Taking a moment to fully <i>bask</i> in the fact that this story is set in my hometown—San Jose, CA! Bay Area love! 🥹✨ I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, obsessed!

Alexei is the ultimate toxic, possessive mafia boyfriend—the kind you want to hate, but somehow end up breathless and obsessed right alongside him. He’s utterly obsessed with Rosalie, our strong-willed, sassy, badass lawyer who’s assigned to his case and gets him released from jail… only to find out she’s accidentally agreed to a lot more than she realized. Like… forever.

And the subtle Snow White nods? Absolutely adorable. Rosalie’s seven elderly boarders are the sweetest men, and their makeshift family dynamic added so much heart to the story. It was a wild mix of dark romance, legal drama, mafia crime action, sexy and fairy-tale whimsy—and it totally worked.

₊˚ෆ Thank you NetGalley, and RBmedia | Recorded Books or the Arc! ₊˚ෆ
#OneDarkKiss #NetGalley

One Dark Kiss had potential but it didn’t quite deliver for me. The plot felt disjointed at times, and while there were moments of intrigue, the pacing dragged in the middle, making it hard to stay fully invested.

The romance, which should’ve been the centerpiece, lacked real chemistry. The characters’ connection felt forced rather than developed, and their interactions often leaned on clichés rather than genuine emotion. I also struggled with the dialogue—it didn’t always feel natural and sometimes took me out of the story.

While fans of the series may appreciate the continuing world-building and familiar characters, I found it hard to connect with either the protagonists or the story. Not a terrible read, but not one I’d revisit or recommend unless you’re already a committed fan of the series.

One Dark Kiss – Audiobook Review
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 for audio) | ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5/5 for story)

One Dark Kiss pulled me in—eventually. I’ll admit, the world-building was a bit tough to connect with at first, and I really wish it had been a true dual narration (it would’ve elevated the audio experience). But once I settled into the story, I could not stop listening.

The banter between the characters? Absolute perfection. The tension, the chemistry, and that dark, twisted romance? Chef’s kiss. Rebecca Zanetti knows how to write characters with bite—both emotionally and literally.

And the plot twist? I did not see it coming. The reveal of the real killer genuinely shocked me, and there was a certain moment between two characters that completely blindsided me in the best way.

I also really appreciated that this could be read as a standalone, even though it connects beautifully to the first book in the series. It gave just enough backstory without bogging things down, and made me want to revisit book one all over again.

If you love romantic suspense with twist and thrill this is for you!

One Dark Kiss is a wild, neon-lit descent into power, revenge, and obsession—and I was hooked. Think Succession meets Black Mirror, with all the dark seduction of Scarlett St. Clair and the emotional intensity of Rebecca Yarros. The morally gray leads, the twisted fairytale inspiration, and the high-stakes billionaire drama? Chef’s kiss.

Alexei is a chaotic storm of danger and charm, and Rosalie is his perfect match—intelligent, passionate, and just reckless enough to dive headfirst into his world. Their chemistry sizzles in every scene, especially with the layered performances by narrators Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon. The audiobook brought their tension and intensity to life in a way that felt cinematic.

The only reason I held back from a full 5 stars is that the world-building left me wanting a bit more clarity at times—but overall, this was a fast-paced, addictively dark romance that I couldn’t put down. Can’t wait to see what this author does next!

Thank you to NetGalley and RBMedia for providing me with an advance audiobook copy of One Dark Kiss by Rebecca Zanetti.

4.5 stars

Let me just say—this audiobook was a ride, and it absolutely delivered on every level. I’m a sucker for dual narration, and the narrators here exceeded all expectations. Their voices added so much depth and emotional nuance to the characters, making it incredibly easy to get pulled into the tension, chemistry, and suspense of the story.

One Dark Kiss is a gripping dark mafia romance packed with intrigue, danger, and undeniable heat. The story centers around Rosalee, a determined and resourceful heroine who takes matters into her own hands when her client is falsely imprisoned for a murder he didn’t commit. With everything on the line, she orchestrates a daring prison break—something straight out of a high-stakes thriller—and from that moment on, the story never lets up.

The male main character is the perfect morally grey antihero—intense, brooding, and impossible not to be drawn to. The connection between him and Rosalee is instant, electric, and full of steamy tension. But this isn’t just about the romance; as they try to stay ahead of those who want them silenced, they unravel a dangerous web of lies in search of the real killer. It’s a fast-paced, high-stakes plot that keeps you turning the pages (or in this case, listening way past your bedtime).

Though One Dark Kiss can technically be read as a standalone, I highly recommend starting with One Cursed Rose to get a fuller understanding of the world and recurring characters. This installment introduces new leads but maintains the same dark, seductive tone and emotional intensity that makes the series so compelling.

Overall, this book hit all the marks for me—romance, action, suspense, and unforgettable characters. If you’re into morally grey heroes, bold heroines, and intense storytelling with a touch of danger, One Dark Kiss needs to be on your radar.

Loved the story, did not like the audio book.

There’s dual narration, which is nice, except for the fact that they imitate each other’s voices sometimes which I don’t like at all. I get that it can be hard to do the narration, but I was immediately taken aback to hear the female narrator doing a male voice for the male main character.

That being said, I loved this book. It’s dark, romantic, slightly unhinged, and very fun.

Thank you to RBMedia for an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

i didn’t realize this was technically the second in a series, and while a lot of these romance series are enjoyable as standalones, there were some aspects to the worldbuilding introduced in book one that i wish were reintroduced/explained in book two.

one dark kiss was hot but so very very toxic… and very unrealistic but that’s dark romance for you!

as for the audio, there was dual narration! although i hated the mmc’s russian accent lol

One Dark Kiss promised a modern Snow White retelling, and while it certainly delivered on the spicy front, I found the fairytale connection pretty loose/nonexistent. Alexei, our leading man, is freshly out of prison after seven years, his conviction overturned thanks to a corrupt judge. He's on a mission to avenge himself and find out who framed him. Enter Rosalie, an attorney who is hoping to help with this case and get a promotion., The attraction and banter? Literally instant, like page one!

Alexei is ruthless in his mob ties and general demeanor, but has a surprisingly sweet side when it comes to Rosalie. She, typically a control freak, finds herself completely losing all professionalism and the order that defined her life as Alexei's seduction and charm take over. This was definitely an instalove, vibes-read for me. There are strong elements of mystery and thriller woven throughout, dealing with mob ties and vicious characters. It actually reminded me a bit of the Never After series, though I felt One Dark Kiss was less connected to its claimed fairytale inspiration.

I have to admit, it wasn't until after I finished reading that I realized this was actually Book 2 in a series! That explained some of my confusion around the "gems and crystals" and the "social media dystopian feel" that popped up—the world-building elements just weren't clear without the background. I definitely think I might have enjoyed this more with that prior context. Overall, it was an okay read for me. Narrators were great!


Thanks to NetGalley and RBMedia for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 6/24.

I really wanted to love this book as the description of the book was interesting and I thought that would be something different than what it is. I felt like the reason why I did not like the book was because the plot was all over the place and the way it started I felt like I was confused half of the book and some of the topics didn’t make any sense like they own social media websites that has ran by crystals a little confused about that this was a mafia type romance, and it definitely showed that and I loved that part of it. How controlling he was but overall I gave it a 2.5 star.
I was not able to finish this book. I was sent to about half of it and just couldn’t go on.

I really loved the first book—it was a Beauty and the Beast retelling, and it totally pulled me in. I was hoping we would see more of those characters this time around.

I’m not usually into mafia romances, but I appreciated the little nods to Snow White throughout.

The chemistry between the main characters felt a bit rushed for me, but they had some fun banter that kept it interesting. And yeah… the spice was definitely spicing. The middle part dragged a bit, but once it picked up, I was hooked until the end.

Overall, I’m really enjoying these fairytale retellings and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

3.75 stars 🌟

Loved the first book but this one fell flat for me. The characters didn’t make me believe what they were doing. It felt fake. I didn’t really start to enjoy it until the last 1/3 of the book, but that part was really good.
The spice was great.
Enjoyed the ending.

The narration was good.

Thank you NetGalley for the audiobook copy. Let me start by saying I love dual narration and these narrators knocked it out of the park, and did an absolutely amazing job.
A dark mafia romance with a morally grey mmc, say less, this book follows Rosalee as she breaks her client out of prison after he was falsely imprison for a murder he didn’t commit. Instant attraction and spicy read as they try to clear his name while trying to find the real murderer. I love this series and highly recommend. This book also follows different character than book one but highly recommend reading One Cursed Rose first.


🔹dark mafia romance
🔹spicy
🔹he falls first