Thank you, NetGalley and RBmedia for the ALC.

This book is a Dark Romance meets Romantasy with a sprinkle of suspense and violence.

I was skeptical about the fantasy aspect of this book, but it wasn’t high in fantasy


This book was actually really good. The narrator did a fantastic job bringing this book to life.

If you want a man who is morally gray, but loves and cares for his woman this book is for you.

The twists. The turns. The accent. The ending. Wow. I didn’t read the first book so I thought I would be lost but glad to say I wasn’t! Easy to stay interested with all the action. The audio was very well voiced too. There were times the male voice sounded more English than with the Russian accent but still so good! Thank you for the ARC version of the audiobook!

Tropes:
Mafia Romance
Fantasy Aspects
Billionaire Romance
Marriage of Convenience
Snow White Retelling
Dark Romance
Insta-Love
He Falls First
Touch and her.....

I've always been a lover of Rebecca books. Her books are fun, spicy, and easy to read. Having the fantasy written into this series was just enough to bring some excitement without causing too much confusion.
Alexei is what we love about book boyfriends, take the fact that I received this as audiobook the narrator with his aspect helped create a great picture of Alexei. Rosalie is straight forward no matter the situation. I enjoyed how she didn't back down from asking the tough questions to anyone and stayed true to his job. Together they are spicy!
Having dual narration made this book so easy to listen to from start to finish.

Thank you NetGalley for the ALC!

This was my first Rebecca Zanetti book. I was definitely intrigued by this Snow White retelling. I enjoyed figuring out who all the characters were based on. I loved the elderly boarders that she collected. They cracked me up.
The story had some great mystery and suspense along with some excellent spicy scenes.

Alexei was definitely a dark hero, and Rosalie was a pure, innocent woman. They were great together! The tension and attraction were palpable. The writing was good. The conflict was off the charts. I didn’t want to stop listening and that’s ALWAYS a good thing. I don’t always feel that way.
Let’s talk about the narrators. Hot. Hot. Hot. Erin Mallon and Lance Greenfield nailed this book! With dual narration. I enjoyed listening to each hero and heroine’s part. Their voices were exactly how I’d imagine the characters to sound! Well done!

I will definitely go back and listen to the first book in this series. I received this book from RB Media and Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I was highly anticipating One Dark Kiss because I loved the synopsis and it's Snow White inspired. I would say this delivered.

I got Snow White & Huntsman vibes while also having a modern mafia romance. This has a cool set up with the lawyer and accused criminal pairing. This created quite the dynamic between Rosalie and Alexei. Their relationship has lots of drama which kept me invested. I liked that Rosalie wasn't your typical dark romance heroine. She was smart and held her own. Alexei is the morally grey obsessed hero which was written well. The chemistry was sizzling and this got very hot. If you like the lighter side of dark romance, this would work for you.

The world is the same as the previous book in the series so if you didn't read that one you may be a little confused with the crystals at first. This has sci-fi fairy tale elements which I find unique and cool.

I also really enjoyed narrators Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon. Erin Mallon I've listened to before but Lance Greenfield was new to me. I found this pairing to be interesting and really brought the characters to life. Greenfield's Russian accent was pretty good! Erin Mallon did awesome as always. I felt she really fit Rosalie.

I would say if you like darkish fairy tale retellings, definitely give this a try!

One Dark Kiss by Rebecca Zanetti
Release Date: 6/24/2025

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

"Rebecca Zanetti explores the forbidden and the taboo in this modern dark romance twist on Snow White—the second in a captivating new series set in a seductive world of money, power, billionaires, and the dangerous desires that drive them.

Mirror, Mirror . . . Innocence or Sin. The reflection holds a darker truth." (Goodreads)

I recently listened to One Dark Rose, the first in the Grimm Bargains series, so the story and writing style were fresh in my mind. I enjoy a fairy tale retelling and was excited for this series. Although I know many of the original Grimm's Fairy Tales are darker than the commonly told stories we hear now, Rebecca Zanetti definitely made them dark again, albeit in a different manner than the the Brother's Grimm.

One Dark Kiss follows the story of Rosalie, an up and coming lawyer who is facing financial hardship because she is channeling all her funds into supporting seven elderly men who rent rooms from her in her family's inherited estate house, and Alexei, the displaced heir of a massive social media company with ties to the Russian mob. Alexei has been, perhaps wrongly, imprisoned for the past 7 years when it is discovered that several players in his original case were corrupt and he may have been framed. He is released and Rosalie is assigned as his lawyer. The sparks fly almost instantly, but what if Alexei isn't innocent?

Overall, I enjoyed this audiobook. One Dark Kiss contains several of the potentially triggering themes as One Dark Rose, however, I would say they are not as prominent. I really liked the crime/courtroom drama feel of this story. There are many characters carried over from the first book, but it could be read as a standalone, as One Dark Kiss does provide lots of context for those crossover side characters. There are also many characters that look like they may be lining up to star in their own stories later on in the Grimm Bargains series.

Mob/mafia romance
Enemies-to-lovers
Forced proximity
Possessive MMC/Alpha male
Revenge
Marriage of convenience
He falls first
Kidnapping

Check out this book, out tomorrow, if you like dark romances, mafia romances, or dark fairy tale retellings. Please check trigger warnings and proceed with your mental health in mind.
Thank you to @netgalley, @kensingtonbooks and RB Media for the ALC!
#onedarkkiss #netgalley

One Dark Kiss is a dark mafia romance with a sprinkling of fantasy, violence and mystery. While I don’t typically like my romance with a detective story element to it, it was a nice change of pace to my usual reads, tho the story was quite a bit far fetched imo. Just not my cup of tea.

I didn’t like the insta lust theme. I like a build up of yearning and I didn’t get that here. But that’s okay as many people like a book that goes pedal to the metal. It was definitely spicey but the scenes felt rushed to me.

I didn’t connect with the MC’s at all. I felt more in tune with the side characters than anyone else.

Narrated by Erin Mallon and Lance Greenfield, I’ve listen to Erin before and am not a big fan of how unnatural her tone comes across but this was my first time for Lance and I have to be honest, I couldn’t understand half of what he said because of the fake accent. It was distracting to the story for me and left me less engaged between the 2 of them.


Thank you to NetGalley, RBMedia and Rebecca Zanetti for an advanced listening copy to give me honest review.

"One Dark Kiss" is book 2 in the Grimm Bargains series by Rebecca Zanetti. This is a dark romance with a fantasy element.
Very well-written story. I really loved the first one, but enjoyed this even more. The first book was more about the world building while the second was more about the story. And it was a really good one.
The audiobook is dual narration by Erin Mallon and Lance Greenfield and they both did a marvelous job.
Tropes:
Dark Romance
Billionaire Romance
Enemies to Lovers
Morally Grey MMC
Snow White Retelling
Russian Mafia

Thank you, Netgally and RBmedia, for the opportunity to listen to the ALC

This book had a little of everything from dark romance, mystery and fantasy. Alexei was convicted for a crime he said he didn’t commit and sent to prison for 7 years. During his 7th year the judge who convicted him was found guilty of being corrupt. With that Alexei was granted a new lawyer (Rosalie) and was able to get of prison while waiting for a new hearing. He became obsessed with her the moment he saw her and she felt naturally drawn to him. I really liked the aspect about trying to figure out who the guilty culprit was. As well as who was trying to set everything up to make Alexei look guilty.

I also listened to the audiobook that’s duel narration. It’s narrated by Erin Mallon and Lance Greenfield. I love the way they portrayed Rosalie and Alexei! The accent Lance used for Alexei was so good.

I liked this book even better than the first book in the series. There were so many twists and turns that I couldn't put it down! The narrators were excellent and made me feel like a part of the action. Rebecca's modern take on Snow White was genius. I can't wait for the next dark fairy tale with the Zanetti spin.

2.75 stars.

I’m not sure how this is a Snow White retelling, to be honest. The story itself is entertaining, as frustrating as the FMC can be at times (girl, is the mafia, what were you expecting?)
However, I find that sometimes, the audiobook narrators do this weird thing with how they end sentences in a certain tone, that makes it sound like they’re testing to sound like toddlers or valley girls. The Russian accent of the MMC narrator made no sense, but at least it wasn’t annoying.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read. The narrators did a fantastic job narrating the job. Really enjoyed the Russian accent which made the story come more to life. I enjoyed the Snow White retelling with dark mafia romance. I enjoyed the story but I felt the ending was rushed and endured abruptly and felt unfinished.

Rating: 3/5
Spice:3/5
Audio 5/5

Tropes: Mafia, Fantasy, Dark romance,Insta Love, Billionaire, Snow White retelling.

Thoughts:

Thank you so much to the publisher for this arc!


I have To say this book was definitely different than what I expected. I didn’t know how I would feel a fantasy with mafia involved but it wasn’t bad. The magical aspect in my opinion could have been left out and the book would have done just as great.

The romance was very insta love and it went super fast. The Mafia aspect was very exciting and kept me on my toes and honestly the plot was really great and I enjoyed it and didnt see the plot twist in the end coming.

But I just couldn’t stand the FMC she seemed like a complete push over and the magical element was just to distracting. I really wish I would have enjoyed it a bit more but it wasn’t a bad book.


Thank you for this ALC Netgalley for this opportunity:)

I enjoyed the retelling of Snow White. Alexei and Rosalie chemistry was off the charts. I enjoyed listening to the story, narration was good. I enjoyed the storyline and the supporting characters. There were what I thought unique elements to the story. I can't wait to go back to read/listen to the first book and seeing what happens next.

…a dark and erotic fantasy thriller that is a reimagining of “Snow White and The Huntsman” but in a world of mobsters, magic crystals, prison violence, and a whole lot of rough sex. Mallon and Greenfield are solid narrators as Rosalie and Alexei, respectively, with Greenfield really earning his pay doing multiple accents in rapid succession.

Ultimately this is a “mobster finds revenge” tale, and there’s a lot of strong characters that creatively reimagine Snow White, the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella and many others. The story does have a few too many threads that don’t get fully completed, and while the ending is a little rushed…the climax is thrilling and the denouement is cheeky and darkly adorable.

Big thanks to NetGalley, et al, for the Advanced Listening Copy: both the novel and audiobook should be available on June 24. Check it out!

Dark Russian mafia romance lovers will swoon over this attorney/client love story. Good narrators, and many thanks to RB for the ARC.

🎧 Audiobook Listen
Narrators: Erin Mallon & Lance Greenfield
Narration: Dual
Rating: 3.5 stars

One Dark Kiss by Rebecca Zanetti is a modern, very loose retelling of Snow White with a gritty, mafia-tinged twist. It’s the second book in her Grimm Bargains series. While it’s billed as dark romance, I would personally label it more as romantic suspense with some dark elements woven in—nothing too intense for seasoned readers of the genre.

This book thrives on fast pacing, dangerous family dynamics, and high-stakes chemistry. Their connection is immediate—one of the book’s primary romantic threads is instalove, which admittedly isn’t my favorite trope.

Rebecca Zanetti’s writing is engaging and with plenty of tension. The plot balances action, heat, and emotional depth, and while I wished for a slower burn, the storytelling still kept me hooked.

The audiobook, narrated by Erin Mallon and Lance Greenfield, was a definite highlight. Both are stellar performers, and they brought a compelling emotional layer to the story. Erin Mallon, in particular, continues to prove she could narrate a grocery list and still have me listening. Their performances elevated the experience and made the characters feel grounded and alive.

If you’re looking for a romantic suspense with fairytale undertones, a mafia backdrop, and solid narration, One Dark Kiss is a worthy listen.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC.

#OneDarkKiss #NetGalley #RebeccaZanetti
⸻

📚 Tropes: Instalove, Found Family, Mafia/Organized Crime, Modern Fairytale Retelling, Forced Proximity, Lawyer/Client
⚠️ Triggers: Violence, Noncon, Dubcon, Abduction, Murder

This is the second story in the Grimm Bargains series and it can totally be read as a standalone, but you really don’t want to miss out on the first book, One Cursed Rose, which was one of my favourite reads of last year. Book two has proved to be equally as good with Alexei Sokolov leaving prison after seven long years, thanks in part to his new lawyer, Rosalie Mooncrest. Even though Alexei was framed for the murder that put him in prison, don’t be fooled to think that he’s a good person, he’s still the leader of a crime syndicate, and he’s out for revenge. He’s also got his eye on his new lawyer, and Rosalie, even though she knows she could be disbarred, is very much drawn to him. Lots of action in and amongst the hot as sin bedroom moments (or the office, or a supply closet, or the back of the car….., you get where I’m going with this), these two are combustible together. As well as the sexy time there’s lots of deadly moments, literally, Sokolov is out for blood and his favourite weapon of choice, his trusted knife, is getting a lot of use. Can Rosalie trust him? Is he telling the truth? A few little twists and turns included in this dark fantasy romance. A great twist on Snow White, I just loved her seven protectors. I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of the audiobook from the publisher via NetGalley, and let me tell you, Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon completely nailed it. I hope we get more Grimm Bargain stories, and I’d love if they narrated. Highly entertaining.

Rebecca Zanetti delivers another darkly seductive hit with *One Dark Kiss*, the second installment in her spicy urban Romantasy series, *Grimm Bargains*. Loosely inspired by *Snow White and the Huntsman*, this story is anything but a fairytale. Set in a world where power is currency and billionaires play dangerous games, the book blends fantasy, romance, and intrigue into one compelling package.

The chemistry between Alexei and Rosalie absolutely crackles. Their relationship is intense, layered with secrets and sizzling with tension from the first page. Zanetti excels at writing complex leads who feel both larger-than-life and emotionally grounded. You root for them, even when everything around them is twisted by betrayal, magic, and desire.

The mystery woven throughout the plot is just as captivating as the romance. It keeps the pace sharp and the stakes high, with enough twists to keep readers guessing. And the side characters? Surprisingly rich and memorable. They add depth, heart, and occasional comic relief—each one feels like they have a story of their own just waiting to unfold.

If you love your fairy tales dark, your romance scorching, and your fantasy worlds filled with danger and decadence, *One Dark Kiss* is a must-read. Zanetti’s *Grimm Bargains* series continues to enchant—and seduce—with every page.

4.5⭐️ 3.5🌶️ 5🎧 This was so much better than I was expecting! I’m always hesitant on fairy tale inspired books, but this story delivered and I thoroughly enjoyed this book. So many twists and turns to keep you guessing.

Alexei is a mafia leader with so many red flags they some how turn into one big green “gimmie” flag 😂. Rosalie had me cracking up so much, her inner dialogue trying to justify why she likes, I mean doesn’t like, Alexei had me cackling!

This was my first time listening to Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon is one of my favorites! They both did a great job bringing these characters to life!