I love a 'yes, chef' moment, and I am completely unashamed. I will never feel bad for having the hots for a man who can cook! ANYWAY, I enjoyed this so much! It was very sweet (the Mother's Day performance scene got me good) and also VERY spicy (...I couldn't pick just one scene), but it never leaned too far in one direction. While I spent a good bit of the book wondering why it felt like I was plopped down in the middle of a universe (I didn't realize it was book 4 in a series of interconnected standaones, lol), I thoroughly enjoyed the other characters and I will totally go back and read the other books at some point.
I feel like the trigger warnings are definitely necessary and honestly, a lot of the characters would have done well with a lot of therapy. I did like the twist, but the conflict fell a little flat for me. Despite this, I still enjoyed the story overall!
Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op & NetGalley for the eARC!

With a Cherry on Top (Love & Other Recipes)
book #4

Thank you to Letizia Lorini and publishing for allowing me to read this ARC.

3.75-4⭐

Tropes:

- male POV only
- single dad
- forbidden romance
- age-gap
- forced proximity
- found family

This was a fun book to read. I LOVE the characters. They each had their own stories and I love that they all had their own character development throughout the book. They all had their obstacles to get through which was heartwarming at the end.
It wasn't hard to get hooked to the book, but I am used to dual pov's. So that was new and something I did have to get used to.
I did notice there are other character that I did not know. Since this is the first book I'm reading from the series, I would say it most definitely can be read as a standalone. Though personally, I will go back to read the first three. I love knowing the other characters/couples' back stories.

The single dad trope is very fun to read. I have always quite enjoyed reading the trope. The spice was great too.

🌶️
I'm the type of girl to love me some spice. It wasn't awkward at all (sometimes it feels awkward reading spice when it isn't written so well).
Though I enjoyed the amount of spice, I do wish it was more detailed. And by that I mean, some scenes felt rushed or abruptly cut. There was one spicy scene in the beginning where It felt like it wasn't finished and skipped. Kind of like playing a movie scene and it blacks out, then immediately skipping to a different part of the movie. (if that makes any sense). Not to say I didn't enjoy the spice whatsoever.

Definitely adding Aaron to my list of book boyfriends. Something about an MMC that knows what he wants really does it for me. And mix that with forced proximity. UGHHHH CHEF'S KISS 💋 (hehe pun intended).

side note: I enjoyed Kyle. very funny. Added that little je ne sais quoi.

Overall, loved this book. Excited for more to come!!!

I love a book when she’s forbidden, everything he shouldn’t want but they make it work. I love their relationship, it was intense, but great to read. Definitely would recommend!

This one was not for me.
I saw the triggers and thought I could handle it, but I was not able to get through it.

This is a fun forbidden age-gap romance that had a lot of very deep moments.

The disordered eating content in this book is intense and may be triggering for some readers. While there is a general warning included, it doesn't come close to covering how extreme and upsetting those scenes are. I was really personally disturbed by it and nearly stopped reading multiple times.

I was expecting something lighter and more fun. The first half was kind of a mess. It was chaotic, uncomfortable, and full of moments that made me question if I even wanted to keep going.

But I'm glad I stuck with it! Around the halfway point, it really started to turn around. The plot picked up, the vibe got more playful and ridiculous in a fun way, and I actually started enjoying the dynamic between the characters. It ended up being a pretty cute and entertaining story in the end!

🍒✨ Book Review: With a Cherry on Top by Letizia Lorini ✨🍒

Sweet, sassy, and utterly charming, With a Cherry on Top is the perfect romantic comedy to satisfy your craving for laughter, love, and a little bit of spice! Letizia Lorini serves up a deliciously fun story with plenty of heart and humor.

What it’s about:
When quirky baker Lily teams up with brooding chef Max to save their struggling bakery, sparks fly—both in the kitchen and out. With witty banter, irresistible chemistry, and plenty of sugary sweetness, this romance is a treat you won’t want to miss.

Tropes You’ll Love:
🍰 Opposites attract
🔥 Slow burn romance
👩‍🍳 Workplace romance
😄 Fun banter & charming characters
💞 Sweet & spicy mix

If you’re craving a feel-good, laugh-out-loud rom-com with a cherry on top, this one’s your perfect slice of happiness.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#WithACherryOnTop #LetiziaLorini #RomanticComedy #SlowBurnRomance #WorkplaceRomance #Bookstagram #FeelGoodReads #BookReview

💻🍒 With a Cherry On Top by Letizia Lorini 🍒💻
3.75 stars • Love & Other Recipes #4

Huge thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op & NetGalley for the eARC!! 💌

This book felt like sneaking dessert before dinner — forbidden, indulgent, and soooo worth it.
It’s a whirlwind of late-night temptation, family chaos, and camgirl secrets wrapped in the warm arms of a single dad trying to fix his mess of a life.

🍒 FORBIDDEN + AGE GAP + SINGLE DAD?? YEAH, I’M EATING THIS UP.
The moment I saw that Aaron was her mom’s personal chef, I knew things were about to get messy. Then you throw in the fact that he’s secretly been watching Charlotte online? Yeah. Stakes = sky high. And yet, somehow, Letizia makes it all feel raw, real, and surprisingly tender.

Aaron is a disaster in recovery mode — working through guilt, a broken marriage, and trying to be a good dad. He’s not perfect, but god, he tries. And the male-only POV??? A bold move, but it worked. Being inside his head gave the story that edge of vulnerability and restraint that made their chemistry hit extra hard.

Charlotte is fire. She’s sharp, fierce, a little chaotic — and yet there’s so much pain tucked under that confidence. I loved how her story pushed back against judgment. Her relationship with her mom?? A whole other battlefield. But she still stands tall. She still chooses herself. And that? That’s power.

🌶️ The spice? Real. The angst? Delicious. The found family vibes?? My heart.
There’s a rhythm to the chaos that somehow just works. From late-night longing to real-life complications, this book doesn’t pretend the path is clean. It’s messy. Human. Sometimes infuriating. But never boring.

Special shoutout to Sadie — the literal ray of sunshine. And the way Charlotte connected with her?? Don’t talk to me I’m crying.

Read if you love:
🍒 forbidden romances with teeth
👨‍🍳 chefs who are more cinnamon roll than sin
🍒 women owning their sexuality unapologetically
👨‍🍳 messy but deeply human characters

this was the first book i've read by letizia and i'm immediately mad at myself for not discovering hear earlier i'll be honest 😩

i read this all in pretty much one sitting because i just could not put it down, it was such an easy read for me!!

the pov being only from our mmc (aaron) did throw me a little bit to begin with, but i really enjoyed it and thought it genuinely added so much to the story—being able to get inside aaron's mind and gradually learn about charlotte and her heartbreakingly awful life and relationship with beatrice really was such a clever way of writing! ✨

the personal growth between not just aaron and charlotte but all of their friends and family too was so heartwarming, and i loved seeing them both learn to be more forgiving of themselves and love themselves once again 🫶🏼

i'll absolutely be moving on to letizia's backlist now because this was *chefs kiss* the whole way through!!

Aaron Coleman is a single father, having gone through a messy divorce. The last thing he needs is a distraction when he needs to rebuild his reputation. So when he meets Charlotte, who is fourteen years younger, he knows he is in trouble, especially when he works for her mother. Charlotte has a difficult relationship with her mother, and her relationship with Aaron is tenuous. Yet their attraction is hard to deny.
Two troubled individuals and their baggage make for an entertaining read. Charlotte struggles with her demanding mother, who is constantly trying to belittle her. Her relationship with Aaron gives her the courage and strength to overcome her past hurts. Likewise, Aaron has struggled with his past, but with Charlotte, he appears to find some resolution.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the only book of this series that I’ve read. I enjoyed this book a lot. I loved the characters in this and the plot was really good. The couple was good and I enjoyed the banter. I do enjoy age gap romances This was a fun and heartwarming story.

This was a good story! I enjoyed the plot, found the characters lovable and interesting, and I would definitely recommend this to others!

This was a very steamy book!! 🔥
I really liked these two characters! They're so good together!
With a Cherry on Top is about Aaron and Charlotte, Aaron is a chef who has made a few mistakes in his past that he can't escape from! His relationship has ended and his brother isn't speaking to him and he's also a single dad! In comes Charlotte a model who is also a cam-girl aka the perfect distraction! Except she's also his clients daughter! She is strictly off limits but can he keep his eyes off her? 🤔
We have age-gap, forbidden romance, single dad, found family, male-only pov 🔥
Omg their communication was divine!! I hate miscommunication in books unless it's done right but in this, the communicaiton was chef's kiss 😘😉
Aaron was a non-innocent but innocent MMC 😂 He was so shy around Charlotte it was adorable!! He is a character who has been throught a lot and made mistakes but wants to make them right, I loved the development of his relationship with Logan! He had a lot to deal with being a single-dad and making sure Sadie felt all the love as her mum was absent for a while, but he was amazing!! Yh he messed up badly but he is really a good guy! He deserved the best and Charlotte was really a good partner for him! 🥰
Charlotte is such a badass!! She is so confident in herself and who she is but I felt so bad for her! Beatrice was not a motherly figure to her at all and really ruined her, I'm so happy Aaron was there and could help her with what she needed! Her relationship with Sadie was so cute to see!
I will say Amelie kinda annoyed me in this book because of the unwilling to listen to what Aaron was trying to say, the secret keeping between them was frustrating and kinda unnecessary and it was all because of something Beatrice said, who can't be trusted anyway!! 😪
This book had me feeling all the feelings! So much happened in this book but it still flowed and I never felt bored! Although the epilogue had me crying like a baby, it was so happy but so sad at the same time!!! 😭💕
I haven't read the other books but I definitely want to because this was amazing!!
Thank you to Letizia Lorini & Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the arc! 💗

Thank you to Netgalley and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book and read it in one day. I did think it had more spice than I like, but even with tha I still enjoyed the book. I loved the storyline and the characters in this book. I would still recommend this book.

This was such a swoon-worthy, messy, and deeply emotional read! Letizia nailed the male POV in a way that felt raw and sincere—Aaron’s redemption arc, balancing guilt, grief, and hope, was incredibly compelling. The chemistry between him and Charlotte is electric, yet layered: forbidden, tender, and undeniably powerful.

This book had everything I look for in a romance: charming characters, crackling chemistry, and so much emotional payoff. But what made it extra special was how it brought everything full circle—I loved seeing familiar faces from previous books and watching how all the stories intertwine. It felt like catching up with old friends, and it made the entire world she’s built feel even more vibrant and alive. 🥰

Letizia packs so much heart, spice, and humor into this book but if you’ve read books 1–3, you’ll feel every moment so much deeper. It’s redemption, domestic chaos and emotional fireworks all rolled into one cherry‑topped dessert of a romance.

This was a very interesting end to the others in the series. This book was told from the POV of just Aaron and it made it very interesting. I did not know what to think about only POV from the male, but it actually worked really well.

With a Cherry on Top is written in Aaron's point of view. I am not used to reading from a male protagonists POV and it was unexpected at first. I had to take a minute and process who was telling the story. It starts by talking about his job, and then gets very spicy very quickly. But the spicy parts are when the protagonist is using a website (not my preference) and he seems to be interested in someone much younger (also not my favorite).
For me this book has too many pieces that didn't hold my interest and I DNF. I wanted to keep reading but between the online interactions, the mention of disordered eating and what seems like an abusive or uninterested mother figure. I didn't feel happy while reading. I choose not to finish the book.
Even though this book wasn't what I wanted to read, I am appreciative to the publisher and ARC team for allowing me to read and review this story.

Quick Summary: An age gap soap opera romance

My Review: With a Cherry on Top by Letizia Lorini is book #4 in the Love & Other Recipes series. It was released on 6/13/25.

About the Book: "Aaron Coleman is guilty of a betrayal he can’t take back. Now on a redemption path, he's navigating a messy divorce, single fatherhood, and a bruised reputation. The last thing he needs is a distraction; especially not one like Charlotte..."

In My Own Words: A chef falls in lust then love with a client's daughter. The daughter is a model with a tragic backstory and a penchant for naughty and nice things.

My Final Say: This was a very challenging read. There were so many variables to consider, many of which could be triggering to readers. This "romance" dealt with lies and secrets, mental and emotional abuse, cheating, parental abandonment, and the list goes on and on. It was heavy. In addition to being heavy, it was also extremely scalding, in terms of spice.

The forbidden, age gap angle was up and down. Although the male lead was older, the way he spoke, as well as some of his actions seemed immature. Likewise, the female lead came across as immature, as well. At the same time, she was sweet and caring with the lead's daughter.

The other characters played into the story in notable ways. The parental cohort stood out the most, in my opinion. They were both similar and different. It was interesting seeing how they chose to deal with their children.

There was an aspect of the relationship between the leads that made me think that there was a whole daddy issues theme at play. Healthy or unhealthy - I don't know. Also, there was a dom-sub play angle that was unsaid but evident in the language expressed by the characters.

In the end, I will say that this book was more of a gen-fic read with an embedded romance arc.

Other: Readers who like age gap romances, close proximity situationships/relationships, and stories with dysfunctional family interactions, as well as with found family dynamics may like this novel.

Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes +/-
Audience: A
Status/Level: ⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️
Series: Yes
Triggers: Yes

Thank you to the author, to the publisher (Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op), and to NetGalley for providing access to a digital ARC of this title in exchange for an honest critique. I appreciate the opportunity.

With a Cherry on Top is the perfect ending to Letizia Lorini's Love and Other Recipes series. Each book can be read as a stand-alone but there are connected characters. Aaron and Charlotte's story is so cute, you won't want to put this book down once you start reading. Aaron is a single dad and the scenes with his daughter and Charlotte are just adorable.

4 stars ⭐️ Absolutely loved!! It was messy, spicy and everything I look for in a weekend romance read!

What to expect:
✨age gap
✨single dad
✨MMC POV
✨forbidden romance

Thank you to NetGalley and Letizia Lorini for the ARC. All opinions are my own 🫶🏼

🍒𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐙𝐈𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐈 - 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐏 🍒

🎉𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐄𝐖

I was hesitant to pick up the ARC due to the trigger warnings, so please check them before reading!

Letizia has this particular knack to catch me off guard and take a good look at my preconceived notions. I’ve had similar feelings while reading The Wedding Menu, but the triumph of actually loving the book was there in both cases.
There were some -for me- uncomfortable reading moments early on, but as soon as I found and saw the reason for some happenings I was on board with the story.
Aaron's life was in shambles with a divorce pending, solo-parenting his daughter and a new career path. He's been spiraling. Add the years’ worth of guilt to his tally and he's ready to blow.

Charlotte's life is planned to the T regarding how she should talk, walk and be. Finding something she can control is the saving grace - as a model she must display her body, but the autonomy over it only appears to be in her hands on a subscription site.

Two broken souls and a chance encounter on a platform where feelings aren't welcomed changed everything.

Both of the main characters were not my usual cup of tea. Aaron was a side character I didn't understand in RTSH but came to accept his flaws and thinking. Charlotte was bold, suggestive and sexual on levels I wasn't expecting and flustered Aaron to no end.
But, Aaron cared, listened and tried to bend to make everyone happy. Charlotte saw through bullshit, sought approval and did brazen things just to seek attention and love. She was wholly independent but caged in a way most people would not survive mentally or physically.

They both needed someone to trust and accept their whole selves, and even if the circumstances were rather uncommon the attraction was quick and the feelings came regardless of status, age or in relation to what's normal and what society expects.
I loved the tender moments Aaron taught Cherry, how she acted around Sadie, the unapologetic way they chose one other even in light of adverse reactions. The innuendo and banter was witty and fun.

This was a journey I'm glad I took and I can't wait for whatever the author cooks up next!