mafia academy was one of my favorite series of 2023, and when the authors first announced this new series, the title alone won me over. they did the mafia subgenre justice, but could they master gothic fairytale retellings as well? if this introduction to midnight manor is any indication, it'll quickly become another favorite of mine. the writing was very immersive, i felt goosebumps at times due to the eerie atmosphere of the setting. it was another layer of tension to an already charged chemistry between the main characters. and the smut was delicious as always, the bdsm cavernous sex club element of the book reminded me of "twisted devotion" by poppy st. john. but i must say, much like it happened in their previous series, the band of brothers, the different dynamics and personalities was what made this special. there's so much darkness, so much trauma within the walls of this manor that the ghosts residing it are the living. the rose bush nursed to bloom metaphor, more than a nod to beauty and the beast, was the perfect embodiment of this couple's love story. i can't wait for what the rest of the siblings have in store for me. and for more cameos of the one and only mr. smith, he didn't get a mafia book, but maybe a billionaire one? fingers crossed.

* i was sent an arc by the authors in exchange for a honest review