Rosé with My Fake Fiancé

Aged Like Fine Wine #1

by Liz Alden

I’m alone and miserable in my favorite city in the world until a flirty–and much younger–man pretends to be my fiancé.

I thought that by forty-two, I’d be happily married, but somehow, I’ve been the woman men want to date but don’t want to marry. And now, even my friends have left me alone in the city of love.

Alone—except for Luc, the charming tour guide. He refuses to cancel the trip and reminds me what it’s like to feel sexy and desired. He even rekindles my love for Paris by showing me a side of the city few people see.

Then we run into my ex . . . with his new fiancé on his arm and a smug look on his face.

When Luc holds me close and tells a little lie, their surprise is so satisfying. Maybe a little too satisfying because I wind up in bed with my fake fiancé. The hottest night of my life certainly didn’t feel fake.

Too bad I’m only here for the weekend.

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks, Novella, Contemporary, Amazon

154 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 25, 2023

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

[Ceceliaₓₒₓₒ | hotforbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

《 4.5 ✰ 》rounded up for making my heart smile.

❝
“What if this is it for me? What if I’m just never supposed to get married?”

Tessa, at forty-two years old, didn’t think her life would be like this. Single and moving to Portugal for a fresh start. She and her three best friends decide to meet up in Paris for a weekend of fun. Plans fall through and now the other women will be arriving one day late. Tessa is left to cancel the tour they booked for the day. Luc, the handsome younger tour guide, has other ideas.

Captivating and unforgettable on so many levels.

Level 1: The Friendships

Tessa, Jade, Sara, and Emma will have you reaching out to your friends and emulating the bond these women share. Or maybe you’ll just throw on an episode of Sex and the City. Either way, you will crave more. The way these women defend and check in with each other in the group chat. The way they take pictures of a guy’s license and send locations for everything they do and everywhere they go. The way they drop everything to help and support each other. Big ups for women that support women!


Level 2: The Traveling

Every country I have visited has imprinted on my heart. The sounds, the smells, the food, the history, and the culture — it never leaves you. Tessa and her friends share my passion for traveling. Having all moved to Europe, they decide to meet in a new city once every month. The lush and romantic settings will leave you holding your passport longingly.

❝
I like the streets here in Tavira. I’m right downtown, minutes from the Gilão River and the Mercado Municipal, where I’ve been buying my produce. The old buildings are all whitewashed with little embellishments here and there that I’ve come to love: single buildings tiled in bright blue or painted accents in bright golden yellow and Juliet balconies everywhere.

Level 3: The Romance

I was swooning the moment Luc stepped into the picture. He is confident, charming, and knows how to read people quite well. The way he reminds Tessa how desirable she is. 😮‍💨🫠 This is how Tessa gets her groove back! 💃🏻

❝
A possessive wave rolls over me. She’s disheveled, her lips swollen from the kiss, and her eyes dazed. I did that to her.

“I’ll text you in the morning when I’m on my way to the airport. I’ll come see you next weekend, ma chouchoute. And every Sunday until you tell me to give up.”

Level 4: The Healing

The path to healing is seldom straightforward. There are bound to be residual scars and cracks in the form of mistrust. Whether we doubt ourselves or others. Tessa has a wonderful support system. Friends that remind her to allow herself to be vulnerable again.

❝
But opening up to Luc is high risk and high reward. He could be the love of your life, Tessa, and you deserve that.”

I need books for Jade and Sara immediately. They are a hoot! All of the women have stolen my heart. There were so many relatable and laugh out loud moments. Two scenes in particular had me cackling. I don’t want to spoil it, but the secondhand embarrassment! Just make sure to always knock. 😂

❝
“Friending people in a digital age is weird.”

“Perfect on paper lies.”

Jade thinks orgasms solve everything. Which, to be fair, they solve a lot, so maybe she has a point, but I’m a serial monogamist.

I just got in the backseat like a weirdo. As if he’s an Uber driver. I think he’s laughing at me.

“I had to exchange small bills for bigger ones. You should have seen me at the bank with a stack of damp and wrinkled small bills.” She sniffs. “The banker must have thought a new geriatric strip club opened.”

Overall, this is a story of rediscovering and reinventing oneself after having given up on love. Healing by allowing someone to love you and finding the strength to be vulnerable once more. Brimming with heart, HEAT, and humor. Liz Alden has penned magic. I have one and only one complaint — that I finished so quickly!

Note: Maybe don’t skip the guided tours in Europe. Your Luc might be waiting for you.

Many thanks to Liz Alden and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Continuing down the novella path… A reverse age gap fake fiancé novella that takes place in Paris? I’ll take a double pour of Rose — pretty please and thank you! Looking forward to starting this!

[Rebecca (life's chaotic catching up) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a refreshingly cute novella!!!

-Age Gap
-Second Chance at Love
-Mature Woman
-Strong Female Friendships
-Hot and Flirty

I had so much fun reading this novella! Tessa is in Paris for a girls wkend with her best girlfriends but when travel plans fall through, she ends up on their pre-scheduled tour with her very hot younger Parisian tour guide by herself. They have an immediate attraction and when her ex shows up in Paris guess who steps in as her fake fiancé?!! Yep, hot tour guide Luc!!!

This novella was cute and flirty but also had a lot of depth and heart. I appreciated the female bonds of friendships so much and it was nice to read about mature women navigating the dating world. I can't wait to continue the series with the other friends' stories!

[rae ✿ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“𝘾𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙧? 𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩?”
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙪𝙥 𝙣𝙤𝙬”

“𝙄’𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙛𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙏𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖.”
“𝘼𝙨𝙠 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.”

Tessa is with her tour guide when her asshole ex suddenly shows up with his girlfriend and sees how hurt it makes her. Luc, the tour guide, is doing a little help by saying that both of them are engaged.

There’s so much chemistry between them, but things become a little bit hard when Tessa is forty-two and not looking for any fling. Luc is thirty-one and has so much in front of him, but they decided to just get it out of their system. It was only for one night, and Tessa was only there for the weekend

This is such a sweet, cute, and adorable read that makes me want to immediately book a flight to Paris and meet a cute, hot, younger tour guide.
I love Tessa and Luc so much. It surprisingly has so much depth to each of their characters. I love Tessa's friendship. They are the most endearing. I can't wait to read their stories in the next books.

𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚.
𝙄𝙩 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙇𝙪𝙘 𝙞𝙨.

4⭐

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable short novella set in Paris, filled with cute moments, fun friends, and a burning attraction between an older woman and a younger man. The characters and their dynamics were very fun and refreshing, I loved the reverse age gap and how it played out in the story.

At 42 years old, Tessa had given up on finding love and settling down when her ex dumped her 5 months ago. However, when she ends up alone on her monthly girls' trip, she finds herself enamored by the young tour guide that was supposed to take her and her friends around Paris. Just when the two decide to spend the day together regardless of plans being canceled, her ex shows up with his new fiance on his arm. With revenge in mind, the tour guide, Luc, pretends to be her fiance. The two spend the next 2 days together and explore the city and their attraction to each other. At the end of their time together, Luc makes it clear he wants more than just those 2 days. While Tessa wants more as well, she is hesitant to start anything after all her previous attempts to find love.

This is my first Liz Alden story and I can't wait to read more! Fingers crossed we get to read about this friend group more!

-I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review-

[Sammie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well I just loved that!!!! I’ve only recently discovered Liz Alden books, but as someone who lives to travel and loves to read romance, I am a big fan. This was my favorite so far! Tessa and her three best friends are all moving to Europe with the Digital Nomad Visa, and they decide to meet up during some weekends to explore together. First stop is Paris, Tessa’s favorite, only she’s all on her lonesome the first day due to some unforeseen circumstances.

Enter Luc, the tour guide she booked for her friends. He insists on doing the tour anyways, and they have a lovely time, and some light flirting, until they run into Tessa’s douchebag ex and his new fiancé. Luc thinks fast and suddenly Tessa has a (fake) fiancé of her own! With very real benefits.

Super cute, perfect length, Luc is earnest and very lovely, and Tessa and her friends are serious GOALS! I love that Tessa is obviously very financially comfortable and doesn’t look down on Luc for being in the service industry or for being 11 years younger. I love how Luc views Tessa and how he appreciates her for her, and his Meme is just perfect. Can’t wait to read about the other gals up next! Right after I scour Pinterest for all of the Paris ideas for the trip I am dying to take to Paris after reading this!

[RLbooks (in and out) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Sometimes you need a novella and that was one of those times for me. This was a quick read that I liked and fit my mood. Rose with my Fake Fiancé was a fun time with overall low angst and low stakes and a decent amount of cute and spicy. This is reverse age gap with Tessa (h) being 11 years older than Luc (H). They meet because Luc is scheduled to be a tour guide for Tessa and her friends in Paris, but her friends all got hung up and were coming late. Instead Tessa and Luc spend the day together and have a nice connection. There's also a run-in with Tessa's last boyfriend and a little fib about an engagement. This first book in the series sets up the friend group with details about each of them, but focuses on Tessa's spark with Luc, whether they'll pursue their attraction and if so, will it turn into more? Written in first person, dual POV. No ow/om drama (although the h's ex is in a couple of scenes and is a jerk, neither wants the other back) and neither are virgins (h hadn't been with anyone since the ex and no info given on H).

I liked both Tessa and Luc, but this book did have more telling than showing for my taste. I felt like the reader spent a chunk of time in the characters' heads when I really wanted more dialogue. That said, I enjoyed the premise and the development from their initial meeting to spending time together to how they meet again and then that final push into a relationship. Luc thinks Tessa's above him as he works three jobs and has a crappy apartment. Tessa has a great job but has given up on romance so it takes time for these two to get on the same romantic page, but I loved Luc's gentle persistence. There are a couple of spicy scenes that were also great and a couple interrupted self pleasure scenes lol.

The setting for their romance is in Europe, where Tessa's friend group have all moved to temporarily, so lots of references to sightseeing and the activities that go along with it. Tessa's friends play a big role in the story from texts to in-person scenes. I really enjoyed the friend group, who are all coming from different life situations. The texts were esp good. Luc's grandmother is also an important side character and she was hilarious and fun. Technically Tessa's ex and his new fiancee are also side characters, but thankfully there's not a huge deal made out of them, although Tessa's brand of petty with him (supported by her friends and Luc) was understandable.

I did want more in the ending since it's more of a HFN with a few months into the future and them in love and still seeing each other, but not living together or talking about concrete future plans. The author does have an additional scene of them available for signing up for her newsletter though that said it was further into the future. I'm very curious about a couple of the friends' stories so I may check out more in the series.

[Ta || bookishbluehead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was on the lookout for a sweet and fluffy summer romance and when I more or less stumbled upon this book, I knew I wanted to give it a try.

It has some of my favorite tropes, fake dating and age gap, whereas the fake dating falls a little short for my taste. The two main characters pretend to be engaged for barely 10 minutes, considering the title I thought this would be a bigger plot point.

The whole book seemed very flat. There’s not a lot happening, we don’t see a lot of character development and the romance is kinda instant. It was cute, but it didn’t do much for me.

I liked the writing, it was very straightforward and not too flowery, and it worked very well for me. It was sweet, short and light, perfect for a day in the sun.

[κris ☄ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a surprising book. I adored everything and I want more. I need more. Short but cute, funny, and swoon-worthy. Dear author, you've been amazingly improving and I'm so lucky I get to read your books early. Thank you, and keep on writing! I would love to see and read your best book yet.

[Read_with_charl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, I was a tiny bit sceptical going into this book since I’m not normally a novella reader. I knew from reading the blurb that I needed to read Tessa and Luc’s story so much so that I didn’t realise it was a novella until after it was downloaded. All my initial concerns about the length of this book were unnecessary, as I adored it!

Tessa finds herself alone for a day in the City of Love. Planning to have the day to herself people watching she has the small task of cancelling her original plans of touring the sights of Paris before she can gorge on as many crepes as she desires. Luc, Tessa’s charming tour guide, refuses to allow her to cancel the tour and instead plans the perfect day for her. Throughout the day, their initial sparks builds and when the pair bump into Tessa’s Ex (who has just proposed to his new girlfriend in front of the Eiffel town) Luc refuses to allow him to humiliate Tessa and reveals the news of his and Tessa’s engagement. Will the pair overcome their age gap, long distance, and Tessa’s cheating ex for their HEA?

This is a sweet, well-paced read, with swoon worthy romance, spice and the ultimate friendship group (they really did steal the show).


Liz Alden has changed my perspective on novellas, and I can’t wait to continue the series with Sara’s story.

Read if you enjoy:
• Fake Dating
• Age Gap
• He Falls First
• Dual POV

Many thanks to Liz Alden and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Liz Alden]

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

I am so excited to kick this new series off with such amazing characters. Luc is a cinnamon roll and a total goner for Tessa, who is confident but thinks she's missed out on love and romance. Luc is going to prove her wrong!

I hope you enjoy this couple and the fabulous cast of side characters, too. I can't wait to share their stories.

[Sam I AMNreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

me, constantly saying: "Do the age gap the other way, you cowards!" (I really love some age gap roms but an so exhausted that we as a society can't acknowledge that age gaps with older women are sexier. It's just a fact. You know, objectively speaking.)

So imagine my delight when I found this on kobo plus. It has nice travel vibes, it's sexy, it's quick. It isn't angsty or overly emotional. It's a straightforward romance between a 31 year old tour guide and a42 year old recently dumped woman and a city they adore.

I look forward to checking out more from the author!

[Raelene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you ever read a book and wonder if you even know your own tastes? Because if you asked me my favourite tropes, I would never say age gap or fake dating, I’d tell you forced proximity and enemies-to-lovers. Yet these two main characters live in different countries and he’s obsessed with her (and maybe a little vice versa, but he admits it more openly), and I loved every single thing about this book.

This book had the perfect mix of romance, steam, and friendship. I love when there’s a family aspect in a book, like Luc and his grandmother, but also the found-family that can be shown with incredible friendships. Plus meeting Tessa’s friends, knowing they’re getting their own stories and some of those stories will include a more ‘traditional’ marriage and kids version of family, has me so excited to pick up every book in this series as it comes out.

I’ve read a handful of Liz Alden’s books before, and I knew there wouldn’t be a single moment of disappointment when it came to the steam. This was so hot. While I appreciated Luc’s absolute adoration of Tessa as a person, the pure desire that he looked at her with and the way he appreciated every inch of her body even before things got steamy was so, so good. I loved that Tessa was not only older than many female main characters often tend to be in contemporary romance novels, but she also had a pear shaped body, which I feel like isn’t shown often in other books. But the way she was written in this book, and her confidence about who she is and how she looks, was perfect to me. And certainly to Luc, which he made sure she knew.

Despite the rather short length, the pacing always felt right, and the dual POV worked so well for this story. Obviously because of my love for it, I wouldn’t complain about it being longer, but that’s just me being selfish. I would definitely reread and recommend it, and I cannot wait for the rest of the series.

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.

[Potato (previously Ennie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa is supposed to be on a girl’s weekend in Paris, but her friends can’t be there until the following day, leaving her all on her own. Strangely enough, Paris doesn’t feel so magical when you’re alone and over love. That’s until she meets Luc, the tour guide her friends booked. He’s young, handsome and too charming for his own good and while Tessa doesn’t need a tour, he convinces her to join him anyway... Then they bump into her ex. What are the chances that he’s in Paris at the same time as her? Not to mention the new woman at his side, and the dazzling ring on her finger. Even so, what surprises her more is when Luc pretends to be her fiancé to save face.

This was such a fun read! The writing was simple, but in a way that allowed the story to flow effortlessly. The main characters were sweet. I liked the development of their relationship and how goddamn kind and understanding the love interest was. At times they were a little basic, but it’s a novella so I can’t judge too harshly. All the touristy activities weaved into the narrative made me feel like I was travelling from the comfort of my own couch. I like the way Alden was able to develop the setting of Paris in a way that was rich yet somehow also brief, allowing the reader to fall into the narrative while also moving the story along. Overall, I had a good time! It will be interesting to see where the series is taken in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nattyclibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and I am so grateful I did.

If you're looking for a feel good book, something that will make you laugh and sweat all in a one, then this is the book for you.

This book is about Tessa and her three girlfriends going to Paris for the weekend before they all move to different parts of Europe. Tessa ends up doing the tour they had all paid for alone with the tour guide Luc. After their day touring Paris, Luc helps Tessa back to her hotel with her purchases when they run in to Tessa's ex and his new fiancé. Queue Luc becoming Tessa's fake fiancé.

I'm really hoping to get more books that focus on each of the other friends!

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! I got such a good laugh at the same time I was cheering this couple on to a happy ending. This book made me remember it is never too late for romance and romance does not have a number attached to it.

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

[Lacey Kube · Rating 4 out of 5]

BRB, gonna move to Paris now. This was a cute, short read with some spice and a fun group of girlfriends. It seems this will be a series about the various friends in the group and I’m looking forward to reading the next one when it comes out!

[Maria | Marias Book Recs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet, lovely, spicy little novella! I love these stories that tell us there's no specific time of life, or way to look, or size, or WHATEVR to have the best most wonderful kind of love! Tessa & Luc & their wonderful friends give that message so beautifully. I love a good revenge plot, and the revenge against Tessa’s ex is sooo satisfying. And the setting of Paris is amazing, I love that it focused on less touristy things and really painted a picture of the beautiful city of lights :)
Overall very cute, quick read to make you swoon ❤️
Thank you for the ARC!!!!!

[Sarah~Book Obsession Confessions · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ROSÉ STARS
This novella is very satisfying, it really has so much to offer in a short story.
It gave me all the romantic butterflies, incredible atmosphere, culture, steam and awesome friendships.
Tessa and her 3 best friends have left the US to work abroad, they are living in different European countries for a year with the promise to meet up once a month.
I felt their strong friendship and got a taste of each character’s personality. They are fiercely loyal friends and a lot of fun.
Tessa meets the charming and sexy, Luc who is 11 years younger than her in Paris before she even reaches her destination of Portugal. They have one incredible night of flirting, conversation and a super steamy one night stand…..But, it turns out, they both want more.
Some things that make this story so great is the way the culture of the cities, art and food subtly blend with the emotional aspects of the characters journeys. This is true of everything I’ve read by this author.
This author’s style is always such a pleasure to read.
In this novella so much is conveyed about the characters struggles, their feelings for each other and it’s also super sensual and hot.
The secondary characters are integral to the story without taking away from the main characters romance and their relationships development.
I absolutely loved this story and the amazing characters. It was such a great escape, an absolute pleasure to read. I highly recommend it.
I can’t wait for Tessa’s friends story in the upcoming interconnected book.

#wanderlust

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a new to me author and I thoroughly enjoyed reading her newest book. It was cute, sweet, and sexy. This was more novella length than full-length novel and that's perhaps the biggest disappointment, I wanted more!

Luc...*sigh.* A girl could get use to having a guy like that adore and love on you. He was a sweetheart who took care of his grandmother, worked 3 jobs, and flirted shamelessly with Tessa, a woman 11 years his senior.

Tessa was 42, single, and thinking she'd never meet the man of her dreams and get married. She thought she had found him, but he turned out to be a cheating douche. Her other 3 single best friends are also down on their luck with men, so they decide to move across the ocean (to different countries no less) and see what the world has to offer them for their careers. That's how Tessa meets Luc. Her besties were delayed a day in arriving to Paris, but Luc didn't let Tessa cancel the tour he was supposed to lead them on. So he showed her around the city as a local.

Tessa and Luc were so cute together. They were there for one another and uplifted the other, even if they were battling their own self doubts. Luc was more relentless in his pursuit of Tessa than vice versa, but it's only because Tessa had huge obstacles over their age difference and the fact that they lived a 2 hour flight away from the other. In the end, they get their HEA and make things work out.

I will say the romance part was really rushed. They go from deciding to be boyfriend/girlfriend in the end to the epilogue showing them as a couple months later. I'm still not sure how all that worked out and wish the author had given us a little more details to help bridge and strengthen the connection.

Overall, a solid read and I'll definitely be looking for the next book in the series (that I hope was what we got a sneak peek of).

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Travel writer Tessa O'Keefe recently decided to move to Portugal for a year, but before she settles into her new apartment, she's meeting up with several friends for a weekend in Paris. A series of unfortunate events leads to her being on her own for the first day of the trip, so Tessa, having visited Paris several times in the past, decides to cancel the guided city tour they'd previously booked. Her plans change again after she meets handsome tour guide Luc, who convinces her to spend the day with him anyway. Later that afternoon, Tessa and Luc are returning to her hotel after a wonderful day together when they unexpectedly run into her odious ex-boyfriend, who happens to be staying at the same hotel with his new fiancee. Sensing Tessa's discomfort, Luc impulsively comes to her rescue by claiming to be her fiance. They agree to keep up the ruse after Tessa's suspicious ex invites them to his engagement party the following evening, but can Luc persuade Tessa to give him a chance at a real relationship too?

I really enjoyed this charming story, which was the perfect length for a quick afternoon read. I particularly appreciated that Tessa was a slightly "older" heroine (42) - very relatable considering that's just a few years older than me! I understood her concerns about dating Luc, not just because of their age difference (she was 11 years older than him), but also because of the fact that they lived in different countries. Besides, her last breakup had really damaged her confidence, and after that she'd given up on the idea of ever getting married. Luc was determined to change her mind, however, and he was the perfect man to do it. He really was a sweetheart, and I loved how devoted he was to caring for his grandmother, who was a fun secondary character. I also liked Tessa's friend group and look forward to seeing more of them in future stories.

I'd recommend "Rose with My Fake Fiance" for all contemporary romance fans and look forward to the next book in the series.

*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Saloni Porwal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun and interesting read!!! Age gap with a woman older than a man is a trope I haven't read before, but I loved this. I'm in for the entire series.

I found this perfect as a short, one-sitting novella (Exactly why I requested an eARC)

The pretty cover is eye-catching, but I don't think it conveys what you would be signing up for. While the book cover shows a young-looking couple, I didn't picture the MCs looking anything like this.

What I found unique- Many authors prefer the love at first sight trope, but this goes beyond looks and lust, landing on pure chemistry and connection. I was happy to see that the interactions of all characters befitted their age with mature, productive conversations.

Final thoughts? I'm getting my hands on the sequel of this book- Riesling with My Roommate- ASAP. And till then, you should go and read this beauty.

[Sarah Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely short but well thought out story.
The tale is too complex to give a scenario here but it centres on two people, Tessa and Luc. He is initially her tour guide of Paris but when the bump into her nasty ex boyfriend he becomes the fake fiance of the title.
Some well thought out secondary characters in this book and I understand that they will be headlining in their own books in the future.
This book has plenty of humour and some wonderful sex too.
For a short book it packs a lot of detail and introductions to our four main ladies. Luc is just yummy, I would happily have him as my boyfriend too. (Not sure what my husband would have to say about that though!)
I'm looking forward to the next books in this series.
Like a fine French wine this authors writing is getting better with age!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply adored this story between Tessa & Luc. A curvy, confident 42 year old who feels like she’s missed out on love & a flirty, caring, hardworking guy who knows what & WHO he wants. The side characters in this book were so fun & I have a feeling we’ll get to learn more about them in a series *fingers crossed* Alden never disappoints with her locations & facts. She puts so much time & thought into her series. I’m a huge fan & can’t wait to see what’s next!

“And Tessa? If James had looked at me with half as much affection as Luc looks at you, we’d be having a very different conversation. Think about that.”

[Maggie Kreutzer-Lenderink · Rating 5 out of 5]

Liz Alden has done it again folks!!! I was so excited when I found out I got an arc for this book; and I immediately jumped into it. This a very cute age gap romance that had me blushing and being a silly little school girl on every page. I love how there was insta chemistry between Luc and Tessa. The chemistry was so natural it made it feel so real. The fake fiancé revenge plot was something I've never seen before but for a novella/short story it was soo good. I loved how at times you wanted to shake the book... [in my case my Kindle] because you wanted the main characters to actually look at each other and see whatever one else saw. I loved the ending so much. It wrapped up everything so well. I will read this over and over again.
Thank you for this once in a life time chance

[Amanda LeAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the story of Tessa and Luc. I myself related so much to this book through Tessa’s eyes of never being enough for someone or even being in a loving relationship that would turn to marriage. All that changes when she meets Luc, the younger sexy tour guide in Paris. He shows her exactly what love is and how she deserves to be treated. After a run in with her ex James and his new fiancé, Luc and Tessa lie they are also engaged. What started out as harmless turns out to be much more. I hope you fall in love with Tessa and Luc and their story ad much as I have.

Rating: 5⭐️
Spicy: 3 1/2 🌶️

[Lena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I requested this book because I'm a big fan of fake dating and I thought that the age gap aspect sounded very interesting.

Sadly the fake dating was very short, which I find a bit disappointing for a book that has the words "My Fake Fiancé" in the title.

The book itself is almost 200 pages long and was a quick read. It still took me a while to get into the story and somehow I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. Of the characters, I liked Luc the least, even though he seemed really cute at first.

Unfortunately I found the spicy scenes anything but sexy and only skimmed them roughly.

It's a short and easy read and you should read it if you like the age gap trope and insta love.

Thank you to NetGalley for this E-Arc

[Neusitas · Rating 3 out of 5]

7 / 10 ⭐️
Romántica Contemporánea / Age gap (ella es mayor) / Fake relationship

A Tessa la dejan plantada sus amigas en París y acaba pasando el día a solas con su guapo guía turístico y de ahí nace el amor…

Bueno, me ha parecido super corto. Y aunque es bonito y sexy me hubiera gustado más desarrollo.
La verdad es que me ha gustado lo suficiente para leer los de las demás amigas.

[Nichole Ringler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a super cute and fun quick read. I loved Tessa and her friends. It made me want to be a part of their group. I laughed out loud many times and the spice scenes were great. I loved the chemistry between Tessa and Luc, especially the way he worshiped her and valued her physique.

[thewoollygeek (tea, cake, crochet & books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gorgeous light read full of heart. I loved this so much and I was quite emotional at times reading this. Lovely story, great characters and a happy ending, I will definitely be back for more from Liz Alden
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Marianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great fake fiancé romance.. I loved it! Steamy/sweet, charming, and so fun-to-read...