I'm still getting into my dark romance books, and this is definitely one of my favourite books that I have read in this genre. I appreciated how the FMC was not scared to be herself, and was still herself throughout the book despite having situations that would advise otherwise.

Cara was a character that still developed, even though she was caught in one position that was outside of her control. She still found herself and stayed true to herself throughout which is something that I admired, and it didn't feel like she was being a pushover - which sometimes, characters can feel that way.

Cora & Brady together were perfect, and they felt like a true couple - they were not perfect, they were still learning, and he fell first (obviously).

Cora left her new life, and her new role, to fix a mistake that her brother made - which showed that sometimes, even though you are seperated from your family, you would still do everything for them. I would love to find out more about Cora's back story and what made her and her family fall out, because it was more than being a catholic.

Cora's family stepping away when they find out what's happening to her is intriguing and will show more in the future. Why has she stepped away? It felt like that was missing a bit but overall it was good and I enjoyed it.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC!

Guilty as Sin is one of the better mafia books I’ve read. I had a really hard time putting it down when I had to actually be an adult!

I thought the characters were well established and each had their own complexities. I loved Cora’s character development! She knew who she was and made sure everyone knew it too but also grew as a person. She had a lot of learning to do and I think the O’Sullivans were the best teachers for her.

Brady was a good mafia MMC. He had his own lessons to learn and Cora was sure to help him. He’s protective and egotistical but somehow has a softness about him especially when it comes to family.

I wish we got a bit more of Cora’s past. You find out early on that she leaves her family and you get some glimpses as to why but I don’t think we got the full story there. I wish we had. It doesn’t really take away from the book but it would’ve been nice to know more about that.

I also wish there was a bit more interaction with Cora and the O’Sullivans, specifically Brady’s parents. They definitely don’t get off on the right foot and there are hints of respect later on but I guess we’ll have to wait for that in the next books.

(Im)patiently waiting for more! Very excited to read the next book!!!

Steamy and plenty of attitude - no timid wallflowers in this arranged mafia marriage where they both have fire in their veins! Action, violence, betrayals, secrets - and plenty of spice, ghost pepper hot. If you like heated mafia romance with attitude, you are in for a fun ride.

Guilty as Sin by Cate Bishop
Publication Date: 13 August 2026

Guilty as Sin is an addictive mafia romance packed with tension, danger, and undeniable chemistry. Cate Bishop delivers a compelling enemies-to-lovers story that combines family loyalty, power struggles, and a marriage of convenience that quickly becomes far more complicated than either character expects.

Cora is a strong and determined heroine who refuses to be controlled, even when circumstances force her back into a world she fought hard to escape. Her fierce loyalty to her brother and unwillingness to submit make her an engaging protagonist from the very beginning. Brady is the perfect mafia anti-hero—powerful, possessive, and used to getting exactly what he wants, yet completely unprepared for the challenge Cora presents.

The dynamic between the two leads is filled with sharp banter, emotional tension, and plenty of sparks. The arranged marriage trope is executed well, while the backdrop of rival mafia families and looming conflict adds suspense and intrigue throughout the story. Readers who enjoy possessive heroes, strong heroines, family drama, and high-stakes romance will find plenty to enjoy here.

A fast-paced and entertaining mafia romance that delivers passion, tension, and an engaging enemies-to-lovers journey, Guilty as Sin is a promising start to what looks set to be an exciting new series.

#GuiltyAsSin #CateBishop #MafiaRomance #EnemiesToLovers #ArrangedMarriage

I have been avoiding mafia-genre books lately, but this description grabbed my attention, and I'm so glad I read the book. It was spicy and sultry and suspenseful. I enjoyed the reading experience and would devour Bishop's books again! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a book I thoroughly enjoyed! A true mafia romance featuring Cora and Brady, with an arranged marriage and enemies-to-lovers dynamic that I’m always a sucker for.

I really liked the plot here. Cora thought she was out of “the life” for good, but she stepped back into it more easily than she expected, and I loved watching her grow into that role over the course of the story.

Overall, this was a quick, easy read that kept me hooked. Recommend if you’re in the mood for a mafia romance with plenty of tension between the leads.

Cora left her family and old life ten years ago, yet finds herself forced back into the mafia world with her marriage to Brady. There is a reason Cora left everything behind and Brady most certainly is not getting the meek mafia wife he always expected to marry.

Cora and Brady are an explosive couple. The chemistry between the two is almost instantaneous despite their meeting at the end of the aisle on their wedding day. The couple has to carve out what their relationship will look like, all while a turf war is underway. Cora also has to figure out how she will adapt to being thrown right back into the life she left behind.

I flew through reading this book. There is so much potential for this series as it continues. We got to know just enough about the other family members to tell me that I need books for all of them!

Guilty as Sin by Cate Bishop is a fantastic mafia romance that follows Cora and Brady.

Cora is an independent doctor who believed she had left the mafia world behind. Thanks to her brother, Connor, she finds herself pulled right back into that life as she tries to protect him, ultimately entering a marriage with Brady.

The banter between Brady and Cora is absolutely top tier. They constantly challenge each other, and one of my favorite parts of the story is watching Brady struggle between being frustrated with Cora and being completely impressed by her because she is so much like him. Their chemistry is incredible.

Cora refuses to be viewed as someone's property and is determined to be an equal partner. Both she and Brady spend much of the story learning to trust one another, and once they finally do, they prove they are an unstoppable team.

One of the most interesting parts of the book is when Cora attempts to return to her life before Brady. As much as she always wanted to escape the mafia, she realizes she's actually incredibly good at navigating that world. That realization leaves her questioning everything she thought she wanted, creating a compelling internal conflict.

This book kept me engaged from beginning to end and delivers a satisfying happily ever after. If you enjoy mafia romance, witty banter, marriage of convenience, strong female main characters, and couples who are equally matched, I definitely recommend adding this one to your TBR.

This was such a fun mafia romance ! It has all the things we come to expect in this genre, arranged marriage, possessive MMC, sizzling spice, etc. But this one is unique because it had a lot of humor! I loved Brady and the Cora’s banter, as well as the banter with all the characters. This was a quick mafia read and I would recommend it to anyone looking to get into the genre, or those of us who love all things mafia !

I loved this!
Mafia romance, filled with some action whats not to love!
I really loved the MMC and FMC dual perspectives in it, and I know theres more to come from this author and series, id love too see more of the family mafia dynamics 💕

4 1/2 stars btw not 4!

Guilty As Sin By Cate Bishop
Release date: 13th August 2026
Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶

🅃🅁🄾🄿🄴🅂
🖤 Dark Mafia Romance
✨️ Arranged Marriage
🖤 He falls first & Harder
✨️ Warring Families
🖤 Enemies X Lovers

“𝕎𝕖𝕝𝕝, 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥’𝕤 𝕒 𝕤𝕙𝕒𝕞𝕖,” 𝕙𝕖 𝕕𝕣𝕒𝕨𝕝𝕤. “𝕀𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠𝕟’𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕚𝕕 𝕨𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕘, 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕓𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕞𝕪 𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕖𝕤𝕟’𝕥 𝕕𝕠 𝕒𝕟𝕪 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕.”

A dark mafia romance that literally dives right in and doesnt let up!!!!!! Holy moly Cate Bishop has written a good romance with some serious spice in it!

One thing I loved about the book was how it literally kicked right off, and it was done so well you weren't left wanting answers. The banter between the two main characters was brilliant and have some serious slow burn! There was definitely some underlying tension. Although there were points I didn't like the MFC the MMC is a completely different story, he was just so yummy and literally fell he first and hard!

This is a book you could literally read in one sitting (I did) it was too good not too!! If you want a dark romance where you can literally just eat it up this one's it.

Thank you to Avon books and Netgalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review

Guilty as Sin is a mafia romance that has arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, and he falls first and harder.

In this story we are introduced to Cora, an ophthalmologist working in a hospital. In actuality she comes from a mafia family. At the start, her life is mundane but then things hit the fan when her past comes back to haunt her. In doing so, it lands her in the sight of Brady O'Sullivan, our MMC. In terms of the character development, we do see he being forced to confront the world she came from but I would have loved to see more interaction with her family and work life to back up her rebellious nature. With Brady, I enjoyed seeing the bond between his brothers and amongst the family. Together, they are an interesting pair.

In terms of the pacing, this book was easy to read and I was able to feel the danger of rival factions. The action scenes are good and suspenseful, especially when plans go awry. If you do enjoy mafia romances with arranged marriages, this book may be for you.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.

This was a better read than I started off thinking it would be. The writing started off a little stiff but seemed to warm up the more I got into the book. I thought I wouldn’t like the “Mam” and “Da” but it wasn’t used often and honestly I stopped noticing when it was used.

All in all, a very good read that was every bit as sexy as you’d think it would be 🥵