Book Review: Sweet Temptation By Cora Reilly
Sweet Temptation By Cora Reilly
Sweet Temptation by Cora Reilly
Tropes: Arranged marriage, Mafia romance, Age gap, Single dad, Grumpy x sunshine, Slow burn, Forced proximity, Found family, Healing romance, Protective hero
Summary:
A beautifully intense arranged-marriage mafia romance following Cassio Moretti, a brooding widower, single father, and rising mafia boss and Giulia, the too-young bride chosen for him by tradition, not love.
Still grieving his late wife and juggling brutal responsibilities, Cassio needs someone to care for his household and children, not a partner. But Giulia quickly proves she is far more than the “decorative wife” he expects.
Thrown into a marriage she never chose, Giulia is determined to make this house a home and claim a life that is hers. Cassio may be cold, distant, and commanding — but her warmth seeps into every corner of his world, including the parts he thought he buried forever.
What follows is a tender, emotional, slow-burn journey filled with tension, vulnerability, healing, and the softest found-family moments woven through dangerous mafia edges.
💚 LD
I absolutely adored Sweet Temptation. For a shorter read, it felt surprisingly full like it packed so much emotion, tension, and character development into every chapter. It never felt rushed, and I loved that.
Cassio was exactly my kind of mafia hero. Broody, closed-off, sharp around the edges, and carrying a quiet grief that shaped everything about him. Add “protective single dad” to the list and I was gone. The way he balanced power with vulnerability even when he didn’t mean to, made him instantly captivating.
Giulia completely stole my heart. She’s young, yes, but she’s also gentle, optimistic, and undeniably strong. Her sweetness isn’t weakness, it’s the thing that softens Cassio’s entire world. Watching her slowly bond with his children, create warmth in a cold home, and stand her ground when needed was honestly beautiful.
Their dynamic was the perfect mix of slow-growing connection, unspoken longing, and genuine emotion. I was hooked from start to finish. Sweet Temptation delivered everything I love in a mafia romance: broody men, found family vibes, tension, healing, and heart-melting moments.
“Nothing in this world would make me give up Giulia now that I had her. Maybe she wasn’t the mother my children needed, but fuck, she was what I craved.”
🤍 AD -
As someone who loves single-parent romances and mafia books, Sweet Temptation checked every single box for me. Cassio being a widowed father instantly made the story feel deeper and more emotional and seeing him struggle between being a feared mafia boss and a confused, overwhelmed parent made him such a standout character.
Giulia was everything he didn’t expect. She steps into his house unsure, inexperienced, and far too young for the life she’s handed… but she rises to the challenge with so much heart. Her bond with the children was one of my favourite parts, those moments were tender, sweet, and genuinely healing for everyone involved.
Cassio and Giulia’s relationship grows slowly but meaningfully. There’s tension, miscommunication, and power imbalance, but watching them learn each other and slowly choose each other, made this such a rewarding read.
A perfect blend of mafia grit and emotional softness.
“She wasn’t what I’d wanted in a wife, but hell, if she wasn’t exactly what I needed.”
💙 AG -
I went into Sweet Temptation already loving mafia romance, but this story exceeded everything I hoped for. Cassio is the definition of broody and emotionally closed-off, the kind of character who doesn’t realise how deeply he needs softness until it walks into his life.
Giulia brought such a beautiful energy into the story. Despite her age, she was grounded, determined, and quietly resilient. Watching her navigate motherhood for the very first time — while also learning who her husband truly is, made her journey incredibly compelling.
Cassio and Giulia’s chemistry simmered from the very beginning. There were so many moments where tension, vulnerability, and longing were woven together perfectly. And the emotional payoff as they start trusting each other? Worth every slow-burn moment.
If you love arranged marriages, mafia families, and emotionally layered romance, this book is a must-read. I absolutely loved it.
“Right this moment I knew she’d be mine forever.”
