Thank you thank you thank you to Avon Books for allowing me to delve back into the Irish mafia books. I knew when reading Guilty as Sin that I would absolutely love the next books following the brothers, and there was no surprise when I loved Sins of the Father. I couldn't stop reading about Brioni and Liam. Reading about Brioni's strength to go through everything with her ex and her past, and yet she still found it in herself to see all of the dark things around her and move forward.

I loved the he falls first vibes in this book, and by god he definitely fell first.

I can't wait to read more by Cate!

At the start of reading this book I realized the author would replace any "fi" combo in words with quotation marks and it drove me a little crazy. After awhile I did get used to it. This book was sweet and spicy, a friend's to lovers story. Liam and Brioni have known each other since they were little and now in their 30s the feelings toward each other have never gone away. Brioni, having a stalker ex, and Liam needing a wife to fulfill his duty as leader of his mafia family decide to get fake engaged. However, everything that follows is hardly fake and lines are crossed and feelings are absolutely known. However, when Brioni learns Liam lied to her can she fulfill the true duties of being a mafia wife when she is so innocent?

I enjoyed this story and the back and forth temptation with the two characters. Their back stories were interesting and I do enjoy the friends to lovers trope. I wish we would have learn more about her ex before the end of the story so that could have had a wrap up but otherwise it was sweet, with alot of spice and I would recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley, Cate Bishop and Avon Books UK for allowing me to review this ARC!

Liam and Brioni have been friends since early childhood and have been in love ever since. Liam feels Brioni is far too good for him, but he needs a bride to appease his family, and he chooses Brioni. After all she went through, Brioni is still having an issue with her Ex and Liam makes her feel safe, he is an O’Sullivan, and the family name carries a lot of weight in Chicago. These two have such good chemistry, Brioni is so much stronger than she realizes and Liam soon discovers that he’s never letting Brioni go, no matter what the original plan was. Thank you to NetGalley, Cate Bishop and Avon Books UK for the opportunity to read and review this well written story.

Thank you to Avon Books and Cate Bishop for this ARC!

Before I get into my review, I feel inclined to mention “errors” with the formatting of this book. I had absolutely no issue when reading this through the NetGalley reader. I typically send these ARCs to my Kindle so I can track quotes and highlight specific parts that I want to remember for my review. This is the only place errors occur. At times, if a word contains “fl” or “fi”, that combo of letters will be replaced with a symbol (!, $, @, etc). A quick Google search informed me that this is caused by a ligature bug. So no, neither the author nor the publisher randomly decided to throw in random symbols into words in place of certain letter combinations. That would be ridiculous and to lower the rating of the book because of an error like this that is contained to just Kindle is equally ridiculous. I would also like to mention these errors are only in the ARCS. It happened with the first book of the series but once the book was released, no errors were present.

As for my review, this book made me laugh, cry, giggle, throw my Kindle across the couch, and then pick it up just to do it again in the best way possible.

I love the friends to lovers trope and I think Cate did a fantastic job writing it! There weren’t too many flashbacks and each flashback had a purpose. They were also well placed.

I do wish there was a bit more conflict. I don’t want to spoil anything but I wish more was done with Brioni’s ex’s storyline. It was wrapped up well but I wish there was more conflict there.

I loved Brioni’s character arc! So proud of her. I love her relationship with Cora. They are in many ways very different but they still have a beautiful friendship…even though it can get them into trouble at times. And I thought her relationship with Orla was written well. Really, I loved how each O’Sullivan’s relationship with Brioni was written. You didn’t need a whole lot of flashbacks to see how much they love her and why.

And then there’s Liam. Sweet, angry Liam. Brady might have my heart but Liam made me question. I, personally, didn’t feel like Liam had as big of an arc as Brioni but I loved how his character got it together in the end.

Really my only true complaint is how they still haven’t figured out the leak and really it’s not a big deal because it makes me even more excited for Finn’s story but I’m impatient and nosy and I just want to know who it is. I have my thoughts and theories and I wanna know if I’m right. However, Cate is continuing to hold out on me.

While Cora and Brady have my heart, Brioni and Liam made themselves a nice little spot in there too. 100% should be on your TBR!

Well Cate Bishop has instantly made the autobuy and list of favourite authors. This is another BRILLIANT Read from beginning to end. I’ve devoured this in just one sitting. My only regret, I now need to wait for more and I don’t think I have that much patience.

Now, my first impressions of Liam and Brioni weren’t the best. He’s a brooding grump and I was convinced she was going to go after Brady. However, Bishop has completely changed my mind with this one. These are just gorgeous and definitely a couple that I wanted to succeed.

This is a perfect execution of-
💚 Mafia Romance
💚 Friends to Lovers
💚 Opposites Attract
💚 Fake Relationships
💚 Soulmates

I loved getting yo know them better in this one. I became fully invested and wanted them to be together. They definitely compliment each other’s character.

Bishop has pulled me in, kept me turning page after page and I’m now utterly bereft that I will need to wait for more. This is a book that has kept me awake far too late and I have zero regrets.

Everything about this has been as I hoped it would be. This book has darkness, violence, gorgeous characters, a completely addictive plot and a whole lot of spice.

For me, Bishop is a must read author, so far, I’ve read two books. Both have been completely superb and are worthy of all the stars. This is a definite contender for book of the year!

If I could give Bishop, a million stars, it still wouldn’t be enough to show how wonderful this book is. This is a book that I will absolutely be recommending to anyone who will listen.

A must read, missing this is missing out!! I’m so excited for more already!

Just romantic enough, just spicy enough, just suspenseful enough. And plenty of yearning from him. 3.5/5 ⭐️

I tend to enjoy the mafia romance subgenre. And this one did not disappoint! I would consider this mafia-lite with likable, relatable FMC and MMC — despite the mafia elements. Some authors lean heavy into that and it becomes overly dark and gruesome. Not in this story! I enjoyed the supporting characters and I could picture the setting with clarity. Overall, a solid read.

Avon UK really said, "Come and obsess over another book with us." 🤭 Huge thank you to Avon Books, Jessica and the girlies for inviting me to read this early, and for sending a widget my way! All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I LITERALLY INHALED THIS omgg!!

I enjoyed Guilty as Sin, but Sins of the Father had me HOOKED! I was already intrigued by Liam and loved the glimpses of Brioni that we saw of them together, so was really looking forward to this.

The tension and chemistry between them was so palpable, I felt like I was intruding at times haha! Liam is in need of a bride, and who better than the one woman he’s sworn off, but can’t help but obsess over! That man did not hesitate to fake date Brioni, to keep her safe from her stalker ex. Soft only for her, I WAS SAT!

I thought Brioni was really refreshing and I loved watching her find herself and her confidence within herself. Although not quite familiar with the mafia ins and outs, and what Liam does, she really did fit in seamlessly into the O’Sullivan family. I do think that how things were handled with Brioni’s ex felt a little glossed over, though, but it didn’t really take me away from the story too much.

I’m really enjoying the O’Sullivan family, and I can’t wait for who may be next in store to get their book and happily ever after!!

I finished Sins of the Father and my overall reaction was basically... meh. It was fine.

There wasn't anything particularly wrong with the story, but there also wasn't anything that made it stand out from the dozens of other mafia romances I've read. Brioni has a stalker ex, Liam needs a wife to satisfy his mafia family's expectations, and conveniently, a fake marriage solves both of their problems. Add in childhood best friends, years of buried feelings, touch-her-and-die energy, and plenty of spice, and you pretty much know where this is headed.

The friends-to-lovers aspect was probably my favorite part. I liked the history between Liam and Brioni and the fact that their relationship existed long before the romance did. Their chemistry worked, and there were definitely some sweet moments between them. I also liked seeing Brioni become stronger as the story progressed.

But I kept waiting for something to happen that would make me really invested, and it never quite got there. The conflict surrounding Brioni's ex had the potential to add a lot more tension than it ultimately did, and the mafia side never felt quite as dangerous or intense as I expected from a dark mafia romance. Everything just felt a little too predictable.

This is the second book in the series, and I did not read book one first. I was still able to follow Brioni and Liam's story without a problem, so it can absolutely be read as a standalone. There are clearly characters and an overarching storyline that carry over from the first book, and I'm sure reading in order would add some context, but I never felt lost.

Overall, this was an enjoyable enough, quick mafia romance. I didn't dislike it. I didn't love it. It just didn't give me anything I haven't read before.

3.75 stars. Good enough to finish, not memorable enough to rave about.

Thank you to NetGalley, Cate Bishop, and Avon Books UK for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Mafia politics and violence, stalkers, miscommunication, and secret longing between best friends in a fake marriage - whew! Lots going on and a good amount of simmer leading to the eventual sizzle and HEA. A good time for romance fans.

Now, let’s get down to it. Brioni and Liam are, undoubtedly, a strong unit built on a foundation of friendship. Watching that friendship grow into more is what I came for, what I’m sure we all came for, and it was well worth it.

I genuinely wish we’d gotten more interaction with Harrison, maybe some more obvious stalking, more of seeing Liam knowing he’s in the area. I am pleasantly surprised that Harrison didn’t get a chance to kidnap Brioni because I thought that’s where it was going, so hats off for the unpredictability. Still, I REALLY want to know how Liam knew, how much he knew, and when he found out. And, addicted and drawn to the violence as much as Brioni, I wanted to have the scene where he confronted Harrison.

All in all, definitely a book I’d recommend & would read again.

This is the second book in a trilogy that focuses on 3 of the O’Sullivan brothers - Liam, Brady and Finn

Brioni and Liam are childhood best friends and neighbours who’ve secretly been in love with each other but are too scared to cross the line.

The FMC is has recently broken up with an abusive ex-boyfriend. Her ex is currently stalking her, hacking her phone and sending messages to let her know he’s watching.

She has a lot of trauma from that relationship as well as dealing with abandonment issues. Which is well articulated in the writing and how she carries herself and her inner thoughts. As I reader I appreciated how the MMC was aware of her issues and how he navigated scenes and situations. He gave her time to change her mind, provide consent or otherwise and create or readjust boundaries.

I do wish that the author would have found some way of showing how Brioni handled the stalking issues for example reporting to the police or getting some form of help. Rather she internalised it, gaslight herself and the only solution provided by Cora was un-aliving the guy. I understand this is a work of fiction but sometimes a work of fiction can provide some form of guidance or relief to someone going through something similar.

We see how Liam dating Victoria made both of them feel and how they handled it. But what about Brioni and Harrison. Did she introduce him to Liam. Did Liam just stand aside and watch? How long were they together?

He had said that he wouldn’t have considered marrying someone who didn’t bring ‘an alliance’ so what changed? Was it the mounting pressure from his parents?

What really triggered Liam to suggest the arrangement?

Yes, the illusion of protection was there, but the arrangement didn’t really help Brioni. She was still getting those messages from Harrison, she never told Liam and despite the men watching her she was still being stalked. So the arrangement wasn’t really to her benefit.

Harrison should have been roughed up as some form of warning. This way we see an actual tangible benefit to the arrangement and he has an idea of who he’s dealing with and what the O’Sullivan’s are capable of.

I also think the threat that Harrison provided to the O’Sullivan wasn’t big enough. You can’t be multi-generational mafia family and you’re SCARED OF A HACKER who you can’t even confirm if his buddies can or cannot hack you. Also why can’t you pay for better online security or have more elite hackers on your payroll?

Who was the mole??? The book ended and I didn’t figure it out. Did I miss something?

And what happened to Liam's sister Sloane? There's one mention of her and that's it. We don't see her in any of the meetings or family gatherings.

Generally this was a good read. It’s addictive, it’s emotional, it’s slightly violent, good character development and very well written.

I really appreciated that this isn’t one of those books where everything is spelled out for you!

A star is added because the FMC and MMC are in the same age group and the MMC was against marrying the Italian girl was too young for him.

*I know this is an ARC / unedited copy but all those missing ‘F’s were sending me. For someone with a reading inability however slight, it was irksome

I usually read a lot of dark, spicy academia books, so this title was refreshing because it's Irish mafia-themed! It's well written, like all of Cate's stories. I was intrigued and interested in the outcomes for the main characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was SO addictive.

I am such a sucker for a mafia romance where the MMC is already completely gone for her before she even realises what’s happening, and Liam absolutely delivered.

The marriage deal was meant to be practical. Keep Brioni safe, get Liam out of an arranged marriage, walk away after a year. Easy, right? Except Liam has absolutely no intention of letting that happen and I loved watching that slowly become VERY obvious 😂

Their friendship made the romance even better because there was already so much trust and history between them. Brioni feels safe with Liam, but being pulled deeper into his world forces her to see a completely different side of him — and I loved that contrast between the man she knows and the ruthless mafia man everyone else fears.

And the protectiveness?! Give me a touch-her-and-die MMC every single time. Liam is possessive, determined and completely convinced that Brioni belongs with him, while she’s still trying to stick to the original deal.

This had danger, tension, chemistry and that delicious friends-to-lovers feeling where one of them has been hiding their feelings for far too long.

Five stars for mafia chaos, fake marriage, an obsessed MMC and a man who says “one year” while clearly planning forever. 🖤

I adore Liam & Brioni, the friends to lovers trope was perfect for them as they had such a rich history together. The Mafia world is not what Brioni wants, she thinks she's not good enough for Liam but Liam thinks she's perfect in every way, just as she is.

This is the second book in a Dark Mafia Series that just keeps getting better and better

Sins Of The Father is part of a series but I read this without reading book 1 & had no issues not understanding any prior plot points or connections.

Friends to lovers isn’t a trope I gravitate towards but I absolutely loved the start of this book! The opening interactions between Liam, Brioni & the family were enjoyable. I thought the start with neither of our MCs wanting to cross a line was sweet. It was slightly dissatisfying that the first spicy moment happened as quickly as it did, there could’ve been more build up around this.

The spice did become repetitive and felt like a gap filler for showing how authoritative Liam could be. Having the stalker ex was a convenient plot anchor that never fully developed, his name was just thrown around with no real confirmation that he had been involved. When we did get to see Brioni’s relationship with Cora & Liam completing jobs or pushing the recruits, I couldn’t put this book down.

Overall, I’d recommend this read for new dark romance readers but it left me wanting more.

Sins of the Father was a fun, steamy, and addictive addition to the Guilty as Sin series. This book has all the ingredients I look for in a dark romance: danger, tension, possessiveness, complicated family dynamics, plenty of chemistry, and a relationship that starts with one set of rules only to become something much more complicated.

I really enjoyed Brioni and Liam as a couple. The friends-to-lovers element worked particularly well for me because there was already a sense of trust and familiarity between them, which made the shift in their relationship feel more emotionally satisfying. Their fake marriage arrangement was also a great setup for the story, especially because we all know exactly what happens when two people make rules about keeping things strictly platonic in a romance!

Liam was definitely one of the highlights for me. His protective, possessive side fits perfectly with the mafia-romance setting, but I especially enjoyed watching his feelings for Brioni develop. The “he falls first and harder” trope is absolutely present, and those moments were some of my favorites. There is something particularly entertaining about watching a character who thinks he has everything under control slowly realize that the woman he is supposedly protecting has become the person he can’t imagine losing.

The chemistry between Brioni and Liam was strong, and the romance had plenty of spice. At the same time, the story wasn’t only about their physical relationship. The emotional tension, Brioni’s situation with her stalker ex, and Liam’s complicated family world gave the romance some additional stakes and kept the story moving.

I also enjoyed the darker mafia atmosphere. The O’Sullivan family brings plenty of danger and drama, and I liked seeing Brioni pulled further into Liam’s world. There are definitely moments where the characters’ choices made me want to shake them, but that is part of what made the story so entertaining. This is very much a romance where you have to embrace the heightened, dramatic nature of the genre rather than overthink every decision the characters make.

That said, there were a few places where I wanted a little more development. Some of the plot and character moments felt like they moved faster than I would have preferred, particularly when it came to the darker elements and the larger mafia storyline. I would have happily spent more time exploring some of the emotional consequences and family dynamics. A few things also felt somewhat predictable, although that didn’t stop me from enjoying the journey.

Overall, Sins of the Father was an entertaining, spicy, and dramatic mafia romance with a couple I enjoyed rooting for. I’m interested in seeing where the Guilty as Sin series goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review!!!

Favorite couple alert!! Liam and Brioni’s story… oh, my heart. The friends-to-lovers + marriage-of-convenience combination swings and hits a home run in this book. I could not put it down.

Liam is caught between the pressure he puts on himself and the responsibilities that come with being the future head of his family. Then there’s Brioni, his best friend, and someone he’s always known, cared for, and quietly looked out for. His feelings for her are hardly new, and I loved how much that came through in the way he knows her. Liam pays attention to the little things. He knows her habits, what she likes, what she needs, and the things that make her feel safe. There’s something about a man who has been quietly paying attention all along that really hits.

For Brioni, Liam has always been her safe place, but there has always been a line between her life and the world Liam and his family live in, and they’ve been just as intentional about keeping that line in place. When her stalker ex forces her into a marriage with Liam, that line disappears. Suddenly, she has the chance to experience this part of Liam’s life up close and figure out whether she actually has a place in the world she’s spent so much time outside of.

The marriage doesn’t give them a connection. It gives them a chance to explore the one they already have. They’re best friends who know each other deeply, and watching them figure out what happens when that friendship becomes something more was SO beautiful. And honestly, I think these two cuties knew exactly what they were doing when they agreed to this deal. The chemistry between these two is EVERYTHING. And I don’t just mean the physical chemistry, although that is definitely there. It’s their banter, their interactions, their genuine conversations, and the way they just get each other.

Not to mention, I also loved spending more time with my favorite Irish family and seeing what everyone was up to. I’m always here for more of them.

Basically, Liam and Brioni have my whole heart. I loved these two. Well done!

Mafia romances always get me and this was no exception - definitely needs to be your niche but delivered on the yearning angst and promise of delicious romance.

Super addictive and enthralling! I read it as a stand alone and had no issues with context or and confusion about past characters.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! It was great to read this next book in the series and to see what happens with Liam and Brioni!

I really enjoyed this one! The darker atmosphere, secrets, and suspense kept me interested, and I liked watching everything slowly come together. A few parts felt a little slow for me, but overall I had a good time with this story and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys darker, suspenseful reads.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I LOVED this book and cannot wait to read the rest of this series!! This book is about Liam and Brioni. I love a story about a mafia man who falls first and harder!! I absolutely loved the MMC Liam O'Sullivan could fake date me anyday ;)

This was a perfect friends to lovers story with a mix of mafia. MMC definitely falls hard first and tries to convince himself everything is temporary in front of her. Behind closed doors, he knows from the first moment that she was his from the beginning. The MMC and FMC have amazing chemistry and truly feel like they had been childhood friends that grew to something a lot more. I ate this book up in one sitting! It leaves just enough room for the next book while still completing their story!

This was a great read and I enjoyed it from the start. For book two, I was worried that I’d have missed some things and not quite understand, but with it being a relatively standalone book, I found it easy to get into.

The O’Sullivan family are both warm and frightening, but I would feel so safe under their protection, just as Brioni did. I could really appreciate the love these two had for each other as friends before they make a mutual agreement to get engaged for show.

I will be looking out for more books by this author too. There is so much to love about the characters and the story that I was a little sad to finish reading.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was such a fun, spicy and addictive mafia romance!

Brioni and Liam were definitely the highlight for me. I really enjoyed the friends-to-lovers element because they already had that familiarity and trust between them, which made watching their relationship change feel much more natural. Add in a fake marriage and the inevitable “we’ll keep this completely platonic” rules that absolutely nobody is going to stick to, and you’ve got a recipe for chaos. 😂

Liam was probably my favourite part of the romance. He’s protective, possessive and very much suited to the mafia world, but I especially loved watching him slowly realise just how deep his feelings for Brioni had become. I am absolutely a sucker for the he falls first and harder trope, and Liam delivered.

There was plenty of chemistry and spice, but I also liked that the story had more going on than just the romance. Brioni’s stalker ex, Liam’s complicated family and the darker mafia side of the story all added extra tension and kept things moving.

The O’Sullivan family brought plenty of drama and danger too, and I enjoyed watching Brioni get pulled further into Liam’s world. Some of the character decisions definitely had me wanting to shake them 😂, but honestly, that’s part of the fun with this kind of romance. You have to embrace the drama rather than sit there questioning every single decision.

My only real issue was that I wanted a little more development in some areas. Certain plot points and emotional moments felt like they moved quite quickly, particularly around the darker elements and the wider mafia storyline. I would have happily spent more time with some of the family dynamics and emotional fallout. A few things were also fairly predictable, although that didn’t stop me enjoying the book.

Overall, this was an entertaining, dramatic and spicy mafia romance with a couple I really enjoyed. Definitely a solid four stars from me, and I’m curious to see where the Guilty as Sin series goes next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.