3.5, the story definitely had me interested. I just could not figure out the genre and it went a little too “Fifty Shades” for my taste. However, the mobster storyline kept me wondering what came next for the main characters.

There were a few parts where I did laugh aloud.

I would definitely read more by this author. Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Over-the-Top Romantic Suspense (⭐⭐⭐)
This "Godfather meets West Side Story" thriller mixes intense romance with a convoluted family feud. While the initial premise is intriguing, the plot quickly becomes overly dramatic and relies on numerous coincidences. The constant threats and betrayals become more exhausting than suspenseful. A decent listen for fans of high-drama romantic suspense, but lacks realism. Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC.

Girl Anonymous has mob drama, a fiery romance, and plenty of action. Maarja is on the run from her past, but crossing paths with Dante—her enemy’s son—changes everything. He’s intense, dangerous, and impossible to resist. Their chemistry? Off the charts.

The story moves at a great pace with some solid twists. Steamy and packed with tension. If you love a dark romance with a thriller edge, this one’s for you!

Thank you Christina Dodd, Harlequin Audio, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

I've read many of Christina Dodd's books before and enjoyed them. This one, however, I felt missed the mark. I struggled to connect with the characters. I listened to the whole book, but kind of trudged through it.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Harlequin Audio for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Twists, trust, and thrills!

This dark, romantic thriller is packed with plot twists that just keep coming. The beginning throws a lot of information at you, but once the scene is set, you're pulled into a world of violence, murder, and secrets.

I love a story where you can trust the main characters, but beyond that, everyone else is a suspect. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat, and the audiobook narration made it even more immersive. Thank you to Harlequin Audio for the early listener copy!

A huge thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for the ALC of this romantic thriller coming 3/11

Unfortunately this did not work for me. Ultimately between the lack of character development, the chaotic blending of the two genres and a difficulty connecting with the characters this just fell short for me.
I think I understand what the author was trying to accomplish here, but it felt very choppy, which made it difficult to want to continue and be engaged with the story.

While I think the narrator did a fine job trying to bring the characters and the story to life, it just wasn't enough to salvage this for me.

As always, this may work for you even though it did not for me!

I was excited about Girl Anonymous from reading the synopsis.

I struggled with the book. I didn’t understand the Maarja & Dante’s connection so I had a hard time engaging with the story. Parts of the story dragged and others went too quickly… I couldn’t piece it all together.

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A twisty darkly romantic thriller that will keep you guessing what will happen next.

📓Brief Description (Spoiler-Free):
- Maarja witnessed a horrific event as a child and has been on the run ever since.
- As an adult she hides in plain sight, until she comes across Dante, does he remember her from a child?
- Will they be able to create a new beginning, or will the flames of vendetta consume them?

❤️ What I Loved:
- It was fast-paced and engaging.
- Very unique story - definitely not what you would expect going in.

🤔 What I Would Change:
- It raised more questions than answers.
- A bit simpler plot would have been easier to execute the concepts.

📚 Recommended For:
- Fans of J.D. Robb, Megan Miranda, and Sandra Brown
- Readers who enjoy unique storylines that merge multiple genres.

💭Final Thoughts & Rating:
- I’m so appreciative of NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for providing me with the opportunity to review an advanced copy.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I think Vanessa Johansson is a wonderful narrator, but this just misses the mark. The tone for certain scenes just seemed to be off.

I could not finish the book. I couldn't really understand what was going on.

The Godfather meets West Side Story? Um, yes please!! I was so excited to read this based on that description alone. Girl Anonymous is a romantic thriller, which made me want to read it even more.

As a young girl, Maarja witnessed her mother and Benoit Arundel, a mob boss, be killed in an explosion. Since then she has been living on the run. Fast forward to now. Maarja is a fine arts transporter. Her job takes her to a mansion where she meets Dante, the new boss of the Arundel family. Does Dante know who Maarja really is? Will he want revenge on her or use her because of his father’s death? But then Maarja saves Dante’s mother and everything changes between them. Dante wants to end the feud between their families, but his enemies view this as an opportunity to destroy both Dante and Maarja. Will their relationship make it? Will the feud end? Will Dante’s enemies win?


This is my first Christina Dodd book and I really enjoyed it. I loved the mesh between the thriller genre and the romance genre. The West Side Story vibes added in a third love of mine. The combination was amazing. Chef’s kiss.
Combining genres into one can be difficult, but I thought this was executed very well. It had a good amount of both action/mystery and romance.
I listened to the audiobook version and thought the narrator did very well.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin Audio. This has not impacted my review in any way. Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin!

The premise of this book sounded good, but unfortunately. the execution just wasn't great in my opinion. I was hoping to be excited but I got bored.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and for the alc.

I am here for the VIBES.

Is this book a masterpiece? No, not at all. Is it entertaining? Decently yes. Is it what I expected? Also, not at all.

I am a huge fan of Christina Dodd and much of her older work. She has been a huge part of my reading life since I was 13 years old, a little young I know but I had an aunt who corrupted me. I think that this is the key reason why I finished this book in its entirety despite the obvious flaws.

This book tries to blend paranormal with well.. the normal in a way that's just disconnected. The book doesn't fully explain the paranormal aspects of the story and weaves it in at the oddest of times, while insisting that the rest of the world is as it should be. I would have loved if the book leaned more into the magical/mystical/gypsy aspect of the story more, threading it into the entire family and not just our FMC, Maarja. Even the explanation of Maarja's powers are lacking and they only seem to pop up at the most convenient of times, leaving you scratching your head as to how this plot point ties in.

The thriller aspect of the story was absolutely top tier. I loved not knowing what was happening next, especially as someone actively tries again and again to kill our main couple. The book keeps you guessing as to who the culprit could be, except even here I do find one plot hole that I found was easily overlooked until you start to think about it. Regardless, everything comes to a head in a beautiful way, getting wrapped up nice and neatly in a bow at the end of the book.

The romance aspect is a bit... strange. The book leans heavily into the magical threads when it comes to the relationship between Maarja and Dante. "Fate" being used as the excuse throughout the story as to how they ended up together, rushed as it was. They had no ties between them, that we knew of, and yet they ended up in the shower together and were intimate. Then Dante starts insisting that she is pregnant immediately the next day, once again claiming "Fate". This part did make me hesitate in continuing the story, but I pushed through and again,... the vibes were there.

This book has so many flaws but I think that's kind of where the beauty lies. It was an entertaining read and after all isn't that the point of reading? To be entertained. I would liken this book to Fourth Wing, Twilight and even Fifty Shades of Grey in that its not the best literature, but it is engaging and had me laughing.

The narrator was amazing and her voice was so soothing. She even handled the male voices well.

just finished Girl Anonymous by Christina Dodd, and wow—what a ride! It’s packed with twists, suspense, and just the right amount of paranoia to keep you turning pages late into the night. If you love thrillers that mess with your mind and keep you guessing, this one’s worth picking up!

God father meets west side story in this romantic thriller!

The family must overcome loss, heartbreak and vendettas stemming from long ago. Will they be able to squash them once and for all or will it continue to cause anguish?

Thank you for the opportunity to arc read my first "audio" book by Christina Dodd!

I honestly DNF’d this book but thanks so much to NetGalley for the chance to listen. I just could not get into the story or relate to or embrace the characters. When the story led them to a shower together with no relationship to speak of, I just couldn’t make it work for me. I’ve loved Dodd’s other books and the concept was intriguing. Just not for me.

While I really wanted to enjoy this audiobook, it ultimately didn’t work for me. The attempt to blend multiple genres felt more like a chaotic mix than a seamless fusion, making it hard to fully engage with the story. Instead of enhancing the experience, the genre shifts made it difficult to connect with the plot and characters.

The narration itself was decent, with the voice actor doing their best to bring the material to life. However, even strong narration couldn’t completely salvage the disjointed nature of the storytelling. At times, the pacing also felt uneven—some sections dragged while others rushed past crucial moments, leaving little room for emotional impact.

That said, for those who enjoy a mix of genres and don’t mind an unconventional approach, this might still be worth a listen. Unfortunately, it wasn’t for me.

DNF. The premise was confusing and the sex scenes were very difficult to get through. I thought it would be strange and mysterious but I couldn't get past the 15% mark. Not worth my time. Sorry. Thanks for the opportunity to read!

Book Review: Girl Anonymous
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Christina Dodd @christinadoddbooks
Publisher: Harlequin Trade Publishing @harlequinbooks Harlequin Audio @harlequin_audio
Thank you @netgalley for my ARC and ALC.

Girl Anonymous is a heart-pumping, action-packed romance that will leave you breathless, a juicy soap opera infused with a healthy dose of sizzling passion and a deep sense of hope. The narrative follows Maarja Daire, a resilient woman who has been rising above her past since her mother and the notorious mob boss, Benoit Arundel, met their demise. Now, grown and living under an assumed identity, Maarja works as a fine arts mover, but her past reemerges when she is compelled to return to the mansion where the events transpired. Enter Dante, the brooding Arundel family boss, whose rugged visage and dark gaze seem to pierce through Maarja's carefully constructed life, offering her a chance at redemption. When fate brings them together, and she rescues his mother from a fire, the sparks flying between them could ignite a wildfire of transformation. As Maarja confronts her inner demons and the pull of her attraction to Dante, she is forced to face her past and the perilous vendetta still targeting her, emerging stronger and more determined. Christina Dodd crafts a narrative akin to a runaway train, replete with twists and turns, as Maarja and Dante's relationship deepens amidst betrayal, vengeance, and passion, ultimately leading to a powerful, emotional tale of love, survival, and redemption. Girl Anonymous is a testament to the human spirit's capacity for growth, forgiveness, and love, tempered with a healthy dose of sarcasm and wit. Featuring a strong female lead, a mysterious love interest, and danger lurking in the shadows, this novel is a must-read for fans of romantic suspense, inspiring readers to hold onto hope and believe in the potential for positive change. I wasn’t sure about this book when I started reading it but in the end it was fabulous.

Prose: 3⭐️
Audiobook Narration 2⭐️

I have been trying to be very intentional with my star ratings knowing that 3⭐️ and below are not desirable.
I had the opportunity to read both the eARC and the ALC. after reading the eARC I was “meh” about it. It didn’t except me, I found major plot holes and it just wasn’t what I expected from this author insofar as the prose.

This is billed as “God Father” meets “West Side Story” and I can see the correlations but the execution just wasn’t there. The WSS connection was completely ridiculous sounding. If I didn’t know any better I would have thought this was trying to be satire or a spoof.

Usually when I then listen to the audiobook it can help a book come more alive for me as you take in the information differently. Unfortunately the exact opposite occurred.

The Narrator was Vanessa Johansson and after a while I had to speed it up so much so it could take most of the inflection out of the vocals. This was supposed to be a regular audiobook but she treated it more like one would in a graphic audio with over exaggerated acting and strange character voice choices. It added to the feeling that I already had that it was comedic when it was not supposed to be.

I will stop there as this may be a book that someone loves, it’s just not me. and because some of my opinion is based on personal experience and personal dislikes, I went right down the middle with my rating even though it doesn’t reflect my personal experience with the book.


I am thankful to have gotten the ALC for free from Harlequin Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review and I hope this isn’t held against me as I am just being forthright.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advanced audiobook.

The premise of this book--The Godfather meets West Side Story, of two people from warring mafia families falling in love--sounded like a fun, sexy mash up of genres. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything fun nor sexy about this book. It felt chaotic and uninteresting at the same time. I couldn't stick with this one.