A low stakes, pure entertainment, easy read. The characters are compelling enough to want to follow them and I enjoyed the set up enough to want to read this one. I've read other books by this author and felt this was a lovely addition to their body of work.



Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Yes.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: I'll admit, half of what I enjoyed about Gabe and Alec were their names. I'm not sure why, but they fit very well with their characters. Both of them are just dynamic enough to create a compelling and quick read. Gabe could follow in the footsteps of the family empire, but chooses to be himself, from crazy hair colors to piercings, to wanting to get a degree in chemistry. I loved how much chemistry really infiltrated his POV. He felt realistic with his own demons even for being the rich boy. Meanwhile we don't know much about Alec's past, but he's an FBI agent undercover (hence the title) with 'permanent RBF face' which also drew me to his character when I read that in the blurb. He can be a bit grumpy and ends up rather endearing because of how poorly he seems to do with normal social interactions. The two of them make it work and it's a lovely read to just root for them.



PLOT: Alec is undercover in town attempting to find and infiltrate a drug operation. Gabe, a little lost in life after getting kicked out of grad school, purchases books for Alec in the titular Vino and Veritas bookstore where they first saw each other. At first Alec realizes Gabe would be a great way in to a possible crime connection, but realizes he's fallen for Gabe too much to even not move their relationship into something more physical. The majority of the plot is their romance and the dual-POV discovery of their feelings for each other, themselves, and whether they'll remain together when the secret finally comes out. When Gabe is threatened, Alec has no choice but to break his cover.



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

1:5/low. Pure entertainment. Low stakes despite the undercover aspect.


CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 

90%. Sure, I always wish for a little bit of a higher climactic event, however this book is a low-stakes romance. Everything is wrapped up in a rather beautiful way, in my opinion, with the HEA I certainly was expecting in a way that made sense.