Assassin's Love is a romance thriller by Chris Neo. Valentino visits a gypsy kiosk with his gorgeous wife, Heleanne. In this market, both Valentino and Heleanne begin to flirt with two gypsy cousins. While Valentino likes a raven-haired beauty named Rafaella, Heleanne strikes a bond with Rafaella's cousin, Alexi. Heleanne soon devises a plan to get rid of her husband by offering Alexi gold and emeralds. In return, Alexi must assassinate Valentino. Alexi and Heleanne soon begin an affair, and he takes her to his boss, Baba. Baba assigns Rafaella to the task, only for her to fall in love with Valentino. As Valentino and Rafaella's feelings for each other grow, things get further complicated. Can Valentino and Rafaella's love survive? Or will Heleanne succeed?

Assassin's Love is a fast-paced novella packed with romance, action, and mystery. Author Chris Neo drops the reader into the scheme of things from the get-go, crafting an absorbing narrative from the first page to the last. The plot primarily revolves around four people from very different backgrounds. It lays the foundation for friction and drama. There are a couple of twists and turns and a reveal toward the end that I'm sure readers will not see coming. I certainly didn't. Valentino and Rafaella's blossoming romance was the book's highlight for me. I also enjoyed Heleanne and Alexi's dynamic. Despite being antagonists, the two are an absolute riot in every scene they feature together. All in all, it was a breezy read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Recommended to readers of crime/romance thrillers.

This story is about Valentino, his wife, Heleanne, and how their lives change after meeting a group of gypsies at a market. Valentino is attracted to a gypsy, Rafaella, who is very beautiful and has a scar on her face. Heleanne is drawn to Alexi and eventually starts a secret affair with him. This affair gradually starts changing to something darker when Heleanne starts to plot to kill her husband. The first attempt by Alexi failed because of the guard dogs. Heleanne reaches out to his group, and she pays the leader to send someone else to do the job. Rafaella is the one picked. Will she succeed? Read Assassin's Love by Chris Neo to find out.

Assassin's Love by Chris Neo is a romantic thriller about a wife's greed and infidelity. I like that it has a steady pace and focuses a lot on dialogue and character interactions. Heleanne, the antagonist, was a greedy and cheating wife, and I wondered why she hated her husband so much. Valentino is a smart and quiet man who keeps to himself, but he is more aware of what is happening than he lets on. Rafaella seems good at reading people and understanding their behavior. At the beginning, the narrative was more psychologically thrilling, with conversations and planning. Toward the end, it became more emotionally intense, with confrontations between characters. The theme is true love vs. greed, and this was a very interesting read. It is simple and feels like a screenplay in parts.

In Chris Neo’s Assassin’s Love, at a crowded spring market, Valentino and his wife, Heleanne, encounter a travelling caravan whose members secretly take paid killing contracts. During that encounter, Heleanne becomes fixated on one of the men and uses the caravan’s services to arrange her husband’s death so she can inherit his wealth. The plan places caravan assassin Rafaella inside the house as a maid, giving her direct access to Valentino’s food so she can poison him without raising suspicion. As Rafaella spends time with him, they begin a romantic relationship that disrupts the assignment. At the same time, Valentino shows signs that he is far more capable and aware than Heleanne expected. With pressure mounting from both Heleanne and the caravan, Rafaella is forced to decide whether to complete the contract or protect the man she was sent to kill.

Chris Neo’s Assassin’s Love presents a romance set within a covert network, where two individuals move from guarded exchanges into a bond shaped by changing motives. Rafaella stands apart through her adaptability and composure, shown in how she maintains her cover while staying close to Valentino, adjusting her behavior in response to what she learns. Valentino stands apart through his observations and measured responses, while assessing those around him, then altering his behavior in ways that change how Rafaella operates in his home. The settings are spectacular, especially when Neo makes them intimate, from a candlelit dinner arranged entirely by Valentino that alters the rhythm of the household, to a rose-filled bath, and how every character moves inside the carefully arranged and visually stunning environments. Overall, this is a brilliant romantic thriller for readers looking for something a little bit different and a lot of fun. Very highly recommended.

Chris Neo's Assassin's Love focuses on Valentino, a rich but lonely man, and his wife, Heleanne, who is plotting his demise. The story moves from a busy bazaar to the couple’s private home as Heleanne conspires with a gypsy named Alexi to have Valentino murdered. They send in Rafaella, a skilled assassin, to do the deed from the inside. The primary conflict develops when Rafaella tries to poison Valentino's food, while he stays on high guard, even using his dogs as tasters. It creates a weirdly intimate but deadly environment. As the deadline from the gypsy clan and their leader, Baba, draws near, the pressure on Rafaella to carry out the hit becomes even more intense. Is it possible for a mission to fail because the assassin sees something worth saving in her target?

Chris Neo's Assassin's Love is an exciting thriller with a strong romantic element. The storyline is both brisk and engaging. I loved the change in scenery from the crowded bazaar to the beach house. The whole situation is fascinating because of the external pressure of the assassins' code, which is constantly at odds with Rafaella's internal hesitation. The plot is very no-frills, which will hold your attention, especially if you're looking for a fluff-free read. I didn’t expect Valentino to be as observant as he was, which kept the assassination scenes from coming across as predictable. It’s a fun, dramatic story for anyone who likes the trope of a killer (or, in Rafaella's case, a hitwoman) falling for the person they are supposed to take down. Fans of a similar book, Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie, will enjoy this read.