Review: Salvatore (Benedetti Brothers #1) by Natasha Knight
Salvatore by Natasha Knight has a Shallow plot, unconvincing characters, and disappointing.
I recently listened to the audiobook of “Salvatore,” narrated by Philip Alces, and I must say, it fell short of my expectations for a Dark Mafia Romance.
The story started off with promise but quickly lost its momentum. The characters lacked depth and failed to engage me. Salvatore, who is supposed to be an alpha mafia figure, is inexplicably submissive to his father, leading him to punish and disrespect Lucia unnecessarily. This dynamic felt forced and unconvincing.
The plot itself dragged as secrets were revealed too quickly, leaving little suspense or intrigue. Actions taken by the characters often seemed pointless, further diminishing the story’s impact. Despite being portrayed as filthy rich, living in mansions, there was no explanation for the source of their wealth, leaving a gaping hole in the narrative’s believability.
Philip Alces did an okay job with the narration, handling the Italian accents well, but the lack of a female narrator didn’t go unnoticed. While his performance was decent, it couldn’t compensate for the story’s shortcomings.
Franco, another character in the book, is portrayed as a figure of immense fear, yet no anecdotes or backstory are provided to justify this fear. This lack of detail makes it hard to understand or care about the characters’ reactions to him.
Even the romantic and intimate scenes fell flat. Steamy and intense moments should have been reduced to mediocre punishment scenes that lacked genuine chemistry or attraction.
In conclusion, while Natasha Knight’s writing style is commendable, “Salvatore” lacked the depth, character development, and plot intricacies I look for in a Dark Mafia Romance. Unfortunately, this book just didn’t hit the mark for me.
