4.25⭐️

With a Cherry on Top is an age-gap, single dad, black cat FMC, forbidden romance with a twist—he’s a chef working for her mom, and she’s forbidden fruit 🍒 (pun intended). Told entirely from the male POV, as opposed to the classic dual or FMC only POV, this narrative choice works surprisingly well and adds a unique perspective that doesn’t detract from the story at all.

This book explores self-worth, personal growth, learning to own your mistakes and standing up for what you deserve, and the people who see your value even when you don’t. While the story remains funny, flirty and cozy, it also explores deeper themes, including family estrangement, emotional abuse, parental neglect and mental health issues, with care and nuance.

The characters are messy (affectionately), imperfect and realistic, and their growth felt authentic and earned. The MMC’s story—juggling single fatherhood, rebuilding a broken relationship with his brother, and a high-pressure new job—all while catching major feelings for someone very off-limits, was handled with heart and authenticity. The emotional journey hit hard in the best way, and the flirty banter and tension balanced it out perfectly.

I also loved seeing familiar faces from the previous books in the Love & Other Recipes series. While this one can be read as a standalone, knowing the backstories definitely adds context to some of the characters’ reactions—plus, the earlier books are fantastic and absolutely worth reading!

The first two books in the series were major standouts for me, and while this wasn’t my personal favorite of the series, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and will continue to read anything Letizia Lorini writes! Her blend of emotional stories with signature rom-com charm continues to impress!

Thank you to Letizia Lorini, Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

5 ⭐️
Tropes: age gap, forbidden romance, single dad, male only POV, no third act breakup, found family, secret identity

With a Cherry On top is the fourth book in the Love & Other Recipes series and I continue to be absolutely obsessed with not only the characters, the story but also Letizia Lorini’s writing - it’s seriously addictive! Little side note this was my first male only POV and I absolutely loved it 😍

Aaron is a single dad trying his best to raise his daughter and restart with an entirely new career as a chef. Amile and Ian (from the Wedding Menu) helped Aaron hone in on his true passion which is cooking. They also gave him a family and supported him to get through some very hard things. With all the changes and his responsibilities Aaron basically put himself and love on the back burner and the last thing he needed was a gorgeous and feisty redheaded distraction like Charlotte.

Aaron and Charlotte met in a very unconventional way but they both represented exactly what the other was needing: freedom and excitement. Charlotte is a young model / cam girl and the daughter of Aaron’s first private chef client…so now sprinkle in some forbidden love in there and it was a recipe for disaster.

Charlotte had three rule: no kissing, no s€x, and no relationships. Aaron gave Charlotte everything that she was missing and chipped away at her three rules by showing up and simply being there, something that she was not used to. Yes their love was messy and complicated but it was also safety, support and understanding - and I absolutely loved them together. Letizia gave me yet another fictional man to obsess over and I loved every minute of it! Aaron and Charlotte have my heart!

I cannot recommend this book, this series AND this author enough! Yes these books can be read as standalones BUT you’d be doing yourself a disservice. Do yourself a favor and read every single book in order, you won’t regret it 🩵

Thank you to NetGalley, Victory Editing NetGalley co-op and Letizia Lorini for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have not read a male POV romance in SUCH a long time but honestly I loved this book so much
If you’re looking for an age gap spicey romance this is the book for you.
I really loved the way these characters first met and how their relationship developed through so many touching issues.
I hate Beatrice like capital H
The pet names in this book were * chefs kiss* 🤣
Charlotte is such a boss female main character and I loved her and I loved how she handled everything that was thrown at her, at times you can definitely tell that there is an age gab between these two. This truly shows if it is the right person you can make it work if you really put the effort despite being scared!!

I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did, but it completely pulled me in. I especially enjoyed that the whole thing was told from Aaron POV, it gave the story a more personal and honest tone, and it worked really well here. Aaron and Charlotte have a connection that’s intense but also layered. He’s going through a lot, and his side of things really hit me. Charlotte, on the other hand, is strong and confident but clearly carrying her own weight too. Their relationship felt like more than just attraction, it had a lot of tension, care, and growth. The drama, the emotions, the chemistry, it all just worked. This was my first book by this author, but I’m definitely going to check out more. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

This book.... WHEW!

I experienced all the emotions while reading this one. We get the story for the MMC's POV, which was a refreshing take. At first I was worried, but the author does a really good job. Plus, there are a lot of details in the MMC's head that we wouldn't get if the POV was split IMO.

The single dad aspect was heartbreaking and delicious all at once. Heartbreaking because the reason he was in the role gutted me a bit. Delicious because #Daddy.

I love age gap books (I blame it on my love of older men), and this one gives us this in excess. Not in a creepy way. More like I need him BIBLICALLY please and thanks.

Anyway, this review is getting a bit unhinged. Read the dang book. It's a good time.

Thank you to the publisher, Letizia Lorini, and NetGalley for the early copy.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and the author for the eARC.

I was super intrigued by this book because it’s told entirely in the main male characters point of view which I don’t think I’ve ever read. This was a super refreshing take on a forbidden age gap romance. I really felt for both characters as they both had a lot of baggage to deal with. There’s a lot of sensitive topics in this book that are handled really well.

Overall, I really enjoyed the unique perspective with the male point of view but I felt the book went on a bit too long. I did find out that this is the fourth book in a series and I do plan on reading the others!

The story perfectly captured their forbidden yet magnetic connection. She’s forbidden fruit—he’s willing to risk it all for just one taste. Aaron Coleman is a man burdened by guilt and caught in a storm of betrayal he can’t undo. Redemption isn’t easy, especially when he knows Charlotte is everything he shouldn’t want. She’s fourteen years younger, his boss’s daughter, and a walking temptation who lives her life freely—selling pleasure online, turning fantasies into reality with nothing but confidence and fire. He knows better than to watch her the way he does, especially during her late-night streams, but Charlotte is more than just desire—she represents everything he’s been starving for but too scared to touch.

Charlotte. She’s been through so much, yet her strength never wavered. I truly admire her resilience. Despite living under the control of a mother who constantly belittled her and treated her like she wasn’t her own daughter, Charlotte still found the strength to stand up for herself. She just needs more support—because carrying that kind of emotional weight alone isn’t easy. And let’s be real—I adore that she’s into older men, just like me. She’s strong, bold, and unapologetically herself, and I loved watching her fight for her own freedom.

Aaron. The amount of restraint this man showed? Absolutely wild. He’s constantly painted as the villain, but all he ever really wanted was to do right by those he loved. It honestly made me mad how people around him kept jumping to conclusions without hearing his side. Still, he stayed composed—even while dealing with a messy divorce, single fatherhood, and a reputation that’s taken hit after hit.

Their relationship was intense in all the right ways. I loved Aaron and Charlotte’s dynamic as a couple—it felt raw, passionate, and emotionally charged. The story had me switching between smiling like a fool and feeling genuinely frustrated because of how many things kept happening all at once, the emotional whiplash was real. I also didn’t realize this was part of a series, so finding out that other characters had their own stories was such a pleasant surprise.

I would totally recommend this book if you enjoy forbidden romance and age gap! I didn't think that I'd enjoy this but I absolutely did and other people should get to read this book as well!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Victory Editing, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

Aaron is a chef, raising a daughter as a single Dad, totally lacking any movement in the relationship department. He’s given a gift card to a website that has live cam and photos, and stumbles on a profile for hot but very young Cherry. When he goes to a new employer’s home as their hired chef, he’s shocked that Cherry is actually Charlotte, a 23 year old model still living with her controlling mother. Will Aaron be able to keep his attraction under wraps?

***Completely MMC POV
***Age gap (37/23)
***Single Dad
***Steammmmmm

So I loved that this was written totally from Aaron, the male lead’s POV. Definitely a first time for me. This did have some heavier topics than I was surprised to see represented. All and all, I enjoyed this one, and will continue to read novels by the author.

Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

With a Cherry on Top had me hooked from the very first page. Sweet, sexy, and utterly captivating, this story was an absolute treat. I gave it four stars for its unique perspective told from the MMC’s point of view and the delicious age gap dynamic. The black cat female lead added a compelling layer of mystery and intensity, making this a page turner that I couldn’t put down. Leticia Lorini’s writing sparkles with wit , making every chapter feel like a secret you can’t wait to uncover. A thoroughly enjoyable read that left me wanting more. Highly recommended

*arc review*

Love love love! Ive never actually read anything from this author until this book but now I need to read them. I really enjoyed Charlotte and loved the healthy mature relationship she had with not only Aaron but also herself. For being only 23 I really enjoyed the way she handled things and she wasn’t immature even with the huge gap and different stages of life. Thanks for the fun read!

So honestly I’d give this 4 or maybe even 4.5 stars. It was really good. I am always here for an age gap/forbidden romance and this one was good. My only concern was maybe it was a bit too long. A lot of “we shouldn’t be doing this” and “I’m to blame for everyone’s issues” and “we need to let go of the past”. Sometimes those ideas are good, covered and then you can move on - not keep bringing them up for over 450 pages.

I loved Aaron and Charlotte together. The age gap was perfect and I adored his care and concern for her, as well as the way he loved her. Charlotte was adorable with his six year old daughter and together the three of them were just perfect.

Overall I really liked it I’d definitely read more in this series.

4.25 for Aaron and Charlotte!

Holy. Heck.

When I saw that this entire book was going to be from a male POV, I knew I had to read it. There’s nothing I love more than a man who’s absolutely losing his mind, and that is EXACTLY what happens here, from start to finish.

This one tugged at all the right heart strings - everyone knows that I’m a sucker for people learning that they deserve to be loved 🩷

I sadly didn't love this.

I don't want to rant on every little thing that I didn't love, because I do think this book will find its audience.. so here are a few of my biggest issues:

1- Aaron was much too immature for a 37 year old man.. like, yikes! No better way to put it. I was so frustrated by him. Charlotte being immature made sense, she's 23.. but I just couldn't get behind Aaron's decision making skills or lack thereof.
2- This book tackled some heavy topics, and though I don't have any personal experience with most of them, I felt that they weren't exactly handled well or with the care I'd expect. (trigger warnings for eating disorders and parental abuse)
3- The romance wasn't believable for me personally. It was insta-lust, that somehow jumped into love so quickly. The chemistry was good in the spicy scenes, but it didn't quite hook me in the rest of the story. It felt like their relationship was in large part built on wanting to fuck. I need a bit more emotion and genuine interaction to get invested.

Ok...
I did like Sadie, she was a really cute kid. I loved getting so much Amelie and Ian (my babies!!)

This book is served steamy. It is absolutely everything you want from a romance. The concept might be harder for everyone to love as it does involve a sex worker, but I personally ate up every single bite. It handled some serious topics very gracefully. I found the lines funny. The pages flipped by and hours turned into seconds. This book is hot. This book is captivating. It is a must read.

My review could be summarised in: Aaron 🥰🥰🥰🥰

But if it needs more words, I will say it was as incredible as I expected it to be, having loved each of the previous books. Aaron and Charlotte are both messy, complex, imperfect characters, with a drama-fuelled situation that is just a bomb waiting to explode (and it did, with quite a plot twist!), but their relationship is so good. Helping each other to stand up for themselves and finally let themselves do what makes them happy. Fighting for each other when no one else does.

It was also really interesting to be reading from Aaron’s POV. It was a totally unexpected perspective, but it worked so well.

I have to admit this is the only book I’ve ever read that’s completely from the MMC pov and I’m for it!
With A cherry on top is an age gap romance Arron works for Charlotte’s mother.
Arron has gone through a divorce and is wading his way through the emotions of his situation and starts to confide in a cam girl cherry.
Once he starts working for his horrible new boss he meets her daughter only to discover her daughter Charlotte is Cherry.
Charlotte becomes everything Arron wants.
Charlotte is the cam girl. Arron is a Watcher.
It doesn’t take long before they’re crossing lines.
This book was honestly so fun and easy to read . A couple of spicy scenes are sprinkled in. I adore both the characters so much and I would highly recommend giving this book a read!

tropes:
Black Cat FMC
Forbidden Romance
Single Dad
Age gap

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this ARC!

What a wonderfully amazing, unique and funny, awesome book! I don't think I have ever read a romance book solely from the MMC's POV, and it was amazing.

Aaron Coleman, single dad, has been honing his culinary skills under the watchful eye of his mentor-turned-best-friend, Amelie Montgomery. When she is given an amazing opportunity, her husband (also a chef) hires Aaron at his company as a private chef for Beatrice, who turns out to be quite the client.
Ian gifts Aaron with a giftcard to a ~spicy~ subscription service, where he meets the gorgeous "Cherry".
At Aaron's first day of work, he meets Beatrice's daughter Charlotte...who is also Cherry.

As with any good romance - this story has trials and tribulations that have you rooting for the couple as well as free, heartfelt therapy throughout.

Such a great read!!

(I also have seen that this is the last book in a series - I haven't read the other books yet, and I think the story completely stands up on its own without knowing any of the other characters - but now I have three more books to add to my TBR!)

4.5 ⭐️
Thank you so much for letting me read this as an arc. Honestly i'm so grateful.

I am SO obsessed with this book. Everything about it was just so so good. I loved the story, the characters, the banter, everything! The story was in just his POV and i didn't know if i would enjoy it but honestly i really did. The book was full of banter, it made me laugh out loud on sooo many times.

I loved the FMC in this - her character development was really lovely to read. Pealing back her layers and diving into what type of person she is really made the book.

Overall 4.5 stars and i would recommend this a million tines over. Such a feel good read - obsessed!!

With A Cherry On Top is such a good read. I have not read all the books in this series, but instantly fell for Charlotte and Aaron. They were real, flawed people. I really enjoyed the fact that it was only from the MMC point of view which I was not expecting to like. There’s a few twists and turns that I was not anticipating which is so rare and it always makes me go “okay just one more chapter”.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This is my second book by Letizia Lorini and she did not disappoint. The tropes were not my usual go-to but I trusted the author to not spoil my like for Wedding Menu.

What the author got absolutely right in this one are the character arcs. There is progress with Charlotte and Aaron's characters as well as Logan and Amelie's too. The later both being characters from other books in the series, I did not feel like I meeting them for the first time.

Told from male POV completely was another first for me. I found the first 2-3 chapters cringey but once I stuck with it, it is pretty evident that a woman wrote this one.

This is highly recommended for those following this series.