Genre : Dark romance
Series : The Fallen #1
Publication Date : August 30, 2022
Pages : 392
Format I read : Kindle
Rating : ⭐⭐⭐
Spice : 🌶️🌶️🌶️
“Before I met you, I thought romantic love made people crazy and weak. I was right about the first. Cazzo, I’m so fucking crazy about you. But love doesn’t make us weak. It’s the opposite. It shows us what we absolutely can’t lose—what’s worth dying for. I’d die for you, Vale.”
I think I’m finally escaping the hell that is my reading slump because somehow I’ve already read THREE books in August?? Who am I??? 😭 I’m still about 12 books behind on my Goodreads challenge, but you know what? A win is a win.
I started the month with When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands, and while it wasn’t the book of the year, it helped break my slump, and honestly, kudos to that. So let’s dive into my review of the book that apparently dragged me back into my reader era.
Summary of When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands
He’s the most powerful man in Ibiza, and he’ll do anything to make me his.
I’ve been raised to be the perfect mafia wife, but when my marriage turns into a horrific nightmare, I have no choice but to leave everything behind and start a new life.
I find myself alone in Ibiza—a place that swallows innocent girls like me alive. I’m robbed the day I arrive, left with nothing but a few euros and the clothes on my back.
My desperation leads me right to Damiano De Rossi. He rules over this island with an iron fist and beneath his strikingly handsome face lies a wicked darkness. I ask him for a job. He gives me far more than that—degradation, jealousy, and toe-curling lust.
When my resistance to him is all but gone, a secret is revealed, and we fall apart like a house of cards.
I know what I have to do. Run.
But when I try, I discover…he’s already got me bound.
Review of When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands
You know the saying, “When in doubt…”? Well, for me, it’s when in a reading slump, pick up a mafia romance. LMAO. Apparently, morally questionable men and organized crime are my cure of choice. 😭
So I literally typed “mafia romance” into my Kindle, When She Unravels popped up, and I trusted my instincts. And honestly? While it’s definitely not my favorite mafia romance, it gave me exactly what I needed at the time. Nothing life-changing, nothing I’ll scream about for years, but a solid 3 stars and a successful reading-slump rescue mission.
Plot Analysis of When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands
Imagine this: you’re a mafia princess running away from an absolutely horrendous marriage, and you decide the best solution is to disappear all the way to Ibiza. New country, new life, freedom… except our girl Valentina gets robbed on her FIRST DAY and is suddenly stranded with basically no money. Girl cannot catch a break. 😭
Desperate for a job, she somehow manages to run straight back into the exact world she was trying to escape: the mafia. Enter Damiano De Rossi, the dangerously powerful man who basically runs the island and quickly becomes very interested in our runaway mafia princess. What follows is attraction, secrets, questionable decisions, and Valentina trying to build a new life while her past is very much NOT done with her. Because obviously that horrible husband wasn’t going to stay conveniently in the past. So what happens when feelings get involved, secrets start unraveling, and the life she escaped comes looking for her again? Welcome to the mess. 😌
Characters of When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands
Valentina Garzolo: I love me a badass FMC, and Valentina was definitely giving that. No matter what was thrown at her, she kept standing tall, fearless, and somehow refused to let everything she’d been through break her. And honestly? I respected that so much.
BUT sometimes her character felt a little inconsistent. I was like, girly pop, I know you’re a badass, but sometimes we need to shut the hell up. 😭 Like, you’re in a serious situation, you desperately need the job and the money… why are we actively pissing off the boss?? Little moments like that pulled me out of the story because the choices didn’t always match the situation she was in.
Damiano De Rossi: Honestly? He was okay, but nothing more than that. Kind of forgettable, if I’m being real. I read two books after this one and already don’t remember much about him, which probably says everything. 😭 He wasn’t bad, but he also wasn’t giving me anything to obsess over. Just… mid. Not bad, not good either. Like a wise woman once said, if you know, you know. 😌
The romance: It felt a little too insta-lusty for my taste. It did have some emotional depth, don’t get me wrong, but I really wish the lust and spice had taken a back seat until maybe the 50% mark so we could get more time with the characters and actually watch the relationship grow. That being said, I was still rooting for them.
And of course, Damiano made some questionable choices because apparently morally grey men are legally required to stress us out. 😭 My issue is that some of those choices were directed at Valentina, and even though things got resolved pretty quickly, I really wish she had made him work harder for her forgiveness. Like sir, actions have consequences. Suffer a little. It builds character.
Pacing & writing style
The writing in When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands is easy to read and follow, and I actually found myself completely immersed at times, like don’t-talk-to-me-I’m-reading immersed. But I have to say… some moments were just a tiny bit cringey for my taste. And listen, my cringe tolerance is actually pretty high, I don’t cringe easily, so the fact that I noticed it? Do with that information what you will. 😭
The world-building wasn’t anything revolutionary either. It’s pretty much everything we’ve already seen in mafia romance, and the plot twist? GIRL. I saw that thing coming from 10,000 miles away. It was THAT predictable and cliché. 💀 But somehow, even with all of that, I still had a good time reading it. Sometimes a book doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel, it just needs to keep me entertained, and this one did.
The pacing in When She Unravels was actually pretty decent. I don’t really have many complaints about it, aside from the romance getting lusty and spicy a little too early for my taste. I really wish that part had come later in the book so we could’ve had more time to build the characters and give their relationship a little more depth first.
Other than that, though, the story flowed really well. Even when we got to the plot twist, which, yes, I saw coming from approximately another continent 😭, it still had its moment and didn’t feel rushed at all. Overall, the pacing did its job and kept me reading, which considering the reading slump I was in? Mission accomplished.
Tropes and Trigger warnings of When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands
Tropes of When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands
- Workplace romance
- Runaway mafia princess
- He falls first
- Found family
- Hidden identity
- Dual POV
Trigger warnings of When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands
- Dub-con
- Kidnapping
- Cheating (not between MC)
- Death of a parent
- Suicide attempt (drowning)
- Sexual assault (references to in past)
- Violence, Blood
- Torture
Final Thought
When She Unravels was definitely not the mafia romance of my life, but you know what? I picked this book up with one mission: GET ME OUT OF THIS DAMN READING SLUMP. And against all odds… she did her job. 😭 After struggling to actually sit down and finish books, I found myself immersed, wanting to keep reading, and genuinely enjoying myself again. For that alone? Gabrielle Sands, you have my thanks.
Was the story predictable? Girl, I saw that plot twist coming from another continent. Were there a few moments that activated my usually very tolerant cringe meter? Unfortunately, yes. And did I want more depth before Valentina and Damiano started getting all lusty and spicy? ABSOLUTELY. But somehow, none of that stopped me from having a good time. The pacing kept me hooked, Valentina gave me the badass FMC energy I needed, and there was enough mafia chaos to keep me entertained.
Damiano, unfortunately, will not be joining the sacred hall of my fictional husbands because I barely remembered the man two books later. 💀 But overall? When She Unravels gave me exactly what I needed at exactly the right time. A solid 3 stars, nothing groundbreaking, nothing I’ll be screaming about for the next five years, but fun, bingeable, dramatic, and most importantly: THE READING SLUMP HAS BEEN DEFEATED. And sometimes, that’s enough. 😌🔪📚
About the author
Gabrielle Sands is a romance author who writes sexy, smart, dangerous romance. Her heroes are powerful mafiosos, but her heroines always keep these alpha men on their toes. Gabrielle loves to travel and often writes her favorite destinations into her books.When she’s not writing, Gabrielle enjoys exploring whatever city she’s in, grabbing a cocktail or two, and reading her favorite books. She lives in a small town in Mexico with her husband.
Practical Information for Readers
When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands Book Formats
When She Unravels is available in various formats to suit every reader’s preference:
- Paperback: Ideal for readers who enjoy the tactile experience of holding a physical book.
- eBook: Convenient for on-the-go reading, available on all major e-reader platforms.
- Audiobook: Narrated with emotional depth, available on platforms like Audible.
- PDF When She Unravels: While some may search for a PDF version, it’s recommended to opt for legal eBook options to support the author.
Where to find When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands PDF
- Amazon Kindle: Offers a user-friendly interface with customizable reading settings.
- Barnes & Noble Nook: Another popular platform with a wide selection of e-books.
- Apple Books: Provides seamless integration with Apple devices and a smooth reading experience.
When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands Age Rating
I recommend When She Unravels by Gabrielle Sands to readers 20 and older. This is a dark romance that deals with some pretty heavy themes and comes with quite a few trigger warnings, so please make sure to check them before diving in. It can get intense, and some of the content definitely won’t be for everyone.
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