Married With Lies

by Cora Brent

Do you see this ring on my finger?
A grouchy mafia hitman put it there and I barely know him.
If you think that sounds wild, wait until you hear the rest of the story…

Everyone knows Carmine ‘Cale’ Connelly is the second in command to his terrifying uncle, head of the Amato crime family. A decade older and formerly one of my brother’s best friends, Cale has always been a man to steer clear of. The fact that he’s a towering monument of muscled sin and piercing eyes is irrelevant.

Anyway, I haven’t seen much of Cale in years. He’s practically a stranger at this point. I had no reason to change that.

All I cared about was finding a way to save my beloved animal sanctuary. This wasn’t easy, especially when my family and I were barely on speaking terms after I ditched wedding plans to the horrid son of my father’s business partner.

When Cale suggested we could help each other, I thought he was kidding.

But Cale was looking for a way out of a marriage arrangement.

Meanwhile, I needed enough cash to save my rescue ranch.

All we had to do was tie the knot, convince everyone that we’re in love and hope that Cale’s mafia boss uncle doesn’t catch on.

Just a few simple lies, right?

But something happened while we were pretending.

Our arguments turned flirtatious. Our kisses became passionate.

And Cale Connelly turned out to be far more than a fearsome enigma.

Now this little game of make believe we’ve been playing is the biggest lie of all.

And I’m in WAY over my head….

TROPE
Sunshine Animal Lover and Grumpy Mafia Prince
Complete Stand Alone
ONE BED Antics
Hilarious ‘Opposites Attract’ Banter
Age Gap
Small Town Mischief
Protective Hero
"MY WIFE...."

Genres: Mafia Romance, Romance, Dark Romance, Dark, Marriage Of Convenience, Fake Dating, Contemporary

320 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 22, 2024

About the author

I'm a huge fan of insta-love , grunge era flannel, my vintage Kenmore sewing machine, embroidered dishcloths and absolutely everything that has to do with 1980s pop culture (i.e. leg warmers, scrunchies, big hair, early Madonna, boom boxes, wood paneled walls, stonewash jeans, etc).

If you believe in Happily Ever After and improbable love stories, chances are I'll love you too!!

Email: corabrentwrites@yahoo.com

Reviews

[Lisbeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comenzó bien, pero no hubo suficientes interacciones entre los protagonistas y no sentí la química entre ellos. Sin embargo, los dos fueron agradables y no me costó leerlo.

[Ruth♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟
Los matrimonios arreglados siempre es un gusto leerlos 🤭

Cale tuvo una infancia difícil, después de perder a casi toda su familia creció siendo un hombre serio con el deber de proteger a su hermano de un mundo de corrupción pero ahora le piden algo que no está dispuesto a hacer así que lo mejor que se le ocurre es casarse con la hermana de su ex mejor amigo, así ambos podrán salir de el lío en el que están y seguir viviendo de forma tranquila pero no se esperaban está gran conexión que tienen.

Es el primer libro que leo de la autora y me gustó mucho su forma de escribir, les diré que tal vez siga leyendo mucho más de ella, en general me gustó, no esperaba que tuviera bastante mafia, pensé que es de los que solo usan el nombre pero no, aquí si es algo que está muy presente y afecta bastante a la pareja ya que ellos quieren salir de este mundo pero sabemos que eso no es fácil 😔

Creo que lo que más me gustó fue la relación de estos dos, al inicio ninguno tiene interés por el otro pero poco a poco las circunstancias los van acercando y ameee eso, además Sadie es veterinaria y me encanta cuando hay animales en los libros 🥹 fue un gran plus.

El final me dejó un sabor amargo por como es que se resuelve todo pero igual era inevitable llegar ahí, ya lo había pensando y si paso, igual da paso al siguiente libro que espero leer yaaa.

[Luna ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

»I want you to marry me.«

★ ★ ★

❥ 𝑴𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
I liked the fact she loves animals and truly cares for them. But as a character she felt flat and bland.

❥ 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 ⋆✮
I liked him but his characters wasn’t build well.

✥ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌
Meeeh… this couldn’t hold up my attention and I will not continue with this series. This is so sad cause the idea and setting had potential but the implementation lacked. The love story started at 40% which was way too late for my liking. There are pages of pages of unnecessary descriptions and it was a long way to go until the love story finally started rolling. I wanted a quick, silly and smutty mafia romance book but this one just dragged on. There was too much plot around the love story and the character building lacked.
Don‘t get me wrong it‘s not a bad book but absolutely not what I expected from a marriage of convenience mafia book. Maybe the author should have chosen different tropes.
Three stars it is because overall the book is entertaining and it is my fault that I had false expectations.

𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?
No.

𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝟓 ׂㅤ𐙚 ࣪ ⭒
plot: 3/5
spice: 1/5
humor: 3/5
couple/tension: 3/5
world building: 4/5
happy end?: yes

𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 ᡣ𐭩ྀི₊ ⊹
possessive and protective hero, mafia, from different worlds, slow burn, marriage of convenience, good girl x bad boy, age gap, brothers best friend, fake dating

[LivingReadGirl666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie may be the black sheep of her well to do family but she’s my absolute favorite character in a long time; she runs an animal shelter, is a spitfire personality, and tries to be unapologetically herself. When she comes home to ask her wealthy family for funding for her ranch, she runs into the former bad boy next door who is looking to shirk a proposed arranged marriage for a mafia alliance. (I LIVE FOR FAKE MARRIAGES) we definitely got several “my wife”s and Cale is actually a bad boy with depth and I couldn’t help loving him too. Was there a ton of spice? No. But the banter, the plot, the YEARNING kept me so busy I didn’t notice. The HEA was amazing and I was so happy there was no real strife filled moments for me as a reader. I don’t think I could handle it. I was ready for life to work out for them as soon as I met them.

I was given a free ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[*CJ* · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Married with Lies” is the story of Sadie and Cale.

Was very excited to read this but I’m sadly disappointed.

The book was an ex best friend’s sister romance, but the heroine is an awkward redhead who runs an animal shelter, ostracized by her family- and the hero is an unwilling mafia boss.
It starts as a marriage of convenience, but the romance is sooo vague, it starts at 60% in and the main leads of the book spend most time apart than together.

I was hoping to see like a smitten hero as I have read about them in the next book but they were just.. friendly and boring.

Unsafe
2/5

[MissPetiteBrunetteBookBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carmine “Cale” Connelly is part of the Amato mafia family. He hasn’t seen Mercedes “Sadie” Wingate in years but he needs a favor. When Sadie also needs some money he suggests they can help each other…Get married! Save her animal sanctuary and get him out of his marriage arrangement. Simple…right? Marrying into the mob is never that simple. Can they keep this deal professional or will feelings start to bloom? This is such a great romance and the banter between these two had me smiling so much. Sadie is a funny one and Cale is such a smart *$$ but I’m here for it!! Get ready for a sweet “only a business deal” to more romance. Told in first person and dual POV

[Bayishta · Rating 1 out of 5]

The people who are giving this book a 5/5 DID WE READ THE SAME THING?!!?!?!?!? If I could give this book as -100 I TOTALLY WOULD. It seemed like it was a fanfiction written by a 16-year-old.

[dayy ᥫ᭡ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1/5 ⭐️
Lo leí el 18/02/2025 y no le había echo una reseña por falta de tiempo y ahorita que tengo tiempo resulta que se me olvido de que iba, no me acuerdo nada de la historia 😭
Solo se que no me gustó 😞

[Laura Reads Too Much · Rating 4 out of 5]

What do you get when you get when you have a mafia man who needs a favour in the way of a wife and a quirky animal loving big hearted lass in need of money....

Cale and Sadie can solve each others problems and that's what they do. It's all going to be straightforward, they have a plan to keep it all platonic bla bla yeah yeah... Cue the attraction, chemistry, a whole ranch of animals, fun, feelings and hope! I absolutely loved the side characters - Peggy is one fierce and amazing woman, and the way they looked out for Jasper, they really are good people!

I'm really hoping we get Gus and Lucas story - just putting that out there 😏

A slow burn love comes through and I really enjoyed it.





*I voluntarily received an arc and this is my honest review.

[Gabrielle Espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

CALE Y SADIE SE LLEVARON MI CORAZÓN 😌🩷😍🥰

Que libro para más bonito Sadie es tan linda ella solo quería mantener su refugio de animales y mi Cale mi mafioso/ejecutor solo necesitaba una esposa quien iba a pensar que de esa química saldría algo tan bonito 🥹 me lo leí al toque y ameeeee

[Crystal LoCicero · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was so great. I loved the h. She was so cute and perfect for the H. This was a slow burn, but the lead up was entertaining. The ending was bittersweet, the H was trying to save his brother but it didn't work. I hope we see more of the brothers interact in the next book.

[Michelle Quintana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed it

I have been reading this series backwards and now I have finished the first in this series. I was curious as to how Cale and Sadie ended up together and how Luca took his place. Before Sadie, Cale probably never thought he would have had any goodness in him. Sadie and the ranch definitely brought it out in him. However, when his world collides with Sadie's, Cale doesn't like it. He doesn't want her tainted with his world. I did like the ending, even though I know what happens in the future.

[Leah Kingsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would have been a higher rating because I really liked the story, liked the characters but all the spelling mistakes and words missing from some sentences became too distracting. These errors took away from the storyline. Needs a better editor.

[Jarh Son · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5🌟

Este libro decidí leerlo sin tener una idea de lo que iba, y me gustó la trama y como se desarrolla la historia, aunque hubo momentos en los que me aburrió un poco.

La protagonista, Sadie, tiene 24 años y nació en una familia con mucho dinero pero que no aprecia la existencia de la protagonista, por ello decidió alejarse de su vida en NY e irse a Colorado a hacer lo que más ama, cuidar de animales y ayudarlos a refugiarse en caso de ser abandonados. Su personalidad es muy bonita y honesta, no necesitaba hacer acciones para que los demás la aceptaran, al contrario, vivía como más le gustaba y es feliz con eso.

Carmine “Cale” Connelly, el protagonista, tiene 34 años y es el segundo al mando de su tío Richie Amato, jefe de la mafia. Él necesitaba a alguien con quien casarse para callar a su tío que quería casarlo con alguien para crear lazos. Que mejor opción que Sadie Wingate, hija de Asher Wingate. Además, hermana menor de su ex mejor amigo, con quien se distanció por la diferencia de rumbos que tomaron sus vidas.

Sin entrar en detalles de spoilers o algo más, no me di cuenta que prácticamente ellos estuvieron todo el tiempo alejados viviendo cada quien su vida en un estado diferente, pero sobre todo; siendo fieles a su matrimonio. Eso me gustó. Porque Cale desde que se casaron tuvo una gran atracción hacia Sadie, igual que ella hacía él. Obviando el camino de la trama, me gustó la relación de ambos y cómo sobrellevaron el tema de sus sentimientos. Solo hay un detalle que no me gustó, bueno dos; 1-. Me hubiese gustado que el papá de Sadie tuviese algún karma por cómo la trataba. 2-. Me pareció un poco injusto que todos los esfuerzos que hizo Cale hacia Luca no hayan servido para nada.

Pero bueno, una historia bonita con unos protagonistas muy lindos.

TROPES:
✨AGE GAP
✨MARRIAGE OF CONVENIENCE
✨LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP
✨FRIEND’s YOUNG SISTER
✨GRUMPY MAFIA PRINCE
✨SUNSHINE ANIMAL LOVER
✨OPPOSITES ATTRACT

[Rozebudzz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie and Cale
Love these two, both individually and together. This is a very well written, character driven story. By the end, I wanted to meet them both, see their rescue ranch and get to know them better.

Sadie grew up in a rich but totally dysfunctional family. Her father is distant and demanding, her sister treats her like the hired help and her brother is dismissive and doesn’t see her worth. But she has a clear sense of what she wants in life and she’s strong enough to go after it. There are obstacles in her way but she just keeps plugging along and making things happen. Cale grew up next door, and was best friends with Sadie’s brother. He and his brother Luca were raised by his Mafia uncle. Cale feels trapped in his job but doesn’t see any way out. His priority is to protect his brother and keep him away from the mafia life. He presents an arrangement to Sadie that will get them both what they want. This is age gap so there’s a 9-10 yr age difference between Sadie and Cale.

I love Sadie’s passion and love of animals. She’s the sunshine to Cale’s darkness. She has an endearing outlook on life despite always being dismissed by her father and siblings. Both herself and Cale’s inner dialogue were very well written. Cale is an enforcer (hitman) for the mafia so his outlook on life is pretty dark. From their initial encounter, there’s an attraction and connection between these two. It was written to be very subtle. A slow burn. These two really don’t have any sexy times till 3/4 of the way into the story. Until then, they’re just trying to navigate their way thru their lives together.

The side characters are also well written and not just there for props. They’re all multi-dimensional and every interaction moves the story along. The pacing of this book is just right.

I love the ending altho it’s left a couple questions up on the air. Hopefully they’ll be answered in Luca’s book.

[Cali Gal’s · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review: A Captivating Tale of Love, Loyalty, and Redemption

If you're a fan of slow-burn romances, fake marriages, and mafia intrigue, this book is tailor-made for you. It weaves together an engaging narrative with a unique blend of elements that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

At the heart of the story is Sadie, a resilient woman determined to leave her toxic past behind. She has recently purchased an animal rescue in Colorado, striving to make a difference in the world while battling financial constraints. Enter Cale, her brother’s best friend and a mafia hitman with a complex past and a promise to keep. Cale's role as the protector of his brother—due to a vow made to his dying mother—adds layers of tension and emotional depth to the plot.

The relationship between Cale and Sadie is slow-burning and nuanced, blossoming despite their initial distance and sporadic meetings. Their chemistry is palpable, and the way their connection deepens is both heartwarming and intense. Sadie's journey is marked by personal growth and a reevaluation of her relationships, especially as she contrasts her supportive new family with the disappointing dynamics of her biological one.

The novel excels in portraying how both characters are trying to navigate their lives while staying true to their respective loyalties. Cale’s struggle between his dangerous world and his burgeoning feelings for Sadie adds a gripping conflict, while Sadie's evolving sense of self and her efforts to establish a meaningful life bring a refreshing perspective to the story.

Overall, this book is a rich tapestry of romance, redemption, and the pursuit of a better life. It skillfully balances the tension of Cale’s dangerous world with the warmth of Sadie’s new beginnings, making for a captivating and memorable read.

[Kerry Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awww i wasn't expecting this book to be so sweet! And funny! Although there are some darker themes they don't overpower it.

It was a very slow burn but you get to know both MCs really well this way. You can get a feel for both of their pasts and what shapes them. Sadies has an Ex and family trauma. I think the ex part makes her a little vulnerable and the family part makes her lonely at first. I loved how she dealt with these issues by being always positive. She's so sunny but also incredibly funny. The wedding of her sister just cracked me up! I love how she found her own way in life. Making her own family on the ranch.

Cales traumas are on the darker side. He self sacrificed his life for his brother so your first sight of him is honorable. He's in deep with the mafia and is under his uncles thumb. His uncle forces him into a decision of the fake marriage and he chooses Sadie. He makes her a deal she can't refuse.

I loved how open they were both with each other. It felt like they were kindred spirits that finally saw each other. The openness between them gives you the initial spark. Theres no games just two people who feel comfortable talking out their pasts with each other. Cale is a little more closed off but Sadies optimistic view on life helps him open up.

I loved how they come together and how they changed each other for the better.

Loved the Ranch!! And all the side characters and animals! I hope little Tinkerbell gets her happy home! Sadies best friend, Gus, is just waiting for maybe the good Doctor? Or Luca? Either will do! I really hope we get more of this world.

As i've said its a slow burn, more about the connection between Sadie and Cale than spicy. There are a few scenes, which were hot, especially at the resort, but it's the connection that pulls you in.

Great story that gives you a connection to the characters and makes you care about the characters. I was drawn in to this world and now want more!

Highly recommend!

Fingers crossed for a Luca story! You can't leave us in limbo Cora!!

[Nightbird Novels · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Mercedes “Sadie” Wingate left her shallow and unfulfilling life in NYC to start an animal rescue ranch in Colorado, and she has never looked back. But while saving animals is her passion... she also needs to have the funds to do it...

Carmine “Cale” Connelly never wanted to join the ranks in the mafia, but to save his brother from a similar fate, he makes the sacrifice to stand at the side of his uncle, the Boss. But when he reconnects with an old friend's little sister... Cale starts to question the life that he has been forever dedicated to...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Married with Lies was a super slow burn, marriage of convenience, mafia romance read! Sadie and Cale were never romantic acquaintances, but when they meet again, they will become just that... and so much more.   

I really enjoyed this book and the stark differences in both Sadie and Cale's characters. Sadie was a strong woman who had escaped life with her family of vipers who she never could relate to, while Cale has been bonded to his family, and their mafia ties, for life. She is sweet and a hard worker, while he is rough, and deadly. And when Sadie and Cale get married, each for their own reasons, in the end, they will end up coming to each other's rescue...

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

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[Kira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Married With Lies
Author: Cora Brent
Hero/Heroine: Cale & Sadie
What to Expect: Mafia Hitman MMC, Feist FMC, Age Gap, Marriage of Convenience, She Falls First He Falls Harder, Opposites Attract,

tw/cw: intimate recording without consent, mention of cancer, death of loved ones, dysfunctional familial relationship,

What do you get when you cross a mafia hitman with a sunshine ranch owner? Let me tell you, you get banter for days and some incredible chemistry. Cale and Sadie, though relative strangers, were a pretty amazing couple, and I loved that they were complete opposites in every way.

Rather than be pressured into marrying someone chosen for him by his uncle, Cale sees Sadie at a Christmas party and makes her an offer she can’t refuse. Sadie, wanting to make her own way in the world, was desperate to keep her Colorado ranch afloat, so took Cale up on his offer.

I have to say that the banter between Cale and Sadie was a stand out aspect of this book; not one to back down, I loved that she didn’t take any shit from him and regularly put him in his place. Though Cale came across as grumpy, he seemed to lower his defences around Sadie, and I loved that we got to see a softer, more caring side of him.

A great start to the series, this was the Marriage of Convenience/Mafia trope done well. I can’t wait to read Luca’s story.

Thank you to the author and @candikanepr for providing me with a copy of this to read. This is my honest review.

✨overall thoughts: enjoyable marriage of convenience romance with top tier banter
✨ 3rd act break up: no
✨ heat level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle Unlimited: Yes
Stand-alone: Yes
Author: Cora Brent
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Spiciness Rating: 2.5/5 🌶
POV: First Person Dual Perspective
Main Couple: Cale and Sadie
Trope(s): Sunshine Animal Lover and Grumpy Mafia Prince / ONE BED Antics / Hilarious ‘Opposites Attract’ Banter / Age Gap / Slow Burn / Small Town Mischief / Protective Hero

This was my first read by Cora Brent. It is a lighthearted, low angst, easy read. If you are looking for an easy breezy, sweet read this one's for you.

Mercedes (Sadie) Wingate walked away from family money, obligations and New York when she ended her engagement and used her trust fund to open Bright Hearts animal sanctuary in Colorado.

Carmine (Cale) Connelly is his uncle’s right hand man and in line to run the Amato family. When he and his brother lost their parents his uncle and aunt took them in. He has chosen to live this life to give his younger brother Luca the ability to choose another life.

His uncle is pushing the marriage agenda. Cale is not interested in the prospects before him, but knows he will have to come up with an alternate plan.

When he is told to attend the Wingate annual Christmas party he runs into his former best friend, Baylor’s younger sister. Turns out she has a need of her own, money for her sanctuary.

Cale proposes a win-win for both of them. Get married, get his uncle off his back, get Sadie the help she needs since her family is unwilling.

Sounds simple. Until it is not. Until they begin showing up for one another in ways they hadn’t planned on.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Cale Connelly’s mob boss uncle decided his nephew should advantageously marry a mafia princess, the only way out he could see was to marry the first woman he met who just happened to be Sadie Wingate. Sadie needed money to support her animal rescue ranch and since she refused to obey her father, no help would be forthcoming from that direction so when Cale offered his support in return for a quick trip to Vegas it seemed a win/win situation for them both.

Married With Lies was a quick and easy read with a grumpy/sunshine vibe. The development of Sadie and Cale’s relationship was a joy to read. The overall story was well written with a good flow and the hero and heroine both likeable. Both had family issues. Cale didn’t like the person he’d become working as a fixer for his uncle but had made the sacrifice to protect his baby brother from the ‘family’ and couldn’t see a way out while the quirky Sadie had been the cuckoo in her particular nest and marched to her own beat unlike her siblings who had all fallen into line like good little soldiers. They had fun together as they could be themselves and I adored the wedding scene which had me laughing aloud – I knew there was a reason I didn’t eat salad! As for the secondary characters, well the New York ones I could take them or leave them especially if their names were Wingate or Amato but the Colorado ones where Sadie had made her home were all fabulous.

[The Dragon Den Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review of Married With Lies by Cora Brent
* * * * *
An agreement that helps out their professional and family lives, but will eventually open up doors to a romance neigther of them planned.

Sadie was in need of some cash. Her rescue ranch was need of some repairs and she was already tapped out on loans. Asking her family isn't exactly going well, and the ex from her past keeps lingering around.
Cale needs a way out. His powerful uncle is having some ideas on who he should marry to support 'the family', and they all sound terrible.
A solution is formed. Cale offers a contract of marriage to Sadie, she gets the money to help her animals and he gets family off his back. With surprise family visits, disasterious wedding chaos, nasty ex-fiances with blackmail material, and hilarious stepmothers...things are about to get interesting.

A great read that I zoomed over in my day with tons of giggles - the wedding scene was absolutely hilarious! Love Sadie's stepmother - a bit airheaded but sweet as all hell. Her brother is a coward, her father is an a-hole, and her sister...well, she deserved it.
Cale is a protective big brother with fond memories of his parents. He did his job but clearly did not want to be in his line of work. Sadie was a stepaway from all the badness and helped him smile. Her kindness towards helping animals is amazing.
Thumbs up!

[DFS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. I laughed throughout the book and wanted to ignore my responsibilities and keep reading. "Married with Lies" was hard to put down. The book follows Sadie (Mercedes) and Cale (Carmine). Sadie broke away from the lifestyle of the upper echelon of the New York Elite and started an animal sanctuary called Bright Hearts Ranch in a small town in Colorado. This along with breaking off her engagement angered her father. When she drained her trust fund for the needs of the ranch, she's forced to go back to her father, in hopes he would help her. Cale is being forced into an arranged marriage, but he knows how to get out of it. He needs to marry someone else. When he hears about Sadie's plight, he sees an opportunity that's mutually beneficial. Through a Las Vegas wedding, an unexpected detour, and other off kilter events, Sadie and Cale have an intensity to their relationship and their chemistry is soaring off the pages. It's a slow-burn romance, but it's worth the wait. The book ends in HEA for Sadie and Cale, but there are other characters in the story whose endings were left open ended like Luca. It would be awesome to revisit this world through the eyes of Luca or Baylor. It's a five out of five book. The characters have understandable ambitions and goals. The dialogue is witty and clever. Cora Brent outdid herself.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

This is the story of Sadie and Cale. He is part of a mafia family and she is the girl with a rich family that she is the black sheep of. These two grew up as neighbors and haven't seen each other in a long time. She runs a animal sanctuary and needs some funding for this farm. So she decided to suck it up and go ask her family for help. While there she runs into Cale again after man years. The man is a situation where he is about to be in an arranged marriage he didn't want. He needs her help and if what he proposes, he will be out of the arranged marriage and since he is wealthy he can help her with the money she needs. A win, win for the both of them. It all seems really simple and a benefit to them both but in reality being married to a man in the mob is anything but easy. The real question is, can they keep to the agreement and be profession or will their feeling come to the surface and take them someplace unexpected. I loved these two characters. He is all alpha male and bad boy that has so much more to him than what he shows on the outside. Sadie is Sadie and is the black sheep of her family. She tires her best to always be herself and really is a feisty little thing. I really loved reading this book. It is one that anyone would really enjoy.

[Michele A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sadie and Cale have known each other for what seems like forever. She was the little sister of his BFF growing up. She appears, for some reason, to be an outcast in her family. She does seem to let a lot of things happen to her in the hopes of someone acknowledging her as part of the family. She runs a rescue which was nice, but there were a few things I couldn't quite wrap my head around. She makes an agreement with Cale to marry him and he promises funding for the ranch. He does his part and she decides to think she has the right to be snarky with him a lot of the time they're together? Um, no. The ranch sounded nice, but some of the things she listed weren't quite necessary for saving animals. They were kind of pricey and she could have saved more animals if she didn't do so many upgrades. There were quite a few missing words and errors in the story, but I still found it enjoyable. Sadie said at the end that they both grew, but she didn't give up anything or do anything to show that she "grew". She got what she wanted because Cale stepped up. The issue with Peggy and the candles was glossed over but I have a feeling if Cade had started a fire, there would have been a lot of blaming him.

[Jennifer Brewster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Married with Lies is another great read from Cora. I would consider it to be a Mafia lite story with a hint of age gap, marriage pact, slow burn love story. Carmine "Cale" Calloway and Mercedes "Sadie" Wingate have now become one of my favorite couples from Cora. Sadie is the black sheep of her well to do family. She runs an animal shelter in Colorado. I loved her quirky personality and the fact that she is unapologetically herself, regardless of what her family or anyone else thinks. Cale is a mafia man doing everything he can to keep his brother out of the family business.

Their fake marriages comes about because Sadie needs funds to keep her rescue going and Cale refuses to be married to who his uncles wants him to marry. I enjoy the build up and how even though Cale didn't share much with her at the beginning, Sadie always sent Cale messages about the progress. I believe this slowly melted his heart. There were hints of mafia in the story but it wasn't the majority of the plot.

I loved the cast of characters and I am even more excited that Luca is getting his own story!!!

[Rebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. Sadie and Cale are fantastic characters that draw you in. The storyline is gripping and probably one of my favourite reads this year so far.
Sadie is the youngest child of Asher Wingate who is very well connected and they live next door to Richie Amato,who is a mob boss.She now lives in Colorado on her rescue farm.
Cale is Richie's nephew and his right hand man.
When Richie wants Cale to marry a daughter of another mob boss Cale decides that he will marry on his terms and puts a proposition to Sadie. Get married but no relationship. Sadie wants to save her rescue farm so agrees.When they kiss at their wedding they both feel connected but keep it to themselves.
A shooting and family fiasco's ensues and both of them eventually take it to the next level and end up falling for each other hard. The only problem they have is convincing Richie that their marriage is real and saving Cales younger brother Luca from being involved in the family business.
The ending surprised me and I was like wtf this came out of nowhere.
Fantastic story, brilliant characters and a storyline that was great.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You’re my hero, Cale Connelly. Whether you want to be or not.”

Married With Lies was a slow-burn, fake marriage story that will have you rooting for Cale and Sadie to find their HEA. These two are complete opposites. While Sadie is full of sunshine and light, Cale is dark and moody. His job as an enforcer for the mafia is night and day from Sadie’s work at an animal rescue yet these two complement one another beautifully.

“Every minute I spend with her makes life better. Sadie is like the light to my darkness.”

I loved watching the relationship between Cale and Sadie develop from acquaintances to begrudging friends to eventually lovers. Sadie gave Cale a sense of peace that he so desperately needed. He feels trapped in his mafia lifestyle and Sadie opens up his heart to emotions that he didn’t know he could feel. The delicious slow burn chemistry between them as well as their snarky, flirty banter makes Married With Lies an emotional, swoonworthy read and I couldn’t get enough of Cale and Sadie’s sweet romance.

[Keza Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A proposed arrangement between Cale and Sadie, that was meant to be just business but beneficial for them both. Things start to get a little tricky when they must spend time together.

With Sadie's bright and sunny, never letting things get to her attitude and Cales quiet, alert and broody. Oh, and I have to mention protective!

He needs a wife, and she needs to save her beloved bright hearts ranch. Sadie's is running out of options, and with Cales's proposal, it's just what she needed. She just didn't count on catching feelings for Cale.

Cale is dangerous. At the same time, he is absolutely gentle and kind with Sadie. Sadie had such a bubbly personality that it was so hard not to love her. The family she came from... not so much! There was always a dangerous element, and dont get me wrong. It was there at times front and centre, but it was in the background for most of the story. I felt Cale and Sadie really shine in it.

I really, really loved this book. It's going on my favourites list.

Definitely recommend 👌

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Married With Lies was a fantastic read with some hilarious laugh out loud moments, crazy witty banter and sizzling chemistry. 

I absolutely loved Sadie right away, a quirky animal loving Elton John superfan she's a breath of fresh air. I liked her down to earth, quick witted, sarcastic and sweet personality. 

Cale is every bit the Mafia man, dangerous, calm and calculating he's always planning ahead and takes everything serious, he doesn't play games or suffer fools. Cale has lots of layers, he's a very intriguing guy. It was impossible not to feel for him, his selflessness towards his brother stole my heart. 

Cale and Sadie are opposites in every way but they balance each other out, she's definitely the sunshine to his grumpy. Their slow burning romance was fun, sweet and addictive. It had an element of danger that kept me on edge, the flirty dirty banter added just the right amount of spice too. I loved their love story. 

I definitely need more from these characters especially Luca, so hopefully he will get his own story. I need the brothers together. 🤞