"𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚞𝚙 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎."

Thank you Valentine PR and Giana for an early copy of this book. I recently started reading Gianas book and fell in love with her writing so immediately had to request an arc copy!

1. Raffa is top tier book boyfriend, I'm in love.
2. This book was so tender and poetic it was literally like a fairytale their romance.
3. I love playing detective and I'm out here with my list of suspects, I can't wait for the next book!

Honestly, it's been a while since I've read a mafia romance that I truly enjoyed and this one has delivered. AND ITS NOT EVEN OVER. I feel this longing to be back between these pages, I miss these characters already! I loved the build up, the small moments between them. The way they speak to each other and about each other. The type of man Raffa is and is trying to hold on to. I don't think I've read of a mafia man quite like him. I loved Guinevere, and what she was trying to do for herself. For exploring life and wanting to get to know herself better and stand up for herself as well. I'm very excited to see what comes next and see both Raffa and Guinevere evolve further.

I definitely recommend it if you couldn't tell.

"𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚒𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚖𝚎, 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝙸 𝚔𝚗𝚎𝚠 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎? 𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏?”

Giana knew what she was doing with this one honestly. Giana + Mafia Romance = perfection!

Guinevere set out to Italy to find herself and expand her horizons. She lived in the shadow of her sister who passed away unexpectedly and she had always been the 'safe child' because of health issues. But she can't take the 'safe' life anymore and wants to prove that she can do something for herself. But what she doesn't expect is, to quite literally, run into Raffa. He's a handsome, muscular, attractive Italian man who drives fancy cars, takes care of her, and hides a secret that could destroy her life.

I think that one of my favorite things about this book is that Giana's writing makes me feel like I'm right there in Italy. It's descriptive and beautiful. I felt like I was traveling the countryside of Italy, and stopping at winery's and staying in a beautiful palazzo with Guinevere and Raffa. I was so entranced in the story and seeing how Guinevere worked to find herself. She grows in so many ways and I love the fire she has. Raffa is honestly such a good morally grey man. He's so protective over those he loves even though he tries to hide his 'softer' side.

“You helped me.” "Exception, not rule. As you seem to be for all my rules.”

They build each other up and work to better themselves in both an individualistic sense, and as a couple. I can't wait to see what book 2 has in store because this story gripped me from the jump.

Tropes:
- Based in Italy
- Italian Mafioso x American tourist
- Age Gap ( 34 MMC x 22 FMC)
- Forced Proximity
- Hidden Identity
- Morally Grey MMC

Guinevere (Age 23) is on a quest to finding more about her Italian family. Her parents have made her promise to never step foot on Italy soil and ask no questions about it.

But Guinevere can’t stop dreaming of Italy and finding more about her family from here and decides to lie and take a Summer trip to Italy…

“Guinevere was just a foreigner trying to have an adventure on her own in a new place, and unwittingly, she'd run into the arms of the worst monster in Tuscany."

Raffa (Age 34). He hit her with his car. In his defense, she ran right in front of him.
He never been someone’s hero, with being the head of the mafia but he could pretend. For her. A little doe who looks at him like a savior.

"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."

This is a spicy whirlwind Summer romance. He takes her around to sightsee and also, gives her spicy lessons.
She falls for his family.
He falls harder for her.

But Raffa is keeping it a secret on who he is. Guinevere is a bit naive but has no idea just how dangerous the man she’s sleeping with is…

He’s a complicated man.
He’s a dangerous man.
What is Guinevere willing to accept when she finds out the truth?
Leaves off on a cliffie and I cannot wait for book two!

“My little fawn. My woman. My shooting star.”

I love me a good mafia romance!

I didn’t LOVE it like I thought I would but I did really enjoy it and had a great time reading. I think it was probably the fact that the romance was very quick and that’s not always my fave. This is not to say that I didn’t really enjoy this couple, because I absolutely did—they had me giggling and kicking my feet on multiple occasions! And the spice!!🤭

Giana’s writing really transported me to Italy—the descriptions were just beautiful, I felt like I was there!

While this was a Mafia romance it wasn’t super heavy on the ‘mafia’ aspect, so it’s the perfect read for dipping your toes into this world.

The cliffhanger!?! … Giana why do you keep doing this to me?😫

Rating: 4.5⭐️
Spice:2🌶️
Would Recommend!

My Review:
Gianna’s writing has always been a favorite of mine, and this book is exactly why. The emotions, the depth, the love—it all just pours out of the pages, pulling me right in.
Guinevere & Raffe? 🔥 One of my absolute favorite couples in her universe now! 🔥 Their dynamic was everything! It honestly felt like I was reading two different genres in one book—a billionaire romance when it was Guinevere’s POV and a full-on mafia romance when it was Raffe’s. And I loved every second of it!
And that ending?! 💔 It shattered me in the best way, but the way it was written, especially with the callback, was just perfection. I just wish we didn’t have to wait too long for the second book because I need more of these two ASAP! 💕

Tropes:
Secret Identity
Mafia romance
V-h

A DELICIOUSLY IRRESISTIBLE READ!

Wow! All I can say is that this author created such a decadent and compelling read. Raffaele and Guinevere are explosive and are absolute stars. Guinevere wants to go to Italy, and she does, while there she meets Raffaele. He draws her into his world, and what a story these two have. Beautiful writing, complex, and intriguing story with captivating characters.

Giana never misses, her writing style is so beautiful and poetic. An age gap, billionaire mafia romance with touch her and die vibes and set in Tuscany is exactly what I needed and I loved everything about Raffa & Guinevere’s story!!

My Dark Fairy Tale is book one in the My Dark Mafia Romance series. It follows Guinevere Stone and Raffaele ‘Raffa’ Romano.

Giana does it again! This book completely stole my heart and made me feel deeply for both characters. It was honestly such a breath of fresh air.

Guinevere went to Italy to find more about herself, and boy did she do just that. Growing up, her family gave her the nickname jinx, meaning if something can go wrong, it will go wrong for her. Which is appropriate for the way she met Raffa on her first day. If only she knew running into Raffa would change the trajectory of her Italian getaway. She is feisty, stubborn, and kind. She sees the good in everyone even when they think they have nothing but darkness surrounding them. I honestly loved seeing her growth and self growth throughout the story.

Raffaele has to be one of my favorite MMC ever! He is a mafia capo who is a morally grey grump. He did not expect to literally run into an American girl on the side of the road with nothing on her person one day. He did not have time for distractions, and yet he saved her because he wanted to feel like a good man for once. He is literally both a very dark man and a man who will literally make you swoon.

Their connection from the start was incredibly deep. Their banter and flirting was easy, effortless, and oh so sexy. They both changed each other for the better. He helped her become bolder and more sure of herself. She helped him love himself fully. They will truly melt your heart!

There is a cliffhanger in this book, which should be illegal! How am I supposed to wait until October for book two!! I have so many questions, and I can’t wait to see if any of them are true!

You will enjoy this book if you like the following:
- Mafia
- Italian setting
- Bad boy x good girl
- Chronic illness rep
- Billionaire anti-hero
- Hidden identity
- Age gap (11 years)

Thank you so much, Giana Darling and Montlake, for the gifted copy!

✨𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀✨
📖 My Dark Fairytale by Giana Darling
⭐Star Rating: 5/5
🌶️: 4/5

This book gave me exactly what I needed—a chance to leave behind the excruciating stress of real life and escape into a world of action, romance, drama, and that little glimmer of hope we all secretly crave. A world that promises a fairytale ending—but only after dragging you through hell first.

Let’s talk about Guinevere—what a character! I adored her. She was kind, compassionate, and yet knew how to bring out her sass when the situation called for it. And Raffa? Raffa was everything. Caring, attentive, impossibly swoon-worthy... He treated Guinevere with a level of love and protectiveness that made my heart ache in the best way.

Men written by Gianna are truly in a league of their own. Once they take up space in your head, good luck getting them out. Raffa has officially claimed real estate in mine. Every single thought he had, every word he spoke—pure obsession material. The way he described Guinevere? Literal poetry. He’s dangerous, dominant, and devastatingly romantic. A deadly combination, and I was all in.

The plot was gripping, the pacing flawless, and the Italian countryside setting? Absolutely breathtaking. Gianna masterfully blended a mind-reeling storyline with just the right amount of angst and spice. The chemistry between the characters was electrifying, their banter top-tier, and the twists? Completely unexpected and so addictive. I felt every high and every low.
I was jealous of Genevieve the entire time. I want an Italian Mafioso who’s utterly obsessed with me, ready to raise hell just to see me smile. Is that too much to ask?

And then... THAT CLIFFHANGER.
Gianna, WHY?? How could you do that to me?? I swear I felt my soul leave my body. The emotional rollercoaster this book took me on was unreal—and that ENDING?? No. I’m not okay. I need the next book like yesterday. Someone hold me. That ending destroyed me. Like, I genuinely felt my heart being ripped out of my chest.
That ending wrecked me in a way I can’t even put into words. It was emotional whiplash. I'm begging for the next book—I need answers, I need closure, I need more Raffa and Guinevere.

Despite the emotional carnage, I can’t stop loving this story and its characters. Every action they took, every emotion they experienced felt real and justified. I’m completely and unapologetically hooked. And now I need everyone else to read this masterpiece too—just so they can suffer through this beautiful agony with me.

Eagerly counting down the days until the next part. I need to see their happily ever after.

Listen. When Giana Darling said she was giving us a dark fairy tale, she meant it. This book is like stepping into a gothic dream—where danger, lust, and longing swirl through every page—and I devoured every second.

With her signature blend of lyrical prose and raw emotion, Darling delivers a deliciously dark mafia romance that’s as seductive as it is soul-stirring. My Dark Fairy Tale unfolds like a twisted fantasy set in the shadows of Italy, where love blooms in the dark and nothing is quite what it seems.

Guinevere is bold, curious, and strong—the kind of heroine who walks straight into the unknown after surviving everything life could throw at her. She lies her way to Italy, chasing fairy tales and freedom. And Raffaele? A morally gray mafia heir wrapped in silk and sorrow. He’s the capo dei capi with a poet’s soul buried beneath blood and duty. Their collision is literal, an inadvertent crash that pulls her into his dangerous world. Their connection builds with a slow burn that simmers until it scalds

Every glance. Every brush of tension. Every withheld word. It’s intense, it’s aching, and it builds with deliberate, devastating grace. The spice sizzles, but never overshadows the emotional stakes—and when the payoff hits? It hits.

And don’t even get me started on that ending. Ughhh. It’s brutal. But knowing another Giana Darling book is coming? Totally worth the cliffhanger heartache. I’d follow this couple into the dark and back.

If you crave mafia romance with elegance, edge, and yearning, My Dark Fairy Tale is calling your name.

Story: 5 ⭐
Spice: 3🌶️

Genre:
🖤Mafia Romance

Tropes:
🖤A Billionaire Italian Mafioso
🖤She’s in Finance
🖤Age Gap
🖤Alpha Protective Hero
🖤Touch Her & ☠️
🖤Tuscany Setting
🖤Hidden Identity

This book absolutely blew me away. I have loved Giana's writing a lot and this one was no different. I really needed this dark romance after reading lots of fluffy romances lately.
Guinevere finally makes her trip to Italy that her father always forbade her to do even though he is from Italy. When she runs away from trouble on her first day there she runs into a car that belongs to Raffaele. He is normally not a friendly man but something he sees in Guinevere he can't seem to ignore. So he decides to take her home while she recovers. Raffa is capo dei capi of the Camorra, a notorious mafioso in Northern Italy but that is a detail he keeps hidden from Guinevere. They spend her holiday together and even though they have only known each other for a short time there is something between them.
I loved this book so much. Raffa is the perfect antihero, he is ruthless except when it comes to her then he is a different man. Seeing Guinevere discover Italy with him and seeing her open up to explore everything was adorable. She really deserves the best. Guinevere also sees some things about Raffa's job but she doesn't put it together just yet what he does. She is intrigued by the slight darkness in him that he allows her to see. After a while she also forms a bond with his inner circle and seeing them also get protective over her is amazing. They become her second family. The story just gets you hooked from the first page until the last and omg that ending. I need book two asap.
If you are looking for a dark, age gap, Italian mafia romance this book is for you!

Giana Darling writes the most swoon-worthy men so when I saw she was coming out with a mafia romance set in Tuscany, Italy I knew this book was gonna be everything I needed to kick off summer and I wasn’t wrong! I can not wait till October for book 2 ‘cause that ending is gonna keep me thinking about this book 24/7.

Guinevere and Raffa together was beautifully, steamy with a side swoon 😍

“For the first time in my life, I wanted to be someone’s knight in shining armor.”

Guinevere is this sweet, innocent women just looking to enjoy her 6 weeks in Italy, even though it’s going against it’s everything her parents told her. You only live once and Guinevere is visiting Italy even if it’s in secret.

“To be the man who deserves that look on your face.”

Raffa stumbles upon (and by stumbles I mean hit her with his car) Guinevere in a situation and offers his place for her to recover safely but what he didn’t expect was his world becoming alive just from setting his eyes on her and vowing to protect her over everything.

“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.”

I am completely obsessed with them and there is so many quotes that I want to share with your guys, that I know I have over 75 highlights that I will definitely be sharing over time.

These two were amazing alone but put them together and you can not even imagine how swoony and gone I was for them. Raffa is the ruthless man that everyone is afraid of, but when this man’s soft side came out I knew I was gonna fall faster for him than he could drive his Ferrari 😂

And now I knew what had been calling my name. Him.

Everytime I am given the opportunity to review a arc of Giana’s I am truly honored that I get to read her beautiful words but also amazed at how every time it feels like I’m stepping into a different world that by the end has be craving more. So thank you so much Giana for letting me read your art ❤️

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬-

🛵 𝐀𝐠𝐞-𝐆𝐚𝐩
🛵 𝐌𝐚𝐟𝐢𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
🛵 𝐓𝐮𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐲 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
🛵 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲
🛵 𝐁𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐞
🛵 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲
𝐁𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐨𝐲/ 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐆𝐢𝐫𝐥

My Dark Fairy Tale
(My Dark Mafia Romance #1)
By Giana Darling

It takes a very special writer to who can bring an Italian Mafia story that pulls you in and has you falling in love with her characters, the beauty of Florence and the Tuscan country side and allowing Guinevere Stone and Raffa (Raffaele Romano) to take residence in your mind and your heart. Having read other mafia stories by Author Giana Darling I knew that she would bring readers a beautiful story. From the first page to the last page you are totally invested!

Guinevere Stone is a twenty-three year old tourist who is following her heart and her dreams of spending six weeks in Italy. Her parents fought her on this trip, so much that she lied about where she was going…it was the only way she would ever see through her life long passion to see Italy. Yes she was innocent, yes she is head strong and yes she has a health issue. What she wasn’t prepared for was a potential attack, followed by a car hitting her. It was the driver of said car who rescued her.

Raffaele Romano (Raffa) was that driver. Thirty-four years old, handsome, knowledgeable and the Capo dei capi the boss of the Romano famiglia. For the past four years he has been centred on taking over the famiglia and changing how it will be run…but when he sees Guinevere, he wants to be a different man. His decision on how much he shares with the beautiful Guinevere may come back to haunt him. He is thinking with his heart and not his head.

With Raffa offering sexy lessons while Guinevere learns Italian brings these two characters are constantly brought together with a magnetic draw that pulls them closer and closer. It goes from light flirting to having to touch and taste each other, while the steamy relationship grows! But is this connection enough to keep them together when it comes time for Guinevere to fly back home.

Italian mafia stories should make readers feel they are with the characters on every page and this author does this from the beginning to the end. Throughout this whole book you watch their story unfold in front of you. I can't wait to catch up with Guinevere and Raffa in My Dark Ever After. This book made it on to my best 2025 list and I am sure book two will be joining it.

Guinevere, on her summer quest to dive into her Italian roots, is blissfully unaware that her new beau, Raffa, has a mafia connection thicker than spaghetti sauce! The juicy bit? Her adventure into Raffa’s softer side, all while he hands her the keys to her self-discovery as a woman—something she’s yearned for all summer long.
Martina, the scene-stealer and my latest sidekick obsession! She's got a knack for poking fun at Raffa, and her antics keep me in stitches.
Raffa? Utterly charming! He’s the dreamboat of romance novels: mysterious, lyrical, and madly in love. The full package, right there.

And just when you think the pasta’s done, bam—a cliffhanger! I’m left dangling with a million questions and can hardly wait to dive into the sequel. What a finale!

This book is so good!!

I am a Giana fan, I enjoy her storytelling. She writes gritty, dark romance, and yes this book is that, but this book is also so much more. As part of a duet you aren’t going to get that HEA that everyone looks for. Book two will be releasing in the fall, so now we have something more than pumpkin spice to look forward to!

Guinevere has always dreamed of going to Italy, she could feel the countryside calling her. So when she got the chance to go, nothing was going to stop her. The chain of events that happen once she gets there definitely opened her eyes to things she never could have imagined. The biggest thing is Raffa, her Italian Prince Charming who is definitely more than he seems.

Without giving too much away I will just say this, read this book. If you are new to Giana this is definitely the perfect place to start your addiction. I couldn’t put it down, and I dare you to try to stop once you start!

I loved everything about this book. Hooked from start to finish, could not get enough of them. Giana is probably one of the only authors I will willingly go into a book knowing they’re will be a cliffhanger and have no regrets. I cannot wait for the next book to release.

oh this book has the suspense aspect, the spice, the let me get the world for you and touch her and d-e vibe!! I cant wait for the next one tbh.

Thank you to Giana and VPR for this ARC.
First beware that this ends in a cliffhanger! I'm going to need the next book ASAP 😆🤭

I love a good mafia romance, and this definitely hit the mark!

This was my first book by this author and I loved that this was a good, true Italian mafia romance set in Italy. The writing was much different too in that it was written like classic literature in the wording and less contemporary writing.

Guinevere is 23 years old and just graduated from college in Michigan. She has lived her whole life kind of sheltered because of a rare chronic illness and it has always been her dream to visit Italy. But her father never wanted her to go, claiming it is dangerous, since he is originally from there. Despite his warnings, she pays for a trip of a lifetime to spend the Summer there before going back home to work for her father.

Raffa (Raffaele) is a 34 year old Capo of an Italian mafia outfit. Day one of her trip takes a bad turn of events which leads her into meeting him because he accidentally, literally, runs into her. He takes her in until she gets better and things progress from there.

I absolutely love Raffa! He is perfection and Guinevere is sweet and full of life. You really get a feel for Italy and all the history and I relate to her because it has been my dream to visit as well. There is mafia business/action going on as well and it ends on a cliffhanger.


Spoiler/criticism's: (Don't scroll down if you haven't read the book)

*I was angry at that cliffhanger and the way she reacted. I mean, what did you expect him to do? The guy literally had a gun in your face and was going to k!ll you. You're mad he shot the guy and saved your life? Give me a break! I expected her to be upset by the events but not to completely shun him. That made me give less of a review for that alone.

*I think Leo is behind everything. I mean Raffa's dad put him in charge and then Raffa comes back and takes over? I'm sure he's not happy about that and I could see the writing on the wall. Also, I think her sister was somehow involved with him/the mafia.

*I think someone in her dad's family was hurt/k!lled by Raffa's dad, or another mafia family. Obviously Stone is not his real last name.

Darker themed romance of Italian older man and younger American visitor - I love their meet cute, how they meet and how it's an instant attraction.
This is to me somewhere between instant lust and slow burn because they don't hook up RIGHT away but they make intentions very clear early on and the way the tension builds between the two is almost equally as juicy as the spice once they finally get together, speaking of which - the WINE?! man. I'll think about that for a while.

The found family in this is honestly why I love mafia romances or any group community of sorts. The way Raffa's found family takes Guinevere in is so sweet especially considering how alone and lost she's felt. The more she comes out of her shell, the more I love her and I'm looking forward to reading more of their story because AFTER THAT ENDING?!

I absolutely whole heartedly definitely need more as soon as possible.