Until the Tequila by Brynne Asher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Tequila: a distilled beverage made from the blue agave plant and, in Mary’s case, a truth serum. 

It took one night. 
No, it took one dinner, a bevy of cocktails, and a woman who’s been skirting me for months. Then, everything changed. Because the tequila did what it does best, Mary’s words flowed faster than the magic liquid she was shooting with salt and lime. 
Mary had demons—ones she thought were buried. She thought wrong. 
She can’t hide from her past or from me. Not anymore. 
I’m Evan Hargrove and I’ll turn the world red before I let anything happen to her. 

This is a Killers Series Crossover Novella written for the Happily Ever Alpha World of NYT Bestselling Author, Aurora Rose Reynolds.

Until the Tequila

From Tequila Confessions to Trust Fund Charm

The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 🖤💙❤️💚
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📙📘
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏🌍
Character development: 🙃🙁😀😋🥰
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration Type: Dual Narration

🧡 The Heroine – Mary
Mary, a vibrant beautician with a flair for changing her blonde locks, is Addy’s best friend from Vines, the first installment of the series. Beneath her bubbly exterior lies a quieter, more complicated history shaped by the foster care system and a life spent largely alone. She’s no stranger to casual dating, but intimacy? That’s another story—she’s never truly opened up to anyone. Her guarded heart adds poignant tension as she slowly lets Evan in.

💪 The Hero – Evan
Evan manages the tasting room at Whitetail Farms Winery, owned by Addy, and he’s basically wine royalty—born into wealth, educated in business, and deeply passionate about viticulture. Despite his father’s disappointment in Evan skipping out on the family horse breeding legacy, he forged his own path and fell hard for Mary. It took persistence (and patience) to earn a date with her, but his devotion never wavers.

🍷 The Storyline
Mary’s nerves before her date with Evan push her into a wine-and-tequila-fueled haze, leaving her unfiltered and vulnerable in ways she’s never dared before. She wakes in Evan’s bed, unsure of what she said, but something cracked open. Meanwhile, calls from an old friend stir ghosts from her Tennessee past—especially when she learns her estranged father is back in town and searching for her. The emotional tension ramps up, intertwining romance with long-buried trauma and questions of reconciliation.

🔎 Highlights

• Despite its novella length, the character development is impressive—both leads feel layered and authentic.
• The subplot involving Mary’s father adds depth and emotional stakes, keeping the narrative engaging.
• The world-building, particularly around the winery and Mary’s Southern roots, feels immersive and tangible.

⚠️ What Didn’t Hit for Me

• The story begs for more space. A full-length novel could have deepened its emotional beats and fleshed out the excellent supporting cast.

🎧 Audiobook Performance
Kit Swann’s narration is warm and expressive, with a relatable tone and surprisingly seamless delivery of male voices. Jason Clarke’s voice? A velvet growl with just the right edge—his gravelly timbre brings Evan to life, especially in the steamier moments. Together, their dual narration creates compelling emotional contrast and amps up the romantic tension, making for a truly engaging listening experience.

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