I have to say, I am just gobbling up anything Tessa Bailey writes lately. While I was reading Secretly Yours I saw Natalie and August coming from a mile away. I was immediately into their chemistry and could not wait to read their story. That being said, and my friends will disagree, I do not think you need to have read secretly yours to enjoy Unfortunately Yours. You probably should though, cause it’s real cute and hella hot. This book really spoke to me. I loved to see Natalie’s growth after coming to grips with her past self. Read if your love language is teasing with a side of worshiping your partner. I was given an advanced reader's copy via NetGalley, thank you to them. All thoughts and opinions are my own

UNFORTUNATELY YOURS hit just the right notes for me. I'm a longtime Tessa Bailey and enemies-to-lovers reader and feel this book smushed the very best of those two things together in a highly readable package. The first book in this series, SECRETLY YOURS came off a bit too sweet and cheesy for my taste, but I feel our Napa Valley protagonists are back on track with this fiery addition.

August Cates may own a vineyard, but he doesn’t know jack about making wine. He’s determined to do his late best friend proud, no matter what it takes. Except his tasting room is empty, his wine is disgusting (seriously, he once saw someone gag), and his buddy’s legacy is circling the drain. No bank will give him the loan he needs to turn the business around... and then the gorgeous, feisty heiress knocks on his door. Natalie has haunted his dreams since the moment they met, but their sizzling chemistry immediately morphed into simmering insults.

Now, a quickie marriage could help them both. A sham wedding, a few weeks living under the same roof, and then they can go their separate ways—assuming they make it out alive. How hard could it be? There’s just one thing they didn’t account for: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.

I almost put this one down because I’ve read so many Napa books lately but I’m so glad I didn’t! I’ll admit at first I didn’t get why Natalie hates August but I definitely bought the chemistry between them. Natalie’s brother and his girlfriend are adorable and I’m so glad they were in the story! Tessa Bailey has done it again!!

not my favorite of all of the tessa bailey books, the plot moved ridiculously fast and had a totally ridiculous premise BUT she does what she does best well here

Tessa Bailey does it to us again. Much like her other books, this story isn’t just about finding a love match, it’s about finishing yourself. Natalie Vos is a premiere winemaker from a famous wine house in Napa. She has just lost everything by breaking away to make it big again n New York. She wants nothing else but to break back into the investment scene and get outta town. During this awful time of her life, she keeps running into a doofy Navy Seal that insists on making bad wine and bugging her. Natalie just find away to unlock her family trust fund in order to get back to business on New York, but there’s a snag in the plan. She has to be employed and married to get it…

Thank you for the E-ARC NetGalley!

I think this may be my FAVORITE Tessa Bailey yet! Natalie Vos, of the Vos Vineyards, has to marry someone and be employed to have her trust fund be released by her archaic father. Enter August Cates, former navy SEAL and absolute shit wine maker. August has just decided that he needs to give up trying his luck at wine making for his late best friend when Natalie offers him a solution. If he marries her for her trust fund, he can probably get the small business loan he needs. Just temporarily though! One month. Tops. What starts off as a marriage of convenience, quickly grows into something more.

These two were on fire together! Their chemistry is electric and they help each other grow in such incredible ways! Natalie and August both are so vulnerable with each other and it makes this book even more worth the read. Is it a fun and frothy rom com? Yes. Is it also a great example of a couple helping their partner grow? Also yes. I loved this and I think fans of Tessa Bailey and romance, in general, will love this sweet and steamy read!

Tessa Bailey is a must read author for me, and Unfortunately Yours does not disappoint! I absolutely loved meeting financier Natalie Vos and ex-SEAL August Cates. Bailey writes such strong alpha males but never skimps on her multi-layered female characters.

Hot headed enemies-to-lovers Natalie and August are clearly made for each other and are Spicy with a capital S. What starts as a marriage of convenience shifts into something more real as the characters learn about themselves and each other, And making wine, don't forget about the wine.

I whole heartedly recommend this book to fans of enemies-to-lovers and open-door romances. Don't even thing twice, especially if you are already a fan of Tessa Bailey. She had me laughing out loud and swooning at the same time.

Meh. I haven't been as wowed by this new series from Tessa! I usually enjoy her books for what they are - they let me have a nice "no thoughts, head empty" moment and detach from the world. But I just have not jived with "Secretly Yours" and "Unfortunately Yours". So many storylines not wrapped up!

5 whole stars


There are situations I've never thought to fantasize about, but Tessa Bailey thinks of them all. The physical, sexual chemistry the main characters have is absolutely scorching. I mean.. sex in the rain while amped up on adrenaline and he's afraid he will hurt her? I was panting.

Then we are fortunate enough to see Natalie and August build emotional intimacy right on top of all the lust and angst. I was wrapped up in the book. I blew through this one faster than the first of the series.

Marriage of convenience, but there's feelings involved.. I almost screamed! Those who grew up wearing the title "family disappointment" will be able to connect our main character, Natalie. The characters' relationship really hone in on what it can feel like, entering a romantic endeavor after growing up in a difficult family situation. I appreciate Natalie recognizing her privilege and her lifestyle while being able to work on herself. There isn't a big "woe is me" moment from her despite her getting heartbroken by all of those closest to her.

The book was amazing, the spice was spicy, and the characters were likable.

Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey will be released June 6, 2023

Thank you, NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Tessa Bailey for the eARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this ARC!

WHEW. Tessa Bailey does it again. I absolutely loved this book! Natalie and August's relationship had me hooked from the very beginning. Their snarky banter, their sexual tension, and the way that they continuously kept learning and growing (both personally and together) was an absolute delight. Tessa has a way of writing such fun stories while also giving her characters such depth and August and Natalie are no exception. I highly recommend!

🌶️🌶️🌶️
3.5⭐
I really enjoy Tessa Bailey's writing, I also love the enemy to lovers trope and marriage of convenience trope, she does these really well in this book. If you like a lot of snark in your romance, this is for you! Lots of sexual tension, heated arguing, and big personalities.

Natalie Vos is used to a certain lifestyle, she takes expensive vacations, eats at all the best restaurants, and has impeccable style. Or she did. She just lost her job in NYC. She made a huge mistake in trading, she knows mistakes happen and that if she had been anyone else, they might have moved on, but instead she was fired. and her fiance left her. She moves home to St. Helena to lick her wounds and stay in her mother's guest house until she can get back on her feet again.

August was a Navy SEAL, he moved to St. Helena to start a winery in honor of his best friend Sam, who died in combat. Sam had big dreams to start a winery and August has tried his hardest to make something of his vineyard, but he knows nothing about wine. He is one event from throwing in the towel and selling it all, and he feels like a failure.

Natalie is wine royalty, her family owns a vineyard and comes from money. August is out of place in wine country with his rugged looks and down to earth way. They have had run ins before and they despise each other, but also have a simmering attraction.

Natalie needs to be married and employed to get her trust fund (which she needs to start her own firm in NY) and August badly needs a small business loan to keep his vineyard afloat. Can they stop arguing long enough to help each other out? Can they convince the town their marriage is real or will it all fall apart?

I really enjoyed this book but I have a few pet peeves in romance that made it 3.75⭐ for me. August calls Natalie princess a lot and it kind of drove me nuts. They are both super stubborn and argue all the time, which is kind of cute on paper, but I wouldn't like them in real life, overall, worth the read! It is consistent with her other books in style and spice and a fun way to spend a few hours.

Thank you NetGalley for this amazing read.

First off, let me say I read a lot. I"m a librarian and constantly have several books going. I read Tessa Bailey last summer and fell in love with Secretly Yours and let me tell you Unfortunately Yours was just as good if not better and it checked all the boxes for me.

It's basically the typical 2 worlds collide and the characters fall in love etc., however I love these characters so much. I mean who doesn't want a Navy Seal in their bed and in their heart. The chemistry is amazing and it is very damaging to the hearts of women everywhere who don't have a man like August Cates.

Bailey brings in the familiar characters from the 1st Vine novel and you love them even more. Run and get this book. It's great.

Having read and not loved Secretly Yours – the first book in the duology -- I was anxious for how much I would like Unfortunately Yours. But, having met August and Natalie in that book, I was intrigued by their chemistry and interested to see how it all played out. And, wow, did it! I adored the enemies to lovers who are secretly pining for each other romance. Also, kudos to Tessa Bailey for pulling off a really convincing marriage of convenience storyline – something that’s hard to do in contemporary romance. My one gripe might be that this book sort of assumed you’d read the first book. I personally would have liked to have the scene where they met repeated in this book from their POVs. Tessa Bailey’s hallmark rom com silly characters – and animals are present – as is her patented SPICE! This sequel absolutely outshone the first book for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC!

I did not like the first book in this series/duo but adore Tessa Bailey and had high hopes that I would like the second book in the series. Unfortunately, that was not the case and I was sorely disappointed by this book and series.

Pros:
The cover is very cute.

Cons:
The book starts with a chapter that reads as though it was taken from the middle of the book and placed at the beginning. Readers are plopped in the middle of a story with zero explanation as to what happened before except for random tidbits.
The book started with August not being able to tell the difference between his gut and d**k, and this is continued throughout the book for no reason. It would be randomly added that his gut/d**k was telling him something and there was no reason for it.
The squabble between Natalie and August was beyond immature and made no sense. Their entire feud is because she didn't like his wine? Seriously? No one likes his wine. August knows his wine is literally undrinkable.
The timeline of this book made no sense. By the time we get an explanation for how long Natalie and August have known each other, we learn it has not even been 3 months. Once Natalie and August get married the entire plot happens over the course of a week. How? Why? There was no reason as to why the timeline shouldn't have been significantly longer to better establish the relationship between Natalie and August and to make their relationship seem less like an intensely passionate high school relationship since they acted like immature teenagers the entire time.
Natalie's career choice made no sense. She grew up in an environment where she was unacknowledged and dismissed constantly. So her solution is to go into a highly competitive career field where your only value is your ability to bring in money and all relationships are superficial and mistakes are not tolerated. Natalie's desire to be in this career environment made no sense.
I understand that August lost his friend, however, giving up any dreams and aspirations that he may have had to fulfill the dream of his departed friend and then not even try to learn how to properly make wine and make his friend's dreams come to fruition. It made no sense. I was entirely expecting and in favor of Sam having been August's boyfriend who died and that was why August wanted to start the winery.
August's guilt over Sam's death made no sense. The most information we got about Sam's death is that he died 15 yards away from August. So Sam dies near August and that's enough to feel crippling enough guilt to give up your aspirations and dreams? August is not superman, did his think he could miraculously teleport from one place to another to save his friend? I don't understand.
There were so many similes and metaphors for no reason. It read as though a list of similes and metaphors was made and for some reasons someone decided to put all of them into this book. An example: as wise as Dr. Strange. Why does that need to be included? It makes no sense and gives no added context.
The random addition of Natalie and August playing pranks on each other felt immature. Their entire relationship felt immature.
Natalie consistently insulted August's intelligence. This was her sort of go-to every time they sniped at each other and it felt mean. Just because August is physically a large man does not mean he is unintelligent. What made it worse is that August seemed to play into this too. He constantly made comments about himself that suggested he was stupid. It was uncalled for.
Natalie was an incredibly selfish person. During a rainstorm that was severe enough to cause flooding that basically put Napa Valley into a state of emergency, Natalie decided it was wise to force August to take her with him only wearing a night shirt and barefoot to the sight where he would be engaging in rescue of a mother and her children. August tells Natalie that she would only be a distraction yet she refuses to stay home. If that is not selfish I don't know what is. Natalie then proceeds to distract August while he's driving to the point where he pulls over so they can have sex. It was so unrealistic and immature.

I wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't find anything to enjoy. Something about the characters and setting for this series was completely undesirable. I loved the Bellinger Sisters series and had high hopes for this series, but I found it to be disappointing. Both books read like a regression into early 2010s romance trends that have been put out to pasture in most contemporary romances. I'm hoping that Tessa Bailey's next series is better.

Natalie comes from Napa wine royalty. August is a retired Navy SEAL looking for a fresh start and a chance to honor his late friend. Although sparks flew initially when the two met, they have more of a hate-hate relationship now. But when Natalie learns she can only access her much-needed trust fund if she marries, she proposes a marriage of convenience to August that will help her launch a new business in New York and help him get his winery off the ground. Of course, this being a romantic comedy, things get complicated.

I enjoyed this opposites attract story, although I was frustrated by the extreme stubbornness from both main characters. (Even the cat is stubborn!) It was nice to revisit characters from Secretly Yours, and I think I liked this one even more.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Tessa Bailey never disappoints! Loved this story, loved Natalie and August, and loved their story! She seems to write the best characters with the best swoon every time!

ONCE AGAIN- Tessa Bailey proves why she's worthy of being my favorite author. She's my insta-buy; when this book comes out in stores, I will immediately be purchasing it despite having just read it.

Natalie Vos could have walked right off of a Hallmark movie set. Returning home from her Wall Street job after a disappointing layoff and a failed engagement, the last thing she expects is to get involved with August Cates.

August, despite wanting nothing more than to have a chance with Natalie, can't help but say the wrong things at all the wrong times. He owns his own vineyard but can't manage to make a potable wine, and when Natalie offers any semblance of help, he throws her under the bus.

It comes as a shock to absolutely everyone when Natalie and August, often seen butting heads and stomping away from one another, announce their engagement. Of course, they both know that it's a farce, only agreeing to marry each other for mutual benefits.

Surprise, surprise- they fall in love.

I LOVED this story, and I loved how vulnerable these strong-willed characters became with one another as their trust started building. I absolutely, 100% would recommend this book to any and everyone.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

I enjoyed the banter between the two protagonists, August and Natalie. In some instances, it was charged and electric, and in other cases, it was witty and full of zingers. I would have loved to read more about the process of winemaking but that's not entirely essential to the plot like the development of the characters was. Tessa did a great job making them and the other characters seem real with real concerns and issues. It moved fast and was an easy read, which is exactly what I wanted. I also enjoyed the chemistry and the passionate sex scenes. It definitely got me hot and bothered.

This is my first Tessa Bailey read, and it was so much fun getting to know Natalie and August. The enemies-to-lovers and marriage of convenience tropes are two of my absolute favorites, and this book didn’t disappoint. There were many times I caught myself (literally) laughing out loud, and I love romance stories that are big on humor too. Sure, some of August and Natalie’s personality quirks grated on my nerves at times, but not so much that I wanted to stop reading it. This was a really cute story, and I would gladly recommend it to everyone. Oh, and I didn’t realize this was book two of a series, so now I want to read Secretly Yours! Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the advanced reader copy.