Warning, this starts where the second book ends off, the the MC h threatening herself with a gun so the MC H will release her so she can save the people in the soirée.
Due to that, I docked one star from my rating. I dislike guns being used as a plot point in how the characters try to manipulate one another.
I’m not against weapons when it makes sense, in say a war story and they do fit into the mafia plot line here, but I’m not fond of them being used to threaten self harm to get one’s way.
Other than that beginning scene, the development of the relationship between the MCs is almost cute and sweet. I like the introspection from the MC h. She’s a smart cookie, if woefully naive due to both of her sheltered lives thus far.
3, I am looking forward to the next volume and hope they cool the gun thing down, stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
"There is no future where I can find that peace if I abandon the people now!"
Oooo, I'm really liking how this volume is breaking the traditional trope of the female lead knowing how everything unfolds! I mean, yes, she DOES know about the key events, but I like how, since she hasn't played the FULL game, she doesn't actually know who the ultimate villain is. While I was sort of like okay, there is a little bit TOO much question asking of what could happen next, I still think it overall made the story stay interesting in terms of figuring out who the actual bad guy is.
On the flip side, I am LOVING the "romance," but oh my goodness, Leonardo has been friend-zoned sooooo HARD! LOL!! Francesca is an incredible heroine, but she is surprisingly very naive too, though I find that endearing. LOL! I am just surprised that she cannot see that all the "friend" stuff she is doing with Leonardo is exactly how an engaged couple would act! LOL! Leonardo definitely knows and sees it, and like his random moments of laughter, because with how romantically smitten the man is with her, I don't blame him for just rolling with it. LOL!
Though I will say I am very happy for Francesca and how she has found a real friend! It makes me happy, and I really enjoyed all the moments they have together! The moment by her mother's grave was very touching, and I was glad we were able to see a much more real side of Leonardo, where there was no teasing, even if it was briefly.
I am curious to see what happens in the next volume because with how much question asking was happening in this one, I really don't know what to expect, except I hope our leads continue to stay friends AND engaged! LOL!
I'm really curious if Leonardo is actually the true villain or just a red herring. If Francesca's suspicion is correct and the real mastermind isn't him, it would be such a crazy plot twist, especially if the mastermind turns out to be someone close to her!
Overall, the story is keeping me pretty intrigued. I can't wait to unravel more of the mystery in the next volumes!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I was really feeling this volume!!! I feel like we got to see more of the characters personalities; Leonardo is shown to be more vulnerable (still don’t really like him though) and the ice cream scene at the end!?!?! _:(´ཀ`」 ∠):
This is honestly kind of silly, but I am enjoying it.
I don't really understand why a girl who lived 17 years before being reborn and living a second whole life is still this immature? She's sheltered, yeah. But that doesn't make you ignorant and oblivious. This whole deal with Leonardo becoming her First Friend is cute but also the tiniest bit cringey because he's...literally her fiance. It's like she puts up these mental blockades to ignore the reality of their relationship and why he is treating their "friend outings" like dates.
Also I wish she'd made some actual (female) friends? Getting close to her future love interest is great and all, but she needs and desperately wants a wider social life. Also, wouldn't Graziano count as her actual first friend?
Genuinely not sure if I'd like this series if I wasn't fond of Time Loop, but it is still cute and charming enough to keep going. If it focused more on the plotty bits and the mystery of who the true villain is, and the complicated dynamics between all the families, that'd be much better.
Francesca Calvino, a former yakuza granddaughter from her past life, has been reincarnated into the mafia world of a dating sim. All she wants is a peaceful life far away from crime… but fate (and the game’s storyline) keeps dragging her right back into the drama—especially because the game’s villain, Leonardo Aldini, is also her fiancé.
In this volume, the Full Moon Party becomes the center of chaos. Francesca ends up helping save the guests using her special ability. Luckily for her, another ML, Riccardo Ceranova, agrees to keep her ability a secret. But even after the incident, the real culprit behind the attack is still unknown.
Because this world is based on a game, Francesca starts suspecting almost everyone around her—including her own father. The story really plays with that tension: you never know when the “game plot” might twist things unexpectedly.
One moment that stood out to me is after the event when Francesca feels sad because she realizes she hasn’t made any real friends. Then Leonardo offers to be her friend, which makes her genuinely happy.
The second half of the volume focuses a lot on their “friendship”… though honestly it felt more like a date to me 😂 Francesca, however, is still a little dense about it.
During their outing, we also learn more about her complicated relationship with her father. That part was surprisingly emotional—both sad and heartwarming at the same time.
And of course… the volume ends on a big cliffhanger 😭
There’s also a small bonus section written like a short novel, showing another moment of their friendship-date dynamic. It was honestly very cute and added extra charm to their relationship.
Overall, this volume leans more into character development and relationship building, while the mystery and mafia conflict slowly simmer in the background. I’m definitely curious to see how Francesca and Leonardo’s relationship evolves next.
Also, now that it's been put out there that Leonardo may not be the main villain, I fully suspect Francesca's father. He's too handsome and kind and has a tragic backstory. We believe her mother died in childbirth, but her father says in this volume that it wasn't her fault. "You were not the one responsible," which makes me suspect maybe there's another reason she died. I mean, childbirth happens, but maybe something precipitated it. If he is the villain, maybe it has something to do with her mother's death. Anyway, I'm right there with Francesca trying to figure out who the villain is now that Leonardo seems sort of cleared. Not fully cleared, most kind of cleared.
The manga is starting to pick up. I'm hoping there's more with Riccardo to sus him out. It's really cute at the end of the manga how other students believe Graziano is her little brother. This manga was a nice palette cleanser after a few books I've been reading. I look forward to the next volume.
Ok so I’ll definitely be reading the next volume. This one really set up the mystery for the rest of series. “Who is the real villain in this Mafia Sim? Who can you trust? Is Leonardo actually a villain?”
Francesca already suspects that Leonardo isn’t the real villain of this Dating sim but since the game/story was unfinished when she died, she only knows the story up until a certain point. And since she started off the game from a different route (unintentionally going the Leonardo route) the relationships and plot points change slightly.
But I thoroughly enjoyed this volume and the cliffhanger!
Francesca…you won’t get any new friends if your first and best friend is the type that scares them all away…
Leonardo is certainly enjoying dating…er, friendly outings with her. He’s obviously quite smitten, and she is unbelievably oblivious and naive…not characteristics that I’d expect from someone with two lives as a child of gangsters. Even with no experience of IRL friends, she played dating sims before…
It’s cute, but the content is very short and a bit shallow so far. I also couldn’t help but think that Ricardo using two skills was unnecessary drama. If he just cast status recovery first, no need to boost everyone’s defense.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Better than the last volume. We got more character development between our two leads with less information drop, but it still happened in this volume which made some of the pages text heavy. I liked learning more about her father. That was sweet and hurtful. It's such a change to the man he is now. I like that we don't know more information about the who the ultimate bad is. It helps keep our mystery going.
Leonardo being "friend zoned" and Francesca not knowing who the ultimate villain is makes for a more exciting read. I am looking forward to volume 4 and seeing how her kinship with Riccardo will be developed. The banter and teasing have been fun, too. I am enjoying this series a lot. I think readers who like the enemies-to-friends-to-? trope will inhale this series.
It's really rather rude that now I have to wait an undetermined amount of time before I can read the next volume in this series. It's really starting to catch my interest, and I can't wait to see what's going to happen next.
Leonardo and Francesca have some relationship progression, but I also have zero clue what's going on.
Recap: party, she refuels a guy's defense and heal skill, leonardo and she become friends and hang out all the time, ending with her trying his ice cream before passing out.
aka: The Beloved Daughter of a Crime Family Was Reincarnated as the Daughter of a Gangster in an Otome Game: Highest-Ranking Villain, That Doting Is Unnecessary!
This was my favorite vol so far. It shows there relationship grow and somewhat trusting. They become friends and then it starts happening for her, the realization of him.
This was my favorite vol so far. It shows there relationship grow and somewhat trusting. They become friends and then it starts happening for her, the realization of him.
This series is fabulous! In this volume you get an unexpected friendship that brings out all the Doki Doki! Thank goodness the next volume comes out in about a month, if it took longer I don't know if I could wait lol!
Oct 2025: 3 stars. Staring to get a bit tedious with details and information coming out but the actual story feeling like a drag. Pacing issues?
Feb 2026: 3.5 stars with official translation. I liked it more, but do agree there is a lot of exposition and some meandering (and repetition). I did like the development of the friendship and some hints at what is coming next. I will probably continue to the next volume.