Review for A Love Most Fatal by Kath Richards

Math teachers and mob bosses might seem like strange bedfellows, but somehow it just really works in A Love Most Fatal. The common tropes of mafia fiction—protector/protectee relationship, financial imbalance, family bonds, betrayal, criminal behavior but with morals—all factor in heavily. The flip of the mob boss being female, and particularly one as dynamic as this novel’s Vanessa, turns the possibly too comfortable familiarities into something entirely new. Having sisters at the head of the organization, and just as multi-dimensional, helped shape this into one of my favorite romantic reads of the year.

The author strikes a rarely seen balance between the threads that make up A Love Most Fatal. A charming romance doesn’t overshadow the fact this is a mafia story. Nothing is done just for shock value, and any twists feel earned without being too overt. The family dynamics and the characters upholding them feel realistic, lived in, and competent within their roles. I don’t think there was a single character I disliked that I wasn’t supposed to. Even then, the more villanous stay layered.

Errors are very few and far between, and other than a small bit of confusion regarding two goons early on in the novel, A Love Most Fatal is practically flawless. This novel might have been a debut for the author, but it doesn’t read like one at all. I might just be a little biased toward the story as a math teacher myself, and I don’t often get to see us as romantic leads at all, let alone stories like this. However, I do believe A Love Most Fatal has a much broader appeal than to just math teachers. Any romance readers who appreciate powerful women falling in love with less traditional but still strong men (toxic does not mean strong!) and a little bit of violence between the steamier scenes should enjoy. I’m already planning to read the sequel hopefully coming sooner rather than later.

A Love Most Fatal is available to buy on Amazon.