Sweet Temptation Paperback – March 8, 2020

Sweet Temptation emerges as a poignant and compelling narrative centered on an emotionally restrained mafia leader, whose journey through grief, fatherhood, and reluctant vulnerability is mirrored by the quiet strength of a much younger bride. Their bond unfolds like a slow-burning flame, laced with charged tension, the quiet pull of unequal power, and rare, aching moments of unexpected tenderness. Cora Reilly crafts a love story that is as unsettling as it is profoundly human, resonating with readers drawn to themes of emotional healing, forbidden desire, and the redemptive power of love in even the darkest of places.

Sweet Temptation is the perfect blend of mafia romance, single dad struggles, and an age-gap dynamic that had me completely hooked from start to finish. I devoured this audiobook in a single day, unable to step away from Cassio and Giulia’s slow-burning yet deeply emotional journey.Cassio is everything you’d expect from a mafia underboss—intense, brooding, and carrying the weight of his responsibilities on his shoulders. His arranged marriage to Giulia, a much younger and innocent bride, initially feels like a business transaction. But beneath the surface, their relationship builds layer by layer, evolving from cold indifference to something undeniably real. One of the elements I loved most was the mystery surrounding Cassio’s first wife’s death, which added an extra level of suspense and intrigue to the story.Giulia, however, is the true heart of this book. Despite being thrown into a challenging situation—becoming a wife and instant mother to Cassio’s children—she steps up with so much strength and warmth. She refuses to be a passive participant in their marriage, instead doing everything she can to create a loving environment for both Cassio and his kids. Watching their relationship unfold, with all its tension, tenderness, and passion, was absolutely beautiful.The audiobook narration was flawless. Wen Ross and Kai Kennicott delivered outstanding performances, each bringing their character’s emotions to life in a way that felt incredibly authentic. The dual narration enhanced the experience. Every moment—whether filled with angst, longing, or tenderness—was portrayed with the perfect amount of intensity.If you love mafia romances with a strong emotional core, Sweet Temptation is a must-listen. The combination of a gripping story, complex characters, and top-tier narration made this an unforgettable experience.

🌻 SWEET TEMPTATION 🌻 by Cora Reilly"She had me wrapped around her finger, and I wasn’t even trying to free myself."This story was so beautiful, heartbreaking and just wonderful. I loved it so much. This is a mafia standalone romance. Giulia Rizzo is a young, girl forced into an arranged marriage to the cruel, unforgiving widowed Cassio Moretti. Cassio is a single father with two very young children.I truly adored Giulia. She is so young and is given a huge responsibility to marry this brutal man, and become a mother to his children. She is a strong, kind, fun, mature, quich-witted, sassy girl with a big heart. She had so much love and patience to give this broken family. She had to work a lot to clean up the mess Cassio's previous wife left behind. I loved her style. Very refreshing character.I loved Cassio. He is a brutal, cruel, protective, possesive man. He loves his children above all else. He didn't want to marry a girl so much younger than him. But she wasn't what he expected. They are so different but their chemistry was everything. So hot! Their love is strange but they make sense. Cassio was very lonely, with a lot of responisibilites on his shoulders. Giulia changed that. She changed his life. Made him feel young, free and loved for the first time. Both had their doubts, but they fell for each other slowly. It was wonderful to follow their journey from physical to emotional."She wasn’t what I’d wanted in a wife, but hell, if she wasn’t exactly what I needed."This story was quite different from her previous mafia books, but in a good way. I fell in love with Giulia and Cassio. Their story was so sweet and heartwarming. Cassio is so possesive and protective of Giulia. I couldn't get enough of these two and their precious children. Cora's writing is wonderful. I loved it.

I wanted to love this book because the story was unique but I just did not connect with the characters. If they referred to the FMC as “young wife” one more time I was going to blow a gasket. I guess I just wanted more from the third act. This is a very very mild mafia book. I read a lot of mafia and love it but some of the traditions they followed were just unnecessary in the context of this story. Idk, it just kind of fell flat but the writing is really good and the angst did pull at my heart strings throughout their relationship solidifying.

The connection between characters seems realistic. Not over the top and exaggerated. I love taking of stories that can make you connect with the characters!