✨ unrequited love
✨ secret admirer
✨ opposites attract

Hallie has been in love with Julian since she was 14 years. But Julian left after high school and now finally he’s back. And Hallie wonders if real life Julian is just as great as he was back then. One drunken night Hallie leaves Julian a secret admirer letter. But Julian is only back to write a novel. And what does a no non sense professor and a bubbly gardener have in common?

I freaking loved this book. Hallie is such a light and happy character, the shenanigans she gets herself into are hilarious. And Julian is a rigid time oriented person who love his life to the minute in order to control his anxiety. I loved his character and how Hallie made his deviate from his perfectly planned life. She gives him a sense of being free from his anxiety just to spend time with her. And as Hallie is struggling with herself and what the future means for her now.

I love the two of them together. They complement each other even being completely different. I love each character and even glimpse of Julian’s sister Natalie in the next book. This book is fun, funny, and ya know it’s Tessa Bailey so it’s spicy! The dirty talking professor and his virgin gardener.

4.25/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️

"The last time they'd almost kissed was right here in this very vineyard- a moment that had ruined her forever."

Okay okay. I am stunned because I am in love with anything Tessa Bailey but this wasn't nearly as swoon worthy as her other books. Not saying I didn't love it because it did have me hooked either way. The setting in Napa (I mean ya girl loves her wine so...), the dogs, Hallie and Julian. I loved a lot of things but I wasn't nearly as engrossed as I typically am when it comes to a TB book.

So here's a quick summary and then I'll get down to the kind of spoiler-ish tidbits:
Hallie Welch (last name the same as the famous grape juice brand, did not pass over my head one bit) has been in love with Julian Vos since she was 14 years old, ever since she missed her chance at an almost kiss. I mean in her defense, it would've been truly romantic given the setting was in his family's famous vineyard (and lets all just agree that first kisses generally are not). After being whisked away shortly after, Hallie never truly got to see where that lip locking would've taken them. Now 15 years of (mind I say) "gentle / harmless" internet stalking, her crush has returned to Napa to write a book.

Julian Vos is a very detailed oriented professor and runs on a strict (very strict) schedule. Every minute is accounted for and distractions usually leave him flustered, attempting to rework his schedule to find some degree of stable ground. Hallie Welch, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. She is typically late, has no plans to plan her future plans, has three dogs she takes everywhere and hides behind her gardening tools when creating any conversation. So when Hallie is hired to revamp the gardens on the Vos estate, she's wondering if she'll finally get that kiss. Except Julian doesn't quite remember why Hallie seems so familiar (que Hallie being offended).

Needless to say, she soon discovers they have complete opposite personalities... while becoming a distraction to Julian's strict schedule with her chaotic decision making. "The man from her dreams who connected with her on a molecular level and could read her mind? He didn't exist in reality. She'd built him up into a fantasy that would never play out." Feeling this difference, instead of voicing her feelings out loud, Hallie decides (drunkenly) that she should write secret admirer letters instead.

My thoughts:
First off, I just want to say one of my favorite parts of this book was Hallie's bestfriend, Lavinia. LOVED her. On paper, she was probably a better match for Hallie, but its okay because we still like straightlaced Julian. Why do we like him?? Oh because he was the perfect amount of thoughtful and protective. I mean EXHIBT A:

"'You're finished yelling at her now.' Hallie couldn't see his face, but based on the clipped delivery of his words, she imagined his features were tense. 'Don't ever do that again.'"

HELLO, swoooon. Also, I just love the easy writing style of TB. Although not as funny as some of her other books, this one did have the classic TB humor I oh so adore.

"'She's a menace!'
Hallie gasped.
'You're probably right.' Julian drawled.
She gasped a second time.
'But if you say another word about her, I'll break a lot more than your disco ball.'"

I loved the intimate setting a lot too. It made it romantic, with the addition of TB classic dirty talk. I mean Julian could light anyone's pants on fire. A lot of people are saying that Hallie was too childish but I think that makes perfect sense with her personality.

Here's my spoiler-ish review so do not continue on if you don't want to know these tidbits:


I think one of my issues was the secret admirer letters. Yes they were cute, but honestly the entire hectic difference between the two MCs was enough drama for this stand-alone romance. I wasn't entirely sure why they were a big deal to Hallie and honestly they really ended up not being to Julian. Especially since she had the man hooked from there first meeting. Also, Hallie being upset that he couldn't remember her was a little dramatic, the man was in high school at a party and the encounter was portrayed as short. (This is fiction so its really not that big of a deal, buuuut I'm allowed to think that's ridiculous.) The story was sweet but THE END??? Literally, the book ended with THE END. I was startled to say the least. No epilogue?? I would've like to see Julian moved in with Hallie's dogs. I'm going to assume its because the next book picks up from that timeline, so hopefully we get some Hallie and Julian sneak peeks with Natalie's (Julian's sister) story.

Like all of the other Tessa Bailey books I've read, I really enjoyed this one! Hallie is a chaotic mess (kind of like myself) and Julian is a strict planner (kind of like my husband), although their personalities are on the extreme side of things. Overall, a cute feel good romance with another book coming for Julian's sister!

In typically Tessa Bailey fashion, this was an excellent sweet, steamy, emotional read. Really loved how this book addressed mental health. The relationship moved at a great pace. Really excited for the sequel! Thank you Berkley and Net Galley for this read!

4 Stars I was so excited to get this ARC on NetGalley and needless to say, Tessa Bailey's newest release does not disappoint! 29 year old Hallie Welch fell in love for Julian Vos fifteen years ago after a fateful night in his family's Napa vineyard when he almost became her first kiss. Now, Julian is back in town, taking a sabbatical from Stanford where he's a history professor in order to write a novel. Gardener Hallie is hired by Julian's mom to do some work around the guest house Julian and staying in, so Hallie wonders if this is their second chance. Grown up Julian is grumpy and clashes with Hallie's brand of chaos. After a drunken girls' night, Hallie writes Julian a secret admirer letter and leaves it on his jogging route. While Julian wonders about his secret admirer (who keeps sending letters), he also grows closer with Hallie, growing to admire her free spirit, even if that means dealing with her chaos, which triggers his anxiety.

I thought Tessa did a wonderful job with the anxiety rep in this novel; it felt realistic and wasn't too much, which I've encountered in other books with characters similar to Julian. Hallie and Julian were a great couple and I loved how they both accepted and challenged each other. The one thing I wasn't as crazy about with this book was the actual secret admirer letters. Based on the book's description, I thought there would be more of them or it would be a bigger part of the plot, but that wasn't the reality of it. There were about 4 letters total and the first one didn't happen right away. If the letters weren't part of the novel at all, I think the story would still basically be the same. Also, the content of the letters after the first one weren't very secret admirer-y, and more just philosophical ramblings and questions about life.

I still absolutely love Tessa Bailey and I can't wait for Unfortunately Yours--Julian's sister Natalie's story!

I usually really love Tessa Bailey books, but honestly this one wasn’t one of my favorites. It was a cute story overall, but it was hard to get into and the plot was a little all over the place. If you like spicy books, this one definitely has those moments. I gave this book 3/5⭐️.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for and ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tessa Bailey will always get you out of a reading slump. Secretly Yours, a grumpy sunshine romance is cute and spicy; perfect for an afternoon read.

I usually like Tessa Bailey’s books and will always give them a shot but I couldn’t connect with this one. Ultimately I didn’t care much about either character or their romance, I think I may have actually actively disliked either one or both of them throughout the book. Maybe I’ll revisit this one in the future and like it more but I think TB has written much better romances than this.

Thank you to NetGalley for the read.

This was a fun read that I devoured in several hours. I love all of the books I've read so far by Tessa, and this one was no exception.

Hallie is a fun, quirky character. I love all the stunts she pulls on Uncorked. Julian was a likeable character as well. I liked how the author write about panic attacks and loss of close family. This was more than just a fluffy romance novel.

I would recommend this book to a friend!

I love Tessa Bailey’s books and this did not disappoint. The main characters, Hallie and Julian, are delightfully mismatched and yet somehow a perfect fit. All of the background characters were also super fun and I can’t wait for Natalie’s story. The only reason this book gets a 4 instead 5 from me is that Julian becomes a bit obsessive and jealous before they even start anything. While he questions this in his own narration, it still struck me off and on as unhealthy. Overall a really fun and fast read. The spice is excellent, as is to be expected from Tessa Bailey.

Sweet story with sweet characters. I loved the character development throughout the book and it kept me engaged and entertained. Loved the 2 main characters and the sweet relationships that continued to develop with the supporting characters too.

Hallie is a tornado…she flies by the seat of her pants through life. When her high school crush, Julian, moves back to town she can’t help but fantasize about what he is like as an adult. Turns out he is the polar opposite of her. He has come back to town to write his novel and every minute of his day is structured and regimented. Can tornado Hallie show him there is more to life than keeping perfect order?

This is a precious little romance story. The characters are lovable and relatable. It is spicy at times, so just be ready for that 🔥 It’s a perfect read for February!

I was so excited to read Secretly Yours because I am a huge Tessa Bailey fan after reading It Happened One Summer! I may have liked this one even more, purely because this book just gave me SO much joy reading it. It's literally sunshine for the soul!

What I loved:
- Second chance romance (kinda?), opposites attract, curvy MC
- Hallie's heart! I really enjoyed her as a main character due to her spontaneity and pranks on Uncorked. The "secret admirer" letter was a bit odd, but I feel that it kinda fit her character.
- Julian. Wow. I loved Brendan from IHOS, and Julian is a very very close second for me! He's grumpy, intelligent, caring, thoughtful, protective and just everything! The anxiety representation/panic attacks are represented well.
- This is one of the few books that has just left. me glowing after reading it. It just left me so happy!
- Tessa Bailey dirty talk in this one. It's just as good at you're imagining!

Read if you loved:

- It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
- Hook, Line and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

All in all, if you're looking for an opposites attract romance with some humor, give this one a try!

A massive thank you to NetGalley, Tessa Bailey and Avon books for the opportunity to read this ARC!

4.5 stars

I actually didn’t really enjoy the FMC, Hallie. She just seemed like a bit of a mess (which fits with the series title, I suppose)—she’s floundering in her job after her grandmother passed, she’s still stuck on this crush she’s had since she was 14, and she’s still a virgin…at nearly 30. While I understand why she’s held onto this crush for so long (because Julian is bae), her holding everyone up to a standard of a boy she interacted with ONCE when she was 14 felt a little creepy to me.

But Julian? He was the star of Secretly Yours. He’s an uptight (grumpy, if you will) professor who is taking a sabbatical to write a book. He clearly has anxiety, maybe some OCD, but he can’t resist Hallie, even if she throws him off his schedule. I loved him.

"When she isn’t smiling, the world becomes a terrible place."

Can you resist a man who just wants to make you happy all the time? I can’t.

So Secretly Yours was still a really enjoyable read for me, despite the fact that Hallie wasn’t as likable or relatable as hoped. But her interactions with Julian were adorable and sweet, and when that man turns into a dirty talking king? I’m dead.

I have high hopes for Unfortunately Yours, as I can already see the sparks flying!

Thank you to Avon Books for the review copy!

This is an opposites attract, second chance, grumpy/sunshine(ish), steamy romance that brought out all the feels! It was fast paced and a sweet read that is coming out just in time for Valentines Day! (Feb 7th).

I loved the relationship build and tension that grew between Hallie and Julian. I found myself laughing out loud and rooting for Hallie and Julian’s love from the beginning! I cannot wait for the second book in this series to come out!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for sending me this free eArc in exchange for my honest review.

Tessa Bailey never disappoints. She’s truly a queen of romance and this was such a fun read! I loved the chemistry between the characters and how mischievous Hallie was!! The setting of the story also added to the appeal!! I cannot wait to read the second book in this series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The premise is creepy--the main characters *almost* kissed in high school, and Hallie has been fantasizing about Julian and that kiss ever since.
So when he mysteriously comes back to town to "write a novel," Hallie concocts a reason to landscape his yard, bringing a whole lot of chaos into his life, which he actually seems to like.
Julian is creepy--his "sexy" dirty talk is anything but. It was gross. And! He figured that Hallie was a virgin and still allowed her first time to be outside in the grass. Not even on a blanket! Ew. Selfish jerk.
And what's with the not-so-secret letter writing? That whole storyline wasn't even needed in this book.
This book is a mess, not a vine mess, just a mess.

I usually love Tessa Bailey books but I'm sorry.... This book was a hot mess.

Where's the character development? Where's the plot? Why does this book feel like it was written by a man?

Hallie had everything going for her but somehow she's still virgin and still so low on self esteem? Ehhh didn't feel believable to me.

The sex scene from the man's perspective was frankly disgusting. I felt like that was a step in the wrong direction for feminism.

Overall I'm sorry Tessa but this book ain't it. 😵‍💫

I don’t normally like romances in which one MC has been pining after the other for 10+ years, but in this one, it kind of worked. I honestly didn’t love Hallie at first and her overall hot mess personality irritated me…that is until I understood that she felt lost and untethered, and then I just felt for her.

This was truly an “opposites attract” and “better together” romance and I really enjoyed watching Julian and Hallie’s relationship evolve and see them realize while they’re so different they don’t need to “change” for the other person to love them. I felt for Julian SO HARD the entire book. His anxiety and his want for Hallie but feeling that he’s bad for her. This book definitely packed an emotional punch despite being a RomCom (which I always appreciate).

I was given an ARC by NetGalley and Avon or Harper Voyager. All opinions are my own.

“I finished my book and it’s terrible… But I needed to finish the first horrible draft in order to know how to fix it. No one gets anything worthwhile right on the first try. That’s why we evolve. That’s why we change.”

You guys are not ready for Julian. You’re not.

Ready, that is.

For Julian.

But you will take him. And you will say Thank You. Oh yes, you will.

There are a lot of perfect things about this book. But at the very top is the anxiety rep. Tessa take a bow. You deserve to be praised until the end of times for bringing to a romcom such raw and real rep of what is like to live with anxiety. You gave us swoony romance with a window into how panic attacks can be so hard on a person’s life, so hard on a family’s life, specially if one doesn’t have the right support, the right foundation, the right help to show them it’s okay. That they will be okay.

And if you’re not ready for Julian, you’re probably not ready for the storm of rainbow and sunshine that is Hallie. The grief bruised Hallie. Who brings life and color and messy-everything into Julian’s life, into our lives. But despite all the splashes of color, Hallie carries a whole lot of pain, of longing, of hurt. Sure she might not know who she is right now, but the sun that follows her everywhere hasn’t forgotten.

#AVineMess is shaping up to be an unforgettable series because I’m already rooting for one ex-Navy SEAL who apparently has no taste buds 👀

What’s inside:
🖤romcom in wine country
🖤opposites attract
🖤second chance-ish
🖤teenage crush
🖤anxiety rep
🖤secret admirer letters

Adult. 4.5 stars ⭐️