A grumpy/sunshine romance that is a bit different from others I've read by Tessa Bailey. Julian Vos is a buttoned up professor type prone to panic attacks with fervently suppressed trauma. Hallie Welch is a free-spirited gardener who has had an unrequited crush on him since high school and is dealing (or rather, not dealing) with her own traumatic past in a completely opposite way. When he comes back to their hometown on sabbatical from work, she manufacturers a run-in that doesn't go as she had hoped.

I thought both main character were likeable, as was the cast of supporting characters. I especially like Julian's sister, who is the protagonist of the next book in the series. Hallie was fun but not over-the-top, and believably flawed. Julian's growing interest in her and the discussion of his hangups was well done too.

I actually thought the plot element of the secret admirer letter wasn't necessary. Their very different personalities and the personal growth they both experience over the course of the book provided plenty of tension and interest for me. But it didn't really detract either. I liked this book a lot!

Tessa Bailey continues to impress with another witty, laugh out loud rom com. Julian is the Darcy to Hallie's Elizabeth, but no matter how he tries to avoid her, he cannot stay away. Hallie is literally a dirty mess as she goes about her skillfull, although somewhat unorthodox, landscaping methods. This story had an equal amount of heart and sizzle with several intense sex scenes. I would recommend it to any patron who loves contemporary and sexy romances.

While I enjoyed the opposites attract storyline, this just wasn't my favorite Tessa Bailey. Still, it was a fun escape into gardens and wine!

Tessa Bailey's newest novel, Secretly Yours, is just as fantastic as the rest of her novels! The characters are complex, lovable, and REAL! Bailey does a great job creating a story line that keeps you hooked! Highly recommend!

Thank you, Tessa Bailey, for keeping us entertained!

I really enjoyed this new story by Tessa Bailey. The storyline was cute as well as all of the characters. Hallie was a chaotic cutie and Julian was a no-nonsense professor. This was a funny and thoughtful story. I wanted to be able to tour the town to see Hallie's gardens, the Vos vineyard, hang out at Corked and then get treats at Fudge Judy. I would love to read more stories from people of this cute little town.

Secretly Yours is a sweet romance between a sunshine-y mess and a strait-laced professor, set up completely for all kinds of trope-y goodness. I really like Tessa Bailey as an author, she manages to make fun stories with compelling leads and usually a good amount of angst to go with the romance. This one wasn't my favorite of hers, unfortunately, but it still hits most of the right notes.

I really liked Hallie and Julian, their characterization wasn't an issue for me. They're very much the classic grump/sunshine pairing but I think that the issue is that there was too much going on with them. It felt a bit like a smorgasbord of ideas rather than letting any one of them get too fleshed out. First up is the missed connection/lifelong crush, then there is the secret letters, then there is the overarching anxiety/recovering from grief, then there's the will they/won't they. It's a lot to throw at you especially when the romance takes so long to get going.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Tessa Bailey has a long history of writing highly readable books. They’re fun, with cute plot lines and plenty of sex. I haven’t missed reading one since I first discovered her.
Secretly Yours, while enjoyable, missed the mark a bit for me. I liked Hallie, yet Julian was so fragmented that it pulled me out of what might have been a charming story.
Regardless, this will fly off the library shelves, and I’ll definitely be back to check out her next release.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for granting access to a digital ARC.

Secretly Yours (Vine Mess #1`). Tessa, Tessa, Tessa. You have done it again. Tessa Bailey is not the queen of dirty talk for no reason and this lovely warm summer day of a book delivered that on many occasions. Dual POV, friends to lovers, an extreme amount of pining and a romantic vineyard all come together to form Secretly Yours. I came out of loyalty to Tessa Bailey and I stayed out of love for Hallie and Julian. Julian is the definition of type-a and home on sabbatical to attempt his novel debut, Hallie never left St. Helena and is still desperately in love with Julian and now his mothers most trusted gardener. While Hallie is chaotic, distracting and covered in dirt, Julian cannot keep his mind and eyes off of her. An ill-fated love note and a crumbling family business may just be the perfect foundation for forever.

Tessa Bailey is a big deal and for a reason - she has a very devoted fan base, writes quippy and cute beach reads, and knows how to bring you quickly into a story. Unfortunately, this novel felt weaker compared to earlier efforts. I really wanted to like Hailey, but she felt too quirky to the point of a caricature of a woman, and the dual personalities of Julian was like night and day => EXTREME Type A in the streets, and dirty mouthed fiend in the sheets. I didn't love it, and wasn't overly inspired by this, but I do think that those who are already fans of Bailey or readers who firmly fall in the romance fan category will enjoy this outing.

Overall this was a fun little read. It was a little hard to follow some of the stuff because I didn't realize it was a series style (they can stand alone if you want), and some of the character development/explanation of relationship didn't have a deep feel to it because it was assumed you knew already.

Tessa Bailey does it again.

This is the first book of her new duo. Hallie has held out on a crush for 15 years after Julian doesn't kiss her because she is a freshman.

Hallie is every bit of chaos while Julian is order to a t. It was such a breath of fresh air to see the main male character battling anxiety and panic attacks.

This book is amazing at looking at dysfunctional families and see that everyone has a perfect counter part.

This book was absolutely cute!!! I have read Tessa Bailey's previous books and was excited when I heard that she was coming out with a new series. After reading this book, she has officially become an absolute, must-read author for romance books. She has a way of making her characters very relatable while making sure they uphold their own unique voices. And the spice? Fantastic!!!

Secretly Yours has all the hallmarks of a Tessa Bailey romance, but they didn’t quite come together in this one to form something as successful as It Happened One Summer or Tools of Engagement. This leans heavily on “secret admirer” and “opposites attract” tropes, but both fell flat for me. Julian Vos is a rigid routine follower, which makes the speed at which he falls for chaotic, unorganized Hallie super confusing. He flips back and forth from being a nerdy, type-A professor to a dirty-talking sex fiend at the drop of a hat - he felt like two totally different characters to me! The use of his anxiety as a third act breakup plot device also made me feel rather uncomfortable. I really liked Hallie as a character - she’s quirky and fun without feeling fake and her insta-lust is better explained by her years-long crush on Julian. The small town charm and all the talk of wine and gardening was also endearing - despite my issues with Julian, this was still a fun, breezy summer read.

Tessa Bailey does it again! Bailey's books keep getting better and better, and "Secretly Yours" is no exception. Set in Norcal wine country, "Secretly Yours" follows gardener Hallie, and her reunion from her childhood crush-turned-professor, Julian (who also happens to be winery royalty in their town). When Julian returns to his hometown to begin writing a novel, his mother hires Hallie to work on the garden outside the cottage where he is staying, and sparks fly. It was a little stressful, because although Hallie remembers Julian (and their almost-kiss in high school), Julian is drawn to her, but can't place her. Overall, it was a fun, steamy, summer read. At times, the grumpy-sunshine dynamic felt a little forced (Julian, please, get your brooding head out of your stuck-up ass), but overall I enjoyed the way that Hallie pulled the fun out of Julian. And as always, Tessa Bailey remains the queen of steamy scenes, so there's that to look forward to.

Bailey pens another sweet and funny romantic story perfect for curling up and getting lost in. The story is cute and the characters likable. I wasn’t a huge fan of some of the romantic themes but that is just my personal preference.

Rating: 4/5
Spice: 3/5
Storyline: 4/5
Tropes: second chances, grumpy-sunshine, opposites attract, age gap
Content Warnings: anxiety/panic attacks

Hallie Welch has had a crush on Julian Vos since she was a freshman in high school, and years later he’s back in town to write a historical novel. Hallie's everything he's not, a chaotic gardener that lives her life on her terms. She’s a whirlwind that crashes into Julian’s world, going against his routines and need for structure.

Secretly Yours is packed with everything you want in a romcom where opposites attract. Hallie is a plus sized MC with curly hair, who spends her days gardening/landscaping and taking revenge on behalf of her grandma’s favorite wine tasting store. Julian struggles with anxiety and OCD, so when his plans get derailed, he suffers from panic attacks. Hallie and Julian help one another accept their flaws and learn to embrace their authentic selves.

The story was surprisingly sweet. I couldn’t help but swoon every time Julian helped Hallie, even with the smallest of problems. And in turn, Hallie helps Julian be present and enjoy the now, instead of constantly worrying about the time and his schedule. Julian is so freaking nice and sweet, it hurts my jaw. The storytime scene. Swoon. There were so many moments where I could relate to Julian. I always love seeing more characters who struggle with anxiety and panic attacks. It helps break the stigma around mental health.

I felt like the side characters were lacking. Though I did like Julian’s sister, and would read her character's book. I also felt like the secret admirer letters weren’t necessary.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Tessa Bailey for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

It could be that I read this book at a time I was a little pickier than normal, or that it just wasn't the book for me. I don't like to leave a bad review, but this book was just not a great read. The characters were annoying and not at all relatable or enjoyable. The plot was so minimal and hardly there, which made the book blah. There was something about the characters and side characters that was just a frustrating. There were moments when I thought the book might take a good turn and then, honestly, it was just a ridiculous. I don't feel like I'm that picky it's just that this wasn't written well enough for me to enjoy. I'm sure there will be others and I hope there will be others that enjoy it, but for me it was just one that wasn't enjoyable and one I wouldn't recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is the first Tess Bailey book I've read. I'm hoping her others are better. It is an easy, enjoyable beach read.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

As a longtime Tessa Bailey fan, I can assure you that SECRETLY YOURS does not disappoint. This wine country romantic comedy is full of laughs, whimsy, and swoons. A perfect, lighthearted read for those in need of a Napa Valley vacation.

I LOVE TESSA BAILEY. She hits it out of the park every time. Steamy, spicy romance with surprisingly complex character development for a rom-com - plus a gorgeous Napa setting.