What do you think?
Rate this book
Love & Tacos #3
My Fair Señor
When school sweethearts reunite in an unexpectedly bumpy quest for the smoothest spirit, they’ll prove that nothing pairs better with tacos than tequila.
San Diego-based model and influencer Jaime Montez isn’t the heir—or even the spare—to his family’s Taco King fast-food empire. So after he’s asked to be the face of yet another non-Hispanic, celebrity-owned tequila company, Jaime decides to reinvent his role in the family he’s going to start his own liquor brand. The problem? He’s an agave amateur. He needs help if he expects to ever master mezcal. And he has the perfect teacher in mind. . . .
Alma Garcia is the toast of Tiburón. Having passed the grueling examen de Consejo Regulador del Tequila in Mexico, Alma used her extensive knowledge as a certified catadora to open the hottest mezcal bar in Marin County. When her college flame returns with a tempting proposition—he’ll promote her business in the local Cinco de Mayo Street Festival if she’ll bring him into the world of tequila—it’s as if the holiday spirits are bringing Jaime and Alma back together.
She has plenty to teach him about tequila—from harvesting the agave to taking a proper sip, and even introduces him to farmers who grow and bottle their own local mezcals. Their chemistry is intoxicating, but Jaime’s ulterior motives for reconnecting bring the threat of another serious love hangover, leaving them both to wonder if this second chance at romance is worth the shot. . . .
San Diego-based model and influencer Jaime Montez isn’t the heir—or even the spare—to his family’s Taco King fast-food empire. So after he’s asked to be the face of yet another non-Hispanic, celebrity-owned tequila company, Jaime decides to reinvent his role in the family he’s going to start his own liquor brand. The problem? He’s an agave amateur. He needs help if he expects to ever master mezcal. And he has the perfect teacher in mind. . . .
Alma Garcia is the toast of Tiburón. Having passed the grueling examen de Consejo Regulador del Tequila in Mexico, Alma used her extensive knowledge as a certified catadora to open the hottest mezcal bar in Marin County. When her college flame returns with a tempting proposition—he’ll promote her business in the local Cinco de Mayo Street Festival if she’ll bring him into the world of tequila—it’s as if the holiday spirits are bringing Jaime and Alma back together.
She has plenty to teach him about tequila—from harvesting the agave to taking a proper sip, and even introduces him to farmers who grow and bottle their own local mezcals. Their chemistry is intoxicating, but Jaime’s ulterior motives for reconnecting bring the threat of another serious love hangover, leaving them both to wonder if this second chance at romance is worth the shot. . . .
288 pages, ebook
First published November 25, 2025
12 people are currently reading
6347 people want to read
About the author
Alana Albertson
107 books956 followersAlana Albertson is a multi-award winning author, current President of Romance Writers of America's Contemporary Romance Chapter and the former President of both Romance Writers of America’s Young Adult and Chick Lit chapters. Alana Albertson holds a Masters of Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Stanford University. A recovering professional ballroom dancer, Alana currently writes contemporary romance, new adult and young adult fiction. She lives in San Diego, California, with her husband, two young sons, and four dogs. When she’s not spending her time playing with her sons, dancing, or saving dogs from high kill shelters through Pugs N Roses, the rescue she founded, she can be found watching episodes Homeland, Devious Maids, or Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
November 10, 2025
Thank you for the e-arc Berkley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. I didn't think I would ever read a book so harmful in the year 2025 but it is here.
I don't even know where to begin because there is not a singular positive attribute about this book. The characters, couple, and plot were all just so blah.
One of my dear mutuals described this perfectly, this is performative Mexican representation. This is exactly what any American or White person associates Mexicans to and frankly it's really harmful to see this book be in any stage towards final publication.
As a Mexican-American, I am hurt by the clear cultural appropriation of this book.
Let's start off with Jamie, the MMC. He is everything you would expect from someone with a machista mind set. The way he carries himself and talks about the people around him caters to this idea that he's "better" or "superior" to everyone around him. You even see this through his decision to start a Tequila business even though he knows nothing about the industry. He says that he's doing it because "white people" are taking up space in the tequila industry but this man is a Mexican-American from the U.S. Despite what he believes, he isn't much different then those white people because of the way he's approaching the business of Tequila. He's treating it as a conquest rather than a passion he has.
Jamie's internal monologue and language feels quite literally like an insult. In just the beginning chapters of the book, he describes how he wishes to be sucking the FMC's "titties" yup, you read that correctly. Almost every time he discusses the FMC it's also sexualizing the things she does and it's just so gross to read about. The first time he's intimate with her, he says he wants to "raw dog" her. Lord Jesus Christ, NO ONE TALKS LIKE THIS. It's just flat out immature language that only a prepubescent boy would use.
I don't know what the author was trying to do with this language, perhaps she was trying to cater to Tik Tok culture but as someone who is part of Gen Z and uses Tiktok, No one in their everyday vocabulary uses these words.
Next, The conversations including Mexico in this book were extremely off putting. In this book the CITY (and I say this in all caps because that's literally what it is) Guadalajara is described as a small market town. My dad grew up around Guadalajara and in no way is it small, it's vibrant, beautiful, and busy. It really does not take even a second to look up videos of what Guadalajara is like and it's everything this book didn't describe.
One of the most infuriating things about this book was the conversations about Mexico that perpetuates so many harmful stereotypes especially those that associate Mexico with drugs, sex trafficking and violence. It is exhausting to constantly have to fight against this especially in today's political climate. We are constantly seeing our people be persecuted and attacked within the U.S. and books like this are exactly why our voices are constantly being suppressed.
I feel no love from this book nor will I ever speak of this book in any positive light. This book caters not to Mexicans but to whiteness through assimilation. Our stories do not deserve to be watered down for your attention. I am deeply disappointed by this book. How this is going to be published in the year 2025 is beyond me but trust me when I say DO NOT READ THIS.
Listen to all the Mexican creators who have been reviewing this book and calling it out for what it is. Some reviews I encourage you read are from @mood_reading_maya and @Bookishfairy_reads who also go into more detail about the problems of this book.
Wow. I didn't think I would ever read a book so harmful in the year 2025 but it is here.
I don't even know where to begin because there is not a singular positive attribute about this book. The characters, couple, and plot were all just so blah.
One of my dear mutuals described this perfectly, this is performative Mexican representation. This is exactly what any American or White person associates Mexicans to and frankly it's really harmful to see this book be in any stage towards final publication.
As a Mexican-American, I am hurt by the clear cultural appropriation of this book.
Let's start off with Jamie, the MMC. He is everything you would expect from someone with a machista mind set. The way he carries himself and talks about the people around him caters to this idea that he's "better" or "superior" to everyone around him. You even see this through his decision to start a Tequila business even though he knows nothing about the industry. He says that he's doing it because "white people" are taking up space in the tequila industry but this man is a Mexican-American from the U.S. Despite what he believes, he isn't much different then those white people because of the way he's approaching the business of Tequila. He's treating it as a conquest rather than a passion he has.
Jamie's internal monologue and language feels quite literally like an insult. In just the beginning chapters of the book, he describes how he wishes to be sucking the FMC's "titties" yup, you read that correctly. Almost every time he discusses the FMC it's also sexualizing the things she does and it's just so gross to read about. The first time he's intimate with her, he says he wants to "raw dog" her. Lord Jesus Christ, NO ONE TALKS LIKE THIS. It's just flat out immature language that only a prepubescent boy would use.
I don't know what the author was trying to do with this language, perhaps she was trying to cater to Tik Tok culture but as someone who is part of Gen Z and uses Tiktok, No one in their everyday vocabulary uses these words.
Next, The conversations including Mexico in this book were extremely off putting. In this book the CITY (and I say this in all caps because that's literally what it is) Guadalajara is described as a small market town. My dad grew up around Guadalajara and in no way is it small, it's vibrant, beautiful, and busy. It really does not take even a second to look up videos of what Guadalajara is like and it's everything this book didn't describe.
One of the most infuriating things about this book was the conversations about Mexico that perpetuates so many harmful stereotypes especially those that associate Mexico with drugs, sex trafficking and violence. It is exhausting to constantly have to fight against this especially in today's political climate. We are constantly seeing our people be persecuted and attacked within the U.S. and books like this are exactly why our voices are constantly being suppressed.
I feel no love from this book nor will I ever speak of this book in any positive light. This book caters not to Mexicans but to whiteness through assimilation. Our stories do not deserve to be watered down for your attention. I am deeply disappointed by this book. How this is going to be published in the year 2025 is beyond me but trust me when I say DO NOT READ THIS.
Listen to all the Mexican creators who have been reviewing this book and calling it out for what it is. Some reviews I encourage you read are from @mood_reading_maya and @Bookishfairy_reads who also go into more detail about the problems of this book.
November 8, 2025
Thank you to Berkley, and their Hub for Underrepresented Voices, for the e-ARC.
There are many things that I could say when it comes to elaborating on what did not work for me in this book, but I want to focus on three primary areas and breakdown why they proved to be troubling as a Mexican American reader.
Cultural appropriation and cultural capitalization:
Alberson makes one point very clear: If anyone is going to profit off of Mexican culture, it should only be other Mexicans. The entire premise of why Jaime and Alma reconnect after a three year separation is because Jaime is holding tightly to his resentment and anger over being asked to promote a tequila brand owned by a white celebrity. And while I will expand on these characters’ attachments to whiteness later on, it’s important to note that Jaime knows absolutely nothing about tequila before deciding to jump into the deep end with the idea to start his own tequila brand. Rather than embark on his own education journey, he decides to profit off the expertise, clout, and recognition that his ex-girlfriend has built for herself and her business. Jaime’s argument, that he has more right to develop and establish a tequila brand than a white celebrity, is repeated ad nauseum. “‘We are Mexican. We have more rights than he does to profit off tequila. So, I came up with the idea to start one.’” Everything about this argument, and the manner in which Jaime anticipates expanding his knowledge of his product of choice, screams of cultural appropriation and insincerity. In the sense that, I am entitled to capitalize on my culture! But Jaime is not, in fact, willing to interrogate or reflect too deeply on whether or how he is connected to that Mexican identity. This could have been an opportunity for character development, but it was entirely bypassed. Indeed, Alberson’s poor use of cultural appropriation and cultural capitalization first began in Ramon and Julieta, with the story arc of a stolen taco recipe and gentrification. It continued in Kiss Me, Mi Amor with how the author employed the progressive vs. conservative main characters and leaning into stereotypes. And it has sadly reached its pinnacle in My Fair Senor.
Emotional maturity and emotional growth, or lack thereof, when it comes to character development:
Jaime is an over grown man child. In his own words, “What was he doing with his life, besides partying like it was 1999 nightly and hooking up with some hot chicas? Fine—make that many, many hot chicas.” Or, alternatively, “He could easily be tried and convicted as a womanizer, but he truly worshiped and respected females. He loved everything about them—their scents, their soft bodies, their strong minds. Jaime was many things, but a misogynist wasn’t one of them.” Ahem. I beg to differ, and the text certainly has things playing out very differently. Moreover, the ongoing discourse about lack of nuance in the romance genre is clearly on display here. Everything is on the page. The reader is being told exactly what to think and how actions should be interpreted. Alma and Jaime, for the most part, don’t change through out the course of the book. And to see that Alma is the one making the “grand gesture” in the last few chapters, is yet another example of a man benefiting from the emotional labor of a woman. For a story that is already charging full steam ahead with a flimsy premise and teetering into ethnic and class stereotypes, this is to be expected and is nonetheless disappointing.
The politics within this book as they relate to assimilation, “choice feminism,” and capitalism:
There is A LOT of pandering and catering to whiteness in this book. And when I say whiteness, I mean the many facets that come with it within the text: (1) cultural assimilation, (2) economic privilege, (3) voluntourism, (4) gender presentation, and (5) internalized racism.
(1) Cultural assimilation intersects with capitalism most frequently on page. It underpins the “us versus them” dynamic. You can see this in how swiftly and easily Alma’s opinion of the Cinco de Mayo festival changes and in the guilt she expresses when discussing her choice to move to a more privileged community: “It’s just so hard. And I feel so fucking guilty. But I want to have my own life. And live where I work. I guess I’m just selfish.”
(2) Ye olde poor little Richie Rich trope. Sure, you can tell me that Jaime absolutely understands the power behind his generational wealth, but when there is also an underlying narrative about him being an aimless, immature, “no sabo” kid (author’s description, not mine), was the goal character growth? Because all that comes through is pity…and certainly not emotional maturity.
(3) So much about their trip to Guadalajara brings the colonizer vibes.
(4) It’s Alma’s choice to dress sexy as an entrepreneur, sommelier, tequiladora, and (by all accounts) successful Latina in a predominantly white community. As the text describes it: “She was wearing what he considered her uniform, a tight black velvet bustier and even tighter jeans.” I have to ask myself whether this depiction of femininity is an attempt to flip that stereotype of “pecho-nalidad” on its head. If that’s what was intended, given other plot and descriptive aspects, it’s woefully unsuccessful.
(5) What critical review would be complete without some discussion of characters’ internalized racism? Side characters perpetuate narratives of Mexico being unsafe (you’ll be kidnapped and sex trafficked!); and there is a casual allusion to “gangs here from different countries fighting for turf domination.” (Tell me you’ve been drinking the right wing “illegal immigrants are dangerous” kool-aid without telling me.) Taken as a whole, these main characters are never beating the DEFECTORS allegations. And I stand by that assertion!
There are so many other things that are discomfiting or lazy about the writing: the constant description of food smells that only involve tacos and churros; the “critic” that holds the lifeblood of Alma’s bar in their hands but doesn’t merit a name; the constant sexual objectification between the main characters, which simply does not pass muster as lust or attraction. It’s safe to say I won’t be picking up another book by this author after reading this series.
TL;DR—don’t let someone tell you that reading romance isn’t political. Because look at all this mess.
There are many things that I could say when it comes to elaborating on what did not work for me in this book, but I want to focus on three primary areas and breakdown why they proved to be troubling as a Mexican American reader.
Cultural appropriation and cultural capitalization:
Alberson makes one point very clear: If anyone is going to profit off of Mexican culture, it should only be other Mexicans. The entire premise of why Jaime and Alma reconnect after a three year separation is because Jaime is holding tightly to his resentment and anger over being asked to promote a tequila brand owned by a white celebrity. And while I will expand on these characters’ attachments to whiteness later on, it’s important to note that Jaime knows absolutely nothing about tequila before deciding to jump into the deep end with the idea to start his own tequila brand. Rather than embark on his own education journey, he decides to profit off the expertise, clout, and recognition that his ex-girlfriend has built for herself and her business. Jaime’s argument, that he has more right to develop and establish a tequila brand than a white celebrity, is repeated ad nauseum. “‘We are Mexican. We have more rights than he does to profit off tequila. So, I came up with the idea to start one.’” Everything about this argument, and the manner in which Jaime anticipates expanding his knowledge of his product of choice, screams of cultural appropriation and insincerity. In the sense that, I am entitled to capitalize on my culture! But Jaime is not, in fact, willing to interrogate or reflect too deeply on whether or how he is connected to that Mexican identity. This could have been an opportunity for character development, but it was entirely bypassed. Indeed, Alberson’s poor use of cultural appropriation and cultural capitalization first began in Ramon and Julieta, with the story arc of a stolen taco recipe and gentrification. It continued in Kiss Me, Mi Amor with how the author employed the progressive vs. conservative main characters and leaning into stereotypes. And it has sadly reached its pinnacle in My Fair Senor.
Emotional maturity and emotional growth, or lack thereof, when it comes to character development:
Jaime is an over grown man child. In his own words, “What was he doing with his life, besides partying like it was 1999 nightly and hooking up with some hot chicas? Fine—make that many, many hot chicas.” Or, alternatively, “He could easily be tried and convicted as a womanizer, but he truly worshiped and respected females. He loved everything about them—their scents, their soft bodies, their strong minds. Jaime was many things, but a misogynist wasn’t one of them.” Ahem. I beg to differ, and the text certainly has things playing out very differently. Moreover, the ongoing discourse about lack of nuance in the romance genre is clearly on display here. Everything is on the page. The reader is being told exactly what to think and how actions should be interpreted. Alma and Jaime, for the most part, don’t change through out the course of the book. And to see that Alma is the one making the “grand gesture” in the last few chapters, is yet another example of a man benefiting from the emotional labor of a woman. For a story that is already charging full steam ahead with a flimsy premise and teetering into ethnic and class stereotypes, this is to be expected and is nonetheless disappointing.
The politics within this book as they relate to assimilation, “choice feminism,” and capitalism:
There is A LOT of pandering and catering to whiteness in this book. And when I say whiteness, I mean the many facets that come with it within the text: (1) cultural assimilation, (2) economic privilege, (3) voluntourism, (4) gender presentation, and (5) internalized racism.
(1) Cultural assimilation intersects with capitalism most frequently on page. It underpins the “us versus them” dynamic. You can see this in how swiftly and easily Alma’s opinion of the Cinco de Mayo festival changes and in the guilt she expresses when discussing her choice to move to a more privileged community: “It’s just so hard. And I feel so fucking guilty. But I want to have my own life. And live where I work. I guess I’m just selfish.”
(2) Ye olde poor little Richie Rich trope. Sure, you can tell me that Jaime absolutely understands the power behind his generational wealth, but when there is also an underlying narrative about him being an aimless, immature, “no sabo” kid (author’s description, not mine), was the goal character growth? Because all that comes through is pity…and certainly not emotional maturity.
(3) So much about their trip to Guadalajara brings the colonizer vibes.
(4) It’s Alma’s choice to dress sexy as an entrepreneur, sommelier, tequiladora, and (by all accounts) successful Latina in a predominantly white community. As the text describes it: “She was wearing what he considered her uniform, a tight black velvet bustier and even tighter jeans.” I have to ask myself whether this depiction of femininity is an attempt to flip that stereotype of “pecho-nalidad” on its head. If that’s what was intended, given other plot and descriptive aspects, it’s woefully unsuccessful.
(5) What critical review would be complete without some discussion of characters’ internalized racism? Side characters perpetuate narratives of Mexico being unsafe (you’ll be kidnapped and sex trafficked!); and there is a casual allusion to “gangs here from different countries fighting for turf domination.” (Tell me you’ve been drinking the right wing “illegal immigrants are dangerous” kool-aid without telling me.) Taken as a whole, these main characters are never beating the DEFECTORS allegations. And I stand by that assertion!
There are so many other things that are discomfiting or lazy about the writing: the constant description of food smells that only involve tacos and churros; the “critic” that holds the lifeblood of Alma’s bar in their hands but doesn’t merit a name; the constant sexual objectification between the main characters, which simply does not pass muster as lust or attraction. It’s safe to say I won’t be picking up another book by this author after reading this series.
TL;DR—don’t let someone tell you that reading romance isn’t political. Because look at all this mess.
October 3, 2025
I was really excited to read this one but I found it to be problematic. I found the Mexican representation to be very stereotypical, the book was very patriarchal, and there were certain things I came across that I found to be harmful. The FMC moved to a ritzy part of town and yet, she was constantly told by the MMC that she shouldn't walk a block to her home from her job. I will be adding direct quotes from the book that I found to be harmful or stereotypical
“Has crime really increased here recently?” “Honestly, yeah, it’s pretty bad. There are new gangs here from different countries fighting for turf domination. They killed some kid from the high school the other week.” She said casually. -- This implies that immigrants have gang affiliation and are killing kids. Which in our current political climate is disturbing and it screams the author isn't reading the room.
“No. Oh my God, no. You can’t travel to Mexico solo. Are you crazy?” “We aren’t supposed to call people crazy. That’s rude.” “Stop. I’m serious. It’s not safe to go alone.” “Mexico is safe. It’s all propaganda. There are parts of America that have way more crime.” “You could get kidnapped and sex trafficked.” Why was everyone on her about security? Sure, it could be risky, but so was walking home at night. -- This again insinuates that Mexicans are kidnapping and sex trafficking women and while the FMC tries to address and teach her friend still pushes her to not go alone to Mexico and take the MMC with her.
I can't in good conscience recommend this book to others with the harmful stereotypes that I found and the insinuations about immigrants. I hope this is taken into account and the book is edited before release.
“Has crime really increased here recently?” “Honestly, yeah, it’s pretty bad. There are new gangs here from different countries fighting for turf domination. They killed some kid from the high school the other week.” She said casually. -- This implies that immigrants have gang affiliation and are killing kids. Which in our current political climate is disturbing and it screams the author isn't reading the room.
“No. Oh my God, no. You can’t travel to Mexico solo. Are you crazy?” “We aren’t supposed to call people crazy. That’s rude.” “Stop. I’m serious. It’s not safe to go alone.” “Mexico is safe. It’s all propaganda. There are parts of America that have way more crime.” “You could get kidnapped and sex trafficked.” Why was everyone on her about security? Sure, it could be risky, but so was walking home at night. -- This again insinuates that Mexicans are kidnapping and sex trafficking women and while the FMC tries to address and teach her friend still pushes her to not go alone to Mexico and take the MMC with her.
I can't in good conscience recommend this book to others with the harmful stereotypes that I found and the insinuations about immigrants. I hope this is taken into account and the book is edited before release.
November 11, 2025
Audiobook Stats:
⏰: 6 hours 43 minutes
🎤: Nicolas Gonzalez, Marcella Black
Publisher: PRH Audio
Format: dual narration/pov
General Thoughts:
First and foremost the only reason I picked this book up s was because I had an arc for it. I did not particularly enjoy the first two books in this series. I felt like the characters didn't make sense. They're motivations and their behaviors. We're just very wishy-washy and they gave me as a reader a bit of whiplash. That continued unfortunately into the third Book.
The author is really big on making her male characters extremely shallow. To the point where they take the female counterpart and use her for their gain or advantage in someway. It happened in every book thus far and it continued into this third installment. In this book, our main male character Jamie, a self proclaimed Playboy, contacts an ex from his past in order to use her and her knowledge to start his own tequila company. But of course, the female caves right away and gives the male main character everything he wants or asks for. In fact, there is almost 0 resistance to getting back together and helping the mailman character. I found this to be so disappointing and I'm really poor portrayal of a strong female character.
Another big problem for me within the first two books was the whiplash given to the reader through the characters emotions. One minute they're deeply in love and then 10 pages later they were fighting and hated each other only to be in love again the next chapter. It just really made it hard to connect with the romance or their relationship when it was constantly so up and down. And it never made sense to the characters how they were acting with the relationship. This same behavior continued into the third Book. I have just decided this author is not gonna be for me and I won't be reading anything further from her unfortunately.
⏰: 6 hours 43 minutes
🎤: Nicolas Gonzalez, Marcella Black
Publisher: PRH Audio
Format: dual narration/pov
General Thoughts:
First and foremost the only reason I picked this book up s was because I had an arc for it. I did not particularly enjoy the first two books in this series. I felt like the characters didn't make sense. They're motivations and their behaviors. We're just very wishy-washy and they gave me as a reader a bit of whiplash. That continued unfortunately into the third Book.
The author is really big on making her male characters extremely shallow. To the point where they take the female counterpart and use her for their gain or advantage in someway. It happened in every book thus far and it continued into this third installment. In this book, our main male character Jamie, a self proclaimed Playboy, contacts an ex from his past in order to use her and her knowledge to start his own tequila company. But of course, the female caves right away and gives the male main character everything he wants or asks for. In fact, there is almost 0 resistance to getting back together and helping the mailman character. I found this to be so disappointing and I'm really poor portrayal of a strong female character.
Another big problem for me within the first two books was the whiplash given to the reader through the characters emotions. One minute they're deeply in love and then 10 pages later they were fighting and hated each other only to be in love again the next chapter. It just really made it hard to connect with the romance or their relationship when it was constantly so up and down. And it never made sense to the characters how they were acting with the relationship. This same behavior continued into the third Book. I have just decided this author is not gonna be for me and I won't be reading anything further from her unfortunately.
October 19, 2025
Let me begin this review by stating I don’t particularly like one starring books. I really don’t. It takes a lot for me to one star. For one thing, I can only imagine how hard it is to write a whole book and I want to be at least respectful to the author’s hard work. But a one star occasionally is needed when nothing in the book worked for me and it was problematic in certain ways.
For a romance book to actually work for me, it needs to hit three different targets:
It needs to have great character development;
It needs to have a romance that is at the heart of the story, one that is driving the plot; and
It needs to have an actual, engrossing plot;
Sometimes, I can read a romance and maybe it’s a bit light on the plot but the other two things are done so well that I don’t care that it’s missing an actual plot.
But, if it’s lacking in all three, then that’s an impossible sell for me.
Here, we have a second chance romance between former college sweethearts, he’s a successful influencer from a wealthy family and she’s a successful mezcal bar owner from a financially struggling family. Normally, second chance romances are a catnip trope for me but this also means I have some pretty high requirements for them to work. This book meets none of those requirements.
These two broke up because influencer Jaime wasn’t ready to commit to a serious relationship post college despite the fact that he claims to have only ever loved her. He dumps her, ghosts her, and after a three year absence, randomly reappears in her bar because he wants to ask her to teach him all about tequila so he can start his own tequila brand. In his words, he’s tired of all these white celebrities starting tequila brands and then relying on Mexican- American influencers like him to put their stamp of approval on it. So, here’s this dude, dumps his gf and breaks her heart and basically disappears from her life, and now that she has something he needs, he pops back in.
This could have been salvageable if Alma, our successful businesswoman heroine had maintained her cold, aloof response to him for more than a chapter or 2 but she caves, pretty damn quickly actually. It doesn’t help that her family falls all over themselves to welcome rich boy Jaime back into their folds, there’s like zero sense of family loyalty to Alma here, just her brother and parents urging her to forgive Jaime because he’s so lovable. Why exactly he’s so lovable is a mystery that shall remain unsolved for all eternity.
I didn’t like Jaime at all and after a while, I also didn’t love Alma and her propensity for giving into Jaime way too quickly. Have some pride, woman! He dumped you and now he’s back in your life because he wants you to teach him about tequila. User behavior. Btw, during their separation, Jaime was your quintessential rich boy player, sleeping around like the stud he apparently is but Alma eventually reveals that Jaime is the only one she’s ever been with. But she forgives him and then falls back into bed with him and even towards the end, in the 3rd act breakup, Jaime gives this pathetic “it’s not you, it’s me, I’m only 25, not ready for a serious commitment” speech. Ughhh. DUMP. HIM.
So, that’s strike one for character development and strike two for the actual romance.
I’m also going to say I found the writing to be pretty juvenile. It read awkwardly in parts and the sex scenes felt rushed and were littered with them calling each other “babe” or “baby” in every other sentence.
In order to make Jaime appear sympathetic to the reader, there’s also mention of his toxic upbringing but it’s just skimmed over and there’s no real depthful dive into why he’s so closed off emotionally.
There’s also a surface skimming exploration of Jaime’s Mexican-American upbringing versus Alma’s. Alma is much more in tune with her Mexican culture and speaks Spanish whereas Jaime can barely string together a full sentence.
This leads me to my biggest issue in this book: the cultural representation.
Alma wants to take a trip to Mexico for business and both Jaime and her best friend urge her not to travel there alone. Jaime is concerned about her traveling to Mexico alone and her best friend goes so far as to say she could be kidnapped and sex trafficked. Um. What?!??
This book is, in a word, A MESS. I didn’t love the actual writing but the story is not great either, from the character development to the romance to the cultural representation.
I debated whether to give it a one star or two but ultimately, I could not justify a two star rating for this book.
ARC from publisher, review is all mine
For a romance book to actually work for me, it needs to hit three different targets:
It needs to have great character development;
It needs to have a romance that is at the heart of the story, one that is driving the plot; and
It needs to have an actual, engrossing plot;
Sometimes, I can read a romance and maybe it’s a bit light on the plot but the other two things are done so well that I don’t care that it’s missing an actual plot.
But, if it’s lacking in all three, then that’s an impossible sell for me.
Here, we have a second chance romance between former college sweethearts, he’s a successful influencer from a wealthy family and she’s a successful mezcal bar owner from a financially struggling family. Normally, second chance romances are a catnip trope for me but this also means I have some pretty high requirements for them to work. This book meets none of those requirements.
These two broke up because influencer Jaime wasn’t ready to commit to a serious relationship post college despite the fact that he claims to have only ever loved her. He dumps her, ghosts her, and after a three year absence, randomly reappears in her bar because he wants to ask her to teach him all about tequila so he can start his own tequila brand. In his words, he’s tired of all these white celebrities starting tequila brands and then relying on Mexican- American influencers like him to put their stamp of approval on it. So, here’s this dude, dumps his gf and breaks her heart and basically disappears from her life, and now that she has something he needs, he pops back in.
This could have been salvageable if Alma, our successful businesswoman heroine had maintained her cold, aloof response to him for more than a chapter or 2 but she caves, pretty damn quickly actually. It doesn’t help that her family falls all over themselves to welcome rich boy Jaime back into their folds, there’s like zero sense of family loyalty to Alma here, just her brother and parents urging her to forgive Jaime because he’s so lovable. Why exactly he’s so lovable is a mystery that shall remain unsolved for all eternity.
I didn’t like Jaime at all and after a while, I also didn’t love Alma and her propensity for giving into Jaime way too quickly. Have some pride, woman! He dumped you and now he’s back in your life because he wants you to teach him about tequila. User behavior. Btw, during their separation, Jaime was your quintessential rich boy player, sleeping around like the stud he apparently is but Alma eventually reveals that Jaime is the only one she’s ever been with. But she forgives him and then falls back into bed with him and even towards the end, in the 3rd act breakup, Jaime gives this pathetic “it’s not you, it’s me, I’m only 25, not ready for a serious commitment” speech. Ughhh. DUMP. HIM.
So, that’s strike one for character development and strike two for the actual romance.
I’m also going to say I found the writing to be pretty juvenile. It read awkwardly in parts and the sex scenes felt rushed and were littered with them calling each other “babe” or “baby” in every other sentence.
In order to make Jaime appear sympathetic to the reader, there’s also mention of his toxic upbringing but it’s just skimmed over and there’s no real depthful dive into why he’s so closed off emotionally.
There’s also a surface skimming exploration of Jaime’s Mexican-American upbringing versus Alma’s. Alma is much more in tune with her Mexican culture and speaks Spanish whereas Jaime can barely string together a full sentence.
This leads me to my biggest issue in this book: the cultural representation.
Alma wants to take a trip to Mexico for business and both Jaime and her best friend urge her not to travel there alone. Jaime is concerned about her traveling to Mexico alone and her best friend goes so far as to say she could be kidnapped and sex trafficked. Um. What?!??
This book is, in a word, A MESS. I didn’t love the actual writing but the story is not great either, from the character development to the romance to the cultural representation.
I debated whether to give it a one star or two but ultimately, I could not justify a two star rating for this book.
ARC from publisher, review is all mine
November 9, 2025
DNF.
I'm heavily disappointed in this one. I have so many thoughts. RTC.
I'm heavily disappointed in this one. I have so many thoughts. RTC.
October 14, 2025
First i want to say thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the ARC.
I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately I didn't. The plot itself was great. I love the premise and I even loved the characters on their own but the romance almost made me quit reading.
It felt like the author didnt know her characters at all as they has huge switch ups frequently. Jaime, the MMC, was extremely immature and kept going back and forth on his choices. I was getting whiplash. It honestly felt like I was reading 2 separate men. One moment he'd seem super sincere saying he was ready to settle down and "if I kiss you again you'd be the last woman I ever kiss" and pining over Alma (FMC) to literally a couple pages later saying he isn't ready to settle and just wants to have fun. he was giving strong effboy misogynistic vibes (which gave me a really unpleasant feeling given thats a common hateful stereotype of latino men).
Alma went from strong to almost begging him to be with her to mad about something ridiculous. She was such a cool character to start and then she fell flat.
And Carlos (Alma's brother) went from hating Jaime and strongly supporting his sister to immediately the next morning calling Jaime to beg for help and money for his community project.
The relationship felt toxic and seemed like boundaries were crossed and not respected (constantly hitting on Alma when she asked him not to and kissing her when she said not to unless he'd be with her because he hurt her before and she couldn't handle it again). I almost wish there was no romance in the book because I loved both their storylines and all the side characters and the plot of learning tequila and the culture.
I don't like to be harsh in reviews but this book really frustrated me and wasn't at all what I thought it would be.
I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately I didn't. The plot itself was great. I love the premise and I even loved the characters on their own but the romance almost made me quit reading.
It felt like the author didnt know her characters at all as they has huge switch ups frequently. Jaime, the MMC, was extremely immature and kept going back and forth on his choices. I was getting whiplash. It honestly felt like I was reading 2 separate men. One moment he'd seem super sincere saying he was ready to settle down and "if I kiss you again you'd be the last woman I ever kiss" and pining over Alma (FMC) to literally a couple pages later saying he isn't ready to settle and just wants to have fun. he was giving strong effboy misogynistic vibes (which gave me a really unpleasant feeling given thats a common hateful stereotype of latino men).
Alma went from strong to almost begging him to be with her to mad about something ridiculous. She was such a cool character to start and then she fell flat.
And Carlos (Alma's brother) went from hating Jaime and strongly supporting his sister to immediately the next morning calling Jaime to beg for help and money for his community project.
The relationship felt toxic and seemed like boundaries were crossed and not respected (constantly hitting on Alma when she asked him not to and kissing her when she said not to unless he'd be with her because he hurt her before and she couldn't handle it again). I almost wish there was no romance in the book because I loved both their storylines and all the side characters and the plot of learning tequila and the culture.
I don't like to be harsh in reviews but this book really frustrated me and wasn't at all what I thought it would be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
2025
October 21, 2025Latine Heritage Month TBR
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley
December 30, 2025
the type of love you get when no one goes to therapy & you’re ok with accepting the bare minimum
December 1, 2025
My Fair Señor by Alana Albertson is a lively and entertaining romantic comedy with a fun cultural twist. Inspired by My Fair Lady, the story follows a spirited heroine and a charming hero whose worlds collide in unexpected ways. The writing is light, humorous, and engaging, making it an easy and enjoyable read. The characters have great chemistry, and their banter adds warmth and energy to the story. Themes of identity, self-confidence, and embracing one’s heritage give the book depth behind the humor. Perfect for readers who enjoy playful, feel-good romances filled with heart, culture, and delicious food references.
November 15, 2025
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️
Pub Date: 11/25
I went into this looking for a second chance romance, character representation I could relate to, and a story to keep my attention. For the most part, it delivered that and I was entertained. However, was it the best book ever? For me, not quite. Second chance isn’t usually my favorite so I knew going in that the romance might be something I struggled with a bit. However, I really enjoyed Alma and Jaime’s interactions and chemistry. But let’s be honest, Alma could have made him beg a little more🤣
More than anything, I wish this book would have been just a bit longer and explored their love story more. The ending for me was very abrupt! I wanted more time with them♥️
Thanks Berkley Romance for the free e-arc! #BerkleyPartner#AceBooksPartner
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️
Pub Date: 11/25
I went into this looking for a second chance romance, character representation I could relate to, and a story to keep my attention. For the most part, it delivered that and I was entertained. However, was it the best book ever? For me, not quite. Second chance isn’t usually my favorite so I knew going in that the romance might be something I struggled with a bit. However, I really enjoyed Alma and Jaime’s interactions and chemistry. But let’s be honest, Alma could have made him beg a little more🤣
More than anything, I wish this book would have been just a bit longer and explored their love story more. The ending for me was very abrupt! I wanted more time with them♥️
Thanks Berkley Romance for the free e-arc! #BerkleyPartner#AceBooksPartner
November 4, 2025
A delicious second chance romance between the youngest Montez son, an aimless influencer who decides he wants to start his own tequila company. Who better to help than his childhood sweetheart ex, Alma, who is a certified catadora and runs one of the hottest mezcal bars in Marin County, California. While Alma is reluctant to give Jaime a second chance, the two strike up a mutually beneficial arrangement that eventually turns into a no strings affair that leads to more. I loved Alma and Jaime's story and thought it was a great end to the series. It was also excellent on audio narrated by Nicholas Gonzalez and Marcella Black. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.
January 28, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read My Fair Señor by Alana Quintana Albertson.
I would like to support this author since she is Latina. This story has a lot of culture references and dialogue that is comforting.
The story itself is okay. This is a second chance romance between Alma and Jaime. They had a nasty breakup years prior. Now Jaime is back to see if Alma could help him learn about the Tequila business.
There was a lot of the blame game, especially towards Alma. Unfortunately, a lot of families do what Alma’s family did. Overall, I enjoyed the culture of this book.
I would like to support this author since she is Latina. This story has a lot of culture references and dialogue that is comforting.
The story itself is okay. This is a second chance romance between Alma and Jaime. They had a nasty breakup years prior. Now Jaime is back to see if Alma could help him learn about the Tequila business.
There was a lot of the blame game, especially towards Alma. Unfortunately, a lot of families do what Alma’s family did. Overall, I enjoyed the culture of this book.
Read
November 8, 2025DNF @ 30%—thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the audiobook and ebook ARC.
Not for me. The FMC was fine, though she folded too quickly for my taste. The MMC needed another ten years to mature, much like a good alcohol. He complained the no one took him seriously, but gave no evidence of situations when he tried to be serious and was rebuffed—heck, he scoffed at the idea of his brother asking for a business plan before giving him money. I struggle with heroes who don’t know what they want in any area of their life, even when it comes to the heroine, especially in a second chance romance. If you messed it up, I need you to be 100% committed to fixing it now. It didn’t help that he kept using the “we were so young” excuse for why he dumped the FMC in college but still continued to say in the present (only 3 years later) that he was too young for a commitment.
I didn’t make it far enough to meet the casual racism other reviewers have mentioned, but considering my issues with the first book in this series, I’m not surprised it was there. It’s probably on me—I didn’t realize it was the same author until after I requested it
Not for me. The FMC was fine, though she folded too quickly for my taste. The MMC needed another ten years to mature, much like a good alcohol. He complained the no one took him seriously, but gave no evidence of situations when he tried to be serious and was rebuffed—heck, he scoffed at the idea of his brother asking for a business plan before giving him money. I struggle with heroes who don’t know what they want in any area of their life, even when it comes to the heroine, especially in a second chance romance. If you messed it up, I need you to be 100% committed to fixing it now. It didn’t help that he kept using the “we were so young” excuse for why he dumped the FMC in college but still continued to say in the present (only 3 years later) that he was too young for a commitment.
I didn’t make it far enough to meet the casual racism other reviewers have mentioned, but considering my issues with the first book in this series, I’m not surprised it was there. It’s probably on me—I didn’t realize it was the same author until after I requested it
Did not finish
November 6, 2025Thank you to Berkley Romance for the eARC and PRH Audio for the free audiobook.
Did Not Finish.
I love tacos and tequila so I dived right into this one.
But it wasn’t long before I had issues (side note: I’m sure my face reflected my feelings, so sorry to anyone who saw me driving, don’t take the face personally).
Jaime is pretty immature. He claims he loved Alma yet he dumped her abruptly and he continues to state he’s “not ready” for a real relationship. But yes…he misses her quote unquote…titties. Strike One.
Both Jaime and Alma are Mexican-American, but it feels like they are caricatures in a political cartoon or something. Jaime is annoyed that so many white celebrities are creating tequila companies and he literally says “I’m Mexican, how hard could it be to create my own?” Like all Mexicans have the tequila making gene? Also I find it hard to believe that Alma, coming from a financially-struggling working class family can actually own a tequila bar at the age of 25.
Sadly, just not for me, and I did not finish.
Did Not Finish.
I love tacos and tequila so I dived right into this one.
But it wasn’t long before I had issues (side note: I’m sure my face reflected my feelings, so sorry to anyone who saw me driving, don’t take the face personally).
Jaime is pretty immature. He claims he loved Alma yet he dumped her abruptly and he continues to state he’s “not ready” for a real relationship. But yes…he misses her quote unquote…titties. Strike One.
Both Jaime and Alma are Mexican-American, but it feels like they are caricatures in a political cartoon or something. Jaime is annoyed that so many white celebrities are creating tequila companies and he literally says “I’m Mexican, how hard could it be to create my own?” Like all Mexicans have the tequila making gene? Also I find it hard to believe that Alma, coming from a financially-struggling working class family can actually own a tequila bar at the age of 25.
Sadly, just not for me, and I did not finish.
November 21, 2025
This entire series is like when you have 2 parents, one is white, and you’re like “I look like my white friends so I’ll believe what they say” knowing you have a whole ass Latine parent at home that debunks every baseless stereotype. First Ramon and now Senor? Need better sensitivity readers or editors stat.
November 28, 2025
I must say that Alma made me a believer that just maybe Tequila is good depending on where you get it from. Now the romance between Alma and Jaime was like a roller coaster because one minute we’re up and then the next we’re down 🥴 and it was equally both parties fault but I still love these two together. Also the dog being named tequila 🤗. I’m definitely reading the other two books in this series.
October 23, 2025
3/5 stars. This book was… fine. I really enjoyed Ramón and Julieta and continued the series off the success of the first book. I love the premise for this one: one of the Taco King brothers making a connection with a world class tequila master. Overall, I enjoyed the book but this wasn’t a home run for me.
Mostly, I really disliked Jaime. I don’t like aimless, playboy characters and I really don’t like influencers. Though I can appreciate his wanting to create a celebrity tequila line by someone who has Mexican heritage, his idea was half baked and a whim. He then didn’t want to put in the actual work to do it but relied on the knowledge of his ex, who did do the work.
Alma was magnificent. We love a strong, business minded female character. I do think she gave in too quickly to Jaime, who was clear throughout the whole book that he did not want anything serious even though she did. That is a massive deal breaker and should have ended right there. Alma then gave in to her lust for Jaime even though she was well aware that he didn’t want anything serious. This gave me the ick throughout.
My last qualm was around both of their ages. They were 3 years out of college, at the ripe old age of 25. That felt very young for the amount of success they both had. How was Alma able to afford her own bar and an apartment in a well-off neighborhood? How long does it take to become a tequila master? How quickly after she graduated did she make the switch from wine to tequila? What level of certification did she have as a sommelier (which takes years of study) before she switched to tequila? I think it would have been more realistic if they were both about 10 years older, 25 just feels too young for all this.
Mostly, I really disliked Jaime. I don’t like aimless, playboy characters and I really don’t like influencers. Though I can appreciate his wanting to create a celebrity tequila line by someone who has Mexican heritage, his idea was half baked and a whim. He then didn’t want to put in the actual work to do it but relied on the knowledge of his ex, who did do the work.
Alma was magnificent. We love a strong, business minded female character. I do think she gave in too quickly to Jaime, who was clear throughout the whole book that he did not want anything serious even though she did. That is a massive deal breaker and should have ended right there. Alma then gave in to her lust for Jaime even though she was well aware that he didn’t want anything serious. This gave me the ick throughout.
My last qualm was around both of their ages. They were 3 years out of college, at the ripe old age of 25. That felt very young for the amount of success they both had. How was Alma able to afford her own bar and an apartment in a well-off neighborhood? How long does it take to become a tequila master? How quickly after she graduated did she make the switch from wine to tequila? What level of certification did she have as a sommelier (which takes years of study) before she switched to tequila? I think it would have been more realistic if they were both about 10 years older, 25 just feels too young for all this.
November 10, 2025
Thanks so much to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the Advanced Copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received a copy of this book through Berkley Publisher’s Hub for underrepresented voices, so I genuinely wanted to give it a fair chance… but it’s just not great. I’ll give the author credit for stating up front that this story is meant to reflect a Mexican-American experience. However, the MMC lives in San Diego, and as a Mexican-born woman living on the Mexico side of the San Diego–Tijuana border, I felt connected to this story, though not in a good way by the end.
The cultural representation simply wasn’t well-researched. Alma and her friend Zoila plan a trip to Guadalajara for the Festival de San Isidro, which isn’t really celebrated there or in most of Jalisco, except in a few small agricultural towns. When they finally arrive, Guadalajara is described as a quaint little town with a single crafts market, a “town square,” and a Mariachi band—when in reality, Guadalajara is one of Mexico’s largest, most vibrant cities and a major cultural hub. While planning the trip Alma casually mentions wanting to “pop into Oaxaca” while she’s at it… which is like saying you’ll pop into Albuquerque because you’re already in Los Angeles.
When it seems Alma might have to travel alone, both Jaime (the MMC) and her best friend urge her not to go. Jaime worries for her safety, and her friend even says she could be kidnapped or trafficked. It’s disappointing to see Mexico reduced, yet again, to a backdrop of fear and danger.
The book is also deeply mysoginistic though it claims to try and not be. Alma, who moves to a nice neighborhood, is constantly told by Jaime that she shouldn’t even walk a block home from work. Later, she mentions that gangs have moved into her old neighborhood and that a high school student was killed—an implication that immigrants are violent or gang-affiliated, which is tone-deaf and harmful, especially in the current political climate.
There were smaller but telling details that pulled me out of the story—like using mezcal and tequila interchangeably, naming Alma’s bar Mezcalifonia even though she specializes in tequila, and not clarifying that she knows the difference until about 60% in. And then there’s that line about Alma “wearing tequila like other girls wear perfume.” Or the bit about how it shouldn’t be too hard for Jaime to start his own tequila brand because “he’s Mexican—it’s in his blood!” I just… no.
As for the romance—well, I’m already not a fan of second-chance romances, but this one made me actively annoyed. Jaime ghosted Alma years ago, only to reappear because he needs her help launching his own tequila brand. His reasoning? He’s tired of white celebrities starting tequila brands and relying on Mexican-American influencers like him for credibility. So basically, he breaks her heart, disappears, and comes crawling back when she has something he needs.
This could have worked if Alma, our supposedly successful, confident heroine, had stayed cold and distant for more than a chapter or two. But she caves almost immediately. To make things worse, her entire family falls over themselves to welcome rich-boy Jaime back with open arms. Why everyone loves him so much baffles me, and I won’t even pretend to understand their reasoning.
Overall, as a Mexican woman living in a border city closely connected to California, I cannot recommend this book. The harmful stereotypes, casual insinuations about immigrants, and the shallow, performative portrayal of Mexico completely overshadow any redeeming qualities this book might have had. Alma and Jaime may talk about loving Mexico and reconnecting with their roots, but the story never actually shows that love, it just feels performative.
I received a copy of this book through Berkley Publisher’s Hub for underrepresented voices, so I genuinely wanted to give it a fair chance… but it’s just not great. I’ll give the author credit for stating up front that this story is meant to reflect a Mexican-American experience. However, the MMC lives in San Diego, and as a Mexican-born woman living on the Mexico side of the San Diego–Tijuana border, I felt connected to this story, though not in a good way by the end.
The cultural representation simply wasn’t well-researched. Alma and her friend Zoila plan a trip to Guadalajara for the Festival de San Isidro, which isn’t really celebrated there or in most of Jalisco, except in a few small agricultural towns. When they finally arrive, Guadalajara is described as a quaint little town with a single crafts market, a “town square,” and a Mariachi band—when in reality, Guadalajara is one of Mexico’s largest, most vibrant cities and a major cultural hub. While planning the trip Alma casually mentions wanting to “pop into Oaxaca” while she’s at it… which is like saying you’ll pop into Albuquerque because you’re already in Los Angeles.
When it seems Alma might have to travel alone, both Jaime (the MMC) and her best friend urge her not to go. Jaime worries for her safety, and her friend even says she could be kidnapped or trafficked. It’s disappointing to see Mexico reduced, yet again, to a backdrop of fear and danger.
The book is also deeply mysoginistic though it claims to try and not be. Alma, who moves to a nice neighborhood, is constantly told by Jaime that she shouldn’t even walk a block home from work. Later, she mentions that gangs have moved into her old neighborhood and that a high school student was killed—an implication that immigrants are violent or gang-affiliated, which is tone-deaf and harmful, especially in the current political climate.
There were smaller but telling details that pulled me out of the story—like using mezcal and tequila interchangeably, naming Alma’s bar Mezcalifonia even though she specializes in tequila, and not clarifying that she knows the difference until about 60% in. And then there’s that line about Alma “wearing tequila like other girls wear perfume.” Or the bit about how it shouldn’t be too hard for Jaime to start his own tequila brand because “he’s Mexican—it’s in his blood!” I just… no.
As for the romance—well, I’m already not a fan of second-chance romances, but this one made me actively annoyed. Jaime ghosted Alma years ago, only to reappear because he needs her help launching his own tequila brand. His reasoning? He’s tired of white celebrities starting tequila brands and relying on Mexican-American influencers like him for credibility. So basically, he breaks her heart, disappears, and comes crawling back when she has something he needs.
This could have worked if Alma, our supposedly successful, confident heroine, had stayed cold and distant for more than a chapter or two. But she caves almost immediately. To make things worse, her entire family falls over themselves to welcome rich-boy Jaime back with open arms. Why everyone loves him so much baffles me, and I won’t even pretend to understand their reasoning.
Overall, as a Mexican woman living in a border city closely connected to California, I cannot recommend this book. The harmful stereotypes, casual insinuations about immigrants, and the shallow, performative portrayal of Mexico completely overshadow any redeeming qualities this book might have had. Alma and Jaime may talk about loving Mexico and reconnecting with their roots, but the story never actually shows that love, it just feels performative.
October 19, 2025
I thought this was a really fun book, and I learned a surprisingly large amount about tequila that I never thought or knew about before!
Though I enjoyed the story, I really felt like the MMC could have and should have done a lot more groveling. 😂
The FMC is basically an angel on earth, she is sweet and supportive of everybody on top of being a hard worker who genuinely values those around her and builds people up.
The MMC is basically the complete opposite.
But I don’t want you to think he doesn’t grow in the book, he does, but as a 36-year-old woman I look at how far he’s come and how far he still needs to go…
It’s just very obvious to me that they are gonna have a few very difficult years in their relationship where he will be still growing as a person and she is going to have to carry the brunt of the emotional weight and responsibilities in this relationship for a long time to come.
At the end of the day, he is just learning what consequences are in many ways.
These characters haven’t even hit 30 and the MMC grew up, extremely privileged and out of touch.
I’ve been wondering if this is a going to be a part of a series within a series because even though we get a happily ever after, it reads more like a happily for now.
I’m just wondering if we will see more of these characters, it just doesn’t feel like their relationship is finished or settled.
But since I’m already discussing the book in general, it only feels fair to bring up what other readers have said about the book and how in their view, it seems racist that the characters mention a few times Mexico, being unsafe and specifically unsafe for tourists, depending on the area in which you go.
The author herself is Mexican and is writing about her hometown so while I understand, people could feel very hurt by the direction she took the book.
I do think we have to realize that she is speaking from her own experience and what she has seen.
I’m not gonna discount her live experiences more than I’m gonna discount anybody’s lived experiences.
I personally live in Miami and as someone who doesn’t speak Spanish, I would have to say that there are parts of Miami that would be dangerous for me to be in if for no other reason, then I have no real way of communicating with the in that area were an emergency to happen.
Not even mentioning the gangs that exist in Miami and everyone else in the world.
So, while it may not be a nice thing to think about, tourism is not always safe and there are plenty of countries that are not safe currently for tourists. They range from countries with a mostly white population to every other color humanly possible for a human skin tone, it is by no stretch, solely a Mexico problem.
Though I enjoyed the story, I really felt like the MMC could have and should have done a lot more groveling. 😂
The FMC is basically an angel on earth, she is sweet and supportive of everybody on top of being a hard worker who genuinely values those around her and builds people up.
The MMC is basically the complete opposite.
But I don’t want you to think he doesn’t grow in the book, he does, but as a 36-year-old woman I look at how far he’s come and how far he still needs to go…
It’s just very obvious to me that they are gonna have a few very difficult years in their relationship where he will be still growing as a person and she is going to have to carry the brunt of the emotional weight and responsibilities in this relationship for a long time to come.
At the end of the day, he is just learning what consequences are in many ways.
These characters haven’t even hit 30 and the MMC grew up, extremely privileged and out of touch.
I’ve been wondering if this is a going to be a part of a series within a series because even though we get a happily ever after, it reads more like a happily for now.
I’m just wondering if we will see more of these characters, it just doesn’t feel like their relationship is finished or settled.
But since I’m already discussing the book in general, it only feels fair to bring up what other readers have said about the book and how in their view, it seems racist that the characters mention a few times Mexico, being unsafe and specifically unsafe for tourists, depending on the area in which you go.
The author herself is Mexican and is writing about her hometown so while I understand, people could feel very hurt by the direction she took the book.
I do think we have to realize that she is speaking from her own experience and what she has seen.
I’m not gonna discount her live experiences more than I’m gonna discount anybody’s lived experiences.
I personally live in Miami and as someone who doesn’t speak Spanish, I would have to say that there are parts of Miami that would be dangerous for me to be in if for no other reason, then I have no real way of communicating with the in that area were an emergency to happen.
Not even mentioning the gangs that exist in Miami and everyone else in the world.
So, while it may not be a nice thing to think about, tourism is not always safe and there are plenty of countries that are not safe currently for tourists. They range from countries with a mostly white population to every other color humanly possible for a human skin tone, it is by no stretch, solely a Mexico problem.
February 6, 2026
This was my first time reading anything by Alana Quintana Albertson. Her book cover and title immediately caught my attention which is why I requested this arc. I was very excited to read a book by a Latinx author and had high expectations. Unfortunately, this book did not deliver.
Honestly, I did not like this book. To me, the characters were not developed enough to make the ending believable especially the male main character Jaime, he was extremely unlikable even his inner dialogue was annoying. I also disliked that a third gen Mexican American that doesn’t really have a tie to Mexico or the culture would think himself a better person to make tequila instead of a “celebrity” which hello, that is exactly what he was. He was a rich, spoiled, influencer who didn’t have anything but his money and good looks going for himself. The entitlement was crazy. Oh, and he was a misogynist with a capital M.
The main reason why I did not like the book was because it read like someone that is NOT Mexican wrote this or as if this was written to cater to the white readers and not Latinx and that is a shame. At minimum, you can tell the author is not connected to the culture. Simple things like writing tamale instead of TAMAL or Alma wearing “bustiers” like who even calls them that? You mean corsets? Every time I read that word I thought of the movie “Selena”, and I wondered if that was the author’s inspiration. The book was also full of stereotypes, and it made me extremely uncomfortable at times. Alma’s parents being a maid and gardener, the neighborhood becoming bad due to gangs from other countries, Mexico being dangerous to travel, etc. I also wished that they gave credit to the actual town of TEQUILA which is where tequila actually comes from and instead used Guadalajara which was the nearest big city. Again, this omission made me feel like they tried to simplify the cultural references for an audience that was not ME (a first gen Mexican American).
Ultimately, the story had a lot of potential, and I wished it was not riddled with stereotypes and inaccurate cultural references.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Honestly, I did not like this book. To me, the characters were not developed enough to make the ending believable especially the male main character Jaime, he was extremely unlikable even his inner dialogue was annoying. I also disliked that a third gen Mexican American that doesn’t really have a tie to Mexico or the culture would think himself a better person to make tequila instead of a “celebrity” which hello, that is exactly what he was. He was a rich, spoiled, influencer who didn’t have anything but his money and good looks going for himself. The entitlement was crazy. Oh, and he was a misogynist with a capital M.
The main reason why I did not like the book was because it read like someone that is NOT Mexican wrote this or as if this was written to cater to the white readers and not Latinx and that is a shame. At minimum, you can tell the author is not connected to the culture. Simple things like writing tamale instead of TAMAL or Alma wearing “bustiers” like who even calls them that? You mean corsets? Every time I read that word I thought of the movie “Selena”, and I wondered if that was the author’s inspiration. The book was also full of stereotypes, and it made me extremely uncomfortable at times. Alma’s parents being a maid and gardener, the neighborhood becoming bad due to gangs from other countries, Mexico being dangerous to travel, etc. I also wished that they gave credit to the actual town of TEQUILA which is where tequila actually comes from and instead used Guadalajara which was the nearest big city. Again, this omission made me feel like they tried to simplify the cultural references for an audience that was not ME (a first gen Mexican American).
Ultimately, the story had a lot of potential, and I wished it was not riddled with stereotypes and inaccurate cultural references.
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
January 27, 2026
Arc Review!
Thanks so much @ berkleypub and @netgalley for this free Arc! #berkleypartner #myfairseñor #netgalley
Title: My Fair Señor
Author: Alana Quintana Albertson
Pain: 11/25/25
Tropes:
Second Chance Romance
Forced Proximity
Hispanic Representation
Tequila Connoisseur
The book:
San Diego-based model and influencer Jaime Montez isn’t the heir-or even the spare-to his family’s Taco King fast-food empire. So after he’s asked to be the face of yet another non-Hispanic, celebrity-owned tequila company, Jaime decides to reinvent his role in the family dynasty: hes going to start his own liquor brand. The problem? He’s an agave amateur. He needs help if he expects to ever master mezcal. And he has the perfect teacher in mind....
Alma Garcia is the toast of Tiburon. Having passed the grueling examen de Consejo Regulador del Tequila in Mexico, Alma used her extensive knowledge as a certified catadora to open the hottest mezcal bar in Marin County. When her college flame returns with a tempting proposition - he’ll promote her business in the local Cinco de Mayo Street Festival if she’ll bring him into the world of tequila-it’s as if the holiday spirits are bringing Jaime and Alma back together.
My thoughts:
If you’re a lover of a second chance romance and tequila, then this is the book for you! Being a California girl and have had lived in Guadalajara, Mexico myself I loved how these two places were reprinted in the storv. The banter and spice between Alma and Jaime is great but at times I felt like Jaime lacked. I’m not a big fan of second chances but I was happy to see them back together. However, I did not like how Jaime left Alma and then came back to basically use her to get his tequila business going. In my eyes Alma was too driven and motivated for Jaime. If you like a good shot of tequila paired with some spicy scenes then go grab a copy of My Fair Señor and indulge!
Thanks so much @ berkleypub and @netgalley for this free Arc! #berkleypartner #myfairseñor #netgalley
Title: My Fair Señor
Author: Alana Quintana Albertson
Pain: 11/25/25
Tropes:
Second Chance Romance
Forced Proximity
Hispanic Representation
Tequila Connoisseur
The book:
San Diego-based model and influencer Jaime Montez isn’t the heir-or even the spare-to his family’s Taco King fast-food empire. So after he’s asked to be the face of yet another non-Hispanic, celebrity-owned tequila company, Jaime decides to reinvent his role in the family dynasty: hes going to start his own liquor brand. The problem? He’s an agave amateur. He needs help if he expects to ever master mezcal. And he has the perfect teacher in mind....
Alma Garcia is the toast of Tiburon. Having passed the grueling examen de Consejo Regulador del Tequila in Mexico, Alma used her extensive knowledge as a certified catadora to open the hottest mezcal bar in Marin County. When her college flame returns with a tempting proposition - he’ll promote her business in the local Cinco de Mayo Street Festival if she’ll bring him into the world of tequila-it’s as if the holiday spirits are bringing Jaime and Alma back together.
My thoughts:
If you’re a lover of a second chance romance and tequila, then this is the book for you! Being a California girl and have had lived in Guadalajara, Mexico myself I loved how these two places were reprinted in the storv. The banter and spice between Alma and Jaime is great but at times I felt like Jaime lacked. I’m not a big fan of second chances but I was happy to see them back together. However, I did not like how Jaime left Alma and then came back to basically use her to get his tequila business going. In my eyes Alma was too driven and motivated for Jaime. If you like a good shot of tequila paired with some spicy scenes then go grab a copy of My Fair Señor and indulge!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 25, 2025
Thanks to @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for the gifted e-ARC and to @prhaudio for the ALC!
Read this book if you like second chance romance, lots of pining, badass FMCs, and Mexican food and tequila
As a social media influencer, Jaime is used to promoting products. But when one too many white-owned companies asks him to be the Hispanic face giving their brand authenticity, he’s had enough. He decides on a whim to start a line of tequila. And when he learns his ex, Alma, owns the hottest tequila bar in Marin county, CA, he begs her to teach him the tricks of the trade. Alma thought she was over her ex. But when he shows up in her bar everything comes rushing back. She agrees to work with him, but can she trust him not to leave again?
This book is extremely passionate. Both MCs have very graphic imaginations and when they finally Let themselves go the scenes are spicy! It’s a duet narration, so the narrators added a lot of pining and steaminess to the scenes.
I got so hungry reading this book! There’s so many descriptions of good Mexican food. And the drinks. Tequila and margaritas. I wanted to fill a plate and a glass.
The plot is fairly simple with some forced proximity and a third act breakup. But I was rooting for Jaime and Alma because their characters were so likable.
Audio is definitely the way the go. The Hispanic accents of the narrators helped bring the story to life. Sound quality was excellent at 2x.
Pick up this one today, but don’t read it on an empty stomach!
Read this book if you like second chance romance, lots of pining, badass FMCs, and Mexican food and tequila
As a social media influencer, Jaime is used to promoting products. But when one too many white-owned companies asks him to be the Hispanic face giving their brand authenticity, he’s had enough. He decides on a whim to start a line of tequila. And when he learns his ex, Alma, owns the hottest tequila bar in Marin county, CA, he begs her to teach him the tricks of the trade. Alma thought she was over her ex. But when he shows up in her bar everything comes rushing back. She agrees to work with him, but can she trust him not to leave again?
This book is extremely passionate. Both MCs have very graphic imaginations and when they finally Let themselves go the scenes are spicy! It’s a duet narration, so the narrators added a lot of pining and steaminess to the scenes.
I got so hungry reading this book! There’s so many descriptions of good Mexican food. And the drinks. Tequila and margaritas. I wanted to fill a plate and a glass.
The plot is fairly simple with some forced proximity and a third act breakup. But I was rooting for Jaime and Alma because their characters were so likable.
Audio is definitely the way the go. The Hispanic accents of the narrators helped bring the story to life. Sound quality was excellent at 2x.
Pick up this one today, but don’t read it on an empty stomach!
December 3, 2025
I am.. confused. Jaime thought he wasn't a womanizer, but clearly was? I think we all know how I feel about those. Also, he made a "clean break" from a woman he loved because he was just too young to settle down. He clearly doesn't know what love is.
Now Jaime is back in Alma's life and wants her to trust him and just be a friend, when it is obvious they can't just be friends. Alma still feels slighted but can't help looking at Jaime through the eyes she had from before. He wants to start a tequila brand (don't get me started on why at this point), and she is the only one that can teach him what he needs to know.
The lack of mature communication irked me. Jaime just thought that Alma should trust his word and then left her without a fight was pretty much the kiss of death. All in all, I am not sure what else to say other than, this wasn't my favorite.
Now Jaime is back in Alma's life and wants her to trust him and just be a friend, when it is obvious they can't just be friends. Alma still feels slighted but can't help looking at Jaime through the eyes she had from before. He wants to start a tequila brand (don't get me started on why at this point), and she is the only one that can teach him what he needs to know.
The lack of mature communication irked me. Jaime just thought that Alma should trust his word and then left her without a fight was pretty much the kiss of death. All in all, I am not sure what else to say other than, this wasn't my favorite.
Read
November 8, 2025Alana Quintana Albertson's “My Fair Señor” is a heartfelt second-chance romance full of lively chemistry. When social media model/influencer Jaime Montez decides to launch his own brand of tequila, he turns to mezcal expert Alma Garcia for help. Alma also just happens to be his college ex. The ensuing story is a fun, flirtatious journey of personal rediscovery, with sparks flying both professionally and romantically. Quintana Albertson Latinx representation feels fresh, highlighting pride in Mexican heritage, craftsmanship, and community. The cultural details feel authentic and celebratory, which helps ground the romance in something richer than just passion. The narrative feels heartwarming, perfect for readers who enjoy love stories with heart, humor, and a strong sense of identity.
December 2, 2025
Thank you to Berkley Romance for the advance reader copy and to PRH Audio for the free audiobook. These opinions are my own.
This is the third in the series about the Montez brothers. It features the youngest, Jaime Montez, in a second chance romance. He had dated Alma in college, but broke up with her because he wasn't ready for forever.
I was disappointed in this story. He was awful at first. And then she was. Neither character had me rooting for their story arc. The steamy scenes felt incredibly cringe worthy. And he said the most misogynist thing about her not being with any other men that I have ever seen. This happened late enough in the book to not be indicative of needing further character growth.
I wanted more of the family and especially of the women in the first books. I did find the scenes about tequila fascinating. And I like seeing support for women entrepreneurs.
The audiobook was narrated in alternatve third person POVs by Nicholas Gonzalez and Marcella Black. A few times it just felt like the wrong narrator was speaking to match what they were describing.
This is the third in the series about the Montez brothers. It features the youngest, Jaime Montez, in a second chance romance. He had dated Alma in college, but broke up with her because he wasn't ready for forever.
I was disappointed in this story. He was awful at first. And then she was. Neither character had me rooting for their story arc. The steamy scenes felt incredibly cringe worthy. And he said the most misogynist thing about her not being with any other men that I have ever seen. This happened late enough in the book to not be indicative of needing further character growth.
I wanted more of the family and especially of the women in the first books. I did find the scenes about tequila fascinating. And I like seeing support for women entrepreneurs.
The audiobook was narrated in alternatve third person POVs by Nicholas Gonzalez and Marcella Black. A few times it just felt like the wrong narrator was speaking to match what they were describing.
November 27, 2025
Where do I even start? This was a super quick read, but the romance stayed pretty surface level. Do not go in expecting depth or much character growth. I’m usually all in for a second chance romance, but this one fell a bit flat. The biggest missing piece for me was the angst between the main characters; it just never kicked in. Even the spicy moments leaned a little cringe 😬. The book had potential and I was entertained, but honestly, I’d recommend it only as a palate cleanser. Definitely don’t expect an epic love story 🤷🏽♀️.
December 30, 2025
I was honestly really surprised by this book, because I did not like it at all. The story felt really rushed, I really enjoyed her first book in this series but I feel like they just kept getting worse as I was reading them. This one was not my favorite at all, I didn’t enjoy Jaime’s character at all and how machista he seemed, even the last chapter of the book you could tell how he just thought of himself so highly! And honestly I expected Alma to be more sure of herself and she just felt like she wasn’t. I don’t think I will reread this book honestly. Just not my favorite by this author.
November 26, 2025
3.5 It was a decent, fast read. But it didn't feel particularly funny or sweet or memorable. I had high hopes for the tequila, and there was some description, but it didn't feel particularly central to the story.
January 1, 2026
It was a good read, quick, former lovers, he leaves because he just can't be in a committed relationship - even though he can't stop thinking about her. Typical male. She tried to move on, but just couldn't in her personal life, but in her business - oh yeah. I might reread.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews