A Study in Sparkling by Jodi McAlister: After her husband reveals he’s been living a double life and leaves Fiona for his secret second family, she’s suddenly navigating 
life as a single mom of three and trying to figure out who she is outside of the life she thought she had.
Satoshi Tsukamoto is eight years younger, owns her favorite wine bar, and is completely, hopelessly in love with her. He’s also studying for the Master Sommelier exam, so romance isn’t exactly on his to-do list. When they decide to keep things casual, they both know the rules.
No expectations. No relationship. Just a little fun. Yeah… we all know how that usually goes.
A STUDY IN SPARKLING by Jodi McAlister takes us into the world of wine, second chances, and a romance Fiona Fisher definitely didn’t see coming.
What I liked most was the idea of finding yourself again after the life you planned suddenly changes. Fiona has spent years taking care of everyone else, and now she has to make room for herself. Add Satoshi, the wine, the family drama, the second-chance-at-love angle, and all that delicious yearning, and there was plenty here to keep me invested in where these two would end up.
The chemistry between Fiona and Satoshi was flirty, complicated, and full of yearning. I liked that Satoshi knows exactly what he wants while Fiona is still trying to figure out whether she’s ready to want anything at all. Their casual arrangement obviously doesn’t stay emotionally uncomplicated, and watching Fiona try to keep Satoshi at a safe distance while he’s already ten steps ahead was both frustrating and entertaining. The age gap also worked nicely for their dynamic because they are in such different places in their lives, even though the attraction between them is immediate.
A STUDY IN SPARKLING gave me a romance with plenty of yearning, a younger hero who is completely gone for his woman, and a wine-bar setting I absolutely wanted to spend more time in. This was a fun addition to the Literary Lovers Series
TROPES & VIBES
🍷 Wine bar owner MMC
👩👧👦 Single mom FMC
💕 Age gap / younger man
🥂 Friends-to-lovers
😍 He falls first
🔥 Slow burn
💋 Spice
❤️ Second-chance-at-love
✨ Opposites attract
Book Info:
Publication: September 15, 2026 | Atria Books | Literary Lovers
Fiona Fisher thought she had it all: a loving husband, three kids, and a life far away from the suffocating expectations of her family. But when her husband reveals that he’s leaving her for his secret second family, Fiona is left devastated and humiliated.
Satoshi Tsukamoto wants it all. He’s the owner of a popular wine bar, and he’s studying for the hardest test in the world: the Master Sommelier exam. There aren’t enough hours in the day for anything else—except maybe for Fiona, his favorite customer, and the woman he’s absolutely, catastrophically in love with.
On paper, Fiona and Satoshi make no sense. He’s eight years younger than her and has no time for romance. She’s a single mother and doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to trust anyone again. But how can Fiona resist when Satoshi suggests they give into their mutual attraction and let off some steam? And how can Satoshi resist when the woman he adores is finally within his grasp—even if they’ve agreed to keep things casual?
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