My Dark Ever After

My Dark Mafia Romance #2

by Giana Darling

Wrapping up this daring duet, bestselling author Giana Darling takes readers back to Tuscany for another tantalizing mafia romance, where dark players and passions collide to reveal explosive secrets.

Guinevere

My trip to Italy shattered my dreams. I just wanted to connect with our family’s roots, but that meant defying my father’s wishes. I was looking for truth and goodness. All I found was darkness and deceit. And one man who embodies it the capo dei capi, Raffaele Romano.

Raffaele saved my life—then stole my trust. But my broken heart still pulses for him. When his enemies follow me home to Michigan, I realize I’ll never be free of him. Now I’m right back where it started.

Raffaele

I will do anything to keep Guinevere safe, even abduct her back to Italy and earn her hatred forever. I know the villain never gets the girl. But as ghosts from our families’ pasts arise to haunt us, I decide there is only one thing worth fighting a dark ever after with my brave, beautiful American girl. And I will raze everything else to the ground to get it.

Genres: Dark Romance, Mafia Romance, Romance, Forced Proximity, Audiobook, Dark, Second Chance

399 pages, Paperback

Published October 28, 2025

About the author

Giana Darling is a Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Top 40 Amazon Best Selling Canadian romance author.

I love to write about all things dark, forbidden, and angsty.

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You can also contact my PA at gianadarlingpa(at)gianadarling.com !

Reviews

[aira {vacay ia}]

gotta see what happens after that ending in book 1 🫣

[Giana Darling]

Available now!

What to expect​
🖤 Age gap
💫 Italian mafia romance
🖤 Chronic illness rep
💫 Touch her and 💀
🖤 Forced Proximity
💫 Morally Gray MMC
🖤 A Man Obsessed

Download today or read for FREE with #kindleunlimited
Amazon: https://geni.us/MyDarkEverAfterGD

Audible: http://bit.ly/3KZwD16
Narrated by CJ Bloom & Dane Anderson

Goodreads: https://geni.us/MyDkEverAftrGoodreads

[Soft Nectarine ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh noooo her hot Italian boyfriend is ACTUALLY a mafia leader 🇮🇹✨ Romantic mafioso returns more protective than ever!!

“Even if I loved him enough to accept his darkness, I didn’t know if I was brave enough to harness mine.”

✨🇮🇹🖤 🔫 🖤🇮🇹✨

Guinevere has finally lost her lovey-dovey filtered glasses and is reconciling her spicy Italian romance with the mafioso reality 🖤 Why hot if criminal?? It’s an interesting exploration of morality as Vera comes to terms with darkness inside her too.

Just like the first book this one drips in Italian romance & passionate devotion. 🫒✨ The author has an uncanny ability to paint an immensely romantic picture of the mafioso world marked by tight-knit family and ruthless passion. I WANT A MAFIA MAN! It doesn’t get more Italian than:

🇮🇹 vineyard sex at sunset

🖤 grape harvests & wine festivals

🇮🇹 passionate thirst in a gallery in front of famous art work

🖤 touch her & die

I was a bit frustrated by the super obvious plot twist. I was genuinely perplexed just how oblivious the main characters were. The fmc clearly describes him as a sus guy and she gets kidnapped under his watch but she’s still completely surprised that he was a “bad” guy.

age gap
protective mmc
second chance
intelligent fmc
found family
kidnapping(s)
HEA

[Naomi]

OCTOBER?????????
Gianna BFFR!!!!!

[Kursed Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two months after leaving Tuscany, and back in Michigan, Guinevere Stone begins seeing danger lurking in every corner and in the eyes of every stranger she passes.

In the end, her instincts were right, but her vigilance didn’t keep her out of harm’s way. However, it ultimately reunites her with Raffa and the family she left behind.

While not as steamy, the conclusion to Guinevere and Raffa’s story was fast paced, suspenseful, and nothing short of passionate. I didn’t think I could fall more in love with Raffa, and somehow I did. it would be a lie to say I didn’t want to throat punch Guinevere a few times, but I did ultimately appreciate her growth throughout the duet, and particularly MDEA. This one will, undoubtedly, sit with me for a while.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Burn: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Darkness: 🖤🖤🖤
Heat: 🌶️🌶️
Range of Emotions: 😳🫣🤯🫠😍
Ending: 💗 {HEA}

POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}

🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): Dark, New Adult, Suspense

✨ Tropes: Age Gap (11), Billionaire, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Good Girl > Dark Queen, Grumpy/Sunshine, Mafia/Bratva/Organized Crime
 
💫 Microtropes: Boy Obsessed, Chronic Illness, Cinnamon Roll, Coming of Age, Pet Name

💋 Kinks: Angel Wings, Biting/Marking, Dirty Talk, Domination, Finger Licking Good

🚩 Red Flags: Antihero, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, Touch-Her-and-💀, Tracking/Spying

🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a

📍 Setting: Tuscany, Italy 🇮🇹

⚠️ Warning: This steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.

⛔️ Safety Squad: Drugged (Not by MMC), Infertility, Kidnapping/Captive (Not by MMC), Unalìvíng, Violence, and other potentially triggering elements. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!

📣 Type: My Dark Ever After is the conclusion to the My Dark Mafia Romance duet. This series must be read in order.

🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.

[Dreamer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What? October? İ have to wait that much to read it 😭😭 please make it as soon as possible and yeah i need to have the second book before i read the first one. İ can't wait between two books. İ will definitely go mad 😂😂😂

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great wrap up to the duet and I was riveted the whole way through. I waited for the audio to be on Read and Listen because that's how I read book 1. I loved the narrators and I was so excited to hear them finish out the duet.

I liked how this one picked up a little while after book 1. I think Gwen needed time to contemplate everything she had experienced and Rafa needed to decided that he would do anything to keep her. They hadn't known one another for too long and it was a lot that went down in the past few months.

The chemistry between them was palpable and getting them back together as quickly as possible was a good choice for the story. The time spent apart was off page and now we are back and ready to rock and roll. Gwen can lie to herself for only so long about her connection to Rafa. When they are around one another, the world falls away. I love it.

I also loved the mystery aspect and suspense that was woven in. I enjoyed the cameos from other characters within the Giana Darling universe. The shout-out to Sebastian really had my heart squeezing as well. I need that conclusion as soon as possible. haha!

Overall, this was a solid story, and even if some of the answers were telegraphed pretty far ahead, I still was shocked a few times. I enjoyed that!

4 Stars
4 on the spice scale

CW: Kidnapping, violence, death and gore

*Thank you to VPR and the author for an ARC of this title.*

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was very much just fine. I feel slightly conflicted because it is the continuation and finishing out a story. While I enjoyed the first book back in the spring, either I read it at just the right time or got everything I needed out of it, or I just didn’t care as much once we got this second part of the duet and lost interest in the wait. This is a mafia romance that picks up where the first book left off so definitely is not a standalone.

I just had a lot of issues with this one. I wasn’t hooked, I cared less about the couple/characters in this second part, I don’t think the story even needed to be a duet, the pacing and plot of it all dragged in parts and felt repetitive. We get lots of being taken captive, the heroine doing a lot of contemplating, family secrets and drama. Maybe if it was shorter it could have been be more enjoyable, I don’t know. At least it was on KU with read and listen, if it wasn’t for the audiobook I wouldn’t have gotten through it.

[Simone · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25/5

Well, at least there was something happening in this book. Was about time. Questions were answered.
The clues for the plot were quite on the nose, it misses only a few cliches of a mafia romance.

I want to remind everyone that this duet takes place over 4-5 months…

Genevieve was described as one thing and did the complete opposite.
Raffa started and ended the same person.
No one acted like they’re actually in a mafia.

Did this needed to be a duet? Definitely not.

Maybe this could be enjoyable for first time readers of this genre.

[Medollga · Rating 3 out of 5]

too long and convoluted 😅 still very romantic though 👉🏼👈🏼

[Elisalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the first book soo much and can’t wait for this to come out!!!

But please Giana!! Don’t let there be any other woman drama in this one🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻 both have stay celibate during their separation 🙏🏻💔❤️‍🩹
Their love is like no one’s I’ve read for so long!💗

[wpwpwpwppw · Rating 4 out of 5]

★4.5
เล่มที่2ของ duet เรื่องจะต่อเนื่องจากเล่มแรกเลย หลังจากที่นางเองกลับไปที่อเมริกา ก็ใช้ชีวิตตามปกติทั่วไปทำงานที่บริษัทของพ่อ คืนนึงมีคนบุกเข้ามาในออฟฟิศตอนที่ทุกคนกลับไปหมดแล้ว เพื่อจะจับตัวนางเอก ชีก็สู้สุดชีวิตทั้งๆที่ไม่รู้หรอกว่ามันคือใครกันวะแบบแก๊งไหนอีกก 555 เกือบเอาตัวไม่รอดสุดท้ายพระเอกมาช่วยไว้ทันแล้วพระเอกก็พาชีกลับอิตาลีคืนนั้นเลย

“𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙞����𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙙. 𝙎𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡, 𝙂𝙪𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙄𝙩𝙖𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙙𝙤 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙩.”

กลับไปอิตาลีรอบนี้พระเอกพานางเองเข้าบ้านที่มีครอบครัวของตัวเองอยู่ด้วยเลย เจอทั้งแม่ พี่สาว และหลานๆ เล่มนี้จะเห็นความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างนางเอกและคนสำคัญๆรอบตัวพระเอกเยอะขึ้นกว่าเล่มแรก found famaliy ที่ดืออ รวมถึงจะได้เห็นพาร์ทของพระเอกกับครอบครัวด้วย พระเอกคือทรีตแม่ พี่สาว หลานๆ น่ารักมากกก มาเฟียหนุ่มที่รักครอบครัวสุดๆ🫠

เล่มนี้คือมีเรื่องราวเกิดขึ้นมากมายแบบถ้ามีต่ออีกเล่มก็ไม่ติดนะ(แต่ขอเร็วๆ😂) ความสงสัยจากเล่ม1 ก็มาคลี่คลายในเล่มนี้ แต่มันซับซ้อนกว่าที่คิดไว้ ตัวละครเยอะมาก ไหนจะแก๊งๆทั้งหลายอีก บางพาร์ทต้องอ่านซ้ำ2รอบ เพราะบางคนโผล่มาตั้งแต่เล่มแรกแต่เราลืมก็จะงงว่านี่มันใครวะ 5555 บวกกับชื่อแบบ italian ยิ่งจำยากเข้าไปใหญ่ อีกอย่าง duet นี้จะพูดถึงวรรณกรรมอิตาลีค่อนข้างเยอะเลย ความรักของพระนางก็จะถูกเปรียบเปยกับวรรณกรรม ซึ่งเราก็ไม่ได้มีความรู้เรื่องนี้ขนาดนั้น อ่านไปก็กูเกิ้ลไปด้วย แต่ไม่ได้ทำให้ความสนุกลดลงนะ แต่อาจจะเบียวๆ chessy นิดนึง 55555555

“𝙎𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙙 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙢𝙚”

“𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪”

พาร์ทโรแมนซ์พระนางดีเหมือนเดิม อ่านแล้วเชื่อว่ารักกันมากจริงๆ พระเอกคือโค่ดดดจะรักนางเอก แบบ i would die for you จริงๆ ชอบคาแรกเตอร์พระเอกมาก🥹 ส่วนตัวนางเอกมีพัฒนาการขึ้นเยอะเลย ก็มีแฟนเป็น capo จะมาหงิมๆก็ไม่ได้นิ โดยรวมสนุกเลยยย ชอบมากๆแต่อาจจะน้อยกว่าเล่มแรกนิดนึงง 🤏🏻 เป็นนิยายอีกเล่มที่ไฮไลท์เยอะมากๆระหว่างอ่าน แต่ช่วงท้ายเรื่องตอนจบมันตัดฉึบไปหน่อย ยังอยากอ่านต่ออยู่🥹

[M. Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars: This was the 2nd half to the dark, forbidden mafia romance duet. It was a great wrap-up after a crazy cliff hanger at the end of the 1st book. I couldn't help but fall for Raffa, the mafioso...very swoon worthy☺️🩷. I could have done with a little less spice, but the suspenseful ending was a lot of fun. This was my first G. Darling read. I will definitely pick up more of her books.👍🏻

[TheBookPlatypus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll keep this review short and sweet to prevent spoilers.

This duet is everything. Giana Darling truly cannot write a bad book.
The way she weaves emotion, detail of every setting, suspense, plot twists, romance, angst… it’s so beautiful. Her story telling is a masterpiece every time.

We leave off with Guinevere back in Michigan. The story continues and takes off quite fast.

Once reunited with Raffa, she’s clearly conflicted. He’s good. And he’s bad. So so bad.
Where does she draw the line with her morals?

“You might see blood on my hands, but I wish you could see that they have never held anyone as tenderly as they have held you."

The suspense was killing me. I had to read this book in one sitting. Someone is after Guinevere and she must find her inner strength. To become a huntress herself.

This story is beautiful. You cannot find a better morally grey hero than Raffa. He’s a top book boyfriend and this duet is one I could read over and over again.

[Amber (Amber Reads Romance) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

My Dark Ever After is the conclusion in the My Dark Mafia Romance duet. I was highly anticipating this book, and of course, Giana Darling didn't disappoint. She is one of my favorite authors because she always delivers beautifully emotional romances.

This book picks up 2 months after the fallout in the previous book. She left Italy and returned home to Michigan to try and pick up her old like. Things escalate fast when someone tries to kidnap her, and she is saved by Raffa, who basically forces her to come back to Italy with him.

Guinevere had ended things after she learned the truth about him being a capo. She needs to come to terms with who he really is and if she can be with him. Guinevere had a lot of growth in this one, and she became a strong and true partner for Raffa. Their chemistry continues to be off the charts and undeniable. This book was super spicy.

Raffa is one of my favorite mafia men because he is such a family man and treats all the women in his life like queens. He lifts them up and respects them on a whole other level. This man is also so devoted and obsessed with his woman and will literally do anything for her. I loved how he was brutally honest with Guinevere about his dark side and demands she love him for his true self. He also wants her to be his queen and equal in the mafia world.

The suspense and mafia politics were fantastic in this one. I was surprised a few times, even though I did see one thing coming. The Italy and vineyard setting is one of my favorite parts of this book.

🖤 Age gap
💫 Italian mafia romance
🖤 Chronic illness rep
💫 Touch her and 💀
🖤 Forced Proximity
💫 Morally Gray MMC
🖤 A Man Obsessed


AUDIOBOOK REVIEW
🎤Dual narration by Dane Anderson & CJ Bloom

Dane Anderson and CJ Bloom did an amazing job with the Italian accents. I loved it when Dane would speak Italian to her, so sexy. They both brought so much passion to their performances.

Thank you to Giana Darling for providing the ARC & ALC.

[Zita · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.25) มาคนละแนวกับเล่มแรกเลย เล่มแรกจีบกันกุ๊กกิ๊กหวานแหวว เที่ยวฟลอเรนซ์สวยๆ บรรยากาศสุดแสนจะสงบสุข ส่วนเล่มนี้เป็นแนวมาเฟียเต็มรูปแบบ ระเบิดภูเขาเผาสวนมะกอก ยิงกันสนั่นคาบสมุทรอิตาลี เป็นนิยายมาเฟียสมองไหลในแง่ที่ว่าตัวละครสมองไหลกันแบบ literally😭 ส่วนตัวเอนจอยกับเล่มนี้มากกว่าเล่มแรกเพราะความมันส์ระเบิดเถิดเทิงเหล่านี้นี่แหละ วุ่นวายกันแบบไม่ได้พัก นางเอกปลอดภัยได้แป๊บๆ เกิดเรื่องอีกละ พระเอกพูดแทบทั้งเรื่องว่าจะไม่ปล่อยให้นางเอกเจออันตรายอีก แต่อันตรายก็มาหานางเอกถึงที่เองอยู่ดี

นอกจากจะเกิดเรื่องราวสารพัดอย่างแล้ว เล่มนี้ยังได้เห็นการเติบโตของนางเอก จากสาวน้อยอเมริกันใสซื่อสู่นางพญา จากลูกกวางน้อยสู่นักล่าสาว ซึ่งก็เป็นการเติบโตที่งดงาม (มั้ยนะ? พูดอีกแบบก็คือเข้าสู่ด้านมืด 555555) ถึงบางทีชีจะมีการตัดสินใจที่งงๆ เหมือนสัญชาตญาณการเอาตัวรอดเป็นศูนย์ แต่พอคิดว่าถ้านางเอกไม่ทำแบบนั้นเรื่องคงไม่เกิดมันก็พอเข้าใจได้อยู่ ส่วนพระเอกเล่มแรกโรแมนติกยังไงเล่มนี้ก็ยังโรแมนติ๊กกกโรแมนติกเช่นเดิม ปากหวานสมเป็นหนุ่มอิตาลีมากกกก

ส่วนพล็อตเรื่องเล่มนี้ค่อนข้างซับซ้อน มีความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างแก๊งมาเฟียต่างๆ โน่นนี่นั่น ตัวละครโผล่มาล้านแปด คนร้ายเดาง่ายไปหน่อย แต่ก็คิดว่าเล่มนี้พล็อตสนุกน่าติดตามกว่าเล่มแรกเยอะเลย (รู้สึกว่าเล่มนี้มันเป็น plot driven ส่วนเล่มแรกเป็น character driven)

ทางด้านความอิตาลี คิดว่าเล่มนี้มันไม่ fascinating เหมือนเล่มแรก เพราะในเล่มแรกมันคือการมองอิตาลีผ่านสายตานางเอกที่เป็นนักท่องเที่ยว มันเลยมีความอเมซิ่งอิ๊ทาลี่กว่า ส่วนเล่มนี้นางเอกเลิกเที่ยวแล้ว แต่ความอิตาลีต่างๆ ก็ไม่ได้หายไปไหน ยังคงสอดแทรกภาษา/ศิลปวัฒนธรรม/วรรณกรรมต่างๆ เข้ามาอยู่เรื่อยๆ แค่มันมาในคนละมุมมองกับเล่มแรก ไม่ใช่อิตาลีเคลือบกลิตเตอร์ฟรุ้งฟริ้งละ

ใดๆ คือชอบพ่อนางเอกมากกกก เท่ฝุดๆ

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 'La mia cerbiatta e la mia cacciatrice' Stars!

I've been dying to get back to My Dark Mafia Romance duet ever since that killer cliffhanger in the last book, and wow, Giana Darling absolutely knocked it out of the park with My Dark Ever After! This book takes Raffa and Guinevere’s journey to new, deeper emotional depths. I loved every single second of getting to know more about them and watching their rollercoaster of a relationship unfold. Giana did such an incredible job giving them this intense, dark and raw journey as they fought to get keep their relationship. The stakes felt even higher in this installment than the previous one, and the characters? I’m still in awe of how she brings every single one to life with so much detail.

As always, Giana is such a talented writer. Her prose flows effortlessly and pulls you in every single time. The chemistry between Il Gentiluomo and his cacciatrice was ON FIRE—their passion literally burned the pages. Giana Darling delivers yet another masterpiece that left me falling even deeper in love with her narrative. She definitely did THAT and gave this beautiful couple the ending they deserved. So, if you haven’t picked this duet up yet and you love age-gap, mafia romance and Italy, I highly recommend you do so as soon as you can!

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

Raffa and Guinevere are everything to me. The cliffhanger in book one broke my heart a little bit, but the reunion in this book was exactly what I needed it to be!

The cast of characters, Vera’s development, Raffa’s obsession with her, and the intrigue of all the mafia politics really had me locked in. And don’t even get me started on the SPICE!

Not to mention this entire duet felt like a love letter to Italy. I truly felt transported there and it’s clear how much love the author has for the setting.

Definitely recommend for lovers of Mafia Romance.

[Buffy ❤️‍🔥💀 · Rating 5 out of 5]

1000/10 recommend this duet! I loved the storyline, the spice- E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I overhyped it in my head…I put things together very early on in the boom which took out the fun. I also felt like soo much of the book was the FMC’s internal debate over is he too bad of a guy, can I accept his darkness, but he’s a good guy - it got old quickly. I soo enjoyed the first book but if I were to reread I’d stop after that one and just assume we all live happily ever after in the end.

[Sentranced Jem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guinevere might not be my favourite FMC written by Giana Darling but my lord! Raffaele is absolutely breathtaking 🥵❤️

[Angelina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel picks up the pieces from the first book and throws them into over-drive: Guinevere is back in Michigan, trying to live a normal life after everything in Italy went sideways — but of course, nothing’s normal when the man who saved her and broke her trust, Raffaele, is still in her life (and her danger). You’ll get layers of betrayal, secrets from both their pasts, and a ton of emotional and physical stakes as the mafia world closes in.
What I loved: the character growth for Guinevere, the way Raffaele’s protective/obsessive sides collide, and the way the settings flip between Michigan and Italy so the danger feels global.
What I didn’t fully love: the pace sometimes raced, and some twists felt more expected than surprising.
If you like dark, high-stakes romance with slash-your-heart tension and big consequences, this one hits.

[ReadingTilTheBreakOfDawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all, I gotta say that I'm glad I waited and binged this duet back to back because I felt like I was right on the precipice along with Guinevere feeling everything she was going through emotionally.
After the cliffhanger we were left with in book one, My Dark Ever After picks up with Guinevere back in America, working with her father, but is still missing the man that stole her heart in a matter of weeks in Italy. But was the life he lead worth it for her? That is the major question that G is left with while living her life back in the US.

But you had to know that Ms Darling wasn't going to leave us like that, right? Because our sweet, innocent Guinevere has danger following her and Raffa still has his eye on her, even thousands of miles away. And when danger comes knocking, Raffa goes into major protective mode and brings her back to his side. And this is where things take off and we get the full on mafia vibes that were a bit more hidden in book one..

While I enjoyed this first book and liked how well it built up the characters and the world in Italy, it all felt too easy and almost too soft. Like there were too many secrets that needed to be unveiled in order for these two to really come together. But in this one? It was perfect. We got to see Guinevere grow into this strong and capable woman that could stand by Raffa's side and she shined in that role. To see her growth and for Raffa to show who he truly was. It's bloody beautiful. Not only that, but we get questions answered about Guinevere's family's past and all those breadcrumbs that were dopped over the course of this duet came together flawlessly. The stakes were high, were Darling committed and took us on one heck of a journey!

This duet showcased Giana Darling's beautiful yet brutally poetic writing, while giving us two main characters that were meant for one another. The chemistry between Guinevere and Raffaele was something else. It was absolute fire and burned brightly. I loved seeing Guinevere with Raffa's family as well as taking her place at the throne along side him. Her evolution from the moment she stepped onto the soil of her ancestors as someone quite naive to becoming Raffa's partner in everything was quite phenomenal. I loved her growth and I loved that Raffa may have softened for her, but also did not hide who he was. A reluctant mafioso that actually loved taking care of business.

With all that said, the total bonus to this duet was the read/listen on KU. CJ Bloom and Dane Anderson were absolute perfection!! I could feel the growth of Guinevere as a character not only with Darling's writing, but the way Bloom gave her strength in her performance. And Anderson as Raffa? His performance gave me goose bumps. Those two brought the story to life and I felt like Darling's words were played out so well because of their performances.

Overall, another great book from Giana Darling. I loved this world and I loved the secrets that all unfolded over time. Great cast of characters. Amazing storytelling. Wonderful pacing from beginning to end. I wouldn't be mad to get more in this world because it's sexy, exciting and damn bloody good!!

[Katie Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I started this book last night and finished this morning- in simple terms I absolutely DEVOURED it, I was desperate to know how Raffa and Guinevere’s story ended and Giana certainly didn’t disappoint.

As I do not want to ruin the reader experience for anyone this review is spoiler free ✨

Of course Raffa and Guinevere’s story is a duet so if you haven’t picked up My Dark Fairytale then I suggest you start there. The second book picks up just shortly after where book 1 ends, in which Guinevere has left Italy but just because she has left doesn’t mean Raffa’s eyes are not firmly on her.

I think Raffa became more obsessed with Guinevere in this book and I mean he was utterly obsessed in book 1 but book 2 we definitely saw a whole new level and personally I was absolutely here for it😮‍💨 They were the King and Queen and god help anyone who disrespected the Queen👏🏼

I loved Guinevere’s development from the person she was when we meet her in beginning of the story to the person she became at the end. While it was clear that she wanted Raffa she had to dig deep and decide whether the mafia life was something she wanted. She became stronger and stepped up into her role of the woman who stood firmly at Raffa’s side.

I said it in my review of book 1 and I will say it in my book 2 review but the family element of this book absolutely has my heart. Not only in regard to Raffa’s family but how his inner circle, Martina, Ludo, Carmine and Renato’s have a strong and close bond with Guinevere - it will always has a special place in my heart😭

This book was definitely action packed. Many secrets are revealed in this book and there are quite a few twists and turns that I couldn’t predict.

I am sad to be saying goodbye to these characters as I developed my own bond over the last two books, but I hope that this is not the end and we get a cameo or spinoff in the near future💗 And speaking of cameos - someone I haven’t read about in quite awhile decided to make a brief appearance and I loved it😫😫

Thank you so much to VPR who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts 💭

[Jaxi Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best conclusion to this duet! Raffa && Guinevere we’re everything && I could not put it down!!

I oh so loved this dark mafia romance. So many twists, turns, mysteries && loved continuously flipping the oages to find out if my theories were right or not. Raffa && Guinevere had so much to go through with each other, but there was no one else in the world made for one another. They fit together so perfectly && I will think of their story for a long time!

I’ve only discovered Giana this year, but she has become one of my favorites. Her writing is so poetic in the book && it made me feel more than I thought I would for dark mafia. I cannot wait o read more from her!

[💜VGreedyReader🖤 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book two picks up right where book one ended. Guinevere and Raffaele have to navigate rough waters before they can get their happy ending, it might still be bear darkish hues but it’s theirs and it’s perfect.

Giana doesn’t hold back into this second instalment. She packs action, suspense, twists and turns all combined with explosive chemistry, set in dreamy Italy. The love she has for this country pours into the pages of her tale, her heart and soul are drenched in the valleys and sun of Tuscany.

Told in dual POV these characters will steal your hearts, Raffaele is a perfect example of how easily a villain can conquer and win you over. His dedication to Guinevere is what dreams are made of, he never pretends to be something he isn’t, after abandoning his previous idea of hiding the truth about his world, he sets out to show how real his love is. Guinevere embraces her new self and finally uncovers her inner self, she sets her own desires free, finally accepting a new, less polished side of hers. This new freedom helps her to bloom into a wonderful woman who claims her right place next to her Lord of the underworld.

[Brit · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️
2 🌶
🎧 dual

What a ride! My Dark Ever After picks up two months after My Dark Fairy Tale.So much happens in the second part of the duet. The twists, surprises, betrayal, truths, and lies.

Audiobook is narrated in dual by Dane Anderson and CJ Bloom. The spectacular performances absolutely captivated me. The accent and Italian lines were flawless.

Thanks to Valentine PR for ALC.

[Bree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect completion to this duet! This might be my favorite mafia romances ever. I loved all the Italian culture and history mixed into such a wild, gripping story. And Rafaela Romano is everything! The writing is completely addicting, and I can’t wait to read more from Giana Darling.

🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Lia · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6 ⭐️

[Mehak Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

i haven’t been speechless in a long time… this duet was amazing