Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don
with Brandon Francis and Zara Hampton-Brown (Narrator)
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Pub Date Mar 31 2026 | Archive Date Apr 30 2026
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Description
The fast and spicy mafia romcom you didn't know you needed!
A hilarious and hot DUET romance audiobook you'll devour in one sitting. Love an older, tattooed, possessive, dominant mafia don, and to giggle and kick your feet? This is for you.
One tiny oops, and I’m married to a mafia boss.
I’m the stand-in maid of honor, he’s the silver fox uncle of the groom who saves the day when the wedding becomes a disaster, with a fluffy ring-bearer gone rogue, a drunk priest, and a child with perfect comic timing.
But the dream Italian wedding continues, and the uncle—Dante—and I sign as witnesses.
And if I try to flirt with him, I blame the romantic setting and the fact that although he’s twice my age, he’s the hottest man I’ve ever met.
His edge of danger, with his tattoos and the way everyone is nervous of him, gossiping that he’s a morally gray billionaire, only makes me want him more.
He turns me down with a touch to my cheek and a hoarse murmur that I’m too young and innocent for a man like him.
Back at home, my dull little life doesn't compare. Then a wedding certificate arrives at my door.
There’s been a mix up, and I’m married. To him.
Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don is a sweet and spicy instalove romance with fluffy mafia romcom vibes and sizzling chemistry.
Duet narrated by gruff and growly Brandon Francis and light and relatable Zara Hampton-Brown.
Tropes
age gap, “my wife”, forced proximity, laugh out loud, virgin FMC, obsessed stalker MMC, he falls first, touch her and die, dirty talk, good girl, praise, protective MMC, tattooed Italian mafia boss, hurt/comfort, breeding kink, marriage of convenience, older man younger woman, smutty, "take my c*ck like a good girl"
Available Editions
| EDITION | Audiobook, Unabridged |
| ISBN | 9098246154014 |
| PRICE | $6.99 (USD) |
| DURATION | 3 Hours, 57 Minutes |
Available on NetGalley
Average rating from 377 members
Featured Reviews
I think this novella is a good example of the distinction between instalove and love at first sight. Despite being just 141 pages, it didn't feel like the MMC was obsessed in a way that, in other novellas, I've thought came off as predatory. This book made me so happy and I had such a good time listening to the audiobook. Dante and Ruby are such a cute couple and I loved how humorous the beginning of the book was.
Lilia C, Reviewer
It was so good 🥰, funny cute and spicy with a silver fox mafia dom and an adorable FMC. What is there not to love ?
The narrators did a magnificent job with this book, they gave so much life to the characters, i loved it ❤️
Reviewer 654979
This is a Mafia Romance, and this is part of the Accidentally Marrying. I have not read the other books in the Accidentally Marrying series before picking up this book. I read this book by listening to the audiobook, and I enjoyed the audiobook for this book. I found this book to be a fun and easy read. I did enjoy reading this book, and I read it in one sitting. I received an ARC of this book. This review is my own honest opinion about the book like all my reviews are.
ALC Review:
Duet Narration by Zara Hampton-Brown and Brandon Francis
Tropes:
Age gap
Marriage of convenience
Forced proximity
He falls first
A chaotic wedding leads to an accidental marriage between Ruby and Dante—a powerful, older mafia don. Between a runaway ring-bearer dog (Al Pacino steals the show!) and a series of hilarious mishaps, what starts as an “oops” quickly turns into something much deeper. This story was short but packed with humor, charm, and just the right level of spice. It truly was a fun time.
Zara Hampton-Brown captured Ruby’s innocence and humor beautifully, while Brandon Francis gave Dante that perfect blend of intensity and quiet vulnerability. Their performances complemented each other so well.
A quick, entertaining listen that I’d absolutely recommend. Thank you to the author for this amazing audio!
📚 Mafia-Rom-Com, quick novella, light hearted, nothing too serious, fun vibes - just go with it.
📚 Accidentally got married - but it is NOT due to an excess of alcohol? Fun, flirty, & spicy… so much ‘mine’ energy. Dante does the right thing and sends her away, but when ‘mistakes’ happen - why solve them if nobody thinks they’re a problem? Ruby is so insecure and just wants to be chosen and loved.
🎧 Spot on narration by Brandon Francis & Zara Hampton-Brown, you're able to just dive right in.
Don’t forget to listen to the BONUS EPILOGUE: https://books.bookfunnel.com/evieroseaudio
[I'll be posting on SM tomorrow and updating with a link]
Accidentally Marrying The Mafia Don is a standalone romcom novella. The duet narration with Brandon Francis and Zara Hampton-Brown is perfect - they really deliver the humour of the novella perfectly. It starts out really funny, with a dog named Al Poochino causing chaos at the MMC's niece's wedding. The second half of the novella focuses more on the relationship between the two main characters, rather than it keeping the comedy really high.
The MCs, Ruby and Dante, definitely have an insta-love situation, but it's a novella so I don't really mind, and it isn't as smut-heavy as you might think either. It was a quick and fun audiobook and the duet narration was fantastic.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Listener Copy from NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.
This was such a fun novella. The beginning of it is really classic rom-com with a hilarious meet cute involving chaotic mishaps at a wedding for the MMC’s niece where the FMC is hired to be a hairdresser. She ends up being a stand in maid of honor and literally running into the MMC…and of course, they accidentally get married. The second half of the book is them navigating the accidental “fake” marriage and is a lot of push and pull of a will they-won’t they tension. It’s done really well because they’re both very obviously in love with one another, they just need to talk about it!
I don’t mind instalove in a novella like this, and I think it was done well. I also think the age gap and virgin tropes were done well—better even than this author has done previously. I think the humor really helps here. It’s not super heavy on spice. There’s a couple scenes, but they’re nothing crazy. The audiobook narration was done well. I always love a duet narration.
This audiobook was such a good time, exactly what I was in the mood for. The dual narration was so well done, and I completely fell for both of the main characters. It had that perfect mix of romance, spice, and just enough humour to keep me grinning the whole way through.
The setup is already chaotic in the best way: she’s the maid of honour, he’s the groom’s silver fox uncle… and somehow these two end up accidentally married. Because of course they do. Dante is a Mafia Don with a reputation and expectations, while Ruby is totally inexperienced and trying her best to be what she thinks he wants in a wife. Watching her figure things out was equal parts funny and genuinely sweet, I really loved her for that.
It’s a short, spicy novella, so don’t go in expecting a super deep or complex plot. But honestly? The tropes deliver. The attraction is instant, the chemistry is there, and the ending gives you exactly what you’re hoping for. Evie did such a great job pulling this together. It had me smiling and even laughing out loud at times. Definitely made me want to pick up more of her books!
-forget marriage of convenience or drunken one, accidental marriage is a thing now!
-he calls her tesorina 🫠
-there is a dog named Al Poochino. It’s Italian mafia family and they have a dog named AL POOCHINO
That’s it, that’s the review.
🎧 NetGalley ALC review 🎧
I requested it totally blindly based on title and author alone. I listened to one similar novella by Evie couple months ago so I blindly expected this one to be super fun, slightly unhinged, and a quick listen.
“Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don is a sweet and spicy instalove romance with fluffy mafia romcom vibes and sizzling chemistry” —>
It delivered on every single level.
A bit of chaos, some ridiculousness, possessive (but not *too* possessive) MMC, and mafia vibes - what’s not to like! Oh, and it was funny!!!
The audiobook is under 4h, so just perfect for a quick, in-one-go listen.
While it is quite fast and starts with insta attraction, at the same time it’s kind of a slow burn. If you expect spice to hit right away, thats not the case here, you have to wait for it (but this is how I like it, actually).
I am not a fan of age gap but this might be the rare case where it didn’t bother me (almost) at all!
I don’t have a lot of highlights as I listened to the audio version, but if I had the ebook to go with as well, I would have 30 highlights, maybe even more.
I only paused listening to write down these two:
-What do you do like as a job?
-This and that
“This and that” - he’s a mafia don 💀
“I’ll woo her with treats and prosecco and tell her how she’s my good girl”
🎧🎧🎧
Duet narration by Brandon Francis and Zara Hampton-Brown.
I liked both narrators a lot!
My only note is that the comfortable listening pace for me differed depending on who did the narration. I could easily go with 2.5x for the male narrator, while for female narrator the comfortable pace was at 2.0x
It was only a slight inconvenience, tho! Much lesser than in the other ALC I listened to, in that one (“accidentally kidnapping”) the difference was much wider.
I mostly went with 2.0x speed and used the faster pace for couple of chapters.
🎧🎧🎧
Tropes: age gap, “my wife”, forced proximity, laugh out loud, virgin FMC, obsessed stalker-ish MMC, he falls first, touch her and die, dirty talk, good girl, praise, protective MMC, tattooed Italian mafia boss, hurt/comfort, breeding kink, marriage of convenience, older man
Have I mentioned that he calls here tesorina and there’s a dog named Al Poochino?
This was a quick and spicy listen. Hair stylist, Ruby, is at a wedding and ends up being a stand in maid of honor after the real maid of honor gets sick, and marries an older Mafia don. Due to a mixup, her and Dante are wed, and she goes to move in with him. He is secretly obsessed with her, while she is trying to make sure he isn't going to ditch her.
🎧 Audiobook Review: Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don by Evie Rose
Duet Narration by Brandon Francis & Zara Hampton‑Brown
Thank you Netgalley for the ALC
This audiobook was exactly the reset I needed — quick, funny, chaotic in the best way, and the duet narration brings every moment to life.
The meet‑cute had me laughing out loud. I won’t spoil the whole scene, but a tiny troublemaker named Al Pacino nearly ruins a wedding, our junior‑hairdresser FMC jumps in to help, and that’s how she ends up face‑to‑chest with a Mafia Don who decides instantly that she’s his future.
And let me tell you…
Hearing this man in audio is an experience.
🎙️ Brandon Francis
Brandon gives the Don this deep, commanding, filthy‑mouthed energy that hits just right. He sounds like a man who falls fast, falls hard, and has absolutely no intention of hiding it. Every line is delivered with that perfect mix of heat and devotion.
🎙️ Zara Hampton‑Brown
Zara brings warmth, humor, and the perfect amount of “how did I get here.” She captures the FMC’s sweetness without making her sound naive, and her comedic timing is spot‑on — especially when the chaos kicks in.
🎙️ And because it’s duet
It makes everything sharper, funnier, and more immersive. The banter lands, the tension builds, and the accidental‑marriage madness feels even more entertaining when you’re hearing both sides in real time.
If you want something:
- low‑stakes
- genuinely funny
- a little filthy (in the best way)
- and perfect between heavier reads
…this audiobook is absolutely worth the listen.
The audio narration was very well done with two amazing narrators that made the audio experience very immersive and enjoyable.
Regarding the story and plot itself when one choose to read this type of story is very much predictable what is to be found it may not be everyone cup of tea but for us romance readers some times we need and unrealistic, fun, spicy romance to cope with real life. It serve for it’s propuse and I enjoy it.
Reviewer 1434419
What a fun little romance! This is a short dual pov audiobook that appears to be getting a new cover release. The title pretty much sums up the plot, but the story is funny, spicy, and entertaining!
The narrators did a great job with this one!
“She’s…. Younger than most of my tattoos…”
Firstly Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC of this book. Please note this gift has not affected the way in which I have reviewed this book.
Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don
by Evie Rose. This is book three in the Accidentally Marrying series, and is a 3.75 ⭐️ read.
I’m sorry Dante… I really am. But let’s not lie to ourselves here…. AlPoocino is the true hero of this story, and I will absolutely stand by that.
You can try and convince me otherwise, you can even throw in the whole “Mafia Don with an unlimited book buying budget” situation… but no. My loyalty has been claimed elsewhere 😂
There’s something about this book that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s where it shines. It leans into the fun, the chaos, and those slightly over-the-top moments that make it such an entertaining ride.
The dynamic between the characters keeps things moving, and there’s always that little spark of humour sitting just under the surface, ready to catch you off guard when you least expect it.
And then you’ve got the duet narration from Zara Hampton-Brown and Brandon Francis, which really brings that playful energy to life. It adds that extra layer that makes the story even more enjoyable to sink into.
This story is fun, a little chaotic, and doesn’t pretend to be anything other than a good time, with a few standout moments (and characters 👀) that definitely steal the show.
Favourite Quote: “You were in danger… I will never stop if you are in danger…”
Spicy Level - 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Note: Please read and review all trigger warnings before reading any recommended book. We love to read for our pleasure, so keep your mind, and emotions safe!
Audio Book Available
Publisher: Audio ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op
Duet Narration by: Zara Hampton-Brown & Brandon Francis
Release date: 31MAR2026
Kinks:
🥀 Praise
🥀 Dirty Talk
🥀 Breeding
Tropes:
🔘 Comedy Mafia Romance
🔘 Age Gap
🔘 Virgin FMC
🔘 Obsessed Stalker MMC
🔘 He Falls First
🔘 Marriage of Convenience
🔘 Forced Proximity
Yureli O, Reviewer
4.25/5 ☆
4.5/5🌶️
I received this as an ALC from NetGalley in exchange for review.
This was my first book by Evie Rose, and I really liked it. This novella is not your typical Mafia romance. It was a cute, fast-paced rom-com.The wedding scene at the beginning was pretty chaotic, but things settled down after that. The FMC and MMC were both likeable and it was cute how they both were trying to make the other happy. Overall this was a fun and easy read, the perfect palate cleanser
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
This was such a fun, spicy little escape—and exactly what I’ve come to expect from Evie Rose in the best way. I’ve listened to a couple of her works before, and she really knows how to deliver a quick, satisfying romantic romp.
The duet narration was a huge highlight for me, especially with two of my favorite narrators. Brandon Francis and Zara Hampton-Brown brought so much charm and energy to the story—this is absolutely one to pick up in audio if you can.
Yes, there’s insta-love, but in a novella like this, it works. The characters have great chemistry and they’re both surprisingly funny (though it’s not so surprising if you’re familiar with Evie Rose’s excellent writing). I loved the refreshing take on the marriage of convenience trope that I won’t spoil here, but I found it immediately endearing and it adds a lot of sweetness, alongside the spice.
If you’re looking for something short, funny, and feel-good with great narration, this is a perfect pick.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.
Ciara M, Reviewer
Really enjoyed this short and sweet mafia romance all enjoyed within one sitting. The characters were well written ruby is such an innocent loving FMC she really grew on me and Dante is dark and dreamy! What more could you want! The pair are perfectly matched and it’s one of the sweeter mafia romances that I’ve read so far
Fun, spicy little mafia age-gap insta-love accidental marriage romance between a tattooed mafia don and an innocent artist.
This was a surprisingly cute and quirky age-gap romance novella! I really enjoyed the dynamic between Dante and Ruby, their relationship was super sweet, and Dante’s “love at first sight” energy was honestly adorable.
I’ll admit, I was expecting a bit more spice than what we got, but even with that, the story still delivered on charm and chemistry. It leaned more into the cute and romantic side, which worked well for the tone of the novella.
I also loved the audiobook format, having it done in duet style with chapters from each POV made the story even more engaging and helped bring both characters to life.
Overall, a fun, light, and sweet read that’s perfect if you’re in the mood for something quick and heartwarming!
Reviewer 456436
Review posted to Goodreads, Amazon, Romance.io on 01Apr26 and Instagram on 02Apr26
Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don by Evie Rose
Narrated by Brandon Francis and Zara Hampton-Brown
Part of the Accidentally Married themed books by various authors
Narrated in duet format – both narrators carried the story well and entertaining to listen to.
“she’s younger than most of my tattoos”
Great premise for a novella
Pre wedding food poisoning
Disruptive dog
Good Girl
Age Gap
Mafia Boss
Hairdresser
Virgin Heroine
Marriage certificate issued with the witnesses as the bride and groom
He plans to delay the annulment
Must stay married for her safety
He has a meddling sister in a good way
Protective mmc
Trying to be a good wife
He’s got some heat she can stroke
Spice
Betrayal
HEA
Thanks to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Evie Rose for the ARC, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
Reviewer 1354030
Review of Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don
by Evie Rose
Narrated by Brandon Francis & Zara Hampton-Brown
4⭐️
A fun, spicy novella with instalove, age gap, and mafia tropes. Light, easy, and full of laughs.
The standout? Probably the nicest mafia boss I’ve ever read—more sweet than ruthless.
Perfect for a quick, low-angst escape.
Thanks to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ALC.
Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for an audio copy of Accidentally Marrying a Mafia Don. This is part of a series written by multiple authors.
Zara Hampton-Brown is one of my top romance narrators. Her voice has a lovely lilt and cadence to it making it very enjoyable to listen to.
I am a big fan of duet narration, the two narrators did a wonderful job. I did feel the pauses between the end of the chapter and the beginning of the next were much too long. I kept checking to see if it paused accidentally.
I enjoyed this novella. It was short, fast paced and kept me engaged. I would certainly recommend it for anyone looking for a quick read slightly spicy book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Evie Rose for the opportunity to review this ALC!
This is my second book by Evie Rose, and I absolutely loved it! Despite how short the story is, it packs quite a bit, and I didn't feel like the plot or character development was overly rushed. Dante and Ruby were so cute together and had such great chemistry! Naturally, there's quite a bit of insta-love involved, but that's to be expected from a shorter book. This was such a fun and spicy read that I could easily get through in a day. I find books like this be nice palette cleansers from longer or more world building type books/series. The narrators were fantastic and really made the characters come to life! I've enjoyed listening to Evie Rose's work and these narrators enough that I'm planning to buy several more books so I can explore more this world.
This starts with so much humor. The wedding was absolute shenanigans from beginning to end. I wish I could attend something so insane.
Then we jump ahead to the •accidental• portion and honestly, it’s still a little funny because the FMC is so naive and adorable which is such a contrast to the strong commanding MMC. It’s an enjoyable read and the narrators really capture the characters so well. Especially the wedding officiant. Hilarious 🤣
Caroline J, Reviewer
Evil Rose wrote a captivating short romance. It’s love at first sight with one thinking realistically and the other well, they know what they want. There story keeps readers immersed and wanting to get to the end. The story is a good reminder that the average person can fall in love with someone higher up socially and financially as well as the reminders of how some may judge that relationship.
The book has duet narration creating more of a theatric narrations than a book just being read. Brandon also is perfect for the role with his deep voice and having the growl as well. Zara was also cast well. Her voice seemed to fit well into Ruby’s character.
I did not enjoy the long pauses between each chapter. They were long enough that I kept thinking the audiobook paused and I needed to hit play again. It really took away from the flow of the storyline and I hope this gets fixed.
ALC Review
A quick listen that has you laughting out loud. A loveable cast of characters that had me hooked.
definitely recommend if you're looking for a quick audiobook to follow you aroubd to make chores more fun. Don't forget the fan when the MMC starts to dirty talk
Sophie B, Reviewer
This was so fun. I love a “my wife” moment and I ate it up in this book. The audiobook was great, the narrators did a great job.
Nice palette cleanser I have been reading lots of heavy books recently and this is just a simple, funny, short, lighthearted pallet cleanser
.Mafia
.Insta love
.Age gap
.Virgin FMC
.Cute dog
.Dual POV
This was exactly what I needed: something short, a little silly, and not taking itself too seriously.
Because it’s such a quick read, it leans heavily into insta-love, which normally isn’t really my thing. But Dante, the MMC, was so sweet and completely different from what you would expect from a mafia boss. And honestly, who doesn’t love a chaotic FMC.
One of the best parts was definitely the little troublemaker Al Poochino, the matchmaking dog, who completely stole the show at the beginning of the book.
I listened to the audiobook, which was great. It has duet narration, and both narrators did an amazing job. My only tiny complaint was the way they pronounced “tesorina”, which sounded more like “tesserina” (like a little card in Italian). But that’s just a personal pet peeve of mine: badly pronounced Italian.
If you go into it knowing it’s not going to have a super complex plot and that it’s meant to be fun rather than serious, it’s a really enjoyable time.
Promsie G, Reviewer
10/10
This book had the perfect plot and plot twist. I was not expecting how the marriage came about. It was so well written and short and sweet and to the point! It definitely had the twist needed to make it a 10 but I love that it got to the point.
Narration was amazing and had me going to look up other books by them. Also looking up other books by the author.
Overall I loved this book and have already told my book club to be on the lookout for when it comes so we can add it to the tbr list.
Reviewer 820851
As always with these, this was ridiculous and cute and fun! There's always a pregnancy kink, but I'm sensitive to that sort of thing and it didn't bother me. Plus I love that these books are always short! Definitely a fun time. The narrators were excellent.
I received an advanced copy of this audiobook for review. All opinions are my own! Thanks to Evie Rose for the ALC!
This was a chaotic, fast-moving, genuinely funny novella that knew exactly what it was doing and delivered on it.
It opens with full wedding disaster energy and never really lets up. Rogue dog, drunk priest, last-minute stand-in bridesmaid, and a weeks-later “wait… what did we just sign?” moment that kicks off the accidental marriage. The pacing is tight, the tone stays light, and the awkward humor lands consistently.
Ruby carries a lot of the charm. She’s young, a virgin, inexperienced, and trying so hard to get things right. It makes her both funny and easy to root for. Dante balances her well. Older, controlled, and operating in a darker world, but completely gone for her in a way that shows through his actions more than his words.
The chemistry is immediate, but the payoff takes its time because neither of them actually says what they want. That restraint works here and makes the tension feel earned. When it does tip into spice, it hits.
I'm so glad I got to experience the audiobook. Brandon Francis and Zara Hampton-Brown both handle English and American accents smoothly, and sell the setting and character dynamics. Their comic delivery and comedic timing make the awkward moments land even better.
Reviewer 718898
This was a nice fun read. I am not usually an insta-love person but I do love when Evie Rose writes it, even if my cynical heart struggles with it some lol. It's the predictable format I've come to expect from Evie Rose and I mean that in a good way—I know exactly what story I'm signing up for, it hits the beats I expect, and it's a nice, comforting read. And, of course, the narration is absolutely phenomenal.
I'm definitely hoping there will be more books in the series!
Reviewer 988714
Thank you NetGalley, Evie Rose & Publisher for giving me the opportunity to review this audiobook. It was a fun, fast-paced and spicy novella. While it was instant love for both the FMC & MMC. I like how they didn't immediately jump each others bones and going straight to the deed. It felt like it There was definitely some similarities with Evie's other books. It was predictable but not in a bad way. The performance from both narrator was spot on and they did a fantastic job.
This is a short, quick, and cute read. Mafia x Hairdresser. Accidental marriage due to a series of unfortunate events.
The beginning of the story and how the characters meet hook you right away. This silly nature of the events and their subsequent arrangement makes the read fun. Like most Evie Rose reads, it leaves you wanting more. Despite it's short nature, I wish we got more interactions between the FMC and the guards and household staff.
The narrators did a great job. I enjoyed the performance from both.
This is a review of the audiobook.
This is a sweet, chaotic and laugh out loud insta-love mafia romance. A lot of dirty talk and praise as well as possessiveness. While not everything in it was ‘my thing’, I did love the chemistry between Ruby and Danté, the antics of a certain ring bearing dog and cheese may be forever looked at with a smirk.
I loved the narration style of Brandon Francis and Zara Hampton-Brown. Ms. Hampton-Brown captures the innocence of Ruby and Mr. Francis gives Danté all kinds of emotions, one of which is a raspy growl if you like that kind of thing.
This is I believe my second audiobook from this author and she will probably remain on my TBR. I loved how she mixes spice with humor.
I would like to thank the author and NetGalley for a copy. All opinions are my own and my review is voluntarily given.
#supportindieauthors #evierose #AccidentallyMarryingtheMafiaDon #netgalley
3.5 stars.
"Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don" by Evie Rose is a frequently funny, chaotic insta-love, forced proximity novella between a hairdresser and a mafia don. This is such a short book that the spice overwhelms the plot, so know that going into it. That's not necessarily a bad thing! The characters do manage to have good chemistry and banter despite this being a *blink, and it's over* type of story. It's not at all a serious book despite being about a mafia don. Despite there being some darker themes, this is not at all a dark romance. It's sort of goofy, in fact. I could honestly pick this book apart, but I had a good time listening to it. This is a purely fun-filled ride full of overly dramatic happenings, fluff, and zaniness. It's a quick book that doesn't require much brain power, a complete and total palate cleanser. Zara Hampton-Brown and Brandon Francis do a wonderful dual narration here. I have always enjoyed these narrators, and I think they play well with one another.
Thank you to NetGalley, Evie Rose, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.
Mafia
RomCom
Spicy
Virgin FMC
Age gap
Dual POV - 1st person
Duet narration - Brandon Francis & Zara Hampton-Brown
Fabulous narration. These two performed this novella wonderfully.
Evie Rose writes fun and short stories with spice that will have you sweating.
Novella length, perfect amount of spice, likeable characters, and fabulous narrators. What more could you ask for?
Helping at a wedding and accidentally marrying the Mafia Don brother of the bride is such a fun story line. I really enjoyed this short, fast paced book. Evie Rose manages to captivate and entertain you in such a short story, leaving you wanting more.
Fun, quick, steamy yet surprisingly sweet romp. Loved having the audio in duet, both narrators were enthusiastic and showed good range across multiple characters. The female narrator, Zara Hampton-Brown, was particularly good at conveying Ruby’s anxious desire to be loved and deemed worthy.
Tropes:
- Insta-love/lust
- Mafia billionaire romance
- Age gap
- “My wife”
- Accidental/fake marriage
- Touch her and die
- Obsessive possessive silver fox MMC
- “Good girl”
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the chance to listen to an advance copy!
Kristen K, Bookseller
🎧
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Yes this is insta lust. It’s a very short book. The plot technically IS the spice. But the author does a great job building that delicious tension between the characters. You feel it when they lock eyes. A brush of a hand. His breath on her skin. It’s surprisingly much more than just a “smutty romance”. Theres undeniable chemistry that is so so addicting. I don’t know how Evie did it but there’s a soulmate energy between them that is rarely accomplished in a short story like this. I need more of this couple!
Performed in duet by Zara Hampton-Brown and Brandon Francis. Zara has quickly become an immediate buy narrator for me. She’s incredible! Such authentic performances. I lose myself every time she tells a story. Brandon is an excellent narrator but I personally don’t think his voice gives age gap vibes. It gives 300 year old sexy fae prince. It does not give 40 year old mafia boss. Also, it specifically mentions him having a “British accent rather than Italian accent” when she’s researching his family. Why does he sound American? Regardless, it wasn’t all that distracting.
Thanks to Victory Editing for the (ALC) review copy via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.
Reviewer 1984366
If you are looking for a fun, quick read, this would be the one for you! Listening to the audiobook was a fun time, and so fast-paced.
Both characters are fun and interesting in their own way, while this is a novella, I still felt like I got to see a good amount of both MC's. The plot is super easy to follow, making for a good time. I loved seeing Dante and Ruby's development, while it isn't too detailed, I could appreciate the depth we got from both.
The narration of this audiobook worked really well as a duet. I started at 2x speed and never changed it. The voices matched each other well, and I was able to just listen and enjoy this story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Evie Rose for an ALC of Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don.
Look, this is not a high brow book but it is funny and sexy and a nice relaxing listen.
Thanks NetGalley for letting me listen and review
Bridget G, Reviewer
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this advanced listeners copy!
Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don was a fun novella with all the best tropes (mafia, marriage of "convenience," obsessive mmc, he buys her books!!, etc). This was a quick listen, about 3.5 hours, and the narrators were great.
The book opens with the fmc, Ruby, working as the hairstylist for a very fancy wedding. The bridesmaids have food poisoning, so she is conscripted to act as a bridesmaid. Little does she know this is a mafia wedding and the bride's fiiine mafia don uncle is instantly obsessed with her when he sees her. Through a series of unfortunate events, the marriage certificate is mixed up and submitted as Dante and Ruby being married. And what is a mafia don to do when his accidental wife is in danger from his enemies as a result of this mix up? Of course move her in, protect her, and convince her to make the marriage real. It was a light, fun read!
thank you to Netgalley and Evie Rose for the ALC
firstly this is duet narration which I loved.
both narrators was soooo good at this !
I know with novellas the pace is faster but I loved it. I felt it had the perfect mix of story, spice and a touch of drama. I loved the quirkyness of our FMC and the obsession from our MMC. I usually don't enjoy love at first site but I don't mind it in a novella and when it's done well, which it was !
This was such a fun and spicy read that I devoured in one sitting 🤭🖤 it doesn't take itself too seriously and it was exactly what I needed it to be. Sweet and innocent Ruby accidentally marries the older Mafia Don Dante who just so happens to be utterly obsessed with her... Perfection! Made even better by Brandon Francis and Zara Hampton-Brown narrating, they really brought the characters to life 🥰
Insta-love is normally not my thing, but a broody mafia boss that thinks he’s too dark for a light and bubbly (and notably younger) FMC apparently fixed that issue. In this case, to move the story along, it worked. Brandon Francis and Zara Hampton-Brown did an absolutely fantastic job with these characters, bringing to life the dark and broody and soft and friendly characters. I enjoyed the light comedy, the dual POV, the duet performance, pretty much everything and the spice was def a perfect bonus and man what a way to finish. (Double entendre 100% intended)
Reviewer 1902673
This is a fun, sexy, quick read!
I love how they both fell instantly, but of course had to hide it. Sigh. The accidental marriage and Maria tropes are done adorably in this book!
Sarah F, Reviewer
Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don: a smutty age gap which is one of 10 books in this series. I was lucky to receive a audio ARC by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op
This was duet Narrated BY Brandon Francis & Zara Hampton-Brown they were the perfect Dante and Ruby.
I fell in love with them from their first meeting at the wedding her Dante’s niece Francesca. Ruby being the hairdresser and Dante was the stand in father of the bride. And boy was this story sweet yet still had funny moments for being a mafia book. Evie always does so well with the telling of her stories. Dante wanted Evie yet he held himself back due to the age gap him being 40 when Ruby was 22. Ruby is now asked to step in to help with Al Poochino Francesca’s little dog is part of the wedding party after the two bridesmaids who were to look after him become ill. But boy does Al Poochino have sole shenanigans up his sleeve. I was laughing so hard during moments in the book when this dog was up to no good through out the whole wedding ceremony.
Sweet girl Ruby. She loves books, and genuinely wants to help everyone. A bit of a people pleaser but not in a bad way. And when she ran into Dante, like literally ran into him with his green eyes, salt and pepper hair, his black ink peaking out,smelling good, and magnetic; well, Ruby fell. She wants to get to know him, she feels the attraction and hopes that, maybe, he does too. He certainly acts like it.
Dante is a Don, he's a part of the London Mafia Syndicate, aka London Maths Club. Secretly. He
likes Ruby instantly. He could indulge and take Ruby home, but he can't bring her into his dangerous world.
He wants to but it wouldn't be the right thing to do. He may be a criminal but he can't do that to her. Plus, he's dwelling on his age. Dante is 40. He's interested, very much so, but he can't give in, not even when Ruby kissed him and made his heart feel a certain way. Rejection is the only way.
Months later finds Ruby back in London receiving a letter in the mail. A certificate of marriage. How did this happen? Remember the dog. Yeah the wedding certificate got torn and chewed up.... So now Ruby and Dante are officially married. Huge mix-up. Or is it the intervention of the Universe? Or did someone else meddled in this who you never thought? Heheh
Ruby has to find Dante and let him know. And when she went to his guarded up home, remember the Mafia Syndicate, well they're all there watching, questioning, and wanting to search Ruby. Dante keeps his emotions in check, he's happy to see her, even though he's been secretly stalking her. Not in a dark unhinged way. Until Ruby said she's his wife.
Their romance is a slow burn as they navigated this unexpected event. Dante is hooked on Ruby. Over-protective. Supporter. Obsessed. He's in love with his wife. But he's waiting. Ruby wants her husband. She wants to please him, have him desire her, keep her as his wife. She does try hard. But she isn't sure if he wants her? Ruby. He offers an allowance for books. It's a ton of money. A black credit card. He’s basically showing all the signs of him wanting her to stay but doesn’t come out and say it like she needs him too.
But we all when there is love there is always jealousy and that’s what in fact happens in Dante’s world with his second in command when he dons think that Ruby is worthy of Dante. He literally is trying to get rid of her and thank god for Dante coming back when he did or this would have been an entirely different ending.
I am very thankful for Al Poochino and Lucia who played good hands in the coming together of Dante and Ruby.
Quotes/ word phrases:
"Tesorina, you're too young and innocent for a man like me."~Dante
"'a live to be his toy. His cherished, petted, loved toy." ~Ruby
"That's all you need to do to be my perfect wife, Ruby. Love me, and don't let go. I couldn't bear to lose you." ~Dante
"Love is worth the risk, you know."~Lucia
“Good girl”
“No escaping, I’ll be watching you”
“I’ve got some heat you can stroke”
“Use me”
“Take me”
“You’re mine”
“I’ll always chose you”
Janet B, Reviewer
Ruby is a hairdresser at an expensive Italian wedding, when the bridesmaid become ill she becomes the stand-in maid of honour. Dante’s the silver fox uncle of the groom who saves the day when the wedding becomes a disaster, with a pet ring-bearer gone rogue, a drunk priest, a small incident with a gun, and a child with perfect comic timing. But the dream Italian wedding continues, and Dante & Ruby sign as witnesses. Back at home, Ruby’s dull little life doesn't compare. Then a wedding certificate arrives at my door. There’s been a mix up, and Dante & Ruby are married.
This was a great mix of romance, fun, laughter & steam. I loved both Dante & Ruby, he fell for her like a ton of bricks & was determined for the annulment not to happen, she also doesn’t want an annulment & is determined to be the perfect wife. There were laugh out loud moments, sizzling chemistry & some danger. I love these quick age gap novellas & once again devoured it in a sitting. I also listened to the audiobook & loved it too. The narrators were brilliant & brought it to life
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
Reviewer 1402966
Absolutly loved the audiobook of "Accidentally Marrying the Mafia Don" by Evie Rose.
I've read and listened to a few of Evies books and this is one of my favorites. Even though it is quite short, the story is well rounded. The narration was amazing too!
Definetly one of the best audiobooks i have listened to this year.
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