Marianna Buffolino, an up-and-coming author, has made her mark in the literary world with the release of her first book of a three-part series, Fallacy: Entangled. Falling under the genre of Mafia romance, the novel introduces readers to a lifestyle filled with complex characters and a narrative that is seen from multiple perspectives, allowing for a deeper understanding of each character’s motivations and struggles.
The protagonist of Fallacy: Entangled is Aria, who has distanced herself from her family’s dangerous lifestyle of organized crime in New York. The book begins with Aria, comfortable with her new California friends, yet keeping up a façade to hide her past and her family legacy. With a new last name, job, and place, Aria thrives in her work life while entertaining multiple romantic relationships. Marianna Buffolino unravels complicated romances that leave readers on the edge of their seats, wanting to know more about which way Aria will go next.
As the story progresses, Aria’s carefully constructed life is disrupted when she receives the news of her father’s passing. Aria is left with no other option than to head back to New York and face her past in order to attend the funeral. Once she arrives at the place she spent so long running away from, she uncovers the reality of her brother Lorenzo, who is now in charge of the family legacy in the Mafia. This pivotal moment in Aria’s life influences a reevaluation of everything she had once left behind. Despite her discomfort with the family lifestyle, Aria begins to come to terms with her family’s situation in order to regain the relationships she had once lost.
Fallacy: Entangled shows a perspective of family ties and the appeal of dangerous lifestyles. Buffolino uniquely describes Aria’s journey as she attempts to mend broken relationships, keep current ones, and becomes engulfed in new connections with people deeply invested in the life she tried to escape. The confusion of choosing two completely opposite lifestyles keeps readers hooked as we watch Aria navigate her decision. The book brings readers on an emotional rollercoaster as Aria is not only at a crossroads with her lifestyle, but also with her love life. The book carries on as Aria reaps the benefits from contrasting lifestyles until she ultimately is forced to make a decision on which one she truly wants.
Throughout the novel, Buffolino displays the internal conflict going on inside Aria’s mind. We follow along and watch Aria’s personal growth and her ongoing struggle with the legacy of her family’s criminal background. The audience is captivated by the indecisiveness of Aria’s choices and easily becomes invested in the relationships with the other characters within the book.
With a mix of emotions, love, and suspense, Fallacy: Entangled wraps up with an impactful ending that leaves readers longing for more. The vague answers at the end leave the audience confused about Aria’s ultimate choice, while eagerly anticipating the release of the second book in the series. The ending leaves the readers to assume and make a guess, hoping that they will be proved right when reading her second book of the series. Buffolino skillfully wrote this ending intending for the audience to long for the answer of if they are right or wrong and if the relationships they have been invested in worked out or not.
Fallacy: Entangled has been a success within the world of romance books and this has been seen through the positive reviews fans have left on various platforms. One reviewer said, “Fallacy: Entangled is not only well-written but also well-paced. For a 573-page novel, I never felt bored or like the author was ‘filling in’ the chapters. Marianna writes with purpose, and everything she wrote was for a reason—a way to connect the dots, further the plot, or create suspense and tension. I 100% recommend this novel to those who enjoy thrilling crime, drama, and romance. If you don’t normally read books like these, I highly encourage you to give Fallacy: Entangled a chance. You won’t regret it!”
Marianna Buffolino’s Fallacy: Entangled is a book that brings the reader through a journey of family dynamics, romance, and self-discovery. With its intricate characters and a dynamic narrative structure that allows the audience to also have the perspective of multiple characters, the novel has left a lasting impression on fans of romance novels. Buffolino strategically and successfully built up her fans’ and readers’ anticipation for the release of her second novel, allowing for them to get closure and a final answer on Aria’s unresolved decisions throughout the book.