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sondrapedersen's review against another edition
2.0
Nobody can convince me Luca isn’t the villain of this entire series
mariapdlc's review against another edition
5.0
4.8⭐️
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Segunda vez leyéndolo… de 4.8 a 5 estrellas. Lo máximo, AMOOO a Guila y a Cassio son perfectos juntos. Cassio is the best dad, best husband, best man. Everything.
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Segunda vez leyéndolo… de 4.8 a 5 estrellas. Lo máximo, AMOOO a Guila y a Cassio son perfectos juntos. Cassio is the best dad, best husband, best man. Everything.
saraxjess's review against another edition
5.0
5 well-deserved, glowing stars. ⭐️
I recently decided I wanted to read more mafia trope books and I am beyond happy that this is the first one I picked up.
I was terrified of not being able to get past the whole mob ordeal in a book; all the blood, all the killings and all the cruelty but I’m happy to say that this book provides a happy middle, we know our hero is no saint but we also don’t really see him get his hands dirty. (except that one time)
What I absolutely loved in this book is the heroine she’s in my opinion impossible to dislike. She has hobbies, passions, personality, a sense of duty that came with the circle she’s been raised in so she knows what’s expected of her, but she also won’t go down without a fight; she’ll fight for her version of happiness as twisted as it might be and for the people she loves.
I found Giulia’s relationship with the kids to be adorable, and I wasn’t surprised they immediately loved her because she immediately showed them that she was there for them.
About Giulia’s and Cassio’s chemistry I can only say that it was written BEAUTIFULLY and the development and growth as a couple was incredible. He was guarded, his walls were up and she just happened to be everything he never knew he needed. When he finally said he loved her I had no doubt believing it because she quite literally breathed life into him, she taught him how to live outside of work, how to bond with his children again and what it was like to be with someone that cared for you.
My favorite scene was when Giulia chose to confront Luca by herself before Cassio arrived and joined them, this just confirmed that fear doesn’t rule in Giulia’s heart, love does.
The plot twist with Cassio’s ex-wife also explains so much about him and the reason for the way he was in the beginning.
I recently decided I wanted to read more mafia trope books and I am beyond happy that this is the first one I picked up.
I was terrified of not being able to get past the whole mob ordeal in a book; all the blood, all the killings and all the cruelty but I’m happy to say that this book provides a happy middle, we know our hero is no saint but we also don’t really see him get his hands dirty. (except that one time)
What I absolutely loved in this book is the heroine she’s in my opinion impossible to dislike. She has hobbies, passions, personality, a sense of duty that came with the circle she’s been raised in so she knows what’s expected of her, but she also won’t go down without a fight; she’ll fight for her version of happiness as twisted as it might be and for the people she loves.
I found Giulia’s relationship with the kids to be adorable, and I wasn’t surprised they immediately loved her because she immediately showed them that she was there for them.
About Giulia’s and Cassio’s chemistry I can only say that it was written BEAUTIFULLY and the development and growth as a couple was incredible. He was guarded, his walls were up and she just happened to be everything he never knew he needed. When he finally said he loved her I had no doubt believing it because she quite literally breathed life into him, she taught him how to live outside of work, how to bond with his children again and what it was like to be with someone that cared for you.
My favorite scene was when Giulia chose to confront Luca by herself before Cassio arrived and joined them, this just confirmed that fear doesn’t rule in Giulia’s heart, love does.
The plot twist with Cassio’s ex-wife also explains so much about him and the reason for the way he was in the beginning.
ohkatrinahreads's review against another edition
4.0
Going into this I thought it was going to be the same regurgitation of the;
• Forced marriage
• Mafia
• Age Gap
But it was surprisingly not, I liked Guilia and how she developed, it was believable and not overly dramatic, her dynamic with the children and Loulou though was rushed and felt less believable but it didn't take away from her character as it tied in well with her optimistic and kind persona. She shows her experience with the environment with how she interacts with Cassio and this is highlighted by her conversation with her father. She stands her ground and maintains her smart mouth and disregard for the traditional hierarchy throughout, respectfully obeying what was expected of her andanaged not to appear as a pushover.
Cassio is constantly battling with her age but aslo gives I to his urges and desire, his battle is somewhat believeable because from the beginning we don't see him struggle a lot with everything that is happening around him, his family meddles, this comes through in the first few chapters and continues throughout the book. Something I think that may be overlooked however, is how his grief and trust issues come through in his interaction with Guilia and everyone else around him.
I didn't like how their chemistry wasn't as clearly executed as everything else in the book, Guilia can't be faulted though, her character grows throughout, optimistic at the idea of a happy family, and healing everyone but Cassio just somehow always stumbles into everything, his marriage with Guilia, his feelings, his desire, his acceptance of the age gap, nothing feels like it was given time to develop from his side.
Although the Mafia is an integral part of the book, the focus is more on how Guilia makes a mark in the underbosses home, and somehow it works.
• Forced marriage
• Mafia
• Age Gap
But it was surprisingly not, I liked Guilia and how she developed, it was believable and not overly dramatic, her dynamic with the children and Loulou though was rushed and felt less believable but it didn't take away from her character as it tied in well with her optimistic and kind persona. She shows her experience with the environment with how she interacts with Cassio and this is highlighted by her conversation with her father. She stands her ground and maintains her smart mouth and disregard for the traditional hierarchy throughout, respectfully obeying what was expected of her andanaged not to appear as a pushover.
Cassio is constantly battling with her age but aslo gives I to his urges and desire, his battle is somewhat believeable because from the beginning we don't see him struggle a lot with everything that is happening around him, his family meddles, this comes through in the first few chapters and continues throughout the book. Something I think that may be overlooked however, is how his grief and trust issues come through in his interaction with Guilia and everyone else around him.
I didn't like how their chemistry wasn't as clearly executed as everything else in the book, Guilia can't be faulted though, her character grows throughout, optimistic at the idea of a happy family, and healing everyone but Cassio just somehow always stumbles into everything, his marriage with Guilia, his feelings, his desire, his acceptance of the age gap, nothing feels like it was given time to develop from his side.
Although the Mafia is an integral part of the book, the focus is more on how Guilia makes a mark in the underbosses home, and somehow it works.
geekxgirl's review against another edition
4.0
3.5/4 Stars
I wasn't sure I would like this one after my experience with Cora's other story Fragile Longing but wow...like night and day.
This book was lovely. Not particularly dark or even heavy on the Mafia aspect. It was more a backdrop with obvious mentions but no ride along into the actions, so to speak.
I found the hero Cassio fascinating. He came across as the typical aloof and cold mafia man but there was far more to his personality. If anything, growing up in the life hardened him very early and stole what was left of his childhood. So he became the serious Cassio we see throughout this whole book.
Cassio for me was a wonderful hero. He didn't seem to have the harsh or sharp edges I expected. Or if he did the author didn't present them as anything but slightly blunted. He obviously was formidable and not one to disrespect. He was underboss after all. But underneath all that he was still a young man who had been dealt a terrible card with his personal life. His first wife was unspeakably awful in personality but also to him. Their relationship was a formality and regardless of how he tried she didn't even attempt to hide her hatred of him. And then for their children to be caught in the middle...what a mess.
All I can say is I'm shocked he didn't kill his first wife. I wouldn't have bated an eye. She absolutely deserved it.
But what might've made Cassio the loveliest was his love for his children. How he took the time to care for them and be an actual father was beautiful. Not many mafia books carry the same tone where the big bad mafia man is see actually cuddling his baby or changing diapers. It gave him a very soft side that was hard to resist.
What surprised me most and kept my interest at the beginning was the heroine Giulia. She was resilient and optimistic but not ridiculously so. Only freshly eighteen when she married Cassio she could have wilted under the pressure of her new life as his wife and stepmother to his children but she didn't. She seemingly surprised everyone including Cassio. I loved her attitude and her inner strength. I adored that she didn't simply snap back or argue but spoke calmly and with a level head when up against Cassio's anger or dominance. She was intelligent and witty and was determined to find her way in her new life and she did. She refused to let him change her into someone she wasn't nor crush her spirit.
I really loved their journey together. I felt they truly did come to love one another. It didn't feel too soon and thank God it didn't feel too juvenile from Giulia's side. Given her age the author could have wrote her in a way that made their relationship feel inappropriate and in turn could have shown Giulia in a poor light. But she simply acted like a young woman still maturing and finding her way. And I appreciated that it was true to her age and circumstances but also that we didn't have to follow some young woman daydreaming about the hero and falling in love after having sex once or twice. It happens all too often in stories such as these and I honestly am so pleased that's not how Giulia was portrayed.
If it hadn't been for the hero fixating on her age during the first half of the story I would have forgotten she was only eighteen tbh. Her age played a bigger factor in the story than I think was necessary. I understood why Cassio was so uncomfortable with it in the beginning but as he spent more time with Giulia I found it tiresome that he had to make remarks about her giggle being that of a teenage girl or how she smiled at him. It seemed more a hangup on his end and I think the story would've been just fine leaving his discomfort with it behind earlier on.
Otherwise I enjoyed this a whole lot. I might reread it in the future tbh. I do wish we had a few more time jumps toward the end. We went from first year of marriage right to nine years later. I didn't hate it but a paragraph or two marking the passing of time with spotlight on two years later, 5 years later etc would've been a nice touch and not felt so big a jump to make. Makes you feel like we lost out on all the cute milestones and them falling deeper in love, ya know?
Update: So, it's been a couple days since I read this and looking back I realized just how bland and boring it was. Was it interesting? Sure, but overall it was massively lacking in feeling and emotion. This sort of story should grab you by your emotions and keep you hooked. But it did none of that. I still liked it but honestly after checking out CR's other books and their reviews I'm realizing this is a regular thing for her writing style and that's just disappointing.
So, I'll take the win with the fact I did like this one even if it was uneventful and rather boring.
I wasn't sure I would like this one after my experience with Cora's other story Fragile Longing but wow...like night and day.
This book was lovely. Not particularly dark or even heavy on the Mafia aspect. It was more a backdrop with obvious mentions but no ride along into the actions, so to speak.
I found the hero Cassio fascinating. He came across as the typical aloof and cold mafia man but there was far more to his personality. If anything, growing up in the life hardened him very early and stole what was left of his childhood. So he became the serious Cassio we see throughout this whole book.
Cassio for me was a wonderful hero. He didn't seem to have the harsh or sharp edges I expected. Or if he did the author didn't present them as anything but slightly blunted. He obviously was formidable and not one to disrespect. He was underboss after all. But underneath all that he was still a young man who had been dealt a terrible card with his personal life. His first wife was unspeakably awful in personality but also to him. Their relationship was a formality and regardless of how he tried she didn't even attempt to hide her hatred of him. And then for their children to be caught in the middle...what a mess.
All I can say is I'm shocked he didn't kill his first wife. I wouldn't have bated an eye. She absolutely deserved it.
But what might've made Cassio the loveliest was his love for his children. How he took the time to care for them and be an actual father was beautiful. Not many mafia books carry the same tone where the big bad mafia man is see actually cuddling his baby or changing diapers. It gave him a very soft side that was hard to resist.
What surprised me most and kept my interest at the beginning was the heroine Giulia. She was resilient and optimistic but not ridiculously so. Only freshly eighteen when she married Cassio she could have wilted under the pressure of her new life as his wife and stepmother to his children but she didn't. She seemingly surprised everyone including Cassio. I loved her attitude and her inner strength. I adored that she didn't simply snap back or argue but spoke calmly and with a level head when up against Cassio's anger or dominance. She was intelligent and witty and was determined to find her way in her new life and she did. She refused to let him change her into someone she wasn't nor crush her spirit.
I really loved their journey together. I felt they truly did come to love one another. It didn't feel too soon and thank God it didn't feel too juvenile from Giulia's side. Given her age the author could have wrote her in a way that made their relationship feel inappropriate and in turn could have shown Giulia in a poor light. But she simply acted like a young woman still maturing and finding her way. And I appreciated that it was true to her age and circumstances but also that we didn't have to follow some young woman daydreaming about the hero and falling in love after having sex once or twice. It happens all too often in stories such as these and I honestly am so pleased that's not how Giulia was portrayed.
If it hadn't been for the hero fixating on her age during the first half of the story I would have forgotten she was only eighteen tbh. Her age played a bigger factor in the story than I think was necessary. I understood why Cassio was so uncomfortable with it in the beginning but as he spent more time with Giulia I found it tiresome that he had to make remarks about her giggle being that of a teenage girl or how she smiled at him. It seemed more a hangup on his end and I think the story would've been just fine leaving his discomfort with it behind earlier on.
Otherwise I enjoyed this a whole lot. I might reread it in the future tbh. I do wish we had a few more time jumps toward the end. We went from first year of marriage right to nine years later. I didn't hate it but a paragraph or two marking the passing of time with spotlight on two years later, 5 years later etc would've been a nice touch and not felt so big a jump to make. Makes you feel like we lost out on all the cute milestones and them falling deeper in love, ya know?
Update: So, it's been a couple days since I read this and looking back I realized just how bland and boring it was. Was it interesting? Sure, but overall it was massively lacking in feeling and emotion. This sort of story should grab you by your emotions and keep you hooked. But it did none of that. I still liked it but honestly after checking out CR's other books and their reviews I'm realizing this is a regular thing for her writing style and that's just disappointing.
So, I'll take the win with the fact I did like this one even if it was uneventful and rather boring.
niral_baveja's review against another edition
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
3.0
quick nice read but nothing special. i didn't really feel connected to the characters
bookish590's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
lotusross's review against another edition
4.0
“Fuck, I loved her, even those bangs I hated in the beginning, even those horrendous sunflower dresses, even when she disrespected me by rolling her eyes. God, especially then.”
3.5 stars.
I would die for the Morettis, most of all Giulia, Daniele and Simona <3
3.5 stars.
I would die for the Morettis, most of all Giulia, Daniele and Simona <3