One Dark Kiss (Grimm Bargains, Bk. 2)
Price:
Available: 15
copies bought in the last week
Overview
A sizzling dystopian romantasy twist on Snow White and the Huntsman, Rebecca Zanetti's One Dark Kiss delivers obsession, power, and explosive chemistry in a neon-lit world where revenge is the only currency that matters.
Alexei spent seven years inside a maximum-security prison for a crime he didn't commit. Every day was fuel — fuel for the revenge he's been carefully building against the men who framed him and the family who stripped him of everything. Now he's out, and nothing is going to slow him down.
Nothing except, maybe, her.
Rosalie is his new attorney, sharp and composed, assigned to fight for a man the world has already condemned. She walked into this case thinking she had it handled. She was wrong. Alexei isn't like any client she's ever faced — he's magnetic, dangerous, and disturbingly hard to read.
He was once heir to a global social media empire, and that kind of power doesn't disappear just because someone locks you away. As Rosalie works to secure his release and prepare for a new trial, Alexei is already moving pieces on a board she can barely see. His sights are locked on the traitorous relatives who betrayed him, and his plan to reclaim everything is already in motion.
Between the courtroom strategy and the high-stakes power plays, the tension between them refuses to stay professional. Their chemistry is volatile, the kind that ignites without warning and threatens to burn down everything around it. And as ruthless enemies close in, the people Rosalie loves most find themselves caught in the crossfire.
Alexei has promised to burn the whole world down if it comes to that. He's never been a man who makes promises he doesn't keep.
"Alexei was wrongfully imprisoned for murder and after the discovery of corruption within the courts, Rosalie is assigned to be his attorney by the firm who represents him. I loved their first encounter. It was sizzling and promises were made." - Caffeinated Reviewer
Series Information
Series Name: Grimm Bargains
Series Reading Order
This series is best read in publication order.
Book 1 - One Cursed Rose
Book 2 - One Dark Kiss
Book 3 - One Shattered Crown
Reviews and Author Praise
"Fans of dark romance will not be able to resist this one."
— Publishers Weekly, Starred Review for One Cursed Rose
"ONE DARK KISS is a story of secrets and lies, power and control, magic and obsession, dysfunctional family dynamics, acceptance and love. The premise is dramatic and edgy; the romance is seductive and fated; the characters are determined, dynamic and intriguing."
— The Reading Cafe
"Alexei was wrongfully imprisoned for murder and after the discovery of corruption within the courts, Rosalie is assigned to be his attorney by the firm who represents him. I loved their first encounter. It was sizzling and promises were made."
— Caffeinated Reviewer
"Plot twists and red herrings abound in this fast-paced novel that will keep readers turning the pages."
— Library Journal on You Can Run
"Be prepared to stay up all night…Rebecca Zanetti takes you on a thrill-ride, pitting characters you love against impossible odds."
— Christine Feehan, New York Times bestselling author
Topics and Key Themes
Narrative Tropes
Enemies to Lovers
Touch Her and Die
Forbidden Love
Dark Romance
Workplace Romance
Key Themes
Wrongful imprisonment fueling vengeance — seven years behind bars sharpens Alexei's hunger for justice into something ruthless.
Power reclaimed through obsession — a fallen empire heir moves unseen pieces while the world thinks him defeated.
Attorney and client crossing every line — professional boundaries collapse when the man she defends refuses to be handled.
Loved ones caught in the crossfire — Rosalie's loyalty becomes a weapon enemies are willing to exploit.
Fairy tale darkness reimagined — Snow White's world stripped of innocence, rebuilt around control, corruption, and neon-lit retribution.
Who is this book for?
Primary Genre: Dark Dystopian Romantasy
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4/5: Very Spicy
Turning up the heat! Multiple steamy scenes with clear, descriptive detail and strong chemistry. Romance and spice share the spotlight here.
Fans of Scarlett St. Clair will enjoy the morally gray heroes, explosive enemies-to-lovers chemistry, and darkly seductive power dynamics set against a high-stakes dystopian empire.
About the Author
Rebecca Zanetti is the award-winning, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over eighty romantic suspense, dark paranormal, and contemporary romances, many of which have also appeared on the Publishers Weekly, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Apple bestseller lists and sold millions of copies worldwide. Her books have been featured in The Washington Post and New York Times Book Review and received numerous starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Library Journal, and Kirkus. Previously an art curator, Senate aide, lawyer, college professor, and a hearing examiner, Rebecca has ridden in a locked Chevy trunk, asked the unfortunate delivery guy to release her from a set of handcuffs, and discovered the best silver mine shafts in which to bury a body – all in the name of research. She lives in the Pacific Northwest and can be found online at RebeccaZanetti.com Author Residence: Hayden, ID
Similar Authors
Reader FAQs
The romance is the dominant focus. The fantasy elements are woven into a dystopian setting rather than driving complex world-building. Readers primarily follow the charged dynamic between Alexei and Rosalie, with the fantastical backdrop supporting rather than competing with the central relationship.
One Dark Kiss shares St. Clair's morally gray heroes and enemies-to-lovers intensity, but trades mythological settings for a neon-lit dystopian empire. The power dynamics and dark seductive tone are comparable, though Zanetti brings a legal thriller element St. Clair's work typically does not.
The book is written for adults. It carries a spice level of 4 out of 5, features dark romance dynamics, mature power play between characters, and themes of obsession and ruthless vengeance. It is not suitable for younger readers or those who prefer lighter content.
Readers should be aware the book contains dark romance elements, a possessive and controlling male lead, depictions of wrongful imprisonment, family betrayal, and danger directed at loved ones as a weapon. The tone is edgy and intentionally unsettling at points throughout the story.
The pacing is driven and tense. The chemistry between Alexei and Rosalie ignites quickly rather than building gradually, while the revenge plot runs as a parallel thread that keeps momentum steady. Reviewers describe the book as something they devoured, suggesting a compulsive, fast-moving read.
Info
ISBN: 9781496756305
Published Date: June 24, 2025
Publisher: Kensington Publishing
Language: English
Page Count: 364
Size: 8.50" l x 5.75" w x 1.25" h
Category
Fiction