Author: Gabrielle Sands

First Published: 11 July 2023

Series: The Fallen

“I don’t want to be your first, Peaches. I want to be your last.” 

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. Thank you so much to Gabrielle for sending a copy my way!

Also, this is a sequel; I will try and keep my review as spoiler free as possible but just be wary if you haven’t read the two books of The Fallen Series.

Gentlemen don’t look at engaged women the way Ras Sorrentino looks at me.

Ras Sorrentino is the underboss of the most powerful clan in the Camorra. He’s also chaos and danger poured into a sleek Italian suit.

The first time I met him, I thought he was there to kill me. The second time, I wanted to kill him.

The third was in Ibiza, where I glared at him across the church as my sister married his boss.

It’s not his sharp tongue or his taunting smirks that I hate the most. It’s his gaze.

How it narrows when I flinch. How it hardens when he notices the bruises on my face. How he stares at my engagement ring like he wants to melt it off my finger.

I know it’s a bad idea to let him push my buttons. After all, the fate of my family rests on my upcoming marriage and my fiancé is only interested in me because of my pristine reputation.

A reputation Ras seems to have no qualms with stomping all over.

It’s a good thing him and I live on the opposite sides of the world.

Until he tells me, he’s coming back to New York with me.

And he’s staying.

I love being back in this world! Gem and Ras’ romance has been hinted at from book one, so I have been dying to get to this one! When She Falls is another fantastic instalment of The Fallen series.

Gemma Gorzolo is arranged to be married to another New York Don her family has recently allied with. Her marriage is supposed to cement the relationship between the two families and hopefully provide stability to New York and stop the gang war. She’s willing to sacrifice her happiness for the sake of the family. Ras is the underboss of Gemma’s brother-in-law and is the exact opposite of her. He seems impulsive and willing to ruin her pristine reputation, which is the only reason her fiancé has agreed to marry her. Gemma is hoping to never see Ras again after her sister’s wedding. However, Ras’ Don has some concerns about the state of New York’s underworld and the deal they have signed with her family and her fiancé, Ras is sent to New York with Gemma to investigate and ensure nothing will risk the trade agreement.

My heart broke for Gemma. She is a perfectionist and a people pleaser at heart, which is so very relatable. Thanks to her toxic parents and selfish siblings, she has been groomed to be selfless and put her own needs below what the family needs her to do. Ras is the first person in her life who shows her that she is enough and doesn’t need to give up her happiness and needs for the sake of someone else. For this sacrifice, she is supposed to get protection from the family, but as the story unravels, we see time and time again how her whole family has manipulated her for their own personal gain. The way she was able to take back control of her life and slowly discover who she is and what she wants was so rewarding.

I did not think Ras would top any of the other heroes in the series and boy was I wrong! He is the perfect mix of a cheeky playboy who will burn the world down for the one he loves. The fact he was willing to risk his standing in the Camorra and, in turn, his life for Gemma make me swoon. Honestly, I couldn’t pick anymore more perfect for Gem.

The pair have been on each other’s nerves since they first met. The romance between the two slowly unfolds from hate to friendship which slowly turns to love. That caretaking scene here was perfection! Ras cares for Gem, even when he doesn’t like her and because her family couldn’t be bothered to change their plans to care for her and it made me squeal. There was one point where I couldn’t see how Gem was going to escape her pending nuptials to be with Ras. It was stressing me out, but thankfully we got there! To no one’s surprise, Gabrielle has hit the spicy parts out of the park. The way Ras picks up on Gem’s praise kink and uses it for her pleasure was amazing.

The mafia elements in here feel so spot on! One of my favourite elements of the mafia is the duality they have of being traditional, proper businessmen who are deadly if crossed. Unlike other organised crime groups, the mafia is known for its code of conduct and honour and that is 100% depicted here. Honestly, it feels like Gabrielle has some insider knowledge. I loved the amount of mafia politics and intrigue we get in the story as both Gem and Ras are heavily embedded in this world.

This series is fast becoming one of my all-time favourites and cannot wait to see how the next book When She Loves plays out. This will be the focus on the youngest Gorzolo sibling and will have the arrangement marriage trope, which say no more, I am here for it!