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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Rating: 4.5⭐️/5
This was a fabulous dark romance with some mystical elements and I thought that the crystal magic was really cool. Alexi was like a perfect villain and broody male main character all in one. He is such a morally grey character and unreliable narrator that worked so well! Definitely a grumpy/sunshine vibe.
I consumed this one within a couple days. The dual narration on the audiobook was really good as well. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC and ALC for this book.
This was a fabulous dark romance with some mystical elements and I thought that the crystal magic was really cool. Alexi was like a perfect villain and broody male main character all in one. He is such a morally grey character and unreliable narrator that worked so well! Definitely a grumpy/sunshine vibe.
I consumed this one within a couple days. The dual narration on the audiobook was really good as well. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC and ALC for this book.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I enjoyed the darkness of the MMC and the interactions of the FMC. The spiciness was good and I wish there was more plot about the court case and finishing that out. It seemed to end abruptly.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I was really intrigued by the premise of One Dark Kiss—a steamy, modern twist on a fairy tale, with mafia elements, legal drama, and a brooding ex-con love interest. Rebecca Zanetti definitely knows how to deliver heat and tension, and the chemistry between Rosalie and Alexei is strong from the start. The darker, grittier take on Snow White vibes worked well in places and gave the book a unique edge.
But overall, this one was a mixed bag for me. Some scenes dragged due to repetitive inner monologues. While I appreciated the setup and the high-stakes atmosphere, the characters didn’t quite evolve beyond their tropes, which made it hard for me to stay emotionally invested.
However, I am still interested in reading the next story and the new characters.
Thank you, Netgalley and Kensington Publishing, for sending me this e- ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
But overall, this one was a mixed bag for me. Some scenes dragged due to repetitive inner monologues. While I appreciated the setup and the high-stakes atmosphere, the characters didn’t quite evolve beyond their tropes, which made it hard for me to stay emotionally invested.
However, I am still interested in reading the next story and the new characters.
Thank you, Netgalley and Kensington Publishing, for sending me this e- ARC in exchange for my honest opinion
She’s his lawyer and he’s obsessed with her from their first meeting and won’t let her get away. She’s trying to prove his innocence while he’s plotting his revenge on the person that set him up. The pice was hot, the twists are unexpected & we can’t forget her seven elderly tenants that look out for her. The magic concept was interesting but I wish it was highlighted more and wasn’t so vague. There were some cringey moments but all in all, it was a fun read and kept me hooked enough to finish it! I received an arc of this but these are my genuine thoughts about the book.
dark
Loveable characters:
Yes
The tension… the spice…… the everything.
Wow, I have so many thoughts streaming through my head with this one, most that aren’t appropriate for a review due to spoilers so I can’t wait until it comes out on June 24th so I can discuss it more at length!
I have sort of a split opinion of sorts between the story in its own right vs its command of the source material since it’s a dark (well darker or different type of dark) retelling of the original Snow White and Snow White and the Hunts Man. Of you take the retelling part out of it the book can have a disconnect with what we are told the characters are verse how they actually act. This can be off putting I’m sure to some readers especially because let’s be honest, it’s abusive but isn’t all dark romance?
On the other hand when you compare it to the source material it’s really cleverly done. In the books description it tells us that it’s a retelling of Snow White and in the original story the huntsman is a character but in my opinion Zanetti also uses the source material of the more modern “Snow White and the Huntsman” to draw from. She of course turns it all on its ear and weaves a morally black MMC with the seemingly innocent and sweet FMC.
I do like the urban fantasy feel to the story that seems like it is in the regular modern world until you see how the top internet companies are run. It’s not just futuristic, it’s fantasy.
Is this book similar to her first in the series? Sure. But so are Grimms fairytales at their core.
I did an immersion read as I received a physical ARC of the book as well as the audiobook. I had started the book only in physical form for the first 40% and then got the audio so I had the chance to explore both mediums by themselves. So I listened for a chunk and then finished up doing both at the same time.
The narrators Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon did a fine job with their performances. They spoke at a good pace and switched between chosen accents easily . However, while it was fine, Mr Greenfields “Russian” accent was a bit more on the comical side rather than authentic which took some time to get used to.
While the audiobook was a good experience I definitely enjoyed reading the prose with my eyeballs . It allowed me a better experience in connecting with the characters and painting the world in my head.
I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Recorded Books through NetGalley as well as the physical ARC from Kensington Publishing to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
I have sort of a split opinion of sorts between the story in its own right vs its command of the source material since it’s a dark (well darker or different type of dark) retelling of the original Snow White and Snow White and the Hunts Man. Of you take the retelling part out of it the book can have a disconnect with what we are told the characters are verse how they actually act. This can be off putting I’m sure to some readers especially because let’s be honest, it’s abusive but isn’t all dark romance?
On the other hand when you compare it to the source material it’s really cleverly done. In the books description it tells us that it’s a retelling of Snow White and in the original story the huntsman is a character but in my opinion Zanetti also uses the source material of the more modern “Snow White and the Huntsman” to draw from. She of course turns it all on its ear and weaves a morally black MMC with the seemingly innocent and sweet FMC.
I do like the urban fantasy feel to the story that seems like it is in the regular modern world until you see how the top internet companies are run. It’s not just futuristic, it’s fantasy.
Is this book similar to her first in the series? Sure. But so are Grimms fairytales at their core.
I did an immersion read as I received a physical ARC of the book as well as the audiobook. I had started the book only in physical form for the first 40% and then got the audio so I had the chance to explore both mediums by themselves. So I listened for a chunk and then finished up doing both at the same time.
The narrators Lance Greenfield and Erin Mallon did a fine job with their performances. They spoke at a good pace and switched between chosen accents easily . However, while it was fine, Mr Greenfields “Russian” accent was a bit more on the comical side rather than authentic which took some time to get used to.
While the audiobook was a good experience I definitely enjoyed reading the prose with my eyeballs . It allowed me a better experience in connecting with the characters and painting the world in my head.
I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Recorded Books through NetGalley as well as the physical ARC from Kensington Publishing to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
dark
medium-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes