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: 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. . . .