A review by tartheelatales
Sinners Consumed by Somme Sketcher

medium-paced

4.5

Ahh what can I even say about Rafael Visconti? This man has my whole heart! And Penelope? She was everything! I absolutely loved how strong and sassy she was. There’s just something about an FMC with a bold personality that makes me root for her even more, and Penny was no exception. Her character was so well-written, she wasn’t lacking in any way.

Rafe’s obsession with Penny was one of my favorite parts of this book. Their dynamic worked sooo well together, and honestly, I couldn’t imagine a more perfect match for either of them. As Rafe put it:
“Even though she’s brought me to my knees and set my world on fire around me, I’m not letting her go anywhere.”
And later:

“To me, you’re the unluckiest girl in the world. But you’re also the prettiest. The funniest. The fucking rudest. You’ve ruined my life but I’m not strong enough to stop you.”

Chapter 13 absolutely broke my heart for them. But I loved that Penny stood on business and made Rafe work for it. Do I think he could’ve groveled a bit more? One hundred percent. But if I’m being honest, I know I would’ve forgiven Rafe immediately. I laughed so hard when he told Angelo:
“I’m off. Got shit to do.”
“Like what?”
“Like Googling what the fuck groveling means.”

Another highlight for me was Rafe’s relationship with Rory and Angelo. Their banter gave me life and added so much warmth to the story. The sibling dynamic really gave off youngest-child energy in the best way. I died at this part:
“Just give him a few more days, baby,” Rory pipes up, flashing her husband her sweetest smile. “He’s moping.”
“Rafe doesn’t mope,” Angelo grunts.
“He does now that he’s a heartbroken little fool.”
And when Angelo throws in his sarcasm:
“I’ll be sure to bring back a box of tampons and some ice cream.”
“Make it chocolate chip,” Rory calls after him.
“Nah, vanilla,” I mutter, popping a Jolly Rancher into my mouth.

Overall, I loved this book, and honestly, the entire duology was just perfect! We got to watch their relationship build from the ground up, and it played out exactly the way I hoped it would.

I also really appreciated that they didn’t end with a rushed marriage or engagement.

Instead, Rafe respected Penny’s journey:

“She spent so long trying to figure out what she wants in life; now she’s found it, she wants to enjoy it as Penny Price for a while. And that’s okay. I like her being Penny Price too.”

And that’s what makes Rafe such a great MMC. He lets Penny be herself and that, to me, is love.