ALC Review for Net Galley:

I read this last year on Kindle Unlimited and giggled so much, I just loved it. I was so excited to get approved for the audio and it did not disappoint!

The narration was super well done on both parts and they really captured the essence of the characters. I will absolutely be recommending this on social.

The story and characters are so funny and I loved that is was Mafia-related but managed to maintain the rom-com elements. The MCs had incredible chemistry and I loved the Nathan was a softer MMC, it was so refreshing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tantor Audio

A Love Most Fatal is a fun mafia romcom mafia. It started out as an enemies to lovers romance but quickly evolved to an friends to lovers trope. I liked how Nate just decided to help Vanessa find a suitable husband after he wanted nothing to do with her when he learned she was a mafia boss. Its obvious how the book was going to end, but the ride there was still entertaining. I had a good time reading the book and enjoyed their romance and shenanigans. The end got more thrilling and though I felt it was a little out of character I can't say I disliked it. I'm also excited about the second book in this series!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This audiobook was such a fun, wild ride. Tim Paige and Kelsey Navarro Foster did an amazing job bringing the story to life. Their narration pulled me in right away and kept me hooked through every twist and turn.

Vanessa Morelli meets Nate Gilbert at a parent-teacher conference while filling in for her sister. Nate is her nephew’s math teacher, and their connection is instant. After a chance meeting leads to a wedding date, things take a dangerous turn when they’re caught in a shooting. For Nate’s safety, Vanessa brings him into the protection of her mafia family.

As the head of the Italian mafia, Vanessa is under pressure to find a husband and have an heir. Nate offers to help screen suitors, but their growing attraction makes things complicated. With more attacks happening, the mystery builds, and the danger gets closer.

I absolutely loved this audio adaptation. It had the perfect mix of mafia intrigue, romance, humor, and family drama. I can’t wait for Mary’s story next!

This audiobook was the absolute best. I had been meaning to reread this one in preparation for the next book in the series so what better way than the audiobook. And let me tell you Tim and Kelsey did such a great job voicing Nate and Vanessa. The way they brought them to life was so amazing. If you are looking for a mafia romance with a girl boss this one is for you!
It follows Vanessa as she is the leader of the Morelli Crime Family. When she meets Nate at the teacher-parent conference of her godson they click. They go on a date together that ends in a shootout and now Nate's life in in danger. He needs to go and live with them to protect his life. When Nate learns about the crime family and he is not okay but the more time he spends with the family the more he starts to like them especially Vanessa. He is bored out of his mind so Vanessa decides he can help her find a husband. But that means more time spent together where their feelings can only grow.

This is my second time reading/listening and I absolutely devoured it yet again! I was up until 4-5am two nights in a row until I finished it the first time and then listened to it constantly this time!! 😌✌🏼 This romcom, female mob boss read was absolutely AMAZING! Such a great twist on the typical mafia books out there. Vanessa is such a powerful character, yet you see her worries and love for her family trying to balance everything life has dealt her and all the pressure the city mafias put on her. Her sisters and family have such great, yet realistic bonds. I was laughing and crying at different aspects of their relationships thinking of my own family and clearly seeing the love Kath has for hers that she puts into her writing!💗

The plot is so fascinating and the mystery had me stressed the entire time! You get little hints and clues along the way, but the suspense and gore of scenes is perfect! The diversity of characters and mobs and how they work was so fun and I absolutely loved Nate as well! He’s a MMC that normally you don’t see, but she really made him so enjoyable. He’s shy, scared, a little nerdy, but has the biggest heart and ugh I just absolutely fell for him! 🥹 plus the spice in this was sooooo hot, a man whimpering 🤭 Kath really took the genre and turned it around in the best way! She makes the normal macho mob men, annoying and rude and makes the nervous guy such a heart throb! I absolutely fell in love with this book and swore I’d have a heart attack the whole last 20%! Plus the narrators absolutely entrance you! They did so good 💗 Def give it a listen m if you need some amazing family, romance, suspense, DELICIOUS SPICE 🥵, and hilarious comedic relief!

Not my favourite narrators (some disconnect with accents) but I loved revisiting the characters and this story before ALMB releases. Nate is so baby girl and I love how he loves Vanessa even when he’s trying to deny it. Vanessa is an icon and I love the way she opens herself up to love while not allowing herself to compromise on what she wants and needs. Mary is an absolute babe and I can’t wait for Maxim on his knees for her.

Chemistry ✔️
Danger ✔️
Woman in a male-dominated field ✔️

This was my first venture into mafia romance and I did really enjoy it! Vanessa and Nate start off as a black cat and golden retriever pairing, and there’s a bit of a forced proximity element to their story as well when Nate takes refuge in Vanessa’s home after some mafia antics.

I loved their chemistry and the mafia plot kept things moving along, but it does feel like it maybe moved too quickly. It wasn’t full on insta-love, but a couple months doesn’t seem very long to go from a strong anti-criminal stance to fully being in the mafia.

I enjoyed the extra layer of plot with Vanessa being the Boss of her mafia family. Her struggles with this felt genuine and relatable, and added some emotional depth to her character.

I listened to the new audiobook format and it was really well done. The narrators for both Vanessa and Nate really fit the characters well! I would definitely recommend the audio for my fellow audiobook lovers!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the audio arc!

such a refreshing spin to the classic mafia romances!!! Vanessa is the mob boss and Nate is the dorky math teacher who after a first date they are attacked she must now protect him until she finds out who wants to kill her. he wants nothing to do with her now because of her mob association and he is low-key terrified of her, but also very intrigued by her. Because she is a mob boss, she has to get married to have an heir so she enlist the dorky math teacher to help her find a husband while he is staying at her house forprotection. During these few months, they become close as friends. There is a simmering build up of tension the entire time and its perfection.

I loved that this challenged a lot of gender norms because she is a mob boss. She needs somebody who she can marry that won’t be intimidated by her. That would support her decisions and someone who won’t cheat on her. That won’t try to steal her family business from her. Nate is the perfect candidate all along because he is totally fine being in a supportive role and doing anything he can to make sure she is happy and satisfied, and truly is a partner to her. There is even a little of a daydream sequence where he’s saying how he can see himself at home with their future children, taking care of them, and when Vanessa comes home after a long day of mob bossing, and he can’t wait to take care of her, and I just absolutely adore that about him.

this is slow burn and low on spice, but the spice does deliver!! I really loved how Nate slowly was turning into a mafia kind of guy, but also remaining very true to who he is. All of this develops because he is quickly falling in love with her and he wants to be her husband and wants to be in her life and will do anything to protect her and support her.

My favorite scene in this entire book was their first time admitting their feelings and eventually sleeping together because it happened so naturally and so sincerely it made me all gooey inside

Most definitely not the mafia book I am use to. I loved that the don was a woman. But the action was minimal for a mafia book, the spice was nice, the main male character was a dang sis. He was rather annoying at the start. He became more manly when the spice happened and at the end of the book, but other wise he acted like the woman of the relationship. I feel like it would have been better had he not been such a wimp.

I am going to be honest with you all…I am not a mafia romance fan. That said, I just had to get this ALC when I saw it was a ROMCOM about a FEMALE mafia boss! I am so glad I did because I ate this book up. I accidentally binged it and am already dying to get my hands on the next book!
I love that we get the light read of a romcom but the dramatics of a mafia romance. It’s the perfect combo and I honestly would like to see more of this genre come out. I love the fact that Nate is a nerdy math teacher, and not an alphahole mafioso. That said, the man is HOT 🥵 Vanessa is badass and I love that she’s the boss in a man’s world.
The plot was not super surprising, and pretty predictable, but honestly I think I was a great romcom setup and I didn’t need or miss having crazy plot twists.
Kelsey Navarro Foster and Tim Paige are FANTASTIC on the narration. I absolutely loved everything about their performances. I’m honestly super torn on whether I was to apply for the ARC of book 2 so I can have it sooner, or wait for the ALC in a few months because I loved this one so much.

Review of A Love Most Fatal: A Mafia Rom‑Com by Kath Richards

A Love Most Fatal is a gleefully audacious entry into the mafia-romance genre, and Kath Richards delivers a heart‑pounding, laugh‑out‑loud tale with unexpected charm.

🔥 What makes it sizzle

High‑stakes stakes meet high‑spirited humor: From the opening scene, the danger is real—but so is the wit. The juxtaposition of violence and levity keeps the narrative thrilling without ever feeling too grim.

Quirky, well‑drawn characters: Our heroine is sharp, resourceful, and never reduced to a damsel in distress. The mafia love interest is dangerous yet vulnerable—an intoxicating blend that drives the tension.

Rom‑com structure with bite: While the plot features explosive twists and occasional gunfire, it maintains a rom‑com heart. Slow‑burn attraction, clever banter, and tender moments balance the danger with delightful chemistry.

⚠️ Points to note

Violent content is frequent and at times graphic—readers sensitive to depictions of organized crime or brutality may want to proceed with caution.

Mafia‑romance tropes: The storyline leans into genre conventions (forbidden love, family loyalty, moral reckoning). If you're not into that, a genre-savvy reader might anticipate certain beats early on.

💥 Final take
Richards has crafted a bold, entertaining romp that expertly balances tension and humor. This isn’t just a love story—it’s fun, fierce, and fueled by adrenaline. A great pick for fans of cheeky, action-packed romances.

I found this book to be a cute story. I loved how our main characters met each other. They built their relationship slowly before any spicy scenes. Though it's not my typical scenario that includes a mob storyline, it didn't overpower the romance.

Tropes:
-mob boss FMC
-cinnamon roll MMC
-black cat FMC
-forced proximity
-slow burn
-touch him and die
-she trains him to fight and shoot
-mafia rom-com
-found family
-"Just tonight”

I have hit the jackpot on debut novels here recently. This was amazing. When I saw “mafia rom-com,” I was sold. I am so glad I did too! Kath Richards somehow transformed a typically violent genre into something swoon-worthy.

Vanessa is a bad-ass female mob boss. She needs a husband to strengthen her leadership and to have an heir. One of her enemies is out to get her, and the novel surrounds the mystery of who it might be. In a moment of weakness, she agrees to a date with an ordinary math teacher, Nate. When her decision puts his life in danger, she moves him into her family home to protect him.

Nate is in for a rude awakening when his life is uprooted and he is forced to move into a mafia family’s home. He is disgusted by their livelihood. He wants nothing to do with it. But in a bout of boredom, he agrees to conduct interviews for Vanessa’s future husband.

Vanessa and Nate admit their physical attraction to each other, which leads to a “just tonight” understanding that lasts months. During this time, Vanessa and her family take Nate in and make him feel like one of their own. They teach him to fight and shoot to protect himself.

I highly recommend this book. You can check it out on KU. I look forward to the next book in the series.

Quotes:
“I don’t know how to tell her she’s the most beautiful woman, monster or not, that I’ve ever seen, and with every day that passes in her presence, I’m increasingly certain that there’s hardly a bad or cruel or monstrous thing about her.”

This book was so cute! It’s a funny, slightly chaotic mafia rom-com, and she’s the mafia boss, which I absolutely loved. It’s definitely on the sillier, goofier side compared to most mafia romances I’ve read (which tend to be way darker). Honestly, it felt almost light-hearted, aside from the murder. But hey, it is a mafia book.

I really enjoyed all the characters we were introduced to and had a great time reading it overall. The pacing felt a little off for me. The beginning started out slow, then things ramped up really quickly, and I wished we had more time to actually see the relationship develop. There were a few time jumps that made things feel rushed, especially with how quickly the MMC goes from being a math teacher to fully on board with the whole mafia lifestyle. It just felt like a big leap given where they were in their relationship.

I listened to this on audio, and while I liked both narrators, I ran into a small issue. Like a lot of people, I speed up my audiobooks, but the narrators seemed to be recorded at slightly different tempos, so I kept having to adjust the playback speed every time it switched POVs. Not a dealbreaker, but a little annoying.

This was a really solid, fun read, and I’m definitely excited for the next books in the series.

I previously read this book physically (and loved it), but these audiobook narrators really brought the characters to life! I loved Tim Paige's narration of Nate. He was able to get across his romantic, goofy, and protective sides. Kelsey Navarro Foster did a great job with Vanessa and her mob boss voice was fantastic! The narrator could get monotone at times, though, and I wish she had gotten across Vanessa's softness better. But, I was also listening to it on 2x speed so... that could've had something to do with it.

Overall, a fantastic audiobook of a fantastic story! I'll definitely be purchasing a copy!

3 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Pros:
- The roles were reversed in the mafia trope where the girl is the mafia boss and the guy is a teacher.
- I think that the younger sister's book was set up nicely in this one.
- Nate was actually shown as very considerate and caring.
- I liked the parts where Nate got close to the rest of the Morelli family.

Cons:
- It felt dragged on at some parts, and towards the end, I found myself speeding up the audiobook.
- The ending was predictable, since I knew who it would be from the first interaction between the villain and one of the main character's first interactions (not to give a spoiler).
- The way the synopsis felt was that the book was set during the school year, so I was looking for parts with students (I was expecting Abbott Elementary vibes😢). However, it was actually set during the summer.
- This is sort of specific, but I was confused when Vanessa made Nate sign the NDA. I know they have connections with law enforcement, but I still don't think that would work if he's keeping a secret for the mafia.



Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an audiobook ARC.

This was so so good I was hooked from the first chapter! These narrators really gave it their all and you should totally put this on your TBR

Thank you to the author and NETGALLEY for this ALC

We love a female mob boss (hello amazing woman) and we love a down bad MMC!!! I really enjoyed both narrators. They brought both characters to life and did a wonderful job! This is a slow burn, forced proximity, and also has the beloved touch HIM & ☠️ trope. Has all of the things to make a mafia book good! I’m so intrigued by book two and already so excited for it!

This is the first time I've ever reread a book in the same year!!! But when I saw that the audiobook was coming out, I knew I needed to read it. I absolutely loved reading this book the first time, and listening to the audiobook was so fun! The narrators were amazing and captured their personalities perfectly. I cant recommend this book enough no matter what format!

Narrators did a great job with these characters. I love them already and they add nice personality to them.

The story overall was so fun. I love it when authors lean into the ridiculousness sometimes and this book was flawless in its humor. I was laughing throughout probably in moments I shouldn’t have been laughing.