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Grimm Bargains #2
One Dark Kiss
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.
ALEXEI
I’ve spent the last seven years in the hell of a maximum-security prison, every moment consumed by the need for revenge—revenge against the bastards who framed me, and revenge against the family who stole everything I owned. Now that I’m finally free, nothing will stand in my way. Not even her—my hot as sin new lawyer. Maybe she’s another weapon sent by my enemies to break me, or maybe she’s the key to my freedom. Either way, once she’s mine, I’m never letting her go.
ROSALIE
When I took this case, I thought I had it under control. But Alexei is no typical convicted killer—he's a dangerously seductive force of nature. Perhaps it's the lingering power from his days as heir to a global social media empire. Innocent or not, he's dangerous in the worst and best ways.
I secure Alexei’s release as we prepare for a new trial, but he wastes no time turning against his traitorous relatives and plotting his return to power. Amidst the chaos, our explosive chemistry ignites, putting us—and everyone I care about—in the crosshairs of ruthless enemies. If we can’t stop them, Alexei plans to burn the whole world down. And if anything, he’s a man of his word . . .
Mirror, Mirror . . . Innocence or Sin. The reflection holds a darker truth.
ALEXEI
I’ve spent the last seven years in the hell of a maximum-security prison, every moment consumed by the need for revenge—revenge against the bastards who framed me, and revenge against the family who stole everything I owned. Now that I’m finally free, nothing will stand in my way. Not even her—my hot as sin new lawyer. Maybe she’s another weapon sent by my enemies to break me, or maybe she’s the key to my freedom. Either way, once she’s mine, I’m never letting her go.
ROSALIE
When I took this case, I thought I had it under control. But Alexei is no typical convicted killer—he's a dangerously seductive force of nature. Perhaps it's the lingering power from his days as heir to a global social media empire. Innocent or not, he's dangerous in the worst and best ways.
I secure Alexei’s release as we prepare for a new trial, but he wastes no time turning against his traitorous relatives and plotting his return to power. Amidst the chaos, our explosive chemistry ignites, putting us—and everyone I care about—in the crosshairs of ruthless enemies. If we can’t stop them, Alexei plans to burn the whole world down. And if anything, he’s a man of his word . . .
384 pages, Hardcover
First published June 24, 2025
255 people are currently reading
25473 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Zanetti
120 books10k followersNew York Times, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Rebecca Zanetti has published more than seventy novels and novellas, which have been translated into several languages, with millions of copies sold world-wide. Her books have received Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus starred reviews, favorable Washington Post and New York Times Book Reviews, and been included in Amazon best books of the year.
Rebecca has ridden in a locked Chevy trunk, has asked the unfortunate delivery guy to release her from a set of handcuffs, and has discovered the best silver mine shafts in which to bury a body…all in the name of research. Honest.
Rebecca has ridden in a locked Chevy trunk, has asked the unfortunate delivery guy to release her from a set of handcuffs, and has discovered the best silver mine shafts in which to bury a body…all in the name of research. Honest.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 669 reviews
August 12, 2025
Super fun spicy twist on Snow White! This is a dark urban fantasy romance and was so quick and easy to read, perfect palette cleanser or binge read! He literally was on prison for 7 years and she’s his lawyer???? Oh my god I loved Alexei so much I can’t handle it! He’s also in the mafia??? Bye.
June 12, 2025
Welcome to a dark romance with a fantasy element, a mystery, and some suspense and violence.
One Dark Kiss
by Rebecca Zanetti is the second book in the Grimm Bargains series. This story features Alexei Sokolov and Rosalie Mooncrest and is largely set in and around San Jose, California.
Alexei has spent the last seven years in a maximum-security prison. He is consumed with the need for revenge against those who framed him for murder as well as his family who stole everything he owned. Rosalie is Alexei’s new lawyer and works to get him a new trial. When he is released, he starts plotting his return to power and the take over of the family global social media empire.
Alexei is controlling, never bluffs, is not used to kindness, and has a casual approach to violence. He uses people, pursues power, and takes actions that are often more black than gray. However, there are lines that he will not cross or tolerate. Drawing relaxes him and he has a keen sense of duty. Rosalie has never lost a civil trial, but has also never tried a criminal case. She inherited a Victorian home from an aunt and has seven elderly boarders to help pay the mortgage and upkeep. She’s ambitious, kind, spirited, a planner, intelligent, and has a good sense of humor. She can also be stubborn and has a temper. The book alternates between Alexei’s and Rosalie’s points of view.
While this is the second book in the series, it worked well as a standalone since the fantasy element was a minor component of the story and there was enough backstory to understand the worldbuilding. The focus was on the mystery, preparation for a new trial, investigation into what happened, the effort to retake control of Alexei’s family business, meeting his commitments to his prison cellmate, and the romance.
The well-written story is clever, with enough twists and red herrings to keep a reader guessing. The pacing is great and the plot worked well for me. This novel is somewhat darker than other books I have read by this author. There are several steamy and spicy scenes detailed as well as a significant number of violent scenes. The world-building fantasy element is unique and I hope to learn more about it in future books. My biggest quibble was that I wanted a few more details wrapped up cleanly at the end. Themes include trust, control, found family, friendship, respect, safety, and romance.
Overall, this is an engaging and action-filled romance with a fantasy element and well-developed characters. I am looking forward to finding out what happens in the next book and who will be the focus of it. This novel works as a standalone novel, but readers will get more background and backstories if they start with book one.
Kensington Publishing and Rebecca Zanetti provided a complimentary physical copy as well as a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for June 24, 2025.
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My 4.12 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Alexei has spent the last seven years in a maximum-security prison. He is consumed with the need for revenge against those who framed him for murder as well as his family who stole everything he owned. Rosalie is Alexei’s new lawyer and works to get him a new trial. When he is released, he starts plotting his return to power and the take over of the family global social media empire.
Alexei is controlling, never bluffs, is not used to kindness, and has a casual approach to violence. He uses people, pursues power, and takes actions that are often more black than gray. However, there are lines that he will not cross or tolerate. Drawing relaxes him and he has a keen sense of duty. Rosalie has never lost a civil trial, but has also never tried a criminal case. She inherited a Victorian home from an aunt and has seven elderly boarders to help pay the mortgage and upkeep. She’s ambitious, kind, spirited, a planner, intelligent, and has a good sense of humor. She can also be stubborn and has a temper. The book alternates between Alexei’s and Rosalie’s points of view.
While this is the second book in the series, it worked well as a standalone since the fantasy element was a minor component of the story and there was enough backstory to understand the worldbuilding. The focus was on the mystery, preparation for a new trial, investigation into what happened, the effort to retake control of Alexei’s family business, meeting his commitments to his prison cellmate, and the romance.
The well-written story is clever, with enough twists and red herrings to keep a reader guessing. The pacing is great and the plot worked well for me. This novel is somewhat darker than other books I have read by this author. There are several steamy and spicy scenes detailed as well as a significant number of violent scenes. The world-building fantasy element is unique and I hope to learn more about it in future books. My biggest quibble was that I wanted a few more details wrapped up cleanly at the end. Themes include trust, control, found family, friendship, respect, safety, and romance.
Overall, this is an engaging and action-filled romance with a fantasy element and well-developed characters. I am looking forward to finding out what happens in the next book and who will be the focus of it. This novel works as a standalone novel, but readers will get more background and backstories if they start with book one.
Kensington Publishing and Rebecca Zanetti provided a complimentary physical copy as well as a digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for June 24, 2025.
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My 4.12 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
June 12, 2025
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
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
June 24, 2025
One Dark Kiss by Rebecca Zanetti
Grimm Bargains series #2. Dark romance, romantasy. Retelling. Can be read as a stand-alone but better in series order for more background on the world building and secondary characters.
Rosalie is assigned a new case by her law firm. Get Alexei out of jail and prove he didn’t kill his brother. As she prepares for a new trial, she finds out more than she expected on many levels. Alexei is in charge. Alexei is dominating. Alexei can get her hot and wet in seconds and even the belt punishment and humiliation doesn’t diminish her pleasure. Finding evidence of his innocence is going to be difficult. He doesn’t have many friends but he does have enemies and more than one want him eliminated.
Can Rosie survive her entrance into the Russian mafia? Maybe her seven house borders can lend a hand.
🎧I alternated between an ebook and audiobook. The performances by Erin Mallon and Lance Greenfield are fantastic. Erin brings Rosalie to vivid life with her sarcasm, snark, passion and love of the legal world. Lance performs with a Russian accent to match Alexei’s origin. Together with their POV chapters, the narrators help the story flow quickly with danger, sex and power seeking motivations.
Erin has performed hundreds of stories for many blockbuster authors and has a wonderful grasp of character and diction. Lance has also created audiobooks in the hundreds with various accents and romance genres.
I listened to this at 1.5 to more closely follow along with an ebook copy.
Dark and powerful. Steamy and delicious. A Snow White retelling that is not for the innocent.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBMedia.
Grimm Bargains series #2. Dark romance, romantasy. Retelling. Can be read as a stand-alone but better in series order for more background on the world building and secondary characters.
Rosalie is assigned a new case by her law firm. Get Alexei out of jail and prove he didn’t kill his brother. As she prepares for a new trial, she finds out more than she expected on many levels. Alexei is in charge. Alexei is dominating. Alexei can get her hot and wet in seconds and even the belt punishment and humiliation doesn’t diminish her pleasure. Finding evidence of his innocence is going to be difficult. He doesn’t have many friends but he does have enemies and more than one want him eliminated.
Can Rosie survive her entrance into the Russian mafia? Maybe her seven house borders can lend a hand.
🎧I alternated between an ebook and audiobook. The performances by Erin Mallon and Lance Greenfield are fantastic. Erin brings Rosalie to vivid life with her sarcasm, snark, passion and love of the legal world. Lance performs with a Russian accent to match Alexei’s origin. Together with their POV chapters, the narrators help the story flow quickly with danger, sex and power seeking motivations.
Erin has performed hundreds of stories for many blockbuster authors and has a wonderful grasp of character and diction. Lance has also created audiobooks in the hundreds with various accents and romance genres.
I listened to this at 1.5 to more closely follow along with an ebook copy.
Dark and powerful. Steamy and delicious. A Snow White retelling that is not for the innocent.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher RBMedia.
June 21, 2025
Time for a little fantasy in my life. Or rather, Romantasy, the newest craze genre blending Romance and Fantasy. This retell of Snow-White bears little resemblance to a sweet young thing and seven helpful dwarfs. Rosalie is a savvy attorney, though a tad on the innocent side. Alexei is one bad, mad determined dude. Should make a great tale, right? Sexy, erotic and a pretty good mystery too. The dual narration by Lance Greenfield, Erin Mallon is fantastic. They nail all the characters and make this story come to life.
Rosalie is a hardworking attorney whose specialty is corporate litigation. When she is handed a pro-bono criminal case, she is baffled as to why. But she has never lost a case and doesn't plan to do so now. Besides she had a house with seven elderly male borders who need her to keep a roof over their heads. Her case is a dark, brooding, dangerous Russian mobster who ignites fire under her skin and is the heir to a social media global empire. There are a lot of people who want him back in jail.
When the judge and prosecuting attorney are disbarred for taking bribes, Alexei is granted a new trial and Roselie is his new attorney. He wastes no time putting the moves on her and he has big plans for their future once he can take revenge against his enemies and retake control of his company from his evil stepmother.
My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
Rosalie is a hardworking attorney whose specialty is corporate litigation. When she is handed a pro-bono criminal case, she is baffled as to why. But she has never lost a case and doesn't plan to do so now. Besides she had a house with seven elderly male borders who need her to keep a roof over their heads. Her case is a dark, brooding, dangerous Russian mobster who ignites fire under her skin and is the heir to a social media global empire. There are a lot of people who want him back in jail.
When the judge and prosecuting attorney are disbarred for taking bribes, Alexei is granted a new trial and Roselie is his new attorney. He wastes no time putting the moves on her and he has big plans for their future once he can take revenge against his enemies and retake control of his company from his evil stepmother.
My thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.
June 11, 2025
I said in the review of book one that I'd recently heard someone say "morally grey male characters in this sort of book are supposed to do bad things for her, not bad things to her. I'm not sure that holds true all the time (dark romance can be very dark at times), but I think it would be the case for this book." I hadn't yet figured out how to articulate why the morally grey characters felt so off in Zanetti's books. I have now.
In a completely unrelated event, I saw a TikTok a few days back that discussed dark fiction on a spectrum from light to pitch black. While where the line is drawn is up for debate, for the sake of my point, I'll use their scale. They broke it down like this: Diet (or light) Dark Romane is when a book has dark themes, but the characters are not bad people. Standard Dark Romance is about good people who do morally grey things that can be justified (like killing bad people), but they love each other fiercely. Pitch Black Romance is where all morals are gone, one of them (and it's usually the male) does bad things and is a bad person, but is obsessed with their romantic partner.
Zanetti writes standard dark romance that leans toward diet even, and then tries to put a pitch black male romantic lead in it. The reader is told again and again how dark and moralless he is, but then every one we see him kill happens to be pimping kids or beating women or a rapist. They lead various organized crime families (the social media empires are just a euphemism for the Mob and Bratva) but refuse to traffic women or kids, institute moral limits within their organizations, and are basically Standard Dark Romance men. He's not really a pitch-black MMC, even though Zanetti tries to convince us he is.
The problems come in when he interacts with the FMC because he acts in a Dark Romance way with her. Without the architecture of pitch black romance in the rest of the book, the domineering way he acts with her feels out of place and flatly abusive, like his abusive persona only comes out at home. Hell, the MMC straight-up SAs the FMC in this book, and there is nothing in the rest of the book to give it the patina of consensual non-consent. She's unconscious when he starts, and then when she wakes, she tells him no repeatedly. After the fact, she states he forced it on her. It's SA, and the book lacks the pitch blackness to contextualize it as anything else or successfully convince the reader that it's really what the FMC wanted. So, the male leads in both books in this series, but especially in this one, simply feel extremely domestically controlling and abusive, and there is nothing sexy about it. Some extremely dark romances, especially those leaning toward horror, pull it off. Zanetti's books do not. They don't even come close. You simply can't have a male romantic lead that is abusive toward her, but working with a moral compass with everything else, and not have it feel like your standard contemporary domestic abuser. Throw in all the stuff about ownership and possession, and you have your misogynist, too.
Plus, on a separate point, when you really break the books down. Books one and two are basically the exact same book. So, even when reading the two back to back, you feel the formulaic nature. I can't imagine I'll read another Zanetti book.
In a completely unrelated event, I saw a TikTok a few days back that discussed dark fiction on a spectrum from light to pitch black. While where the line is drawn is up for debate, for the sake of my point, I'll use their scale. They broke it down like this: Diet (or light) Dark Romane is when a book has dark themes, but the characters are not bad people. Standard Dark Romance is about good people who do morally grey things that can be justified (like killing bad people), but they love each other fiercely. Pitch Black Romance is where all morals are gone, one of them (and it's usually the male) does bad things and is a bad person, but is obsessed with their romantic partner.
Zanetti writes standard dark romance that leans toward diet even, and then tries to put a pitch black male romantic lead in it. The reader is told again and again how dark and moralless he is, but then every one we see him kill happens to be pimping kids or beating women or a rapist. They lead various organized crime families (the social media empires are just a euphemism for the Mob and Bratva) but refuse to traffic women or kids, institute moral limits within their organizations, and are basically Standard Dark Romance men. He's not really a pitch-black MMC, even though Zanetti tries to convince us he is.
The problems come in when he interacts with the FMC because he acts in a Dark Romance way with her. Without the architecture of pitch black romance in the rest of the book, the domineering way he acts with her feels out of place and flatly abusive, like his abusive persona only comes out at home. Hell, the MMC straight-up SAs the FMC in this book, and there is nothing in the rest of the book to give it the patina of consensual non-consent. She's unconscious when he starts, and then when she wakes, she tells him no repeatedly. After the fact, she states he forced it on her. It's SA, and the book lacks the pitch blackness to contextualize it as anything else or successfully convince the reader that it's really what the FMC wanted. So, the male leads in both books in this series, but especially in this one, simply feel extremely domestically controlling and abusive, and there is nothing sexy about it. Some extremely dark romances, especially those leaning toward horror, pull it off. Zanetti's books do not. They don't even come close. You simply can't have a male romantic lead that is abusive toward her, but working with a moral compass with everything else, and not have it feel like your standard contemporary domestic abuser. Throw in all the stuff about ownership and possession, and you have your misogynist, too.
Plus, on a separate point, when you really break the books down. Books one and two are basically the exact same book. So, even when reading the two back to back, you feel the formulaic nature. I can't imagine I'll read another Zanetti book.
June 27, 2025
This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review. Also my tags may have spoilers in them so be forewarned before checking out full review.
Book Evaluation:
Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎🌎
Cover:📔📔📔📔📔
Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
Heroine:🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️🦸🏻♀️
Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒💒
Heart & Feels:💞💞💞💞💞
Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖📖
Narration:🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧🧧
Overall View: ✨✨✨✨✨✨
First Impressions
One Dark Kiss is the second book in the "Grimm Bargains" series and in this one this si where we have a Snow White retelling with a mafia twist to it and this is Rosalie's book. Rosalie is put in a forced proximity situation when she is to be the legal counsel for Alexei who was framed and put in prison unjustly for the crime they claimed he committed. Alexei is determined to get freedom and find his revenge. This was a thrilling story that had me all over the place in thrills and excitement. I loved the way in which we see this story truly come to depths. The chemistry was top notch and I didn't want to let go of Alexei and Rosalie from their first meeting.....I was in love in such a all consuming way!
First Line
Alone, I cross my legs beneath the intimidating metal table secured to the floor, feeling as out of place as a raven in a nursey rhyme.
The Main Protagonists
The Hero: Alexei
The Heroine: Rosalie
Summary
Rosalie is called upon by her firm to represent a man of danger and mystery, Alexei, and she never expected the power and chemistry she would feel in their first meeting. But she knows that she is completely out of her element in dealing with him. Alexei was wrongly put in prison for a crime he didn't commit. And his chance for freedom and to get his name cleared......is good and loyal Rosalie. She is strong and intelligent and he knew from their first meeting, she would be his woman for life. The problem....convincing her that they are worth taking a risk on. But there are dangers to her being connected to him and standing by him.....an enemy that hides in the dark corners of power and manipulation...
What I Loved
The first is their CHEMISTRY!!! It was off the charts and from that first page, I could tell that they had something so intense, dramatic and had me curling my toes. I loved their interactions with each other. While Rosalie can stand her own, she also knows Alexei is unlike any other man she has ever dealt with. And even though she is intelligent and has a deep strength, she isn't cruel and she has her own share of vulnerabilities. She knows when to stand up to Alexei but also when to back down and submit to him. I loved how intelligent she was, she reads him really well and I liked she her layers throughout the story. Alexei is powerful, strong, dominant and protective. I love how he isn't afraid of a relationship with her and even though he doesn't believe in love after being betrayed, he can't resist the connection he feesl with Rosalie. There is so much drama at times between them, but its Zanetti so she writes it in a way that she tugs at your heartstrings while also being highly entertaining at the same time.
The fairytale elements to the story were so adorable. The heroine eating red apples, she runs a victorian home with seven elderly men boarders and they are their own family. Taking care of each other and she sacrifices so much for them and their bond was beyond adorbs. I love how we see some unique dynamics of a family that aren't always what you expect. I loved the villains that come through into the story, and I won't be spoiling who it is but its superb in how the mystery of it unravels. I loved the bromance that we see between Alexei and the one man that stood by him in prison. Then we have the lovely friendship bond between Rosalie and the other heroines in the series and loved seeing them together again and I can't wait for book 3.....cause CINDERELLA!!!
What I Struggled With
Nothing really. I really just loved this whole book. lol
Narration
Superb in every way! I loved rotating between the audio and the ARC.
Overall View
One Dark Kiss was a stunning read that took my breath away with his page.....a sensual deeply romantic retelling that digs deep into the truths of love, loyalty and devotion!
Book Details (also in my shelves)
Sub Genre: Paranormal Romance, Dark Romance
Character Types: Lawyer Heroine, Mafia Hero, Morally Grey Hero, Protector
Themes: Angsty, Snow White Retelling, Crime, Band of Brothers, Feminine Friendships
Tropes: Retelling, Forced Proximity, Instant Love/Lust Connection
Book Perspective
Duo POV
Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
Both
If you like these authors, I recommend This Book
Abigail Owen
Christine Feehan
LJ Shen
Song This Book Inspires
Black Sheep-Metric
Recommendation For Reading Order
You can read as a standalone if needed, but its best for the friendship for the heroines to read it in order.
Steam/Spice Explanations
Simmering cup of tea---soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warmin' by the fire- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin' up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.
Narrators:
Erin Mallon
Lance Greenfield
July 1, 2025
DNF’d at 25% a mafia romance is fine, but I don’t understand the inclusion of magic crystals. Felt like an attempt to do something new and different and it missed. Also the word “hoo hah” in an adult book is just nope.
June 14, 2025
This was a good dark romance with this magical aspect surrounding the world. We have the mmc that is just getting out of prison for a crime he didn’t commit. The fmc is his attorney and immediately when they meet there is so much chemistry and the mmc is obsessed with her. As soon as the mmc gets out of jail the fmc us thrown into this world of crime, billionaires, lust, power, murder as the mmc goes back into the world.i liked how fast paced the book is and how immediately we have the crime families and trying to figure out who framed the mmc. The romance is steamy and lust based at first with a possessive mmc that won’t let the fmc go. I liked the mystery aspect and how the story get me interested and wrapped with both the romance and crime plot. Over a good dark romance, thanks to Kensington for this arc for an honest review.
June 24, 2025
I love the world Zanetti has created, but if I am honest, I love everything she writes. In the Grimm Baragins series, there is a magical system of sorts involving gems and social media influence, healing and more. Alexei was wrongfully imprisoned for murder and after the discovery of corruption within the courts, Rosalie is assigned to be his attorney by the firm who represents him.
I loved their first encounter. It was sizzling and promises were made. Alexei is all alpha. Rosalie is determined to make partner and has taken in boarders to afford her pink Victorian home. I adored this group of geriatric men and you will too.
Alexei is the rightful heir to his family’s billion dollar business, but his step-mother and half brother don’t want to release control. Zanetti delivered an intense tale with plenty of danger and twists, all while making the reader root for the romance and become attached to secondary characters. It was perfectly paced and delicious.
If you love dark steamy romance, fantasy, and forbidden romance, I recommend you add One Dark Kiss to your summer reading list. For those who read One Cursed Rose, we get to see our first couple and hints at who is next. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
I loved their first encounter. It was sizzling and promises were made. Alexei is all alpha. Rosalie is determined to make partner and has taken in boarders to afford her pink Victorian home. I adored this group of geriatric men and you will too.
Alexei is the rightful heir to his family’s billion dollar business, but his step-mother and half brother don’t want to release control. Zanetti delivered an intense tale with plenty of danger and twists, all while making the reader root for the romance and become attached to secondary characters. It was perfectly paced and delicious.
If you love dark steamy romance, fantasy, and forbidden romance, I recommend you add One Dark Kiss to your summer reading list. For those who read One Cursed Rose, we get to see our first couple and hints at who is next. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
July 3, 2025
* 4⭐️5🌶️
* set in a world of social media empires and forbidden desires. The story follows Alexei Sokolov, a man recently released from prison, and Rosalie Mooncrest, the lawyer who secured his release. Alexei, previously the heir to a powerful social media empire, was framed and imprisoned, and now seeks revenge while also finding himself drawn to Rosalie. Rosalie, determined to prove Alexei's innocence, discovers a forbidden attraction to him, even as they both become entangled in a dangerous game of power and betrayal.
* Read this if you love dark Snow White romance retelling, seven elderly reformed bad guys, found family, lawyer x convict, extremely morally grey MMC, super spicy
* set in a world of social media empires and forbidden desires. The story follows Alexei Sokolov, a man recently released from prison, and Rosalie Mooncrest, the lawyer who secured his release. Alexei, previously the heir to a powerful social media empire, was framed and imprisoned, and now seeks revenge while also finding himself drawn to Rosalie. Rosalie, determined to prove Alexei's innocence, discovers a forbidden attraction to him, even as they both become entangled in a dangerous game of power and betrayal.
* Read this if you love dark Snow White romance retelling, seven elderly reformed bad guys, found family, lawyer x convict, extremely morally grey MMC, super spicy
July 30, 2025
One Dark Kiss is a dark mafia romance with a magical twist and I really enjoyed it! The blend of mafia elements with a unique urban fantasy magic system made this one stand out. I loved the concept of crystals and how the magic worked; it was both intriguing and original.
This story is part of an interconnected standalone series, each loosely based on fairytales. This one draws inspiration from Snow White, yes, complete with her living alongside a group of older gentlemen, which was such a fun nod to the classic tale.
I loved the MMC, he was perfectly morally gray, just how I like them. Dangerous, devoted, and impossible to resist.
It is definitely on the darker side, so be sure to check trigger warnings before diving in. But if you’re a fan of mafia romance with a touch of fantasy, One Dark Kiss is one to check out!
Thank you to Hambright PR for the gifted ARC
This story is part of an interconnected standalone series, each loosely based on fairytales. This one draws inspiration from Snow White, yes, complete with her living alongside a group of older gentlemen, which was such a fun nod to the classic tale.
I loved the MMC, he was perfectly morally gray, just how I like them. Dangerous, devoted, and impossible to resist.
It is definitely on the darker side, so be sure to check trigger warnings before diving in. But if you’re a fan of mafia romance with a touch of fantasy, One Dark Kiss is one to check out!
Thank you to Hambright PR for the gifted ARC
June 19, 2025
Well, dang. This is as side of the author I have not seen before. One Dark Kiss is on the lower end of the darker side and has a hero that does not take no for an answer. Alexei goes full throttle on claiming Rosalie whether she's ready or not. And it was hot. I love that even when Alexei punishes Rosalie, she enjoys every minute of it. He's not so easy on his enemies though. I loved the plot. The friends from book one. And I loved that Rosalie had elderly borders she was taking care of and how they played a part in this book. It was a fun listen! If you are looking for a morally grey character who takes 100% care of his heroine, this is the audiobook or book to get. I did the audiobook version and loved the narrators.
August 10, 2025
This one was not as good as One Cursed Rose but toward the end I enjoyed it more.
This one deals with Alana's best friend Rosalie's story (aka Snow White). She is a whip-smart lawyer saddled with debt, tasked with a new client, Alexei Sokolov. Alexei is the fallen crowned prince of Holograph Hub, a social media company fronting the Russian Mob. Alexei has spent the last 7 years in prison for murdering his lover's husband, and though he has been yelling from the rafters that he has been set up, it takes almost no time for his stepmother Lillian and his estranged half-brother Hendrix to disown him and take everything he has. When Rosalie is able to get Alexei a new trial, he is released for the first time in seven years and his eye and obsession falls first on Rosalie, and second on reclaiming what is his.
Rosalie lives in a beautiful pink Victorian house left to her by her aunt, and has seven boarders who share the home and pay rent, 7 old men who adore Rosalie and all take part in looking after her. When Alexi barges in to her life (and her body) chaos ensues. Rosalie just wants a quite life for herself, not to be the Queen of the Russian mob. But their chemistry is undeniable.
So, first thing's first. These two narrators were not nearly as good as the narrators in One Cursed Rose. Rosalie sounded bored all the time, and Alexei's Russian accent was so annoying and laughable (and not sexy) that it made me picture him the whole time as a Russian John Malkovitch, which wasn't a good thing.
No no seriously, I couldn't get the image of John Malkovitch and his awful Russian accent out of my mind the entire book. The Rosalie narrator's Russian accent was actually far better. Which is sad. But narrators aside, this book's sex scenes had way more ick than the previous one's at least for me. Alexei's need for control was annoying and not my cuppa. However, just like Book 1, there was a scene about 30% from the end, that peeled some layers of his character away and made me change my mind, but only slightly. And all of Rosalie's boarders? The seven old men actually turned out to be retired badasses. And I really enjoyed that aspect. There was also a little mystery thrown into this novel, but it wasn't as tense or as thrilling as that of the first.
There were also some inconsistencies between book 1 and this one that really bothered me. First off, Hendrix had a small role in Book 1 but didn't have a Russian accent. And why would he have a Russian accent was he was born in the US? But in this book he had a Russian accent. And you all know how much I hated those Russian accents. And also, it annoyed me to no end that the narrators kept pronouncing Thorn's last name wrong. He is the leader of the Irish Mob! His last name Beathach is Celtic and is pronounced Bak, not Beat-tack. The narrators in Book 1 pronounced it correctly, so why do they pronounce it differently in this one? I know that this is a minor squabble, but it made me cringe every time I heard it, and it is a huge inconsistency with the publishers and the audiobook narrators.
I did end up enjoying a lot of this one, but the stupid accent and icky sex (especially at first) bogged me down and I settled on 2.5 rounded up. I also didn't enjoy these characters as much as Alana and Thorn (and wished they played more of a role here). I am still interested in getting into the third book when it comes out, especially since I'm assuming it will circle around the third girlie in the group, Ella, and I really dig her character already.
I received an ARC of this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This one deals with Alana's best friend Rosalie's story (aka Snow White). She is a whip-smart lawyer saddled with debt, tasked with a new client, Alexei Sokolov. Alexei is the fallen crowned prince of Holograph Hub, a social media company fronting the Russian Mob. Alexei has spent the last 7 years in prison for murdering his lover's husband, and though he has been yelling from the rafters that he has been set up, it takes almost no time for his stepmother Lillian and his estranged half-brother Hendrix to disown him and take everything he has. When Rosalie is able to get Alexei a new trial, he is released for the first time in seven years and his eye and obsession falls first on Rosalie, and second on reclaiming what is his.
Rosalie lives in a beautiful pink Victorian house left to her by her aunt, and has seven boarders who share the home and pay rent, 7 old men who adore Rosalie and all take part in looking after her. When Alexi barges in to her life (and her body) chaos ensues. Rosalie just wants a quite life for herself, not to be the Queen of the Russian mob. But their chemistry is undeniable.
So, first thing's first. These two narrators were not nearly as good as the narrators in One Cursed Rose. Rosalie sounded bored all the time, and Alexei's Russian accent was so annoying and laughable (and not sexy) that it made me picture him the whole time as a Russian John Malkovitch, which wasn't a good thing.
No no seriously, I couldn't get the image of John Malkovitch and his awful Russian accent out of my mind the entire book. The Rosalie narrator's Russian accent was actually far better. Which is sad. But narrators aside, this book's sex scenes had way more ick than the previous one's at least for me. Alexei's need for control was annoying and not my cuppa. However, just like Book 1, there was a scene about 30% from the end, that peeled some layers of his character away and made me change my mind, but only slightly. And all of Rosalie's boarders? The seven old men actually turned out to be retired badasses. And I really enjoyed that aspect. There was also a little mystery thrown into this novel, but it wasn't as tense or as thrilling as that of the first.
There were also some inconsistencies between book 1 and this one that really bothered me. First off, Hendrix had a small role in Book 1 but didn't have a Russian accent. And why would he have a Russian accent was he was born in the US? But in this book he had a Russian accent. And you all know how much I hated those Russian accents. And also, it annoyed me to no end that the narrators kept pronouncing Thorn's last name wrong. He is the leader of the Irish Mob! His last name Beathach is Celtic and is pronounced Bak, not Beat-tack. The narrators in Book 1 pronounced it correctly, so why do they pronounce it differently in this one? I know that this is a minor squabble, but it made me cringe every time I heard it, and it is a huge inconsistency with the publishers and the audiobook narrators.
I did end up enjoying a lot of this one, but the stupid accent and icky sex (especially at first) bogged me down and I settled on 2.5 rounded up. I also didn't enjoy these characters as much as Alana and Thorn (and wished they played more of a role here). I am still interested in getting into the third book when it comes out, especially since I'm assuming it will circle around the third girlie in the group, Ella, and I really dig her character already.
I received an ARC of this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 21, 2025
˗ˏˋ 5 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .
nothing is going to top the first book but this was still soo damn good. it was so fast-paced and there were so many twists and turns. reading this book literally felt like as if you're in a crime movie. although kind of a stretch, i still loved the snow white retelling aspect of the book.
as of the characters, i loved rosalie and alexei's interactions, they were so adorable together. i loved the seven elderly boarders so much. they were so cute and funny at times. i love how they were all very protective of rosalie. i was definitely eating the thornalana crumbs up.
cant wait for the third book in the grimm bargains series. i'm finger crossing, praying that it's gonna be ella's book.
⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher, good girls pr and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
omg i got the arc! i just recently finished the first book so i have super high expectations for this one. hoping we get some thorn and alana cameos here.
tropes:
👸🏻 he falls first
❄️ insta love
🍎 billionaire romance
🪞 mafia romance
👸🏻 murder mystery
❄️ marriage of convenience
🍎 fairytale retelling (snow white)
🪞 family betrayals
👸🏻 dark romance
nothing is going to top the first book but this was still soo damn good. it was so fast-paced and there were so many twists and turns. reading this book literally felt like as if you're in a crime movie. although kind of a stretch, i still loved the snow white retelling aspect of the book.
as of the characters, i loved rosalie and alexei's interactions, they were so adorable together. i loved the seven elderly boarders so much. they were so cute and funny at times. i love how they were all very protective of rosalie. i was definitely eating the thornalana crumbs up.
cant wait for the third book in the grimm bargains series. i'm finger crossing, praying that it's gonna be ella's book.
⤷ thank you to netgalley, the publisher, good girls pr and the author for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
omg i got the arc! i just recently finished the first book so i have super high expectations for this one. hoping we get some thorn and alana cameos here.
tropes:
👸🏻 he falls first
❄️ insta love
🍎 billionaire romance
🪞 mafia romance
👸🏻 murder mystery
❄️ marriage of convenience
🍎 fairytale retelling (snow white)
🪞 family betrayals
👸🏻 dark romance
October 10, 2025
A ver, tiene sus muchas similitudes con el primero en cuanto al desarrollo de la historia y la relación entre los protagonistas pero aún así me gustó muchísimo más. Me resultó adictivo realmente, lo cual se agradece
July 2, 2025
One Dark Kiss by Rebecca Zanetti
Narrated by Lance Greenfield & Erin Mallon
One Dark Kiss is the second book in Rebecca Zanetti’s Grimm Bargains series, a dark and twisted retelling of Snow White. It features a morally grey male lead and a smart (but occasionally clueless) female lead.
The absolute highlight of the audiobook was the narration. Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon were fantastic and honestly kept me engaged far longer than I expected. Their performances added depth and emotion that really elevated the story. I started to read the eARC but I had to switch to audio a few times because I was not a fan of the plot in this book.
That said, after reading both books, I still have no idea how the magic system in this world works. I was confused in book one... and that confusion has carried over into book two. 😂
Overall, it’s a dark fairytale with intriguing characters and top-notch narration, but don’t go in expecting a clear explanation of the magical rules just roll with it and enjoy the chaos.
Thank you NetGalley, RBmedia, Recorded Books for the ALC
Thank you NetGalley Kensington Publishing & Kensington
Narrated by Lance Greenfield & Erin Mallon
One Dark Kiss is the second book in Rebecca Zanetti’s Grimm Bargains series, a dark and twisted retelling of Snow White. It features a morally grey male lead and a smart (but occasionally clueless) female lead.
The absolute highlight of the audiobook was the narration. Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon were fantastic and honestly kept me engaged far longer than I expected. Their performances added depth and emotion that really elevated the story. I started to read the eARC but I had to switch to audio a few times because I was not a fan of the plot in this book.
That said, after reading both books, I still have no idea how the magic system in this world works. I was confused in book one... and that confusion has carried over into book two. 😂
Overall, it’s a dark fairytale with intriguing characters and top-notch narration, but don’t go in expecting a clear explanation of the magical rules just roll with it and enjoy the chaos.
Thank you NetGalley, RBmedia, Recorded Books for the ALC
Thank you NetGalley Kensington Publishing & Kensington
August 25, 2025
This was such a wild ride. A modern, darker take on Snow White with mafia vibes, power games, and a broody alpha who’s as dangerous as he is obsessed. I didn’t expect to love it this much, but here we are. Heads up—there are trigger warnings, so definitely check those before diving in.
Trope
✅ Billionaire anti-hero
✅ Lawyer heroine
✅ Dark fairytale twist (Snow White)
✅ Enemies to reluctant allies
✅ Obsession / possession
✅ Revenge
🔥 Fast burn
🌶 4/5
⚠️ Check TW
📖 Storyline
Alexei just got out of prison after seven years, and he wants two things: revenge—and Rosalie. She’s his new lawyer, and she has no idea what she’s walked into. There’s a media empire, a corrupt board, a criminal family, and something called crystal tech that ties it all together. It’s twisty, intense, and full of morally grey moves.
🎭 Characters
Alexei is that morally grey, obsessive, “you’re mine now” type, and I was here for it. Rosalie holds her own though—she’s smart, grounded, and doesn’t just roll over for him. Their dynamic? Tense. Addictive. Unhinged in the best way.
✒️ Writing and pacing
Tight pacing, no filler. The tension between them builds fast, but it works for the kind of high-stakes world they’re in. The legal and tech stuff wasn’t too heavy, just enough to make the plot feel sharp.
🌏 Worldbuilding
A gritty, modern world with mafia undertones and this weird-but-cool crystal tech system that gives it a near-futuristic edge. It’s not heavy fantasy—it’s more like dark contemporary with sci-fi fairy tale elements.
💭 Final Thoughts
Did I expect this to be a mafia Snow White with tech and legal drama? No. Did I love every chaotic minute of it? Yep. Fast, dark, and addictive. But again—there are heavy topics and scenes, so don’t skip those trigger warnings.
Who Would Love This
🖤 Dark billionaire romance fans
🖤 Readers who love morally grey leads
🖤 Anyone into dark modern fairy tale retellings
🖤 If you like obsession and revenge all tangled up in heat
🖤 Fast-paced romance with dangerous energy
Trope
✅ Billionaire anti-hero
✅ Lawyer heroine
✅ Dark fairytale twist (Snow White)
✅ Enemies to reluctant allies
✅ Obsession / possession
✅ Revenge
🔥 Fast burn
🌶 4/5
⚠️ Check TW
📖 Storyline
Alexei just got out of prison after seven years, and he wants two things: revenge—and Rosalie. She’s his new lawyer, and she has no idea what she’s walked into. There’s a media empire, a corrupt board, a criminal family, and something called crystal tech that ties it all together. It’s twisty, intense, and full of morally grey moves.
🎭 Characters
Alexei is that morally grey, obsessive, “you’re mine now” type, and I was here for it. Rosalie holds her own though—she’s smart, grounded, and doesn’t just roll over for him. Their dynamic? Tense. Addictive. Unhinged in the best way.
✒️ Writing and pacing
Tight pacing, no filler. The tension between them builds fast, but it works for the kind of high-stakes world they’re in. The legal and tech stuff wasn’t too heavy, just enough to make the plot feel sharp.
🌏 Worldbuilding
A gritty, modern world with mafia undertones and this weird-but-cool crystal tech system that gives it a near-futuristic edge. It’s not heavy fantasy—it’s more like dark contemporary with sci-fi fairy tale elements.
💭 Final Thoughts
Did I expect this to be a mafia Snow White with tech and legal drama? No. Did I love every chaotic minute of it? Yep. Fast, dark, and addictive. But again—there are heavy topics and scenes, so don’t skip those trigger warnings.
Who Would Love This
🖤 Dark billionaire romance fans
🖤 Readers who love morally grey leads
🖤 Anyone into dark modern fairy tale retellings
🖤 If you like obsession and revenge all tangled up in heat
🖤 Fast-paced romance with dangerous energy
March 23, 2025
Exciting, provocative, seductive, and utterly charming. Zanetti is building this series like I've built my FYP on TikTok, BRICK BY BRICK! The alchemy she has created is crazy good. Being bad has never felt so good for Rosalie and I am here for it!
*Thank you to Kensington Publishing via Netgalley for sharing this title with me.
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*Thank you to Kensington Publishing via Netgalley for sharing this title with me.
Follow me on
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June 21, 2025
1.5/5 because I think consent is cool!
I understand that bad things happen (especially to people in books), but this crossed the line. I draw the line at normalizing literal crimes against women. That happens enough in the real world.
In case you didn't know, SA is bad. Consent should be listened to and can be taken back at any moment. And that should be respected. I get that this is a dark romance, but that is supposed to mean that he is bad to everyone BUT the love interest. He is not supposed to be awful to her and her for go "okay, la la la la la." And she doesn't even do that because she literally says no MULTIPLE times and he just ignores it. Does not care. Hey, so that's a crime! And it's a crime I will never be okay with romanticizing. That's disgusting.
I'm giving this the 0.5 more than I want to just because I'm sure there's something of value in this book somewhere that I missed because I was so pissed off over the constant SA. (You get an automatic 1/5 stars from me if you try to pass off SA as anything but the absolute worst.)
I was excited about this book, I thought that a magical mafia romance could be cool and fun and unique, but that mystical part really felt random and unexplained. It just didn't work in this instance.
Also, I think this cover is AI. And AI is bad. So that's also gross.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I understand that bad things happen (especially to people in books), but this crossed the line. I draw the line at normalizing literal crimes against women. That happens enough in the real world.
In case you didn't know, SA is bad. Consent should be listened to and can be taken back at any moment. And that should be respected. I get that this is a dark romance, but that is supposed to mean that he is bad to everyone BUT the love interest. He is not supposed to be awful to her and her for go "okay, la la la la la." And she doesn't even do that because she literally says no MULTIPLE times and he just ignores it. Does not care. Hey, so that's a crime! And it's a crime I will never be okay with romanticizing. That's disgusting.
I'm giving this the 0.5 more than I want to just because I'm sure there's something of value in this book somewhere that I missed because I was so pissed off over the constant SA. (You get an automatic 1/5 stars from me if you try to pass off SA as anything but the absolute worst.)
I was excited about this book, I thought that a magical mafia romance could be cool and fun and unique, but that mystical part really felt random and unexplained. It just didn't work in this instance.
Also, I think this cover is AI. And AI is bad. So that's also gross.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
June 24, 2025
I was intrigued by the premise of the book and I keep wanting to try "dark romance." When I first learned of dark romance I thought it meant toxic and unhealthy relationships but so many dark romance books seem to mean nonconsent. The MMC in this book is atrocious. It's hard to read a "romance" book with a main character you hate and a love story you cannot root for. It's not even dubious consent; the FMC continually says "no" "stop" and "don't do that again" and the MMC laughs and doesn't care. This is abuse. There is nothing sexy about this. The praise in the bedroom falls flat because he coerces her with pain to agree to what he said. It's just ridiculous. I had to DNF because reading about a woman being degraded doesn't do it for me.
The plot is about the MMC being framed for murder and spending 7 years in prison. Well. It is hard to care about him being framed when he is killing *other* people left and right. He SHOULD be in prison.
Finally, this is tagged fantasy. It's not fantasy. It's at most magical realism (but not really). It's in a normal world with fantastical gems, mafia, and a sexually abusing MMC.
Thanks to Netgalley and RBmedia for a review audiobook.
The plot is about the MMC being framed for murder and spending 7 years in prison. Well. It is hard to care about him being framed when he is killing *other* people left and right. He SHOULD be in prison.
Finally, this is tagged fantasy. It's not fantasy. It's at most magical realism (but not really). It's in a normal world with fantastical gems, mafia, and a sexually abusing MMC.
Thanks to Netgalley and RBmedia for a review audiobook.
June 24, 2025
3 stars
The second book in the Rebecca Zanetti’s Grimm Bargains series, this is a dark romance with a morally grey uber-possessive hero, a feisty young lawyer with Snow White vibes, mystery, suspense, minor paranormal magic and all the steam. It’s an intriguing read that kept me engaged, and even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of the first book, I enjoyed this one.
Alexei Sokolov is the heir to one of the four most important social media empires in the country, as well as the Russian mob, but he has spent the last seven years in prison after being convicted of murder. Rosalie is a young lawyer whose latest case is overseeing Alexei’s release and retrial, and with that release, she is thrust right into the middle of his world as he immediately sets about reclaiming his empire, seeking his revenge for those who set him up, and claiming his spunky young lawyer as his own.
Alexei is dangerous, violent and lives in his own world of dubious morals and ethics. He has no problem with killing (though we later see that he does have somewhat of a conscience when it comes to who and why), but when it comes to Rosalie, he is unapologetically controlling. The sex in this book is really freaking steamy, and at least half of the time there is dubious consent. Rosalie enjoys their wild sexy time, but she initially hates herself for it, and their early encounters start off with her either asleep or refusing him. And even when they’re in the midst of it all, he brings kink, dominance and smacking (including with a belt) into their encounters without any conversation. It’s a bit borderline, to be honest, but… fiction. Just keep reading.
For me, Alexei wasn’t actually that likeable. He claims Rosalie and is super protective of her, but he doesn’t actually treat her well. He’s kinda scary to be honest, and Rosalie seems pissed, but she’s drawn to him and doesn’t put up too much of a fight with any of it. And we ultimately do get to see some character growth as feelings become involved.
While they try to figure out who set Alexei up and sent him to prison, they’re dealing with his dangerous family, a scorned ex-lover, members of the Russian mob, a violent gang and multiple murder attempts. It’s fast paced and violent, and certainly kept me engaged and guessing as to who the ultimate bad guy was and how everything would go down.
The world building in this book is better than the first. There’s more focus on the character story rather than the world of social media which they inhabit, which is what I struggled so much with in the first book. This one reads more like billionaire businessmen/mob story, which worked well with the dark mystery/suspense aspects, and you could read this one as a standalone.
Characters from the previous book appear, and there is some carry-over from the last book (the heroines are best friends, and there’s a third to their group who will no doubt feature in a future book). I also enjoyed the addition of Rosalie’s boarders. She shares her home with seven elderly men in need a home, which seemed really random until I realised that this was meant to be a twist on the story of Snow White (still very random, but at least there’s a reason for it). Not overly important to the story, but the gentlemen added a fun dynamic to events.
I did enjoy this one – 3 stars.
An Advanced Reader copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
The second book in the Rebecca Zanetti’s Grimm Bargains series, this is a dark romance with a morally grey uber-possessive hero, a feisty young lawyer with Snow White vibes, mystery, suspense, minor paranormal magic and all the steam. It’s an intriguing read that kept me engaged, and even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of the first book, I enjoyed this one.
Alexei Sokolov is the heir to one of the four most important social media empires in the country, as well as the Russian mob, but he has spent the last seven years in prison after being convicted of murder. Rosalie is a young lawyer whose latest case is overseeing Alexei’s release and retrial, and with that release, she is thrust right into the middle of his world as he immediately sets about reclaiming his empire, seeking his revenge for those who set him up, and claiming his spunky young lawyer as his own.
I know what I want. Who I want.
And I will have her.
Alexei is dangerous, violent and lives in his own world of dubious morals and ethics. He has no problem with killing (though we later see that he does have somewhat of a conscience when it comes to who and why), but when it comes to Rosalie, he is unapologetically controlling. The sex in this book is really freaking steamy, and at least half of the time there is dubious consent. Rosalie enjoys their wild sexy time, but she initially hates herself for it, and their early encounters start off with her either asleep or refusing him. And even when they’re in the midst of it all, he brings kink, dominance and smacking (including with a belt) into their encounters without any conversation. It’s a bit borderline, to be honest, but… fiction. Just keep reading.
“You want a choice in this?” he rumbles.
I gape at that statement. “I-I do have a choice in this.” What an asshole.
“You really don’t, but I’ll let you get there yourself.”
For me, Alexei wasn’t actually that likeable. He claims Rosalie and is super protective of her, but he doesn’t actually treat her well. He’s kinda scary to be honest, and Rosalie seems pissed, but she’s drawn to him and doesn’t put up too much of a fight with any of it. And we ultimately do get to see some character growth as feelings become involved.
“You don’t even know me. The sex is good, and you think I’m pretty, but that’s not enough.”
“I do think you’re pretty, and the sex is off the charts. But you’re highly intelligent, have a great sense of humor, and own a heart that’s all soft and kindness. I want it.”
While they try to figure out who set Alexei up and sent him to prison, they’re dealing with his dangerous family, a scorned ex-lover, members of the Russian mob, a violent gang and multiple murder attempts. It’s fast paced and violent, and certainly kept me engaged and guessing as to who the ultimate bad guy was and how everything would go down.
The world building in this book is better than the first. There’s more focus on the character story rather than the world of social media which they inhabit, which is what I struggled so much with in the first book. This one reads more like billionaire businessmen/mob story, which worked well with the dark mystery/suspense aspects, and you could read this one as a standalone.
Characters from the previous book appear, and there is some carry-over from the last book (the heroines are best friends, and there’s a third to their group who will no doubt feature in a future book). I also enjoyed the addition of Rosalie’s boarders. She shares her home with seven elderly men in need a home, which seemed really random until I realised that this was meant to be a twist on the story of Snow White (still very random, but at least there’s a reason for it). Not overly important to the story, but the gentlemen added a fun dynamic to events.
I did enjoy this one – 3 stars.
An Advanced Reader copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.
June 16, 2025
2.25
I’m honestly not sure if this was a ‘just not for me’ situation because I can’t enjoy a book just for the vibes.
First, I was intrigued. The book started off great - between the lawyer FMC and the alleged, hot and morally dark murder she's trying to get out of prison, the premise was right up my alley.
PLOT
The plot itself might have worked, too, even though at times it felt almost a bit like stumbling through a story. Some things read as if they'd been made up on the go for convenience and then forgotten about (i.e. at the beginning of a spicy scene she notes she's always waxed because she swims a lot only for there to never again be any mentioning of doing so.)
I personally feel like the paranormal aspect didn't do anything at all for the story and was a bit irritating, not sure how much it ties into book 1 though.
Overall, there was a lot of repetition (i.e. the backstory with the co worker). This is one of the things I know many others don't mind while it makes me feel like the author lacks trust in the intelligence of their readers. (I also low-key want to know how often the term 'Kitten Heel' was used.)
All that could still have made for an enjoyable three star read, in my opinion.
CHARACTERS
This is where my biggest issue and ultimately deal breaker lies.
The FMC could’ve worked, even though she might have needed a bit more smoothing out.
I think I struggled when I noticed that all female characters read rather similarly, especially when we got another female POV.
What made her irrevocably fall apart for me, though, was the lack of structure and contour (there was no rhyme or reason to some of her behavior and by the end of the book I still wouldn't be able to describe her and what kind of person she is.).
This led to some absolutely random decisions that I struggled with a lot. (i.e. How she, as a lawyer, handled the recovered peace of evidence or how she, no questions asked, wears his jewelry after her senior partner at the law firm knew that this was a sign of him being involved with someone.
The MMC I think was supposed to be the broody, morally black bad guy.
I saw someone else say how his criminal behavior is more on the morally grey side and how he can’t pull off the lovable dark, obsessive possessive character because he doesn’t back it up with the reverence for the FMC. And I have to wholeheartedly agree.
He doesn’t treat her in a way that justifies this persona. He’s owning her but not in the good way, keeping her small and punishing her for disrespecting him in front of his men (which can work but not when it feels like a blatant show of fragile masculinity).
I hated that he kept telling her to trust him while also proving he can’t be trusted AND, only reiterating that she would have no access to his business and he would not share information with her.
In my opinion, he just read like a toxic asshole and not the kind I personally want to see in those books.
ULTIMATELY...
I feel like, while this book didn’t do anything inherently wrong, it crumbled under the weight of the little things. The potential is there and the premise and framework are a great foundation for a good dark romance book. Which is why I think so many others seem to love it.
For me, however, I was close to DNFing several times and might have, had it not been an audiobook and well narrated at that.
Thank you to NetGalley, RBMedia and the author for an ALC of this book.
I’m honestly not sure if this was a ‘just not for me’ situation because I can’t enjoy a book just for the vibes.
First, I was intrigued. The book started off great - between the lawyer FMC and the alleged, hot and morally dark murder she's trying to get out of prison, the premise was right up my alley.
PLOT
The plot itself might have worked, too, even though at times it felt almost a bit like stumbling through a story. Some things read as if they'd been made up on the go for convenience and then forgotten about (i.e. at the beginning of a spicy scene she notes she's always waxed because she swims a lot only for there to never again be any mentioning of doing so.)
I personally feel like the paranormal aspect didn't do anything at all for the story and was a bit irritating, not sure how much it ties into book 1 though.
Overall, there was a lot of repetition (i.e. the backstory with the co worker). This is one of the things I know many others don't mind while it makes me feel like the author lacks trust in the intelligence of their readers. (I also low-key want to know how often the term 'Kitten Heel' was used.)
All that could still have made for an enjoyable three star read, in my opinion.
CHARACTERS
This is where my biggest issue and ultimately deal breaker lies.
The FMC could’ve worked, even though she might have needed a bit more smoothing out.
I think I struggled when I noticed that all female characters read rather similarly, especially when we got another female POV.
What made her irrevocably fall apart for me, though, was the lack of structure and contour (there was no rhyme or reason to some of her behavior and by the end of the book I still wouldn't be able to describe her and what kind of person she is.).
This led to some absolutely random decisions that I struggled with a lot. (i.e. How she, as a lawyer, handled the recovered peace of evidence or how she, no questions asked, wears his jewelry after her senior partner at the law firm knew that this was a sign of him being involved with someone.
The MMC I think was supposed to be the broody, morally black bad guy.
I saw someone else say how his criminal behavior is more on the morally grey side and how he can’t pull off the lovable dark, obsessive possessive character because he doesn’t back it up with the reverence for the FMC. And I have to wholeheartedly agree.
He doesn’t treat her in a way that justifies this persona. He’s owning her but not in the good way, keeping her small and punishing her for disrespecting him in front of his men (which can work but not when it feels like a blatant show of fragile masculinity).
I hated that he kept telling her to trust him while also proving he can’t be trusted AND, only reiterating that she would have no access to his business and he would not share information with her.
In my opinion, he just read like a toxic asshole and not the kind I personally want to see in those books.
ULTIMATELY...
I feel like, while this book didn’t do anything inherently wrong, it crumbled under the weight of the little things. The potential is there and the premise and framework are a great foundation for a good dark romance book. Which is why I think so many others seem to love it.
For me, however, I was close to DNFing several times and might have, had it not been an audiobook and well narrated at that.
Thank you to NetGalley, RBMedia and the author for an ALC of this book.
June 29, 2025
This wasn’t anything like my childhood fairytales. It was darker, deadlier, and dripping with heat. Rebecca Zanetti gives us a razor sharp tale of obsession and vengeance in this modern, sinful reimagining of Snow White. Packed with brutal power plays, steamy tension, and betrayal at every turn, this book sank its claws into me from the first page.
I loved Alexei’s raw, almost feral, intensity. His calculated rage, especially toward his family and the empire that betrayed him, makes every scene simmer with tension. While Rosalie wasn’t immune to his pull, she was no pushover either. The force of Alexei’s presence and the gravity of what he’s endured quickly pull her into his orbit. Their chemistry is wild, electric with heat, but also layered with danger, obsession, and moments of vulnerability.
This isn’t just dark romance for spice’s sake, although it definitely has that; there are high stakes power moves, manipulation, and emotional landmines at every turn. Themes of control, corruption, redemption, and twisted loyalty run deep through the story. And while it’s part of a series, this installment holds its own with a sharp pace and a plot that never lets you relax. Fans of morally gray characters and dangerously sexy dynamics will devour this installment.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Steam
I loved Alexei’s raw, almost feral, intensity. His calculated rage, especially toward his family and the empire that betrayed him, makes every scene simmer with tension. While Rosalie wasn’t immune to his pull, she was no pushover either. The force of Alexei’s presence and the gravity of what he’s endured quickly pull her into his orbit. Their chemistry is wild, electric with heat, but also layered with danger, obsession, and moments of vulnerability.
This isn’t just dark romance for spice’s sake, although it definitely has that; there are high stakes power moves, manipulation, and emotional landmines at every turn. Themes of control, corruption, redemption, and twisted loyalty run deep through the story. And while it’s part of a series, this installment holds its own with a sharp pace and a plot that never lets you relax. Fans of morally gray characters and dangerously sexy dynamics will devour this installment.
Dual POV
Safe
Triggers
Steam
June 29, 2025
Four and 1/2 stars for this one😊 It's the second book in Zanetti's Grimm Bargains series, but they don't have to be read in order. I started with One Dark Kiss because of a notification I received about it and found the synopsis intriguing.
I did quite enjoy this dark romance between the main characters, Alexi Sokolov and Rosalie Mooncrest. The story is set in a bit of an alternate universe, where certain crystals/gemstones have great power, and only people of certain bloodlines can use and harness that power. There are four main social media sites, each site being different in purpose. The sites are run by four different Mafia families (a fact NOT known by the general public), who are using their crystals/gemstones to power everything relating to their sites. There is severe competition between them.
Rosalie's character-besides being a lawyer-also runs a boarding house with seven senior male occupants. Very reminiscent of the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs......
The comedy is in just exactly what each of these senior men actually did for a living before they "retired"😂
This book is not available on KU right now, although the first book of the series, One Cursed Rose, is! For anyone that subscribes to Amazon Music, if you haven't borrowed a book this month yet, One Dark Rose is available to listen to for free-which is what I did. If you can do that, I totally recommend this book👍 However, I feel the asking price of $14.96 for the Kindle edition is just too high a price to pay in today's economy. 👎
I did quite enjoy this dark romance between the main characters, Alexi Sokolov and Rosalie Mooncrest. The story is set in a bit of an alternate universe, where certain crystals/gemstones have great power, and only people of certain bloodlines can use and harness that power. There are four main social media sites, each site being different in purpose. The sites are run by four different Mafia families (a fact NOT known by the general public), who are using their crystals/gemstones to power everything relating to their sites. There is severe competition between them.
Rosalie's character-besides being a lawyer-also runs a boarding house with seven senior male occupants. Very reminiscent of the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs......
The comedy is in just exactly what each of these senior men actually did for a living before they "retired"😂
This book is not available on KU right now, although the first book of the series, One Cursed Rose, is! For anyone that subscribes to Amazon Music, if you haven't borrowed a book this month yet, One Dark Rose is available to listen to for free-which is what I did. If you can do that, I totally recommend this book👍 However, I feel the asking price of $14.96 for the Kindle edition is just too high a price to pay in today's economy. 👎
July 20, 2025
Alexei & Rosalie’s story is my favorite of the series so far! Alexei is the definition of “he’s only soft for her.” I love the scene where he bought her every kind of kitten heel after he had destroyed her favorite pair.
This story has a little of everything - dark (and very spicy) romance, action, mystery, and a dash of fantasy! Rosalie is a strong woman who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself, even to the head of the mafia.
The found family was my favorite part of the story. We have Rosalie and her two best friends, as well as her group of old men boarders who protect her.
There were so many twists and turns to the plot that kept me engaged. I’m hoping we might get Ella’s story next!
Read this if you love:
✨ morally grey characters
✨ billionaire & mafia romance
✨ possessive MMC
✨ found family
✨ dark fairytale retellings
While I enjoyed the story, so many parts were unrealistic (which I know isn’t the biggest factor in dark romance, but it just bothers my logical brain). The end didn’t clarify if Rosalie was able to stay a lawyer, or just gave it all up for Alexei. It was so much back and forth of her hating him for his actions and immediately forgiving him and sleeping with him. I appreciate how this second book explained a little more about the fantasy elements of the charging stones.
Audiobook thoughts: The narrators both did a great job, but I personally had to quit the audiobook and switch to the physical copy. The male narrator’s accent was accurate but it just didn’t sound attractive to me in a romance novel.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.
This story has a little of everything - dark (and very spicy) romance, action, mystery, and a dash of fantasy! Rosalie is a strong woman who isn’t afraid to stand up for herself, even to the head of the mafia.
The found family was my favorite part of the story. We have Rosalie and her two best friends, as well as her group of old men boarders who protect her.
There were so many twists and turns to the plot that kept me engaged. I’m hoping we might get Ella’s story next!
Read this if you love:
✨ morally grey characters
✨ billionaire & mafia romance
✨ possessive MMC
✨ found family
✨ dark fairytale retellings
While I enjoyed the story, so many parts were unrealistic (which I know isn’t the biggest factor in dark romance, but it just bothers my logical brain). The end didn’t clarify if Rosalie was able to stay a lawyer, or just gave it all up for Alexei. It was so much back and forth of her hating him for his actions and immediately forgiving him and sleeping with him. I appreciate how this second book explained a little more about the fantasy elements of the charging stones.
Audiobook thoughts: The narrators both did a great job, but I personally had to quit the audiobook and switch to the physical copy. The male narrator’s accent was accurate but it just didn’t sound attractive to me in a romance novel.
Thank you to Kensington Publishing for sending me a copy of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.
June 21, 2025
I have to say this wasn’t what I expected at all! I kinda just went on blind with this one, I didn’t know the genre or what is about, and I was pleasantly surprised to come face to face with a possessive mafia x lawyer romance. It’s definitely on the lighter side of dark so if you’re looking for full dark, this probably won’t scratch that itch.
I really enjoyed the dynamic here, I will say that this may not be everyone’s cup of tea with the bordering on consent and the dark-ish nature, but I for one loved it! It was an intriguing read and I did love the uniqueness of the relationship and the story. I certainly didn’t see the reveal coming, so it was a bit of a surprise which is always a good thing in these dark whodunnit type books.
I listened to the audio version and the narrators did a fantastic job! I would seek out these narrators for sure.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio arc of this book!
I really enjoyed the dynamic here, I will say that this may not be everyone’s cup of tea with the bordering on consent and the dark-ish nature, but I for one loved it! It was an intriguing read and I did love the uniqueness of the relationship and the story. I certainly didn’t see the reveal coming, so it was a bit of a surprise which is always a good thing in these dark whodunnit type books.
I listened to the audio version and the narrators did a fantastic job! I would seek out these narrators for sure.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio arc of this book!
August 14, 2025
Rating: 4.5/5
𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆: 𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝙺𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚋𝚢 𝚁𝚎𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚌𝚊 𝚉𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒
Anytime I read romantasy or a dystopian romance, I preface that I don’t typically read many of them. What I mean is that I’m particular and tend to seek out themes that lean more on contemporary themes that I can resonate with and less on the fantastical side. One Dark Kiss does this with a Snow White retelling, too. Besides the spice, what captured my interest the most was that there was plenty of that, but the dark mafia vibes weaved in with magical elements and a mystery component. I liked how both characters offset each other. Rosalie is Alexei’s attorney, trying to prove his innocence. Their dialogue and heat between them worked well. I liked the action scenes—some are graphic in ways that describe bl00d. But I liked that.
One Dark Kiss was an enjoyable read.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘗𝘙, 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 @rebeccazanetti 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘒𝘪𝘴𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺.
𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆: 𝙾𝚗𝚎 𝙳𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝙺𝚒𝚜𝚜 𝚋𝚢 𝚁𝚎𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚌𝚊 𝚉𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚒
Anytime I read romantasy or a dystopian romance, I preface that I don’t typically read many of them. What I mean is that I’m particular and tend to seek out themes that lean more on contemporary themes that I can resonate with and less on the fantastical side. One Dark Kiss does this with a Snow White retelling, too. Besides the spice, what captured my interest the most was that there was plenty of that, but the dark mafia vibes weaved in with magical elements and a mystery component. I liked how both characters offset each other. Rosalie is Alexei’s attorney, trying to prove his innocence. Their dialogue and heat between them worked well. I liked the action scenes—some are graphic in ways that describe bl00d. But I liked that.
One Dark Kiss was an enjoyable read.
𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘏𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘗𝘙, 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘈𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 @rebeccazanetti 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘒𝘪𝘴𝘴. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺.
October 11, 2025
Ay, si me gustó. Leí este libro que es una especie de reinterpretación del cuento de Blancanieves y los siete enanos, solo que en esta ocasión no son enanos, son inquilinos de una casa rosa, que sorpresivamente son jubilados de diferentes puestos de poder dentro de organizaciones criminales.
Nuestra Blancanieves no se llama así, es en realidad Rosalie, una abogada civil muy buena en su trabajo que se embarca en su primer caso penal, buscando liberar a nuestro príncipe de la historia.
Alexei, un hombre que fue incriminado falsamente, sobre un crimen que no cometió, buscará con ayuda de Rosie, quedar bien librado legalmente después de siete años en los que tuvo que estar encerrado en una cárcel.
Ahora, hablando en serio, siento que los personajes más divertidos de este cuento sin duda alguna fueron los inquilinos, Ella y sin duda alguna nuestra Blancanieves, si bien al igual que Florian, Alexei es guapo, es atractivo y tatuado, hasta ahí llegan sus encantos.
Pero en fin, no me crean, léanlo por ustedes mismxs, +18 procede con precaución.
Nuestra Blancanieves no se llama así, es en realidad Rosalie, una abogada civil muy buena en su trabajo que se embarca en su primer caso penal, buscando liberar a nuestro príncipe de la historia.
Alexei, un hombre que fue incriminado falsamente, sobre un crimen que no cometió, buscará con ayuda de Rosie, quedar bien librado legalmente después de siete años en los que tuvo que estar encerrado en una cárcel.
Ahora, hablando en serio, siento que los personajes más divertidos de este cuento sin duda alguna fueron los inquilinos, Ella y sin duda alguna nuestra Blancanieves, si bien al igual que Florian, Alexei es guapo, es atractivo y tatuado, hasta ahí llegan sus encantos.
Pero en fin, no me crean, léanlo por ustedes mismxs, +18 procede con precaución.
June 13, 2025
I had the opportunity to recieve this book as a ALC. Thank you netgalley!
I went blindly into this story and what a ride it was. The narration is dual and the pov too. I loved that they did the Russian accent. It made it even more real and enhanced the experience. The narration was great, they made the story came to live.
The story follows Rosalie, an attorney who gets a case were she has to help a Russian mob boss with his case. You can feel the danger trough the writing, this is not a man you can play with. As the story continues we meet the wonderfull roommates. What a fantastic side carakters. I also liked the power of crystals. Never read anything like it.
The story is fast pasted, cannot put it down. It feels like your in a good crime movie. I would recommend this book if you like a dark romance with a bit of urban fantasy sprinkles.
I went blindly into this story and what a ride it was. The narration is dual and the pov too. I loved that they did the Russian accent. It made it even more real and enhanced the experience. The narration was great, they made the story came to live.
The story follows Rosalie, an attorney who gets a case were she has to help a Russian mob boss with his case. You can feel the danger trough the writing, this is not a man you can play with. As the story continues we meet the wonderfull roommates. What a fantastic side carakters. I also liked the power of crystals. Never read anything like it.
The story is fast pasted, cannot put it down. It feels like your in a good crime movie. I would recommend this book if you like a dark romance with a bit of urban fantasy sprinkles.
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