accents and the perfectly spoken Italian, swoon worthy!

Thank you valenine pr for knowing how much I love a good mafia book and Giana darling and letting me listen to this in advance!

4⭐️
3🌶️

I must say, this book provides an experience that is as close to a Tuscany vacation as one can get. Compared to other Mafia Romances, this one felt different to me. The author skillfully intertwines romance, Italian history/literature, and suspense, crafting a captivating story about finding love in a country that profoundly connects with the main characters.

Guinevere, who had been sheltered and sick her entire life, always dreamed of vacationing in Italy. However, her father had warned her never to set foot in the country where he was born and raised. Eager to learn more about her father's roots, she decided to take a chance when the opportunity finally arose, doing so without her parents' knowledge.

Guinevere fell in love with Italy almost instantly, captivated by its culture and history, while simultaneously falling hard for a cold-hearted mafioso. I loved her character—she was quirky, incredibly smart, and consistently kept Raffa on his toes throughout the story. She picked her battles with him and I freaking loveeeed it 😂

The way Raffa cared for her was incredibly sweet and loving; he took everything into consideration, including her health condition and her constant need to explore Italy. I LOVED THEM DOWN.

This book gave me Old School/Classic Mafia vibes. Down to the palazzo, laundering overseas, Guinevere learning Italian, etc.

The audio was amazing as it brought the story to life.

“I love you, Raffa. In any language, across any distance.”

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌎🌍🌏🌎🌍
🌶🌶.5

What To Expect:
• Mafia Romance
• Billionaire Italian Mafioso
• Age Gap (11 years)
• Hidden Identity
• Touch her & 💀
• 🍷 play

⚠️: violence, attempted SA, mentions of death of a family member, and mentions of chronic illness.

Thank you to the author and VPR for an ALC 🎧 of this title. All opinions are my own.

Going against her parents wishes, Guinevere is a young American woman that is on a solo trip in Italy for six weeks exploring the country she's always dreamed of visiting. But struck with bad luck, her car breaks down, the man who stops to help her actually tries to assault her and then running from her assailant, she gets hit by a car. But her luck looks up when the man who hit her, cares for her and helps her heal from her accident and subsequent illness.
Guinevere's caretaker is Raffa, a mafioso who was being targeted by his enemies and when he has his accident with Guinevere, he is instantly taken by her, allowing her to thaw at his cold heart with her warmth and innocence. As he cares for her, he is increasing intrigued by her. Making efforts to keep his distance as much as he can but still being drawn to her like moth to a flame. As she comes to and heals, she is also intrigued by her savior as he goes out of his way to care for her when he doesn't have to. She doesn't know what he does for work, and he doesn't blatantly come out and say, but she knows he is wealthy and as much as she is trying to stand on her own two feet and reimburse him for being inconvenienced by her, he isn't having any of it.
He sees the light that she brings to his dark world, and does everything he can to keep her, care for her and give her everything she could want or need while trying to respect her boundaries. But when her bad luck catches up with her he will protect her at whatever the cost. She sees the good in this man but also recognizes his darkness and that only makes her want him more. They fall pretty quickly for each other and it makes it more difficult for her to decide if she should stay or go back to the states, but that cliffhanger makes the decision for her.
I will always say this when I read a Giana book, her writing is unlike any others' writing I've ever read and its some of my absolute favorite. The way Giana writes is almost poetic, she paints a picture unlike anyone else and the language she uses is beautiful and striking. It builds the story and expresses the characters in the most musical language that flows effortlessly. I never turn down her books just based on her writing style alone.
CJ Bloom and Dan Anderson were wonderful on this title. Bringing the beauty of Giana's writing to life. CJ always delivers a powerful performance that embodied the bittersweet love that Guinevere experienced and Dane has a fantastic Italian accent bringing Raffa to life so well.

4 ⭐️
3 🔥
Mafia Romance
Italian Setting
Bad Boy & Good Girl
Age Gap
Mafia Boss
Billionaire Anti-Hero
Morally Grey MMC
Chronic Illness Rep
Spicy Lessons
A Little Bit of Mystery
Hidden Identity
Cliffhanger
Great on Audio! 🎧
Guinevere is set to explore Italy, against her parent’s wishes. Her family immigrated from Italy to the United States, but do not like to talk about why they left. Guinevere feels a pull to this country & sets off on her own, while her parents think she’s in France. Unfortunately, she runs into trouble as soon as she gets there and is saved by what she thinks is a white knight. Her trip is kidnapped from there. She does get to experience the tourist side of Italy, but also the local’s favorite spots & unbeknown to her, the darker side of the country. Raffa is the Mafia boss, almost 10 years her senior but is instantly attracted to her, after hitting her with his car. He takes care of her after & they have this unforgettable, passionate, vacation romance. But when the time comes for her to go home, Raffa must make a choice, ask to her stay and bring her over to the dark side or let her go. This book does not contain an HEA, and their story will continue in a second book. The audio book was so well done & truly transported me to Italy!

Thank you Giana Darling for the ALC!

My Dark Fairy Tale- Giana Darling
Narrated by Dane Anderson and CJ Bloom

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Narration 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧

This is the second time in just as many months that Giana has bamboozled me with a cliffhanger! This book was so beautifully written, almost poetic, and definitely very romantic. It made me want to go on my own adventure to Italy and shack up with a hot Italian in his massive castle. I did think it was pretty funny how naïve Guinevere was about what Raffa did for a living but maybe it’s just obvious to me from the outside looking in. As a pretty sheltered midwestern girl myself, I probably would be just as naïve if a handsome Italian man scooped me up like a damsel in distress in my own fairy tale.

This dual narration with CJ Bloom and Dane Anderson was absolutely amazing. Dane’s Italian accent for Raffaele was simply, chefs kiss! 🤌🏻🤌🏻 and I loved hearing CJ go back and forth between the American and Italian accents as Guinevere was learning Italian.

brb booking a trip back to florence after reading this one!! the vibes were everything! like guinevere, i felt like i was traveling around florence exploring a new favorite city! the dreamy italian setting was everything to me!!

here’s what i love:
💫 i was immediately hooked, the first chapter had my heart RACING!!
🍷 guinevere is such a free spirit but was kept sheltered as a kid so i loved getting to see her explore and feel more independent
💫 RAFFA!!! immediately yes & the “meet cute” was too good
🍷 the age gap vibes are everything
💫 the protectiveness raffa feels over guinevere was perfection
🍷 i loved seeing guinevere inadvertently help raffa with business by being able to see discrepancies in numbers, she’s so smart
💫 this book made me want to go back to tuscany so badly!! the setting was everything
🍷 who doesn’t love a mafia romance?!
💫 major slow burn vibes but i loved the tension build up and getting to see their connection grow
🍷 guinevere was so innocent to everything that was going on but i loved how it blended so perfectly with the plot of the story
💫 “la mia stella cadente” 🥹🥹
🍷 the end of this book had me gasping!! i was on the edge of my seat and i can’t wait to see what happens in book 2!!
💫 i listened to the audio for this one and both narrators did a phenomenal job especially the mmc narrator with all the italian phrases and the accent!! SO HOT!!!

Tropes:
-dark romance
-MMC is an Italian mafioso
-billionaire romance
-forced proximity
-Tuscany setting
-hidden identity
-age gap
–slow burn
-touch her and die
-dual POV

I am officially a feral fiend for Giana. This was my third book to read by her, and they have all been incredible. I need to dive into her back catalog ASAP. My Dark Fairy Tale is a mafia romance done right. It didn’t have all the trope-y things that fall into mafia romances. It was just perfect. The hidden identity part of the plot is done exceptionally well, too. Everything felt believable.

I want a real-life Raffa. A sexy, billionaire, Italian, mafia man? Please and thank you. His dirty talking in Italian was SEXY as hell. He was patient with and protective of Guinevere, too. I loved that about him. He didn’t push her into anything she wasn’t comfortable with. But he didn’t hesitate to handle anyone who even thought about bringing her harm. When he brushes her hair, oh my.

Guinevere was an interesting character. She has struggled with a chronic illness that affects her kidneys and liver. Her parents have been protective because of this, and even more so since losing her sister. Her dad has forbidden her to go to Italy, so naturally, it calls to her. She saves her money and lies to her parents about where she’s going.

This book ended on a crazy cliffhanger. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by CJ Bloom and Dane Anderson. They did a fantastic job. This book is available to read and listen to for free from KU. I hope you will read it and love it as much as I do. Let me know what you think!

Quotes:
-Raffa: You say you are unlucky, but from where I stand, you should count your lucky stars.
-Guinevere: And how is that?
-Raffa: “Because,” the beautiful man before me practically purred. “Tonight, I feel like playing the hero instead of the villain.”

-Guinevere: I’m sure you could have any girl in Tuscany with one snap of your fingers.
Slowly, he raised his hand between us and snapped his fingers.
-Raffa: Oh look. It is the only girl I want in Tuscany.

-Guinevere: What do you want?
-Raffa: To be the man who deserves that look on your face.
-Guinevere: What look?
-Raffa: Like I could pull the stars from the sky for you if only you asked me to.
-Guinevere: And would you?
His sigh sounded almost resigned as it feathered over my mouth.
-Raffa: Troverei un modo. I would find a way.

5⭐️ 3.5🌶️ 5🎧

Relationship dynamic: MF
Tropes/Microtropes/Vibes/Reps:
🖤 Mafia
💵 Billionaire
🤫 Hidden identity
⚡️ Age gap
🫱🏻‍🫲🏽 Forced proximity
❤️‍🔥 Bad boy x good girl
🗡️ Touch her and d!e
😈 Anti hero MMC
🪽 Virgin FMC
💊 Disability rep

Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Narrators: CJ Bloom + Dan Anderson
Narration type: dual
Writing perspective: first person, dual POV
Standard length (pages): 313
Standard length (time): 10:52
Listening speed: 2.5x
Listened via: NetGalley
Read via: Kindle
ARC/ALC provided by: VPR + Giana Darling + NetGalley

📖 Giana has done it again! She has made me love all of these characters, and made me equally mad at some of them at the end! That’s a sign that I am fully invested and she’s done the work of some bad ass character development! Raffe and Guinevere have quite the meet cute and things are off to the races from there. They have such chemistry together, physical and emotional. They bring out new things in each other and also remind one another of the good things that are still there deep down. Even over a short time, their bond becomes very strong, but they both know there is an end date when Guinevere intends to leave Italy at the end of the summer. Neither gets the courage to ask about staying together before something big does down, and it changes everything!! That cliffy… I NEED THE NEXT BOOK IMMEDIATELY!

🎧 CJ Bloom sounded amazing as Guinevere! Her enunciation is so clear and her voice so smooth and rich. There is so much depth to her pitch and tone that makes listening to her so, so enjoyable!
Dane Anderson blew me away as Raffe! So often Italian accents can edge toward Dracula sounding, but NOT the case with him! His accent, to my American ears, sounded perfect! It was HOT HOT HOT and I could listen to him read to me for hours! The emotion and warmth in his voice elevated the performance even more, capturing me completely.

3.5 rounded to 4

“𝑰 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒖𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝑨𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍. 𝑵𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆, 𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐.”

Available now on Kindle Unlimited + audio
For all my audio fans, this one is included to listen for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Dual narration performance by CJ Bloom and Dane Anderson. I thought both narrators were wonderful and Dane did an amazing job with his Italian accent.

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭➟
🖤 Mafia romance
🥀 Italian setting
🖤 Age gap (34/23)
🥀 Billionaire anti-hero
🖤 Hidden identity

Guinevere’s dream has always been to visit Italy. When she finally has the opportunity, things don’t go quite as she expected and she finds herself running into (literally) a handsome stranger, Raffale Romano.

I had a great time escaping to Italy with Vera and Raffa. After that ending, I’m nervous for what’s to come in book 2 but also so excited! Book 1 had a lot of
romance and mystery but I anticipate book 2 to really bring the mafia.

Thank you so much Giana for the audio copy!

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

In Short: Dark mafia romance at its absolute best. It's been a long time since a book left me sputtering at the end and demanding the next one immediately. (October, apparently. I guess I'll impatiently wait for it.)

General Thoughts: I LOVE dark mafia romance, and this one was fabulous. With hints of Cinderella/Red Riding Hood vibes, too. I loved the characters, the romance, the story, and the writing. I lived in Florence for a period of time, and this book made me homesick for my second home. She did such a great job of capturing the city, the vibe, and the feel of Tuscany. I am dying to read the next one. I've been going back and forth between 4.75 and a 5, but I'm going to bump this up because I loved so so much of this book. I'm still thinking about it. If you like antiheros, morally grey men, down bad men, feisty but sunshiney heroines, then go read this one. Just prepare for one brutal cliff at the end! I think a friend tried to warn me; I forgot and I wasn't prepared. I received a review listening copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to the author and Valentine PR.

Spice Meter:❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 Spicy. Spicy in all the best ways.

Romantic Tropes and Things of Note:
-dual POV
-romance
-series (story is not complete at end of this book)
-not so meet cute
-dark mafia
-anti-hero/morally grey man
-Italian Tuscany backdrop
-grump sunshine
-teach me
-inexperienced/sheltered/virgin FMC
-cute nicknames

You can read more of my reviews on Insta @mylastromancenovel.

My Dark Fairytale is an age gap, billionaire,
mafia romance that followed Raffa and Guinevere, and we are treated to this author's addictive storytelling as we get to witness their initial meet cute and then unfolding relationship.

This was a slow burn, but the chemistry and tension between these two was undeniable, and we are taken on quite an adventure through Italy with them.

This author knows how to write morally gray men, and Raffa was no exception. I loved everything about this magnetic character, most especially how Guinevere brought out a softer side of him.

The romance was balanced with the darker mafia elements, and I loved the found family aspect of the story.

It all ends in a brutal cliff-hanger, which broke my heart because of Guinevere's reaction. I can't wait for book 2 to see what happens next.
I would recommend this novel to lovers of Mafia romance.

🎧🎧🎧🎧
The audiobook was narrated by CJ Bloom & Dane Anderson. They did a wonderful job with the characters. I loved the accents and the way they were able to portray the emotions of the characters, bringing their struggles and desires to life. They made the listening experience an engaging one.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

I was so excited when I realized Giana Darling was writing another mafia romance, and this one did not disappoint! I always love her writing, and I was immediately swept away by this romance.

Guinevere has traveled to Italy to explore her family's roots even though her parents never wanted her to go there. She has been dreaming of going to Italy since she struggled with an illness during her childhood. She is spending the summer in Italy, but her trip starts off badly when Rafa accidentally hit her with his car when she was running from a creepy guy. He takes her to his home till she gets better, and she ends up staying with him through the summer. Rafa is hiding the fact that he is the head of the mafia from Guinevere, but she does witness some of his darkness.

They had such a sweet and slow burn romance with no angst. I loved the pacing and the Italian summer vacation vibes. It was a perfect fairy tale, but with a sexy mafia don.

I really loved Guinevere's journey of self-discovery in this book. She grows into herself and is finally going after what she wants after having such overprotective sisters. Rafa was so supportive and encouraged her to follow her dreams.

Just be aware that this book ends in a cliffhanger, and I was not prepared. I need the next book ASAP!

🎧 Audiobook Review 🎧
This audiobook was narrated by Dane Anderson and CJ Bloom. They did such an amazing job with the Italian accents and Italian language throughout the book. I would highly recommend the audio. Gianna always has the best audiobooks.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing the ALC.