This is an adorable novella that makes you believe in the magic 9f Paris and love. The story had a warm and welcoming feel and was a pleasure to read.

A super short age-gap romance of opportunity based in Paris.
This novella was really cute. Tessa, a travel writer is in Paris who was waiting for her friends to arrive for a tour around the city but when they cancel last minute, she's deflated but still plans on mooching around the city for the day. Luc, the French tour guide still arrives and convinces Tessa to take the tour with him but instead of a stereotypical tourist attraction tour he takes her on less known and hard to access places that she loves. Their chemistry and flirting is really easy to connect with and appears almost effortless.
Tessa runs into her ex James and his incredibly recent fiancee Yumi at her favourite hotel in one of her favourite cities...coincidence? Tessa and Luc decide to get back at James and here's where the fake Fiancé premise begins. Wiping a smug look off of the bitter couples faces, the pair continue a flirtatious tour and part ways with the promise of dinner, where their relationship continues to heat up through the novella.
This was such a quick read it was difficult to fully immerse yourself with the characters at some point. Luc caring for his grandmother, Tessa's rise to being her own boss, travelling and writing for a living.
I understand a novella is meant to be short and sweet which this was but I always finish them wanting more.

Liz Alden does an excellent job of grabbing your heart in this novella. Just the thing your looking for when all you want is a cute, steamy weekend read.

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.

Tessa and her three friends plan a weekend in Paris -- however, Tessa is the only one that shows up on time. They had a tour schedule with Luc, and when Tessa goes to cancel - he changes her mind and a whirlwind romance begins.

Easy, quick summery read - older character and a younger man, the characters are fun and interesting. I enjoyed reading this one!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

Tessa is in Paris for a girl's weekend but none of her friends were able to make it on time for she is alone. She has a group tour scheduled for her friends, but she plans to cancel it because she is so familiar with Paric. When Luc shows up, he convinces her to go on the tour and he promises to make Paris new to her. They connect quickly but Tessa has been hurt and Luc is so much younger that she refuses to believe that Luc might be her perfect match.

Tessa has a lot of fear that she has to overcome to take a chance on a relationship with Luc. It was nice that the author gave her time and space to figure out what she wanted. Luc is a nice man that takes care of his grandmother and works multiple jobs because he feels the responsibility he has taken on. He doesn't get a whole lot of growth during the story, but he is a nice catalyst for Tessa's growth. I liked the bad guy. Yup, I said it. He was awful and he made a great foil for Tessa.

This is a quick read but it has a lot of heart. I actually thought I might cry when Tessa and Luc couldn't figure out if they were meant to be together (yeah, I'm talking around what happens). This story takes place in Paris and in Portugal. There is a happily ever after. I will read more from this author in the future.

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

Let me start by saying that I really love the cover on this novella. The story is a lighthearted romantic comedy that takes place in Paris and later in Portugal. It’s written in dual POV, Tessa’s and Lucs.

Tessa’s in Paris waiting to meet her friends to go on a tour. While waiting she finds out that they booked a day late and will not be arriving for the tour. When the tour guide, Luc, shows up to take them she requests to cancel it, but he refuses and proposes an individual one. While on the tour around Paris Tessa and Luc have a ton of chemistry and keep flirting. Until they run into her ex, who’s there celebrating his engagement. Tessa is definitely shocked and hurt, but Luc is there pretending to be her fiancé. From pretending to spending a steamy night together. Will it end once the sun rises? She’s leaving in the morning to Portugal.

I’ve really enjoyed the story and the characters. Tessa’s character is very relatable and you just want to cheer for her. And Lucs character is the perfect gentleman. Tessa’s friends remind me of my best friends with their opinions and attitudes.
The story is very well written and has many unexpected funny moments. It also provides you with details of Paris and its museums. If you’re looking for a lighthearted romantic comedy with a happy ending this is definitely the story for you.

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

A sweet novella, of 42-year-old Tessa, in Paris who feels alone until she meets a much younger man, Luc. He is Tessa’s saviour, making her feel desirable, especially when she bumps into her ex, who has his new fiancé in tow. Soon, Luc who pretends to be her fiancé, ends up spending the night with her. Their feelings soon become more than just a passing romance.
This was a great read, with characters that worked well together. Whilst a novella can struggle to give depth to a story, this one did have good character development. The backdrop of Paris was convincing in its description and made me feel like I could be there.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4* Short and spicy.

Groan, not another fake fiancé plot. Ah, this one is with a difference. The heroine is in her forties and the hero ten years younger. Together they show her cheating arrogant ex that he's not as important as he thinks he is, and in the process they end up falling for each other. Trouble is that they live in separate countries.

Book one, there'll be more featuring Tessa's three friends.

With thanks to the author, Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ARC, this review is my personal, unbiased opinion.

This was such a fun read!

A super cute novella about Tessa and the gorgeous younger Frenchman Luc who sweeps her off her feet. It’s witty, sexy and the circle of friends are hilarious. I’m hoping every one of the ladies gets their own HEA.

Grab a cold glass of rosé and enjoy this adorable rom com set in the city of love 🇫🇷

I loved this long novella length romance featuring an age gap, older woman/younger man romance set mainly in beautiful Paris. Tessa, at 42, feels like she's too old to still be chasing romance and love. If it hasn't happened now, it will probably never happen and she's given up hoping. Luc is 31, a sweet, adorable, caring guy who takes care of his grandmother, and works 3 jobs, including PT tour guide, in order to make ends meet.

When Tessa's friends are delayed on their weekend girls' getaway and she ends up alone in Paris with Luc, who was hired to be their tour guide for the day, they end up spending a magical day touring the city, capped off with a run-in with Tessa's ex, who flaunts his engagement to a younger woman, prompting Tessa to introduce Luc as her own fiance. Maybe it's not too late for love to find Tessa after all!

This was the perfect afternoon escape, featuring an older heroine, her supportive and fun gal pals, a great, romantic setting (both in Paris and in the Algarve), and a wonderful hero to swoon over. Tessa's friends are perfectly set up for their own stories, and all of this was accomplished in a relatively short word count. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

This book will make an American or anyone want to travel the world, like Tessa does as she moves to Europe. I loved the scene where Tessa meets James and his new fiancée, Yumi, and how that completely blew up in James’s face at the engagement party.

This novella is a satisfying read, brimming with romance, cultural exploration, steamy encounters, and the joys of friendship. Tessa and her three best friends, with their Sex and the City-esque vibes, have left the United States to work abroad, living in different European countries for a year with a promise to reunite once a month.

For me this friendship group providing a wonderful backdrop of humor, loyalty, and camaraderie that is an enjoying to read. Tessa, having given up on love after a painful breakup, meets the charming and seductive Luc, who is 11 years her junior, during her monthly girls' trip to Paris. The two share a magical night of flirting, conversation, and a steamy one-night stand.

As the trip comes to an end, Luc makes it clear that he wants more than just a fling. Tessa is hesitant, but she is also drawn in by Luc's charm and undeniable chemistry. The characters are well-developed, and their interactions are both witty and genuine.

While this novella is fun and easy, it does leave you wanting more and you'll find yourself eagerly anticipating your next adventure with Tessa and her friends.

This romantic novella is such a good read in between my normal thriller and historical fiction reads. I have to say I enjoyed the story plot. Easy reading and lots of funny moments there.

A 42 year-old Tessa is a travel editor. She and her three other girlfriends promised having a monthly travel. This time they decided to visit one of the most romantic cities in the world - Paris.

However, just Tessa could make it there on time while the others had different personal reasons to delay a day of arrival, even they booked and paid for a tour guide. The young and handsome and flirty tour guide named Luc, who spent the first day with Tessa, even though Tessa knew the city very well. Well…I guess it’s affection!

When Tessa bumped into her ex-boyfriend who was holding his charming and young fiancé…Tessa faked it. Luc introduced himself as Tessa’s fiancé. Will this one of the “Fake it until you make it scenario”?

If you want to read something relaxing and make you laugh, this is the one you are looking for. About love, destiny, age gap relationship, trust and friendship.

Many thanks to netgalley and Liz Alden for this wonderful copy!

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.

This was a cute short story. I felt like there was a lot missing to the book like the back story of her issues in the states before she moved to Europe. It mainly just focused on her and her issues on needing to leave the States and giving up on romance. I like reading books with more of a backstory that's why I gave it such a low rating.

Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review as always all words are my own.

This was a nice quick read that was honestly exactly what i thought it would be. The characters are likable, and I didn't want to put it down. I actually read it pretty much in one sitting (minus the first 2 chapters I read quickly waiting for my coffee to brew at work). There wasn't anything super exciting, but it was a fast and sweet romance that I enjoyed. I liked that the main character was a middle-aged woman in her 40s with a realistic body type. That is refreshing for a romance.

I must confess I requested this ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) because the description made it sound like the movie “French Kiss”, which is one of my favorite movies. Even down the the Main Male Character being named Luc.
But it’s not a French Kiss knock off and is instead it’s own fun story about a group of middle aged Texan friends.
They have all moved to various parts of Europe and get together once a month in different spots around Europe. Their first weekend get together is in Paris and when the rest of the group is delayed by a day Tessa ends up spending the day alone with the tour guide they have hired, Luc. Sparks were already flying between them when they run into Tessa’s ex-boyfriend and decide to pretend to be engaged to make him jealous.
Fun and spicy quick read.
There are just a few things that kept this from being a five star. I think this NEEDED another spicy scene towards the end of the book. Something slow and reverential. Something just breathlessly loving.
The other thing is it’s clearly setting up for a four book series, and falls into the same issue other first books in a series have— too much time is spent setting up for the next books. ESPECIALLY for such a short book. The entire epilogue is not needed. I’d honestly prefer more time with Tessa and Luc adoring each other than using almost all of it to set up Jade and Carlos’s book.
Overall, very much enjoyed it.

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).