FORBIDDEN ROMANCE...do i need to say more?! This was so unbelievably good, I couldn't put it down! I was getting a little bit of a Romeo and Juliet vibe and I was eating it up! Sands did a really good job of writing this, it was very easy to follow along and not feel overwhelmed. If you enjoy mafia romance, definitely give this one a try!

Mia and Romolo…. Ooooh MIA AND ROM. We know I LOVE an obsessed man… but the tension in this book??? Oh I was. EATING it up. Rom never once hid how badly he wanted Mia. The secrets, betrayals, I was seriously speed reading this book and I cant believe I accidentally let it sit in my netgalley shelf for this long!

The pacing was great, the tropes were chefs kiss, and I aam legit dying to already get my hands on the next book! I have way too many theories lol

Thank you Netgalley and Velvet Pages LLC, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.

This was my first book from Gabrielle and I’ll definitely be coming back for more!

Romolo and Mia’s story was so cute. The way it went from dislike to obsessed was perfectly done and I was swooning!

Mia is always taking care of her friends and family and rarely herself, something I can relate to, but Romolo takes care of her, even when she doesn’t realize it. It was very modern day Romeo and Juliet without the tragic ending. The two are from complete different worlds but are drawn to and care for each other!

I can’t wait to read more from Gabrielle! Definitely give this book a read!

Oh my goodness... this book was SO ADDICTING. If I weren't so tired from work, I would have read throughout the night because this book was unputdownable and I was hooked on the forbidden aspect of the story! Safe to say I will be picking up the other books in this series because it was soooo good!

I wanted to try to find a book that would slip me back into my mafia and dark romance reading, and when I came across this one I figured I would request it and see how it made me feel. This is definitely a mafia romance, but it’s not dark romance. It does have some very difficult sub plots and pulls at my heart for the MMC. Overall a very good read, a modern homage to Romeo and Juliet, with a decidedly better outcome. I look forward to more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of Be With Me by Gabrielle Sands. I genuinely enjoyed this intense, emotional, and addictive read. The chemistry between the characters was electric, and the tension—both romantic and political—kept me hooked from start to finish. Gabrielle Sands masterfully blends forbidden romance with a gritty, high-stakes backdrop, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. A fantastic start to the House of Ferraro series—I’m already eager for the next installment!

This was my first book by Gabrielle Sands, and I had a wonderful time. Be With Me , gave me major Romeo and Juliet vibes. With the Mia being the good girl daughter to the mayor to be. And Romolo being the mobsters son. This was a definite enemies to lovers and I loved every second of it. I also was not expecting it to have such dark themes and had no idea romolo would be such a deep character. I LOVED IT ! I think this story and perfectly flawed characters were everything .

I will definitely be recommending this to my customers and keeping it stocked in my store !

Good girls don’t fall for the villain, they say. But Romolo Ferraro isn’t just a villain… he’s the one you fall for and never recover from.🔥

This story bleeds tension and temptation from page one, giving off the Romeo and Juliet energy we crave🤤only darker, sexier, and with way more danger. A forbidden connection ignites between two people from opposite worlds: one bound by duty and legacy, the other forged in violence and secrets. Light and shadow collide in the most intoxicating way.

Tropes and themes I loved:
✨MAFIA
✨Forbidden romance
✨Bad Boy x Good Girl
✨MAN IS OBSESSED
✨Yearning


Mia is the good girl everyone expects her to be 👠the mayor-to-be’s perfect daughter who’s always putting others first. But when one wrong turn lands her in the arms (and bedroom) of Romolo Ferraro, the tattooed, terrifying youngest son of NYC’s most feared crime family👀
everything unravels.

She should run. Romolo is ruthless, manipulative, and set on destroying her father’s campaign. But there’s something in the way he looks at her, something raw and all-consuming. And for once, Mia wonders… what if she let someone take care of her?

Romolo had me feral from the beginning (unhinged and proud), but once we get into his backstory? I sobbed. He’s not just the villain 🥹 he’s a broken, brutal man who loves with a fire that burns everything in its path. That 50 carat necklace just to say thank you? Insane. The obsession? Off the charts. And yes, give me more of these high stakes, morally grey mafia men with emotional damage and unlimited bank accounts.

I’m obsessed with this world, and I can feel an arranged marriage brewing for book 2 which, let’s be honest, is elite romance territory. If this is how the series starts, I already know book two is going to ruin me (in the best way).

2.5/5⭐

Al principio me gustó bastante, pero la verdad es que los protagonistas me parecieron algo inmaduros para la edad que se supone que tienen, el interes amoroso no terminó de gustarme. La trama tuvo algunos momentos intensos pero que no conectaron bien entre si, me costó un poco terminarlo.

6 stars 🌟

"I wasn't living before I met you, Mia. I was just existing. Trying to drown the parts of me I couldn't face. But you-you came in with all your light, and suddenly there was nowhere left to hide. You cracked me open. Made me feel again"

I want to thank Netgalley & The Publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own!

Woahhhh, another 6-star read of the year! Probably my favorite of the month, and I don't think anything will be able to top this one. Mia and Romolo are so perfect, and having the little forbidden love story going on made me yearn to watch Romeo and Juliet! It follows Mia, a stylist and mayor's daughter, and Romolo, a made man, and their enemies-to-lovers, forbidden love story arc. When Mia isn't invited to her best friend's engagement party, she doesn't expect to meet the man her father speaks so poorly about and is desperate to lock up because of what his family has done to his brother over the years! What started as a way for Romolo to prove himself to his family and to blackmail Mia turns into a tender and sweet love story!

Mia is so much of a people pleaser and does everything she possibly can to be seen by her parents, and no matter what, it is never enough! It is incredibly relatable, and she makes me feel so seen. Romolo is TOP BOOK BOYFRIENDS; he is just a jaded man running from his past and unsure what love really is. I absolutely loved these characters and the side characters, and I am so excited for the rest of the series.

I don't need therapy, I need a made man to steal my lip gloss and call me berry!

I absolutely loved this book it had everything that you would expect a mafia/dark romance to have but did everything so much better! and as someone who has consumed a ton of mafia romance novels this has got to take the cake on the best one i have read to date! I cannot wait to go back and read all of Gabrielle's backlist while I am patiently (... very very patiently) awaiting Cos and Fabi's book.

SO MUCH DELICIOUSNESS! Mafia tension, dark forbidden chemistry, enemies to lovers angst, and all of that Romeo and Juliet energy. Be With Me was a fast pace, sexy, and wildly entertaining.

I love a good girl x bad boy dynamic, especially when our bad boy is a BAD MAN with intense alpha, touch her and I'll hardcore unalive you, you are mine mafioso energy. Rom was such a yummy leading man. And Mia was his perfect foil- vulernable, innocent, trusting...but also with a bit of sass. Their chemistry was full of fire and heat. And I am here for Rom's hard fall for her. Weave in a broader mafia meet political intrigue plot and some star crossed lovers vibes and this certainly kept the pages turning.

This would be fantastic on audio- going to perhaps dive in a second time in narration!

🖤 enemies to lovers
🖤 mafia
🖤opposites attract
🖤 forced proximity
🖤mayor's daughter x mafioso her father is trying to bring down
🖤forbidden
🖤Romeo / Juliet dynamic
🖤good girl/ bad boy
🖤alpha hero
🖤he falls harder

Gabrielle Sands, you made me fall in love with mafia romance again.

Pros:
- The chemistry between the MCs was palpable. LOVED them together
- The twist was somewhat expected but still managed to give me that "wtf" vibe that I get when a twist is revealed.
- The personalities were all so different and I felt like I was really learning about each character, which makes me feel like I will have the same attachment to them when they have their own books.

Cons:
- I felt that the end was a bit rushed. Without spoiling anything, everything after the celebration party at the penthouse felt like it could have been expanded on.

I am so excited for the other books to come out and Gabrielle Sands is now on my TBR list with her other published books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victoria Editing NetGalley Co-op for the eARC!

Be With Me (arc) - @gabrielle sands

4.5⭐️

The blueprint for what a dark romance book should be. Perfect.

I went into this book completely blind except for seeing “Romeo & Juliet inspired dark romance” and when I tell you I’ve never applied for an arc faster !!! This book ate and left absolutely NO crumbs 🍪

This story follows Mia and Romolo as they navigate their forbidden relationship and chaotic worlds. She’s the mayor-to-be’s perfect daughter and he’s the ruthless villain part of the mafia underworld who is set on ruining her ….. and so the drama begins ….

Romolo and Mia were absolutely perfect for each other. Romolo’s backstory was so heartbreaking to read about and the fact that Mia was the first person he confided in about it was so special. His loyalty and drive were admirable and his core values of family were astounding. I adored the little “soft moments” they shared with each other and how they created their own world that was just them against the chaos.

Mia was such a strong and confident fmc. She was extremely intelligent and I love how she saw through Rom’s scheming and nonsense immediately. She always put everyone above her and honestly had the biggest heart. I was obsessed with the focus and drive she had for her business and how we actually got a lot of content on her business in the story. I love how supportive Rom was of her and instead of belittling her, he enabled her to succeed, thrive become the great woman she was destined to be.

Extremely easy to read with a storyline that was seamless. I love when authors writing flows and the plot develops almost organically - Gabrielle absolutely nailed this. If you’re looking for a dark romance that ticks all the boxes - look no further! 100% recommend 💯💯

Thankyou so much to @netgalley and @gabrielle for an advanced copy of this book !!

If you are looking for a sweet nice girl just doing the right thing but stumbles across the bad boy that just doesn't seem to want to forget her or let her go...this book is it!

Mia is the daughter of the man running for mayor and his stance is centered smack dab on running the Mafia out of his city. Romolo is that Mafia, his family are bullseye for Mia's dads target. However, one day Mia is worried about a friend and finds out she is part of the Mafia culture and when her friend tries to hide her from it she bumps into Romolo. They both try to forget the other but it's hard to when Romolo seems to just want Mia to want him back. She knows though that the Mafia is a culture so far from her own that her dad would be upset for her falling for him. However, is her family that far removed from the culture they want to destroy and will Romolo help her discover something she is missing in her life?

This book is the classic "I can't have the bad boy" romance but Romolo doesn't seem to want to let her go. He is smitten and it is adorable to watch him fall for her and her realize she has missed someone caring for her in her life. When things go awry he is the one that helps her and for that he is a great MMC. Both characters were developed so well that you wanted to root for them from the beginning even though Mia was having an internal conflict about it. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. So well written, kept me wanting to read it and I just loved the story!

Thanks to NetGalley, Gabrielle Sands, and Velvet Pages for allowing me to review this ARC!

3.75 stars

<i> ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

</i>

This was my first time reading anything by Gabrielle, and I already know it won’t be my last. As an avid mafia romance reader, I really enjoyed the fresh world she created—not just for its uniqueness, but because it truly felt like a breath of fresh air.

The first installment follows Romolo, who’s part of the mafia, and Mia, the daughter of the strongest candidate running for mayor of New York. The twist? Her father is obsessed with taking down Romolo’s family and is determined to see them behind bars.

Mia and Romolo cross paths by chance when she attends her best friend’s engagement party. From the moment they meet, the tension between them is undeniable. I adored Romolo and his persistence in seeing Mia, fully aware that their connection is forbidden and doomed from the start. Still, he fights for her, and that made me love him even more.

One thing I wish the author had explored further were the darker elements typically found in mafia romances. While there was a climactic fight toward the end, I missed the high-stakes danger and intensity I usually expect from the genre.

That said, I’m excited to dive into the second installment. I have a feeling it will be full of tension, yearning, and groveling—and I am so here for it.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

This book came out of left fielddd. This was a cover read and my goodness did it ever work out in my favour cuz this was such a banger.

A new five star mafia? In mafia may? YES PLEASE.

Be With Me is an enemies to lovers, good girl x bad boy mafia romance. Son of the mafia don and daughter of the mayor who’s trying to take them down.

There is everything you want in a mafia. The danger and the tension. The attraction they try and fight. There is also emotional grit that makes you want to hug each of them. Think Romeo and Juliette but make it mafia.

This is the kind of book that I had to stop halfway through to make sure it wasn’t a standalone lol and thank god it’s not. I need more from this world.

Gosh I love mafiaaaa.

Now excuse me while I go find a signature lip gloss that a mafia man can become obsessed with.

I read this book in one sitting! I have not read a dark romance book in MONTHS and this one was perfect for getting back into this world. I am absolutely obsessed with Mia and Rom (fe) I love how Rom brings out the real Mia and helps her speak out against those who hurt her and I love how Mia brings the light back to Rom's life.
The only complaint I have about this book is that it WAS TOO SHORT. I never wanted it to end !!
If you like enemies to lovers, touch her and dle vibes, obsessed mmc, mafia, good girl x bad boy, and forbidden romances then you should definitely check this one out!

This book was AMAZING! It's been a while since a good mafia book hooked me and this one was IT! I'm obsessed with Romolo!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

I really enjoyed this take on a mafia romance!

First of all, let’s start with some triggers:
- ptsd with a very detailed panic attack
- SA
- unloving parents

I first want to start off with the main characters. Omg I adored them so much.

Mia is the stereotypical good girl who puts everyone else before herself. Her kind heart and willingness to believe the good in everyone was honestly perfect for a man like Romolo.

Now, Romolo is the exact opposite. A mafia boss’s son who is no stranger to violence. What I really appreciated about his character though, is that he isn’t the typical hardened mafia man. There is a lot more to him than his rough edges. His backstory truly broke my heart and it made me so happy that this fictional character got such a patient and kind fictional woman.

The chemistry between the main characters was undeniable! Between this and the character development, I honestly couldn’t help but yearn for these two to have a happily ever after. The good girl and the bad boy… compete opposites and yet they balanced each other perfectly. It was easy to see why they longed for one another.

I really enjoyed the story. There was a lot of thought put into the storyline and which made for an enjoyable experience. It was easy to get on board with the conflicts the characters faced because it was totally believable and wasn’t cheesy.

The plot twist though!!! Omg, I didn’t see that coming. I was definitely suspicious but things didn’t play out at all like I thought they would which I appreciated because it was so much better than I could have came up with.

The spice was totally on point. It never came out of left field and instead occurred naturally between the characters. It also wasn’t over the top but definitely not vanilla. (Which I wouldn’t expect a mafia guy to be boring in the sack.) Just perfection.

Loved the ending. I couldn’t have asked for a better conclusion. All loose ends seemed to be tied up neatly.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and wouldn’t hesitate to read it again.

I recommend to anyone who enjoys mafia/forbidden romance.

I definitely recommend you mind the triggers though. The very detailed panic attack one of the main characters has was no joke and a bit tough to digest. It was definitely written well and totally believable which made the experience pretty rough for someone who struggles with an anxiety disorder.

Be With Me is the first book in the House of Ferraro series by Gabrielle Sands and it is an enemies to lovers mafia romance.

Mia is the daughter of the man expected to be the next mayor and she is putting her business on the back burner while the election campaign is on as she’s doing everything she can to ensure her father gets elected.

Tattooed, morally grey Romolo Ferraro is a member of the notorious crime family Mia’s father has promised to take down once elected. His job is to collect intel the family can use against Mia’s father and he’ll do whatever it takes to get it.

Mia is smart and she knows Rom is suddenly turning up at the same events as her because he wants info on her father and she knows she needs to avoid him. The problem is she doesn’t want to.

“But we were the same. Both of us were starved for the love we'd never received.
The only difference was I’d kept searching for it. He’d stopped.”

Mia and Rom both had trauma in their past they needed to work through and I loved seeing them peeling back the layers to show each other who they really are. Their chemistry was fire and I loved the yearning and angst, the push and pull of their relationship and the suspense and twists that kept the story interesting.

Mia was the light to Romolo’s dark and he would burn the world down for her! His declaration of love was definitely one of my favourite parts of the book!

“I love you.” The words scorched their way out of me. “I love you like I’ve never loved anything in my goddamn life. It’s terrifying. It’s relentless. You’ve gotten under my skin and into my soul, and you didn’t even try. Somewhere along the way, I stopped being mine and became yours.”

Overall, I loved this book! It was a 5 star read for me and I can’t wait to see what happens in the rest of the series.

- mafia romance
- enemies to lovers
- forbidden romance
- slow burn
- bad boy/good girl