Tessa Bailey can do no wrong!!!
I was hooked from the first words. This story was exactly what I want out of a romcom. It was funny and moving and had me smiling and experiencing all the feels.

Marriage of convenience is my fave trope and it was done so well. August Cates will go down as one of my fave book-boyfriends for sure. Loved the sparring/banter between them, 😘😘

I devoured this book, couldn’t put it down.

While "Unfortunately Yours" is a companion novel to author Tessa Bailey's "Secretly Yours" (and starring Julian's sister Natalie), I personally preferred this tenfold. "Unfortunately Yours" combines marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers and forced proximity tropes, which is told in such compelling and intriguing language. I absolutely loved its spiteful banter, which made me unwilling to put this book down. Fair warning, things do get spicyyyyy, like, A LOT. Plus, that ending and HEA was so flipping cute and made me so happy.

CW: Grief, PTSD

Natalie needs money, and so does August.  While initially despising of each other upon first meeting, they realize if they get married, they can both get what they want.  If they survive the marriage, that is. 

I picked this up because I love Tessa Bailey and What Happened One Summer.  The story was overall very engaging, and I read it pretty quickly.  What fell short for me was some of the dialogue and scenes were a little cringy.  Some of the banter was spot on while other parts had me scratching my head. If some of the interactions between the characters were changed, it would be a slam dunk book.  It was just a bit awkward at times. I loved that the setting took place in Napa and involved the wine making process. Natalie is tough but insecure at the same time.  August is a big teddy bear.  Together, they make an awesome couple.  If you're looking for something on the lighter side, then this is the book for you.

Natalie Vos's life is falling apart. Because of a bad choice she lost her job and her fiance in one fell swoop. Natalie decides to hightail it out of New York City and head back to Napa where her family is. Over the years her family may never have cared if she was around but Natalie needed a change of scenery. Natalie's family runs Vos Vineyards so she spends her time drinking a little wine....ok...a lot...trying to drown her sorrows. Not wanting to stay in the mansion with her mom, she is sleeping in the guest house with her brother, Julian. It wouldn't be so bad if Julian wasn't always having fun with his girlfriend, Hallie.

While at a wine tasting event, Natalie meets August Cates of Zelnick Cellars and a former Navy SEAL. Even though Natalie has sworn off men she is instantly attracted to August. Too bad he had to open his mouth and ruin everything, oh and his wine sucks! Now these two spend all their time tossing barbs back and forth. One minute Natalie and August want to kiss each other, the next they are out for blood.

After some time home, Natalie wants to head back to New York City and open her own company. Problem is is that she doesn't have enough money. She asks her mom for her trust fund but her mom informs her that she has to be working and married before she can have it. After one of her barbing sessions with August, Natalie hatches a plan.....her and August can get married and she will be an employee of Zelnick Cellars. She will have her money then they can divorce.

After their wedding, Natalie and August are enjoying being together. Their chemistry is off the charts and pretty soon they are acting like a real married couple. As these two spend more time together, they each start to understand the other better. When Natalie realizes the reason August is trying to make wine she offers to help but he is too proud. Just when things look like these two are getting a happy ending, the past comes back to haunt them. If Natalie and August can both get beyond their pasts, they will have a really chance at forever. In grand fashion, August does something totally unexpected and then finally Natalie realizes she is totally in love with him.

I really loved this steamy, marriage of convenience story. All of Natalie's life no one really ever saw the real her, until August came along. I just adored the way these two bantered back and forth. This story was a fun, enjoyable read and I just loved it.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon & Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

The best!! Tessa Bailey can do no wrong. So happy to have gotten to read more about the Vos family and Natalie’s story 🥰

I enjoyed every minute of this! Equal parts hilarious and steamy, Tessa really nailed this second book of the Vine Mess duo

I will say the ending was very rushed and lots of things got skipped over including the issues with Natalie and her mother, as well as the winery, but overall this was a fun read.

You guys. You guys. You guys! This is exactly what I am looking for when I sit down with a Tessa Bailey book. It has heart, the characters are charming, and the banter is completely out of the world. This book truly checks off all of my personal favorites: enemies to lovers (which includes a wine to the face scene), marriage of convenience, and my all time favorite, The Golden Retriever Love Interest. Ahh, how could this not be utterly phenomenal (don’t worry because it was!). I was a little bit frustrated toward the end because I thought we were about to have a second third act situation but honestly the epilogue had me swooning in so many different ways that I think this could cure depression. Such a fantastic read and I’m so happy that I exist in a world with this author, August, and Natalie. What a time to be alive.

I’m always up for a Tessa Bailey book. I think I ended up liking this more than Secretly, Yours. Kinda marriage of convenience. Kinda enemies to lovers. I do like that Bailey made it a point that August never actually hated Natalie. I loved that he fell first and was obsessed with her. Got to see the SEAL in action *swoon*

This is ridiculous cheesy and repetitively sappy, but it made me smile and giggle. Plus the smut was pretty nice. If I remember right there’s 4 decent spicy scenes 18+. Descriptive and explicit but not very long.

I wish there was more of the cat. Epilogue was adorable.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for this digital ARC.

This book took a little longer for me to get into than other Tessa Bailey books. Too many dick references at the beginning, maybe? But once I was a few chapters in, I loved it like I was hoping I would. My heart bleeds for both Natalie and August and their pasts. I definitely liked seeing them working through their relationship to find a strong partnership that worked for them.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

The best Tessa Bailey yet!
Ex- navy SEAL winemaker meets ball busting New York businesswoman.

Lots of heat 🔥🔥🔥🔥

A million thank yous to Netgalley and Tessa Bailey and her publishing team. I would’ve done some sketchy shizz for an arc… But I didn’t have to.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This book was just what I needed! Unfortunately Yours is classic Tessa Bailey (spicy, dirty talk, extra possessive hero, hilarious banter, etc etc) and I ate it right up!

I have to admit, I didn't love the first book in this series (Secretly Yours) so I went into this new release with very low expectations. It’s not the world’s greatest piece of literature but it made me laugh and swoon when I was in the mood to do both.

August is possessive but he’s also an adorable-filthy-flirt, which just so happens to be one of my favorite kind of book boyfriends. He’s a goofball and a lovable lug but he and Natalie both have their issues to work through which was refreshing.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for allowing me to be an early reader! All opinions are my own.

This was a solid read for me, nothing too spectacular, but still enjoyable. It is filled with witty banter and a spicy marriage of convenience. The main characters were enjoyable and the hero is right on with his dirty talking! Definitely a quick, fun read!

Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey is rom-com perfection!

Do you like a good marriage of convenience trope? What about an enemies to lovers relationship? Fun banter? Spicy talk between the two main characters? If you said yes to the above questions you should pick up this book. Tessa Bailey delivers on all fronts.

One of the reasons why I love reading books by Tessa is the absolutely absurd moments that she can include in a book that make me smile while I read. She really puts August and Natalie through it! And though much of the book is fun, there is some depth of character and struggles along the way.

I highly recommend Unfortunately Yours to anyone looking for a fast read that will take you away from the stressors of real life by dropping you into a ridiculously fun and steamy good time!

ARC received from NetGalley, but I have also purchased a print copy also. I need it from my keeper shelf!

Tessa Bailey. I feel like you love her books or they aren't for you.
I think this one confirms it...she isnt for me.I just find that its a rush to intense sex scenes without any build up. I'm not a prude! I love a good sex scene or many, but it has to MAKE SENSE!

Unfortunately Yours is a spicy romp full of dirty talk all wrapped up in a marriage of convenience. Natalie and August had bucket loads of chemistry. Natalie wants to start over, create her own small investment firm and make a name for herself. The only thing standing in her way is the start up cash which is locked away in a trust fund. The big problem is that in order to release the funds, she has to be married. August steps in. His failing vineyard has him looking to a new life as well. When he offers to help out Natalie, the two begin a steamy marriage of convenience.

I'm a fan of Tessa Bailey and love her characters and storylines. While I wanted to love this book, I don't think it aligned with my personal preferences. I enjoy my romance with a good period of sexual tension mixed in with intimacy and a bit of emotional connecting. While the book had some of this, it felt a bit heavy handed. Of course this is a personal preference. Despite that, Bailey does a wonderful job of writing. Her characters always have a connection and attraction that explode in some pretty intense sexy scenes. While not my favorite book of hers, it's worth a read if you love spicy romance with a take control male lead.

Thank you to Tessa Bailey, Avon, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The dirty talk in this book is on another level! I mean, damn. August is the perfect book boyfriend. I mean he says things like:

"I've been through Hell Week, injuries, training that nearly killed me, giving myself stitches without so much as an Advil. And none of it, Natalie is worse physical torture than being away from you."

How can you not swoon?! Natalie was the ideal FMC. I loved the marriage of convenience trope. Okay, I loved everything about this book!

Biggest shoutout in the world to Tessa Bailey and her publisher for allowing me to read another of her hilariously romantic novels ahead of its release - you are one of the queens of my heart, Tessa.

I knew after reading Natalie and August's spat outside his wine tasting in Secretly Yours that I was going to love them - love Natalie for her spitfire passion and August for his horribly-hidden golden retriever energy - and love them both I freaking did.

Tessa's banter is one of, if not, the best in the game and I am constantly laughing out loud at her puns, her characters' wit and just the overall dialogue. This book was so sweet and so fulfilling for a girl such as myself who identifies so strongly with Natalie that it kind of scared me. Feeling like no one in your family actually needs you, and they don't notice when you're not around and sometimes they don't even bother to include you because you're just not necessary. It hurt me and I loved nothing more than Natalie finding her place and her person who would always notice she wasn't in the room and always wanted her help or opinion.

4.5 ⭐️ A spicy, marriage of convenience story that's one of Tessa Bailey's best!


"If I had one wish, it would be to slow down my time with you, Natalie. A hundred years won't be enough."


WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ napa valley setting
✨ he's a war veteran trying and failing to produce wine to honor a friend's dreams
✨ she's got fired from her finance job, dumped by her fiance, and went back home to get trust fund money to start a new business
✨ marriage of convenience
✨ instant attraction
✨ hate to love
✨ he falls first
✨ denial of feelings (fmc)
✨ lots of tension
✨ hilarious, snarky banter
✨ 2.5/5 spice
✨ "my girl", "princess", "babe"
✨ complicated family dynamics
✨ lie by omission (because they secretly want to get married to each other)
✨ HEA
✨ dual pov


My Thoughts:

I was nervous about this book since I didn't really like Secretly Yours (2.5 stars), but this was so much fun and, in my opinion, one of the best Tessa Bailey novels! She really knocked it out of the park!

Here's what I liked:

August is such a fantastic MMC! He's a burly ex-Navy SEAL - loyal, honest, caring, kind, and protective. He sunk all his money into starting a winery to honor his late best friend and fellow soldier since it was his dream *cue to waterworks*. He's just a huge teddy bear that could snap you in half. Oh he's also a cat dad *swoon*. But best of all, he's a BIG, FREAKING SIMP for the heroine, Natalie. He falls fast, hard, and is so far gone, she can do absolutely no wrong. All August wants is for Natalie to be happy and safe, and he will do everything in his power to make it so.

This quote just about sums up his feelings: "As long as you need me, Natalie, I'm with you. Whatever you decide, whatever happens, I'm your goddamn man."

Natalie is such a relatable heroine. Natalie is feisty, witty, and hardworking. She had everything going for her until it comes crumbling down, and now she has to pick up the pieces. Seeing her struggle with feeling worthy was something I really relate to. She never feels like she's good enough and always feels like she's failing the expectations set for her by her mother, ex-fiance, and people in her field of work. But August is the first person to really make her feel seen and appreciated for just being herself (with no expectations), and this is an incredibly healing experience for her. I loved seeing her grow and discover who she is.

August also works through some struggles. As a military man, he's not good at feeling helpless. He was there the day Sam died and has lived with guilt ever since. It was his job to protect Sam, and he failed. So the winery is a way for him to honor and atone, in a way. But August feels he needs to do this on his own and ends up shutting Natalie out, which further triggers her feelings of not being enough. Eventually, August realizes he made mistakes and makes it his mission to fix them. Watching him work through this was really lovely.

August and Natalie are 100% soulmates! I don't usually believe in soulmates in real life or in fiction, but these two are it. You can fight me on this. They are passionate, messy, fun, honest, and open. Plus, they actually communicate (thanks to Gus), which is so key to every successful relationship. They support each other and really helped each other heal. I enjoyed seeing their love grow and deepen. And they were so much fun with their banter and pranks! They are my favorite Tessa Bailey couple! I absolutely adore them!

The spice actually got me feeling hot and bothered. One of my usual hangups about Tessa Bailey is the cringe dialogue during sexy moments. While there were some (see below), they were few and far between compared to the delicious, filthy things that came out of August's mouth. For example:

"Tell me the truth. You thought I would throw you into missionary, come in sixty seconds, and fall asleep. Didn't you?"
"Yes. No." she babbled, rocking furiously in his lap. "I don't know."
"Not with my wife."
Without warning, he flipped Natalie onto her back and drove her up the bed with one savage pump of his hips. "I'll be earning the right every single day to come inside pussy this good."

All of the sexy moments were HOT AF, and I ate that sh*t up! I now need my own husband to start calling me 'my wife.'


The epilogue was perfection! I don't want to spoil it, but seriously, August made me melt all over again. He would do anything for his family! You're going to love it!


Here's what I didn't like:

It’s mentioned so many times, and in so many ways, that August is a big oaf. Wording like, 'big lug', 'brute', and 'bonehead' is used to describe him. And here are a few phrases that support these sentiments as well: “he used all his brain power,” "poor man-brain working overtime,” “It made her want to walk into his stupid muscular arms and whack him in the head with an encyclopedia." If it were said once or twice, I’d be okay with it. But the repetitive use made it seem like he actually was an idiot, which then I was wondering why someone like Natalie would be into a big dummy. He's not actually an idiot, though, so it annoyed me he was being unfairly picked on.

While most of the dirty talk didn’t bother me, some of it did. For example: "Jesus. My balls have never gotten so heavy so fast in my life. Pretty sure every drop of blood in my head just went south. Give me like... eight seconds to make sure I'm not going to pass out." I think the first two sentences should be inner thoughts, and maybe the last one could have been actual dialogue because no one would say that stuff in real life.

Also, I still don't like Haille from Secretly Yours. She doesn’t play a big role, but she makes an appearance, but I found her character to still be annoying. At least it was consistent with Book 1.


Overall, I loved Unfortunately Yours and 100% recommend reading it! It’s one of my favorite marriage of convenience stories!

I absolutely loved Tessa Bailey"s latest! The characters were great, and the plot moved quickly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.

UNFORTUNATELY YOURS was a truly hilarious and spicy enemies-to-lovers delight! Natalie and August were such a fun pair. They had great chemistry, and I loved seeing them grow together as a couple as well as individuals. The book is humorous and steamy, but it also tackles some really deep themes like grief, identity, and self-acceptance.