If anyone can get me back into mafia it’s Giana Darling. wow wow wow this story was so addictive and I loved it with my whole heart. Guinevere and Raffa completely stole my heat with their story. and what a way to meet each other.i loved this story of Guinevere finding herself and her family history, meanwhile you had Raffa who was a mafia capo. I loved how obsessed and protective he was of her— it had me obsessing over him obsessing over her. the chemistry between them was unmatched and the suspense in this story had me craving more. I am already dying to get my hands on the next part of this duet!

read if you like:
age gap
forced proximity
Italian summers
mafia romance
bad boy x good girl
billionaire

Overall Thoughts: Well, Giana did it again. She left me with a huge book hangover. Seriously, what am I supposed to do now? That book was intense from the start. Guinevere is this sweet, sheltered little lamb (or fawn), who literally stumbles into the lion’s den. Then there is Raffaele, the aforementioned lion (or wolf), who fell in love with the fawn. A monster. Ruler of his domain, and he falls head over feet for her. I have to start waiting for her full series to come out, so I can stop torturing myself with these cliffhangers. Ah! But seriously great book, and CJ put on a fabulous performance, as the inexperienced young woman exploring the world for the first time on her own. Dane was amazing as the broody, and dark mafioso, who has a soft spot for his little fawn.

Narration: Duet, first person present tense, dual POV

Tropes: Vacation, m@fia, virgin FMC, Italy, overbearing parents, learning Italian, hit by a car, OTTP, toucher and d!e, unaliver, dirty talker, secrets, death of a sibling not on page

Overall: 4
Spice: 3
Humor: 1.5
Drama: 3
Darkness: 3
Narration: 4.5

Guinevere is traveling through Italy on her own after graduating college. After a rough first encounter, she falls into the care of Raffa, who is immediately taken with her and does everything in his power to help her get back on her feet after losing everything she brought on her trip.

Raffa can’t understand why he wants to help Guinevere, he is not the type of man that helps out innocent young women (or anyone) for that matter, but she has brought a light into his life he thought was extinguished forever.

As the two spend more time together, feelings grow, and Guinevere finds herself wishing Raffa would ask her to stay with him in Italy, but with the secret Raffa has been keeping from her, he knows she is better off without him. He doesn’t want to drag her down into the darkness that has consumed him for most of his life or put her life in jeopardy.

Everyone loves a little baddie who doesn’t like to listen to her father, and then ends up getting herself into a pickle meeting a strange man on the side of the road in a foreign country where she was told not to even venture off to in the first place gets herself into a whole world of trouble just to be rescued by an even bigger questionable man in the mafia … listening to it, though next level definitely would recommend because that Italian flare gives you all the extra gooey spice

there's literally always something about a Giana book that REELS ME IN!! It does start of slow, and it was definitely a slow burn but it was soo good. I love me a mafia romance plus hidden identity?! Anyways i need book two immediately but helloooo that cliffhanger?!

✨I received this book as an ALC for free in exchange for an honest review✨

My Dark Fairy Tale by Giana Darling
Pub Date: April 8, 2025

🖤 Mafia Romance
🖤 Anti-Hero
🖤 Age Gap
🖤 Found Family
🖤 Forced Proximity

Guinevere is an American woman who is traveling to Italy for the summer to reconnect with her family roots when she serendipitously meets Raffa, her mafioso love interest. Their story starts to unfold when Guinevere stays with Raffa in his villa and he realizes he is falling for the woman who does not know his true identity. Their chemistry is electric and you can’t help swoon over Raffa’s protectiveness.

Giana Darling Baby, what are you doing to us? I still can’t get over the cliffhanger… I need more. I have so many unanswered questions and theories. I am counting the days until book 2 comes out.

I loved this book so much but I strongly do not recommend trying to listen to this audio at work. Especially when I am 1 out of 2 women in the office since I work in a warehouse. Trying to keep a straight face while Raffa is saying delicious things in my ear… 🙈🙉🙊

My Dark Fairy Tale is:
Mafia
Book 1 in a duet
Close Proximity
Virgin FMC
Touch her and die
Check content warnings
My favorite part about this book, Rafael. An Italian mafia man ( @thatdaneanderson portrayed so well)) finds Guinevere running from trouble and of course has to save her! Second with any Giana book, always the spice . Two words, olive oil. Also Ferrari
This one while still full of heavy content was really LIGHT on the mafia to me and would be a great starter mafia book if you haven't tried one yet. Warning though there is a cliffhanger and no hea, YET.
The audio by Dane Anderson and CJ Bloom really helped suck me into the story!

I love this author's storytelling and My Dark Fairy Tale was one I truly enjoyed! The setting puts you in Italy right alongside the characters and the slow burn and cliffhanger will have you turning pages and wanting more! I'm already looking forward to what is next!

Also the audio, narrated by CJ Bloom & Dane Anderson, was excellent for the ears - definitely recommend!

Perfect narration
Perfect Setting
Perfect Story

OMG I loved this audio. I was hooked from the start and it did not disappoint.

This story unfolds through out the entire book and it just keeps you so interested. The Character growth so good..

This book does end on a cliff hanger so keep that in mind going into it.
I can not wait for the next one.

I loved this one so much and I need the next book like I need air to breathe. I have so many questions including where I can find my own mafioso like Raffa!

If you’re looking for a mafia romance that takes place in the most beautiful setting of Italy then look no further!

Features major BDE, who hurt you, and possessive MMC energy.

Out now!

Huge thanks to Giana Darling & Netgalley for the chance to read this one early in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely devoured this book! Literally listened to it all in one night! The audio was just immaculate. I could have listened to this man speak forever! Giana does the best job writing men who are so mean and tough to everyone else but are literal teddy bears to their women. The Fallen Men series is one of my very favorite for that reason!

Guinevere goes to Italy to spend the summer in her family‘s homeland, even though her father has always told her she can never go there. She wants to spend the summer exploring before she has to accept the life her parents have planned for her back in America. But everything changes the moment she meets Raffa. Everyone knows him as a notorious mafioso, but she makes him remember how he used to be before he became the monster he is. I just fell in love with these two! If you love a mafia romance, then you definitely need to read this one! I’m already anxiously waiting for book 2!

This book was everything my mafia loving heart could need! Giana did a beautiful job with her descriptions, inner workings of the Italian Mafia and of course made me fall head over heels for Rafa!

🌶️🌶️🌶️

💜 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🌶️