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GodHood #4
Sacred Deception
She will do anything for power. He will do anything to have her.
Called Pretty Poison for her deadly charm,a mafia princess cannot seem to escape her past.
STUNNING. SEDUCTIVE. CRAZY.
FRANCESCA DeMONE, as ruthless of a Don as her father, has only ever wanted two things: money and power. With the entire Cosa Nostra against her high ranking in the mafia as a woman, she must prove herself – just until the title of Underboss is finally hers.
She is her father’s most trusted confidant. His hand which holds the gun. His voice which gives the final command. His brain which directs every strategy. And she will walk through any fire if it means becoming Head of the Family.
What she didn’t expect to have to endure, is marriage with the Devil himself.
CHARMING. LAID-BACK. INTIMIDATING.
MATTEO DI’ABLO, an ex-drug-lord, has had enough violence to last him five lifetimes. After re-building his family’s empire from the ashes and passing the legacy onto his younger brother, he wants nothing more than to lay on a beach and relax.
But when a bullet misses his brother’s heart by an inch, he is forced to take over the family business one last time – just until his brother recovers.
What he didn’t expect to have to endure, is a forced alliance with the Italians in the face of threats. Or lay awake all night while his new bride sleeps across the hallway.
They agreed to divorce after a year.
Marriage was never part of the plan. Least of all falling in love.
At least for one of them.
Called Pretty Poison for her deadly charm,a mafia princess cannot seem to escape her past.
STUNNING. SEDUCTIVE. CRAZY.
FRANCESCA DeMONE, as ruthless of a Don as her father, has only ever wanted two things: money and power. With the entire Cosa Nostra against her high ranking in the mafia as a woman, she must prove herself – just until the title of Underboss is finally hers.
She is her father’s most trusted confidant. His hand which holds the gun. His voice which gives the final command. His brain which directs every strategy. And she will walk through any fire if it means becoming Head of the Family.
What she didn’t expect to have to endure, is marriage with the Devil himself.
CHARMING. LAID-BACK. INTIMIDATING.
MATTEO DI’ABLO, an ex-drug-lord, has had enough violence to last him five lifetimes. After re-building his family’s empire from the ashes and passing the legacy onto his younger brother, he wants nothing more than to lay on a beach and relax.
But when a bullet misses his brother’s heart by an inch, he is forced to take over the family business one last time – just until his brother recovers.
What he didn’t expect to have to endure, is a forced alliance with the Italians in the face of threats. Or lay awake all night while his new bride sleeps across the hallway.
They agreed to divorce after a year.
Marriage was never part of the plan. Least of all falling in love.
At least for one of them.
457 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 22, 2025
133 people are currently reading
2194 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
December 23, 2025
beta / arc review to come omfg i need a minute 😭🖤 i fucking love these characters
December 23, 2025
He soooo nice and sassy with it
my sunshine
my sunshine
Want to read
July 31, 2025I NEED THIS ATM
MATTEO AND FRANCESCA? am so ready for this and am already imagining the tension 🤭🔥
MATTEO AND FRANCESCA? am so ready for this and am already imagining the tension 🤭🔥
December 31, 2025
I'm not gonna lie this was prett underwhelming. All the other books were so good literally 5 stars I've never read any series where each book just got better but with this one it just lacked so much depth. the story itself wasn't that intriguing there wasn't any other plot besides the couple which was kinda disappointing cause the other books had so much plot and we also didn't get as much insight on the characters as I thought we would based on the other books. I just wish it wasn't the last book but it was still a good read and I also love the author a lot but the I just wish there was more action like the other books had and a longer story with the two characters. The ending was so cute though with all the other characters I just WISH it was more focused on franchesca and matteo like why start with a wedding AND end with one we needed more. The one thing I really liked though was the writing style that was the biggest thing that got me hooked on all of her books I just love the way she writes, most authors repeat and repeat bit it's always something new and raw with this author. ALSO I really wanted to learn more about Francesca back story cause it made it seem like she had such a rough upbringing but like everything was lowk handed to her and it just didn't match well besides when she made her point and shot that one guy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2026
What on earth was that ending?! I can’t believe it just stops there—I’m seriously expected to wait for the next book to find out what happens?!
As for the couples, I absolutely love them. Mateo is ridiculously sweet, with a sassy attitude and a very dirty mouth, and I’m obsessed. Francesca is a total badass, and I adore her. Honestly, every FMC in this series is strong, fierce, and amazing.
As for the couples, I absolutely love them. Mateo is ridiculously sweet, with a sassy attitude and a very dirty mouth, and I’m obsessed. Francesca is a total badass, and I adore her. Honestly, every FMC in this series is strong, fierce, and amazing.
December 25, 2025
Loved, but please that epilogue? Maria and Zach are literally my Roman Empire and are to go untouched PLEASE.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2026
WHAT IS THAT ENDING???? I don’t want to have to wait for the next one 😩😩😩 that’s such a major cliffhanger and I’m so fucking confused now on where this storyline is going to go. This series has the same storyline going on throughout each book even though it’s about different couples. The five mafia families in New York are all being targeted and they’ve trying to figure out who it is and how to stop them. While that is happening each book goes through different couples and different families merging together to make alliances and what not. I was dying for Matteo’s and Francesca’s story for so long and I loved it. Francesca is going to be the underboss of the mafia families while her brother Gio will one day become the boss of all of them. Francesca is having a hard time with getting the other families on board with her taking this position because she’s a woman, ugh men 🙄 Matteo is a cartel boss that they all know and he’s been hung up on Francesca for quite some time. So when the opportunity arises for him to marry Francesca to help her become the underboss and to also make an alliance with the DeMone family why not take it? Francesca though? She wants nothing to do with marriage and is even more furious when she finds out that all the other families agree that this is the way that they will accept her becoming the new underboss. So this marriage of convenience becomes her only option but what happens when he won’t let her go and tries his hardest to do everything he can to keep her and make her fall in love with him?
January 9, 2026
Ok so I was reallyyy excited for this book and by that I mean, I used to check every week when this was going to be published. Unfortunately, that excitement was short lived. This was supposed to be a marriage of convenience “mafia romance”. Emphasis on mafia, as far as I am concerned mafia stands for plot, violence at least a little bit. I was expecting the heroine, Francesca to be a bad-ass female character.
Also its not like this is the authors first time writing a bad-ass female character because tell me WHERE WAS THE BAD-ASS. She was shown to be an upcoming underboss for the Italian mafia, this was supposed to be her goal then why was she feeling trapped all of a sudden, I understand that feeling change people chance and what not but some how I never see this happening for the mmc?? And why did they have s*x in the first half BEFORE GETTING MARRIED, like I dont get how this is a marriage of convenience when they have already warmed up to each other and had a heart-to-heart in Hawaii?? In this book, 80% was all smut, I understand I love smut which is why I tend to read mafia romance BUT so much that there is no plot alongside. I skimmed through the book because unfortunately nothing grabbed my attention.
How can the fmc to hold the mmc by the collar and threaten him in their first meeting to not having a spine and relying on the mmc for everything. She could not stand up to him at all. We were given the illusion the she has the reigns outside the bedroom and he has the reigns inside the bedroom but it seemed like he was in control all along and convinced the fmc to believe that she was in control.
Why make a woman badass and the fact that she is the future underboss and she took an oath at 15 years old because she literally murdered a group of men and had no remorse obviously and then making her marry a guy forcefully because the other capos are misogynistic??? Like I get that is what a marriage of convenience is in a mafia romance its just they finished her independence aspect of her personality and well as her blood thirstiness.
OK THAT PART I CAN GET BEHIND BUT THEN MAKING HER SAY THAT SHE FEELS TRAPPED IN NEW YORK WHERE HER LIFE WAS????? AND THEN MAKING HER FEEL ALL SAD AND WHAT NOT BASICALLY MAKING HER ALL MUSHY LIKE SCUSE ME WHERES THAT GIRL WHO FUCKING MURDERED PPL AT 15?????? HOW CAN YOU GET WEAKER AS YOU GROW OLDER.
As a person who has been reading mafia romance as a literal tween, WHENEVER A MAN IS THE CAPO OR UNDERBOSS OR THE LEADER FOR THE MAFIA, THEY NEVER FINISH OFF HISS LUST FOR BLOOD THERE IS SMUT THERE IS EVERYTHING THEN WHY IS IT THAT WHEN A WOMAN MARRIES CONVENIENTLY SHE IS SUPPOSED TO NOT BE BLOOD THIRSTY ALL OF A SUDDEN I WANTED VIOLENCE LIKE THE AUTHOR HAS PREVIOUSLY GIVEN US. I REMEMBER MARIA AND ZACH (I think his name was), THE BOOK DELIVERED ON EVERYTHING VIOLENCE SMUT AMAZING BUT THIS WAS NOT IT.
Anyways thats all for today thank you for listening to my rant.
DISCLAIMER: this is my opinion I dont care you disagree with but I am entitled to my opinion thank you. If this is for you no judgement here you can enjoy it. 😀🫶🏼
Also its not like this is the authors first time writing a bad-ass female character because tell me WHERE WAS THE BAD-ASS. She was shown to be an upcoming underboss for the Italian mafia, this was supposed to be her goal then why was she feeling trapped all of a sudden, I understand that feeling change people chance and what not but some how I never see this happening for the mmc?? And why did they have s*x in the first half BEFORE GETTING MARRIED, like I dont get how this is a marriage of convenience when they have already warmed up to each other and had a heart-to-heart in Hawaii?? In this book, 80% was all smut, I understand I love smut which is why I tend to read mafia romance BUT so much that there is no plot alongside. I skimmed through the book because unfortunately nothing grabbed my attention.
How can the fmc to hold the mmc by the collar and threaten him in their first meeting to not having a spine and relying on the mmc for everything. She could not stand up to him at all. We were given the illusion the she has the reigns outside the bedroom and he has the reigns inside the bedroom but it seemed like he was in control all along and convinced the fmc to believe that she was in control.
Why make a woman badass and the fact that she is the future underboss and she took an oath at 15 years old because she literally murdered a group of men and had no remorse obviously and then making her marry a guy forcefully because the other capos are misogynistic??? Like I get that is what a marriage of convenience is in a mafia romance its just they finished her independence aspect of her personality and well as her blood thirstiness.
OK THAT PART I CAN GET BEHIND BUT THEN MAKING HER SAY THAT SHE FEELS TRAPPED IN NEW YORK WHERE HER LIFE WAS????? AND THEN MAKING HER FEEL ALL SAD AND WHAT NOT BASICALLY MAKING HER ALL MUSHY LIKE SCUSE ME WHERES THAT GIRL WHO FUCKING MURDERED PPL AT 15?????? HOW CAN YOU GET WEAKER AS YOU GROW OLDER.
As a person who has been reading mafia romance as a literal tween, WHENEVER A MAN IS THE CAPO OR UNDERBOSS OR THE LEADER FOR THE MAFIA, THEY NEVER FINISH OFF HISS LUST FOR BLOOD THERE IS SMUT THERE IS EVERYTHING THEN WHY IS IT THAT WHEN A WOMAN MARRIES CONVENIENTLY SHE IS SUPPOSED TO NOT BE BLOOD THIRSTY ALL OF A SUDDEN I WANTED VIOLENCE LIKE THE AUTHOR HAS PREVIOUSLY GIVEN US. I REMEMBER MARIA AND ZACH (I think his name was), THE BOOK DELIVERED ON EVERYTHING VIOLENCE SMUT AMAZING BUT THIS WAS NOT IT.
Anyways thats all for today thank you for listening to my rant.
DISCLAIMER: this is my opinion I dont care you disagree with but I am entitled to my opinion thank you. If this is for you no judgement here you can enjoy it. 😀🫶🏼
Want to read
July 23, 2025Just because it’s arranged marriage hehehhe pls make them like Zach and Maria 🙏
December 22, 2025
Cristina absolutely devoured and left no crumbs when it came to Matteo and Francesca’s story.
Now these two were definitely quite the pairing - let’s start with Francesca, well she is definitely a woman you most certainly do not want to underestimate and the men in her family did not make the mistake of doing so. Francesca was sworn in as a made woman when she was fifteen and now she is on the rise to become her family’s underboss and I was absolutely here for it. This is something that is very unheard of when you read mafia books and Francesca worked ruthlessly to be in that position. What made it even more sweeter was her brothers and her father (the current Don) being ever so supportive of her. In simple terms I absolutely loved her.
If you are unfamiliar of who Matteo is he is Zach from book one’s brother and the head of the Di’Ablo family. To say this man fell hard and fast for Francesca would be an understatement- he was very cunning and he stopped at nothing to ensure that she would be his and only his. He knew that Francesca was a strong independent woman and he kept that flame of hers burning strong. When Francesca needs a bit of assistance with her position of the family an alliance is propositioned and Matteo did not hesitate to offer his assistance and let’s be fair Matteo found no hardship in becoming Francesca’s husband. He was definitely very found of the “my wife” phrase🤭
I loved this couple, their chemistry was like fireworks and their banter was absolutely off the charts.
Overall I loved this story but there is definitely some rocky sailing upon the horizon for all of our main couples and I oh cannot wait to dive back into this world in the near future.
Thank you to the author who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts 💭
Now these two were definitely quite the pairing - let’s start with Francesca, well she is definitely a woman you most certainly do not want to underestimate and the men in her family did not make the mistake of doing so. Francesca was sworn in as a made woman when she was fifteen and now she is on the rise to become her family’s underboss and I was absolutely here for it. This is something that is very unheard of when you read mafia books and Francesca worked ruthlessly to be in that position. What made it even more sweeter was her brothers and her father (the current Don) being ever so supportive of her. In simple terms I absolutely loved her.
If you are unfamiliar of who Matteo is he is Zach from book one’s brother and the head of the Di’Ablo family. To say this man fell hard and fast for Francesca would be an understatement- he was very cunning and he stopped at nothing to ensure that she would be his and only his. He knew that Francesca was a strong independent woman and he kept that flame of hers burning strong. When Francesca needs a bit of assistance with her position of the family an alliance is propositioned and Matteo did not hesitate to offer his assistance and let’s be fair Matteo found no hardship in becoming Francesca’s husband. He was definitely very found of the “my wife” phrase🤭
I loved this couple, their chemistry was like fireworks and their banter was absolutely off the charts.
Overall I loved this story but there is definitely some rocky sailing upon the horizon for all of our main couples and I oh cannot wait to dive back into this world in the near future.
Thank you to the author who provided this e-arc for my honest thoughts 💭
January 7, 2026
uh what the fuck was this?
i was SO excited for this. marriage of convenience, boy obsessed, reverse grumpy x sunshine. but then it fell flat. all the other books had romance but also plot. a hell of a lot of plot. this didn’t.
the beginning had so much potential but then they got married and i thought it would be like every other mafia romance where they don’t get along, they fight, a lot of possessive jealousy scenes, you know the basics. and it didn’t give that.
there was way too much misplaced smut. some scenes weren’t necessary in any way. their whole relationship was based on lust and infatuation. i genuinely felt no connection towards them as a couple.
francesca was supposed to stand her ground and be badass and she was over here calling this man ‘daddy’ in bed??? seriously?? a daddy kink?? why are we still doing this. that took me out. i HATE the whole ‘daddy’ thing. outside of the bedroom she was perfect but in it??? girl…
matteo had me so excited but he gave nothing but flirtatious remarks and that’s it. not to mention every time it was mentioned he was 6’5 i rolled my eyes cause in no world would a MEXICAN man be 6’5. 6’0 maybe and even that is pushing it. i don’t know, i just didn’t connect with the story and i was sort of expecting everything. for a marriage of convenience, it was seriously lacking jealousy scenes on HER behalf.
as for the two of them together it felt SUPER insta lovey. i mean all the other previous guys GAVE so much yearning and longing and they were DESPERATE for their women bc their women had strong backbones. francesca folded SOOO fucking easily like huh? everything in their relationship was based on sex. they never evolved past that. it lacked so much plot.
not to mention the spelling mistakes were alarming. it was also like the book itself was confused. i mean one second she’s describe wearing a black dress and them the next he refers to it as red?? that took me out of the story a lot.
however, i’m foaming at the mouth for gíovanni and carmen. i cannot wait. tony and kim better also be getting a book.
and that second epilogue??? first of all, that ending???? WHAT JUST HAPPENED?? WHAT IS GOING ON?? HAS MARIA BEEN SPYING ON THEM THIS WHOLE TIME?? WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?? what does this mean for maria and zach?? and what about her and natalia? i don’t know. i feel blindsided, there’s so many plotholes.
2/5⭐️
i was SO excited for this. marriage of convenience, boy obsessed, reverse grumpy x sunshine. but then it fell flat. all the other books had romance but also plot. a hell of a lot of plot. this didn’t.
the beginning had so much potential but then they got married and i thought it would be like every other mafia romance where they don’t get along, they fight, a lot of possessive jealousy scenes, you know the basics. and it didn’t give that.
there was way too much misplaced smut. some scenes weren’t necessary in any way. their whole relationship was based on lust and infatuation. i genuinely felt no connection towards them as a couple.
francesca was supposed to stand her ground and be badass and she was over here calling this man ‘daddy’ in bed??? seriously?? a daddy kink?? why are we still doing this. that took me out. i HATE the whole ‘daddy’ thing. outside of the bedroom she was perfect but in it??? girl…
matteo had me so excited but he gave nothing but flirtatious remarks and that’s it. not to mention every time it was mentioned he was 6’5 i rolled my eyes cause in no world would a MEXICAN man be 6’5. 6’0 maybe and even that is pushing it. i don’t know, i just didn’t connect with the story and i was sort of expecting everything. for a marriage of convenience, it was seriously lacking jealousy scenes on HER behalf.
as for the two of them together it felt SUPER insta lovey. i mean all the other previous guys GAVE so much yearning and longing and they were DESPERATE for their women bc their women had strong backbones. francesca folded SOOO fucking easily like huh? everything in their relationship was based on sex. they never evolved past that. it lacked so much plot.
not to mention the spelling mistakes were alarming. it was also like the book itself was confused. i mean one second she’s describe wearing a black dress and them the next he refers to it as red?? that took me out of the story a lot.
however, i’m foaming at the mouth for gíovanni and carmen. i cannot wait. tony and kim better also be getting a book.
and that second epilogue??? first of all, that ending???? WHAT JUST HAPPENED?? WHAT IS GOING ON?? HAS MARIA BEEN SPYING ON THEM THIS WHOLE TIME?? WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?? what does this mean for maria and zach?? and what about her and natalia? i don’t know. i feel blindsided, there’s so many plotholes.
2/5⭐️
December 24, 2025
ARC REVIEW !
First I want to say, the story line has SO much potential and the tension between the FMC and the MMC was perfect!
It started off strong but then sort of started to fizzle out for me towards the end. I feel like the book was sort of dragged out and it could have ended a few chapters earlier. I kept getting taken out of the story because there were so many misspelling’s like stake instead of steak, raggaton instead of reggaeton etc . There were also a few typos.
I also think some of the descriptions didn’t make sense at all. It was almost as if she was stringing words together to make a description but it didn’t sound good. It was also very repetitive. She’d use the same words over and over to describe like “sinful, like it belonged there, infuriating”.
The spice scenes were …. Something. I mean whatever floats your boat you know? I have nothin against spice but her saying he “f*cked her so good” when they hadn’t even had sex yet is crazy 😅 (you’ll get it if you read it)
There were some GREAT moments in the book but it wasn’t enough for me to love the book. It was okay ! I rated it the 3 stars because with proper editing and a little polishing , she really could have a great story !
First I want to say, the story line has SO much potential and the tension between the FMC and the MMC was perfect!
It started off strong but then sort of started to fizzle out for me towards the end. I feel like the book was sort of dragged out and it could have ended a few chapters earlier. I kept getting taken out of the story because there were so many misspelling’s like stake instead of steak, raggaton instead of reggaeton etc . There were also a few typos.
I also think some of the descriptions didn’t make sense at all. It was almost as if she was stringing words together to make a description but it didn’t sound good. It was also very repetitive. She’d use the same words over and over to describe like “sinful, like it belonged there, infuriating”.
The spice scenes were …. Something. I mean whatever floats your boat you know? I have nothin against spice but her saying he “f*cked her so good” when they hadn’t even had sex yet is crazy 😅 (you’ll get it if you read it)
There were some GREAT moments in the book but it wasn’t enough for me to love the book. It was okay ! I rated it the 3 stars because with proper editing and a little polishing , she really could have a great story !
January 26, 2026
Um. excuse me. cliffhanger??? THAT CLIFFHANGER OF AN ENDING WITH NO 5TH BOOK OUT YET??? BRO????? WDYM!!!!!!!! holy crap guys.
ok first off, arranged marriage is my bread and butter i love this trope sm. the tension in this book was a slay HOWEVERRR why did the plot of like her joining all the coasts and becoming underboss just like not happen? im assuming cause there is a fifth book pero you dangled it in my face all book and francesca got a little TOO soft towards the end.
i really enjoyed this but that freaking ending has my head REEEELINGGG i need to know wtf happened like yesterday
ok first off, arranged marriage is my bread and butter i love this trope sm. the tension in this book was a slay HOWEVERRR why did the plot of like her joining all the coasts and becoming underboss just like not happen? im assuming cause there is a fifth book pero you dangled it in my face all book and francesca got a little TOO soft towards the end.
i really enjoyed this but that freaking ending has my head REEEELINGGG i need to know wtf happened like yesterday
January 20, 2026
The way that Cristina writes is *chefs kiss*!
The way this ended in a cliffhanger like that aaaaaaaaaaaaaa i cannot wait for the announcement of the new and final book in this series! I am legit obsessed with this series.
Here i thought Trevor was my favorite MMC but Matteo takes that crown. He is the definition of DADDYYYYYYYYYYYY🤤
The way this ended in a cliffhanger like that aaaaaaaaaaaaaa i cannot wait for the announcement of the new and final book in this series! I am legit obsessed with this series.
Here i thought Trevor was my favorite MMC but Matteo takes that crown. He is the definition of DADDYYYYYYYYYYYY🤤
January 3, 2026
they were fucking 80% of the book but hey i still love them.
January 13, 2026
3.80⭐️
January 28, 2026
LOVEEEEEEEEEEE THEM SO MUCH!!!! That cliffhanger omggggg
January 30, 2026
I swear these last two books weren't as great as the first two. 😣
He also forced her to tell him she loves him during s*x??? 🤢
He also forced her to tell him she loves him during s*x??? 🤢
December 28, 2025
Okay so good. Not the most plot but I loved their story. I read the first 80% in one sitting I was obsessed
December 27, 2025
I LOOOVED IT💕💕💕 and at the end, OMG, I was like WHAAAAAT???!!!!! Can't wait for the final book of the series.
January 24, 2026
Well, beaucoup de passages olé olé mais CHEF’S KISS! La FMC…she’s badass af LOVEEEE IT et le MMC…tall, dark and…gray so just how I like it.
January 14, 2026
The spice in this was INSANE 🥵 My only gripe is that, in terms of mafia, nothing really happened in this book; it was very spice-driven. Loved seeing all the previous book characters and the found family component. It was really sweet seeing how whipped Matteo was for our girl. Overall, I enjoyed this book; It didn’t feel like 400+ pages, which I think is always a good thing. The cliff hanger. I don’t even know what that could mean. Excited for the next book!!
January 27, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐ .5/5
I loved loved LOVED Sacred Deception. Like truly, hands down, my favorite Cristina Russo book so far. This one just hit all the right spots for me. It felt the most natural, the most easy, the most my style. The romance flowed so well and their love made sense from the jump.
This was the best arranged marriage storyline she’s done. I loved that Francesca didn’t fight her attraction or act like a stubborn little menace just for drama. She was like, “Okay… we’re married. We’re in this. Let’s be in this.” AND I ADORED THAT. No unnecessary resistance, no childish games, just vibes 😌💍.
And Matteo??? Oh he is a certified simp from the very beginning and we LOVE to see it. He speaks his mind, he handles his emotions, he doesn’t play dumb macho games. A man who can communicate, be emotionally available, and stand ten toes down for his woman?? Yeah, that’s my brand 😮💨🔥. He was soft, secure, and obsessed and honestly… no notes on him.
The relationship itself felt sweet, intentional, and genuinely affectionate. I ate it up. I smiled the whole time. It was beautiful and comforting and romantic in the best way 💖✨.
BUT (and this is very much a Cristina Russo classic move), the big conflict with Mateo and his brother was built up for basically the entire series basically… only for it to be solved in like the last 10% with one conversation. One. Single. Conversation. Francesca talks to Zach, Matteo walks in, and suddenly it’s all buddy-buddy after the quick convo like ??? Girl be serious 😭.
She made the issue feel so high stakes, so heavy, so loaded with past tension… just to minimize it completely at the end. It kind of cheapened the buildup and made the conflict feel pointless in hindsight. and Maria a rat ?? CMON.
That said… did I still love the book? Absolutely. Would I reread it? Yes. Did it make me feel all warm and gushy inside? 100%.
So yeah. 4.5 stars. A beautiful, emotionally satisfying romance with a top-tier MMC, slightly docked for the rushed, minimized conflict at the end. Still obsessed. Still my favorite so far 💕📖✨
I loved loved LOVED Sacred Deception. Like truly, hands down, my favorite Cristina Russo book so far. This one just hit all the right spots for me. It felt the most natural, the most easy, the most my style. The romance flowed so well and their love made sense from the jump.
This was the best arranged marriage storyline she’s done. I loved that Francesca didn’t fight her attraction or act like a stubborn little menace just for drama. She was like, “Okay… we’re married. We’re in this. Let’s be in this.” AND I ADORED THAT. No unnecessary resistance, no childish games, just vibes 😌💍.
And Matteo??? Oh he is a certified simp from the very beginning and we LOVE to see it. He speaks his mind, he handles his emotions, he doesn’t play dumb macho games. A man who can communicate, be emotionally available, and stand ten toes down for his woman?? Yeah, that’s my brand 😮💨🔥. He was soft, secure, and obsessed and honestly… no notes on him.
The relationship itself felt sweet, intentional, and genuinely affectionate. I ate it up. I smiled the whole time. It was beautiful and comforting and romantic in the best way 💖✨.
BUT (and this is very much a Cristina Russo classic move), the big conflict with Mateo and his brother was built up for basically the entire series basically… only for it to be solved in like the last 10% with one conversation. One. Single. Conversation. Francesca talks to Zach, Matteo walks in, and suddenly it’s all buddy-buddy after the quick convo like ??? Girl be serious 😭.
She made the issue feel so high stakes, so heavy, so loaded with past tension… just to minimize it completely at the end. It kind of cheapened the buildup and made the conflict feel pointless in hindsight. and Maria a rat ?? CMON.
That said… did I still love the book? Absolutely. Would I reread it? Yes. Did it make me feel all warm and gushy inside? 100%.
So yeah. 4.5 stars. A beautiful, emotionally satisfying romance with a top-tier MMC, slightly docked for the rushed, minimized conflict at the end. Still obsessed. Still my favorite so far 💕📖✨
December 23, 2025
𝔰𝔞𝔠𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔡𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔭𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫 ♡
happy release day to my bestie !! i love francesca and matteo so much and this book was perfection! i devoured it in less than 24 hours and i fear i’m obsessed
“𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔯𝔦𝔭 𝔪𝔶 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔪𝔶 𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔦'𝔡 𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔩𝔩 𝔞𝔡𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲."
francesca, i’m literally so in love with you it’s crazy 🙂↕️ she’s such a baddie, i can’t. i literally need her closet and stylist! she doesn’t take shit from anyone, especially not men (as she should) she could stab me with her heels and i’d still be head over heels for her
matteo, my mannn 🤭 ugh he’s fine I CANNOT. he’s protective of francesca but he knows she can defend herself and let’s her do her thing while watching with a proud smile! him speaking spanish took me out every time tbh, it hits so hard. this man has such a dirty mouth and i love it LOL like dayum, he just had me swooning the whole book
matteo and francesca matched each other’s freak to another level and honestly i’m so here for it!! they are such a cute couple and i love them so bad! the sunrises were so cute omfg 🥹
reading about my favourite friend group again made me so happy, i love their dynamics and seeing all the couples melted my heart all over again
THAT ENDING?! what the hell.
cristina, i adore your writing so much! i think about this series on the daily and i can’t wait for the fifth book 🥹
go read the godhood series on KU right now 🖤
"𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔪𝔞𝔨𝔢 𝔪𝔢 𝔣𝔢𝔢𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰 𝔦 𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔡𝔦𝔡𝔫'𝔱 𝔢𝔵𝔦𝔰𝔱. 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔡 𝔪𝔢 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔳𝔢𝔫 𝔦𝔰𝔫'𝔱 𝔞 𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢, 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝔞 𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔬𝔫."
happy release day to my bestie !! i love francesca and matteo so much and this book was perfection! i devoured it in less than 24 hours and i fear i’m obsessed
“𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔩𝔡 𝔯𝔦𝔭 𝔪𝔶 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱 𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔪𝔶 𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔦'𝔡 𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔩𝔩 𝔞𝔡𝔬𝔯𝔢 𝔶𝔬𝔲."
francesca, i’m literally so in love with you it’s crazy 🙂↕️ she’s such a baddie, i can’t. i literally need her closet and stylist! she doesn’t take shit from anyone, especially not men (as she should) she could stab me with her heels and i’d still be head over heels for her
matteo, my mannn 🤭 ugh he’s fine I CANNOT. he’s protective of francesca but he knows she can defend herself and let’s her do her thing while watching with a proud smile! him speaking spanish took me out every time tbh, it hits so hard. this man has such a dirty mouth and i love it LOL like dayum, he just had me swooning the whole book
matteo and francesca matched each other’s freak to another level and honestly i’m so here for it!! they are such a cute couple and i love them so bad! the sunrises were so cute omfg 🥹
reading about my favourite friend group again made me so happy, i love their dynamics and seeing all the couples melted my heart all over again
THAT ENDING?! what the hell.
cristina, i adore your writing so much! i think about this series on the daily and i can’t wait for the fifth book 🥹
go read the godhood series on KU right now 🖤
"𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔪𝔞𝔨𝔢 𝔪𝔢 𝔣𝔢𝔢𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰 𝔦 𝔱𝔥𝔬𝔲𝔤𝔥𝔱 𝔡𝔦𝔡𝔫'𝔱 𝔢𝔵𝔦𝔰𝔱. 𝔶𝔬𝔲 𝔰𝔥𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔡 𝔪𝔢 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔳𝔢𝔫 𝔦𝔰𝔫'𝔱 𝔞 𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢, 𝔦𝔱'𝔰 𝔞 𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔬𝔫."
January 4, 2026
5 STARS AMAZING BEAUTIFUL LIFE CHANGING EVERYTHING TO MEEEEE.
I received this as an arc and am so grateful! The tension the angst the connection just everything with these two had me on edge I could not put it down this book is everything to me. Mateo and Francesca are everything!!
Mateo the nicest sweetest man but would burn everything for her a mystery to everyone he steps into a room and all eyes are on him he is power! Francesca the fiercest no shit taking woman she owns every room she walks into and every man fears her they drop to their knees at the sight of her or the sound of her heels ughhh I love my women powerful
The Donna and her Capo ughhhhh I cannot pin point one part of this book that wasn’t anything more than perfection I was hooked from the first page till the last they are my fav they honestly have my whole heart. The writing was just amazing the characters were written beautifully and the pacing was just perfect AND THE MUSIC PLEASE I JUST HAVE TO MENTION THE PLAYLIST IS WOWWWW. I just love coming back to this world to these characters I’m always coming back for them and thinking about them. But Francesca and Mateo officially own my heart Ill probably be rr asap. Cannot wait for the next book but so sad to seee this series to end it’s my favourite and I just love them so dearly. This was amazing thank you so much Cristina 🤍
I received this as an arc and am so grateful! The tension the angst the connection just everything with these two had me on edge I could not put it down this book is everything to me. Mateo and Francesca are everything!!
Mateo the nicest sweetest man but would burn everything for her a mystery to everyone he steps into a room and all eyes are on him he is power! Francesca the fiercest no shit taking woman she owns every room she walks into and every man fears her they drop to their knees at the sight of her or the sound of her heels ughhh I love my women powerful
The Donna and her Capo ughhhhh I cannot pin point one part of this book that wasn’t anything more than perfection I was hooked from the first page till the last they are my fav they honestly have my whole heart. The writing was just amazing the characters were written beautifully and the pacing was just perfect AND THE MUSIC PLEASE I JUST HAVE TO MENTION THE PLAYLIST IS WOWWWW. I just love coming back to this world to these characters I’m always coming back for them and thinking about them. But Francesca and Mateo officially own my heart Ill probably be rr asap. Cannot wait for the next book but so sad to seee this series to end it’s my favourite and I just love them so dearly. This was amazing thank you so much Cristina 🤍
January 2, 2026
Deeply romantic and to the point
I just devoured this book between the holidays. I LOVED IT. Their story was on point how he, with 34 years already knew what he wanted. She, with her trust issues, falling little by little. Matteo is what every mature woman dreams, just so protective, letting you be, supportive, calm, reassured, just perfect. I would have loved to have more of the connecting drama in the saga, like the one behind all the attacks to the family. I HATED THE CLIFFHANGER of Maria, my lovely baby from the first book. Matteo never liked Maria, I hate that it matches with his sense of detecting rats and the cliffhanger… another thing is that I would have loved for more stories about Francesca and Matteo, two character with great experience in their profession like Zane and Maria. I would also loved a little bit more of Italian words here and there. The steam was 5/5 and I know Francesca must be pregnant by now. I’m curious why it wasn’t mentioned. There are some editors mistake but generally, I loved it. Matteo is my favorite MMC from the saga so far. It also caught my attention how Tony didn’t appear that much. I’m already dying to read Gio and Tony’s stories. Love to the author.
I just devoured this book between the holidays. I LOVED IT. Their story was on point how he, with 34 years already knew what he wanted. She, with her trust issues, falling little by little. Matteo is what every mature woman dreams, just so protective, letting you be, supportive, calm, reassured, just perfect. I would have loved to have more of the connecting drama in the saga, like the one behind all the attacks to the family. I HATED THE CLIFFHANGER of Maria, my lovely baby from the first book. Matteo never liked Maria, I hate that it matches with his sense of detecting rats and the cliffhanger… another thing is that I would have loved for more stories about Francesca and Matteo, two character with great experience in their profession like Zane and Maria. I would also loved a little bit more of Italian words here and there. The steam was 5/5 and I know Francesca must be pregnant by now. I’m curious why it wasn’t mentioned. There are some editors mistake but generally, I loved it. Matteo is my favorite MMC from the saga so far. It also caught my attention how Tony didn’t appear that much. I’m already dying to read Gio and Tony’s stories. Love to the author.
January 18, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The easiest five stars I’ve given in a long time.
I could not put this book down.
Book 4 The Godhood Series by Cristina Russo is one of those rare reads where everything just clicks, the pacing, the emotional depth, the stakes, the characters. From the very first chapter, I was completely pulled in, and the grip never loosened until the final page.
What makes this installment stand out is how confidently the story unfolds. The world feels fully alive, the tension is sharp, and the character development is deeply satisfying. You can feel how far the journey has come, and yet it still manages to surprise you. Every scene feels intentional, every emotion earned.
This book had me turning pages late into the night, telling myself “just one more chapter” and absolutely failing every time. It’s immersive, addictive, and emotionally engaging
, the kind of story that reminds you why you love reading.
If you’ve been following The Godhood Series, this book is an absolute must-read. And if you’re not? Honestly, this series deserves to be on your radar.
An effortless five stars ⭐️. Unforgettable, powerful, and impossible to put down.
The easiest five stars I’ve given in a long time.
I could not put this book down.
Book 4 The Godhood Series by Cristina Russo is one of those rare reads where everything just clicks, the pacing, the emotional depth, the stakes, the characters. From the very first chapter, I was completely pulled in, and the grip never loosened until the final page.
What makes this installment stand out is how confidently the story unfolds. The world feels fully alive, the tension is sharp, and the character development is deeply satisfying. You can feel how far the journey has come, and yet it still manages to surprise you. Every scene feels intentional, every emotion earned.
This book had me turning pages late into the night, telling myself “just one more chapter” and absolutely failing every time. It’s immersive, addictive, and emotionally engaging
, the kind of story that reminds you why you love reading.
If you’ve been following The Godhood Series, this book is an absolute must-read. And if you’re not? Honestly, this series deserves to be on your radar.
An effortless five stars ⭐️. Unforgettable, powerful, and impossible to put down.
January 11, 2026
3 ⭐️
This ended up being a mixed experience for me. While Francesca had the bones of a compelling mafia heroine - dangerous, intelligent, and unapologetically ambitious - her characterisation often leaned more on reputation than consistent on-page development which made it hard to fully connect with her choices. The romance had moments of intensity and obsession that worked well, but it also felt underdeveloped emotionally, with attraction jumping ahead of believable trust or depth. Plot-wise, the overarching mafia conflict was intriguing in concept, but the execution felt cluttered, with twists that relied more on shock than payoff and revelations that didn’t always feel earned. Pacing was my biggest issue: the story dragged in places where tension should have escalated, then rushed through moments that needed more breathing room, especially toward the climax. There were flashes of what this book could have been - strong atmosphere, dark vibes, and a powerful FMC - but uneven pacing and shallow emotional beats kept it from fully delivering for me.
This ended up being a mixed experience for me. While Francesca had the bones of a compelling mafia heroine - dangerous, intelligent, and unapologetically ambitious - her characterisation often leaned more on reputation than consistent on-page development which made it hard to fully connect with her choices. The romance had moments of intensity and obsession that worked well, but it also felt underdeveloped emotionally, with attraction jumping ahead of believable trust or depth. Plot-wise, the overarching mafia conflict was intriguing in concept, but the execution felt cluttered, with twists that relied more on shock than payoff and revelations that didn’t always feel earned. Pacing was my biggest issue: the story dragged in places where tension should have escalated, then rushed through moments that needed more breathing room, especially toward the climax. There were flashes of what this book could have been - strong atmosphere, dark vibes, and a powerful FMC - but uneven pacing and shallow emotional beats kept it from fully delivering for me.
January 22, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ wait…wait… why was this so addicting like it felt like I read this book so quick because of how good it was.
every book from this series I’ve read I’ve said zach is my fav man… matteo might have beat him because of this book alone.
Francesa is that GIRL. The energy she just holds, the power she has oooooo like 😛🙂↕️ I want her more than I want Matteo.
Matteo Tho!! Hold the fuck on he was so cutie in the first chapters wanting to get Francesas attention ☹️☹️ and his golden retriever but also dirty self oooo yes I like.
“You’re all I think about.”
“In case I haven’t been fucking clear, I am so madly in love, I cannot have a single occurring emotion or thought which does not revolve around you.”
“My sole being revolves around you.”
Idk if I’m being extra but i would do ANYTHING for a book about Francesca’s dad and mom… like her dad seems fine and her mom is tea is that just me?? Or am I weird asf.
THE CLIFFHANGER?? WHAT THE HELL?? I NEED THE NEXT BOOK..
every book from this series I’ve read I’ve said zach is my fav man… matteo might have beat him because of this book alone.
Francesa is that GIRL. The energy she just holds, the power she has oooooo like 😛🙂↕️ I want her more than I want Matteo.
Matteo Tho!! Hold the fuck on he was so cutie in the first chapters wanting to get Francesas attention ☹️☹️ and his golden retriever but also dirty self oooo yes I like.
“You’re all I think about.”
“In case I haven’t been fucking clear, I am so madly in love, I cannot have a single occurring emotion or thought which does not revolve around you.”
“My sole being revolves around you.”
Idk if I’m being extra but i would do ANYTHING for a book about Francesca’s dad and mom… like her dad seems fine and her mom is tea is that just me?? Or am I weird asf.
THE CLIFFHANGER?? WHAT THE HELL?? I NEED THE NEXT BOOK..
January 24, 2026
Wow, this book took me on a journey. I loved Matteo and Francesca’s relationship. This book, like the rest, had its own plot but also the main plot that has gone on through all the books.
I do love a marriage of convenience, and this book had it all. I loved the plot of this one a lot, and there were a lot more mafia elements in this one compared to the last couple of books.
Also, “the sheets”?!!!!! “The proof”?!!! My god!! “Thick as your wrist”!! This book sent me!
And that ending!! I need that next book now. How could you leave me like that? I’ve been waiting four books following the big plot throughout it all, and we finally got somewhere in this one. “You’ve not figured it out yet.” “One of you is a rat.” How dare you drop that name and then leave me hanging?
I can’t wait for the next book, and it being about all the couples we’ve read about in the past books has got me even more excited to read about them again.
Happy Reading🫶
I do love a marriage of convenience, and this book had it all. I loved the plot of this one a lot, and there were a lot more mafia elements in this one compared to the last couple of books.
Also, “the sheets”?!!!!! “The proof”?!!! My god!! “Thick as your wrist”!! This book sent me!
And that ending!! I need that next book now. How could you leave me like that? I’ve been waiting four books following the big plot throughout it all, and we finally got somewhere in this one. “You’ve not figured it out yet.” “One of you is a rat.” How dare you drop that name and then leave me hanging?
I can’t wait for the next book, and it being about all the couples we’ve read about in the past books has got me even more excited to read about them again.
Happy Reading🫶
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