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Maya Killgore is twenty-three and still in the process of figuring out her life.
Conor Harkness is thirty-eight, and Maya cannot stop thinking about him.
It’s such a cliché, it almost makes her heart implode: older man and younger woman; successful biotech guy and struggling grad student; brother’s best friend and the girl he never even knew existed. As Conor loves to remind her, the power dynamic is too imbalanced. Any relationship between them would be problematic in too many ways to count, and Maya should just get over him. After all, he has made it clear that he wants her gone from his life.
But not everything is as it seems—and clichés sometimes become plot twists.
When Maya’s brother decides to get married in Taormina, she and Conor end up stuck together in a romantic Sicilian villa for over a week. There, on the beautiful Ionian coast, between ancient ruins, delicious foods, and natural caves, Maya realizes that Conor might be hiding something from her. And as the destination wedding begins to erupt out of control, she decides that a summer fling might be just what she needs—even if it’s a problematic one.
Ali Hazelwood is a master of building slow-burn STEM romances, but are you a master reader?
Let's find out!
Take Demi's Book Club quiz and see how you measure up 😉.
Maya has a crush on which of her brother’s friends?
Conor
Axel
Paul
Sul
What’s the name of Eli’s dog, who Maya is obsessed with?
Terminus
Tutu
Toto
Tiny
How many potential love interests does Conor have in the wedding party, including exes?
2
4
3
5
What drinks sends everyone into a food poisoning spiral?
Sorbet coffee
Lemoncello
Arancello
Minami's breast milk
What do Maya’s roommate and ex do that leads to Maya calling her brother for support, and getting Conor instead?
They cheat on Maya with each other.
They ate the last pop-tart.
They made her pay double their rent.
They called her a rage-aholic and demanded she move out.
Did her best friend at the time, Rose, know about the affair?
She knew and admitted to knowing about it.
No, of course not.
Yes, she knew and denied it.
Once she found out, she stabbed her cousin in the eye with a cheese knife.
What did Conor do when he thought Maya needed someone to help her?
He set up a hotel for her to stay in.
He flew across country to see her, and pretended to be her boyfriend.
He called Eli and got him to reroute his trip.
He left her alone because he knew she could handle it.
When Conor leaves, what does he send Maya first?
Flowers
A warning text that their relationship isn't appropriate and should stop
Nudes
A bread maker
What does Rue start to believe about her wedding once the volcano erupts?
Rue believes that the wedding is a mistake. She doesn't love Eli.
Rue believes that the wedding is cursed.
Rue believes that the wedding should've been back at home.
Rue believes that the wedding isn't necessary, and they don't need to get married to prove they love each other.
Tiny finds a new puppy friend in a cave. What does Maya name him?
Bitty
Bobby
Bouncy
Berry
What does Maya believe about wine?
That she could get drunk from one glass
That all wine tastes like rotten grapes
That wine-tasting isn't fair because she doesn't get to swallow
That wine is unnecessary when you can drink arancello instead
Maya is offered 2 positions in the beginning of this book: one corporate, one academic. Which does she choose?
Neither. She chooses to live off of Conor's money
Academic
Corporate
Neither. She chooses to teach.
How long is the total length of Conor and Maya’s relationship from Edinburgh until they BOTH profess their love?
It's difficult to count since he's known her brother for an unspecified amount of time
6 years, if you count from when she was 18
3 years, 10 months and 1 week
4 years total
Where are Eli and Rue getting married?
Paris
Canada
Italy
Dubai
Does the wedding happen as originally planned?
Yes, and it's where Conor decides to propose to Maya
Yes, and it's quite the extravaganza!
No. They decide the wedding is a wash and cancel it.
No. Rue and Eli have a private ceremony where only Maya and Conor are in attendance.
You've got better things to do than focus on the small stuff.
Volcanoes? Wine? Who cares? I mean, what even were those multiple choice questions? You read this book for the vibes and enjoyed it, and really, at the end of it all, that's all that matters.
"Wait, was I meant to study for this thing?"
“You got most of the answers right! Which might've been luck or it might've been the taco you had for lunch last week - either way, not bad! You're a reader who pays attention to what you like, and you get rid of the rest. What could be better than that? So go collect your medal–” *stage-hand taps Demi on the shoulder* "Hm? We don't have medals? What do you mean we don't have medals? What am I supposed to-" *Demi drops the mike, and runs away yelling, "Thanks for playing! See you next month!"
You're so good, it's scary.
It doesn't matter if you've read 20 books this month, you know every little detail of every page you've ever read. Your toast always pops out perfectly, and your avocado is always the right kind of ripe. You're so switched on that it's scary, and everyone around you expects nothing but the best romance recomendations on the planet - and that's why you're part of this Book Club. Now, go and eat that perfectly made piece of avocado toast. You've earned it.
