This book gave me some serious anxiety, but that just shows how well written it is. I usually stick to romance and fantasy, so this story was a fun change of pace. It’s quick, very well researched, and totally intriguing. The writing is flawless, and I can’t wait to check out more books from this author.

I loved seeing the power women had back in the day. Often overlooked in history books, they were scheming, plotting, and moving chess pieces unbeknownst to the men who undervalued them.

Valentina was such a great character, strong, intelligent, and resilient. I wish she were a real historical figure. I’m all for some good female rage in my books, and this one delivered.

There’s a bit of romance, which I enjoyed, though I wish we got more of Bastiano.

As someone who speaks Italian and lives in Italy, I was thrilled that the audiobook narrator nailed the pronunciation of names and places. I started listening, ready to cringe, but was pleasantly surprised.

Overall, this was a fun read that I’d recommend to anyone looking for historical fiction with a touch of spice, plenty of mysteries, and lots of political intrigue.

The Assassin of Venice by Alyssa Palombo is authentic to the era, beautifully researched and utterly enthralling, let alone a belter of a storyline

Valentina Riccardi is a tempest, a real force to be reckoned with, a courtesan of Venice who is devastatingly beautiful yet deadly, the perfect assassin for the times. Valentina's bosses are The Council of Ten, a mysterious organisation who she initially believes are acting i nthe best interests of her beloved Venice, but as time goes on, she begins to wonder about and investigate their true intentions. There is however, a complication in the form of Bastiano Bragadin, a fellow assassin who she falls head over heels for, until he starts to delve into her past, and even worse, until she receives orders to assassinate him from the Council of Ten

The narration is as luscious as the book itself and adds an extra sheen to an already brilliant work

I loved this book. Luscious, deep, opulent yet gritty, dynamic, powerful. A stunning novel that I would happily read (and listen to) over and over again

Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Media, Alyssa Palombo and Nicol Zanzarella for this stunning ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own