Sweet Temptation

Love & Legacy #1

by Bella Matthews

From #1 Amazon and USA Today Bestselling Author Bella Matthews comes a brother's best friend, bad boy/good girl, football romance.

Lucky Beneventi might be the villain in my fairytale, but given the choice, I’m not sure I’d have it any other way.

My brother’s best friend and Philly’s favorite football player is the same cocky bad boy every girl wants and the dangerous temptation I was never supposed to touch.

Until I did. . .
And now I can’t stop.

I’m selfish enough to crave him—his kiss, his body, his heart—even when I know I’ll leave it shattered in the end.

But this can’t happen.
We can’t happen.
I won’t let us.

Even if he makes me feel alive in a way my broken body knows won’t last forever. . .

Because the truth is, when the story ends, Lucky isn’t the villain.
I am.

Genres: Sports Romance, Sports, Romance, Forced Proximity, Football, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary

282 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2025

Reviews

[Bella Matthews]

Available now!

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: http://bit.ly/4lZYE5D

Narrated by: Andi Arndt & Tor Thom
Listen today!
Audible: https://bit.ly/43oa9x2

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/44EhBFl

[Kayla | Kayla Reads Smut · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming back to Kroydon Hills is truly one of my favorites things to do. I know I have said this time and time again but I can not express enough the level of comfort I get when I read one of Bella Matthews books. I always have this weird sense of wanting to devour it as quickly as I can because of the comfort her books give me but then I also want to slowly consume them to sit with that comfort longer. Does the make sense? But honestly that’s just the type of author Bella is. She’s my comfort. Point, blank, period. And I say this every time but her books feel like coming home. The love that I have for this fictional universe, Bella's characters and the strong found family within this universe always heals a part of me with each book. And this book was no different.

Lucky and Lexie's book was everything that I didn't know I needed. Who knew I needed a book with a down bad for his best friend's little sister football player. Bella, she knew that's what I needed. I loved Lucky way more then I thought I would and I want to be very clear. I knew I would love him, but the way this man had me giggling and kicking my feet like a little school girl throughout this whole book. And not to mention the way this man had me gagged when he licked frosting off Lexie finger. Like the way I had to take a breather. Like why is that so hot? And I should have known that this man would blow my socks off because he a Beneventi for crying out loud!

The way that Lucky loved Lexie just did it for me. The way this man accepted her, refused to let her push him away an proved to her that he was here to stay was so beautiful. And I think their love was so beautiful because Lexie has Cystic Fibrosis (CF). As a nurse, I think Bella did a beautiful job at show casing a character with a chronic illness and the struggles that they have to endure. Lexie's illness plays a huge role into how she accepts (or should I say how she pushes away) love for the fear of leaving someone behind. But Lucky did not care. Ugh, I'm tearing up just thinking about it. It was just so beautiful!

Bella, there will never not be a book that I don't devour. I will never leave a crumb and I will always be asking for more. This one was truly perfect. Thank you so much for bringing me back home and unbeknownst to you, healing a part of me. I'm grateful for this universe you have created!

You should read this book if you like:
- Football Romance
- Brother's Best Friend
- Forced Proximity
- Roommates to Lovers
- Bad Boy x Good Girl
- Star Crossed Lovers
- But Daddy I Love Him
- Chronic Illness Rep

* I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Bella Matthews for allowing me the pleasure to read Sweet Temptation as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review.

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🌟, 3.5 🌶️

Lexie may have mastered pastries in Paris, but Lucky is the sweetest temptation she can’t resist. 😉

Lexie’s journey was both heartbreaking and inspiring. While, Cystic Fibrosis may shape her life, she refuses to merely survive — she’s determined to live fully. Her fear of letting someone love her felt so real, but I admired her strength, honesty, and quiet determination every step of the way.

And Lucky… he was everything. The moment he saw her again, he was all in. Wiser, self-assured, and adoring he never wavered in showing that Lexie was his forever. The way he loved, protected, and defended her made my heart melt.

Sweet, emotional, and utterly addictive — this book grabs you by the heart and doesn’t let go. With aching longing, fiery chemistry, and swoon-worthy devotion, Lucky and Lexie’s story is one you’ll champion for as they fight for the love they’ve always deserved.

By the final page, you’ll be left smiling, swooning, and convinced that these two were absolutely meant to be.

~~~~

Many thanks to Bella Matthews and Valentine RR for providing this Advanced Reader Copy. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. ✨

[Anca A · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Review: *Sweet Temptation* - Bella Matthews - ARC/ALC [18+]
5/5✨
3/5🌶️

Super excited to be part of Bella Matthews content team because I had the opportunity to receive this beautiful ARC/ALC in advance. Thank you so much Bella & team for everything!

When Lexi comes back in town, after staying a while in France, she moved in with her brother and one of his best friends, Lucky. They were also best friends when they were younger but something happened and Lucky decided that things would be better if he kept a little distance from Lexi.

Now they were forced to see each other daily and that tension between them was crazier than ever. Slowly, things were about to shift for them in a way or another, but there were so many unknowns there, especially because of Lexi. Will they give into those beautiful feelings that blossomed into their hearts or will they continue on their own paths?

I just wanna say that Lucky was the perfect book boyfriend!! He was a playboy but when he saw Lexi again, he left everything behind and made his goal to win her back. That was in spite of Lexi's insistence on keeping things platonic. Why? Because she didn't think that he must take a risk on her, knowing the fragile condition she was in. But their love and attraction was magnetic and they just couldn't stay away from each other, always gravitating towards one another. I adored Lexi and Lucky's siblings, who, I'm sure, that we'll get the chance to discover more in the next books of this series🩵. Of course, that their well known parents couldn't miss, offering the best vibes to this story🥹.

It was such a beautiful, emotional and often pretty fun book, which conquered my heart because of all those AMAZING characters.🩷 I adored Lucky and Lexy and their gorgeous love story, which transformed so beautifully from something simple into something indestructibile.

It was so lovely to go back to this book, making me fall even deeper in love with it after listening to it. The emotions felt even stronger than the 1st time I read it, being once again mesmerized by Luke's gentleness. Tor Thom did an amazing job in expressing all those emotions, as well as Andi Arndt, who played Lexi. They were mesmerising and I could feel in my bones all those feelings that they exuded.

✨Tropes
#BrothersBestFriend
#RoommatesToLovers
#BadBoyGoodGirl
#HeFallsHarder
#StarCrossedLovers
#ForcedProximity
#ReformedPlayboy
#FootballRomance

[Shana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ | 3🌶
This is one of those books that's bittersweet throughout. Your heart's breaking while you're laughing so hard you can't see through your tears. This one tore at my soul. I felt Lexie's pain in my own way and I felt it hard. I would advise checking triggers. I fall more in love with Bella's writing every time. It's Always a fun, memorable time in Kroydon Hills and this time was no different. I cannot wait for book 2. Thank you to valentine pr and Bella for this arc.

[Hazel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually liked the book 💌 the characters were pretty good, and I enjoyed them a lot at first. But as the story went on, especially after the halfway point, it kinda lost its spark for me.
The flow just wasn’t there, and I found myself getting a bit bored 😕
I’m honestly a little sad about it, because both the female and male leads had so much potential, but they somehow ended up in the background.

[Christina Sturgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5/5 🌟
Spice: 2.5/5 🌶️
Characters: Lucky and Lexie

By this point, everyone should know how much I love Bella's books and especially her heroes. But you tell me a Beneventi boy is going to be in it and I'm feral.

Lucky has had a thing for Lexie (his best friend's sister) since they were younger. Now she's moving back home and is going to be his new roommate. Of course, he isn't thrilled about this because she is off limits to him and having her living with him is going to be the ultimate temptation.
Lexie is so strong and resilient. She has Cystic Fibrosis and though she is constantly struggling, she wants her independence and to live her life as full as possible. She doesn't want to let anyone get too close to her because she knows her time is a bit more limited than most. Despite that, once Lucky makes the choice to have her, he is determined to make her see that they belong together for however much time they get.

Their story is so beautiful. It's an emotional read but filled with happiness, joy, and hope as well. I devoured it and cannot wait for the next one in the series!

[Hali Hegeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series, @bellamatthews.author does such a fantastic job with these characters.

Sweet Temptation is a brother’s best friend, bad boy x good girl, football romance between Lexie and Lucky.

I really felt for Lexie. I understand why she’s so determined to be on her own when she’s as sick as she is. But I also loved watching her let Lucky into her life, being honest about her feelings with him and her family about her future and what she wants. I wish I could be as brave as she is.

I adored Lucky. He’s head over heels for Lexie, there’s absolutely nothing he wouldn’t do for her. He’s so determined to show her that they belong together, and he’d take all the time in the world with her than none at all. Everyone deserves someone to love them the way Lucky loves Lexie.

I absolutely loved this addition to Kroydon Hills, and I can’t wait to see what @bellamatthews.author has in store for us next.

Thank you to @bellamatthews.author and @valentine_pr_ for my arc!

Sweet Temptation is now available in KU💗

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow… I was not expecting this book to be as emotional as it was 🥲 but i loved every second of it! Lucky might just be my new fave MMC of Bella’s?? He was pure perfection and the way he loved Lexie so thoroughly was just 🥹😭

[dess · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️

[lucialeelibros · Rating 5 out of 5]

e-ARC review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🥹

Hold up, Bella Matthews… you made me feel like I was drowning while reading the last 20% of the book. I CRIED so much!

But, what a freaking perfect book. I always have my reservations about second-generation stories, but this one… without a doubt, the best. I loved seeing how the children from our first books were raised in a way that truly reflects their parents: Lucky like his dad, and Lexie like her mom.

I absolutely loved seeing how much Lucky loves Lexie—it literally made my brain short-circuit. His perseverance and the way he did EVERYTHING to prove that love can conquer even the thousands of demons in our heads… just shattered my heart in the best way. Lexie’s illness plays a central role in the story, and so many situations revolve around her: her obsession with sweets, Lucky’s unwavering dedication, her siblings, her dad… Yet Lucky Beneventi broke all the rules and went all in for her until the very end.

Thank you, Bella. I will always, always love your books. Since that early morning when I accidentally stumbled upon your Instagram… and never let go.

[Simran Kaur · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Temptation is the perfect start to Bella Matthews’ second-gen series, and honestly, it wrecked me in the best way. It’s book one in the Love and Legacy series—you can read it as a standalone, but the ties to past characters make it feel even richer.

Lexie and Lucky’s story is raw, tender, and absolutely unforgettable. Lexie returns from Paris to start over in Kroyden Hills, only to find herself face-to-face with the boy she’s always loved - the boy who’s loved her just as fiercely, but stayed away to protect her. Lucky can’t hide it anymore, and the way he fights for her, protects her, and shows her that her condition doesn’t make her unlovable? Tugged at my heart so bad!! The fact that she thought that it'll be unfair to the person gosh🙁🙁

This book made me feel everything - the longing, the heartbreak, the hope. I’m not someone who cries easily, but this one had me on the edge. Lexie and Lucky’s love is the kind that stays with you long after you close the book, and everyone deserves to experience it.

Took 1 star off cause it was a bit boring and cliche in some parts, and the writing felt weird wrt my culture. But overall it was a great read. Loved the characters - main and side! Also, I do suggest to read the other books before cause you'll need character references!!

[Catarina Vieira | umlivroduplicado · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s always something I’ll forever love about Bella Matthews’ books: the tropes, the unforgettable characters, the family dynamic, and all the relationships that always pull me in from the very first page.

Sweet Temptation gave me one of my new favorite couples, and I was OBSESSED. Their chemistry is off the charts, and the way they fought for each other and for their relationship honestly had me tearing up more than once.

Lucky is everything I hoped for in a Bevenenti and so much more. Protective, charming, with total bad boy vibes—he’s the kind of MMC you can’t help but swoon over. The way he loves Lexie and never hesitates to fight for them? Perfection.

And Lexie… wow. I adored her. She felt so refreshing compared to a lot of FMCs out there. She’s loyal, stubborn in the best way, and she knows exactly what she wants. Watching her stand her ground made me love her even more.

Bella’s writing never fails to pull me in, and this book was no exception. I devoured it in basically one sitting and loved every second. Knowing we’re getting more books in this series? I’m beyond ready—I need them NOW.

[Mila · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ between a 2.75 & 3 / 5 — Sweet, but not quite my flavour 🍬

⚠️ Spoilers ahead! ⚠️

I wanted to like this more than I did. It’s not a bad book — in fact, it has a solid foundation and some genuinely lovely characters — but it just didn’t click for me the way I hoped. The pacing was a little chaotic, the cast was massive, and while there were moments that made me swoon, I never fully fell in love.

📖 Quick recap:
Lexie has spent her life fighting a chronic illness that’s always left her one step away from tragedy. She’s the baby sister in a loud, fiercely loyal family (whose brothers are the definition of overprotective), and she’s spent years preparing for the worst — writing letters to her family, making peace with what she can’t control.

Then there’s Lucky — short for Luciano Beneventi — the family’s lifelong friend and her brothers’ best mate. He’s a football star with a reputation for screwing things up and a deep belief that he’ll only hurt the people he loves. He’s loved Lexie quietly for years but has kept his distance because, well, guilt and self-doubt are kind of his brand.

When the book opens, we’re dropped right into a world that feels lived-in — very lived-in. There are dozens of names and family ties thrown at you in the first few chapters (if you haven’t read Bella Matthews’ other books, it can feel like crashing someone else’s family reunion 🫠). I definitely fall into that category — and genuinely felt like I was missing sooo much backstory and connection between all these characters.

The story kicks off when Lexie finally decides she’s done waiting around for her life to happen — she’s ready to actually live. Lucky, meanwhile, is doing everything he can to resist her, because the stakes are just too high. But of course… resistance is futile.

Lochlan, Lexie’s brother, sees right through him:

“That look right there. That look says you’re lying… It’s the same one you had yesterday whenever you looked at my sister… You might not actually be lying to me, but that’s because you’re definitely dumb enough to be lying to yourself.”

And from there, Lucky’s downfall is immediate 😂. Their connection builds fast — too fast, maybe — but their chemistry is undeniable. Lucky’s the classic tough guy who turns into absolute mush around her:

“Thank you,” she whispers. “You might have a little hero in you after all.”
“Don’t tell anyone, okay?”
“Promise.”

Sir… please. The way he’s a total marshmallow for her had me clutching my chest 🥹.

Then there’s this moment — one of my favourites — when it becomes clear Lucky’s always seen Lexie. He knows her in a way no one else does, all quiet observation and deep understanding:

“Yeah, asshole, you passed. Now go get my sister and treat her like the princess she deserves to be. I'll see you guys back at the house later.”
“That's where he's wrong. Lexie's not a princess. She's the fucking warrior.”

That line hit me right in the feels. It’s not just a declaration — it’s proof that Lucky’s been paying attention all along, admiring her strength even before she saw it in herself.

The second half amps up the pace (somehow even more) — health scares, near-death moments, grand gestures — and before you know it, we’ve gone from “just tonight” to full-on marriage territory by page 274 😅. It’s fast, it’s emotional, it’s… a lot.

💭 My take:
The heart of this story — Lexie finally choosing life, and Lucky learning he’s worthy of love — is beautiful. But the pacing is uneven, the character count overwhelming, and at times it felt like I missed whole chapters of their emotional build-up.

What to expect:
• Childhood-friends-to-lovers 💞
• Chronic-illness rep handled with care
• Big chaotic family energy (prepare to take notes)
• A hero who’s soft for her and a heroine who’s tougher than she looks 🫶
• Some truly heart-melting quotes and tender moments
• Pacing that might make you feel a little dizzy

Final thoughts:
Sweet Temptation has plenty of heart, and I did smile more than once — Lucky and Lexie’s tenderness is hard not to love. But between the rush, the crowd, and the insta-romance vibes, it just didn’t fully land for me. Still, it’s warm, emotional, and exactly what it says on the tin: a sweet temptation. 💖

[all.the.smut.things · Rating 5 out of 5]

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️.5

You know those authors that you love so much you need to immediately consume everything they ever produce… well that’s Bella Matthews for me.

This woman just knows how to take my heart, put it in a blender and make me thank her for the trauma in the very best ways.

THIS BOOK WRECKED ME AND I LOVED IT.

Also please grab tissues for this one, you are gonna need them. Because Lexie and Lucky are going to rip your heart out and put it back together again.

✨ Brother’s Best Friend
✨ Good Girl x Bad Boy
✨ Roommates to Lovers
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Chronic Illness Rep

Lucky Beneventi was a dark horse that came out of nowhere and quickly became a top tier book boyfriend. This man! THIS. MAN. I loved him with my whole heart. This is a man who knows how to YEARN, (and also be so stubborn he won’t give up)

And Lexie, she wrecked me. Writing a character with a severe chronic illness is not for the weak, but she was portrayed with such care and authenticity and I LOVED HER.

And these two together just did me in. Lucky loved Lexie even when she didn’t want him to and watching them come together was beautiful. They just gave me soulmate vibes to the very core.

I sobbed my eyes out during this one I’m not even going to lie. Like full on sobbing and hiccuping I was so in my feels.

Ans when I wasn’t in my feels I was sweating because these two are hot! Like fireball supernova hot. 🥵

I could ramble on forever but the bottom line is you just need to read this it will alter your brain chemistry.

ALL THE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hear me out…the start of this world was done so well. We had background to the characters, the characters were well developed, we knew their histories, etc. But with every book from this world that I read it feels more and more rushed. The basis of a deep story is there but it’s just surface level that kinda leaves more questions about the characters. But instead it’s zero to sixty without any communication. And if that’s what she’s going for she’s doing great. I keep reading them because the world is fun, the families and friends are hilarious but I keep being somewhat disappointed. It’s probably a me issue. Will I continue reading her books, probably because I’m curious enough. AND, because these newer releases can be read in less than a day, they are very short and quick reads.

I went back and read my other reviews and I clearly enjoyed her last few. Everything above still is true. They are quick reads and less plotting and more sexy sometimes. However, thinking more about this one, I think it was because the subject matter was much heavier for our fmc. And it wasn’t a book I finished and thought “they lived happily ever after” because that’s not their reality. I get it’s a book. Haha. But I don’t think it can be categorized as a HEA book. At least not with more depth into their struggles. Ok. Too deep for a book that’s meant to be quick and fun

[catiesbooksandthings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bella you out did yourself with this one! All the stars!!!!

This is the first book and her new series Love and Legacy and features Lucky Beneventi, who is Sam and Amelia's son and Lexie Sinclair, Cooper and Cary's daughter. Lucky and Lexie grew up together, but they have always had this love-hate relationship. Lexie has now moved in with her brother Linc, who also happens to live with Lucky. Linc and Lucky are best friends and they play football together for the Philadelphia Kings. Lexie is starting work at Sweet Temptations, the local bakery owned by Amelia Beneventi. Lucky has secretly been pinning for Lexie their entire lives, but has been told that she is off limits, by both Lucky and Lexie's fathers because she has cystic fibrosis and they think that she is to reckless with her health when it comes to Lucky. The thing is, the more time they spend together, the deeper the feelings get. Lucky is at a point now where he isn't going to let anyone stand in his way from getting what he wants, and what he wants is Lexie.

This book was so freaking good. It had me in my feelings the entire time. It was sweet, it was spicy and it was emotional. The way that Lucky loved Lexie did me in and he accepted her, CF and all. He refused to let their parent's keep them apart and he refused to let Lexie push him away. I feel that the love that Lucky has for Lexie, is the type of love that every girl wants and strives for, and is the type of love that every man should want to give to a woman.

Like I have said before and many have said as well, Bella books are like coming home and a big warm hug. These books will always get me out of a slump and they always keep me wanting more and more. I will be a Bella stand for life and I cannot wait to see who is up next in this series. This book was perfect! I am very grateful for Bella and this universe and I am grateful for my friend Kayla at Kaylareadssmut for introducing me to the Bellaverse.

Read if you like:
-football romance
-roommates to lovers
-brother's best friend
-bad boy x good girl
-star crossed lovers
-chronic illness rep
-but daddy i love him

Thank you so much to Bella Matthews for allowing me the amazing opportunity to read Sweet Temptation as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and review.

[Eva · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up!

This book was written with a hard topic in mind and it executed it beautifully.

The way Lucky and Lexie had to navigate to get their happy, was inspiring and painful. Her illness, while restrictive and difficult never was a factor in Lucky’s love but as someone who saw Death a step away, I 100% could understand Lexie’s fears.

Lexie was such a fighter. She refused to succumb and survive, she wanted to live a fulfilling life, but she herself, subconsciously, was sabotaging that. Denying love in her life was a defense mechanism and this man was not going to let it stand. I loved how independent she was, still asking for help when needed because that’s not shameful and while embarrassed of her symptoms, never denying them to the doctors. I loved the little pessimistic woman to pieces!

And the villain in shinning cleats, my man Lucky. This man saw her after the year apart and folded immediately. Older, wiser and more confident than before he stood his ground on what he wanted and that was always Lexie. The way this man yearned and cared and loved and respected and and and… for Lexie? Everything was for her and the bar for the best boyfriend is now raised to that level.
The way he defended his love for her to anyone that dared question him about “future pain” was precious and I get giddy just thinking about it!

These two had my heart in shambles and then built it back up!

Thank you Bella for this e-arc!!

Quotes:

Fuck it...
We're not making it upstairs.

"So fucking pretty on your knees for me, Alexis."

Fuck one night.
One lifetime won't be enough, and I know it.

Because I gotta tell you, I'd rather spend the last minutes of my life with you than without you."

I fucking love this woman and the denial she lives in.

"You weren't supposed to be this great big thing in my life, Lucky."
"You were always going to be the biggest thing in mine."

"I need you, Lucky. Now. Tomorrow. God. Always. I just need you."

[jess.booksandlattes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet temptation
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to Bella for the ARC 💌
Book 1 in the new Love & Legacy series kicks off with a bang, and what a start it is!

🏈 Lucky is chef’s kiss—the pining, the yearning, the way he flirts? Top-tier.
🧁 Lexie is the ultimate forbidden crush—his best friend’s sister who’s been secretly falling for him since her teens.
💜 Her battle with Cystic Fibrosis and her fear of letting anyone in makes this such an emotional, heart-tugging journey.

This story blends swoony, flirty tension with real emotional depth. The perfect mix to kick off a new series!

What to expect:
🏈 Good girl x Bad boy
🧁 Brother's best friend
🏈 Football Romance
🧁 Star-Crossed Lovers
🏈 Forced Proximity
🧁 Cystic Fibrosis rep
🏈 Secretly crushed on one another forever

Book overview:
Lucky Beneventi might be the villain in my fairytale, but given the choice, I’m not sure I’d have it any other way.

My brother’s best friend and Philly’s favorite football player is the same cocky bad boy every girl wants and the dangerous temptation I was never supposed to touch.

Until I did. . .
And now I can’t stop.

I’m selfish enough to crave him—his kiss, his body, his heart—even when I know I’ll leave it shattered in the end.

But this can’t happen.
We can’t happen.
I won’t let us.

Even if he makes me feel alive in a way my broken body knows won’t last forever. . .

Because the truth is, when the story ends, Lucky isn’t the villain.
I am.

#bookstagram #booktok #bookrecommendations #bookreview #kindle #kindleunlimited #TeamKroydonHills

[Kimberley x · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If there’s one thing I want to do right in this life, it’s to love this woman” 💖😭

Damn with is it with these Beneventi men?! 😏🔥 Bella just has this incredible way of grabbing my attention and never letting me go <3

When Lexi moves back home, and in with her brother and his best friend Lucky, it’s as if they’ve been transported back in time. There’s always been this intensity between Lucky and herself, and now that they’re living in each other’s pockets, that feeling finally just combusts in one heated moment!

Lucky desires Lexi with ever fibre of his being, however due to her living with Cystic-Fibrosis, Lexi has always been that bit more guarded with her life, and her heart — but that doesn’t stop Lucky from doing everything he can to fight for her, and prove that his love for her is eternal ♾️

Or was such a brilliant listen! I was totally immersed by Andi & Tori’s duet performance. Their hilarious banter had me cackling and those deep, raw interaction they created between Lexie and Lucky, as well as those obstacles Lexi had to face as a result of her CF, had me at the brink of tears 🥹

Tropes include:

💖 Brothers Best Friend
🤍 Good Girl x Bad Boy
💖 Forced Proximity
🤍 Chronic Illness Rep.

Huge thank you to Bella and Valentine PR for sending over the advanced listening copy x

[Paige (wingsandsmut) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I swear Bella only writes books that make me love her characters so much more! Lex & Lucky’s story is so sweet and emotional! They both have such big hearts and care for those around them so strongly. I absolutely adore them and all of the sweet moments they share. Plus we get to see a bit more of Cooper & Carys in this as well - and they are two of my fave characters from the Bella universe!

𝐴𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑜𝑏𝑜𝑜𝑘:
Performed in duet by Andi Arndt and Tor Thom! They brought Lex & Lucky to life and I really enjoyed listening to this audio!

𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑡:
🏈 Good girl x Bad boy
🧁 Brother’s best friend
🏈 Football romance
🧁 Star-crossed lovers
🏈 Forced proximity

Thank you so much to Bella and her team for letting me listen and review an ALC!

[Chelsea Mansell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet Temptation by Bella Matthews eARC Review 🧁🩷

I feel like every single time I read a book by Bella I say it’s my new favorite of hers, well this one is hands down my new favorite. What a beautiful and emotional story. I loved every single second of Lucky and Lexi.

This book is heavy and just has so much love in it. I laughed, swooned, had tears in my eyes and truly felt all the emotions while reading this book.

It’s hard to explain how I feel when I am reading Bella’s books but they honestly feel like a warm hug. I love this world she has created and these stories are so wonderful and every time I read a book of hers I can’t put it down. This one was no exception.

Lucky is a reformed playboy and he is going to stop at nothing to make Lexi realize that he loves her and will love her through everything no matter what. Lexi has cystic fibrosis and Bella does an amazing job portraying this illness and what it takes away from an individual not only physically but mentally as well. Lexi struggles with letting people in because of her illness but Lucky is determined and he’s a man who gets what he wants. Their story is so beautiful, I will never be over it.

What to expect:
🏈 Good girl x Bad boy
🧁 Brother’s best friend
🏈 Football Romance
🧁 Star-Crossed Lovers
🏈 Forced Proximity
🧁 Chronic Illness Rep

Thank you so much Bella for the opportunity to read this as an ARC for my honest opinion and review!

[Camryn Blankenship · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the wonderful opportunity to ARC read this book.. I think it does not really matter what Bella writes, I’ll read and love it. If anyone knows me, they know Cooper and Carys are my ultimate favorite Bella couple, so I was sprinting to my kindle when I got this. But something about this one I just couldn’t put down, my eyes were glued to the pages from start to finish. Brother’s best friend will hands down be one of my favorite tropes, and this was done beautifully. I loved the “FINALLY” moments from everyone rather than the “that’s my sister stay away”.. and when Lucky got the green light and Lexi opened the door boy was he not stopping he was going to prove and show her what it meant to be loved and loved by him HARD. It really made lucky and Lexie soulmates in my eyes. I think the representation of Lexi’s illness was executed beautifully, we were given the bad and the ugly. But also showed that there is life, and so much to live for even when you’re sick.. Also side note the amount of football references we got?? The timing was PERFECT for this book! I’m obsessed! I cannot wait for the rest of the series! I just wish this was longer, I miss them all so much already. Play The Alchemy by Taylor Swift on loop while reading this for the best experience ahaha

[Christina Sturgill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5/5 🌟
Spice: 2.5/5 🌶️
Characters: Lucky and Lexie

RTC

[scarlett london · Rating 4 out of 5]

ahhhhhh i need Lucky beneventi to call me baby and dolcezza and give me his jersey and his last name 🤭🤪🫶🏻

[Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

[Joy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is there a better trope than brother’s best friend being absolutely HEAD OVER HEELS in love with her for years? I think not! The mutual pining from these two was 👩🏼‍🍳💋

This was such a short & sweet read. The world that Bella Matthews has built in Kroydon Hills is astonishing honestly!

I absolutely loved the emotional heart strings that this book managed to pull! The way Lucky felt so responsible for Lexie and made sure her health came first with her CF was so sweet!

Tropes I loved: forced proximity, brothers best friend, football romance, good girl/bad boy

Tor Thom & Andi Arndt were amazing in this duet audio!

[Rebecca Hornig · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ✨

This was my first from Bella and you guyssss I am so obsessed! How did she make me feel so many emotions in under 300 pages!? I LOVEEEEE Lexi and Lucky but just everything is so good, the group chats, the family dynamics- I didn’t realize how large the world is that she created and I was worried I wouldn’t be able to connect HOWEVER I felt like I lived in the town, I was apart of the group chat and truly the writing makes you feel like it’s your friend group! Lucky is also an actual dream come true and while I personally don’t know anyone with CF- I feel she did an INCREDIBLE job showing the raw and real feelings someone dealing with an illness out of their control would feel!

[Christina Loshikian · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨

Sweet Temptation is book 1 in the new series Love and Legacy by Bella Matthews. To say that I was so excited for this book and to say how much I love Bella Matthews’ work would be an understatement.

5⭐️ 5🌶️

🏈 Good girl x Bad boy
🧁 Brother’s best friend
🏈 Football Romance
🧁 Star-Crossed Lovers
🏈 Forced Proximity

Sweet Temptation is the story of Lucky and Lexi and I have been in love with Lucky Beneventi since the Red Lips and White Lies series and for him to have his own story in this new series is EVERYTHING!!! The Beneventi boys are perfection. Lexi Sinclair has always had a crush on her brother’s best friend Lucky for years and Lucky has always known she was the one and he was going to stop at nothing to make her his.

Lexi had always been the girl he was never supposed to touch, she was forbidden and this wasn’t due to the fact that she’s his best friends little sister but she lives a very fragile life due to her illness. Her family and friends treat her like she can break at any moment but not Lucky, he sees her, really sees her. He sees her true strength, he doesn’t treat her like she could shatter at any moment.

In order to be happy and to have her happily every after she must break through the barriers that are holding her back and Lucky is the one to make her realize that she can be beyond happy, that she’s stronger than she believes and she can live and love wildly. And she shows him that even villains can have a happily ever after.

Sweet Temptation due to release Thursday, September 18th, make sure it’s on your TBR list, it’s an amazing book by an amazing author. You will fall so in love with these characters and this universe, I promise you. Thank you so much to Bella Matthews and her amazing team for allowing me read this eARC of this amazing book.

#LoveandLegacy #SweetTemptation #BellaMatthews #SportsRomance #BrothersBestFriend #FootballRomance #TeamKroydonHills

[Melissa (honeybee.reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet Temptation is book 1 in the Love & Legacy series and I absolutely devoured it. There's something about Bella's writing that is just as smooth as butter. It flows perfectly, the pacing is perfect, it's not overly descriptive or lengthy which for me makes for such highly bingeable books and great stories. This one tore at my heartstrings at the same time as making me laugh. It had the perfect balance throughout. I felt like Matthews truly did her research on Cystic Fibrosis and how it affects the person living with it and the people around. I just love how Bella is able to encompass all of these feelings, emotions and create meaningful relationships in shorter books.

Lexie was such a beautiful character, she was just trying to live through her pain, trying not to inflict it upon anyone else. She was preventing herself from so many wonderful experiences, but Lucky wasn't having it. Lucky was so kind, patient and understanding with her. Making her realize that he would be there every step of the way and that time together was better than none at all. I loved their relationship, how it grew, how their chemistry ignited. The support from the family around them was such a highlight for me, no drama, no useless third act breakup, that is so refreshing for me each time!

Overall, I absolutely adored the first book in the series. The second was amazing and I can't wait to read the third. I am loving this series, this town and the characters. I need more Bella ASAP!

🎧 The narration by Andi Arndt was stellar, she is one of my favorites. Unfortunately, the male narrator Tor Thom is not one of my favorites. I don't like his tone, I don't feel he brings the emotions well enough and he just feels awkward at times. Thankfully Andi balanced it and Bella's storytelling redeemed it all!

✨ Thank you to @bellamatthews for my gifted audiobook in exchange for an honest review.