⭐️⭐️ Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey

I really hate to do this. I’m a Tessa Bailey fan. But I am not a fan of this Tessa Bailey book. It took me a long time to complete this one. I started, put it away to read something else, ended up reading a lot of “something else’s,” picked it back up, repeat process. I finally forced myself to finish because…Tessa Bailey.

This book was chaotic. Julian, the male main character, rendered zero feelings from me. I thought he was way too odd and incomplete. Let me pause for a moment and talk about the points of this book. Change. Taking chances. Doing things that are scary. Stepping out of your comfort zone. Now back to Julian. He had an OCD type/panic ridden personality that poorly evolved and was just an unbelievable character. He did not convince me at all that he could and would fall for Hallie. He just did. And so randomly. When the finally did get together, the things he said were so out of character that he was just icky. One moment I thought he was a professional, stoic, pompous professor with no time for those not on his level. The next moment he was a yearning dork. Then he’s a pretentious jerk. And now he’s back to icky loverboy. It gave me whiplash and not once did I find him fascinating, exciting, or dreamy. His change and growth just didn’t make sense realistically. Unfortunately, Hallie wasn’t any better. She basically stayed the same throughout but she was just so bland. She pined away for Julian for years but I just never felt it. I didn’t understand why. He never gave her anything to pine away for. Who is this character? I really don’t know. These two were just very odd together.

Aside from the lack of likable character development, there were numerous other things that bothered me. One was the lack of relationship building between Julian and Hallie. There was a lot of internal dialogue but very little substantial buildup to the two being together. They had some interactions, Julian did some nice things without her knowing, but it was just so boring. Next, the secret admirer aspect fell so flat. It was the most lifeless, uninteresting letters ever sent between admirers. And the fact that they both worried about these letters so much was confusing! Finally, the way Julian talked to Hallie (who was your larger than average girl) once they got together…her soft body, jiggles, and the like…was offputting. I understand that Tessa was trying to be body positive here but the things he was saying (while in the heat of passion) was not something I believe would be appreciated.

At about the 80% mark I started skimming for dialogue, and eventually just skimmed. Not sure I will read the sequel. So sad.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title for review.

There's something about Tessa Bailey's writing that feels nostalgic – it's all classic tropes and storylines that feel a bit like a throwback, but she always manages to find ways to turn romance clichés into modern, funny, and very steamy storylines.

When I first started "Secretly Yours," I was honestly a little worried – the characters seemed too one-dimensional, the plot seemed a bit flimsy, the tropes tired. But I shouldn't have been concerned. Soon enough, the characters went from flat to multidimensional, the plot kicked into gear, and the dialogue? The things that come out of Julian's mouth will make you blush in public, no matter how much of a straight face you usually keep when reading.

Overall, this is a fun and fizzy romance read that'll have you laughing, swooning, sweating, and sighing as you devour it in one sitting. And yes, it *is* best paired with a bottle of your favorite (Napa Valley) wine.

As always, Tessa Bailey brings the heat! Julian Vos, is an anxious grumpy professional and Hallie Welch is anything but! Julian resists Hallie’s chaotic sunshine for as long as he can, but it’s hard deny the connect and ease they have with each other.

Personally, I felt the plot fell a bit flat. I loved the main character’s chemistry, but found the conflict between them to be a bit of a non-issue. However, I still loved this book because it is STUFF with body positivity! Hallie curves are worshipped and celebrated. As a curvy girl myself, the heat felt extra hot because I could see myself in the main character. I found myself walking around a bit more confidently while reading it. Representation really does matter!

Y’all when I tell you that I SHRIEKED when this landed in my inbox… I was so dang excited!! If Tessa writes it, you better bet that I’m gonna be reading that as soon as I possibly can!
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Yet another phenomenal read by Tessa Bailey. Everything I’ve read from her I have just loved to pieces. This book was no exception.
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Hallie is chaos in human form. Julian likes everything planned out to the letter. Together what will they make?
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Julian’s POV was honestly my favorite part of this story. I loved seeing into his perspective and everything he was thinking about Hallie.
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I just don’t have the words for how excited I am to see Natalie’s story next. I can just tell that it’s going to be yet another masterpiece!
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🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

Tessa Bailey knows how to write a swoony romance if I ever did see one. But for me, this particular story was a little underwhelming. The conflict at the end (as is the case with a lot of romances) was tough to believe. That being said, it is fiction so we can move past some unbelievability. I think this was a good read, but it wouldn’t be in my top romance recs.

This was super cute! I enjoy all of Tessa Baileys books & this one didn’t disappoint. Her spice is my favorite & as always I loved her main male character. Some parts dragged a little bit but overall a cute romcom thats perfect to read around Valentines day!

**3.5 STARS**

I’ve read two books from Tessa Bailey and loved them so when I saw this one I had to request it. Here’s what I thought:

+ This is an opposites attract story that has lots of sparks. Julian is a starchy, stuffy professor who lives by a schedule. And Hallie is everything he is not – she is messy, loves to be outside in the dirt, has three dogs, she’s a tornado. When these two come together, it’s full on attraction.

+ Speaking of attraction, the steam is hot in this one. I especially love when a grumpy, man who abides by order and schedules gets rocked off their center. They both lose control with one another which is fun, there’s some dirty talking and it’s exactly what I would expect in a romance written by this author.

+ I love the supporting case, especially Lavinia who is Hallie’s best friend. She’s funny and keeps it real! I thought Julian’s sister was an interesting character too and it seems like the next book in the series is about her.

+ This story is short, sweet and hot which is everything I want in my romance novels.

~ I love that this was a quick read at under 300 pages but I also do love when this author can really get into the characters and setting like she did with the Bellinger Sisters series. So if it had been just a tad bit longer with more details on the setting, and spending more time with the characters and building them up, then this would have been five stars.

~ The second chance romance part of the story had to do with the two in high school but he barely remembers her. And I wasn’t sure about the secret love letters – it was cute, but I didn’t see the point of them.



Tropes: opposites attract, grumpy x sunshine, small town setting, second chance romance

Why you should read it:
*you want to read something short, hot and sweet
*opposites attract trope and some dirty talking

Why you might not want to read it:
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My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this story because it was short, and sweet but with lots of hot moments. I also love a good opposites attract story, it’s one of my favorite tropes. But I didn’t see why the secret love letters were needed. Despite that I’m definitely interested in reading the next book in the series.

4.5/5 stars

This story was just so cute.

I adored the grumpy-ish professor who is clean, always on schedule, and had to have all in order,

And then the opposite side of the coin is or fmc…the complete opposite of him, messy, unorganized, and just goes with the flow.

She’s had a crush on him since 14 years old…and when a chance encounter has them meeting 15 years later we see their love story slowly unfold.

Between discovering letting go and allowing your anxiety to not take over your life, to cute dogs, and fun side characters, as well as secret love letters, this story was just so sweet, and fun to read!

I loved it and can’t wait for his sister's story!

Tessa Bailey usually writes really fun romantic comedies that, while not necessarily highbrow, are highly entertaining. But this book was formulaic to a fault, rife with clichés, and lacked all the personality of Bailey's other fare. This was generic Hallmark fare, but with a whole bunch of smutty scenes. There's nothing complex or nuanced or original about the characters or story and it just feels like lazy writing. Really disappointing.

God how I wanted to love this book, I LOVE Tessa's work but this really just fell flat. It felt really cliche at times and forced at others. HOWEVER, I do think it's a great rom-com and there's great banter and if you know Tessa's work you know the spice is always there.

Haille is a carefree gardener who's had a crush on Julian Vos since 9th grade. He was a senior. They almost kissed in the vineyards during a high school party, but when he realized her age, he turned her down. Fifteen years later, Julian is back home after needing a bit of a mental health break when his mother hires Haille to spruce up the carriage house garden. Julian doesn't initially remember her, but once he does, sparks fly, and romance blossoms. However, upon Julian's return, Haille wrote him secret admirer letters and doesn't know how to broach the topic without ruining what they have.

I found the letter writing to be a little stalker-ish and for someone with anxiety I have a hard time believing he would just be 'okay' with that in the end.

3.5 Stars! I REALLY wanted to love this book, as it was one of my most anticipated, but unfortunately it fell flat for me.

What I enjoyed: Being a huge fan of Napa, I enjoyed the St. Helena setting and cozy small town vibes. Julian was an interesting male main character who was taking a sabbatical from teaching at Stanford to write a book- can that be more perfect?! I really like how he fell fast and hard for the female main character, Hailee, and how he was that reserved cinnamon role hero. I also enjoyed the side characters, especially Hailee’s best friend and Julian’s sister Natalie, who gets her own book next!

What didn’t work for me: I could not connect with Hailee. I found a lot of her behaviors immature and her character having very little growth from start to finish. I do not think the secret letters added anything to the story, and if you read the plot synopsis, it makes it seem as though it should play a larger role. Also, Hailee writes the first one after her and Julian established a connection, so what is really the point? Yes, it plays a part in the “conflict” but that was a whole different situation that I found unnecessary in the story development.

I did really love Natalie, so I will try Unfortunately Yours and hope I connect with it more!!

Thank you to Avon for providing an ARC for this review!

The thing with any Tessa Bailey book is that when she hits the mark, she REALLY hits the mark. I always know going in that it's either going to be a definite win or a definite loss, with basically no in between.

For me, this one was NOT a win. I want to be fair in the sense that everyone knows Tessa Bailey's MO going into her books, so the unreasonably horny characters shouldn't catch me off guard at this point, but this was a lot. The male love interest's POV of meeting the female lead quite literally is just an entire paragraph about her boobs. In fact, we actually get 4 paragraphs into that first impression before he makes it up to her face.

As another note, the female lead has also harbored a crush on the male lead for FIFTEEN YEARS, which might not be that unreasonable if she didn't legitimately say that it has kept her from other serious relationships because she's so hung up on him. Mind you, he doesn't even recognize her until a solid halfway through the book. GIRL STAND UP!!!!!!!!

The secret admirer thing that the title, description AND cover imply is going to be the central plot could've been entirely edited out without any effect on the plot. Even the climax of that plot line ends up being completely and utterly pointless. The third act conflict also hinges on a specific use of the male lead's anxiety that just...didn't land for me, but I'll avoid diving into that to save anyone the spoilers.

There are books of Tessa's that feel like a complete package, and then there are books she's written that feel like she planned the sex scenes and then randomly threw in side plots to create filler. This was the latter for me.

Another stunning Tessa Bailey rom-com is hitting the shelves in February and it’s a must read! I couldn’t get enough of the main characters and their banter! I love a high school crush-turn-adult romance! And a curvy female MC plus a male MC that openly struggles with anxiety… I’m swooning! You have to pick this one up ASAP I tore through it in one night!

Initially the premise of the story seemed cute... secret admirer letters. I only wish that there would have been more. The aggressive dirty talk by the male MC for pretty much the entirety of the book was really a turn off for me.

(Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.)

There is so much I love about Tessa Bailey’s writing: her sense of humor, her lovable characters, and (of course) plentiful dirty talk. That said, as much as I enjoyed parts of this book, it wasn’t my favorite of hers.

I’ll start off with the things I liked: the side characters were funny and charming, and their banter with the protagonists was the main source of much-needed comedic relief. The spice was spicy. The dogs were adorable. And the scene where Julian retells Back To the Future at storytime to a bunch of unruly kids was a total hoot.

Compared to other TB books I’ve read, this one is a bit heavier in tone and subject matter, and it seems like it’s trying to do a bit too much all at once. Hallie (FMC) is still in the process of grieving her late grandmother, and Julian (MMC) is coping unhealthily with severe anxiety. It tries to offset these elements with a few classic rom-com shenanigans, but the overall balance was a bit off. I had a really hard time getting into the story, and I found some of the winery/wine shop subplots a bit boring. Add in the secret admirer letters and the whole thing just felt a bit all over the place. I also did not love the third-act conflict, and I reeeally didn’t love how quickly and publicly it was resolved, especially considering the subject matter at hand.

Even though this wasn’t my favorite of Tessa Bailey’s books, I’ll definitely pick up the next book in the series, Unfortunately Yours (which follows Julian’s sister Natalie and ex-Navy SEAL-turned-vintner August, whose early begrudging attraction we caught glimpses of in this book).

Overall rating: 3.25 stars
Spice level: 3/5

*ARC Review*

Secretly Yours is a second chance, small town romance that I have been dreaming of reading from the moment I saw the beautiful cover! And I am happy to say that I really enjoyed it!

In classic Tessa Bailey style, the writing was witty, the steam was STEAMIN', and the characters were lovable.

I loved Bailey's take on a grumpy sunshine story. Hallie, the effervescent gardener who wears her heart on her sleeve was a perfect opposite to Julian, the disciplined professor/writer. Their interactions were satisfying the whole way through and I enjoyed seeing their relationship go from one of confusion to love. I also loved the anxiety rep and thought Julian's panic attacks as well as the shame that comes with them were discussed beautifully.

I will say that the secret admirer plot was not needed for the story. I felt there was enough complexity within the two characters and the secondary characters to go without it. It was the only part of the story that felt unfinished and if you took it out the story could stay the same.

@TessaBailey, please make an alternative cover with Todd the boxer on the cover. I will beg.

Hallie Welch fell hard for Julian Vos at fourteen, after they almost kissed in the dark vineyards of his family's winery. Now the prodigal hottie has returned to their small town. When Hallie is hired to revamp the gardens on the Vos estate, she wonders if she'll finally get that smooch. But the grumpy professor isn't the teenager she remembers and their polar opposite personalities clash spectacularly. One wine-fueled girls' night later, Hallie can't shake the sense that she did something reckless--and then she remembers the drunken secret admirer letter she left for Julian. Oh shit. On sabbatical from his ivy league job, Julian plans to write a novel. But having Hallie gardening right outside his window is the ultimate distraction. She's eccentric, chronically late, often literally covered in dirt--and so unbelievably beautiful, he can't focus on anything else. Until he finds an anonymous letter sent by a woman from his past. Even as Julian wonders about this admirer, he's sucked further into Hallie's orbit. Like the flowers she plants all over town, Hallie is a burst of color in Julian's gray-scale life. For a man who irons his socks and runs on tight schedules, her sunny chaotic energy makes zero sense. But there's something so familiar about her... and her very presence is turning his world upside down

We've got some opposites attract, grumpy sunshine, small town romance tropes in the mix. I loved the small town community and charm. I wanted to go drink wine at Corked or hang out with Hallie and British bestie while eating pasta at the local restaurant. I loved that these polished family characters of the Vos family were actually extremely flawed and messy. I also enjoyed that there was a lot of talk surrounding loss and mental health and finding yourself.

To be honest though, this felt a little messier than some of her previous books. There was maybe one too many things going on and a lot of it felt misplaced. But that being said, I am so excited for book 2 about Julian's sister. That just sounds like a wild ride I wanna be on!

Thanks the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review. This book releases 2/7!

Secretly Yours is all you want and have come to expect from Tessa Bailey. If you are thinking about reading this for Valentine's Day, do it. Its such a wonderful.story. I went into this knowing I would love it and I did.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.

I had a great time reading this book. It was sort of a second chance romance, with secret admirer letters thrown in. I enjoyed how Julian was kind of the grumpy uptight character and Hailey was the sunshine chaotic one and that they sort of balanced each other out. It wouldn't be a romance without the angst of the two of them trying to deny their attraction to each other and insisting they would not be good for each other. It is not my favorite Tessa Bailey book but overall I had fun reading it and that's all I was looking for.

I love Tessa Bailey. I own so many of her books and I just adore her and her writing. To me- this was not it. I did not love this book at all. This did not feel like Tessa Bailey wrote this and it gave me novella vibes.. just felt thrown into the story and not in a good way. I wanted to love this so much, the cover is absolutely beautiful and the overall concept of the story intrigued me but my heart was not with this book and I'm so sorry about it.