I had so much fun with this book! Vanessa and Nate were everything and they had me giggling and kicking my feet from the very start. I loved their whole dynamic. Vanessa was such a bad ass and Nate was understandably obsessed with her. It was perfect.

And I’m so glad I ended up waiting for the audiobook to read this book because the narrators did such a good job with it! I cannot wait for the second book so I can dive back into this world again.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this audiobook!

This was a great magic romance with a fun female power twist. I loved that Nate had zero toxic masculinity and Vanessa was just a badass. The whole family was awesome that gave it a golden retriever mafia vibe. Really just good fun.
The narrators did a fantastic job and they brought a whole new element to the story in the best possible way.

This was a really fun and unique twist on a mafia romance. Vanessa and Nate started out flirting, but when he finds out she’s in the mafia and witnesses a murder, he tries to stay away from her. But now, his life is at risk, and he has to stay in her protection. What else would he do while bored but help her find a husband? I laughed and gasped throughout this book, and honestly, I fell in love with these two. This was also due to the fabulous dual narration by Kelsey Navarro Foster and Tim Paige. Truly a wonderful story and audio!

Favorite line: And really, just what does she need with a dimple like that anyway?

This is the mafia romance I have been waiting for! It is not the typical mafia romance formula and I absolutely love when authors shake up the tropes. Author Kath Richards gave us a book that is equal parts funny, spicy and with so much heart. The pacing was perfect, the character voice was strong and oh, the tension! The longing! So, so good!
I received this audio arc from Netgalley and once again, Tim Page and Kelsey Navarro Foster are a great pair! These narrators have range and my favorite thing about the both of them is how they are able to adopt all the different voices giving a truly immersive experience. Great casting for narrators.

I can't wait for the next book in the series :)

I love this book and thoroughly enjoyed it months ago when I did my first initial read. I had the best time being able to dive back into this story through this audiobook. The narrators did a great job, capturing the emotions of the characters.

This is not your typical mafia romance—and that’s precisely what makes it so enjoyable. Despite the cutesy cover, the story delivers actual grit: blood, guns, and power plays. It never ventures into dark romance territory, but it doesn’t shy away from the morally complex choices that define its characters.

Vanessa Morelli is a mafia boss who commands respect without posturing. She’s sharp, emotionally complex, and grounded in her authority. Opposite her is Nate Gilbert, her nephew’s maths teacher, a man with a rigid moral compass, an ageing dog, and absolutely no desire to get involved with organized crime—or with Vanessa. He’s a cinnamon roll with a spine and a slow-burn arc that made my heart melt. And heir chemistry is undeniable.

The dynamic between them is a standout. Their banter is clever and full of tension, and both characters are written with real emotional depth. Nate’s internal conflict feels authentic, and Vanessa’s softer, vulnerable moments are handled with care. The side characters, especially Vanessa’s family, add richness and comedic timing that complements the main arc.

Now, let’s talk audiobook:
Kelsey Navarro Foster nails Vanessa’s subtle complexity. But Tim Paige as Nate? STELLAR. His dry humour, the softness creeping into his voice as Nate falls harder and harder — I could listen to him narrate Nate’s moral crisis on repeat. Honestly, the narration added so much heart and charm, I’d recommend the audio even if I’d already read the eBook.

My only reservations lie in the predictability of the plot twist and a slightly rushed resolution. I also wanted more time with them as a couple. Just a few more scenes (or an extended epilogue) to let things breathe. But that doesn’t change the fact that this was an absolute joyride — funny, emotionally grounded, and surprisingly fresh in a genre that often leans on clichés.

4.5 stars (so gladly rounding up). I had so much fun and can’t wait for Book 2.

A MAFIA ROM-COM. That’s the pitch. And I loved it!

I was hooked on the premise, and the execution did not disappoint. Our goofy math teacher Nate goes on a date with a mafia-boss hottie, Vanessa. He ends up in danger and needs to stay at her house for the summer under her protection. Oh and he’s also interviewing husbands for her 🤭

I absolutely loved the role reversal of the badass female mafia boss and the goofy male teacher who needs a makeover and training…it was too good and had me giggling like a schoolgirl. Add in a sprinkle of man-obsessed and it was almost perfect.

This was seriously fun and so impressive as a debut novel. I will definitely be following along for what Kath has in store for us in the future. The narrators and audio production were very enjoyable definitely did this book justice! Thank you Tantor Audio and NetGalley for an ALC.

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Mafia Rom-Com!! Oh I needed this in my life! I have never read anything like this where SHE is the mafia queen and HE is the “damsel” in distress. This was so adorable but also unhinged in the most perfect way, have to have murder and turf wars in a mafia book! I was shocked by who the bad guy really was, the dark romance lover in me was silently rooting for him for most of the book, but the chemistry between Nate and Vanessa was sizzling and of course I went to root for him.

I listened to this on audio and narrator for Nate was absolutely amazing and EXACTLY how you would imagine a middle school teacher to sound. I also LOVED Vanessa too, she had a very strong aura and I was excitedly enthralled through this whole book!

Spice 2/5 🌶️🌶️

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook

I often see authors give this piece of advice to aspiring writers during panels/interviews : If you find yourself wishing a specific book was written , write it yourself . I like to think that Kath Richards lived by that when writing A Love Most Fatal because , and I mean this as a compliment, how and why else would someone think “hmm...wouldn’t it be fun to write a story about a dorky maths teacher falling in love with a mafia don?”

I had a lot of fun reading this and you could tell that Richards had fun writing this too ; she was unafraid of leaning into the absurdity of the plot without making it too gimmicky .I’m sure that this also applies to to other romance sub-genres, but I’ve found that gender essentialist ideas are more explicit in a mafia setting , so it was refreshing (and hilarious) to see the roles reversed . Vanessa and Nate’s relationship was sweet and earnest , built on mutual respect which perfectly led into , and explained their internal and external conflicts about their relationship . I was invested and could not put it down.

Thank you RB media for the ALC ! Tim Paige and Kelsey Navarro Foster were well cast and I'm excited to listen to A Love Most Brutal!

This was such an unexpectedly cute romance. I loved Vanessa, I really liked Nate, and all the side characters were super fun too. And the romance was built up so well with Nate just pouring his heart out.

It was a refreshing surprise, and I would love to read book 2.

The narration was on point as well.

#netgalley #ALoveMostFatal

This was a fun book! One where she’s in the mafia and he’s the sweetheart who doesn’t know what he’s getting into. -
- He falls first
- Marriage of convenience almost?
🌶️🌶️
I liked the audio

Thank you Netgalley and Tantor Audio for the free alc. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I absolutely ate this up. The narration was soooooooo dang good their narrators voices were absolutely what I thought would sound like when I read the synopsis. I loved the mafia and school teacher vibes running to sign up for the authors next release. I have a feeling it will be an absolute banger.

Suggest giving it a try.

5/5☆

Vanessa need to get marry find a husband because shes a boss of the mafia and a woman so the an in the world doesnt respect her. She meets Nate a teacher of her nephew. Nate parents want him to get married as well but both live in different worlds literally when Nate invite Vanessa to a wed and after they are attack and now Nate has to be protected and when some leaves a tony dæd in his bathroom Vanessa takes him to her house. Nate helps Vanessa with finding her a husband.
They spend time together know each other.
Tim Paige; Kelsey Navarro Foster

3.75 🌟I don’t usually gravitate toward Mafia books, but this one felt different — a Mafia boss and a school teacher? Not only that, but a female Mafia boss paired with a male teacher. Their initial meeting over her nephew leads to an unexpected second encounter, and before you know it, he’s asking her to be his plus one. It did feel a little sudden how quickly their lives became entangled, but honestly, if you know teachers, we tend to dive headfirst into situations to "save" others — in our own well-meaning way (if that makes sense, lol). Because of that, I found the male character much more believable.
I received the audiobook version through @NetGalley, which I really appreciated. I'd rate the audio experience a solid 4.5 — having two narrators for the dual POVs made it even more enjoyable.
Overall, it’s a cute and engaging story — especially if you're into Mafia romance — with a fair amount of spice thrown in.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the ALC!

A mafia rom-com where she's the mob boss - yes, please. This book was just as fun as it sounds.

I loved the author's wit and humor that we got in abundance through her characters and her writing, I found myself laughing out loud several times while reading this. I don't think I have ever read a mafia rom-com, so it was really refreshing to have these dark themes in a lighter, more comedic setting.

Vanessa was so badass. I loved how despite being this feared mob boss, she still had a soft side that she saved only for her family and eventually, for Nate. It was clear she had a lot on her plate and it made me happy to see her get her happy ending with a partner to share the load (but boy what a journey to get there!!)

Nate was such a dork, but he was incredibly lovable and was so down bad for Vanessa. I really enjoyed seeing the way he grew throughout this book and come to accept (and even embrace) the life that Vanessa lived.

This audiobook had me kicking my feet and giddy the entire time. It's so engaging and had me on the edge of my seat. The narrators brought Nate and Vanessa to life perfectly. If you like rom-coms and mafia romance, please pick this book up. It's such a refreshing read - she's the mob and he's a math teacher who is down so bad for her. This book is also so funny and action packed.

Cannot wait for the next book in this series!!

Debut Novel that shows Kath Richards has an excellent career ahead. This book was the fun I was looking for. Vanessa is the head of the Morelli mafia family as well as her father's company after he passes. She is the first female leader and she is the strong FMC that I love to see who can also show a different side of herself behind closed doors. She is not afraid to do what it takes to protect her family.

Nate was the perfect nerdy math teacher which Vanessa meets when trying to bride him. While Vanessa and him are complete opposites, they fit and it feels so natural. This book gives you the banter you want and there were moments with Nate that had me laughing out loud which in turn made my dogs look at me like I lost my mind. Nate has an "ugly dog" which makes me just love him more, and animal lovers is an easy way to my heart.

Tim Paige and Kelsey Navarro Foster did a wonderful job of bringing the story to life.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the advanced listener copy, my opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up!

I've never read a mafia romance, let alone a mafia romcom!

This was fun. It was engaging and enjoyable. Was it the best thing I've ever read? No. But it was far from the worst!

I really loved how we see Vanessa as this strong mob boss who runs this huge company and empire, but we also see her as a human, craving that person to take care of her as she takes care of everyone else. This is so real and so relateable!

This is a great escape romcom to enjoy without taking it too seriously. Which is exactly what we all need from time to time!

Thank you NetGalley, Tantor Audio and Kath Richards for an advance listen of this audiobook for an honest review.

I had so much fun listening to this audiobook! I listened to it all in one day! Is it possible to mix a mafia book with humor? Yes! Yes, it is! Kath Richards delivered a well written, funny book based around a mafia family. The head of the mafia is a woman! This story grabbed me from the first sentence! There’s also plenty of heart, emotion in conflict in this well written story.
Vanessa is head of the Morelli Crime family and also runs their construction company. She goes on a date with her nephew’s math teacher and everything goes to crap from there. I absolutely loved Vanessa and Nate in this gender kind of role reversal where Vanessa is the tough one and Nate is the more tender half of the couple. The author did this in a way that it totally works. I absolutely love Nate. These two have great sexual chemistry. In the beginning it was more enemies to lovers but Nate had always been smitten with her. These two have to overcome some big obstacles to get together. The journey was definitely so much fun to listen to. I enjoyed other members of this family. So many personalities. The author and the narrators did a great job bringing these out in the audiobook.

There’s also a little bit of mystery in this unusual and unique mafia rom com. The narrators (Tim Paige and Kelsey Navarro Foster) bringing this story to life were icing on the cake! I am dying to listen to the next book in the series! If you are looking for a fun, steamy summer read and some laughs—look no further! I received this book from Tantor Audio and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Tantor Media for a chance to read an ALC of this book! 🖤

3⭐️ There's something delectable about the FMC being the one in the mafia! |
tropes: mafia romance, forced proximity, forbidden love | medium steam | audio

Overall Thoughts 💭:
There was a lot to like about this book! I enjoyed Vanessa and Nate as characters. I liked that while Vanessa was blood thirsty, she didn't shy away from the realities that her 'family business' was one where she did kill people, and it didn't make her evil. I liked the twist of her being the one in the mafia, using it as the MMC, but this made it a lot more interesting. Nate was charming, and I rooted for him and Vanessa! I liked how realistic his reactions to her being in the mafia were and how he slowly came to terms with things. The subplot revolved around solving the current chaos in their organization was okay. It added the necessary tension to the other marriage subplot and gave real stakes to the situation. However, trying to figure out the mystery wasn't intriguing to me. Nor was Nate looking for a husband for Vanessa. The slow-burning romance between Vanessa and NAte was so good that I wish the actual plot was as good.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW:
Story: 4 stars Narration: 5 stars Overall: 4 stars

A Love Most Fatal is a delightful mafia romantic comedy with elements of mystery and suspense. Vanessa and Nate first meet at his school. After a date goes awry, Vanessa starts protecting Nate. Their relationship from this point forward is a slow burn romance. The banter between the two was quite hilarious. It was wonderful to see Nate’s transformation. The connection and chemistry between the two was electric.
The dual narration by Kelsey Navarro Foster and Tim Paige was extraordinary. Ms. Foster was marvelous as the strong sassy beautiful tough Vanessa. Tim Paige was divine as Nate. His hesitancy, happiness and love were all clearly voiced. They brought this story to life wonderfully.
I highly recommend listening to this audiobook.