**second read through: Received an ALC from NetGalley and this book is still EVERYTHING. The narrators brought Vanessa and Nate to life in such an amazing way that they had me swooning all over again. Read below for the rest of my review and what to expect. Seriously go read this book or listen to it! You won’t regret it!**

Thank you Kath for writing this book and I mean it! And thank you for the opportunity to read it early.

A Love Most Fatal is a mafia romcom that will have you swooning, kicking your feet like a little high school girl, make you tear up, make you laugh, make you want to thr0at punch some characters, etc. It is the perfect blend of mafia mixed with comedy and romance. It’s seriously fantastic. This book is like a warm cozy blanket draped around you, after it just came out of the dryer.

What To Expect:
•Mafia Romcom
•First book in the Morelli Family Series
•Mafia Boss FMC
•Goofy Math Teacher MMC
•Slow Burn
•SIMP of a man
•Forced Proximity
•Touch him and ☠️/ under her protection
•Forced Proximity
•Husband Interviews
•Trigger Warnings
* blood
*murder
*violence
*death
*gun use
*organized crime
*sexually explicit content
•and so much more

I can’t believe this is Kath’s first novel that is coming to print!!!Her writing is so fun l, paced perfectly, and all around fabulous. It’s upbeat with some themes that are very realistic and that everyone goes through. Not everything is sunshine and rainbows. But 98% of it 😉 I’m so excited for what’s to come from Kath. I’m going to gobble up anything she writes.

For recap: she’s the mob boss who needs a husband, he’s her nephew’s math teacher who needs a wedding date. She agrees, because the sweet nerd kind of intrigues her, and hell, she deserves one night for herself right? Well that date ends not so well, and now one date turns to him moving in to keep him alive. Someone is targeting her empire, and it becomes even more imperative she makes a good match. She needs to marry for power, but something about him… maybe just one night.
Okay, so I ARCed the book when it came out and was absolutely ecstatic to hear it was coming to audio. The book was so so so good and the audio is just absolutely perfect! The narrators chosen for Vanessa and Nate were spot on and made me love the story even more! Kath could translate this into Italian and I’d learn the whole damn language just to experience these characters for the first time again.

A Love Most Fatal by Kath Richards with narration performed by Tim Paige and Kelsey Navarro Foster is an opposites attract, forbidden romance, mafia love story. Vanessa is head of the Morelli Crime Family being pressured to find someone to marry. Nate is her Godson’s math teacher who finds himself wrapped up her world after attending a wedding with Vanessa, where things go wrong quickly. Now, Nate is leading the search for Vanessa’s future husband while they both attempt to suppress their growing feelings for each other. I really enjoyed this book and thought it was a great mix of mafia darkness but with great humor and banter between the characters. I am a huge fan of both narrators, and they absolutely brought this story to life. I am looking forward to more stories from the Morelli family!

To be honest I was skeptical about a Mafia rom-com, BUT two trusted sources really like this book so when I saw the audio on NetGalley I pounced! And let me tell you, I’m glad I did.

Thank you to the author Kath Richards, NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC of this book!

I found myself relating to Nate so much during this book as he is a middle school math teacher (WHICH IS ME), and has no clue about the mafia and truly just repulsed and shocked at first by it all. This was probably the perfect book for me to explore this genre because of how relatable Nate and his thoughts around it all was.

Vanessa though is so cool. Like if I could spend my summer vacation hanging out at the Morelli’s house and watching movies all summer I would GLADLY take them up on it.

The book gave me Princess Diaries two vibes when they are trying to find Mia a husband but make it Mafia instead of Genovia.

Now the audio:

It is dual narrators for both Vanessa and Nate’s pov.

Tim Paige and Kelsey Navarro did such a wonderful job bringing these characters and this scenario to life. This book was fun to read but I’m convinced I enjoyed this even more because of the acting of these two.

They both did distinct voices for the different characters and the inflection for thoughts was very easy to identify.


Would I recommend this book to everyone? I don’t know. I feel like you have to be able to suspend belief and be okay with some crime and killing. If you already like Mafia romance- absolutely. If you want to try out the genre I would for sure recommend this one as the perfect starting place.


For those who like to know: 3 open door scenes.

I initially turned on this audiobook intending to just listen to a chapter or two before spending the rest of the evening reading a different book with my eyes. To my delight I was completely enthralled with the story right away and ended up listening to the whole story in one sitting. The narrators were perfectly cast and it was a delightful listening experience.

Having the FMC be the mob boss was an awesome twist to what is typical in the mafia romance genre.

While this is definitely a mafia romance with darker elements, overall the story is fairly light hearted and has many comedic moments.

I am very eager to read more books in this universe and about this family!

Thank you Tantor Audio and NetGalley for giving me access to an advanced listening copy!

that was DELIGHTFUL. I'm not usually one for Mafia romances - turns out I just needed some hot girls doing the mafia stuff. Who knew 🤷🏼‍♀️

There were some bloody parts, but they were pretty well balanced with wholesome family moments, some comedy, a cute but ugly dog and a swoony romance with believable struggles. And of course, Nate alone makes this book worth reading - I read a review where someone described him as "babygirl" and that sums it up perfectly. I'm obsessed with him.

The audiobook especially is great, both narrators were perfectly cast and I wasn't bored for a second. Can they please stay for book two because Tim Paige actually does a pretty great soft Russian accent? 👀

Can't wait for Mary and Maxim's story!

I love some dark humor and this truly hit the spot. A lot of rom/coms can border on cheesy/not believable but this one was the perfect combination of plot, humor and spice!

I love Vanessa and her love for her family, I love Nate and the fact that he never has any chill, ever. So relatable and his internal dialogue is hilarious.

Audio: both voice actors did an awesome job bringing this story to life. My only complaint would be consistency in accents (male voice actor gave Max Orlov a Russian accent and female voice actress did not). Otherwise, bravo! Very fun listen!

I loveeee me a mafia romance, so when I saw the FMC, Vanessa, was a female mafia boss I was SOLD. Vanessa is both a smart and badass mafia boss and a warm, sensitive, caring woman. I thought this book did a great job of showing all sides of her without getting too gritty where it could remain in rom-com territory.

I loved Vanessa and Nate’s meet cute and especially that we got to witness most of it through Nate’s POV - I loved meeting Vanessa through his eyes. What unfolded after their first interaction was a hilarious, steamy, high-stakes sequence of events that had me hooked the whole time.

I really enjoyed the ALC for this, and thought the narrators were fantastic. I felt like they both matched the characters perfectly, and loved their style. I felt fully immersed in the audiobook throughout.

I cannot wait for A Love Most Brutal - I’m so excited for Mary’s story!

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after listening.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
Spice: 2 🌶️

🎧 Narrated by Kelsey Navarro Foster & Tim Paige
💌 ALC Review

I devoured this debut back in September as an ARC, but when I got the chance to listen to the ALC from Tantor Audio and NetGalley, I ran, didn’t walk. The audio experience took an already five-star read and made it even more addictive.

Tim Paige IS Nate. The down-bad, simping, sweet math teacher energy was radiating through my earbuds. He worships Vanessa in the softest, sexiest way and it absolutely comes across in his delivery. I was kicking my feet, giggling, and blushing... even though I already knew how it ended! Meanwhile, Kelsey Navarro Foster slays as Vanessa. That perfect mix of steel and vulnerability? Chef’s kiss. The audio only heightened the humor, the action, and the swoony moments, especially Nate’s devotion. "He is handsome, I think. Not mafioso handsome, but most definitely math teacher handsome." Yep. That’s our down bad guy.

ARC Review:
Quick Synopsis - In "A Love Most Fatal", Vanessa Morelli is thriving as both CEO of Morelli Construction and the leader of a powerful crime family. However, her control begins to unravel when sabotage strikes her operations and pressure mounts for her to marry. After a disastrous date with Nate, her Godson’s math teacher (and lover of pickleball lol), Vanessa protects him from danger, pulling him into her Mafioso world. Reluctantly, Nate helps her find a suitable mafia husband while sparks fly between them. As they work together, Vanessa wonders if their connection might be more than a business arrangement—and if love could disrupt everything.

5 ⭐ 2🌶️
My Review - First off who can't LOVE a woman as THE mafia boss?! Vanessa embodies that role while also bringing a different point of view to the mafia world. One that questions the authority and power dynamic when an unmarried woman is at the helm. But because she is a female boss in a male dominated world she is only as valuable as the man at her side. Because she's without a husband she always feels like she's less than. She knows better in her mind but in order to be the boss bitch mafioso we know she is, having a husband will help her accomplish that. Eff the patriarchy!

“He is handsome, I think. Not mafioso handsome, but most definitely math teacher handsome.”

This is where Nate comes in, he is Vanessa’s godson’s math teacher. A hilarious turn of events brings them together and the attraction is INSTANT! Threats on his life force Nessa to move him into her house for protection. Forced proximity! Yesssss. Nate wants to feel useful while staying with the Morelli's for the summer so he takes on the job of interviewing her potential suitors. Because that’s going to work out so well for him when he is SO FAR GONE for Nessa. It’s obvious to EVERYONE in her family except Nessa! But the attraction is strong. It also makes him super effective at finding her a husband... If he can't be her future husband, he wants to ensure that the one she chooses is truly deserving.

“I don’t know how to tell her she’s the most beautiful woman, monster or not, that I’ve ever seen, and with every day that passes in her presence, I’m increasingly certain that there’s hardly a bad or cruel or monstrous thing about her.”

I couldn't put down Kath Richards’ debut novel. I read it in less than 24hrs. Richards builds a mafia world that leaves you cheering on the Morelli family even though they’re criminals. You want them to win and you want Nate & Vanessa to fall madly in love. The supporting cast of characters rounds out this amazing novel. I especially loved how Cillian kept shooting his shot with Vanessa, poor guy. Nate's dad's love of Costco clothes had me cackling! I cannot wait to see if Mary and Leo get their own books, because I NEED TO KNOW MORE!

A Love Most Fatal by Kath Richards explores the story of Vanessa Morelli, the middle daughter to the mob boss who inherited the title and what happenes when her path crosses with a Mr. Goody two shoes, Maths teacher at his nephew's school.

The narration is perfect. I loved that it was a duet but also, that it is very clear and easy to understand. The female narrator makes it very easy to recognise every female character even with multiples mentions in the same chapter, and the same goes for the male narrator. The flow is good, and it keeps your attention. You can't stop listening to it because you just want to know what happens next. The narrators being to life Venessa and Nate and every small nuance - a smile, a chuckle, tears, angst, surprise - everything is on point.

The story was a fun tale in itself. The first third and Nate drooling over Vanessa was so cute and exciting and as the story progresses and goes deeper into the crime plethora, Nate's struggle with good/bad and his feelings for Ness was well portrayed. I did guess who the Villain was since the beginning though. And one thing that really bugged me was Ness's monologues about 'how she couldn't make a choice and didn't want to'. It repeated too many times and while I do understand that it made a crime mob boss human and vulnerable, it also made her look weaker in that exact spot where the Villain siad it would. At points it felt like Ness didn't want this at all and maybe if we are writing a female mob boss, we can show her humanity without making it look like that a math teacher has more courage than her at points, which was weird because in other places of that same story, Ness is confident and courageous and handles everything well.

Over all, it was a good read and I am excited to read Mary and Maxim's book next.

I loved this sooooo much! The FMC being the mafia boss instead of the MMC was such a fun twist on a mafia romance! Honestly it wasn't a perfect book but it was perfect for me. And the narrators did such a good job. I was giggling, grinning, kicking my feet the whole time. I cannot wait for more books from Kath Richards.

I read the physical version of this book a few months ago and loved it. I can’t wait for Mary’s book.

This review will be focused on the audio qualities.

Overall, the audiobook sounded softer than most. I had to have the phone volume maxed out to hear it properly. Im not sure if that’s a problem with the NetGalley app or the overall file.

There were a few times when the narrators’ voices went up and it sounded like they were in the middle of a sentence but then the chapter would end.

The choice of narrators was fairly good. It definitely wasn’t my favorite but I really enjoyed the female narrator. I always struggle listening to men voicing women’s parts but this narrator in particular was pretty cringey.

4/5⭐️ 2/5🌶️ 0/5😢

A romcom mafia book where SHE is the mafia boss? Say less, babe.

Nate, a middle school math teacher, realizes he is seriously in over his head when he invites his student’s aunt Vanessa to a family wedding…only to watch her take out two hitman and learn she is an Italian mafia boss. Despite the heavy plotline due to—you know, murder and stuff—this book felt wholesome and funny and perfectly spicy.

I really enjoyed the audiobook narration, particularly the male narrator Tim Paige as Nate!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

One of my favorite books of the year

A Love Most Fatal completely flipped the mafia romance genre on its head in the best way possible. In this book she’s the one in the mafia. He’s the shy, awkward math teacher with no clue what he's walking into. Vanessa is the mafia boss with a steel spine and a soft heart, and Nate is a sweet angel.

Seriously, this book had everything: action, mystery, romance, comedy, drama. The romance, banter and family storyline made this book impossible to put down.

I loved, loved, loved this book.

Thank you to Kath Richards & NetGalley for the advanced listener copy of this audiobook!

I truly can’t say enough good things about this book. I’ve recommended it at least 20 times since first reading it last September, and my hype for the sequel coming this fall cannot be overstated.

The Morelli family is funny and sweet and strong and I LOVE getting to know them in this book. I loved them even more on the reread! Nate is so babygirl, Vanessa is so badass, and they make the ultimate power couple and the spicy scenes are 👨🏻‍🍳💋. This book just has so much to love and the series is off to such a strong start.

As for the audiobook specifically, as an avid audiobook reader who can be REAL picky about narrators and their voices, this was perfection. Kelsey Navarro Foster & Tim Paige were perfect choices for this book and I am so grateful that neither of them do annoying opposite-gender voices lol. Five stars, no question.

“I am criminally, fatally in love with you.”

Kath Richards pulled at each of my heartstrings with this book! Holy Moly that was a ride! The fact I can’t determine who my favorite character is, is mystifying. Kath took 4 sets of families (and friends) and in 354 pages hooked me, I may even need Papa and Mama Morelli’s story!

Vanessa is the BossB we all want to be, and seeing the internal and external struggles she faces was wonderfully detailed in this story. Whether it is caring for family, or her business (illegal and not 🤭) she has to deal with the typical feminist BS and sidestep it all with class and a little violence. Them crashes in Nate, oh sweet unsuspecting, just wants to be a good human Nate. Golden retriever energy, wonderful human who even breaks the hard shell of the badass enforcer sister, Nate.

When they say opposites attract and then to make the perfect couple, this is who they should point to. Nate is soft to Vanessa’s hard. He’s the math loving numbers cruncher to Vanessa’s aptitude to handle crisis and sign multimillion dollar deals while nodding approval for a cleanup crew.

Love this story and am ready to see Where the Morelli’s take is next.

A Love Almost Fatal by Kath Richards took a trope I don’t usually vibe with—the “nice guy” MMC—and made me absolutely adore him. His dynamic with the FMC was electric in all the right ways, and their banter had me grinning constantly.

This isn’t your typical mafia romance. It’s fresh, clever, and challenges toxic masculinity and misogyny in ways that feel authentic and grounded without sacrificing any of the grit or tension you'd expect from the genre.

I received this as an ALC, and the narrators genuinely enhanced the experience—they brought the story to life and kept the pacing tight. The spice? Deliciously balanced. Just enough heat to keep things simmering, but never so much that it overshadowed the plot.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for a romance that’s bold, heartfelt, and just a little bit dangerous. 🔥💀💘

3.5⭐️ for this cute mafia rom-com! 👏🏼

I absolutely loved the idea of this storyline, a badass Mafiosos boss lady and a nerdy (in the most adorable way) math teacher falling in love. With a premise like that you just know you’re going to be in for a hilarious time. It’s probably the only time I will fall for a wimpy man who fantasizes about staying home with the kids to be a home dad and have dinner prepared when the wife comes home after a long day of mafia crime. 😆

The reason I went lower on my review was because I would have loved to see the author go a little deeper with her writing. There were some really good parts but most felt almost surface level. It still had me giggling but there were just some scenes I wanted a little bit more so I could have a clear picture in my mind of the story and its characters.

If you are looking for an easy, lighthearted audio while multitasking this is a great option.

Thank you, NetGalley for an ALC of A Love Most Fatal in exchange for my honest opinion. 🥰

This was my first Kath Richards book and I LOVED EVERY MOMENT of Vanessa & Nate! A Love Most Fatal is a mafia romance unlike any I've read and quickly became one of my favorites: I loved reading Vanessa being the boss, Nate being the unconventional hero, and the two falling in love despite the forbidden touch in their love story. I really loved that the author gave me so many moments of the Morelli family being so close and loving too, and of course, now I'm dying to read the next book and I'm crossing my fingers for the author to gives me Leo's love story too.

Vanessa is THE character of this book, a strong, brave, very intelligent andso good runing the family business, who is also the head of the Morelli family, a part of her plot that I loved because with it, the author explores the misogyny and machismo that this character has to face within her world (and the world in general), I loved reading a Vanessa who knows how to command respect, who demonstrates time and time again why she is the leader of the Morelli family, but who also has a vulnerable side that makes her doubt her abilities at times, and which she only shares a little with Nate. I also really liked her relationship with her family, the importance of her dad's legacy, how different and beautiful her bond with each of her sisters is, and how important it's to her to keep Artie & Angel protected from the world they live in. Plus, I think having a lot of moments of the Morellis just being a regular family made them even more endearing and made me obsess over this family even more.

Nate became one of my favorite male characters! I fell in love with his clumsy, dreamy personality, especially when he imagines all those scenarios of his life with Vanessa while trying to stay away from her, It's simply hilarious. I also love that he's obsessed with sharing everything with his best friend Jenna, and that she's the complete opposite of Nate. But what I liked most about this character was that Kath Richards gave me an attractive hero in an unconventional way, with a masculinity rarely seen in mafia romance, plus, reading how well he fits in with the Morelli family was a delight, especially the bond of friendship he forms with Leo, how terrified he is by Mary's attitude and how this relationship grows, and what can I say about how much Artie & Angel love spending time with him, I think Nate is just perfect!

Vanessa & Nate meet because he's Artie's (Vanessa's nephew) math teacher, and although that first meeting doesn't go well at all, the attraction between these two is quite obvious, also, I love that the closeness between them occurs because Vanessa feels the need to protect him after her enemies threaten Nate's safety and I LOVE that because of that they find things they have in common, that Vanessa ends up falling in love with Ranger, Nate's dog, and that she realizes that she can be who she is with him because Nate respects her, trusts her and supports her unconditionally.

🎧Audiobook review

❤️Narrators: Tim Paige & Kelsey Navarro Foster
❤️‍🔥Narration: 5/5
🌶️: 4/5

This audiobook was a work of art, and it's the story that made me completely fall in love with Tim Paige's work. He's the best Nathaniel we could have had, and I loved listening to him bring this character to life, especially his constant fantasies about his life with Vanessa. And of course, Kelsey Navarro Foster gave me all that strong, vulnerable energy that makes Vanessa a realistic, original, and charming character!

❤️‍🔥Vanessa: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Nate: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Plot: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Love story: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Secondary characters: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Cover: 5/5
🌶️: 4/5



Este fue mi primer libro de Kath Richards y AMÉ CADA MOMENTO de Vanessa & Nate! A Love Most Fatal es un mafia romance diferente a todos los que he leído y se convirtió en uno de mis favoritos muy rápido: amé leer a Vanessa siendo la jefa a Nate siendo un héroe poco convencional y ambos enamorándose a pesar del toque prohibido en su historia de amor. También me gustó mucho que la autora me diera tantos momentos de la familia Morelli siendo tan unida y amorosa, y claro que ahora muero por leer el siguiente libro y estoy cruzando los dedos para que la autora me de la historia de amor de Leo también.

Vanessa es EL personaje de este libro, una mujer fuerte, valiente, muy inteligente y buena para dirigir el negocio familiar, que además es la jefa de la familia Morelli, una parte de su trama que me encantó porque con ella la autora explora la misoginia y el machismo a la que este personaje se tiene que enfrentar dentro de su mundo (y el mundo en general), me encantó leer a una Vanessa que sabe como hacerse respetar, que demuestra una y otra vez porque es la líder de los Morelli, pero que también tiene un lado vulnerable que la hace dudar de sus capacidades por momentos, y del que solo comparte un poco con Nate. También me gustó mucho la relación que tiene con su familia, la importancia que le da al legado de su papá, lo diferente y bonito que es su vinculo con cada una de sus hermanas y lo importante que es para ella mantener a Artie & Angel protegidos del mundo en el que viven, además, creo que el tener tanto momentos de los Morelli como una familia común y corriente los volvió aún más entrañables, y me hizo obsesionarme con esta familia aún más.

Nate se convirtió en uno de mis personajes masculinos favoritos! Me enamoré de su personalidad torpe y soñadora, especialmente cuando imagina todos esos escenarios de su vida junto a Vanessa mientras trata de mantenerse alejado de ella, es simplemente hilarante, también amo que esté obsesionado en compartir todo con su mejor amiga Jenna y que ella sea completamente opuesta a Nate. Pero lo que más me gustó de este personaje fue que Kath Richards me dio un héroe atractivo de una forma poco convencional, con una masculinidad poco vista en los mafia romance, además, leerlo encajar tan bien con la familia Morelli me encantó, especialmente ese vinculo de amistad que forma con Leo, como lo aterroriza la actitud de Mary y el final que esta relación tiene, y que decir de lo mucho que Artie & Angel aman pasar tiempo con él.

Vanessa & Nate se conocen porque él es el profesor de matemáticas de Artie, el sobrino de Vanessa, y aunque ese primer encuentro no sale nada bien, la atracción entre estos dos es bastante obvia, además, me encanta que la cercanía entre ellos se de porque Vanessa siente la necesidad de protegerlo después de que sus enemigos amenacen la seguridad de Nate y AMO que debido a eso encuentren cosas en común, que Vanessa terminé enamorándose de Ranger, el perro de Nate, y que se de cuenta de que puede mostrarse tal cual es con él porque Nate la respeta, confía en ella y la apoya incondicionalmente.

🎧Reseña del audiolibro🎧

❤️Narradores: Tim Paige & Kelsey Navarro Foster
❤️‍🔥Narración: 5/5
🌶️: 4/5

Este audiolibro fue una obra de arte, y es la historia que me hizo enamorarme por completo del trabajo de Tim Paige, él es el mejor Nathaniel que pudimos tener y me encantó escucharlo darle vida a este personaje, especialmente a las continuas fantasías de su vida con Vanessa. Y claro que Kelsey Navarro Foster me dio toda esa energía fuerte y vulnerable que hace a Vanessa un personaje realista, original y encantador!

❤️‍🔥Vanessa: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Nate: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Trama: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Historia de amor: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Personajes secundarios: 5/5
❤️‍🔥Portada: 5/5
🌶️: 4/5

This is exactly what the mafia romance genre needed. A little mix up with a ✨female✨ led organization hooked me from the start.

Vanessa Morelli is a force to be reckoned with. As her father’s predecessor, she’s not only the CEO of a successful construction company, but the head of the mafia. A total badass. To her, nothing is more important than family. When it becomes apparent that the best way to protect them is by marrying and producing an heir, she knows what she has to do.

Cue Nate, a middle school math teacher living a normal, crime-free life. That is, until he meets Vanessa - by rear-ending her. The universe keeps bringing them together and eventually, Nate finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now, he’s stuck under Vanessa’s protection (forced proximity, anyone?) where his world has been turned on its head.

This could have gone so terribly wrong, but somehow, it just worked. All of the best character attributes of your “typical” mafia MMC & FMC were perfectly represented in this role reversal.

Vanessa wasn’t too cold, which would’ve been what I expected. Instead, you see her heart throughout. She’s not afraid to feel her emotions. And Nate, my dear, sweet Nate. Where do I even begin? He is the absolute sweetest, cinnamon role of a character. He’s never once intimidated by Vanessa’s power or wants that power for himself. He just wants to be supportive and watch her kick ass. Although he can hold his own after some training 😉 But he’s down so so bad and it is just the best to see. Somehow this didn’t come off cringey at all, despite my preference for an alphahole.

Some details I loved:
• Golden Retriever 🦮/ Black Cat 🐈‍⬛
• Mary being the enforcer 💪🏻
• Maxim so clearly being in love with Mary 😍
• “Just tonight” 🥹
• Nate in general 🤷‍♀️
• A dog who’s so ugly he’s cute 🐶

I felt like I knew Vanessa, but Nate’s life felt like a mystery after he moved into the Morelli home. Friends were mentioned but never really materialized. Family wasn’t brought up much if at all. It just felt like his life pre-Vanessa ended, which was a little disappointing.

The ending was what threw the entire thing off for me. It felt rushed, but had good bones. I just wish it was slowed down and more relationship development was seen before it jumped into the equally rushed-feeling epilogue. At some point, it felt like I was reading a story I missed a few chapters in.

I listened to this one! The audiobook was well done. I especially liked Tim Paige as Nate. His narrating is some of my favorite to listen to. Kelsey Navarro Foster didn’t overly impress me, feeling a bit monotone at times, but I wasn’t annoyed or put off, so it worked for me. I prefer when the narrators speak their own parts, so that was really my only qualm with it.

Maxim and Mary’s book is next and I can’t wait to read their story! These two had me intrigued from their very first on-page interaction.

The Basics:
Math Teacher 👨‍🏫 // Mafia Boss/CEO💰
1st Person Dual POV
1st in the “Morelli Family” series
Narrated by: Tim Paige & Kelsey Navarro Foster
HEA 🖤 + epilogue
CW: murder, violence
🌶️🌶️/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to NetGalley & Tantor Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review 🤍🎧