*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: June 6, 2023

I’m such a sucker for amazing first lines and this has a great one. This marriage of convenience tale gets right to it with humor and chemistry oozing off the page. Lots of dirty talk/steam in this open door romcom! It’s a bit much with the “woman needs big strong man” trope and my only issue is that it’s a good book with a great story and characters on its own—it just doesn’t need the constant reminders comparing his shoulders to boulders. Will be a fun summer/vacation read for many…a HEA set in wine country!

So cute. I’m a sucker for good banter and Tessa Bailey always delivers. Natalie and August’s chemistry was great and reeled me in from the start.

As a self declared Tessa fangirl, this one did not disappoint. I think I'll always be chasing the Westport high, but Napa was a really neat setting too! In my opinion, Natalie and August had WAY more chemistry than Hallie/Julian ever did. The tropes (enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, forced proximity, etc.) were all spot on. My only teeny tiny complaint would be that some of August's dialogue way a little "cave-manish". And I am always the first one to hop on that alpha/asshole/masculine bandwagon... but some of his lines were just a little too out there to get behind. But overall I really enjoyed it, and will obviously keep reading anything and everything that Queen Bailey pumps out.

🍷Marriage of Convenience
🍷Enemies to Lovers
🍷Forced Proximity
🍷Small Town

Unfortunately Yours is book two of the Vine Mess series and I absolutely devoured this book! I couldn’t put it down! I couldn’t wait to read this when I found out Tessa was writing a marriage of convenience book! And it was worth the wait and it was every thing I wanted and more! I loved the angst, the chemistry between Natalie and August, and the spice was smoking hot! I laughed so much but I also got a little emotional at parts. I loved how independent Natalie was and I loved how protective and sweet August was with Natalie. If you are looking for a fun and sweet RomCom then this is the book for you!

This was a sweet with oh-so-saucy-heat RomCom that features two characters that I loved from Secretly Yours, the first book in the A Vine Mess series.

August is an ex-Navy SEAL and a massive dude who is trying his hand at wine making and failing. Natalie is a Napa heiress with family issues and a wicked financial mind who has hit a professional roadblock.

As we saw in Secretly Yours, these two headstrong people do not get along, but they decide it's in their best interests to have a marriage of convenience. As one does. The fake marriage is needed so Natalie can get access to her hefty trust fund and August can get a bank loan for his winery start up. What could possibly go wrong?

Tessa Bailey proves she is the queen of the spicy RomCom with saucy bedroom scenes, her signature humour (oh the banter!!), great chemistry between her characters and a bevy of romance tropes. In this book we have fake marriage, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and just a bit (thankfully) of miscommunication - the bane of all tropes for this reader.

What I didn't love: The overuse of endearments. Argh. Nicknames like 'babe' *inner shudder* are definitely not my jam, so August's constant use of the term "Princess" for Natalie got annoying fast.

The connection between August and Natalie was gentle at times and hot-HOT-HOT other times making them a couple readers will root for. August (sorry, not a fan of the name) successfully balanced between obnoxious dude/manly male and a big 'ol softie while Natalie was a good balance of a strong, smart woman who has her vulnerable side too.

Unfortunately Yours is a great addition to this newer series and I actually liked it even more than Secretly Yours. Make sure you read the epilogue which adds that extra swoony layer on top of this entertaining RomCom that has both humour, heart and spice.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Avon Books for the complimentary digital copy of this book which was sent in exchange for my honest review.

I. Love. Natalie. and August!!!

I was not sure how I'd like this one, given Natalie did not seem very likeable in the previous book in this series. But, she was real and raw and August is major book boyfriend vibes.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Unfortunately Yours is the second and final book in the A Vine Mess duology. Natalie Vos is lying low and licking her wounds at her family's vineyard after losing her job and fiance. She's planning on moving back to New York and starting her own business. However, she needs capital and quickly. She does have a trust fund, but that will only be released to her once she's married. If only there was someone that could help her out... Enter August who needs to be attached to reputable to get a business loan for his new winery. Especially since it's common knowledge that his wine is terrible. The two will have to put aside their dislike for each other to fool everyone in town that they're really in love.
Tessa Bailey can do no wrong. I have loved this series and I was really excited for August and Natalie's story since reading the first book. I loved the relationship between the two main characters and it was great that we got to see plenty of Hallie and Julian from the previous book.

Tessa Bailey is a banter genius! She knows how to hook you in and make you laugh while falling for the characters! I was very intrigued by Natalie and August after their introduction in Secretly Yours. But wow! I did not expect to fall in love with them so quickly!

Natalie and August are fantastic! They both have dreams that they are unwilling to give up, past failures that have a hold on them, and so much attraction I’m surprised my book didn’t catch fire!! 🔥

Read if you like:
🍾 Marriage of convenience
🍾 Enemies to lovers
🍾 Redemption story
🍾 He falls first
🍾 Visiting wineries

This is probably my new favorite Tessa Bailey novel. I even read it in 24 hours. August and Natalie have such an amazing relationship of tension and passion. Their individual development and the development of their relationship throughout the book is my favorite of the year. Filled with incredibly hot scenes and a love that has ruined men for me, this is one you can't miss.

the highlight of this story is definitely the interactions and chemistry between natalie and august and it was so adorable and wholesome to see how they grew into liking each other!

Oh my goodness I really liked this book! I loved how August was such a big, burly teddy bear and how treasured he made Nat feel. This one had me hooked and I couldn’t stop!

This hurts my heart a little to say, but the latest Tessa Bailey was not for me. The main male character, August, was not my cup of tea. He leaned a little too over protective and possessive for me. There were points while reading this that I went “yuck” out loud at him. This might ring someone’s bell, but definitely not mine.

Thanks to @avonbooks and @netgalley for the ARC.

A super spicy enemies to lovers marriage of convenience set in Napa Wine country. Book two in the Vine Mess series, this works as a standalone but has cameos from Julian and Hallie of Secretly yours.

Full of all Tessa's trademark sexual tension, witty one-liners and STEAMY love scenes, this book grabbed my heart from the very first line: "For as long as August Cates could remember, his dick had ruined everything." lol. BEST FIRST LINE EVER!!

I loved that the strong ex-SEAL fell hard for the bad-ass NYC finance babe and kept ruining his chances with his unfiltered mouth. The family relationship growth between Natalie and her mother and brother was great to witness too and the ending was perfection.

All the stars for this fun, flirty and heartfelt romcom! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

4 stars!
I was like marriage of Convenience?!?!?! Say less say lesss!!! The first book, I had to dnf it but this one was way better and I definitely enjoyed this book! This book was such a fun dramatic spicy read and it was such a different vibe than the books I used to read by her. The insta love might not be for everyone but if you are up for a marriage of Convenience and forced proximity humor filled book then I recommend this! August and Natalie's chemistry is such a roller coaster ride and I am so excited for this book release!

thank you NetGalley for my copy of Unfortunately Yours!

Tessa Bailey is one of my favorite authors, even though i am not a fan of third person pov. she makes me feel as if i am so encapsulated in the story that the third person pov isn’t even an issue like in other books.

Natalie is currently living at home because she was fired from her finance job in New York & her fiancée ended their engagement. August is in Napa because he is fulfilling his best friends dream of making wine. These two find themselves in a marriage of convenience of sorts & seeing this progression from enemies to lovers was fantastic. Their banter was great & seeing their inner turmoil as well added to their respective viewpoints while they are freshly married.

This story was a nice read & i liked it a lot better than the previous novel because i felt more drawn to the story and the writing in this book. i think that i would have liked the ending to be a little more interesting because the conflicts were spaced out with not as much dialogue & events in between that it felt rushed. but the epilogue was amazing & also so cute, i loved it !

I almost didn’t commit to reading this after reading the first one as it just wasn’t my cup of tea. But I loveeeee Tessa’s books as a whole and I’m so glad I gave this one a chance!

August’s character is a breath of fresh air! My kind of man IRL! He’s funny, a tad dorky at times, says what’s on his mind and apparently has the best d*** 😂 He’s quirky AND a giant Navy Seal and I just adored all the layers to his character. The chemistry and the spice was 👌

This book is an adorable and funny marriage of convenience. Natalie Voss has returned home after losing her job and fiancé all at once. She needs money to start her new business venture. The only problem is in order to access her trust fund she must be both employed and married. Enter August Cates a former Navy Seal who owns a vineyard but so far has only produced absolutely terrible wine and no bank in their right mind will give him a loan which he desperately needs if he is going to fulfill he's friends dream. He and Natalie had piping hot chemistry when they first met but somehow they've found themselves trading insults rather than kisses. When Natalie suggests that they enter a sham marriage so they can both get what they want August decides to take the plunge. What could go wrong? A few weeks under the same roof, he'll get his loan, she'll get access to her trust fund it should be easy. However, neither of them account for the undeniable attraction they feel and as the days wear on they both have to wonder if they've stopped pretending.

Unfortunately Yours is book 2 of the A Vine Mess by Tessa Bailey. It is told from both POV with a HEA.

Tropes:
➵Enemies to lovers
➵Fake marriage / Forced proximity
➵Takes place in Napa Valley / vineyard

Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey is a pleasant surprise, delivering a captivating blend of banter, sexiness, and heartfelt moments.

One of the highlights of the book is the way August and Natalie stand up for each other and defend one another regardless of the antagonistic relationship between them. Their loyalty and support create a strong bond between them, deepening their connection and making it feel endearing.

The relationship between August and Natalie develops at a lightning speed, moving from begrudging attraction into instant love. While there’s abundance in sexiness, it still left me longing for a more gradual and substantial build-up. The lack of knowledge about the characters and their limited understanding of each other raises questions about the authenticity of their love. I craved a more organic unfolding of their connection, allowing me to fully invest in their journey.

Despite this slight reservation, Unfortunately Yours remains a delightful read. Tessa Bailey's ability to combine humor, spice, and heartfelt moments is commendable. The banter between the characters keeps the narrative engaging, while the moments of passion and vulnerability tug at the heartstrings. The book strikes a balance between light-hearted entertainment and deeper emotional exploration, making it an enjoyable experience.

To recap, Unfortunately Yours offers an engaging blend of tropes, humor, and genuine moments of connection. While the instant love aspect may leave some readers longing for a more gradual development, the story still captivates with its well-crafted banter and the characters' loyalty to one another. This installment in the series made me laugh, swoon, and fan myself.

Oh Tessa Bailey, how I love thee. You never let me down and Unfortunately Yours is another gem of a book. The banter, the dirty talk, the pranks, all made my heart so happy. The way August only has eyes for Natalie and his fierce protective side is perfection. Natalie's "oh no, I'm falling in love" moment made my heart leap. And that epilogue, cue all the tears and feels. It's all an excellent mix of everything you could want in a rom-com.

This one was cute! Overall pretty predictable, and I didn't feel much of a connection to either character. I also didn't feel much of a connection between them, and was confused when they suddenly shifted from enemies to lovers. A quick, easy read but ultimately forgettable.