What do you think?
Rate this book
The Wrong Vintage: A Marriage of Convenience Romance
Marrying her was a business deal. Until he fell in love…
Alessia Alighieri has always belonged to the vines.
Devoted to The House of Alighieri—her family’s centuries-old winemaking dynasty—she lives for the vineyards.
When her father insists she marry Nico Alarico to unite two powerful wine families and secure her place as a winemaker on the family estate, her world begins to unravel.
For Nico, marriage is nothing more than a strategy. To claim the CEO seat he’s coveted, he must wed the Alighieri heiress. Accustomed to glittering, sophisticated women, he writes off his new bride as dull, rustic, and not his type.
Alessia endures and slowly (very slowly), Nico sees his wife for who she truly is, a resilient, passionate, and quietly extraordinary woman.
But when Nico doesn’t stand by her when she needs him most, Alessia decides she wants her freedom…and Nico realizes that he wants his wife.
Set against the lush wine estates of Tuscany, The Wrong Vintage is a sweeping love story, featuring your favorite
Marriage of Convenience
Marriage in Crisis Other Woman Drama Betrayal & Grovel No Cheating Complete Standalone
Alessia Alighieri has always belonged to the vines.
Devoted to The House of Alighieri—her family’s centuries-old winemaking dynasty—she lives for the vineyards.
When her father insists she marry Nico Alarico to unite two powerful wine families and secure her place as a winemaker on the family estate, her world begins to unravel.
For Nico, marriage is nothing more than a strategy. To claim the CEO seat he’s coveted, he must wed the Alighieri heiress. Accustomed to glittering, sophisticated women, he writes off his new bride as dull, rustic, and not his type.
Alessia endures and slowly (very slowly), Nico sees his wife for who she truly is, a resilient, passionate, and quietly extraordinary woman.
But when Nico doesn’t stand by her when she needs him most, Alessia decides she wants her freedom…and Nico realizes that he wants his wife.
Set against the lush wine estates of Tuscany, The Wrong Vintage is a sweeping love story, featuring your favorite
Marriage of Convenience
Marriage in Crisis Other Woman Drama Betrayal & Grovel No Cheating Complete Standalone
408 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 23, 2026
About the author
Maya Alden
62 books1,356 followersA top 20 Amazon Bestselling Author, Maya Alden pens angsty contemporary romances.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews
June 27, 2026
1 All the courage of plain toast, with tasting notes ⭐️
Every sentence is explained twice and risks absolutely nothing.
I didn’t mind the wine talk, but I did mind the absolute train wreck of the writing.
Should read it? I would rather watch men eat. (That’s a no)
Chance of divorce? Can cardboard cuts out even get married?
Every sentence is explained twice and risks absolutely nothing.
I didn’t mind the wine talk, but I did mind the absolute train wreck of the writing.
Should read it? I would rather watch men eat. (That’s a no)
Chance of divorce? Can cardboard cuts out even get married?
June 24, 2026
Started off strong but there were unfortunately things that bothered me.
1. He never had to grovel for the way he used his EX to make it look like he had a mistress. For THREE MONTHS. Gross. When he tried to apologize she barely even let him and said it was in the past. Rude.
2. There wasn’t much grovel for the “big betrayal”—-which is even debatable bc I think what he did in the beginning of the book was worse!
3. Jesus Christ there was SO much wine talk. I skimmed PAGES because I felt like I was taking a class on wine making. I don’t want to learn about wine. I want to drink wine and read a good grovel—-sadly, I got neither😒
4. I get it. He’s hot. She’s plain. He was a playboy. Everyone wants him. No one wants her bc she has rough man hands from working outside. Are we done?
No cheating. It’s perceived but he never does anything. Might not be considered safe to some people bc he works closely with his ex and rubs it in her face for the first 3 months of their marriage.
He starts off as a spoiled superficial jackass in the beginning. He does show a lot of character growth but meh. I was over it by then.
I love Maya but this was NOT it.
1. He never had to grovel for the way he used his EX to make it look like he had a mistress. For THREE MONTHS. Gross. When he tried to apologize she barely even let him and said it was in the past. Rude.
2. There wasn’t much grovel for the “big betrayal”—-which is even debatable bc I think what he did in the beginning of the book was worse!
3. Jesus Christ there was SO much wine talk. I skimmed PAGES because I felt like I was taking a class on wine making. I don’t want to learn about wine. I want to drink wine and read a good grovel—-sadly, I got neither😒
4. I get it. He’s hot. She’s plain. He was a playboy. Everyone wants him. No one wants her bc she has rough man hands from working outside. Are we done?
No cheating. It’s perceived but he never does anything. Might not be considered safe to some people bc he works closely with his ex and rubs it in her face for the first 3 months of their marriage.
He starts off as a spoiled superficial jackass in the beginning. He does show a lot of character growth but meh. I was over it by then.
I love Maya but this was NOT it.
June 23, 2026
it was so… SO long.
the actual story between them could be 100 pages max. the rest is all technical stuff amount winemaking. if you’re really REALLY into that, you’ll enjoy it. i didn’t think the book would be so centered around it. it felt like a book about wine with romance in the background. it gave me a headache even though i swiped through those chapters, it was just way too much. there was barely any angst either, especially for this author. and zero grovel from the mmc. he basically just moped.
epic fail.
idk if this is the kind of author that heavily insinuates that ARC readers should only give 4/5 stars or if they’re all really that delusional, but absolutely nothing about the book lived up to the claims in the reviews.
the actual story between them could be 100 pages max. the rest is all technical stuff amount winemaking. if you’re really REALLY into that, you’ll enjoy it. i didn’t think the book would be so centered around it. it felt like a book about wine with romance in the background. it gave me a headache even though i swiped through those chapters, it was just way too much. there was barely any angst either, especially for this author. and zero grovel from the mmc. he basically just moped.
epic fail.
idk if this is the kind of author that heavily insinuates that ARC readers should only give 4/5 stars or if they’re all really that delusional, but absolutely nothing about the book lived up to the claims in the reviews.
June 25, 2026
A Vineyard Full of Wine, Zero Grovel, and a Hero Made of Wet Cardboard
First, let me give credit where credit is due: the writing is genuinely beautiful.
The descriptions of the vineyard, the landscape, and the winemaking process are incredibly well done. Having lived in wine country and being familiar with the process myself, I could tell the author really did her research. Those sections felt authentic, immersive, and lovingly crafted.
The problem?
I think the book became far more interested in wine than in the romance.
At some point I stopped reading a marriage-in-crisis romance and started reading Winemaking 101: The Extended Director’s Cut. If you’re passionate about vineyards, fermentation, grape cultivation, harvest cycles, and every tiny technical detail imaginable, you’ll probably love it. If you’re here for the relationship? Well… good luck.
Now let’s talk about Nico.
Because apparently this book wants me to believe that physical cheating is the only form of betrayal that matters.
No.
You can absolutely destroy a marriage without sleeping with someone else. And I don’t care if it’s an arrange marriage they still make vows.
Constantly humiliating your wife in public? Betrayal.
Allowing people to think another woman is your mistress? Betrayal.
Keeping said woman working in the company after all the damage she’s caused? Betrayal.
And before anyone tells me she was too valuable to fire: give me a break. This is the same woman who happily let the public believe she was involved with a married man and then went out of her way to undermine Alessia in interviews instead of presenting her positively. She was petty, inappropriate, and had already made sexual advances toward Nico. At that point, “valuable employee” stops being a convincing argument.
Then Nico publicly dismisses Alessia in front of her father while supposedly trying to work on their marriage.
Then he starts looking for someone else for the position Alessia dreams of having.
Then he keeps secrets.
Then he lies.
The Matteo situation drove me insane. Even if it technically wasn’t Nico’s information to share, marriage is built on trust. At minimum I would’ve expected him to pressure Matteo to tell her immediately instead of happily participating in the secrecy club. And then the sister gets involved too.
Everybody was keeping secrets.
Everybody was making decisions for Alessia.
Everybody was “protecting” Alessia.
Nobody was actually respecting Alessia.
And through all of this, where was the grovel?
Nowhere. Absolutely nowhere.
Nico feels bad. Nico regrets things. Nico sacrifices his position at the end.
And while that was certainly something, I spent the entire book waiting for the earth-shattering grovel that would justify all the damage he caused. Instead, I got a man sadly staring into the distance like a Victorian widow.
As for Alessia… sweetheart, I was begging you to develop a backbone. This woman forgives everyone.
The husband who lies.
The people who keep secrets.
The people who humiliate her.
The people who make decisions for her.
At some point I wanted to climb into the book and yell:
“Ma’am, you are allowed to stay angry.”
Overall, the writing is excellent and the vineyard atmosphere is beautifully done. Unfortunately, the romance left me frustrated, the betrayals felt far bigger than the book acknowledged, and the grovel never arrived.
I came for a marriage-in-crisis romance.
I stayed for the wine.
And somehow even the grapes had more backbone than the hero. 🍷💀
First, let me give credit where credit is due: the writing is genuinely beautiful.
The descriptions of the vineyard, the landscape, and the winemaking process are incredibly well done. Having lived in wine country and being familiar with the process myself, I could tell the author really did her research. Those sections felt authentic, immersive, and lovingly crafted.
The problem?
I think the book became far more interested in wine than in the romance.
At some point I stopped reading a marriage-in-crisis romance and started reading Winemaking 101: The Extended Director’s Cut. If you’re passionate about vineyards, fermentation, grape cultivation, harvest cycles, and every tiny technical detail imaginable, you’ll probably love it. If you’re here for the relationship? Well… good luck.
Now let’s talk about Nico.
Because apparently this book wants me to believe that physical cheating is the only form of betrayal that matters.
No.
You can absolutely destroy a marriage without sleeping with someone else. And I don’t care if it’s an arrange marriage they still make vows.
Constantly humiliating your wife in public? Betrayal.
Allowing people to think another woman is your mistress? Betrayal.
Keeping said woman working in the company after all the damage she’s caused? Betrayal.
And before anyone tells me she was too valuable to fire: give me a break. This is the same woman who happily let the public believe she was involved with a married man and then went out of her way to undermine Alessia in interviews instead of presenting her positively. She was petty, inappropriate, and had already made sexual advances toward Nico. At that point, “valuable employee” stops being a convincing argument.
Then Nico publicly dismisses Alessia in front of her father while supposedly trying to work on their marriage.
Then he starts looking for someone else for the position Alessia dreams of having.
Then he keeps secrets.
Then he lies.
The Matteo situation drove me insane. Even if it technically wasn’t Nico’s information to share, marriage is built on trust. At minimum I would’ve expected him to pressure Matteo to tell her immediately instead of happily participating in the secrecy club. And then the sister gets involved too.
Everybody was keeping secrets.
Everybody was making decisions for Alessia.
Everybody was “protecting” Alessia.
Nobody was actually respecting Alessia.
And through all of this, where was the grovel?
Nowhere. Absolutely nowhere.
Nico feels bad. Nico regrets things. Nico sacrifices his position at the end.
And while that was certainly something, I spent the entire book waiting for the earth-shattering grovel that would justify all the damage he caused. Instead, I got a man sadly staring into the distance like a Victorian widow.
As for Alessia… sweetheart, I was begging you to develop a backbone. This woman forgives everyone.
The husband who lies.
The people who keep secrets.
The people who humiliate her.
The people who make decisions for her.
At some point I wanted to climb into the book and yell:
“Ma’am, you are allowed to stay angry.”
Overall, the writing is excellent and the vineyard atmosphere is beautifully done. Unfortunately, the romance left me frustrated, the betrayals felt far bigger than the book acknowledged, and the grovel never arrived.
I came for a marriage-in-crisis romance.
I stayed for the wine.
And somehow even the grapes had more backbone than the hero. 🍷💀
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
June 26, 2026Sorry if my opinion is unpopular but grrr .
They marry for business reasons and he misjudges her.
For I think it's 3 months he allows the other woman, his previous girlfriend and head of PR to be photographed with him regularly and dubbed his mistress. He says nothing happened but the public perception is far different.
This causes embarrassment to the heroine.
When he apologises it's brushed aside as the past.
This betrayal was worse than the later one which is a business issue and there is no grovel for the press stuff.
But instead we have massive descriptions about wine, vines and winemaking.
Tbh id rather have had more emphasis on a grovel.
They marry for business reasons and he misjudges her.
For I think it's 3 months he allows the other woman, his previous girlfriend and head of PR to be photographed with him regularly and dubbed his mistress. He says nothing happened but the public perception is far different.
This causes embarrassment to the heroine.
When he apologises it's brushed aside as the past.
This betrayal was worse than the later one which is a business issue and there is no grovel for the press stuff.
But instead we have massive descriptions about wine, vines and winemaking.
Tbh id rather have had more emphasis on a grovel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2026
I think I'll be giving Maya Alden's books a pass from now on.
I honestly don't understand what she's trying to achieve by repeatedly writing heroines who are incredibly boring and have nothing going for them except stubbornness and sheer willfulness. Despite making little effort to improve their situations, they constantly portray themselves as victims and somehow the men end up taking all the blame( not that they are blameless)
In this book, the heroine is an aspiring winemaker who dreams of producing the world's best wine. She stays on the estate and marries the hero because of an arrangement made by her father. The hero is upfront from the beginning that he won't be a faithful husband. She knows exactly what she's agreeing to and still accepts the marriage.
So why is everyone blaming the husband when the heroine knowingly entered the arrangement? She never once tries to build a relationship with him or shows any interest in getting to know him. If she has no desire to make the marriage work, why does she constantly act hurt and allow everyone around her to pity her?
The author also keeps describing her heroines as plain-looking, but looks aren't the issue. A character doesn't have to be beautiful to be compelling. Personality matters far more, and unfortunately these heroines often have none. They're passive, joyless, and lack any real passion or charm.
I also wish Maya Alden would write heroines who are lively, ambitious, confident, and genuinely interesting instead of women whose defining traits are self-pity and stubbornness. As I've mentioned before, she has a habit of pairing these bland, rustic heroines with exceptionally handsome, charismatic heroes who have absolutely nothing in common with them.
Attraction has to come from somewhere—whether it's physical chemistry, personality, shared interests, or mutual admiration. It's difficult to believe in a romance when the couple has no believable foundation for their relationship.
And one more thing: hardworking women often take pride in their appearance regardless of whether they're conventionally beautiful. Being ambitious and practical doesn't automatically mean being completely indifferent to how you present yourself.
I also wish she'd write heroes and heroines who actually feel compatible and have a believable attraction to each other from the start. Without that chemistry, it's hard to invest in the romance.
The less i speak about her Heroes the better.
I honestly don't understand what she's trying to achieve by repeatedly writing heroines who are incredibly boring and have nothing going for them except stubbornness and sheer willfulness. Despite making little effort to improve their situations, they constantly portray themselves as victims and somehow the men end up taking all the blame( not that they are blameless)
In this book, the heroine is an aspiring winemaker who dreams of producing the world's best wine. She stays on the estate and marries the hero because of an arrangement made by her father. The hero is upfront from the beginning that he won't be a faithful husband. She knows exactly what she's agreeing to and still accepts the marriage.
So why is everyone blaming the husband when the heroine knowingly entered the arrangement? She never once tries to build a relationship with him or shows any interest in getting to know him. If she has no desire to make the marriage work, why does she constantly act hurt and allow everyone around her to pity her?
The author also keeps describing her heroines as plain-looking, but looks aren't the issue. A character doesn't have to be beautiful to be compelling. Personality matters far more, and unfortunately these heroines often have none. They're passive, joyless, and lack any real passion or charm.
I also wish Maya Alden would write heroines who are lively, ambitious, confident, and genuinely interesting instead of women whose defining traits are self-pity and stubbornness. As I've mentioned before, she has a habit of pairing these bland, rustic heroines with exceptionally handsome, charismatic heroes who have absolutely nothing in common with them.
Attraction has to come from somewhere—whether it's physical chemistry, personality, shared interests, or mutual admiration. It's difficult to believe in a romance when the couple has no believable foundation for their relationship.
And one more thing: hardworking women often take pride in their appearance regardless of whether they're conventionally beautiful. Being ambitious and practical doesn't automatically mean being completely indifferent to how you present yourself.
I also wish she'd write heroes and heroines who actually feel compatible and have a believable attraction to each other from the start. Without that chemistry, it's hard to invest in the romance.
The less i speak about her Heroes the better.
June 30, 2026
All they do is talk about wine, I promise you I didn't pick this book to learn about its different types nor winemaking, leave me alone
June 22, 2026
I have read most of Maya’s books, and I just love them. They’re so entertaining, with complex and intriguing characters, and her descriptive writing always transports me to the most interesting places. This one is for sure a new favorite! Not only because I love Italy and she really did a fabulous job with the settings, but I was completely hooked to the wine business aspect, the family drama, the tension between Nico and Alessia and how their relationship developed, and the side characters. I didn’t want it to end! Can’t wait for the next one in this series.
🎙️𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 ⇣
Narrated in duet by Ryan West & Rose Dioro - these two were perfect for Nico and Alessia! Ryan’s rich, commanding voice brought out Nico’s arrogance and alpha personality, and Rose did a beautiful job portraying Alessia’s gentle, sweet nature, as well as her strong, sassy side. They made me love this story even more!
Produced by Lyric Audiobooks 👏🏼👏🏼
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ⇣
Set in italy
Marriage of convenience
Marriage in crisis
Other woman drama
Workplace
Opposites attract
Perceived cheating
Betrayal & grovel
Second chance
Dual POV
Spice
Thank you Must Love Audio & Maya Alden for the advanced copy!
🎙️𝗔𝗨𝗗𝗜𝗢𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 ⇣
Narrated in duet by Ryan West & Rose Dioro - these two were perfect for Nico and Alessia! Ryan’s rich, commanding voice brought out Nico’s arrogance and alpha personality, and Rose did a beautiful job portraying Alessia’s gentle, sweet nature, as well as her strong, sassy side. They made me love this story even more!
Produced by Lyric Audiobooks 👏🏼👏🏼
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ⇣
Set in italy
Marriage of convenience
Marriage in crisis
Other woman drama
Workplace
Opposites attract
Perceived cheating
Betrayal & grovel
Second chance
Dual POV
Spice
Thank you Must Love Audio & Maya Alden for the advanced copy!
June 29, 2026
3.5 stars.
We're going to pretend the blurb doesn't exist. Do not read the blurb. The last part of the blurb makes it seem like a completely different story is going to happen.
Got it?
Good.
Okay, so we're doing an arranged marriage of convenience story, where Alessia's father is just a totalDick Duke and demands that she marry the family company's new CEO, Nico for... Reasons. Nico gets to be CEO and Alessia, who is a brilliant winemaker (but who lacks her father's most important asset: a penis) gets... a figurehead position at her beloved vineyard. Nico resents the arrangement but marries her, after telling her he has no intention of being faithful, but he'll think about being discreet, and allowing himself to be photographed publicly with the company's head of PR -- who also happens to be his ex-girlfriend. It isn't long before pretty much everyone shames him into getting to know his new wife, and from there the two fall pretty hard in love. In fact, when Alessia first admits to herself she's in love with Nico, my thought was, How? What conversation caused this to happen? Because to that point it seemed like their only significant conversations had to do with how he was definitely going to cheat on her.
But whatever, after giving Alessia a chance, the two fall for each other fairly quickly. The problem is that Nico 1) hasn't been CEO for very long and can be easily fired until he can consolidate his power base, 2) is less confrontational than you'd think an international CEO should be, and 3) is a bit of a coward. There is also an additional factor to the situation where Alessia's mentor is dying but doesn't want to tell her, but Nico knows about the illness and keeps the secret, which was a terrible situation to put him in, but at the end of the day, he owed his wife more loyalty than he owed the mentor, especially after the mentor (who is also her real father figure since her bio dad is awful) dragged his feet for waaaaaay too long.
So far, the plot was following the blurb, don't get me wrong, but this is where it runs off the rails. See, reading that blurb, I thought after Nico doesn't support her against her father, Alessia was going to maybe find another wine house that would have been willing to hire her as their head winemaker -- that's how I took But when Nico doesn’t stand by her when she needs him most, Alessia decides she wants her freedom… on the blurb. After all, the book makes a big deal about how brilliant her winemaking abilities are, so she's got to be in demand from other winehouses, right? But no, other than a pissed off version of "We're going back to the old marriage where you do your thing and I do mine," to a broken-hearted Nico she stays doing exactly what she was doing and eventually starts seeking comfort from him when she visits her dying mentor. And yeah, eventually she stands on her own two feet with her sisters and tells her father what's-what, but there was no "freedom". She was still in the same house with the same job.
But here's the thing: that version of Alessia isn't who the character was written to be. She's actually pretty no-nonsense, she has a spine, and she doesn't run because she doesn't need to. I just thought after that blurb, I would have gotten some running-after-the-heroine-in-the-airport-even-though-airports-don't-work-that-way-anymore style angst out of the situation. So I actually really enjoyed the book, I just wish I hadn't walked into the book thinking there was going to be any kind of "freedom" for her -- or that there would be a grovel. There wasn't. Nico apologizes a bunch, but then gives her a lot of space while he plots to grow a spine at the expense of his job.
Also, the winemaking lingo in this book was too much for me. I love it when authors do their research, don't get me wrong... but I also started to skim the wine talk after a while. Clearly Maya Alden either already has forgotten more about wine than I'll ever know, or she has an amazing source of info that gives her enough lingo to make everything sound authentic. But wow, there was a lot. I get it, Alessia was brilliant, amazing, produces sublime wine that her father does not give her credit for. I just would have given up massive amounts of winemaking lingo for more plot.
We're going to pretend the blurb doesn't exist. Do not read the blurb. The last part of the blurb makes it seem like a completely different story is going to happen.
Got it?
Good.
Okay, so we're doing an arranged marriage of convenience story, where Alessia's father is just a total
But whatever, after giving Alessia a chance, the two fall for each other fairly quickly. The problem is that Nico 1) hasn't been CEO for very long and can be easily fired until he can consolidate his power base, 2) is less confrontational than you'd think an international CEO should be, and 3) is a bit of a coward. There is also an additional factor to the situation where Alessia's mentor is dying but doesn't want to tell her, but Nico knows about the illness and keeps the secret, which was a terrible situation to put him in, but at the end of the day, he owed his wife more loyalty than he owed the mentor, especially after the mentor (who is also her real father figure since her bio dad is awful) dragged his feet for waaaaaay too long.
So far, the plot was following the blurb, don't get me wrong, but this is where it runs off the rails. See, reading that blurb, I thought after Nico doesn't support her against her father, Alessia was going to maybe find another wine house that would have been willing to hire her as their head winemaker -- that's how I took But when Nico doesn’t stand by her when she needs him most, Alessia decides she wants her freedom… on the blurb. After all, the book makes a big deal about how brilliant her winemaking abilities are, so she's got to be in demand from other winehouses, right? But no, other than a pissed off version of "We're going back to the old marriage where you do your thing and I do mine," to a broken-hearted Nico she stays doing exactly what she was doing and eventually starts seeking comfort from him when she visits her dying mentor. And yeah, eventually she stands on her own two feet with her sisters and tells her father what's-what, but there was no "freedom". She was still in the same house with the same job.
But here's the thing: that version of Alessia isn't who the character was written to be. She's actually pretty no-nonsense, she has a spine, and she doesn't run because she doesn't need to. I just thought after that blurb, I would have gotten some running-after-the-heroine-in-the-airport-even-though-airports-don't-work-that-way-anymore style angst out of the situation. So I actually really enjoyed the book, I just wish I hadn't walked into the book thinking there was going to be any kind of "freedom" for her -- or that there would be a grovel. There wasn't. Nico apologizes a bunch, but then gives her a lot of space while he plots to grow a spine at the expense of his job.
Also, the winemaking lingo in this book was too much for me. I love it when authors do their research, don't get me wrong... but I also started to skim the wine talk after a while. Clearly Maya Alden either already has forgotten more about wine than I'll ever know, or she has an amazing source of info that gives her enough lingo to make everything sound authentic. But wow, there was a lot. I get it, Alessia was brilliant, amazing, produces sublime wine that her father does not give her credit for. I just would have given up massive amounts of winemaking lingo for more plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2026
Maya Alden continues to write unique stories using her somewhat formulaic tropes. This book is set in Italy and dives heavily in wine culture. I love the maturity of the characters in this one. They help make this story feel richer and more decadent which fits the setting.
Initially you may not feel it with the MMC Nico because true to Maya's form, he's an ass. But his slow evolution is chef's kiss. The FMC Alessia is the kind of character you root hard for. She's so strong without being loud about it. I adored her and her sisters. These ladies are a strong base for this series.
This story is fun at times and a little heartbreaking at times. It keeps that feeling of tradition based family values but pushes the boundaries of expectation vs misogyny that Maya sometimes writes in her Southern culture series. Brava! I can't wait to continue reading about this family!
Initially you may not feel it with the MMC Nico because true to Maya's form, he's an ass. But his slow evolution is chef's kiss. The FMC Alessia is the kind of character you root hard for. She's so strong without being loud about it. I adored her and her sisters. These ladies are a strong base for this series.
This story is fun at times and a little heartbreaking at times. It keeps that feeling of tradition based family values but pushes the boundaries of expectation vs misogyny that Maya sometimes writes in her Southern culture series. Brava! I can't wait to continue reading about this family!
June 25, 2026
3.5-4 🌟
One of her better recent works (nothing compares to her OG series)
Yes we still had the neglected heroine trope but this time she was a good balance between a meek heroine without being a complete doormat. When needed, she did show her claws so that was something at least.
My gripe with all her books is usually the angst is too high and not matched by the grovel. In this instance I think it was well matched. The “betrayal” wasn’t too bad because they were essentially strangers and the grovel felt realistic even if it took awhile to get there.
Didn’t enjoy the insta love/lust trope from both parties. How can they be strangers and then immediately be in love after having dinner once?
One thing I realised about Maya’s books is when she delves into other cultures and hobbies such as Italian/Winery/Indian she tends to go overboard with details. Perhaps it is to set the mood, or perhaps to show that she has done her research but it can be a bit tedious at times because it felt forced upon us rather than it being a natural aspect of the storyline.
One of her better recent works (nothing compares to her OG series)
Yes we still had the neglected heroine trope but this time she was a good balance between a meek heroine without being a complete doormat. When needed, she did show her claws so that was something at least.
My gripe with all her books is usually the angst is too high and not matched by the grovel. In this instance I think it was well matched. The “betrayal” wasn’t too bad because they were essentially strangers and the grovel felt realistic even if it took awhile to get there.
Didn’t enjoy the insta love/lust trope from both parties. How can they be strangers and then immediately be in love after having dinner once?
One thing I realised about Maya’s books is when she delves into other cultures and hobbies such as Italian/Winery/Indian she tends to go overboard with details. Perhaps it is to set the mood, or perhaps to show that she has done her research but it can be a bit tedious at times because it felt forced upon us rather than it being a natural aspect of the storyline.
June 24, 2026
Nico wants to increase his vineyard holdings. Alessia (29) wants to become head winemaker at one of her father's vineyards, but he doesn't think a woman is capable. She agrees to marry Nico so he can become CEO, and in exchange he will give her control of one of the vineyards. So they marry and merge the companies. He continues to run the companies from Rome, she lives on her vineyard in the countryside. They don't see each other for 6 months. Then she is summoned to attend an event with him where he can see she's very knowledgeable about wine, and she's not just someone her father needed to marry off. So he asks if they can start dating and getting to know each other.
There's some wannabe OW drama because his head of marketing uses social media to make it look like they're having an affair, but that's dealt with pretty quickly.
The problem is that the story is mostly a documentary about how to grow and harvest grapes, which I don't care about at all. I don't even drink. 😂 I don't mind that Maya Alden writes about vintners because she still focuses on the romance, but not this time. I don't know what happened, but it's full of technical stuff about wine grapes. 😴. DNF around 25%
There's some wannabe OW drama because his head of marketing uses social media to make it look like they're having an affair, but that's dealt with pretty quickly.
The problem is that the story is mostly a documentary about how to grow and harvest grapes, which I don't care about at all. I don't even drink. 😂 I don't mind that Maya Alden writes about vintners because she still focuses on the romance, but not this time. I don't know what happened, but it's full of technical stuff about wine grapes. 😴. DNF around 25%
June 23, 2026
4.75⭐️
June 23, 2026
Can’t stand the fmc
June 23, 2026
Weak leading man
The MMC was one of the weakest I've seen. Literally hiding in fear from any and all confrontations. And once again, our FMC is just a new kind of doormat.
The MMC was one of the weakest I've seen. Literally hiding in fear from any and all confrontations. And once again, our FMC is just a new kind of doormat.
June 25, 2026
If I have to read “don’t mistake x for y” or “confuse this for that” one more time I’m going to scream. Idk why the author kept repeating this particular phrase throughout the book but it really pissed me off.
Examples (there are at least 10 more)
“I simply don’t confuse what is temporary with what is mine”
“He’s a man who has confused control with love for so long that he no longer knows the difference”
“Don’t mistake presence for power”
Examples (there are at least 10 more)
“I simply don’t confuse what is temporary with what is mine”
“He’s a man who has confused control with love for so long that he no longer knows the difference”
“Don’t mistake presence for power”
April 1, 2026
This was a great read, from start to finish I loved every second of it.
Alessia was the best FMC ever I loved her so freaking much, how strong she was and how resilient she was a strong character and I loved how she dealt with what life throws at her from her father to her marriage and the grief for her friend and mentor it was very well written.
And Nico! Yeah I wanted to punch him so hard, God he made me cry because of his decisions but like always I had to forgive him because my beautiful Alessia forgave him!
The book was so good and like always was well written and now I wanted to read her sisters’ books specifically Alba’s.
Alessia was the best FMC ever I loved her so freaking much, how strong she was and how resilient she was a strong character and I loved how she dealt with what life throws at her from her father to her marriage and the grief for her friend and mentor it was very well written.
And Nico! Yeah I wanted to punch him so hard, God he made me cry because of his decisions but like always I had to forgive him because my beautiful Alessia forgave him!
The book was so good and like always was well written and now I wanted to read her sisters’ books specifically Alba’s.
June 23, 2026
- arranged marriage/marriage of convenience
- set in Italy
- workplace: CEO x winemaker
- no third-act breakup
- 🌶️🌶️/5
- dual pov
- duet narration audiobook by Rose Dioro and Ryan West
Call me crazy, but when The Wrong Vintage was marketed as having betrayal and a hero who has to grovel, I was immediately sold 😂.
Nico and Alessia enter an arranged marriage, so he can become CEO and she can continue running her winery. What begins as a marriage of convenience soon becomes something much more as Nico gets to know his wife and realises she's far more than he ever expected. Who can resist a seemingly nonchalant hero who slowly turns possessive and jealous? 😏
My favourite part was watching them fall for each other. Alessia is smart, driven, and has spent most of her life taking care of everyone around her, especially her two younger sisters, while their father focused on the family business. Nico ends up being one of the first people who truly look after her.
Then comes the betrayal, with Nico thinking he knows best. But if you're here for the grovel, don't worry. He rectifies his mistake and earns his way back into Alessia's good graces, as he should.
The Italian winery setting is so deliciously atmospheric. The story fully immerses you in the world of winemaking, from the vineyards to the business side, and it's clear the author did her research. Between the food, wine, and gorgeous atmosphere, you'll probably finish this book wanting to book a trip to Italy (or have a glass of red 🍷).
The audiobook is also a duet narration delight! Rose Dioro perfectly captures both Alessia's strength and vulnerability, while Ryan West absolutely nails Nico's Italian terms of endearment and dialogue. Together, they bring so much personality and chemistry to the story.
Thank you to Must Love Audio for the early audio copy ❤️.
- set in Italy
- workplace: CEO x winemaker
- no third-act breakup
- 🌶️🌶️/5
- dual pov
- duet narration audiobook by Rose Dioro and Ryan West
Call me crazy, but when The Wrong Vintage was marketed as having betrayal and a hero who has to grovel, I was immediately sold 😂.
Nico and Alessia enter an arranged marriage, so he can become CEO and she can continue running her winery. What begins as a marriage of convenience soon becomes something much more as Nico gets to know his wife and realises she's far more than he ever expected. Who can resist a seemingly nonchalant hero who slowly turns possessive and jealous? 😏
My favourite part was watching them fall for each other. Alessia is smart, driven, and has spent most of her life taking care of everyone around her, especially her two younger sisters, while their father focused on the family business. Nico ends up being one of the first people who truly look after her.
Then comes the betrayal, with Nico thinking he knows best. But if you're here for the grovel, don't worry. He rectifies his mistake and earns his way back into Alessia's good graces, as he should.
The Italian winery setting is so deliciously atmospheric. The story fully immerses you in the world of winemaking, from the vineyards to the business side, and it's clear the author did her research. Between the food, wine, and gorgeous atmosphere, you'll probably finish this book wanting to book a trip to Italy (or have a glass of red 🍷).
The audiobook is also a duet narration delight! Rose Dioro perfectly captures both Alessia's strength and vulnerability, while Ryan West absolutely nails Nico's Italian terms of endearment and dialogue. Together, they bring so much personality and chemistry to the story.
Thank you to Must Love Audio for the early audio copy ❤️.
March 29, 2026
One of the best if not the best start to a new series that I have ever read. You are going to love these characters and this book.
When an arranged marriage turns real but the reason for the arragement does not change you end up with The Wrong Vintage.
Nico and Alessia agree to wed for very different reason's. Nico so that he can be assured of the CEO role of the house of Alighieri and to save his family's legacy. Alessia so that she can keep the job of wine maker that frankly should have been hers anyway.
Nico is full of resentment at being forced to marry Alessia and he tells her he has no intention of being faithful to her. In fact he takes it a step futher by allowing everyone to think he has a mistress. It comes as a great surprise to Nico when he starts to see his wife and realises the mistake that he has made.
Alessia is really the star of this book, she married Nico so that she could contine to do the one thing she was born to do make wine. She is sad that Nico will not give their marriage a chance but she is realistic about it. So you can imagine her surprise when Nico comes to her and asks to start again. Being the gentle heart that she is she agrees.
In typical Maya fashion Nico is not done messing up, he makes a choice that has a terrible impact on his wife and ultimately his marriage. He truly loves his wife and his pain at watching her suffer because of him is gut wrenching.
Tuscany and the vineyards are as much a character is this book as the people. Reading this book you will feel like you are there and you will swear you can smell the grapes and feel the dirt under your feet.
I fell in love with these characters and I cannot wait for the next books in this series.
When an arranged marriage turns real but the reason for the arragement does not change you end up with The Wrong Vintage.
Nico and Alessia agree to wed for very different reason's. Nico so that he can be assured of the CEO role of the house of Alighieri and to save his family's legacy. Alessia so that she can keep the job of wine maker that frankly should have been hers anyway.
Nico is full of resentment at being forced to marry Alessia and he tells her he has no intention of being faithful to her. In fact he takes it a step futher by allowing everyone to think he has a mistress. It comes as a great surprise to Nico when he starts to see his wife and realises the mistake that he has made.
Alessia is really the star of this book, she married Nico so that she could contine to do the one thing she was born to do make wine. She is sad that Nico will not give their marriage a chance but she is realistic about it. So you can imagine her surprise when Nico comes to her and asks to start again. Being the gentle heart that she is she agrees.
In typical Maya fashion Nico is not done messing up, he makes a choice that has a terrible impact on his wife and ultimately his marriage. He truly loves his wife and his pain at watching her suffer because of him is gut wrenching.
Tuscany and the vineyards are as much a character is this book as the people. Reading this book you will feel like you are there and you will swear you can smell the grapes and feel the dirt under your feet.
I fell in love with these characters and I cannot wait for the next books in this series.
June 25, 2026
Dragged on
I adore Maya Alden's books normally.
But this one didnt resonate with me. Mainly because the storyline was bogged down with so many details I got bored. Details about the buildings, the places, technical aspects of wine making, the wine itself, the farmistry of it all, details about every meal the main characters share written in purple prose (memorably the anchovies turning into a river if molten depth), details of art, culture and literature that are discussed but not explained as if a regular reader is meant to know and understand what they are talking about. It was too much and the pacing dragged because of it.
Perhaps someone who is interested in the intricacies of wine making or someone familiar with the places would have appreciated this more.
For me it detracted from what little storyline there was.
I adore Maya Alden's books normally.
But this one didnt resonate with me. Mainly because the storyline was bogged down with so many details I got bored. Details about the buildings, the places, technical aspects of wine making, the wine itself, the farmistry of it all, details about every meal the main characters share written in purple prose (memorably the anchovies turning into a river if molten depth), details of art, culture and literature that are discussed but not explained as if a regular reader is meant to know and understand what they are talking about. It was too much and the pacing dragged because of it.
Perhaps someone who is interested in the intricacies of wine making or someone familiar with the places would have appreciated this more.
For me it detracted from what little storyline there was.
June 24, 2026
Notes for me
Nico - CEO of both his family and her family company
Alessia - talented wine maker at family vineyard.
Married 90 days ago as a business arrangement only. He’s only seen her once in that time. He’s resentful he had to marry her.
At the engagement he told her he would not change his life for her and be faithful. He’s all over gossip columns with other women seeming to prove his warning. He’s especially seen with his head of PR, Chiara. She’s beautiful. Everything Alessia is not at first glance. They also had a relationship 5 years earlier. His longest relationship.
It hurts Alessia, but she focuses on producing the best wine she can. Everyone enjoys being around her, she’s just a good person.
Nico starts observing her at galas. He realizes how truly good he is. He also realizes he’s been a jerk about something not her fault. He wants to get their marriage back on track.
He travels to her vineyard on a regular basis, they go on dates and fall in love.
Her mentor Matteo has pancreatic cancer. In a meeting with her father and his CFO, his father mentions a list of potential replacements. Renzo mentions Alessia. Her father doesn’t respect her at all. Has no idea how good she is at it. But Nico knows and when he is asked his opinion he DOES NOT recommend her! He knows right away he’s chosen peace over loyalty. Matteo has recommended her to everyone.
No gut punch angst.
Nico - CEO of both his family and her family company
Alessia - talented wine maker at family vineyard.
Married 90 days ago as a business arrangement only. He’s only seen her once in that time. He’s resentful he had to marry her.
At the engagement he told her he would not change his life for her and be faithful. He’s all over gossip columns with other women seeming to prove his warning. He’s especially seen with his head of PR, Chiara. She’s beautiful. Everything Alessia is not at first glance. They also had a relationship 5 years earlier. His longest relationship.
It hurts Alessia, but she focuses on producing the best wine she can. Everyone enjoys being around her, she’s just a good person.
Nico starts observing her at galas. He realizes how truly good he is. He also realizes he’s been a jerk about something not her fault. He wants to get their marriage back on track.
He travels to her vineyard on a regular basis, they go on dates and fall in love.
Her mentor Matteo has pancreatic cancer. In a meeting with her father and his CFO, his father mentions a list of potential replacements. Renzo mentions Alessia. Her father doesn’t respect her at all. Has no idea how good she is at it. But Nico knows and when he is asked his opinion he DOES NOT recommend her! He knows right away he’s chosen peace over loyalty. Matteo has recommended her to everyone.
No gut punch angst.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 18, 2026
An amazing book that really made me believe I was in Italy living it up with all that wine lol.
I loved Alessia’s character, classy and strong!
Nico really pissed me off at first but won me over so quick!
I do wish more comeuppance for Chiara, but it was nice to see how she backed down quick and how Nico put her in her place!
I loved Alessia’s character, classy and strong!
Nico really pissed me off at first but won me over so quick!
I do wish more comeuppance for Chiara, but it was nice to see how she backed down quick and how Nico put her in her place!
June 25, 2026
Normally I love Maya’s books but this one did not hit the spot.
The writing felt very pretentious, which is not the norm for her other books.
There was very little “angst” and for it being a marriage in crisis, I can’t even pinpoint where that happened or even what rectified it because it was so insignificant.
It felt more like a book about wine making and Maya’s knowledge of vineyards, Italian food, Italian history and Italian fashion. (Because why would we need it listed from the H’s point of view exactly what his sister in law is wearing down to the shoes and jewellery?!?!?)
Overall, not a good read and I struggled to get through it!
The writing felt very pretentious, which is not the norm for her other books.
There was very little “angst” and for it being a marriage in crisis, I can’t even pinpoint where that happened or even what rectified it because it was so insignificant.
It felt more like a book about wine making and Maya’s knowledge of vineyards, Italian food, Italian history and Italian fashion. (Because why would we need it listed from the H’s point of view exactly what his sister in law is wearing down to the shoes and jewellery?!?!?)
Overall, not a good read and I struggled to get through it!
July 6, 2026
Well written story with excellent character development and editing. Loved the FMC and sisters, grew to love MMC, never grew to tolerate the excuse for the sisters' father. I finished this in one afternoon and hated to leave the story!
July 6, 2026
The magic of Florence and vineyards didn't grab me the way I expected it to.
July 28, 2026
This dude was just a dick.
July 14, 2026
I always seem to want to give this author the benefit of the doubt. Nico was a douche the first 20% but I came around. Loved Alessia the whole time. A LOT of wine talk but it was kinda nice to read how knowledgeable she was about the topic
June 29, 2026
Wasn’t my favorite. Didn’t deliver on grovel, but it was still a riveting read. Maybe a longer review to come?
Review of advance copy received from Author
Maya brings to us beautiful Tuscany and the acres of vineyards that dot the landscape. Her words paint vivid pictures in your mind. She has a way to transport a person to a place they may never visit. The sights, sounds, and smells come crashing through. The difference between reading books before the internet was invented, and reading them now, is that I have the ability to look up places, food, etc in an instant. The book has given me a whole new appreciation for the wine making process as well, and it has caused me to branch out in my tastes.
This is not just a love story, between a man and woman. There are many different kinds of love going on. First, the love between sisters. This story kicks off the series which will feature each sister. Alessia, our heroine, is the oldest at 29, followed by Alba, 27, and then baby Toni who is 23 years old. Alessia is the only one of the sisters that decided to take on the family business of winemaking. She is the earthy one, who would rather be in overalls, functional sun hat, and wear dirt under her nails instead of polish on top. She is referred to as the plain sister, as she inherited her father’s looks and not the vivaciousness of her mother. However, as Nico found out, there is nothing plain about Alessia. The sisters support each other and are each other’s best friend. We also get the love of between mentor and student. Matteo, has known Alessia all her life, and treats her like a daughter he never had. He teaches her the finer points of wine making and they have a beautiful, caring relationship. Then we get the romantic love between Nico and Alessia. Nico never suspected he would fall in love with his wife. However, he did and the passion between the two is electric. It makes his later betrayal more heartbreaking(no cheating!!!). Finally, we have Alessia’s love of the land and the grapes she grows to make fabulous wines. If everyone loved their careers as much as Alessia did, there would be fewer unhappy people in the world!
This story is for people who love unexpected love as a result of a marriage of convenience. It is for those that like things to be shaken up with ow drama(an ex gf who doesn’t want to stay the ex and has access to the hero all the time through work). It is for people that want a story that isn’t just a quick hit of adrenaline, but a story with heart, and substance. It has a marriage in crisis and just when you think these two have it made it implodes due to the betrayal(and no the betrayal is not caused by cheating) ! This is a stand alone, but once you are done reading it you will be happy that the sisters each get a story. It is hard not to get invested in Maya’s side characters!
In this story, although it is 2026, it is still very much a man’s world for Alessia. She wants to be the head winemaker for one of the family estates. Her mentor, and father figure, Matteo, is currently the winemaker, and he has taken Alessia under his wing. However, he is not a young man and cannot keep up the pace forever. He thinks she is the best choice for taking over his spot, but Alessia’s father is dismissive of her abilities. He has a very antiquated way of thinking and believes Alessia would be best to marry well adding to the family’s wealth and influence…..Enter our hero Nico Alaric. Nico is very happy being a bachelor and is in no hurry to marry, but he is also ambitious. Therefore, he agrees to marry Alessia to add to his own business prospects. He wastes no time letting Alessia know that this is business only, and no one will tell him how to live his life. He has no intention of staying a one man woman, and apologizes in advance if any of his actions end up embarrassing her! Well, Nico is in for the surprise of his life!
Ok lets expand the checklist included in the description of the book:
* Marriage of Convenience-Yes, the marriage is basically set up by Alessia’s father. He wants to expand the family influence, and this alliance would serve Nico, the hero as well. Alessia is the most biddable and the oldest Alighieri daughter, so she makes the most sense to be the sacrificial lamb. Now, Alessia is hoping this marriage will give her more freedom to be a winemaker. She is also hoping that her marriage will eventually become more. Things aren’t looking promising. And then she and Nico meet again at a gala 90 days after their marriage and something clicks!
* Marriage in Crisis-the marriage is initially in crisis as it was not a love match and the couple were spending all their time apart. Then, we got to see them fall in love. Things were on track, but Nico was keeping secrets when revealed he needs to go about winning his wife back over again!(
* Other Woman Drama-Oh Chiara! She was once in a relationship with Nico years ago, but Nico realized she wasn’t the one he lost his head over, however, she is talented and Nico made her his VP of communications. She manages the PR team and is great at promoting….herself. The photos she selects to promote the “brand” often shows her in suggestive situations with the head guy himself. This wouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t for the fact that he has a married wife back home that is forgotten!
* Betrayal & Grovel-There are a couple of betrayals going on in the book…I won’t wreck it here, but I will put people’s mind at ease that the betrayal doesn’t involve cheating. The betrayal does hurt, but I also can see some of what Nico was trying to do. He wants to change the old world system of doing things, but in order to do so, he needs to play all the games. In order to win he betrays Alessia. However, he realizes winning the game doesn’t even come close to the high that Alessia gives him….and he puts in the work to fix it and win the ultimate game of life!
* No Cheating-No, but definitely perceived cheating. I mean to the world it looks like Nico is playing out a big time affair in the tabloids. This is where I really love his friend Lorenzo. Renzo is his best friend and COO. We see him tell Nico point blank that what is being released in social media is making it look like an affair. And since Chiara is controlling the optics of the company, it is obvious she is also using the photos etc to stake her claim on her ex boyfriend and current married boss NIco.
* Complete Standalone- Yes and it gave us enough interactions with the sisters to get excited about their own books to come out eventually…oh and we will get to see more yummy Renzo as well!
This is a great way to kick off Maya Alden’s new series!
This is not just a love story, between a man and woman. There are many different kinds of love going on. First, the love between sisters. This story kicks off the series which will feature each sister. Alessia, our heroine, is the oldest at 29, followed by Alba, 27, and then baby Toni who is 23 years old. Alessia is the only one of the sisters that decided to take on the family business of winemaking. She is the earthy one, who would rather be in overalls, functional sun hat, and wear dirt under her nails instead of polish on top. She is referred to as the plain sister, as she inherited her father’s looks and not the vivaciousness of her mother. However, as Nico found out, there is nothing plain about Alessia. The sisters support each other and are each other’s best friend. We also get the love of between mentor and student. Matteo, has known Alessia all her life, and treats her like a daughter he never had. He teaches her the finer points of wine making and they have a beautiful, caring relationship. Then we get the romantic love between Nico and Alessia. Nico never suspected he would fall in love with his wife. However, he did and the passion between the two is electric. It makes his later betrayal more heartbreaking(no cheating!!!). Finally, we have Alessia’s love of the land and the grapes she grows to make fabulous wines. If everyone loved their careers as much as Alessia did, there would be fewer unhappy people in the world!
This story is for people who love unexpected love as a result of a marriage of convenience. It is for those that like things to be shaken up with ow drama(an ex gf who doesn’t want to stay the ex and has access to the hero all the time through work). It is for people that want a story that isn’t just a quick hit of adrenaline, but a story with heart, and substance. It has a marriage in crisis and just when you think these two have it made it implodes due to the betrayal(and no the betrayal is not caused by cheating) ! This is a stand alone, but once you are done reading it you will be happy that the sisters each get a story. It is hard not to get invested in Maya’s side characters!
In this story, although it is 2026, it is still very much a man’s world for Alessia. She wants to be the head winemaker for one of the family estates. Her mentor, and father figure, Matteo, is currently the winemaker, and he has taken Alessia under his wing. However, he is not a young man and cannot keep up the pace forever. He thinks she is the best choice for taking over his spot, but Alessia’s father is dismissive of her abilities. He has a very antiquated way of thinking and believes Alessia would be best to marry well adding to the family’s wealth and influence…..Enter our hero Nico Alaric. Nico is very happy being a bachelor and is in no hurry to marry, but he is also ambitious. Therefore, he agrees to marry Alessia to add to his own business prospects. He wastes no time letting Alessia know that this is business only, and no one will tell him how to live his life. He has no intention of staying a one man woman, and apologizes in advance if any of his actions end up embarrassing her! Well, Nico is in for the surprise of his life!
Ok lets expand the checklist included in the description of the book:
* Marriage of Convenience-Yes, the marriage is basically set up by Alessia’s father. He wants to expand the family influence, and this alliance would serve Nico, the hero as well. Alessia is the most biddable and the oldest Alighieri daughter, so she makes the most sense to be the sacrificial lamb. Now, Alessia is hoping this marriage will give her more freedom to be a winemaker. She is also hoping that her marriage will eventually become more. Things aren’t looking promising. And then she and Nico meet again at a gala 90 days after their marriage and something clicks!
* Marriage in Crisis-the marriage is initially in crisis as it was not a love match and the couple were spending all their time apart. Then, we got to see them fall in love. Things were on track, but Nico was keeping secrets when revealed he needs to go about winning his wife back over again!(
* Other Woman Drama-Oh Chiara! She was once in a relationship with Nico years ago, but Nico realized she wasn’t the one he lost his head over, however, she is talented and Nico made her his VP of communications. She manages the PR team and is great at promoting….herself. The photos she selects to promote the “brand” often shows her in suggestive situations with the head guy himself. This wouldn’t be a problem if it weren’t for the fact that he has a married wife back home that is forgotten!
* Betrayal & Grovel-There are a couple of betrayals going on in the book…I won’t wreck it here, but I will put people’s mind at ease that the betrayal doesn’t involve cheating. The betrayal does hurt, but I also can see some of what Nico was trying to do. He wants to change the old world system of doing things, but in order to do so, he needs to play all the games. In order to win he betrays Alessia. However, he realizes winning the game doesn’t even come close to the high that Alessia gives him….and he puts in the work to fix it and win the ultimate game of life!
* No Cheating-No, but definitely perceived cheating. I mean to the world it looks like Nico is playing out a big time affair in the tabloids. This is where I really love his friend Lorenzo. Renzo is his best friend and COO. We see him tell Nico point blank that what is being released in social media is making it look like an affair. And since Chiara is controlling the optics of the company, it is obvious she is also using the photos etc to stake her claim on her ex boyfriend and current married boss NIco.
* Complete Standalone- Yes and it gave us enough interactions with the sisters to get excited about their own books to come out eventually…oh and we will get to see more yummy Renzo as well!
This is a great way to kick off Maya Alden’s new series!
June 23, 2026
⭐ 2/5 Stars
Maya Alden’s blurbs are officially catfishing me.
Lately, she sells these books as angsty betrayal-and-grovel romances that are going to emotionally wreck me, and every single time lately, I end up sitting there wondering where exactly the grovel part went. This book had all the ingredients to be a deliciously messy family-legacy marriage-of-convenience drama and instead turned into yet another example of Maya Alden forgetting what people actually read her for.
And what do people read Maya Alden for? Betrayal. Angst. Grovel. Not wine dissertations. Not travel-brochure prose about Italy. Not 10-page lectures on grapes and fermentation like we all accidentally enrolled in Winemaking 101 instead of picking up a romance novel.
Because let me be clear: this book absolutely had the setup for a brutal, satisfying grovel romance.
Nico is being “forced” to marry Alessia in exchange for becoming CEO — except let’s not pretend he’s some tragic victim here. Nobody had a gun to his head. He chose ambition. He chose the CEO role. He chose to marry her for it. And then, having made that choice with his own free will, he spends the book resenting Alessia as if she personally dragged him to the altar.
This man tells her before they’re even engaged that he plans to keep sleeping with other women and that she shouldn’t be upset when she’s publicly humiliated by it.
And Alessia… accepts it.
Because of course she does.
Because apparently in Maya Alden’s newer books, women no longer have the self-respect to burn the whole vineyard down and make the hero crawl through the ashes. No, now they just stand there, nod politely, and absorb humiliation like it’s part of their bridal duties.
And Nico doesn’t stop there. He parades women around in public, lets the narrative grow that Alessia is the plain, unwanted sister he’s cheating on, and uses public embarrassment as a way to punish and push her away. Mind you, he doesn’t even need to actually sleep with these women to destroy her dignity — the implication is enough, and he knows it.
Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, he realizes Alessia is amazing.
And why?
Because she stayed poised while he treated her like dirt.
Because she didn’t scream when another woman rubbed the affair in her face.
Because she suffered his bullshit with grace.
Apparently in Nico’s world, the highest female virtue is being elegant while a man humiliates you in public. How romantic.
So naturally I thought, okay, fine, now comes the grovel.
Except it doesn’t.
He says sorry.
She takes him back.
That’s it. That’s the grovel. That’s the grand romance. That’s apparently all Maya Alden now thinks is required after a hero spends half the book acting like a shallow, self-important asshole.
And even after that, Nico still doesn’t truly prioritize Alessia. He continues to lie when he doesn’t have to. He continues to put his ambitions first. He continues to treat her like an afterthought while claiming to love her. Even the second time he breaks her trust, the “grovel” amounts to him sending messages and repeating that he’s sorry. Sir, that is not a grovel. That is customer-service level damage control.
And don’t even get me started on the supposed grand gesture of him being willing to give up the CEO role. I genuinely fail to see how that was meant to move me when the man is already filthy rich and would still have been just fine without it. Alessia herself points out the obvious: his future generations would not exactly be destitute if he didn’t get to play corporate king. So again I ask — what exactly did he do to earn her back? Because from where I’m standing, Alessia is the one saving her own job, his job, and this entire sham of a relationship while Nico mostly contributes apologies and audacity.
And that’s what frustrates me most, because Alessia actually could have been a fantastic heroine. I loved her when she was composed, sharp, standing up for herself and her sisters, quietly exerting power in a room full of men who underestimated her. There was a great female character in here somewhere. Maya Alden just completely sabotaged her by turning her into yet another woman who folds for a man who has done absolutely nothing to deserve it.
And now we need to discuss the true villain of this book: the relentless, soul-sucking avalanche of unnecessary wine and Italy details.
I am not exaggerating when I say there was a chapter that felt like ten pages of straight-up winemaking information. Ten pages. About grapes. Fermentation. Vineyards. Europe. At one point I wanted to yell, Maya, I get it. You know wine. You know Italy. You know Europe. Congratulations on your personal enrichment. Now can we please get back to the part where the asshole hero is supposed to be suffering?
Because I promise you, nobody is picking up a Maya Alden book hoping for a masterclass in viticulture. No one is here for the terroir. No one is clutching their Kindle whispering, “God, I hope there’s a twelve-page tangent about grape processing before the hero apologizes.”
We are here for the betrayal and the grovel. That is the product. And if the grovel is weak while the vineyard gets more page time than the emotional fallout, then something has gone catastrophically wrong.
That said, I didn’t hate everything. I liked Alessia’s relationship with her sisters. I liked the moments where she stood up for herself. I liked the flashes of humor. And I did appreciate that once Nico finally pulled his head out of his ass, he at least seemed genuinely hurt by how badly he’d hurt her. So yes, there was technically a pulse somewhere in the man.
But was it enough? Not even remotely.
Tinsel and Truth remains the gold standard because that was a book where the grovel actually matched the damage done. This? This was just another reminder that Maya Alden has somehow lost all sense of what it means to make a hero truly earn forgiveness.
Will I still read her next blurb and feel tempted? Unfortunately, yes.
Will she probably disappoint me again? Also yes.
Maya Alden’s blurbs are officially catfishing me.
Lately, she sells these books as angsty betrayal-and-grovel romances that are going to emotionally wreck me, and every single time lately, I end up sitting there wondering where exactly the grovel part went. This book had all the ingredients to be a deliciously messy family-legacy marriage-of-convenience drama and instead turned into yet another example of Maya Alden forgetting what people actually read her for.
And what do people read Maya Alden for? Betrayal. Angst. Grovel. Not wine dissertations. Not travel-brochure prose about Italy. Not 10-page lectures on grapes and fermentation like we all accidentally enrolled in Winemaking 101 instead of picking up a romance novel.
Because let me be clear: this book absolutely had the setup for a brutal, satisfying grovel romance.
Nico is being “forced” to marry Alessia in exchange for becoming CEO — except let’s not pretend he’s some tragic victim here. Nobody had a gun to his head. He chose ambition. He chose the CEO role. He chose to marry her for it. And then, having made that choice with his own free will, he spends the book resenting Alessia as if she personally dragged him to the altar.
This man tells her before they’re even engaged that he plans to keep sleeping with other women and that she shouldn’t be upset when she’s publicly humiliated by it.
And Alessia… accepts it.
Because of course she does.
Because apparently in Maya Alden’s newer books, women no longer have the self-respect to burn the whole vineyard down and make the hero crawl through the ashes. No, now they just stand there, nod politely, and absorb humiliation like it’s part of their bridal duties.
And Nico doesn’t stop there. He parades women around in public, lets the narrative grow that Alessia is the plain, unwanted sister he’s cheating on, and uses public embarrassment as a way to punish and push her away. Mind you, he doesn’t even need to actually sleep with these women to destroy her dignity — the implication is enough, and he knows it.
Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, he realizes Alessia is amazing.
And why?
Because she stayed poised while he treated her like dirt.
Because she didn’t scream when another woman rubbed the affair in her face.
Because she suffered his bullshit with grace.
Apparently in Nico’s world, the highest female virtue is being elegant while a man humiliates you in public. How romantic.
So naturally I thought, okay, fine, now comes the grovel.
Except it doesn’t.
He says sorry.
She takes him back.
That’s it. That’s the grovel. That’s the grand romance. That’s apparently all Maya Alden now thinks is required after a hero spends half the book acting like a shallow, self-important asshole.
And even after that, Nico still doesn’t truly prioritize Alessia. He continues to lie when he doesn’t have to. He continues to put his ambitions first. He continues to treat her like an afterthought while claiming to love her. Even the second time he breaks her trust, the “grovel” amounts to him sending messages and repeating that he’s sorry. Sir, that is not a grovel. That is customer-service level damage control.
And don’t even get me started on the supposed grand gesture of him being willing to give up the CEO role. I genuinely fail to see how that was meant to move me when the man is already filthy rich and would still have been just fine without it. Alessia herself points out the obvious: his future generations would not exactly be destitute if he didn’t get to play corporate king. So again I ask — what exactly did he do to earn her back? Because from where I’m standing, Alessia is the one saving her own job, his job, and this entire sham of a relationship while Nico mostly contributes apologies and audacity.
And that’s what frustrates me most, because Alessia actually could have been a fantastic heroine. I loved her when she was composed, sharp, standing up for herself and her sisters, quietly exerting power in a room full of men who underestimated her. There was a great female character in here somewhere. Maya Alden just completely sabotaged her by turning her into yet another woman who folds for a man who has done absolutely nothing to deserve it.
And now we need to discuss the true villain of this book: the relentless, soul-sucking avalanche of unnecessary wine and Italy details.
I am not exaggerating when I say there was a chapter that felt like ten pages of straight-up winemaking information. Ten pages. About grapes. Fermentation. Vineyards. Europe. At one point I wanted to yell, Maya, I get it. You know wine. You know Italy. You know Europe. Congratulations on your personal enrichment. Now can we please get back to the part where the asshole hero is supposed to be suffering?
Because I promise you, nobody is picking up a Maya Alden book hoping for a masterclass in viticulture. No one is here for the terroir. No one is clutching their Kindle whispering, “God, I hope there’s a twelve-page tangent about grape processing before the hero apologizes.”
We are here for the betrayal and the grovel. That is the product. And if the grovel is weak while the vineyard gets more page time than the emotional fallout, then something has gone catastrophically wrong.
That said, I didn’t hate everything. I liked Alessia’s relationship with her sisters. I liked the moments where she stood up for herself. I liked the flashes of humor. And I did appreciate that once Nico finally pulled his head out of his ass, he at least seemed genuinely hurt by how badly he’d hurt her. So yes, there was technically a pulse somewhere in the man.
But was it enough? Not even remotely.
Tinsel and Truth remains the gold standard because that was a book where the grovel actually matched the damage done. This? This was just another reminder that Maya Alden has somehow lost all sense of what it means to make a hero truly earn forgiveness.
Will I still read her next blurb and feel tempted? Unfortunately, yes.
Will she probably disappoint me again? Also yes.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 284 reviews