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A Touch of Fate
When Emma Mancini finds out the news of her impending arranged marriage to Samuel Mione, the future Underboss and one of the Outfit’s most sought-after bachelors, she is hopeful for their future despite their age difference. However, the never ending gossip surrounding their union and Samuel’s cold attitude extinguishes that hope.
After an unfortunate decision made in the past-- guilt and bitterness are Samuel’s constant companions. He doesn’t have time for emotional nonsense, and a bond to a woman only adds another unwanted obligation.
Nevertheless, Emma isn’t someone who resigns herself to her fate. She’s overcome much greater obstacles than a cold husband who’s determined to keep her at arm’s length.
Can Emma break through Samuel’s impenetrable walls? And if she does, can she live with what she discovers?
After an unfortunate decision made in the past-- guilt and bitterness are Samuel’s constant companions. He doesn’t have time for emotional nonsense, and a bond to a woman only adds another unwanted obligation.
Nevertheless, Emma isn’t someone who resigns herself to her fate. She’s overcome much greater obstacles than a cold husband who’s determined to keep her at arm’s length.
Can Emma break through Samuel’s impenetrable walls? And if she does, can she live with what she discovers?
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First published June 25, 2025
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About the author
Cora Reilly
49 books29.4k followersI'm an Mafia Romance writer. I'm a lover of good food, wine, travel and books, and I'm hopelessly addicted to bad boys (in books).
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June 29, 2025 ⁀➷pre-view:🎯
It's Time 🤸🏻♀️
💍One marriage contract. Two strangers. A thousand rumors. And zero patience for nonsense...
... Welcome to Chicago’s most elite (and unhinged) mafia marriage:
Where the espresso’s strong, the gossip’s stronger, and the groom?
Colder than your ex’s apology text. ☕❄️
👰🏻♀️ She’s the mafia princess no one saw coming.
🤵🏻 He’s the Underboss-in-waiting with a heart iced over by guilt.
And the wedding? It's not for love. It's for legacy.
But Emma Mancini didn’t marry a man.
She married a war
EMMA’S WORLD IS ABOUT TO BURN... AND SHE'S BRINGING MATCHES. 💅
➷WHAT TO EXPECT:
🍝 Arranged marriage—but make it enemies-to-oh-no-he’s-hot
🔥 Mafia heir with emotional damage (and a jawline that needs its own zip code)
💌 Tension so thick it might be illegal in several states
💔 Emotional repression? Off the charts.
👰 A mafia bride who did not come here to play house
🧊 Samuel Mione = walking trauma dump with a six-pack
☑️ She’s sunshine. He’s stormclouds. The wedding vows? Explosive.
🫢 Secrets. Scars. And one very inconvenient slow burn
🛑 Touch her and you die vibes, but like... actually
🎯THE VIBE?
Emma’s like, “Fine. I’ll marry the brooding mafioso.”
Samuel’s like, “This is just business.”
Reality’s like: cue the soul-shattering pining, kitchen arguments, late-night stares, and one very steamy betrayal that might destroy them both.
And you? You’re eating this up like it’s tiramisu after a funeral shootout.
Because this isn’t just an arranged marriage.
It’s a psychological chess match in a three-piece suit.
And Emma Mancini? She’s done playing nice.
And god, please let this be better than the last clown and manipulation act.
Here we go. Buckle up, principessa. 💋
Let the games begin...🤺
-----
Yoo!! Emma and Samuel are finally happening🤸♀️—after years of back-and-forth, cancellation drama, and Cora nearly ghosted the book. Emma, a wheelchair-bound woman in a world that values beauty over strength, is forced into marriage with Samuel, the broodiest Underboss-in-waiting who treats love like an allergic reaction. He’s got guilt, she’s got determination, and we’ve got a recipe for angst.
Will he defrost? Will she break through his walls? Or will this be another round of “I love you, but I’ll make you suffer first”? Either way—assuming we actually get the book this time.Let’s just hope all this buildup is worth it because if this turns into another letdown, the roast session will be legendary.
It's Time 🤸🏻♀️
💍One marriage contract. Two strangers. A thousand rumors. And zero patience for nonsense...
... Welcome to Chicago’s most elite (and unhinged) mafia marriage:
Where the espresso’s strong, the gossip’s stronger, and the groom?
Colder than your ex’s apology text. ☕❄️
👰🏻♀️ She’s the mafia princess no one saw coming.
🤵🏻 He’s the Underboss-in-waiting with a heart iced over by guilt.
And the wedding? It's not for love. It's for legacy.
But Emma Mancini didn’t marry a man.
She married a war
EMMA’S WORLD IS ABOUT TO BURN... AND SHE'S BRINGING MATCHES. 💅
➷WHAT TO EXPECT:
🍝 Arranged marriage—but make it enemies-to-oh-no-he’s-hot
🔥 Mafia heir with emotional damage (and a jawline that needs its own zip code)
💌 Tension so thick it might be illegal in several states
💔 Emotional repression? Off the charts.
👰 A mafia bride who did not come here to play house
🧊 Samuel Mione = walking trauma dump with a six-pack
☑️ She’s sunshine. He’s stormclouds. The wedding vows? Explosive.
🫢 Secrets. Scars. And one very inconvenient slow burn
🛑 Touch her and you die vibes, but like... actually
🎯THE VIBE?
Emma’s like, “Fine. I’ll marry the brooding mafioso.”
Samuel’s like, “This is just business.”
Reality’s like: cue the soul-shattering pining, kitchen arguments, late-night stares, and one very steamy betrayal that might destroy them both.
And you? You’re eating this up like it’s tiramisu after a funeral shootout.
Because this isn’t just an arranged marriage.
It’s a psychological chess match in a three-piece suit.
And Emma Mancini? She’s done playing nice.
And god, please let this be better than the last clown and manipulation act.
Here we go. Buckle up, principessa. 💋
Let the games begin...🤺
-----
Yoo!! Emma and Samuel are finally happening🤸♀️—after years of back-and-forth, cancellation drama, and Cora nearly ghosted the book. Emma, a wheelchair-bound woman in a world that values beauty over strength, is forced into marriage with Samuel, the broodiest Underboss-in-waiting who treats love like an allergic reaction. He’s got guilt, she’s got determination, and we’ve got a recipe for angst.
Will he defrost? Will she break through his walls? Or will this be another round of “I love you, but I’ll make you suffer first”? Either way—assuming we actually get the book this time.Let’s just hope all this buildup is worth it because if this turns into another letdown, the roast session will be legendary.
June 27, 2025
3.25 stars 🌟 — The best Outfit book… which honestly isn’t saying much
This was better than expected.
And I say that with conditions. I rated this on Cora Reilly standards, not regular mafia romance standards. If you haven’t read her before: don’t. Just don’t. Her mafia universe is hands down one of the most misogynistic, trauma-glorifying mess I’ve ever read. And this book? Not misogynistic… which was weirdly refreshing for her.
🦋 Arranged Marriage
🗝️ Mafia Romance
🦋 Wheelchair-using Heroine
🗝️ Alpha Hero
🦋 Emotional Scars
🗝️ Redemption Arc
Emma was the heart of this story.
She’s a disabled heroine, and surprisingly, Cora didn’t write her with pity. She wasn’t fragile. She wasn’t a doormat. She was strong, kind, emotionally grounded, and didn’t let anyone treat her like less. I loved that she wasn’t Aria 2.0. She had agency. She had presence. She wasn’t just Samuel’s rehab project. Emma carried this book on her back—wheelchair and all.
Samuel... I tolerated.
He was respectful most of the time, emotionally messed up but self-aware, and didn't constantly cheat or degrade Emma (which is a low bar in these books). But then there were moments that really got on my nerves. Like the drunk driving incident??? Knowing exactly what happened to Emma’s legs and still putting her in that position? Unforgivable. And the fact that Emma forgave him so fast made me want to scream.
Their dynamic felt like mutual attraction + respect—not love.
And I say that as someone who’s read basically every mafia pairing Cora’s dropped. I don’t buy the “forever” here. There's no grand love story energy—just two broken people who kinda work. That’s it.
This is the best Outfit book.
And that says more about how bad the rest are than how good this is. I despise Dante. And don’t get me started on how pathetic Danilo and Sofia were. So this? This was a step up. Emma had a spine. Samuel, while annoying, didn’t completely repulse me. And the misogyny levels were one of the lowest they’ve ever been in a Cora book.
BUT.
The pacing was uneven. The ending felt rushed. The forgiveness came too easy. And Emma still deserved way better—not just in a partner, but in a family, in story depth, in care.
Final thoughts?
Emma is the only reason I finished this. If this book had been about anyone else, I wouldn’t have even touched it. But I’ve been waiting years for this pairing, and even if the delivery wasn’t perfect—it was at least bearable. Emotional at times. Soft in the right places. And flawed, always.
But atleast this wasn't a complete mess.
I’ll take this minor W and go.
━━━━━━━━━━━⊱♡⊰━━━━━━━━━━
So last year after the Nevio disaster, I swore I’d never read another Cora book again. Like fully closed that chapter, locked the door, and threw the key into the abyss 😭
But then Emma & Samuel pulled up?? And I folded INSTANTLY.
🗝️ Arranged marriage?
🖤 Broody alpha hero with emotional scars??
🗝️ Wheelchair-using heroine who won’t be pitied??
🖤 YEARS of buildup + cancellation + finally a release??
Yeah okay. I’m not going in with expectations (Cora has burned me before)—but I am hoping this one isn’t misogynistic or riddled with toxic martyrdom disguised as romance.
I need Samuel to grovel. I need Emma to slay. I need the angst to hit.
It’s been YEARS of waiting, cancellation drama, and secondhand fandom heartbreak—but we’re finally here. Emma & Samuel. June 25. Let’s see if fate is kind this time.
This was better than expected.
And I say that with conditions. I rated this on Cora Reilly standards, not regular mafia romance standards. If you haven’t read her before: don’t. Just don’t. Her mafia universe is hands down one of the most misogynistic, trauma-glorifying mess I’ve ever read. And this book? Not misogynistic… which was weirdly refreshing for her.
🦋 Arranged Marriage
🗝️ Mafia Romance
🦋 Wheelchair-using Heroine
🗝️ Alpha Hero
🦋 Emotional Scars
🗝️ Redemption Arc
Emma was the heart of this story.
She’s a disabled heroine, and surprisingly, Cora didn’t write her with pity. She wasn’t fragile. She wasn’t a doormat. She was strong, kind, emotionally grounded, and didn’t let anyone treat her like less. I loved that she wasn’t Aria 2.0. She had agency. She had presence. She wasn’t just Samuel’s rehab project. Emma carried this book on her back—wheelchair and all.
Samuel... I tolerated.
He was respectful most of the time, emotionally messed up but self-aware, and didn't constantly cheat or degrade Emma (which is a low bar in these books). But then there were moments that really got on my nerves. Like the drunk driving incident??? Knowing exactly what happened to Emma’s legs and still putting her in that position? Unforgivable. And the fact that Emma forgave him so fast made me want to scream.
Their dynamic felt like mutual attraction + respect—not love.
And I say that as someone who’s read basically every mafia pairing Cora’s dropped. I don’t buy the “forever” here. There's no grand love story energy—just two broken people who kinda work. That’s it.
This is the best Outfit book.
And that says more about how bad the rest are than how good this is. I despise Dante. And don’t get me started on how pathetic Danilo and Sofia were. So this? This was a step up. Emma had a spine. Samuel, while annoying, didn’t completely repulse me. And the misogyny levels were one of the lowest they’ve ever been in a Cora book.
BUT.
The pacing was uneven. The ending felt rushed. The forgiveness came too easy. And Emma still deserved way better—not just in a partner, but in a family, in story depth, in care.
Final thoughts?
Emma is the only reason I finished this. If this book had been about anyone else, I wouldn’t have even touched it. But I’ve been waiting years for this pairing, and even if the delivery wasn’t perfect—it was at least bearable. Emotional at times. Soft in the right places. And flawed, always.
But atleast this wasn't a complete mess.
I’ll take this minor W and go.
━━━━━━━━━━━⊱♡⊰━━━━━━━━━━
So last year after the Nevio disaster, I swore I’d never read another Cora book again. Like fully closed that chapter, locked the door, and threw the key into the abyss 😭
But then Emma & Samuel pulled up?? And I folded INSTANTLY.
🗝️ Arranged marriage?
🖤 Broody alpha hero with emotional scars??
🗝️ Wheelchair-using heroine who won’t be pitied??
🖤 YEARS of buildup + cancellation + finally a release??
Yeah okay. I’m not going in with expectations (Cora has burned me before)—but I am hoping this one isn’t misogynistic or riddled with toxic martyrdom disguised as romance.
I need Samuel to grovel. I need Emma to slay. I need the angst to hit.
It’s been YEARS of waiting, cancellation drama, and secondhand fandom heartbreak—but we’re finally here. Emma & Samuel. June 25. Let’s see if fate is kind this time.
July 2, 2025
FINALLY!!!
Después de años, la espera al fin terminó y tenemos la historia de Samuel y Emma, las expectativas hasta el cielo… OBVIOUSLY!!
Era el libro que más quería leer de Cora.
HISTORIA
Samuel es obligado a casarse con Emma por un trato que hizo con Danilo a cambio de que el se casara con su hermana Sofia.
Danilo quería asegurar el matrimonio de su hermana con una buena familia ya que tenía muy pocas posibilidades de casarse debido a su discapacidad que le impide caminar y que en las tradicionales familias mafiosas no es muy bien visto ya que la ven como mercancía dañada.
Samuel lo último que quiere es casarse y tener bajo su protección a una persona y más una vulnerable como Emma, se siente incapaz de proteger a alguien ya que su hermana gemela fue secuestrada y luego sus mejores amigos fueron asesinados por el secuestrador de ella en un fallido intento de rescate impulsivo.
Pero su honor y palabra le impiden cancelar el trato.
PERSONAJES
Tanto Samuel como Emma me gustaron, aunque Emma me sorprendió fue una chica que a pesar del entorno machista y de apariencias era muy fuerte y su discapacidad en lugar de apagarla le dio valentía para luchar por lo que quería.
Lo que más me gustó de esta pareja era la comunicación que tenían y creo que por eso no hubo malentendidos entre ellos, aunque me hubiera gustado más drama.
En cambio, si esperaba más de Samuel, creí que sería más frío con una personalidad tipo Dante, en cambio era un hombre torturado por las culpas del pasado y con una clara adicción al alcohol y que ese fuera “el drama” MEEH!!
CONCLUSIÓN
Tenemos una historia con un matrimonio arreglado entre familias mafiosas, un hombre frío y con traumas y culpas del pasado, una protagonista que tiene una discapacidad física tenía todo para que este fuera EL LIBRO, pero tristemente no lo fue y no es que sea un libro malo porque si lo disfruté y me gustó, sin embargo, es un libro flat, no hay contratiempos, sobresaltos, NO HAY DRAMA.
En este libro volví a odiar a Remo, es que el niño se pasó la verdad, leer las secuelas que dejó en el segundo libro de Dante y ahora en el de Samuel no merecían ese sufrimiento, Cora es demasiado cruel con el Outfit, dudo que tengamos una reconciliación y que Fina al fin pueda tener contacto con su familia.
Anyways… mi libro favorito de los últimos publicados de Cora sigue siendo el de Amo y Greta y el peor el de Nevio y Aurora que decepción ese libro.
Ahora a la espera del siguiente libro de Cora ¿qué libro creen que sea el siguiente en publicarse?
Después de años, la espera al fin terminó y tenemos la historia de Samuel y Emma, las expectativas hasta el cielo… OBVIOUSLY!!
Era el libro que más quería leer de Cora.
HISTORIA
Samuel es obligado a casarse con Emma por un trato que hizo con Danilo a cambio de que el se casara con su hermana Sofia.
Danilo quería asegurar el matrimonio de su hermana con una buena familia ya que tenía muy pocas posibilidades de casarse debido a su discapacidad que le impide caminar y que en las tradicionales familias mafiosas no es muy bien visto ya que la ven como mercancía dañada.
Samuel lo último que quiere es casarse y tener bajo su protección a una persona y más una vulnerable como Emma, se siente incapaz de proteger a alguien ya que su hermana gemela fue secuestrada y luego sus mejores amigos fueron asesinados por el secuestrador de ella en un fallido intento de rescate impulsivo.
Pero su honor y palabra le impiden cancelar el trato.
PERSONAJES
Tanto Samuel como Emma me gustaron, aunque Emma me sorprendió fue una chica que a pesar del entorno machista y de apariencias era muy fuerte y su discapacidad en lugar de apagarla le dio valentía para luchar por lo que quería.
Lo que más me gustó de esta pareja era la comunicación que tenían y creo que por eso no hubo malentendidos entre ellos, aunque me hubiera gustado más drama.
En cambio, si esperaba más de Samuel, creí que sería más frío con una personalidad tipo Dante, en cambio era un hombre torturado por las culpas del pasado y con una clara adicción al alcohol y que ese fuera “el drama” MEEH!!
CONCLUSIÓN
Tenemos una historia con un matrimonio arreglado entre familias mafiosas, un hombre frío y con traumas y culpas del pasado, una protagonista que tiene una discapacidad física tenía todo para que este fuera EL LIBRO, pero tristemente no lo fue y no es que sea un libro malo porque si lo disfruté y me gustó, sin embargo, es un libro flat, no hay contratiempos, sobresaltos, NO HAY DRAMA.
En este libro volví a odiar a Remo, es que el niño se pasó la verdad, leer las secuelas que dejó en el segundo libro de Dante y ahora en el de Samuel no merecían ese sufrimiento, Cora es demasiado cruel con el Outfit, dudo que tengamos una reconciliación y que Fina al fin pueda tener contacto con su familia.
Anyways… mi libro favorito de los últimos publicados de Cora sigue siendo el de Amo y Greta y el peor el de Nevio y Aurora que decepción ese libro.
Ahora a la espera del siguiente libro de Cora ¿qué libro creen que sea el siguiente en publicarse?
June 26, 2025
First of all I hope she doesn’t write a book for Renato and Giorgia. That man was disgusting whenever he showed up i felt sick, the man was a creep with every woman and he has a wh*rehouse where he tests every girl himself literally everyday and he told Giorgia that he won’t be fateful. This is giving savio all over again with adding the creep factor.
Anyway for the book itself I was so excited, literally waited years for it only to be…disappointed. She definitely has lost her touch, I feel like nothing happened in the book, I can’t even call it a mafia book. Samuel was too cold and Emma really had no depth for me to get attached and together they felt a bit robotic which has been a major problem recently with cora books, they don’t have chemistry and the passion is lacking.
Also she definitely changed the plot cause what was the dark secret? I get that she is scared of being hated again like what happened with Nevio’s book and while i appreciate that Samuel at least was not cringe like him and was a faithful man, the book literally had no major event happening other than them having a small accident because Samuel was drunk driving while she was pregnant which didn’t lead to any conflict either. By the end of it although they said they loved each other i wasn’t convinced at all, and when i compare their situation to Nino and Kiara for example, it shows how forced they felt.
Cora imo peaked with the Camorra series and after that it doesn’t feel the same anymore, the pairings in her second gen series is so random and boring that I personally have no excitement for them, she will either do something crazy like Nevio’s book which will ruin the book or will make it boring like this one.
Also they keep hinting that the Camorra needs to pay so i feel like the remofina situation is going to happen again but this time the outfit will do the kidnapping? They repeated this too many times for it to be random, and I have to say this actually might be a bit interesting cause it will at least bring a new excitement to the series, the couples now all are too safe, so doing this might change some things. I could be wrong but I hope she does something like this.
“””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
Cora revealed the tropes for ATOF
•Arranged Marriage
• Alpha Hero
• Mafia Romance
•Dark Secret
• Emotional Scars
• Redemption
•8-Year Age Gap
I wonder what is the dark secret? And I thought they had a 10 year age gap like in fragile longing?
EmmaSamuel finally coming to me after YEARS in June 25th 😭😭😭😭
Someone said that her poll on IG about loving or hating cheating might be related to this……. I hope that’s not true especially for this book, it will ruin the whole thing.
Anyway for the book itself I was so excited, literally waited years for it only to be…disappointed. She definitely has lost her touch, I feel like nothing happened in the book, I can’t even call it a mafia book. Samuel was too cold and Emma really had no depth for me to get attached and together they felt a bit robotic which has been a major problem recently with cora books, they don’t have chemistry and the passion is lacking.
Also she definitely changed the plot cause what was the dark secret? I get that she is scared of being hated again like what happened with Nevio’s book and while i appreciate that Samuel at least was not cringe like him and was a faithful man, the book literally had no major event happening other than them having a small accident because Samuel was drunk driving while she was pregnant which didn’t lead to any conflict either. By the end of it although they said they loved each other i wasn’t convinced at all, and when i compare their situation to Nino and Kiara for example, it shows how forced they felt.
Cora imo peaked with the Camorra series and after that it doesn’t feel the same anymore, the pairings in her second gen series is so random and boring that I personally have no excitement for them, she will either do something crazy like Nevio’s book which will ruin the book or will make it boring like this one.
Also they keep hinting that the Camorra needs to pay so i feel like the remofina situation is going to happen again but this time the outfit will do the kidnapping? They repeated this too many times for it to be random, and I have to say this actually might be a bit interesting cause it will at least bring a new excitement to the series, the couples now all are too safe, so doing this might change some things. I could be wrong but I hope she does something like this.
“””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
Cora revealed the tropes for ATOF
•Arranged Marriage
• Alpha Hero
• Mafia Romance
•Dark Secret
• Emotional Scars
• Redemption
•8-Year Age Gap
I wonder what is the dark secret? And I thought they had a 10 year age gap like in fragile longing?
EmmaSamuel finally coming to me after YEARS in June 25th 😭😭😭😭
Someone said that her poll on IG about loving or hating cheating might be related to this……. I hope that’s not true especially for this book, it will ruin the whole thing.
June 30, 2025
Cora promised us an alpha mmc and i believed her 🤡🤡 I feel so betrayed i might stop reading Cora altogether, because clearly this woman forgot how to write an alpha 😂✋🏼 Samuel was so non-alpha, so bland, that he’ll be completely forgettable to me. The only good thing was that his bond with Serafina finally broke and he doesn’t miss her anymore. Finally. FINALLY.
Honestly, it disgusted me that he even attended Serafina’s wedding. Like—where’s your dignity, you fcking piece of sht? He basically spat on the memory of his dead friends and family by going to that wedding. He deserves to live with that guilt forever, and i honestly don’t care.
This book reminded me that i hate Remo and Serafina Falcone with every fiber of my being. With all my heart. With all my soul. With everything i am and everything i have. If i could enter that fictional world and sacrifice myself just to make those two motherfuckers die, I would do it in a heartbeat.
I hate Remo so much i shake with rage just thinking about him lmaooo. I hate it when the absolute worst men get everything they want in life. One of his children should’ve been killed—that would’ve been real justice for all his sins.
And Serafina? Don’t even get me started. I will never respect a woman who abandons her family for a man who would never do the same for her. F*cking snake. I’m glad no one misses her anymore. She’s a traitor and deserves the worst. Her brother still suffers the consequences of what his friends went through at the hands of her beloved Falcone, and she's all happy with that devil. Disgusting!!! How can you be with someone who hurt your family so badly? She crapped on all of them.
As for the rest of the book… lol it was boring. The kind of boring only Neva Altaj knows how to write. The sex scenes were so dry and clinical, i could’ve written better stuff as a teenager.
Cora used to be addictive—even when it was bad. Now? It was painful to keep going, and i only did because i kept hoping it would get better 🤡🤡 Emma was so forgettable I won’t even mention her lmao.
2 stars because it could’ve been worse. She could’ve given us a Savio.
And speaking of that, PLEASE let’s pray Cora never gets the idea to write a book about Renato, because i can already feel the std breathing down my neck. That disgusting man would make Savio look like a baby in comparison.
Btw, if you're like me and were expecting some good jealousy scenes... you're going to be very disappointed!!
--------
We're five days away from release. This could be worst or best thing that's ever happened to Cora readers.
All i know is that in the first version, Samuel was so disgusting that he probably hid Emma's wheelchair. I hope we get something better.
No expectations really ✋🏼 i just hope this guy isn't like Savio.
Honestly, it disgusted me that he even attended Serafina’s wedding. Like—where’s your dignity, you fcking piece of sht? He basically spat on the memory of his dead friends and family by going to that wedding. He deserves to live with that guilt forever, and i honestly don’t care.
This book reminded me that i hate Remo and Serafina Falcone with every fiber of my being. With all my heart. With all my soul. With everything i am and everything i have. If i could enter that fictional world and sacrifice myself just to make those two motherfuckers die, I would do it in a heartbeat.
I hate Remo so much i shake with rage just thinking about him lmaooo. I hate it when the absolute worst men get everything they want in life. One of his children should’ve been killed—that would’ve been real justice for all his sins.
And Serafina? Don’t even get me started. I will never respect a woman who abandons her family for a man who would never do the same for her. F*cking snake. I’m glad no one misses her anymore. She’s a traitor and deserves the worst. Her brother still suffers the consequences of what his friends went through at the hands of her beloved Falcone, and she's all happy with that devil. Disgusting!!! How can you be with someone who hurt your family so badly? She crapped on all of them.
As for the rest of the book… lol it was boring. The kind of boring only Neva Altaj knows how to write. The sex scenes were so dry and clinical, i could’ve written better stuff as a teenager.
Cora used to be addictive—even when it was bad. Now? It was painful to keep going, and i only did because i kept hoping it would get better 🤡🤡 Emma was so forgettable I won’t even mention her lmao.
2 stars because it could’ve been worse. She could’ve given us a Savio.
And speaking of that, PLEASE let’s pray Cora never gets the idea to write a book about Renato, because i can already feel the std breathing down my neck. That disgusting man would make Savio look like a baby in comparison.
Btw, if you're like me and were expecting some good jealousy scenes... you're going to be very disappointed!!
--------
We're five days away from release. This could be worst or best thing that's ever happened to Cora readers.
All i know is that in the first version, Samuel was so disgusting that he probably hid Emma's wheelchair. I hope we get something better.
No expectations really ✋🏼 i just hope this guy isn't like Savio.
June 26, 2025
Finally, finallyy…! What can I say about this book? It’s honestly hard to put into words when this is a release we’ve been waiting for years. Was it worth it? Yes. Was it everything I hoped for? Kinda.
Samuel and Emma from Cora's Pinterest Board. The model for Samuel is Heath Hutchins. His Instagram is @heathhutchins. And the model for Emma is Katya Golden. Her Instagram is @katyaa_golden.
This was Emma and Samuel’s book. We knew it was coming for a while. For anyone who needs a refresher: Samuel is Serafina’s twin brother, and Emma is Danilo’s younger sister. Fina left the Outfit and Danilo had to marry Sofia. That led to Emma getting pulled into an arranged marriage with Samuel, Serafina’s twin brother. The pairing had a lot of potential and I was really looking forward to it. At least we got their story now, and we get both POVs, which I loved.
The book is emotional, like Cora warned us. And Emma’s disability was handled beautifully. She doesn’t regain the ability to walk, which was important to Cora, and I think she did a respectful job. She shows Emma’s daily life in clever ways without making it all about her chair all the time. Some scenes were touching, like her slow dance with Samuel in her wheelchair. You could tell he wanted to make her feel confident. It was sweet and unique. I even learned things I didn’t know about wheelchair users. Cora proved she could handle this respectfully.
So what’s the story? ✨Spoilers ahead✨
Emma has her accident. Then she’s dealing with her disability. She and Samuel get engaged through this mafia-arranged-marriage situation. They get married. At first, they struggle to make it work. Samuel is super controlling, partly because of what happened to Fina. He doesn’t want Emma exposed to any risk. But then, as he starts falling for her, he slowly gives her more freedom.
Meanwhile, he’s haunted by this huge trauma from the Vegas rescue mission that went horribly wrong. His best friends (Arlo, Enea, and Domenico) were killed, Enea by his own hand when Remo used him as a human shield. He had to witness Domenico being tortured and killed by the Falcone brothers. Samuel was only spared because he was Fina’s brother. That guilt eats him alive and leads him to drink more and more.
Emma gets pregnant. Samuel, now a full-blown alcoholic, drinks and drives. He crashes the car with Emma and their unborn baby inside. That’s his rock bottom. After that, he finally chooses to get sober and fight for his family. Their baby is born, and Samuel begins to let go of the past.
When I got to the last chapter before the epilogue, I was surprised. It felt like things were wrapping up really fast. We do get a powerful moment when Emma gives birth in the epilogue, but I still wish we had more time spent on Samuel’s recovery. We got a bit of his withdrawal, but I wanted to see more of the emotional aftermath. The temptation, the struggle to stay sober, the rebuilding. That part of the story had so much potential, and it felt rushed. I also really missed seeing a proper happy moment after all the pain. A quiet domestic scene with their baby would have made the ending feel more satisfying.
I have to say though, I really suspect Cora changed the storyline after the whole backlash. Some parts felt like she was holding back. I wish we could’ve seen the original version. I’d love to know what her first draft looked like. Maybe one day she’ll share her original idea, or maybe we can spam her in a Q&A until she does 😂.
Some storylines felt a little unresolved. Domenico’s mom is introduced, but her arc doesn’t really go anywhere. She doesn’t forgive him, but we never really know if he forgives himself either. It’s implied that he moves on for his son and Emma. He’s no longer letting his guilt control his actions, but deep down, he still hasn’t forgiven himself. The support group for Made Men was brought up and then nothing came of it. I really thought we’d see a proper reunion or Samuel joining it because of his addiction. But nope.
Same with Emma’s return to ballet. I was so hoping for a romantic scene where Samuel and Emma ballet danced together. It would’ve been perfect. But it didn’t happen.
Also, some technical stuff bugged me. The name inconsistencies: Domenico becomes Dominico. Father Agnellus becomes Priest Agnello. I wish Cora had a more careful editor. The worst for me was the wedding date. In the book, it says Emma and Samuel got married in May. But we know the correct date is June 25, the same date the book was released. Cora even said so herself after posting (and deleting) the wrong wedding invite that said May 21. But the May date stayed in the final book, which doesn’t match the timeline. I hope that gets fixed.
Samuel and Emma's Wedding Invitation.
Despite all that, Cora still delivers. Even when I have issues, I’m fully invested. I read this in one day because I couldn’t stop. That’s what she does best. She keeps you reading. The book is emotional, messy, full of steam, and rooted in so much pain and healing.
Danilo is the best brother, no question. From the moment of Emma’s accident, he steps up and supports her in a way their parents don’t. Even after she’s married, he’s still looking out for her. I love him. I was hoping we’d see more of Sofia, but sadly we didn’t.
So yeah. The book isn’t perfect, but it has heart. Emma and Samuel’s story was emotional, vulnerable, and worth the wait.
🔗Links🔗
•ATOF Playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Qs...
•Cora's Pinterest Board for the book: https://it.pinterest.com/reillycora/a...
•ATOF Wiki Page: https://born-in-blood-mafia-chronicle...
Samuel and Emma from Cora's Pinterest Board. The model for Samuel is Heath Hutchins. His Instagram is @heathhutchins. And the model for Emma is Katya Golden. Her Instagram is @katyaa_golden.
This was Emma and Samuel’s book. We knew it was coming for a while. For anyone who needs a refresher: Samuel is Serafina’s twin brother, and Emma is Danilo’s younger sister. Fina left the Outfit and Danilo had to marry Sofia. That led to Emma getting pulled into an arranged marriage with Samuel, Serafina’s twin brother. The pairing had a lot of potential and I was really looking forward to it. At least we got their story now, and we get both POVs, which I loved.
The book is emotional, like Cora warned us. And Emma’s disability was handled beautifully. She doesn’t regain the ability to walk, which was important to Cora, and I think she did a respectful job. She shows Emma’s daily life in clever ways without making it all about her chair all the time. Some scenes were touching, like her slow dance with Samuel in her wheelchair. You could tell he wanted to make her feel confident. It was sweet and unique. I even learned things I didn’t know about wheelchair users. Cora proved she could handle this respectfully.
So what’s the story? ✨Spoilers ahead✨
Emma has her accident. Then she’s dealing with her disability. She and Samuel get engaged through this mafia-arranged-marriage situation. They get married. At first, they struggle to make it work. Samuel is super controlling, partly because of what happened to Fina. He doesn’t want Emma exposed to any risk. But then, as he starts falling for her, he slowly gives her more freedom.
Meanwhile, he’s haunted by this huge trauma from the Vegas rescue mission that went horribly wrong. His best friends (Arlo, Enea, and Domenico) were killed, Enea by his own hand when Remo used him as a human shield. He had to witness Domenico being tortured and killed by the Falcone brothers. Samuel was only spared because he was Fina’s brother. That guilt eats him alive and leads him to drink more and more.
Emma gets pregnant. Samuel, now a full-blown alcoholic, drinks and drives. He crashes the car with Emma and their unborn baby inside. That’s his rock bottom. After that, he finally chooses to get sober and fight for his family. Their baby is born, and Samuel begins to let go of the past.
When I got to the last chapter before the epilogue, I was surprised. It felt like things were wrapping up really fast. We do get a powerful moment when Emma gives birth in the epilogue, but I still wish we had more time spent on Samuel’s recovery. We got a bit of his withdrawal, but I wanted to see more of the emotional aftermath. The temptation, the struggle to stay sober, the rebuilding. That part of the story had so much potential, and it felt rushed. I also really missed seeing a proper happy moment after all the pain. A quiet domestic scene with their baby would have made the ending feel more satisfying.
I have to say though, I really suspect Cora changed the storyline after the whole backlash. Some parts felt like she was holding back. I wish we could’ve seen the original version. I’d love to know what her first draft looked like. Maybe one day she’ll share her original idea, or maybe we can spam her in a Q&A until she does 😂.
Some storylines felt a little unresolved. Domenico’s mom is introduced, but her arc doesn’t really go anywhere. She doesn’t forgive him, but we never really know if he forgives himself either. It’s implied that he moves on for his son and Emma. He’s no longer letting his guilt control his actions, but deep down, he still hasn’t forgiven himself. The support group for Made Men was brought up and then nothing came of it. I really thought we’d see a proper reunion or Samuel joining it because of his addiction. But nope.
Same with Emma’s return to ballet. I was so hoping for a romantic scene where Samuel and Emma ballet danced together. It would’ve been perfect. But it didn’t happen.
Also, some technical stuff bugged me. The name inconsistencies: Domenico becomes Dominico. Father Agnellus becomes Priest Agnello. I wish Cora had a more careful editor. The worst for me was the wedding date. In the book, it says Emma and Samuel got married in May. But we know the correct date is June 25, the same date the book was released. Cora even said so herself after posting (and deleting) the wrong wedding invite that said May 21. But the May date stayed in the final book, which doesn’t match the timeline. I hope that gets fixed.
Samuel and Emma's Wedding Invitation.
Despite all that, Cora still delivers. Even when I have issues, I’m fully invested. I read this in one day because I couldn’t stop. That’s what she does best. She keeps you reading. The book is emotional, messy, full of steam, and rooted in so much pain and healing.
Danilo is the best brother, no question. From the moment of Emma’s accident, he steps up and supports her in a way their parents don’t. Even after she’s married, he’s still looking out for her. I love him. I was hoping we’d see more of Sofia, but sadly we didn’t.
So yeah. The book isn’t perfect, but it has heart. Emma and Samuel’s story was emotional, vulnerable, and worth the wait.
🔗Links🔗
•ATOF Playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Qs...
•Cora's Pinterest Board for the book: https://it.pinterest.com/reillycora/a...
•ATOF Wiki Page: https://born-in-blood-mafia-chronicle...
June 25, 2025
Where is the woman that gave us Nino??? This was a snoozefest
June 26, 2025
Was this book worth waiting years for? Not really, it was okay
It just mostly gave ‘bland’
It just mostly gave ‘bland’
July 14, 2025
3⭐️ з натяжкою.
чим ближче наближалась до кінця - тим більше мене дратувала ця книга.
вона виявилась занадто прісною і рівною. тільки під фінал відбувається максимально очікуваний поворот, який мав би додати дрібку напруги, а на ділі розчарував тим, що це виявився основний конфлікт історії емми та сема 🫤
із того, що сподобалось:
➛ емма - непогано передано сприйняття і адаптацію до її травми. та й загалом вона сподобалась своєю незламністю, наполегливістю, рішучістю 👏
➛ джорджія - крута, запальна найкраща подруга 💃
➛ інес та п'єтро - не дивлячись на виклики своїх дітей, тут показали себе як підтримуючі батьки 🫶
➛ данило - як брат він справився зі своєю задачею на всі 💯
от точно не очікувала, що слабкою ланкою виявиться семюель. більшість часу він бісив своєю поведінкою. але, на жаль, це типова поведінка залежної людини. хоча й виправдання цієї залежності, як на мене, на двієчку. так, кора хотіла показати, що не усі чоловіки після таких випробувань залишаються морально сильними, тому хтось непросвітно бухає. але це буквально буденність їх світу, до якого їх готували. тому сорі, але таку родзинку сема я не зацінила. як і його спроможність просто так усе припинити. ага, повірила.
як для книги, де лл - це 90% сюжету, мені не вистачило хімії між персонажами. так, це шлюб за домовленістю, плюс сем не збирався відкриватися для почуттів, але можна було приділити більше уваги розвитку їх стосунків. я відчувала тільки повагу і взаємне бажання сексу, а в фіналі вони вже кохають один одного. ну таке 🥴
в цілому, притримуюсь думки, що кора давненько вже перестала писати цікаві історії. шкода. тому перестала взагалі будувати якісь очікування від її новинок. інакше б ця книга набагато більше мене розізлила 🌚
чим ближче наближалась до кінця - тим більше мене дратувала ця книга.
вона виявилась занадто прісною і рівною. тільки під фінал відбувається максимально очікуваний поворот, який мав би додати дрібку напруги, а на ділі розчарував тим, що це виявився основний конфлікт історії емми та сема 🫤
із того, що сподобалось:
➛ емма - непогано передано сприйняття і адаптацію до її травми. та й загалом вона сподобалась своєю незламністю, наполегливістю, рішучістю 👏
➛ джорджія - крута, запальна найкраща подруга 💃
➛ інес та п'єтро - не дивлячись на виклики своїх дітей, тут показали себе як підтримуючі батьки 🫶
➛ данило - як брат він справився зі своєю задачею на всі 💯
от точно не очікувала, що слабкою ланкою виявиться семюель. більшість часу він бісив своєю поведінкою. але, на жаль, це типова поведінка залежної людини. хоча й виправдання цієї залежності, як на мене, на двієчку. так, кора хотіла показати, що не усі чоловіки після таких випробувань залишаються морально сильними, тому хтось непросвітно бухає. але це буквально буденність їх світу, до якого їх готували. тому сорі, але таку родзинку сема я не зацінила. як і його спроможність просто так усе припинити. ага, повірила.
як для книги, де лл - це 90% сюжету, мені не вистачило хімії між персонажами. так, це шлюб за домовленістю, плюс сем не збирався відкриватися для почуттів, але можна було приділити більше уваги розвитку їх стосунків. я відчувала тільки повагу і взаємне бажання сексу, а в фіналі вони вже кохають один одного. ну таке 🥴
в цілому, притримуюсь думки, що кора давненько вже перестала писати цікаві історії. шкода. тому перестала взагалі будувати якісь очікування від її новинок. інакше б ця книга набагато більше мене розізлила 🌚
July 1, 2025
Краще з усього, що авторка написала за останні 4-5 років, але саме по собі не сказати, що класне. Не відчула між героями хімії, не зрозуміла, чому саме вони покохали одне одного. Та й характер героя бісив більшу частину книги. Таке щось.
June 24, 2025
I was almost surprised it was this bad but then I remembered it’s an outfit book
Want to read
April 12, 2025Emma & Samuel are finally coming!!!
- ik i've said that i'll never ever have any expectations from Cora's books after the shitshow that happened in Nevio and Max's book lol 😭 but i genuinely want to read Sam's pov about Fina!
- ik i've said that i'll never ever have any expectations from Cora's books after the shitshow that happened in Nevio and Max's book lol 😭 but i genuinely want to read Sam's pov about Fina!
June 28, 2025
This has no plot but is very character driven. Samuel is the most decent Cora man and no it is not boring, I need Nevio fans to shut up. I like remo and the falcone brothers (not savio) but Samuel’s hate for him is very justified.
Moreover I think Emma was also likeable and their story was cute and mundane.
———————————————————————————-
Emma and Samuel are FREEEEEEE
Moreover I think Emma was also likeable and their story was cute and mundane.
———————————————————————————-
Emma and Samuel are FREEEEEEE
June 27, 2025
Ehh pretty boring 🥱 I just felt no romantic connection. Emma was cute and I liked her. Idk how I feel about Samuel.
Remo stays winning by being on everyone’s mind. Camorra> say what you want about them but they are just better…..
I can see Samuel‘s point of view but this is still the outfits fault so I was just annoyed at Samuel for putting Emma through his alcoholism. Driving drunk was not it.
Yeah you guys suffered losses but that’s because of Dante’s weak leadership who couldn’t control his men, who attacked the Camorra. Serafina was the retaliation. Remo let Samuel go after the outfit again breached his territory. And fina’s final leave was because they mistreated her children. We even got another POV of them shaming Serafina for keeping the twins. Like even Remo doesn’t care what blood you carry….. Fabiano is basically his real brother and he accepted Alessio with no second thoughts. And Samuel still out here traumatizing minors. The foreshadowing of Leonas and him maybe kidnapping a girl from Vegas…eye-roll and I’m already annoyed.
Remo stays winning by being on everyone’s mind. Camorra> say what you want about them but they are just better…..
I can see Samuel‘s point of view but this is still the outfits fault so I was just annoyed at Samuel for putting Emma through his alcoholism. Driving drunk was not it.
Yeah you guys suffered losses but that’s because of Dante’s weak leadership who couldn’t control his men, who attacked the Camorra. Serafina was the retaliation. Remo let Samuel go after the outfit again breached his territory. And fina’s final leave was because they mistreated her children. We even got another POV of them shaming Serafina for keeping the twins. Like even Remo doesn’t care what blood you carry….. Fabiano is basically his real brother and he accepted Alessio with no second thoughts. And Samuel still out here traumatizing minors. The foreshadowing of Leonas and him maybe kidnapping a girl from Vegas…eye-roll and I’m already annoyed.
Read
June 26, 2025Cora’s books now are literally couples without sexual tension… who fall in love but don’t have any kind of heat passion or tension or built up .. I swear to god it’s the most awkward romances that she writes now like two pubescent teenagers learning how to be in a relationship for the first time
December 14, 2025
I guess it wasn’t that bad for a CR book, I enjoyed some parts of it. And thankfully, it was safe so I didn’t stress over unnecessary BS.
Please no more mentions of Serafina, I can’t stand her.
Please no more mentions of Serafina, I can’t stand her.
Read
July 5, 2025Review to come....
Emma/Sam Character art that Cora had done:
Meet Emma and Samuel! 😍😍
@booksnmoods
designed this for me and I‘m in love!!!!
I‘ll have art prints, postcards and stickers with this art for sale at RARE London! And this will be available in my shop, which will finally open very soon, so stay tuned!
Love, Cora
Update: Goodreads friend Tami said that Cora mentioned that ATOF is done and being edited. I hope she moves up the release date.
New Teaser
New excerpt for ATOF:
Samuel appeared at the table, dropping his sister Sofia off. She and Danilo took off for another dance, and I watched them with longing. Samuel cleared his throat, drawing my gaze up to his face.
He held out his hand.
"Would you give me the honor of another dance?"
I bit my lip, nervously glancing around as I felt the gazes of the people at the surrounding tables on us. One dance had been expected, but this definitely caught the attention of several people.
I put my hand in Samuel's, then whispered, "I'd like to dance in my wheelchair."
Samuel nodded slowly, but I could see the questions in his expression. I too wasn't sure how slow dancing with someone would work. He led me toward the dance floor. We stayed at the edge so I wouldn't roll over any feet. I had never tried a waltz since my accident. Samuel's cool and resolute expression gave me confidence, so I extended my arms so he could clasp my hands.
"Let me know if I do it wrong."
I gave him a nervous smile. "I wouldn't know. It's the first time I've done a waltz like this."
He nodded again, appearing even more determined. He pushed me back, then pulled me closer again, back and forth, back and forth, until I felt confident to release one of his hands and do a twirl. I giggled when I managed to avoid rolling over his feet. I had to pay for my overconfidence a moment later—or rather, Samuel had to pay for it—as I rolled over his toes during another twirl.
"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed at the brief flash of discomfort on his face.
"I'm used to living on the edge," he said in such a humorless tone that I couldn't stop a flood of giggles from bursting out.
Samuel's mouth briefly twitched into a smile, and my worries over how this day would go evaporated.
Next teaser will be May 20th. Cora Threads update:
https://www.threads.com/@corareillyau...
New Teaser:
Sam and Emma's Wedding Invitation 👰🏻♀️💍💒
Save the date Cora TikTok clip:
https://www.tiktok.com/@corareillyaut...
I think Cora might have put the wrong name for the mansion on the wedding invitation? She has a photo if The Van Dusen Mansion located in Minneapolis on the ATOF Pinterest, but it says Van Deldon Mansion on the invite.
A Touch if Fate Pinterest board with The Van Dusen Mansion:
https://www.pinterest.com/reillycora/...
My Goodreads friend Tami said that Cora is doing a q&a on her TikTok and she answered questions so far in a 4 part video so far. She said she will try to answer more.
Part 4:
https://www.tiktok.com/@corareillyaut...
Here is Cora's TikTok link:
https://www.tiktok.com/@corareillyaut...
Cora did some Q&A videos on Threads
https://www.tiktok.com/@corareillyaut...
https://www.threads.net/@corareillyau...
https://www.threads.net/@corareillyau...
Some questions she answered:
-Nestore's book will be very dark, almost a gothic feel, and a Beauty and the Beast trope
-Bibi is still getting a book. Cora isn't sure if it will be a novella or full length
- Someone asked if we will see more of Marci's role in the mafia. Cora said probably in Valerio's book and a few other books.
-Cora said she isn't going to say much about Charlotte/Leonas. She said there will be a lot of push and pull, secrets, and it sounded like she said pleasure.
- Cora said she is working on her Shrike book now. It's a duology that will have a traditional publisher
-Cora hopes to release a 3rd book at the end of the year but she doesn't know what book yet. She won't make an announcement until after ATOF. She might make an announcement in July/August for her next release not definite though. She wants to be close to done or at least halfway done with whatever book she works on before making an announcement. Someone asked if it will be Alessio, Massimo, or Camorra anthology next and she said she won't announce what book it will be yet.
-She said Dante/Val will appear in A Touch of Fate. She said RJ and Ricardo will not appear in ATOF but they will be in future books like obviously Leonas book.
-In the past Cora said we have met Bea's love interest already. However, Cora just said she might change Bea's love interest. She isn't sure now and might have other plans for Bea. Cora said she won't announce anymore couples or much about future characters in case she decides to change stuff. She doesn't want to limit her creativity by saying stuff about a character and then be stuck or go back on what she said.
-Cora said Remo/Fina will have a longer story in the Camorra anthology but she can't say how long bc she doesn't know how long it will end up being yet. She did say another time that if it got too long that she might do a second book for Remo/Fina.
-Cora said she wants to do more couple text message exchanges in her newsletters.
- She said in another q&q that she doesn't have plans to do older woman younger man trope. She likes and age gap romance with the guy being older than the girl.
Teaser
Symbolism of cranes and origami cranes:
I looked up symbolism of cranes and origami cranes. It said in Japanese culture cranes and origami cranes have profound symbolic meaning. They represent good fortune, longevity, peace, and healing. There is a tradition called senbazuru where if you fold and hang 1,000 origami cranes it is believed to grant the folder a wish.
Cora's Pinterest board for ATOF shows oragami cranes hanging at a wedding reception. I couldn't copy the picture.
https://www.pinterest.com/reillycora/...
https://www.japan-experience.com/plan...
Tropes revealed:
- Redemption
-Dark secret
-Emotional scars
-Age Gap 8 years
-Alpha Hero
-Mafia Romance
-Arranged Marriage
Playlist:
https://www.threads.net/@corareillyau...
Cora had a song playing in the background of a Threads post but it's not on Emma/Sam playlist. Oh I translated it and it's for By Sin I Rise.
You Put a Spell on Me
Song by Austin Giorgio ‧ 2023
I guess a song for By Sin I Rise:
www.threads.net/@corareillyauthor/pos...
Cover reveal: April.11th
Finally! Release date: June 25, 2025 I was surprised when Goodreads friends messaged that Cora announced her next book and it is A Touch of Fate. She mentioned not long ago that she probably not ready to announce it yet.
Emma Mancini
Model on Cora's Pinterest: Katya Golden
Samuel Mione
Model on Cora's Pinterest: Heath Hutchins
Fans have waiting years for this book ever since it got canceled and then Cora decided she would write it someday. I know Cora said her next book would be an Outfit book and based on stuff she said I thought it would be either Leonas/Charlotte or Emma/Sam. Cora was updating both Pinterest boards so I went back and forth. It seemed too good to be true that we would finally get Emma/Sam.
I'm glad Emma/Sam.will come out before Leonas as book since it takes place before Leonas as book timeline wise.
I hope the book is good and not disappointing since fans have waited so long. I wish it was coming out sooner than June though. Oh well I didn't know if the day would ever come. Hopefully it doesn't get canceled again. Cora mentioned in the past she might do a surprise release if she released Emma/Sam's book. In the past, Cora.said the book was 1/3 written when she stopped writing it(when it was originally going to be released. She seems to be on a writing roll.with the book. Fingers crossed the book is worth the wait.
I hope.Sam.is faithful during his marriage. I like the wedding stuff on their Pinterest board. It seems like a wedding I would like to go to minus it being a mafia wedding.
Some songs Cora announced:
Never got away - Colbie Caillat
Are you even real? - Teddy Swims
:::: PROMOTION INFO ::::
Title: A Touch of Fate
Trope Reveal: March 26th
Cover Reveal: TBA — An email will go out once the cover is ready!
Teaser Reveal(s): April 22nd & May 6th
Genre: Mafia Romance
Series: Standalone
Release Date: June 25, 2025
Tour: June 25th- June 27th, 2025
Sign Up: https://bit.ly/ATouchOfFateReleasePro...
❤️🔥 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒! ❤️🔥 𝐀 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆! ❤️🔥 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐌𝐌𝐀 & 𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐔𝐄𝐋?!
Emma/Sam Character art that Cora had done:
Meet Emma and Samuel! 😍😍
@booksnmoods
designed this for me and I‘m in love!!!!
I‘ll have art prints, postcards and stickers with this art for sale at RARE London! And this will be available in my shop, which will finally open very soon, so stay tuned!
Love, Cora
Update: Goodreads friend Tami said that Cora mentioned that ATOF is done and being edited. I hope she moves up the release date.
New Teaser
New excerpt for ATOF:
Samuel appeared at the table, dropping his sister Sofia off. She and Danilo took off for another dance, and I watched them with longing. Samuel cleared his throat, drawing my gaze up to his face.
He held out his hand.
"Would you give me the honor of another dance?"
I bit my lip, nervously glancing around as I felt the gazes of the people at the surrounding tables on us. One dance had been expected, but this definitely caught the attention of several people.
I put my hand in Samuel's, then whispered, "I'd like to dance in my wheelchair."
Samuel nodded slowly, but I could see the questions in his expression. I too wasn't sure how slow dancing with someone would work. He led me toward the dance floor. We stayed at the edge so I wouldn't roll over any feet. I had never tried a waltz since my accident. Samuel's cool and resolute expression gave me confidence, so I extended my arms so he could clasp my hands.
"Let me know if I do it wrong."
I gave him a nervous smile. "I wouldn't know. It's the first time I've done a waltz like this."
He nodded again, appearing even more determined. He pushed me back, then pulled me closer again, back and forth, back and forth, until I felt confident to release one of his hands and do a twirl. I giggled when I managed to avoid rolling over his feet. I had to pay for my overconfidence a moment later—or rather, Samuel had to pay for it—as I rolled over his toes during another twirl.
"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed at the brief flash of discomfort on his face.
"I'm used to living on the edge," he said in such a humorless tone that I couldn't stop a flood of giggles from bursting out.
Samuel's mouth briefly twitched into a smile, and my worries over how this day would go evaporated.
Next teaser will be May 20th. Cora Threads update:
https://www.threads.com/@corareillyau...
New Teaser:
Sam and Emma's Wedding Invitation 👰🏻♀️💍💒
Save the date Cora TikTok clip:
https://www.tiktok.com/@corareillyaut...
I think Cora might have put the wrong name for the mansion on the wedding invitation? She has a photo if The Van Dusen Mansion located in Minneapolis on the ATOF Pinterest, but it says Van Deldon Mansion on the invite.
A Touch if Fate Pinterest board with The Van Dusen Mansion:
https://www.pinterest.com/reillycora/...
My Goodreads friend Tami said that Cora is doing a q&a on her TikTok and she answered questions so far in a 4 part video so far. She said she will try to answer more.
Part 4:
https://www.tiktok.com/@corareillyaut...
Here is Cora's TikTok link:
https://www.tiktok.com/@corareillyaut...
Cora did some Q&A videos on Threads
https://www.tiktok.com/@corareillyaut...
https://www.threads.net/@corareillyau...
https://www.threads.net/@corareillyau...
Some questions she answered:
-Nestore's book will be very dark, almost a gothic feel, and a Beauty and the Beast trope
-Bibi is still getting a book. Cora isn't sure if it will be a novella or full length
- Someone asked if we will see more of Marci's role in the mafia. Cora said probably in Valerio's book and a few other books.
-Cora said she isn't going to say much about Charlotte/Leonas. She said there will be a lot of push and pull, secrets, and it sounded like she said pleasure.
- Cora said she is working on her Shrike book now. It's a duology that will have a traditional publisher
-Cora hopes to release a 3rd book at the end of the year but she doesn't know what book yet. She won't make an announcement until after ATOF. She might make an announcement in July/August for her next release not definite though. She wants to be close to done or at least halfway done with whatever book she works on before making an announcement. Someone asked if it will be Alessio, Massimo, or Camorra anthology next and she said she won't announce what book it will be yet.
-She said Dante/Val will appear in A Touch of Fate. She said RJ and Ricardo will not appear in ATOF but they will be in future books like obviously Leonas book.
-In the past Cora said we have met Bea's love interest already. However, Cora just said she might change Bea's love interest. She isn't sure now and might have other plans for Bea. Cora said she won't announce anymore couples or much about future characters in case she decides to change stuff. She doesn't want to limit her creativity by saying stuff about a character and then be stuck or go back on what she said.
-Cora said Remo/Fina will have a longer story in the Camorra anthology but she can't say how long bc she doesn't know how long it will end up being yet. She did say another time that if it got too long that she might do a second book for Remo/Fina.
-Cora said she wants to do more couple text message exchanges in her newsletters.
- She said in another q&q that she doesn't have plans to do older woman younger man trope. She likes and age gap romance with the guy being older than the girl.
Teaser
Symbolism of cranes and origami cranes:
I looked up symbolism of cranes and origami cranes. It said in Japanese culture cranes and origami cranes have profound symbolic meaning. They represent good fortune, longevity, peace, and healing. There is a tradition called senbazuru where if you fold and hang 1,000 origami cranes it is believed to grant the folder a wish.
Cora's Pinterest board for ATOF shows oragami cranes hanging at a wedding reception. I couldn't copy the picture.
https://www.pinterest.com/reillycora/...
https://www.japan-experience.com/plan...
Tropes revealed:
- Redemption
-Dark secret
-Emotional scars
-Age Gap 8 years
-Alpha Hero
-Mafia Romance
-Arranged Marriage
Playlist:
https://www.threads.net/@corareillyau...
Cora had a song playing in the background of a Threads post but it's not on Emma/Sam playlist. Oh I translated it and it's for By Sin I Rise.
You Put a Spell on Me
Song by Austin Giorgio ‧ 2023
I guess a song for By Sin I Rise:
www.threads.net/@corareillyauthor/pos...
Cover reveal: April.11th
Finally! Release date: June 25, 2025 I was surprised when Goodreads friends messaged that Cora announced her next book and it is A Touch of Fate. She mentioned not long ago that she probably not ready to announce it yet.
Emma Mancini
Model on Cora's Pinterest: Katya Golden
Samuel Mione
Model on Cora's Pinterest: Heath Hutchins
Fans have waiting years for this book ever since it got canceled and then Cora decided she would write it someday. I know Cora said her next book would be an Outfit book and based on stuff she said I thought it would be either Leonas/Charlotte or Emma/Sam. Cora was updating both Pinterest boards so I went back and forth. It seemed too good to be true that we would finally get Emma/Sam.
I'm glad Emma/Sam.will come out before Leonas as book since it takes place before Leonas as book timeline wise.
I hope the book is good and not disappointing since fans have waited so long. I wish it was coming out sooner than June though. Oh well I didn't know if the day would ever come. Hopefully it doesn't get canceled again. Cora mentioned in the past she might do a surprise release if she released Emma/Sam's book. In the past, Cora.said the book was 1/3 written when she stopped writing it(when it was originally going to be released. She seems to be on a writing roll.with the book. Fingers crossed the book is worth the wait.
I hope.Sam.is faithful during his marriage. I like the wedding stuff on their Pinterest board. It seems like a wedding I would like to go to minus it being a mafia wedding.
Some songs Cora announced:
Never got away - Colbie Caillat
Are you even real? - Teddy Swims
:::: PROMOTION INFO ::::
Title: A Touch of Fate
Trope Reveal: March 26th
Cover Reveal: TBA — An email will go out once the cover is ready!
Teaser Reveal(s): April 22nd & May 6th
Genre: Mafia Romance
Series: Standalone
Release Date: June 25, 2025
Tour: June 25th- June 27th, 2025
Sign Up: https://bit.ly/ATouchOfFateReleasePro...
❤️🔥 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒! ❤️🔥 𝐀 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆! ❤️🔥 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐄𝐌𝐌𝐀 & 𝐒𝐀𝐌𝐔𝐄𝐋?!
January 21, 2026
Initial Review!
He was a terrible person in the other books, so I have no doubt he’ll be the same in his own story, just like every other male in this series.
Another book about a broken ‘heroine’ desperately trying to earn a shred of compassion from a worthless man. It’s the same story, recycled again and again.
I feel bad for Emma.
Still, I’m reading to see if this time proves me wrong, though I’m not holding my breath.
Updated Review!
The beginning was compromising as almost all characters seemed nice, but then it turned to be just like the other books. The action seems a little rushed, forced on some moments and even repetitive, with many scenes that could be find in Luca, Amo and Nevio’s books, but the book was in general better than the last ones. It is obvious that the author wanted to publish this book already, given that it was collecting dust on her shelves. I don’t understand why it took her so long to publish it, considering the overall structure and quality, it does not seem like it took more than two weeks to write, and even less to edit.
Some of the biggest jokes in the book are 1) an Italian moving to USA to join the Outfit and 2) the author always trying hard to push the agenda that the Famiglia doesn’t hurt women when in fact it contradicts the narrative’s own events, just as it did in earlier books. She did the same with the Outfit in the Famiglia’s books. Also, what’s up with all Miones having either twins (Fina and Samuel, Nevio and Greta, Aldo and Orlando, and Greta’s twins) or names staring with ‘S’ (Samuel, Serafina, Sofia, Sergio)?
The rest of the story and characters doesn’t nothing to make you enjoy the story more, but to prove the point on how shitty and weak the Outfit is. Almost all characters have the same traits: ableism, sexism, misogyny, fat phobia etc
It’s funny how the Capo would criticize the other Capos for things that are descriptively done in his own organization. Also, it seems they are very unapt, Mafiosi are supposed to be rich and influent, yet they hate to worry about taking days off even for their weddings, about catching flights and about police officers and politicians mending in their business.
Samuel might come across as slightly less awful than in the previous books, but that does not make him any better. His still treats Serafina shitty and made shitty remarks about her; went crazy on Emma a few times, forbade her to dance and put her life in danger two times by drunk-driving, even though he knew in that situation will put her. Despite claiming to not hurt innocent people, he had tortured a minor, cut off the tip of another teenager’s tongue, and mocked him by calling him a ‘pussy’ for not being able to endure it.. A minor…
There are many other scenes that induces me vomit-like sensations:
“There were enough restrictions in my life as a disabled woman in our world. Why did he have to put more on me?” Poor girl.
“No, stop. I don’t want this.”/ His fingers had reached my panties by now. His hungry gaze hit me. “Your body speaks a different language.” Oh, he is very shitty!
“I love you more than anything.”/ “More than alcohol?” No woman should ever have to go through this.
“She would be happy for me. She had kept writing me even though I never re-plied. …. To my surprise, she came online almost instantly and replied.” Oh, Serafina. The woman that you are.
Emma is a very sweet and admirable character who, unlike most others in the book, actually contributes something meaningful. She is the only female character without a single negative trait, and she consistently shows care, empathy, and responsibility. She embodies what a Capo’s daughter should be and honestly, what a Capo himself should be. She cares more about mental health and disabilities than Dante or any of the other so-called leaders ever have. She is mature, intelligent, well-spoken, strong, and positive, and her presence brings a rare sense of dignity to the story.
It’s heartbreaking to see how she is treated. Her mother tries to correct and control her during her own wedding and another man tried to assault her. At times, her mother becomes a new version of Ines, and even more problematic. After marriage, Emma is left to deal with her husband’s drunk and irresponsible behaviour.
Ines is somewhat nicer in this book compared to the previous ones. She shows kindness and care toward almost everyone, except her own daughters. She tells Samuel to stop living in the past, yet she herself continues to act as if her daughter and grandchildren are dead. It’s hypocritical and shows how selective her empathy really is.
Leonas is just like he was described in the other books, a cringe, corny, full of himself and ungrateful ‘rebel’ boy. Some sort of Adamo. He is sadly another victim of author’s obsession with sexualising children: Leonas trailed us a few steps, letting his cool gaze scan the crowd, but nothing caught his interest. Knowing him, he preferred a very different kind of celebration, with pot, booze, and girls. / Leonas scoffed. “Come on, Uncle Pietro. I’m a Made Man. I fuck girls, I kill, I torture, and you refuse to give me a drink like I’m a little kid?” / “Why would I want to fuck in moderation?” / “Whoo,” Leonas exclaimed, letting out a hiss after downing the drink in one gulp. I could tell he would be a handful to keep in check. His teenage antics would undoubtedly drive me up the wall. / “When I’m Capo, our enemies will regret they ever underestimated us.” / “I definitely won’t stop you from getting revenge on the crazy fuckers in Las Vegas.” etc.
But none of this matter, as the fans will excuse the same things they accuse other character of doing. I just saw a fan mocking Nevio’s mental illness just to excuse Leonas’ behaviour. A grown woman fighting over two minor characters by using such serios things as mental illness, underage drinking and sexual conduct with a minor….. Typic Cora Reilly fan!
This book might be the best Outfit book, and Samuel and Emma, the best characters.
He was a terrible person in the other books, so I have no doubt he’ll be the same in his own story, just like every other male in this series.
Another book about a broken ‘heroine’ desperately trying to earn a shred of compassion from a worthless man. It’s the same story, recycled again and again.
I feel bad for Emma.
Still, I’m reading to see if this time proves me wrong, though I’m not holding my breath.
Updated Review!
The beginning was compromising as almost all characters seemed nice, but then it turned to be just like the other books. The action seems a little rushed, forced on some moments and even repetitive, with many scenes that could be find in Luca, Amo and Nevio’s books, but the book was in general better than the last ones. It is obvious that the author wanted to publish this book already, given that it was collecting dust on her shelves. I don’t understand why it took her so long to publish it, considering the overall structure and quality, it does not seem like it took more than two weeks to write, and even less to edit.
Some of the biggest jokes in the book are 1) an Italian moving to USA to join the Outfit and 2) the author always trying hard to push the agenda that the Famiglia doesn’t hurt women when in fact it contradicts the narrative’s own events, just as it did in earlier books. She did the same with the Outfit in the Famiglia’s books. Also, what’s up with all Miones having either twins (Fina and Samuel, Nevio and Greta, Aldo and Orlando, and Greta’s twins) or names staring with ‘S’ (Samuel, Serafina, Sofia, Sergio)?
The rest of the story and characters doesn’t nothing to make you enjoy the story more, but to prove the point on how shitty and weak the Outfit is. Almost all characters have the same traits: ableism, sexism, misogyny, fat phobia etc
It’s funny how the Capo would criticize the other Capos for things that are descriptively done in his own organization. Also, it seems they are very unapt, Mafiosi are supposed to be rich and influent, yet they hate to worry about taking days off even for their weddings, about catching flights and about police officers and politicians mending in their business.
Samuel might come across as slightly less awful than in the previous books, but that does not make him any better. His still treats Serafina shitty and made shitty remarks about her; went crazy on Emma a few times, forbade her to dance and put her life in danger two times by drunk-driving, even though he knew in that situation will put her. Despite claiming to not hurt innocent people, he had tortured a minor, cut off the tip of another teenager’s tongue, and mocked him by calling him a ‘pussy’ for not being able to endure it.. A minor…
There are many other scenes that induces me vomit-like sensations:
“There were enough restrictions in my life as a disabled woman in our world. Why did he have to put more on me?” Poor girl.
“No, stop. I don’t want this.”/ His fingers had reached my panties by now. His hungry gaze hit me. “Your body speaks a different language.” Oh, he is very shitty!
“I love you more than anything.”/ “More than alcohol?” No woman should ever have to go through this.
“She would be happy for me. She had kept writing me even though I never re-plied. …. To my surprise, she came online almost instantly and replied.” Oh, Serafina. The woman that you are.
Emma is a very sweet and admirable character who, unlike most others in the book, actually contributes something meaningful. She is the only female character without a single negative trait, and she consistently shows care, empathy, and responsibility. She embodies what a Capo’s daughter should be and honestly, what a Capo himself should be. She cares more about mental health and disabilities than Dante or any of the other so-called leaders ever have. She is mature, intelligent, well-spoken, strong, and positive, and her presence brings a rare sense of dignity to the story.
It’s heartbreaking to see how she is treated. Her mother tries to correct and control her during her own wedding and another man tried to assault her. At times, her mother becomes a new version of Ines, and even more problematic. After marriage, Emma is left to deal with her husband’s drunk and irresponsible behaviour.
Ines is somewhat nicer in this book compared to the previous ones. She shows kindness and care toward almost everyone, except her own daughters. She tells Samuel to stop living in the past, yet she herself continues to act as if her daughter and grandchildren are dead. It’s hypocritical and shows how selective her empathy really is.
Leonas is just like he was described in the other books, a cringe, corny, full of himself and ungrateful ‘rebel’ boy. Some sort of Adamo. He is sadly another victim of author’s obsession with sexualising children: Leonas trailed us a few steps, letting his cool gaze scan the crowd, but nothing caught his interest. Knowing him, he preferred a very different kind of celebration, with pot, booze, and girls. / Leonas scoffed. “Come on, Uncle Pietro. I’m a Made Man. I fuck girls, I kill, I torture, and you refuse to give me a drink like I’m a little kid?” / “Why would I want to fuck in moderation?” / “Whoo,” Leonas exclaimed, letting out a hiss after downing the drink in one gulp. I could tell he would be a handful to keep in check. His teenage antics would undoubtedly drive me up the wall. / “When I’m Capo, our enemies will regret they ever underestimated us.” / “I definitely won’t stop you from getting revenge on the crazy fuckers in Las Vegas.” etc.
But none of this matter, as the fans will excuse the same things they accuse other character of doing. I just saw a fan mocking Nevio’s mental illness just to excuse Leonas’ behaviour. A grown woman fighting over two minor characters by using such serios things as mental illness, underage drinking and sexual conduct with a minor….. Typic Cora Reilly fan!
This book might be the best Outfit book, and Samuel and Emma, the best characters.
July 3, 2025
На цю книгу, я очікувала роками🥹 тому дуже зраділа коли побачила такий довго очікуваний анонс. Мала певні очікування від неї - не скажу що в захваті після прочитання, але це було не погано.
Хто вже знайомий з всесвітом Кори Рейлі той знає, що Емма Манчині в дитинстві потрапила в аварію через яку тепер змушена переміщатися на інвалідному візку. В книзі про її старшого брата Данило не так багато згадано за це, але загальні деталі є. В цій же книзі авторка розкрила всі подробиці аварії та діагноз Емми. Читати як мала дитина (11 років) мусить прийняти те що вона тепер не зможе ходити було дуже боляче - тут Кора ідеально описала все. І для мене антагоніст у історії Емми є її ж мати, те як вона ставилася до своєї дочки і не дала їй необхідної підтримки мене дуже бісило. Вона більше думала за думку оточуючих, ніж за комфорт і щастя власної дитини. Брат навпаки мав почуття гіпер опіки щодо неї, але не заходив за межі які вона йому поставила. Емма — показа себе з нової для мене сторони, вона сильна духом та фізично(скільки вона працювала щоб бути максимально самостійною і не потребувати сторонньої допомоги), і звісно розумна та має доволі спокійний та виважений характер.
Семмуель Міоне, або як його називають «крижаний принц» — відкрився геть з неочікуваної сторони. Так я розуміла, що він зміниться після викрадення Фіни та тієї невдалої рятувальної операції де загинули його друзі. Але ніколи б не подумала, що в нього може бути така залежність - Кора мене здивувала. Тому що я очікувала від нього злість та планування помсти, але ніяк не алкогольну залежність. Характер в нього не поганий, так він холодний і не просто так підпускає людей до себе, але до Емми в більшості випадків він ставився з повагою і робив все для її комфорту.
Любовна лінія Емми та Семма нагадала мені — Валентину та Данте, а саме як чоловіки у цих стосунках намагалися опиратися створенню емоційного звʼязку у шлюбі. Інтим для них не був проблемою, а от довіритися своїй дружині важко.
Незважаючи на труднощі в характері Семмуеля, Еммі вдалося розтопити його серце, і показати що вона може підтримати його в будь-якому випадку. Саме вона рятувала його і цей шлюб, від його залежності.
В загальному враження від книги не погані, було дуже цікаво читати та зануритися знову у всесвіт Кори. Але ось ця алкогольна залежність Семма мені не дуже сподобалась, я все ж думала що у нього сильніший характер. Хто приємно вразив, так це — Емма, вона не така тиха і боязка дівчина як я думала.
Ця книга для мене на тверду 4 ⭐️ (я залюбки її перечитаю з часом)
Хто вже знайомий з всесвітом Кори Рейлі той знає, що Емма Манчині в дитинстві потрапила в аварію через яку тепер змушена переміщатися на інвалідному візку. В книзі про її старшого брата Данило не так багато згадано за це, але загальні деталі є. В цій же книзі авторка розкрила всі подробиці аварії та діагноз Емми. Читати як мала дитина (11 років) мусить прийняти те що вона тепер не зможе ходити було дуже боляче - тут Кора ідеально описала все. І для мене антагоніст у історії Емми є її ж мати, те як вона ставилася до своєї дочки і не дала їй необхідної підтримки мене дуже бісило. Вона більше думала за думку оточуючих, ніж за комфорт і щастя власної дитини. Брат навпаки мав почуття гіпер опіки щодо неї, але не заходив за межі які вона йому поставила. Емма — показа себе з нової для мене сторони, вона сильна духом та фізично(скільки вона працювала щоб бути максимально самостійною і не потребувати сторонньої допомоги), і звісно розумна та має доволі спокійний та виважений характер.
Семмуель Міоне, або як його називають «крижаний принц» — відкрився геть з неочікуваної сторони. Так я розуміла, що він зміниться після викрадення Фіни та тієї невдалої рятувальної операції де загинули його друзі. Але ніколи б не подумала, що в нього може бути така залежність - Кора мене здивувала. Тому що я очікувала від нього злість та планування помсти, але ніяк не алкогольну залежність. Характер в нього не поганий, так він холодний і не просто так підпускає людей до себе, але до Емми в більшості випадків він ставився з повагою і робив все для її комфорту.
Любовна лінія Емми та Семма нагадала мені — Валентину та Данте, а саме як чоловіки у цих стосунках намагалися опиратися створенню емоційного звʼязку у шлюбі. Інтим для них не був проблемою, а от довіритися своїй дружині важко.
Незважаючи на труднощі в характері Семмуеля, Еммі вдалося розтопити його серце, і показати що вона може підтримати його в будь-якому випадку. Саме вона рятувала його і цей шлюб, від його залежності.
В загальному враження від книги не погані, було дуже цікаво читати та зануритися знову у всесвіт Кори. Але ось ця алкогольна залежність Семма мені не дуже сподобалась, я все ж думала що у нього сильніший характер. Хто приємно вразив, так це — Емма, вона не така тиха і боязка дівчина як я думала.
Ця книга для мене на тверду 4 ⭐️ (я залюбки її перечитаю з часом)
June 26, 2025
As soon as I heard the news I had to come here again and see it for myself. THANK YOU CORA FOR GIVING IT A SECOND CHANCE. I've been waiting for this book for years. Thank you again.
Edit: I finished reading the book today. First of all, I want to thank Cora again for writing this story that many of us have been waiting for for years. Now, regarding the book itself, I think it will be difficult for me to give an unbiased review because, honestly, I think I would love this book regardless of the quality of the story.
I'd like to start by saying what I liked: the story focused on Emma and Samuel; we learned in detail what each of them was thinking; there were very sweet moments, and the chemistry between them was undeniable.
Now, what I would have liked about the story: there was a lot of potential for a very dramatic story, for a great emotional scene that would make us cry. However, nothing reached that level. I feel like it lacked a stronger thread.
Edit: I finished reading the book today. First of all, I want to thank Cora again for writing this story that many of us have been waiting for for years. Now, regarding the book itself, I think it will be difficult for me to give an unbiased review because, honestly, I think I would love this book regardless of the quality of the story.
I'd like to start by saying what I liked: the story focused on Emma and Samuel; we learned in detail what each of them was thinking; there were very sweet moments, and the chemistry between them was undeniable.
Now, what I would have liked about the story: there was a lot of potential for a very dramatic story, for a great emotional scene that would make us cry. However, nothing reached that level. I feel like it lacked a stronger thread.
July 15, 2025
"Ти — жінка, яка мені потрібна в житті. Твоя стійкість і здатність залишити минуле в минулому і просто насолоджуватися сьогоденням — це те, чого я теж прагну досягти".
Ця книга більше про стосунки, як і книга про Софію.
Ще тут про інклюзивність в закритому світі мафії та подолання своїх психологічних проблем. Семюель не викликає великої симпатії, але він намагається. Як любий мафіозі він дуже складний, не довірливий, справжній крижаний принц. Ну, з таким дядьком як Данте, то не дивно.
Висловлю непопулярну думку, але мені сподобалось, що Кора показала іншу сторону мускулиності мафіозі. Слабку, огид��у сторону. Цей роман дуже відрізняється від попередніх. Більше психологічний.
"Коли люди дивилися на нас, вони вважали Емму слабкістю в наших стосунках, адже те, що люди сприймали як її ваду, було видно неозброєним оком. Мої ж вади були добре приховані".
Емма — яскравий промінчик в житті Сема. Добра, вольова та рішуча. Дуже мені сподобалась 😊
"У нашому світі так багато людей не могли сприймати мене як самостійну дорослу жінку лише через те, що я мала інвалідність. А маленька дівчинка, яка мріяла стати принцесою, хотіла хоча б на мить стати у весільній сукні. Мрійниця та реалістка в мені хотіли одного й того ж, що показало мені, наскільки це було для мене важливо. Я звикла йти на компроміси, але в цьому питанні не хотіла поступатися".
Думки Емми, коли вона ще була дитиною стосовно її матері 💔:
"Я хотіла, щоб вона ставилася до моєї інвалідності та інвалідного візка більш невимушено. Якби вона показала іншим, що це не є незручним чи навіть соромним, можливо, люди ставилися б до мене нормально. Нездатність мами захистити мене викликала в мене одночасно і гнів і смуток".
Ця книга більше про стосунки, як і книга про Софію.
Ще тут про інклюзивність в закритому світі мафії та подолання своїх психологічних проблем. Семюель не викликає великої симпатії, але він намагається. Як любий мафіозі він дуже складний, не довірливий, справжній крижаний принц. Ну, з таким дядьком як Данте, то не дивно.
Висловлю непопулярну думку, але мені сподобалось, що Кора показала іншу сторону мускулиності мафіозі. Слабку, огид��у сторону. Цей роман дуже відрізняється від попередніх. Більше психологічний.
"Коли люди дивилися на нас, вони вважали Емму слабкістю в наших стосунках, адже те, що люди сприймали як її ваду, було видно неозброєним оком. Мої ж вади були добре приховані".
Емма — яскравий промінчик в житті Сема. Добра, вольова та рішуча. Дуже мені сподобалась 😊
"У нашому світі так багато людей не могли сприймати мене як самостійну дорослу жінку лише через те, що я мала інвалідність. А маленька дівчинка, яка мріяла стати принцесою, хотіла хоча б на мить стати у весільній сукні. Мрійниця та реалістка в мені хотіли одного й того ж, що показало мені, наскільки це було для мене важливо. Я звикла йти на компроміси, але в цьому питанні не хотіла поступатися".
Думки Емми, коли вона ще була дитиною стосовно її матері 💔:
"Я хотіла, щоб вона ставилася до моєї інвалідності та інвалідного візка більш невимушено. Якби вона показала іншим, що це не є незручним чи навіть соромним, можливо, люди ставилися б до мене нормально. Нездатність мами захистити мене викликала в мене одночасно і гнів і смуток".
June 25, 2025
Ця книга точно розчарування року🥲 як же я її чекала
Може я сама винна бо мала великі очікування? Таки чим менше очікуєш тим менше розчаровуєшся 🥹
Сем як же він мене бісив🤦🏿♀️ який же він слабкий, постійно пив, він себе дуже погано поводив стосовно Емми, ти блін старший від неї на 8 років а це вона себе доросліше поводила ніж ти🤦🏿♀️
Ну в інвалідному вона візку і що дальше? Це ж не дає тобі право байдуже ставитись до неї, він міг в кінці кінців її запитувати що краще зробити а він просто уникав її
Він чув прекрасно що про неї говорили і як її ображали але він робив вигляд що не чує цього🤦🏿♀️ і тільки коли йому якась дитина сказала що він трахається з інвалідом то він зразу страшний альфач🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️ я просто не можу
Він тупо суцільне розчарування 😢 і ніхто не винен що він такий, його навіть виправдовувати не хочу
Еммочка❤️ моє сонечко, вона неймовірна, яка ж вона хороша, чиста, добра, як же вона терпіла цього придурка, скільки шансів йому давала, це тільки вона витягнула цю книгу і цей шлюб
Обожнюю її всім серцем🥰
Бісила її мама, та скільки можна, бляха муха, я не могла заспокоїтись, мама називається
Данило він класний брат, підтримував її постійно і допомагав, хоча в свому шлюбі наробив фігні
Інес і Пʼєтро вони хороші батьки, мені дуже подобається їхня пара, вони старались допомогти коли потрібно і не лізли зайвий раз
Шо тут ще сказати, я дуже розчарована, я навіть зараз читаю паралельно книгу теж дівчина в інвалідному візку але там все зовсім по іншому, головний герой більше цікавиться тим як їй допомогти і як полегшити життя а Сем єдине що зробив це встановив ліфт в будинку🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️ ай шо тут говорити я дуже розчарована
Сем точно не заслуговує на Емму😥
Єдине за що дякую Корі це за відсутність драми, обійшлось без викраденна, катування і ще всякого екшину як то люблять добавити😹 я б ще цього не витримала
Може я сама винна бо мала великі очікування? Таки чим менше очікуєш тим менше розчаровуєшся 🥹
Сем як же він мене бісив🤦🏿♀️ який же він слабкий, постійно пив, він себе дуже погано поводив стосовно Емми, ти блін старший від неї на 8 років а це вона себе доросліше поводила ніж ти🤦🏿♀️
Ну в інвалідному вона візку і що дальше? Це ж не дає тобі право байдуже ставитись до неї, він міг в кінці кінців її запитувати що краще зробити а він просто уникав її
Він чув прекрасно що про неї говорили і як її ображали але він робив вигляд що не чує цього🤦🏿♀️ і тільки коли йому якась дитина сказала що він трахається з інвалідом то він зразу страшний альфач🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️ я просто не можу
Він тупо суцільне розчарування 😢 і ніхто не винен що він такий, його навіть виправдовувати не хочу
Еммочка❤️ моє сонечко, вона неймовірна, яка ж вона хороша, чиста, добра, як же вона терпіла цього придурка, скільки шансів йому давала, це тільки вона витягнула цю книгу і цей шлюб
Обожнюю її всім серцем🥰
Бісила її мама, та скільки можна, бляха муха, я не могла заспокоїтись, мама називається
Данило він класний брат, підтримував її постійно і допомагав, хоча в свому шлюбі наробив фігні
Інес і Пʼєтро вони хороші батьки, мені дуже подобається їхня пара, вони старались допомогти коли потрібно і не лізли зайвий раз
Шо тут ще сказати, я дуже розчарована, я навіть зараз читаю паралельно книгу теж дівчина в інвалідному візку але там все зовсім по іншому, головний герой більше цікавиться тим як їй допомогти і як полегшити життя а Сем єдине що зробив це встановив ліфт в будинку🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏿♀️ ай шо тут говорити я дуже розчарована
Сем точно не заслуговує на Емму😥
Єдине за що дякую Корі це за відсутність драми, обійшлось без викраденна, катування і ще всякого екшину як то люблять добавити😹 я б ще цього не витримала
Read
July 8, 2025DNF- 50% This is what happens when an author tries to please the safety squad/cheating haters. You get a snooze fest. This book suffers from the mundane. There was so much page time spent on boring details that had nothing to do with the couple. It took a third of the book for the fmc to turn 18. Another problem is that wheelchair was mentioned so often I thought this was a love triangle …We get it she’s in a wheelchair. The wheelchair should not be the fmcs entire identity. There was no character development beyond that. It shouldn’t have to be mentioned a gazillion times. It’s like the authors that focus on the BBW and have to tell us every other sentence that she’s fat. Anyways when I read the reviews that said this was a boring book I thought- impossible. I’ve never read a boring Cora Reilly book. I’ve always devoured them… but this is soooo bland and boring I had to give up!
June 25, 2025
I kind of had expectations, but I knew I might be disappointed. This book Cora at least tried to spell it out a little bit, more detailed like that
I liked Emma, ignored the others and stayed strong. I feel bad for her that she had to almost get in a car accident because Sam was out of control again. I can't imagine how scared she was and this time she's also pregnant. I liked Samuel at times, at times I didn't. I didn't like him in Danilo's book when he made the deal with Danilo - his reaction was weird. At some points he acted disgusting in my opinion.
I didn't like that Sophia was once again redundant, why does everyone forget about her? She was mentioned just as much as Fina, but the difference is that Fina is far away and Sofia is close by and still she doesn't get the attention she deserves. I can't love Ines and Pietro after Sofia's book, but I want to read their story, even though they were kind of ambiguous in this book. But of all of Mione's children, Sofia is the most adequate.
The delivery, as always with Cora, is top notch.
I liked Emma, ignored the others and stayed strong. I feel bad for her that she had to almost get in a car accident because Sam was out of control again. I can't imagine how scared she was and this time she's also pregnant. I liked Samuel at times, at times I didn't. I didn't like him in Danilo's book when he made the deal with Danilo - his reaction was weird. At some points he acted disgusting in my opinion.
I didn't like that Sophia was once again redundant, why does everyone forget about her? She was mentioned just as much as Fina, but the difference is that Fina is far away and Sofia is close by and still she doesn't get the attention she deserves. I can't love Ines and Pietro after Sofia's book, but I want to read their story, even though they were kind of ambiguous in this book. But of all of Mione's children, Sofia is the most adequate.
The delivery, as always with Cora, is top notch.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2025
boooring
June 25, 2025
Honestly, this is the best book that Cora Reilly has ever written!!!!
It's different, it's fresh, infidelity is not romanticized (Obviously, Samuel is faithful). As in other books, the protagonist does not make the protagonist suffer for issues that are not valid, but his problem is due to an illness, an addiction.
But, i don't know, maybe it's not a 5-star book, but I'm evaluating it this way because I read it on the first day it was released and I got my period.
It's different, it's fresh, infidelity is not romanticized (Obviously, Samuel is faithful). As in other books, the protagonist does not make the protagonist suffer for issues that are not valid, but his problem is due to an illness, an addiction.
But, i don't know, maybe it's not a 5-star book, but I'm evaluating it this way because I read it on the first day it was released and I got my period.
June 25, 2025
the way this book touch my heart ❤️ , i loved emma so much strong FMC she never give up on their relationship , i loved the way samuel respected her and never shamed on her , they both do everything to make thier marrige work i love them so much 😭🥹 ,,, 5⭐️💫,, 3*🌶️ 🤭 .
June 25, 2025
language is important and cora is a misogynist.
July 14, 2025
4.5⭐️
I'm not sure how much of this story had been written previously when CR planned to publish it, or how much she rewrote here- my guess is she completely redid the story, start to finish. This was not the Samuel we saw hints of in Fragile Longing. That Samuel was bitter, ignored Emma and definitely didn't seem receptive to marrying her. The Samuel we met here? Honestly one of my favourite's of Cora's heros
The relationship between Emma and Samuel was so great. They live in a mafia world and both know this is an arranged marriage, but are ready to make the best of it. They go in with eyes wide open, but try and have open conversations and actually spend time with each other. This is not a mafia romance with a husband who ignores his wife- Samuel genuinely cares for Emma and is protective of her immediately. He listens to her and values her opinion and truly sees her as his partner. I LOVED these two together, they were adorable.
I think the disability rep here was well done, and again shows that Cora went back and reworked her story. Emma is in a wheelchair, and in the mafia world treated as less. She's overlooked and underestimated because of this, but Samuel quickly finds out that she has a strong backbone and stubborn streak. I love how she refused to let others bring or down or to live in fear- she lived the life she wanted and fought for it.
This is definitely more of a character driven plot, and not much happens with the mafia side of the story. We of course get mentions of Serafina and how her defection impacted Samuel. I really enjoyed how it wasn't the main feature though, like it was for Sofia in Fragile Longing. In that book Serafina loomed huge- here, Samuel misses her but has mostly moved on.
My one complaint would be the pacing- the second half of the book started skipping months at at time, with next to no mention of what our characters got up to. It felt like just as Emma and Samuel started to make a stronger emotional connection, we skipped six month ahead. Then when they get huge news, we skipped another six months and never get to hear what happened with that news. And again, some big decisions are made but we skip another few months ahead for a brief glimpse of their future. I wish those timelines were more fleshed out.
"She was my fate, and every dark moment of my life had led me to her, which was why I could finally make peace with my past."Wholeheartedly loved this. We have waited SO long (probably only like a few years in reality) for Emma and Samuel's story, plus Cora said it was on the back-burner, that I really was not holding out hope it would ever be published. I was ecstatic when she announced this! But also a little nervous, because my excitement and expectations were a bit high. But Cora really crushed this one in my opinion!
I'm not sure how much of this story had been written previously when CR planned to publish it, or how much she rewrote here- my guess is she completely redid the story, start to finish. This was not the Samuel we saw hints of in Fragile Longing. That Samuel was bitter, ignored Emma and definitely didn't seem receptive to marrying her. The Samuel we met here? Honestly one of my favourite's of Cora's heros
The relationship between Emma and Samuel was so great. They live in a mafia world and both know this is an arranged marriage, but are ready to make the best of it. They go in with eyes wide open, but try and have open conversations and actually spend time with each other. This is not a mafia romance with a husband who ignores his wife- Samuel genuinely cares for Emma and is protective of her immediately. He listens to her and values her opinion and truly sees her as his partner. I LOVED these two together, they were adorable.
I think the disability rep here was well done, and again shows that Cora went back and reworked her story. Emma is in a wheelchair, and in the mafia world treated as less. She's overlooked and underestimated because of this, but Samuel quickly finds out that she has a strong backbone and stubborn streak. I love how she refused to let others bring or down or to live in fear- she lived the life she wanted and fought for it.
This is definitely more of a character driven plot, and not much happens with the mafia side of the story. We of course get mentions of Serafina and how her defection impacted Samuel. I really enjoyed how it wasn't the main feature though, like it was for Sofia in Fragile Longing. In that book Serafina loomed huge- here, Samuel misses her but has mostly moved on.
My one complaint would be the pacing- the second half of the book started skipping months at at time, with next to no mention of what our characters got up to. It felt like just as Emma and Samuel started to make a stronger emotional connection, we skipped six month ahead. Then when they get huge news, we skipped another six months and never get to hear what happened with that news. And again, some big decisions are made but we skip another few months ahead for a brief glimpse of their future. I wish those timelines were more fleshed out.
June 26, 2025
Emma and Samuel are the best couple in the Chicago Outfit, hands down
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