Prosecco with My Professor

Aged Like Fine Wine #3

by Liz Alden

When my ex-husband shows up in Rome begging me to come back, my failed one-night-stand—and silver fox professor—sets out to prove that I can do better.

Things aren’t going so well in my MBA program—being in a foreign country is overwhelming, I don’t remember being this terrible of a student, and my ex has just “popped in” to ask me to rekindle our relationship.

Except the possibilities of that one night with Professor Santo were hotter than my entire twenty-year marriage.

And when he finds out my ex is sniffing around, he wants a do-over.

Even though I accidentally pepper-sprayed him...and despite the fact that sleeping with me could cost him his job.

Living next door to each other means it would be easy to sneak around for some one-time extra credit.

Because that's all it could ever be.

Genres: Romance, Forced Proximity, Slow Burn, Rom Com, Contemporary Romance

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2024

About the author

My Direct Store: https://lizalden.myshopify.com/

Winter Wanderlust Series
Nutcracker with Benefits: https://geni.us/nutcrackerwithbenefits
Frosty Proximity: https://geni.us/frostyproximity
Ghost of Ex-mas Past: https://geni.us/ghostofexmaspast
Run, Run, Roommates: https://geni.us/runrunroommates




FREE for Subscribers:


About Liz

I spent ten years traveling the world on a sailboat with my husband. He is not a secret rockstar, nor a grumpy farmer, nor a coworker I accidentally saw naked. I only see him naked intentionally.

Many of my books are based on my travels all over the world – from the Caribbean to Polynesia to Europe. I know exactly how big the world is—having sailed around it—and exactly how small it is, having bumped in to friends worldwide. I’ve been a dishwasher, an engineer, a CEO, and occasionally I get paid to write or sail.

Now I’m in my small town era, both in fiction and real life. I live in Western Massachusetts with a big backyard that would be perfect for a goat if only SOMEONE would let me have one. I like my men to be sweethearts, the bedroom door wide open (with a splash of something new!) and the women to be independent and mature.

You can read free short stories in all her series at https://www.lizalden.com/

Connect with Liz:
Facebook > https://facebook.com/lizaldenwriter
Twitter > https://twitter.com/lizaldenwriter
Instagram > https://instagram.com/lizaldenwriter
Pinterest > https://www.pinterest.com/lizaldenwri...

Reviews

[Kaila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would! I did not expect it to have so much spice!
The book begins with Emma and her three best friends, Jade, Sara, and Tessa, having a glass of wine at a bar in Rome. Emma is in Rome for an MBA program and her girls are in town visiting. At this bar, Emma meets a handsome silver fox and decides to do something spontaneous and go home with him. Unfortunately, the night does not end well for Emma. She gets in her head after Santo's sexual approach and rushes out of his apartment. It has been decades since someone has done sexual acts to Emma and she is self-conscious about it.
Her first day of class, Emma is shocked to find out this handsome silver fox from the bar is one of her professors. Emma and Santo both have desires for one another, however they're unsure how to go about it. What is they do decide to pursue eachother? Would this make things awkward?
I loved this book! I loved the idea of both characters being older (40+) and finding that spark again. And the spice was definitely top notch, in a very mature way! A great read, for both younger and older! 4.5 stars!

Thank you NetGalley and Liz Alden for this read!

[Tay_is_reading_again · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I really enjoyed this romance with mature main characters (40s/50s) which is set in Italy. The title sold me because I love anything to do with wine. I haven’t read the first three books in the series, but I didn’t feel like I missed any information. It was a well developed story especially considering it was under 250 pages. The main characters had some crazy chemistry and I appreciated some of the real life issues (body image, dealing with divorce, children, etc.) that were handled well.

I do wish the book was a bit longer and explained motivations behind certain side characters actions (I’m trying to be vague to avoid spoilers). I did read this in one sitting and it was the quickest I’ve read an ARC in a hot minute!! Overall, I really enjoyed it!

[Liz Alden]

Amazon | Apple | Kobo |  Google Play  | B&N | Other

My sexiest book yet! The Aged Like Fine Wine ladies return for more European shenanigans. There's pepper spray, a c0ck-blocking dog, an aloof black void cat, and a sweet, mature, and swoon-worthy romance between Emma and professor, Santo. Coming to your favorite retailer April 30th!

[BookSiren Baddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

•Italy
•New beginning in life
•Over forty
•Academia
•Plus-sized/tall FMC
•Recent divorcee
•One night stand
•Euro-fling
•Age-gap
•Handsome Professor/student affair
•Forbidden love
•Second chance
•Secret billionaire
•Pets
GOSH! Yes, all this and more. I loved it. The chemistry was off the hook. The story was good and a lil. spicy, and I loved the friendship dynamics coming from both parts. I highly recommend.

[Jorden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this arc in exchange for my review.

This was a super fun light hearted book featuring a forbidden romance, age gap and forced proximity.

I felt some of the plot was a bit rushed and could have been flushed out a bit more.

*spoilers*

I feel like the story fell flat, the plot was supposed to be the ex trying to get the FMC back but he tried once? And barely even at that. It could have been a bit flushed out.

I also feel the ending was very rushed for the “third break up act” and the person that betrayed Santo and the reason wasn’t really well explained.

I also feel like the LGBTQIA + was well represented in the friends and children but was slipped in for the FMC. I feel like this could have been built upon more. ADHD also felt added in just because and wasn’t mentioned until the very end.

[Mar books_baking_barks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was exactly what I needed - a low stress fun read that gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling. I really quickly got into it, possibly because I’m taking Italian lessons at my local library, but also I found the writing really easy to read and open in how the characters speak to each other and themselves. I don’t usually like age gap romances, but I liked that the FMC was an older divorced mom - it made the fact she was younger than the MMC way less icky because there were fully developed prefrontal cortexes and consent from all parties with minimal power imbalance.

We have some classic tropes: student/teacher, forced proximity, age gap, and he takes care of her when she’s sick. We also get some fun representation of nonbinary, bisexual, and lesbian characters as well as ADHD representation.

Now getting into *spoiler* territory. I was very happy to read a romance with older characters, as that’s not something I see in many books. I found the ending a bit rushed - we never confirm who reported Santo and Emma to the school, and I don’t know why Vincente had such an issue with it. Even if his own marriage was falling apart, what did Santo do to him to make it worth destroying their friendship? I thought Bruce may be the one to report them out of jealousy, but he doesn’t reappear after the holidays. Also, why didn’t Santo and Emma just report their relationship when he wasn’t her professor anymore, especially if there wasn’t a rule against it?

Overall, this was probably the fastest I’ve read an ARC in a while and I had a really good time in this universe. It made me interested in reading the first two books of the series, and sets up the fourth book nicely. Would recommend if you, like me, are on a wine romance book binge.

[Marina Torre · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book on my Kindle. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Prosecco with my Professor is book three in the Aged Like Fine Wine series by Liz Alden (releasing on April 30th, 2024) on Kindle, KU, and Amazon. Liz writes FMC Emma’s journey of self-discovery as she joins an international MBA program in Rome to begin building a new life for herself after her divorce. To kick off her time abroad, she has a one-night stand with none other than… you guessed it… her professor! Reeling from embarrassment, Emma and MMC Santo explore the dynamics of a professional student/teacher relationship without crossing any lines. Keeping their hands to themselves proves to be no easy task when they come face to face in class everyday. Santo brings new life into Emma’s world as he shows true passion and admiration for her as a woman, her body, and her capabilities, even when Emma is self-conscious.


This was an extremely entrancing read for me! I sped through the pages having read this in about 7 hours time, and felt transported to picturesque villas in Italy on the weekends overlooking the ocean. This felt like a rapid fire age gap romance and I am here for it 🌶️🌶️🌶️ I loved the dynamics and relationship exploration between Emma and Santo. It was so fun and hot.

I also loved the dynamics between Emma and her best friends as women over 40. Tessa, Jade, and Sara, were side-by-side in spirit with Emma every step of the way as she built a new life for herself. The way @lizaldenwriter celebrates women and their friendships is empowering 🩷

[Malu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first time reading the author and it won't be the last. I liked reading about mature characters, Emma is a 42-year-old woman, divorced, who goes to Italy to study her MBA and reinvent herself. Santo is in his mid 50s and is an undergraduate and postgraduate professor, after he was as CFO in startups and STEM companies. Very good development of the characters and how the story is told, I loved traveling to Italy through the pages of the book and I remembered my time in the MBA. I also highlight Emma's group of friends and how they support each other and stay together. And Santo's cat is great that it was part of the story. This reading has been a great success, especially because I was looking for stories with protagonists over 40s. Highly recommended.

[Em Reads Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! I was a little worried about a teacher x student relationship, but this was handled so well and maturely. I loved the two different POV’s and the FMC’s personality. My biggest issue was just that it felt a little underdeveloped and short. I think the author could have given the story more depth and expanded on their relationship more.

[Patty Baumeister · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Book Review
Prosecco With My Professor
A Novel Written By Liz Alden
Fiction - Romance
Published April 2024
259 Pages
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the author’s third book in her Aged Like Fine Wine Series. I love the name of the series and the cute titles of the first three books. This one is a sweet and spicy romantic comedy. The two main characters, Emma and Santo have a complicated situation.

This series is about four older woman who are best friends. Sara, Tessa, Emma, and Jade relocated to Europe in their forties to rediscover themselves. They have new beginnings and new chances at romance.

Emma Chance is in Rome, Italy starting an international MBA program. She is recently divorced with three grown children. She meets Santo Offredi in a bar. The two of them catch each other’s eyes. She later learns that Santo is a professor at the university she is attending and he is one of her professors.

Despite their attraction to each other, engaging in a relationship could cost Santo his job. It could also affect Emma’s standing at the university.

If you like older characters, this book/series is for you. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series.

“No one has ever seen so much potential in me like he has.”

[Kelley - rva_reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 3rd book in the Aged Like Fine Wine series and I really enjoyed it! This actually had two tropes that I dislike - age gap and power dynamics of professor/student but I thought the author did such a good job handling both scenarios! I usually steer clear of the age gap but I knew this author wouldn’t disappoint me and she didn’t!

This is the story of Emma, a 40-something divorcee who decides to switch things up and pursue her MBA in Italy after living in Texas her whole life. One of her first nights there, she has a one-night stand who turns out to be her professor!

I really enjoyed Emma’s journey and I loved how the protagonist is in her 40’s and trying to rebuild after kids and a divorce. I also really appreciated how sex positive this story was. This was very steamy at times but it fit the narrative well. It’s around 250 pages so a quick read and I recommend if you are looking for something sweet and spicy this summer! This could be read as a standalone but I recommend the entire series 🥂

Thank you to the author for an advanced copy.

[Sarah Hills · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've literally just finished reading this book and words and feelings are all jumbled up in my head. Ok, breathe.
So where to start? This is book number three in this series about four friends, and each one, although about a specific woman has her other friends popping in and out of her life. I would suggest that you do read the other books however this is not essential as each book can be read as a stand alone.
I love that these ladies are more mature, in their forties, and have all the doubts we have about life, our bodies, relationships like we all do as we age.
I think it's great that our female protagonist has decided to go back into education especially as it was in Europe rather than in her native USA.
I loved the professor of the title and his cat Zola.
You'll have to read the book to find out why Oliver, the dog next door is so funny.
All in all a great book about middle age romance with quite some spice in it. This may not be a book for those that are easily offended by sex, however I must just say that it is very well written and does not take over the storyline. It is quite graphic and tremendously steamy.
There are several themes running through this book which has left me with a lot to think about. I'm now looking forward to the next book as it will be about Jade, who I feel is quite a complex person.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would like to thank netgalley and the author for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Enjoyable.

[Veronica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Damn... It's been long since I read about mature characters and forgot how quickly they act and try to solve the problem they are facing. I loved the friendship dynamic that was in the book! I love supportive friendships so much and also informative (iykyk😝)! 😍
Santo is an absolute green flag. More like he is a walking forest!!!! The way he slowly treded towards Emma and made sure she was comfortable all the time even though he had his own issues to tackle.
The act of growing together and learning something new even if you are older is what I liked in this book.
Would definitely read the whole series!!!

Also, I would like to thank the author for giving me an opportunity to read this amazing book!

[Nicola Everett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cannot forgive the constant inclusion of the dog who barks everytime one of the MCs wanks.. I’m sorry I tried to forgive, but i simply cannot

[Charlotte Fawdington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher, for making a copy available to me in exchange for an honest review.

Prosecco with my professor was a fun, lighthearted romance featuring forbidden romance, forced proximity, and an age gap. When the main female character starts her masters in Rome, she doesn't expect her failed one night stand to end up being her neighbour or her professor. What ensues are several months of ignoring feelings, burning passion, and, finally, one night that turns into three, then four, then five, and so on. And then our main characters ex-husband comes around, and her relationship is forced into the open. No one knows what will happen next or why.

Ok, I read this very quickly on a train journey from Surrey to Yorkshire. In the beginning, I loved that we had a curvy FMC in her 40s and a silver fox MMC in his later fifties. I loved the elements of their relationships, especially at the beginning when they said they just wanted to be friends but couldn't stay away from each other. Santo, the MMC, worshipped the ground our FMC walked on, doing everything in his power to show her that she is smart, beautiful, and should be confident in the bedroom. His best friend was infuriating, but there is always one character we hate, and I believe the point was that we are meant to see him as envious of our main characters.

All in all, the story was good. In theory. However, the execution wasn't as good as I would have wanted it to be. For starters, one of the main selling points of the book was that the FMC's ex-husband comes around looking to get back with her, and Santo decides to show her how much better life can be. And there is an element of that. However, there wasn't enough of it to be as big a selling point in the marketing of the book. I think that the book itself needed far more angst for that specific element to work. The author included three or four LGBTQIA+ characters ranging from pansexual to non-binary. I loved this. I loved seeing sex confident people who go out and ask for what they want. I loved the open sex discussions and how elegantly the author slipped in the LGBTQIA+ characters. All this being said, I would have loved to see more from the sex scenes. When I read a romance, I want to read something that makes me put the book down, slap my hand over my mouth, giggle. I felt that the sex scenes were lacking an emotional element here and a depth I would have really loved our main characters to have explored.

And finally, representation. This is a difficult one because there were elements of representation in here that I loved and elements I really couldn't get behind. As mentioned above, I think that most of the LGBTQIA+ representation was done really well. However, our main character was pansexual(?) or Bi(?) and, as demonstarted by my confusion, this wasn't often talked about. It was kind of slipped in but not mentioned. I would have loved to see that be built on and see a woman who is now taking what she wants and owning who and what she likes sexually and romantically. Toward the end of the book, there was an ADHD diagnosis that I feel was slipped in for the sake of representation. There were so many opportunities to really build on the FMC and her ADHD. However, I don't think they were used properly, making the diagnosis look like a second thought.

All in all, this book was an 18+ romance perfect for people wanting to see more age gap romances where the characters are old enough that it is not a crime.

3 stars.

[Curvy Girl Book Nerd (Jen S) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prosecco With My Professor is Book 3 of the Aged Like Fine Wine series.

I am a huge fan of Liz Alden, and this book did not disappoint, but I needed some time to digest it.

Emma is a 42 year old divorcee who had been married for 23 years and has 3 older children. She is a beautiful, prematurely gray, tall, plus-size, curvy woman. She is in Italy and enrolled in an international program to get her MBA. She and her ex ran a business in Texas, and she was the brains behind the operation but had no degree. Her ex was surprised when she quit the company, thinking she had no work skills to support herself. She wants to remedy both issues and is also in a period of self-discovery and sexual awakening. This comes with its own challenges of self-deprecating thoughts on body positivity and sexual experience or lack thereof.

Santo is a hunky, 57 year old, silver-fox professor. He has been married twice, has an ex stepdaughter he is still close with, and a black cat named Zola, who is a trip. He has a heart of gold.

Santo and Emma meet at a wine bar when she is out with her 3 besties for a girls' weekend. She and Santo are eyeing each other and end up going to his place for some steamy fun, only for Emma to get in her head and run.

Through a series of events, she learns Santo is one of her professors and also a new neighbor. They develop a friendship and still have their mutual attraction but are concerned now about their student and professor dynamic.

The romance is a bit of a slow burn, but their chemistry is hot 🔥 hot 🔥 hot 🔥. I love that Santo just wants to show Emma pleasure and make her see she is worth so much more than her ex, who has shown up to try and rekindle their relationship. He feels she is so beautiful and wants her to see that, too. The anticipation of these too getting together added so much to the actual event. Add in a co#k-blocking dog, a sassy black cat, and 3 besties who've got your back, and you have quite the story.

I don't want to give away spoilers, but I don't like how things went down at the end, I think I would have liked a bit more of a developed storyline there. Vincente is a jerk, BTW. I do love that our couple finally got their HEA after an emotional roller-coaster but would have liked a bit more romance :).

Overall, I really loved this book. I am a fan of midlife romances with curvy girls, and seeing Santo helping to boost Emma's confidence was amazing.

As with all Liz Alden books, expect lots of laughs, realistic characters, and spicy romance. I loved it!!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fruzsina Bagin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz Alden's book "Prosecco with My Professor" was a special experience for me, as it presents a unique and interesting version of a teacher-student relationship. The story focuses on Emma, a 42 year old divorcee who moves to Italy to get her MBA and find herself again. The story's other main character, Santo, is a university professor in his fifties who has previously worked as a CFO in start-ups and STEM companies.

Emma and Santo's characters bring a refreshingly mature perspective to romance literature. Emma's personal journey and Santo's role as a professor explore issues that two divorced middle-aged adults might face. It was interesting to see how they deal with these challenges and how deep emotions and experiences shape their decisions and their relationship.

At the beginning of the story, Emma is drinking wine in a bar in Rome with her three best friends, Jade, Sara and Tessa. She is in Rome for her MBA and her friends are visiting her. Encouraged by her girlfriends, Emma goes home with a handsome man, but nothing more than a few passionate kisses happen. Emma hasn't been with anyone sexually for years and isn't confident enough about her body. But on her first day at school, she is shocked to find that the handsome man she met in the bar, Santo, is one of her professors.

I particularly enjoyed the portrayal of the four women's friendship. Although they live miles apart, they are close-knit and can always rely on each other when needed. This friendship gives the story a strong emotional backdrop and creates the feeling that support and love transcend physical distances.

The relationship between Santo and his ex-stepdaughter Abelie, whom he calls Bell, was also a prominent element in the book. Bouncing between a parent-child bond and friendship, their relationship is close and supportive, showing that sometimes we find the most valuable relationships in the most unexpected places.

Liz Alden's writing perfectly captures the Italian life feeling. I could almost taste the delicate wine on my tongue as I read, and the portrayal of Italian landscapes and culture painted a truly vivid picture of Rome and its atmosphere.

"Prosecco with My Professor" is the third book in the "Aged Like Fine Wine" series, but it can be read as a standalone. For me, this was my first novel in the series, but I enjoyed it so much that I would definitely like to read the other books in the series that have been published so far. Liz Alden's work is a refreshing and inspiring read that adds deep emotional layers and mature characters to romance literature.

I received a free ARC copy of "Prosecco with My Professor" by Liz Alden via Booksprout.

[Raelene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lines like “she’s absolutely one hundred percent off limits” will forever have me cackling. I just know that I will thoroughly enjoy him being wrong & seeing those limits be tested.

I’m obsessed with this friend group. I don’t think a person ~needs~ to read them all to understand them, but I still think a person ~should~ read them all. I’m especially excited for Jade’s story next, I love how good of a friend she is in general but that really showed with Emma in this story. I’m not going to include the whole line to avoid spoilers, but at one point Emma is really stressed and Jade says “you are allowed to be mad” and I think people need their friends to say things like that to them. People can blame themselves for situations they end up in, but I think Emma needed to hear that kinda thing.

I feel like in general there were some really great messages in this book. You can go to school later in life. You can explore your sexuality and what you like even if it’s different than what you're used to. It’s okay to be ‘selfish’ sometimes when it comes to your pleasure, it doesn’t matter less than your partners. On top of that, I always appreciate the representation in Liz Alden books. I loved that the characters are older than what’s often shown in contemporary romance, there’s a non-binary side character, a lesbian side character, and I liked that Emma’s sexuality is talked about but not specifically defined because it doesn’t need to be.

Santo and Emma were a great pairing. They were on the same page with a lot of things, but even with their difference, they just seemed to fit. The physical aspect was hot, but it was also shown how much they really cared about each other and I think, for me, that really showed how things could turn into more between them and it wasn’t just based on hot sexual experiences.

Where I’m a bit torn currently (I’m writing this right after finishing the book) is Vincente. I felt very hot and cold with him, and I think I personally wanted one more conversation between him and Santos, but I do understand why there wasn’t. I think I may be in my ‘not into third act complication’ era currently, because I feel like I’m loving romance as much this year because of it. It was still resolved nicely, and I very much enjoyed reading this book & wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

Thank you to Liz Alden & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've enjoyed all of the books in this series about 4 women, all in their 40's, who decide to temporarily uproot themselves by moving to Europe for a year, but this one has been my favorite so far. It follows the adventures of Emma, a divorced mom with three college age kids, who is finally pursuing her own career goals by enrolling in an international MBA program in Rome. Although Emma is excited to move on professionally, in her personal life she's in a bit of rut, lacking the self-confidence to put herself out there. In a rut, that is, until she meets Santo, an attractive silver fox while spending a girls weekend in Rome with her friends just before her school starts. However, imagine her surprise when she discovers that the silver fox is one of the primary professors in her MBA program and he's her neighbor!

While I enjoyed the previous two FMCs falling for sexy younger men, give me a silver fox anytime, especially one as sweet and caring as Santo. At 57, he's reached the pinnacle of the business world, but he's pretty much all alone, with not much family and two failed marriages. However, he does have an imperious devil's spawn black cat named Zola, and a lovely ex-stepdaughter whom he is still very close to. When he meets Emma, he's immediately drawn to and enchanted by her, even though she keeps running out on him, but he knows it would be wrong to pursue a relationship given their school connection. Still, they are both having a hard time thinking of anything but each other.

This series has so much going for it. In addition to the fun romances, hot guys (both younger and older) and wish-fulfillment European locations, I absolutely love the strong and realistic friendship bond between the 4 women. They all gain so much strength from leaning on each other and I'd be thrilled to be a part of their group. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

To be honest, I had not read the other books in this series. That being said, this book worked well as a standalone and would only be enhanced by reading the previous books in the series, although I did not feel like anything was lost by not doing so.

This book felt like empowerment. Emma, a woman in her 40's, is learning to move on post-divorce. She moves to Italy to study for an MBA program where she meets a man for a one night stand, who she later discovers will actually be in close contact with her throughout the book. Emma struggles with issues like accepting her age, loving her body, and navigating life in a foreign country, which I can relate to. Santo, the male main character, was such a sweetheart. He was patient, kind, charming, and really a sweet-talker. It was so fun to read about him flirting and engaging romantically with Emma. He read her cues and helped her navigate sexuality after a long term relationship with a dead bedroom.

I was kept intrigued by this book throughout. I especially enjoyed the age gap and professor x student aspects, which you would normally find in a book about younger adults versus ones in their 40's and 50's. There is also care taking and he falls first. And he sometimes speaks in Italian, which is delightful.

The friendships in this book were also very strong and lent to engaging world building. It was fun to compare the Emma of her MBA program, friend group, and with Santo, as they were all very different Emmas. Each of the relationships she built throughout the book with her fellow students, professors, family, and friends provided more information and background about her, which was really interesting.

This book was a quick, fun read, but it was spicy! There were several intimate scenes which may make some readers uncomfortable. I enjoyed this book ad the variety it provided to my TBR pile.

[Dino Queen · Rating 4 out of 5]

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: yes
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: several open-door spicy scenes
TWs: abuse allegations, body image issues, cheating, death of a parent (recounted), divorce
Kinky Content: biting, grinding, masturbation, mutual masturbation, oral, prostate play, sex toys
standalone: book 3 of Aged Like a Fine Wine series
final thoughts: I love Liz Alden’s writing style. It’s so easy, the stories are fast-paced, and the characters are interesting.
This series follows a group of later-in-life women who fall in love while in Europe. The friend group is amazing, supportive, funny, close, and full of so much love. They all make appearances in each other’s books and I’m excited for the series to continue!
The animals in this book added some comedic elements as well as match-making services and I loved it.
I love that Santo, the MMC, showed Emma, the FMC, how to love her body as is and helped her on her journey of self-discovery without relying on a partner. Her was supportive, kind, and sexy without being overbearing and he was exactly what she needed.
PS. Vincente deserves more story time because I want to see him suffer- what a horrible friend. I hope we hear more about him in the next book and how this plays out.

read this book if you love
🔢 age gap (42/57)
😬 angst
🏫 college setting
💬 epistolary
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
🤫 hidden secrets
🩹 hurt/comfort
💘 instalust
😏 kinky
🌈 LGBT+ representation
💞 mutual pining
💞 neighbors-to-lovers
🛏️ one night stand
🤐 secret relationship
👩‍👦 single parent
💓 slowburn
🧑‍🏫 student/teacher
🌍 world building
💼 workplace romance

[Beyond_thebindings · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zola the cat and Oliver the dog stole the show !!!

This was a super quick, fun read. Thank you to the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What I liked:

- I really enjoyed how mature of a book this was. The characters had realistic physical and emotional flaws, and we get to see a little bit of the inner workings through this journey. I really enjoyed the wide range of body types the author included. The novel was also LGBTQ+ friendly.

- The professor x student trope was actually not creepy, not grooming, and just felt like it was done really well.

- I was actually laughing out loud with the scene with Oliver - this was hysterical.

- The pacing was great, I finished this in just a few hours and I was hooked, the characters were all great and added to the story.


What I didn't like as much:

- Ahhh, I will say, the story just felt like it was under-developed. I wanted so much more emotional depth, and more tension from the characters.
When they finally got together, I wasn't like "YES FINALLY," - I was looking for more of a forbidden love interest, slow burn, high tension feeling.

- The spicy scenes were tasteful and mature - but I wish there was more! I thought there was going to be more based off the description.

- The ending was very rushed, I was hoping for a couple more chapters. The epilogue felt like we jumped big time, but major plot points could have been included to wrap it up better.



I also did not realize this was a part of a series, but I didn't need to read the others to know what was going on and I really love when that happens!!

[Helen Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review - Prosecco with my Professor by Liz Alden

This book centres on Emma and Santo, a mature student and her professor. Emma (42) is navigating life as a relatively recently divorced woman, with three older kids, and now studying abroad. Santo (56/7) is her sexy professor, trying to balance his attraction to Emma with his desire to keep his job and keep everything above board.

Things are a bit more difficult when they discover they will be living almost next door.

This is a funny, sexy, well written book. Santo may be an italian stallion, but he's also intelligent and caring as well as sexy and (semi-secretly) rich. He's dealing with football/soccer injuries because he isn't as young as he was, while getting guidance and advice from his former step-daughter. His friend, on the other hand, is a d*ck.

Emma is discovering the delights life can bring while also dealing with a lack of confidence and inexperience from her lackluster marriage and then divorce. Luckily, she has several good friends on hand to offer advice and pdfs of instructions!

I love that Santo has absolutely no hangups and can see the beauty in Emma's curves.

I'm considering reading it again some time. The intimate scenes are handled beautifully, showing sensuality rather than raunchiness. The characters feel real; they need to eat and use the bathroom, they wear ordinary clothes as well as sexy tailored numbers, they get ill as well as drinking prosecco in glorious surroundings.

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It gets 4.5 stars from me.

I got my copy free and voluntarily through Netgalley, and this review is entirely my own thoughts on the book

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Prosecco with My Professor by Liz Alden

Aged Like Fine Wine Series Book 3

Emma finds herself in a challenging situation when her ex-husband unexpectedly reappears in Rome, where she is studying for her MBA. Feeling overwhelmed and under pressure, she turns to her silver fox professor, Santo, with whom she had a failed one-night stand. Despite the risks involved, Santo is determined to prove to her that she deserves better than her ex. As they navigate their attraction to each other and the potential consequences of their actions, they must decide whether to pursue a relationship that could jeopardize Santo's job and their reputations.

This story offers a mature and captivating portrayal of a student-professor romance. I was impressed by how the power dynamics were handled delicately, allowing the characters to navigate their feelings authentically. Santo and Emma's journey was both engaging and believable, with their chemistry sizzling off the pages. Despite some areas feeling underdeveloped and the story being short (in my opinion), the overall story was a delightful read, leaving me eager for more.

Tropes:

Student-Professor
Age Gap
Forbidden Love
Opposites Attract
Secret Relationship
Mature Characters
Forced Proximity


I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for a compelling romance with depth and authenticity.


Thank you to The Publisher ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op , The Author Liz Alden & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Santo is multiple times divorced and doesn’t have any interest in getting married again. He enjoys his career as a professor. His life is quiet, and he likes it that way. Emma is excited to start graduate classes. Now that her divorce is finalized, she is pursuing her desire to complete her graduate degree. She certainly didn’t expect to move to Italy and find love! The two of them shouldn’t be together but they can’t stop their attraction. Will they find love or will their attraction derail their futures?
I like how the author created two characters that have plenty of life experience that all seemed very real. Santo has made a series of life choices that have led him to being a professor. He really enjoys most of what the job entails. I thought his cat was a fun addition to the story. Emma seems like a real middle-aged woman. She struggles in school with feeling old but also wants to prove that she can do the work. There is a great little moment where Emma has to deal with how much she struggles to keep up with the fast pace and the workflow. I thought that was a really nice addition. There are a couple of people in this story that I ended up hating. I so wanted the author to give them their comeuppance. But I’m a little bloodthirsty.
This story has a lot of emotion in it. This is the story of two adults given a chance at an unlikely love. The story takes place in Italy. I will read more from this author in the future.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Santo & Emma ❤️

🇮🇹Emma’s recently moved to Rome to tackle an MBA. Divorced, a mom to three college aged children, she quit working for her ex and moved to Europe at the same time as her three best friends.

🚕With her friends by her side, she is tempted into going home with an attractive older Italian man one evening. Except soon after things heat up, Emma becomes self conscious and high tails it back to her hotel room and her friends.

🐈Except when she moves into the apartment she has rented, she discovers that Sandro lives next door, and then that he is one of her professors.

📚This latest series from Liz Alden tackles the experiences of four forty something friends having their adventures in Europe. They have thoughts about their no-longer young bodies, their confidence could be better and in Emma’s case, despite being married for two decades, things have not been great in the bedroom. Despite the situation, the steam starts to absolutely sizzle between the couple, with a particularly intense scene. I adored how taken Santo is with Emma despite her insecurities, and how open and honest he is about his attraction. The pace is fast, and although the ending felt slightly rushed, I really enjoyed the story ❤️

Read an eARC copy courtesy of the author
My rating 4/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Pub date 30 April 2024

[KohoutReadsRomance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A romance in Rome? Sign me up! Emma is a 42-year-old divorcee with 3 kids and a boring ex. She and her three friends moved to different cities in Europe for different reasons. Emma is there to earn her MBA after running her ex-husband's business for years. Before her program gets started, she meets a silver fox named Santo at a bar and reluctantly goes home with him. It's been a long time for her and just as things are heating up, she panics and leaves.

When she starts her MBA, she's shocked to see Santo is one of her professors as well as her new neighbor, only two doors down. These two are both professionals and they do a really good job of avoiding a repeat for a long time, but the forced proximity in their building leads them to lots of close calls. Santo doesn't want to risk his job, and he really doesn't want to be like his father who had a child with his mistress. Things are complicated, but when in Rome!

🔥: Emma is self-conscious about her curvy body, and Santo makes her forget all about her insecurities, which just adds to the spice level. Scenes are medium paced and steamy.
😆: Cute laughs along the way, especially thanks to awkward moments. Who knew a neighbor's dog could be such a cockblock?
😭: No tears here!

So cute! But now I want to go to Italy! This series is so refreshing and inspiring. I love watching the characters grow!

[Kay - kayreads_romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op and Liz Alden for the A R C

All thoughts are my own!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

Tropes:
* Spicy romcom
* One night stand second chance
* Professor x MBA student
* Neighbors to lovers
* Queer FMC
* Italian silver fox MMC


Spicy chapters:
2
4
5
24
31
34
36



My thoughts while reading:
🚨ALERT SPOILERS AHEAD🚨

His impending move?? Hmmm

Yess a man that loves her curvy boddddy
I know the bar is in the ground but when a love interest loves the main characters body for what it is and isn’t like omg you’re not big you’re not curvy like no curvy is beautiful!!!!

Oh shit she’s just leaving???

Oh and she’s moving toooo omg I wonder if they’re going to be neighbors 👀

Oh my god she fucking pepper sprayed him oh nooooo

Screaming Emma is sick and they took her temp. It’s 39 degrees and I was like H U H but then realized it’s in Celsius bc duh

God I’m so serious the “MC takes care of the other MC when they’re sick” is my favorite trope of all timeeeee

I’ve been devouringgggg this book today I cannot put it down!!

Vincente can fucking kick rocks!!!!

I’m loving Shonda so much and her telling Emma that maybe possibly she has ADHD

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received and ARC through NetGalley, and this is my willing and honest review.

This book has the cutest cat ever, with some very realistic cat shenanigans.

It is also an interesting twist on student/teacher romances. Namely, the student is in her 40s, divorced, with three kids who are old enough to be university students themselves. Emma is also attracted to women, although this only gets a few mentions, and her youngest child is nonbinary.

I liked reading a romance about two "older" protagonists (compared to what is common in romance novels, anyway), and it was pretty sex-positive. Emma is worried that she might not be as attractive after three children, but Santo doesn't agree, and they have some creative scenes in the bedroom which I appreciated.

My only negative remark is that the drama in the last third felt a bit forced... even though it was kind of obvious that it would come, and yet. Like, I get that he's her professor, but also she's an adult, it is emphasized that their university doesn't even HAVE a rule against them dating, and they are reported by Santo's friend, who if he was actually a good friend would know Santo's personality and whether he's taking advantage or not. Thankfully, it wasn't really dragged out into something huge.