I had mixed feelings about reading this book. I have been struggling to finish books so I decided to give it a try. I was able to finish this one. I enjoyed and had fun majority of the book. And I am intrigued about the next book.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

This was such a cute read and really got me excited for Valentine’s Day… Secret love letters, lots of flowers, wine, and even jewelry.

🍇I loved that this was set in Napa, and how this book perfectly captured the small-town chicness of Napa.

🥂The rivalry of old vs new Wine Shops- Corked and Uncorked was absolutely adorable and hosted some of my favorite scenes.

🔥Being (somewhat) local to Napa, I appreciated the spotlight Tessa brought to the fires and the damage that was done both physically and emotionally to the community.

⏱Anxiety and time management are very prevalent in this book and she even addressed toxic productivity (something I definitely struggle with). Grief is another underlying theme in this one and I really feel like it was approached beautifully.

🫣Some of the concepts fell a little short for me. I had a hard time with the actual spice of this book- the dirty talk was kind of off-putting for my personal taste. I didn’t feel like the second-chance aspect was actually second-chancy, and the way the secret letters played out kind of missed the mark for me.

🫶🏻I really did have fun reading this, I just had a harder time with some of the key elements in this book. I still highly recommend reading this, especially if you need help getting into the spirit for Valentine’s Day. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for this advanced reader copy.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity to read and provide my feedback. Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me. The writing style and plot didn’t hold my attention. Thank you for the opportunity.

I enjoy all of Tessa Bailey's books & liked this one. It wasn't one of my favorites but still enjoyable. The steam was decent but I didn't love the chemistry between the two characters. I enjoyed them each on their own but I just didn't love them as a couple.

This book is spicy and fun! The characters have great chemistry trying to figure out how to sort through their own personal messes and find happiness! I loved it!

Ooofff Tessa look I love you and it happened one summer and hook line and sinker are some of my favorite books but this just didn’t land with me.

I think it was the characters. Hallie’s obsession and secret admirer letters were not necessary for this book. This was ✨almost✨ a second chance romance but Julian didn’t remember Hallie and then she didn’t tell him for so long. He was also just fine with all the lies. Julian has a lot going on including needing to be in counseling which I’m so for but I felt like there was an opportunity to reinforce the idea of therapy being a good thing and instead it was just barely hinted at that he should go. Also his compliments of Hallie’s body didn’t feel uplifting. I have read many romance books where the guy loves his partner’s body and explains what he likes but the way Julian did kind of gave me the ick. It felt very frat boy to me in how he described her.

I wanted to like this so much but it just didn’t land. The story was chaotic and I think the side characters were very average friends and the plots besides the romance didn’t even get wrapped up well. Sorry Tessa.

Thanks NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

I have a love-hate relationship with Tessa Bailey books. Some of them hit hard and I fall head over heels. Others flop. "Secretly Yours" is somewhere in the middle of the two.

I love the idea of two characters pining for one another while think the other doesn't view them like that. It always sets up a lot of fun scenes and a lot of sexual tension. Hallie and Julian do exactly that. We get so much of this early on, especially from Hallie who has been pining over him since highschool. Their relationship is sweet - the true definition of opposites attract. I enjoyed everything about them together.

Apart though - I found Hallie to be just an adult child. It was annoying and frustrating at some parts of the story. Julian's involvement with her felt odd at first. I know he felt confused about it and I felt even more confused than him. Also speaking of Julian, his first scene where he pleasures himself to Hallie being a needy damsel really felt wrong to me. It made me not care for Julian and I had to put the book down for a bit before going back to it. It felt gross and him acknowledging that it was sexist of him made it worse.

Overall, Secretly Yours is a fun story. Tessa Bailey always manages to make some of the best rom-coms - no one can deny that. If you're looking for a quick read, this is definitely a good one, especially for Valentine's Day.

Another amazing book from Tessa I fell in love with the characters and can’t wait to go grab my physical copy

“You see, a small breach in fairness can cause a snowball effect.“

“She should always be smiling. Simple as that.” (I mean…get you a man who feels this way about you 🥰😍)

“Weird how the worst scenario is coming true could pull everything into perspective. “

I won this ARC in a #goodreadsgiveaway and I was so pumped to receive a copy of this one. I’ve been on the fence about whether I was a Tessa fan…I don’t mean this in a bad way, promise! Hear me out. Tessa writes such a range of romance novels that there is legit something for everyone. For me My Killer Vacation wasn’t my fav but I loved Secretly Yours. Window Shopping was ok too. I’m still working through her catalog. She’s got such a range with her writing when it comes to what you may (or may not) want in a romance novel and I admire that in a writer because not every book is for every person. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

From the outset I empathized with Hallie. An obnoxious eyesore called Uncorked opens up across from her fav wine shop, Corked…making a mockery of all that is Corked…then add the extra layer of Hallie’s love for her grandmother…who sat at the same Corked table every time she would come to her fav wine shop…I’m totally invested within the first few paragraphs.

Then there’s some unfinished business that Hallie has with Julian…unbeknownst to Julian…who doesn’t know she exists…until….he does. Hallie has been crushing on Julian for 15 years and he’s suddenly back in town.

I adored all of the characters, especially Hallie, Julian and Julian’s sister…I’m excited to see how they grow and develop over the course of the series. I’d love to see this be turned into a movie or a limited series.

Take this review with a grain of salt. I was trying to hold this series up to the expectation of “hook line and sinker” and I was a bit disappointed.

While this book was on par for the author it was not up to par with her previous work. I felt like the set up was a bit forced and there wasn’t as much chase. I will still be reading the second one because I’m curious if it gets better

Hallie Welch has been infatuated with Julian Vos for fifteen years, since they *almost* kissed in the vineyard back in high school. But they could not be more different. Hallie is the definition of chaos and spontaneity, especially since her grandmother passed away. and Julian is the definition of regimented, he works within a very specific time frame and does not deviate. But, when Hallie shows up where Julian is staying on his sabbatical from teaching to plant flowers, things seem to change, but is it a good change?

I truly loved this book. It was a perfect lighthearted rom-com that I've come to expect from Tessa Bailey! Don't let the cartoony cover fool you though, this book is still pretty steamy! The mouth on Julian Vos.... My lanta. And the fact that Hallie is a curvy girl and Julian absolutely LOVES that about her makes me swoon even more. I loved this and cant wait to add the physical version to my shelf!

Hallie and Julian’s story in Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey, book one in the Vine Mess series is a wonderful, heartwarming, opposites, friends-to-lovers story. Hallie Welch is a bubbly, full of sunshine, chaotic gardener that has had the biggest crush on Julian, who doesn't remember her. Julian Vos is the rigid professor, obsessively organized and hates the unexpected, which is why he has a very strict schedule that he never breaks. Will it be possible for these two totally opposite people to fall for each other and have a chance for it to last? Hallie and Julian have a magnetic attraction, off-the-charts chemistry, and sparks that fortunately did not set anything aflame.

The secondary relationships in the story added depth and quality to this story. Hallie has a wonderful friendship with her friend Lavinia, and other local shop owners; in addition to beginning a new friendship with Julian’s sister, Natalie. Speaking of Julian’s sister, she, Julian, and their mother have a lot of family baggage that needs to be addressed. This story wonderfully sets up Julian’s sister’s story, hopefully the next book, and it will be interesting to see how the Vos family evolves and changes.

Ms. Bailey wrote an enjoyable, amusing, emotional, and heartwarming story that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, family dynamics, clever banter, lots of laughs, and strong secondary characters giving Hallie and Julian a chance at love, happiness, and a future together. I highly recommend Secretly Yours to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Love letters, a vineyard, furry friends, beautiful gardens...and let's not forget the spice! You want to preorder this one. Trust me. It's fabulous! ⁠
⁠
I can't wait for the second book in the A Vine Mess series, UNFORTUNATELY YOURS, releasing June 6th and featuring Natalie & August.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟 3/5 stars

Secretly Yours is an opposites attract romance about an uptight professor and his bubbly neighbor. Hallie had a crush on Julian as a teenager and never forgot about him. When Julian returns to his family’s vineyard, he clashes with Hallie as she revamps the vineyard’s garden. Then Hallie gets wine drunk and leaves Julian a secret admirer note. Hijinks ensue.

While this was not my favorite Tessa Bailey novel, it was a cute love story and a good introduction to a new series. I loved Hallie and Julian, but wanted a bit more chemistry. I am excited for the next installment in the series, Unfortunately Yours.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am extending my utter apologies to any type-A man (fictional or real) that I may have prejudged. This was surprisingly wonderful. I just love these two.

I feel incredible disapproval of illustrated/cartoony covers for a few reasons but mostly I think that they’re too often misleading. They seem to communicate to some readers that the contents inside the book are surface level or light or even young/appropriate for younger readers. So my opinion on this book cover is no different. I’m ready for that trend in romance to be over. As for the inside of the book…

Tessa Bailey’s writing has been a real miss for me in the past and I often find her vocab choices cringey but SOMETHING different happened here. I know everyone loved It Happened One Summer, but it just wasn’t for me and I implore you to try this one if you felt the same! There was so much character development and actual plot, feel-good moments of humor that felt like they could be real, and two imperfect people that everything circulated around. Without giving anything away - it was near romantic perfection.

🌶️ 3/5

“About a starchy professor and the bubbly neighbor he clashes with at every turn,” the blurb says.
Eh…
More like twice. Ish?

Look, that’s not where my issues originate here. I don’t mind a short “grumpy” arch in a grumpyXsunshine style ship, though I think this story would’ve benefitted from keeping Julian distant for longer.

This book follows Julian, an exacting Stanford professor home on some sort of sabbatical to write a novel, and Hallie, a landscaper who’s feeling unmoored since the loss of her grandmother. She’s had a crush on Julian since high school, but he doesn’t remember her. They have a spark, though, and the story follows them as they try to see if it can be cultivated into something more.

Both characters had strong and promising backstories, but the plot fell quite flat for me. With all the room for real conflict and real development, the turns the book took often felt contrived and boring.

I wanted more about Julian’s anxiety. I wanted him to actually come into serious conflict with Hallie’s way of managing her time. In real life, that would’ve happened, and it might’ve been enough to sink them as a couple. Had they made their way through that, I would've believed more in the strength of their relationship.

But instead, Julian seems to constantly sugar coat even her most destructive or unhealthy behaviors (pointless theft?). He doesn’t need to lecture her or criticize her, but his constant internal insistence that she has no flaws rang more and more false with his every repetition. It made the relationship feel grounded in an unreality that will capsize because Julian does not truly know or accept her. He has not yet been truly inconvenienced by her. Their love wasn’t tested.

And that makes this a sort of flimsy romance story.

This wasn’t helped by the lack of clear reasons for Julian to be interested in Hallie, beyond his physical attraction. Look, spice isn’t my thing, but usually Bailey’s books have an interesting love story between those parts.

Most of Julian’s reflections were just him drooling over Hallie’s body. There was very little development given to his relationship with her internal characteristics.

And his anxiety was left pretty underdeveloped. We were told some things there, near the end, but most of the story sort of sidelined it, and the reader is left with the understanding that for the most part, Julian’s symptoms go away when he’s with Hallie because he’s too distracted by his attraction for her. (I am not a fan of that take.) I was glad to see that it wasn’t magically cured, but I feel the development there was unclear and didn’t quite ring true to me, personally. (Of course, others may disagree!)

I don’t know. :/ I wanted to enjoy this one, but it fell a bit flat for me, unfortunately.

Tldr: Physical attraction doesn’t cure anxiety. Pretending your partner is flawless to avoid conflict is a recipe for burnout, poor conflict management, and eventual hurt feelings.

I read a lot of rom coms, and I hate how cynical this review sounds, but the character arcs just didn't connect for me here, and I know this writer is capable of more. <3
**Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest feedback.**

POV: Dual
Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

When I open a Tessa Bailey book and start to read that first page, I feel so excited for everything that I know is about to come and Secretly Yours was no different! With all the small town craziness set in wine country and the added bonus of secret admirer letters, this book felt extra unique.

While I loved so many things about the book, including the instant chemistry between Hallie and Julian, my favorite part was their character development. I loved Hallie’s wild and crazy personality while equally loving Julian’s more intense and reserved self. They both helped make each other the best they could possibly be and while at first it didn’t seem like they were a good fit, they ended up complimenting each other perfectly.

Slow burn and the perfect mix of romcom while dealing with some heavier things, I loved this book and I’m already half in love with the MMC of the next book!

After reading It Happened One Summer, I thought Tessa Bailey would be a go-to author for me. This is only the second book of hers I've read so I'll have to try some others before deciding for sure.

Secretly Yours definitely had some lovely moments and after struggling to get through the early chapters (I seriously considered DNFing this book), I pushed through and am glad that I finished it.

I struggled with the chemistry between the two MC's. IMO Hallie and Julian just didn't seem to fit. He is a character with major OCD and anxiety and these things are not so easily overcome. l found it hard to believe that just falling in love with the right person could make him better. Maybe I'm wrong, but it just didn't sit right with me.

Overall, I rated it a 3 star read because it did have some sweet and spicy moments that kept me captivated.

Give it a read and hopefully you will enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed this Tessa Bailey book. Hallie Welch a gardener fell for Julian Vos when she was fourteen and they almost kissed at a party in high school. Years later, Julian returns to Napa Valley to take a break and write a book at his family's vineyard, and Hallie is hired to revamp the garden outside his window. She proves to be a distraction, and Julien does not like distractions. The more time they spend together the less Julian seems to mind her distracting tendencies.
I enjoyed reading this book and am looking forward to reading the second one! Tessa Bailey is one of my favorite authors and this book did not disappoint.

Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Secret admirer letters usually have me waving a banner that says YES, I LOVE, but while there are aspects of Tessa Bailey’s Secretly Yours that I really enjoy, the letters & the lead combo just don’t totally work for me.

Landscape artist and business owner Hallie Welch has had feelings for Julian Vos for years & his reappearance on his family vineyard makes them forefront in her mind.

Julian is bewildered by his immediate attraction to Hallie, to everything about her (especially her breasts), except for her total spontaneity. He’s a big fan of schedules & planning.

I don’t know what to say about how opposites attract functions in this book except just to say that I didn’t 💯 buy them as a couple. But with that being said, the physical chemistry between Hallie and Julian is hot and I responded very well to the body positivity 😆.

The plot is a bit muddled to me as well—the letters feel superfluous to me.

If you’re a Tessa Bailey fan &/or you’re looking for a quick-ish read with heat & some heart, you might really enjoy this one. But for me it was a somewhat superficial reading experience.

3 ⭐️.

CWs: Grief over grandmother. Reference to mental breakdown of colleague. Anxiety rep.

[ID: a white hand holds the ebook in front of a green tree that has brown pine needles sticking out of it. In the background is a red & pink twine & artificial berry sign that says “xo.”]