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Member Reviews
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Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Physical
3.75🌟 - it was good!
There is something about a Tessa Bailey book that even if I didn’t love it, she has me coming back again and again!
I liked the winery vibes, the grumpy x sunshine, and unrequited love!! It was cute and spicy, but overall not super memorable.
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This was a quick read that was both cute and angsty. I really enjoyed the chaotic, free spirited energy of the main character, Hallie. This couples attraction is the definition of magnetic and there is all of the Tessa Bailey spice that one would expect🔥.
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Love notes from a secret admirer is a lovely diversion. The sultry new gardner is a terrifically terrible distraction.
Julian came home to get away. He's writing a novel. He doesn't want distractions or diversions. He has a plan- a timeline.
Turns out Julian has no idea what he wants. Distraction and diversion war with his old life. A new life doesn't seem to fit either. Julian needs to make a choice.
It wouldn't be a Happily Ever After without him making the right choice! Enjoy the journey to Julian's new existence. Love Hallie through her growth too. The result is a beautiful mix of colorful chaos you couldn’t imagine otherwise.
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Tessa Bailey is one of the authors I go to when I want something fun, dirty, and easy to read. This book gave me exactly that.
Definite grumpy/sunshine vibes with Julian and Hallie. They met as kids, and now they're meeting again as adults. Hallie is the quintessential quirky FMC. Julian is the perfect, uptight ivy league stuffed shirt. Eventually, they get it on in a vineyard. And live happily ever after.
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Oh no. Just...oh no. I am so sorry to say that this was a miss for me. Which is so sad because normally, I love TB's writing! It was indeed a vine mess, and I found myself cringing throughout the entire book. I am really looking forward to the sister and ex-Navy SEAL book, though! Fingers crossed it redeems the series for me.
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2.5 Stars
I was quite surprised since I have loved Tessa Bailey’s books in the past; however this one was very meh for me for several reasons. I didn’t love Julian; while I loved the idea of his profession mixed with his need for a schedule, kind heart, and very real panic attacks, he was too overbearing for me when it came to Hallie in all ways (sexual and in doing things for her that were a bit over the top for their stage of non-relationship/relationship). I also felt Hallie and Julian were both immature when it comes to relationships and some of their actions for adults which I didn’t particularly love. The book also was hard for me to get into at the beginning and felt like it drug on a bit; I was waiting for some big conflict or something bigger to happen but it just all kind of stayed flat.
I did love Hallie’s best friend, Lorna (who doesn’t love a grandma like figure), and Julian’s sister Natalie. I enjoyed the growth of Julian’s relationship with his family; because of this I’ll still read Natalie’s story since it’s Tessa Bailey, but I wouldn’t recommend this one!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon books for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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In her first book in a new series, Tessa Bailey introduces curvy gardener Hallie and buttoned-up professor, Julian. She brings chaos into his regimented life, and while there is an undeniable attraction between them, Hallie is struggling to get over the fact that he can't remember her from fifteen years prior--when they almost kissed. To get closure on her unrequited crush, she pens him anonymous love letters, but ends up confused when real-life feelings for the man he is now begin to form.
I enjoyed this book! Hallie and Julian, along with the side characters, are all extremely likable. In particular, the introduction of Julian's sister, Natalie, has made me ESPECIALLY excited for book two in this series--which features her in a marriage of convenience. But I totally shipped Hallie and Julian, and Bailey delivers the perfect steam as usual. I think the epistolary element was unnecessary and at times it felt like there were one too many plot threads to follow, but it didn't downgrade my overall enjoyment of the book.
Thanks to Avon for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
5 stars - 8/10
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Secretly Yours is a classic Tessa Bailey novel, you know what you are going to get. Lots of chemistry and plenty of spice, with heart. Hallie and Julian are very opposite attract but they both help each other learn to be less rigid or less scattered in their own ways. I like the setting of this in wine country and i liked the small town vibe, with the focus also on healing family. I look forward to reading Natalie's story.
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2.5 stars
I really had high hopes for this one. Sadly it fell flat for me. Both Hallie and Julian did not connect to me at all. I found a lot of their dialogue over the top and at times cheesy and that made me sad. I loved Tessa last duology, but this one just didn't work for me. I am still going to read the follow up book. Maybe Natalie and August will be a better fit. This book may not have worked for me personally but it worked for may other readers and it may work for you so don't be shy about checking it out anyway.
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I'm a huge Tessa Bailey fan, but I feel that this is one of her weaker novels. For me personally, the chemistry between the two main characters always felt like a stretch. I did like the development of the female lead throughout the novel and found that satisfying, but not her relationship. I'd still recommend it to Tessa Bailey fans though for background for Unfortunately Yours, the second in the series.
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I hear so many great things about this author but this is my second read by her and I don’t get it! I could not finish this book, it was not for me.
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This was extremely disappointing.
Tessa Bailey has made a name for herself by writing MC's who are strong and developed by this book was just disaster after disaster.
If it had been handed to me without an author's name on it, I would've never thought it was her.
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‘Secretly Yours’ by Tessa Bailey was super sweet and super fun - the perfect romance - and I absolutely recommend it!
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So OBSESSED!!! I have been in such a terrible reading slump the last few months and I genuinely feel like this book has pulled me out of the trenches! It was such a fun and adorable read! I ADORED Hallie and Julian together and apart - they were two people who collided so intensely and helped each other evolve separate and together in such a beautiful way. She was the chaos he needed and he was the structure she needed and I loved it so much. The vibes were absolutely PHENOMINAL, the chemistry was HOT and the characters were just so lovable. I didn't even care that this was a bit of a slow burn and Tessa made us work for it because when it happened it was PERFECT! AND the mouth on this man OH MY GOD! Hallie didn't stand a chance like AT ALL! This had me SWOONING, laughing, and blushing so much, I cannot recommend this enough!!! I was in love with both Julian and Hallie but I also loved all of the other characters too, and I cannot wait to read Unfortunately Yours next!
Thank you to Avon Books / NetGalley and Tessa Bailey for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Secretly Yours was a fun and cute romance. Quite steamy at times too. I enjoyed the cast of characters and can't wait to read the next one!
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Really loved Tessa Bailey's latest: Secretly Yours! A coming-of-age mixed with angsty romance, this one will have you turning pages and rooting for the main character!
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Awful. Just awful and I love Tessa Bailey. But these were the most unlikeable characters I have ever encountered in a book. I put it down about a quarter of the way through. I won't read the sequel, either.
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I suppose I'm not a great fan of Tessa Baileys. This book read with very limited plot and is for a more immature reader.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishing co for this read. Opinions are my own
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I love Tessa Bailey and have been a fan since the beginning. I adored what happened last summer so much, but I feel like with popularity Tessa is writing not for love but instead to ensure suit Tiktok, and it isn't working,
Beyond the fact that the meet-cute between Hiley and Juian was pretty weak - the fact that the premise of this story is that Hailey is upset that Julien doesn't remember her, although they barely had any interactions. This is what starts the letters.
I feel like there may be something here, but it just wasn't good - but beyond all that, Julian's sex talk should automatically put him in jail.
I have never been so uncomfortable with sex talk - it was wildly long and descriptive for no reason - NOT sexy.
Unfortunately - this was a no for me.
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Back in high school, Hallie had the biggest crush on Julian. She hasn’t seen him in years but when he comes back home on sabbatical to write a novel, she finds the butterflies are still there. One night after too many drinks, she decides to write him a secret admirer letter and leave it along his running path for him to find.
I usually adore anything Tessa Bailey writes, but this book just didn’t capture me in the same way her books usually do. I wanted to love it, and there wasn’t anything I particularly disliked about it, it just never fully had me engaged in the story. I love a chaotic main character so Hallie was exactly the type of whirlwind I love, but I didn’t fully buy into Julian being the right match for her whimsical nature. What I did love was the steam - this book had the Tessa Bailey steam we all know and love and it did not disappoint in that regard.
Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the advance copy.