The Woman in the Garage

Grassi Family #8

by Jessica Gadziala

When Dasha moves across the country to take over her late uncle’s auto shop, she expects grease stains and busted engines—not cold stares, hidden secrets, and a debt to the local mob.

Enter Santo Grassi—charming, handsome, and impossible to ignore. He’s just there to collect protection money for the mafia, but as their paths keep crossing, it becomes impossible to ignore the heat growing between them.

But when Dasha discovers her uncle’s books don’t add up—and neither do his secrets—she realizes the trouble she’s in goes far beyond the risks of falling in love with a mafia capo…



* This book can be read as a standalone.

Genres: Romance, Mafia Romance, Romantic Suspense, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

Unknown Binding

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Jessica Gadziala is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in rural New Jersey with her parrots, dogs, and an ever-growing collection of houseplants. A lifelong dreamer, she’s been writing stories since childhood and published her first book in 2015. When not at her desk, she’s usually feeding backyard birds, rewatching crime dramas, period pieces, and 90s supernatural TV shows, or adding to her towering stacks of unread books.



You can find her on
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xx

Reviews

[Bozena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yeah, that's right.
She wrote another book!
Jessica Gadziala's a book machine, for sure.
I don't know how she's doing it, but I really don't care.
I love her books and I'm glad about every one of them.

This is the 8th book in that awesome mafia romance series about the Grassis.

I love stories about the many interesting men from the mafia world.
Yes, they're all ruthless and brutal when it comes to their enemies, but they also have their principles.
Women and children are always safe.
The old code still matters to them.

This book is about Dasha and Santo.
I love their story.
They're both honest and don't hide behind half-truths.
She was shy at first, but after she recognized Santo's great character, for the first time in her life, she wasn't afraid to confide in a man.

This is, of course, also a mafia romance, so it's full of gripping action, but before you wonder, the action comes from Dasha and those around her, not from Santo and his family.

Yes, in typical Jessica style, the women are the troublemakers in her stories, so here it is.

Amazing, unique, and scorching hot mafia romance, with my recommendation.

[ChasxSabri💗🫧 · Rating 3 out of 5]

liked everything but the sex scenes….

I think I’m starting to not like smut😭idk what’s going on
I liked their cute moments together but when things got hot I started skimming

[Teresa Daugherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!

I have enjoyed this series but by far this is my favorite! I read it in one sitting. Santo and Dasha (hope I spelled it right) were the best couple. I liked her kindness and gentle spirit and her clothing choices...he did to evidently! The book was just really good. We got to see the family members and some intrigue and drama! So good!
Please for give me for spelling names wrong...thank you!!

[Janet Welling · Rating 2 out of 5]

Same Old Same.

Ms Gadziala has found a formula for her books that works and we keep getting a variation of the same theme with a different title every few months. This was a very light read with a wafer thin plot and zero character development. It’s basically a raunchy Hallmark movie with a little mafia business on the side. A good time waster but, certainly nothing memorable.

[April Offutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

How the heck does this women write so good?! For real every dang book is solid sweet and spicy. All the characters come alive and I literally get giddy when I see any type of Navasink bank book. I will never stop reading this author even when I don't want to like a book it is still well written. Henchmen and Grassi are my faves and the demigod ones are my least fave but they are still well written. Read this series and anything by this women.

[Jodie Mihas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

I loved everything about this book. This series is wonderful,everything this author writes is fantastic,if you haven’t read this author yet do yourself a favour and start now,you won’t be disappointed 🖤❤️

[Kodie Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mafia series's may just be my favourite of Jessie's.

Santo's is fun-loving and not looking for all the responsibilities. He is content where he's at with what he's got and who's most important to him. He's loyal, sweet, and with protective. Oh, and he's good with his mouth.

I have never related to a character as much as I have Dasha. That want to be liked. The people pleasing nature. The soft heart. The stubborn will. Dasha bless her soul had me hooked at the tea cups. She's sweet, loving, and trusting. She took everything in her stride despite the crazy she was thrust into.

I loved them. There really was no back and fore bull. It was a tension filled build. Sweet moments of flirty fun and some real saucy shenanigans and action filled suspense. They have me giddy with all the happy feels at their crazy chemistry. All the swoons.
I was invested in them and their journey and not disappointed. I never am.

Oh the side characters are truly a thing of beauty. I need Sofias story. Giulio and her frying pan had me in hysterics. Also Domenico? Sir.. who is you and what's your story.

Anywho... as per it was another fabulous read. I can't wait for more!.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Woman in the Garage

I find this author's universe really interesting. There are several branches of the Navesink Bank world - this one is the Mafia family that runs the Navesink Bank docks. I spent some time trying to untangle my memory from the NY Mafia families and completely messed up the time frame until Richard Lyon was mentioned. Then I realized I needed to move myself back in time from the latest Henchmen books coming out (which are a generation into the future from this book). All of this is okay. Kudos to the author for having created such a rich and complex world.

[Krystyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Swoon!

Oh stop my beating heart! I absolutely adore the story of Santo and Dasha. It is exactly what I have needed.
The chemistry and heat is 🔥! A little action but lots of love.
Dasha is very alone after moving to Navesink Bank when she inherited her uncle's business and home. This business just happens to pay the Grassi's for protection.
Seeing the natural connection form between Dasha and Santo made me so happy. She clicks perfect like she was made to be with him and his family.
Hands down an amazing read!

[Krystin Rowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ommmmmggggggg someone help me off this fainting couch (that is obviously pink velvet) because this golden retriever has given me the vapors!!
Y’all know I am a fan girl for Jess, so you think I’m blowing smoke, but seriously, this is the escapism we deserve!
There’s drama, but not with the MCs
They’re hot. They’re safe. They communicate!!

[Crystal LoCicero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect

I was in a bit of a reading slump when I clicked to read this. It was everything I needed. This was fast-paced, funny, sexy, had a little mystery, and was an all-around good time to read. I love the entire Grassi Family and will read anything about them.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the Grassi family.  I think Santo is awesome.  Santo didn't run away or deny how he felt (which is refreshing) Dasha could have been one of those girly girls that gets on your nerves, but she was actually a whole lot tougher than you would think.  Easy read and totally enjoyable.

[Skip · Rating 5 out of 5]

When the uncle she hasn’t seen since she was seven years old leaves Dasha his mechanics garage business, it’s not a tale of a cute young thing making a challenging but fulfilling career change. Nope, instead, it’s a total mess, leaving Dasha with a complete lack of: (a) legible records, (b) organization, (c) respect and (d) a clue. Surly mechanics who charge anywhere between $50 and twenty times that amount for a simple oil change all the while ogling and swearing at her, a hoarder’s paradise of a filthy, cluttered house and dozens of apparently random keys on various keychains than imaginable are how Dasha is welcomed into her inheritance.

And matters only get more complex when the [gorgeous] local mafia guy comes to collect the monthly protection money Dasha’s uncle was supposed to be paying. But that’s not the worst thing to happen – read this story – you won’t regret a second of it!

[Cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dasha decides to uproot her life and move to run her uncle's mechanics garage after he died. She had no idea what she was getting into. The mechanics don't want her there nor respect her. Things get worse when she starts going through the books, and finds things are not right. Not long after Santo Grassi stops by looking for the monthly protection payment.

Santos has been watching his brothers and cousins one by one find their woman and settle down. Its not something he is afraid of as he wants a large family like he grew up in but he wasn't expecting the reaction he has when he meets Dasha. And its not long before Dasha troubles starts and these Grassi men do not stand for a woman being in harm's way.

Always love getting these mob romances.. They never disappoint.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica Gadziala kills it every single time. Every time I finish in less than 24 hours!!

[Lea Bookjoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

🇫🇷French & English reviews🇬🇧

Genre & Tropes : romance contempo x mafia x suspense plot x size + heroine x damsel in distress x spicy scenes

Une romance que j'ai lu avec beaucoup de plaisir entre un mafieux sexy et une héroine trop mignonne

J'adore la famille Grassi et je dois avouer que j'étais hyper impatiente de lire ce tome ! Et j'ai tellement aimé lire la romance entre Santo, badass de la mafia, et Dasha, une héroïne très mignonne dans les ennuis jusqu'au cou ! L'intrigue était tordue et pleine de rebondissements (les attaques contre Dasha !! Et l'identité du vrai coupable à la fin ><) et je l'ai dévoré jusqu'à la fin !

Un seul regret : j'aurais voulu qu'on voit la famille de Dasha au moins une fois ><

Bref, une romance mignonne et forte en rebondissements que j'ai lu avec beaucoup de plaisir !

Si ce n'était pas forcément le cas quand j'ai commencé à les lire, les livres de Jessica Gadziala font désormais partie de mes livres favoris que je lis dès que j'ai une baisse de moral et que je veux quelque chose de sympa à lire ><


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A romance that I read with great pleasure between a sexy mafioso and a super cute heroine

I love the Grassi family and I must admit that I was really looking forward to reading this book ! And I really enjoyed reading the romance between Santo, a mafia badass, and Dasha, a very cute heroine up to her neck in trouble ! The plot was full of twists and turns (the attacks on Dasha !! And the identity of the real culprit at the end ><) and I devoured it until the end !

Only one regret : I wish we could have seen Dasha's family at least once ><

In short, a cute romance full of twists and turns that I read with great pleasure !

While this wasn't necessarily the case when I first started reading them, Jessica Gadziala's books are now among my favorites that I read whenever I'm feeling down and want something nice to read ><

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a ton of fun the entire book as all I could picture is the stark and shadowy lighting of film noir movies about mobsters. It must have been Dasha’s preference for dresses (my head pictured pin-up style) and the fact Santo is a Made Man. The mystery and suspense throughout also gave it classic noir detective vibes.

Dasha seems exactly like the kind of woman you want to know. It really didn’t seem like much could drag her down. She was both confident in her own skin and even when facing nerves she mustered strength when she needed it. Exactly the kind of friend you want to have.

Santo, of course, like any Grassi Family man, was a perfect gentlemen (until he shouldn’t be *wink wink*) and a great partner to Dasha. I’m 99.9% certain marrying a mafia man wouldn’t be like this is real life, but boy do the Grassi’s make you wish it was that great. Communication, expression of feelings, cleans up, and cooks? Where is mafia school for men these days?

The cherry on the sundae for me actually wasn’t the mystery, the setting, the spice, or the action, but the epilogue. The simple truth how important it is to take time to be people, without anyone asking for a snack, and also take that time as a couple no matter how your love grows and changes - because it is important. A lot of us could use that reminder and go plan a date night.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Woman in the Garage is the eighth book in the Grassi Family series by Jessica Gadziala. This is Santo and Dasha’s book.

Santo is a protective and very sweet caring man. He’s part of the family and meets Dasha when he goes to collect protection money. He knows instantly that something is different about her and has a hard time fighting his attraction.

Dasha inherited her uncle’s auto garage and is determined to start a new life. However, it’s tougher than she expected, especially with how hostile the employees are towards her. Dasha discovers discrepancies in the bookkeeping and starts investigating but finds herself in danger.

I love these characters and the world of Navesink Bank that JG has created. Family is the backbone to all their relationships and everyone is available whenever someone needs help. There is always a lot of joking and love and friendship in these books, and I always look forward to the next one.

[Merry One Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Santo and Dasha are made for each other

This is book eight for the Grassi family and was enjoyable to read. It is always nice to revisit Navesbank and the families. So many people are interconnected and make for the most interesting stories. In this book, a young woman named Dasha receives an inheritance from a long lost Uncle Phil. Part of her inheritance is an automobile repair shop and although Dasha is not thrilled, she wants to keep her Uncle’s dream alive. The mechanics are not pleased that Phil had a relative. What Dasha does not realize is that her Uncle Phil pays protection money to the Grassi family. When Santo Grassi shows up all tall, handsome, and in a beautiful suit, Dasha is stunned, in the best way. Dasha’s journey begins there. There is a happy ending. Read On!

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dasha inherited her uncles car repair garage, and everything else he owned when he passed. Unfortunately, everything else included rude employees, a run down business, protection money owed to the mob, and a host of other problems…
Santo is charged with collecting the protection money owed to them from Dasha. She is too pretty and too sweet for him to push on her too hard, so it just gives him an excuse to see her more. And luckily help out when her uncles issues catch up to her.


The Grassi Family books are all fun to read. I love a good romance mixed in with a little action and suspense. This had all of that. Dasha and Santo are electric together. They have fantastic chemistry, and a great story to boost that up even more. This was one of my favorite reads so far this year.

[Gabi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been too long since we visited the Grassi family. It was fun to catch up with some of the characters from the earlier books and see another Grassi bite the (love) dust.

Some of the scenes in this book, like the attack in the garage, were so well written that I could feel the danger, the desperation, and the black heart of the mysterious attacker. Proud of Dasha for being able to think through the attack and save herself. Even prouder of Sasha for knowing how to take care of her after the attack.

There's actually nothing about Dasha and Sasha's story that I didn't like. Oh. Well, maybe one thing. It ended.

[Erica Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are back with the Grassis in this latest book, and it is Santo’s turn to find his love. Dasha is trying to start over, facing one obstacle after another, taking over her uncle’s garage. Santo immediately knows he needs to watch out for her and together they uncover quite a bit of excitement. They are steamy together, of course, and his family steps up to help as well. We met a new cousin in Dom who is intriguing and got to see Guilia Grassi in full form! I love all things mafia that come from Jessica Gadziala!

[Elaine Lucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Santo & Dasha. She has inherited her uncle's auto shop and Santo collects protection money from it. Insta love between the two of them knowing what they want showcases the story. Dasha is brutally attacked and that begins a mystery of her uncle's death, who and why she was attacked, & secret storage facilities. This one wasn't as exciting as the other books but Santo's brothers and cousins are wove into the story along with cousin Dom and more background on him. Loving this Navesink Universe and looking forward to the next book

[Caryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

GOOD STORY

This was an interesting story where a woman has inherited much more than a garage from her uncle. She becomes embroiled in a world of murder, drugs and the local mafia. As luck would have it Santo Grassi has taken a shine to Dasha and quickly became her ally in the dangerous world she lives in. Of course, love blooms and the mystery behind Dasha’s problems are dealt with by the Grazzi family.

Very good book!

[Wombat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sigh. I need to stop trying to read this author's stories. It's always the same old pathetic, unoriginal plot, with way too much cringy sex. Every damn time. I think this author has officially run out of original ideas. Emasculated Mafia and MC settings, where nothing happens, for fear of offending the safety gangs. If boring, unoriginal stories are your thing, I recommend this one.

[Dawn Gee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read

Santo and Dasha meet in the most odd circumstance. Dasha inherited her uncle's garage business but had no idea what that co!we with though. Santo feels a pull to Dasha and can't stay away. She's lucky Santo didn't stay away because he saves her life. Epilogue is very sweet and funny.

[Lynn C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love and happiness. Money always solves a problem. Of course finding romance works too. Danger and excitement, finding family and finding this "Knight in Shining Armor." Jessica always bring it!!! I'll keep being a fan.

[AnotherRomanceReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Name/Series: The Woman in the Garage (Grassi Family #8)
Author: Jessica Gadziala
Standalone?: Can be read as a standalone, but includes characters from other books.

4 Stars

My Opinion: This was another great book by Jessica Gadziala, and its genuinely mind boggling how often she releases a new book. I liked the main characters, and I really loved the found family aspect and how close and welcoming the Grassi family was. I also enjoyed the suspense element even if it was a little predictable.

Hero: 5/5. Santo was great. He was protective, sweet and took care of Dasha when she needed it. I also liked that he wasn’t afraid of commitment after he met her.
Heroine: 5/5. Dasha (25) was a very likeable character. She was really sweet and kind of shy in the beginning, but despite everything that was thrown her way she didn’t give up.

POV: 1st person POV (Santo and Dasha).

Push/Pull: There’s not any pulling or pushing away by either character.

Sadness: 0/5.

Explicit Sex and Spice Level: Yes. 2/5.

OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) Drama: No.

Separation: No. Once they get together, they stay together.

Cheating: No.

Closure/Ending: HEA. There’s an epilogue 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, 1 year, and 12 years into the future.

Possible Triggers: Assault, attempted sexual assault, violence, killing.

[Joann Lemly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Santo's story

It's always good to catch up with the Grassis. There is no drama or over thinking about their feelings. Everyone accepts that she is the one for Santo. Liked the mystery and suspense in this book. Jessica always delivers.

[kgm95 · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, her writing is great. I enjoyed this story but it wasn’t a favorite of the series.