I stopped reading this book at 60%. Honestly, Tessa's work is hit or miss for me these days. Her older work is much better. I just didn't care for the main characters and the writing just wasn't for me.

I appreciate the opportunity to be able to read this book though!

This was an absolutely swoonworthy, fun, fabulous summer read. First of all, August, I mean, come on! He is top-notch book boyfriend material. The things he feels and says to Natalie as they embark on a fake marraige is enough to make any woman's heart melt. Natalie, one strong, amazing FMC. These two, who start as enemies become each other's answer to everything. What I truly love about this story (besides it being set in wine country) is that Natalie and August each have a story, a sad story, in their recent pasts that are driving who they are when they feel like the only choice they have is to rely on one another.

I couldn't put this one down and am quickly becoming a huge Tessa Bailey fan. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

- marriage of convenience
- enemies to lovers
- forced proximity

I was tearing up almost as much as I was laughing through this one. Two people floating through life, feeling lost and alone until the found each other; Natalie and August are hands down my favorite Tessa Bailey couple. The way they anchor each other, providing this stability that they've both been missing and pushing each other to grow made this an immediate comfort read and I wanted to pick it up again as soon as I finished. This is my favorite book from Tessa and the epilogue left my heart feeling so full it could burst.

A Navy SEAL and a Napa wine princess make an unlikely pairing, but they were so good for each other. It started out as tiny barbs and jabs, but the way they care for one another, always pushing but never wanting to go over the line of no-return -- a mark that can be easily missed in enemies to lovers. I love Natalie Vos with my whole being, she's one of those characters that I would hand you in a list if you wanted to get to know me. Be sure not to miss Tessa's note at the start, because knowing that August loved her from the very beginning and getting to see that unfold absolutely killed me. They make a great team and while they may bicker and poke fun at one another, they are each other's biggest defenders.

Summary:
Coming off a broken engagement and dismissal from her NYC job, Natalie Vos has returned home to Napa as the heiress to a family vineyard, only with hopes to return to New York. With a business partner and potential investor on the line, Natalie needs access to her trust fund to start her own company. The issue? Natalie must be employed AND married before she can have access.

August own a local winery, only known for its disgustingly fermented wine and lack of knowledge to the industry. Oh, and Natalie hates him. But Natalie sees a solution: Marry August. Gain access to her trust. Help August get a loan to keep his winery afloat and assist him with his fermentation process.

The only thing that could go wrong is strong sexual magnetism. And unrequited feelings. And Natalie and August not knowing what they really want.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5
🌶️🌶️ 2/5

Tropes:
Fake Marriage
Unrequited Feelings
Secrets

Deb’s Thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book and this series is my first dive into Tessa Bailey’s work. I really enjoyed the story of August and Natalie but did miss the amount of spectacular squirm-in-your-seat spice from book 1. I’m excited to read book three when it releases!

Thanks so much @tessabailey and @netgalley for providing the ARC for me to review!

Tessa Bailey is back with another exciting romance! Unfortunately Yours is the story of Natalie, a down-on-her-luck Napa heiress and her offer to marry August, a man she cannot stand for a mutually beneficial relationship. But Natalie will soon realise that there’s a fine line between love and hate and August might just be that line.

August may own a vineyard, but he knows absolutely nothing about wine, so who better to help him than the queen of the vineyards herself? Meanwhile, Natalie needs access to her trust fund if she’s ever to be taken seriously again by the world. Who better to marry than the one guy she knows she won’t distract her with unnecessary feelings? What starts as a reluctant marriage of convenience turns into much more as both realise that there might be more to the other…

You know those guys who are all in when it comes to the woman they want to spend their life with? Yeah, August is that trope personified. He’s ride or die for Natalie and even when their animosity turns downright ruthless, you can still tell he’s having the time of his life fighting with her. He’s also a huge softie who loves to put his foot in his mouth and thus serves all the golden retriever energy vibes we love to see in romance.

Meanwhile, Natalie grapples with her own insecurities since she has often been underestimated and now feels all the more pressure to succeed but when she’s around August, she can be herself without having to fear rejection.

Now, miscommunication is my absolute pet peeve and there is a lot of that going on in this story, so if that’s not something you’re in the mood for, this story might not quite work for you. It definitely made me want to pull my hair out at a few specific moments in the story. However, I loved how both August and Natalie grew throughout the story and learned to communicate with each other better by the end and how they, no matter where they stood with each other, supported the other’s endeavours. Together they are explosive (between the sheets and out on the streets) and make for a wholly entertaining reading experience.

Fans of the marriage of convenience trope will get their fill in this summery romance that is sure to leave a smile on your face.

Natalie Vos and August Cates may have perfected the art of insulting each other, but when Natalie needs a groom to secure her inheritance, there is only one eligible bachelor who comes to mind...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unfortunately Yours was a scorching hot and seriously hilarious, marriage of convenience, reading delight! Natalie and August love to hate each other, but once their vows are said, they are truly connected... for better, or for worse...

Natalie was a brilliant woman who has recently had a change of luck in her personal and professional life. Returning home to St. Helena was a less than ideal situation, but once she has access to her trust fund, she is hightailing it back to NYC to jump back into her career in finance... where she belongs. Natalie may have hailed from winemaking royalty, but feeling unappreciated is a way of life when it came to proving herself to her family.

August is a hunky, ex-Navy SEAL who landed in St. Helena, determined to start his own winery. But while August may have had the vineyard and all the necessary equipment, he knew absolutely nothing about wine making... and it showed.

I absolutely loved the entertaining banter and the undeniable chemistry shared between Natalie and August. Every argument they had felt like foreplay, and their sexy encounters more than proved it! August was a big ole hunk of a sweet man who would do anything for Natalie, and eventually she realizes just how much she would do for him, too.

A Vine Mess was a sexy and super fun little two book series with lovable characters, laugh out loud hijinks, and engaging plots!

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

Tessa Bailey never ceases to amaze me when it comes to character development and plot structure. Unfortunately Yours continues Bailey’s legacy of witty banter, white hot steam, and impeccable characterization.

If you love an enemies-to-lovers (but he’s really been gone for her the whole time) snack with a healthy dose of marriage-of-convenience, you are going to eat this story up. Natalie and August light up the page and the whole of their story (which began in Secretly Yours) was well worth the wait.

Personally, it was my favorite of the duology, and will be a frequent re-read.

A sincere thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Unfortunately Yours
By: Tessa Bailey
Pub date: 6/6/23
Publisher: Harper Collins

This is the second book in the A Vine Mess series.
This one definitely hit the spot. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. This is probably my favorite romance of the year so far. The angst alone was superb.
Natalie is home in California living in guest house on her mothers vineyard. A bad investment in NYC lost her both her job and her
Fiancé. While trying to help out her mom and brother she attends an event where she meets August Cates, former Navy Seal.
August retired from the navy when his best friend is killed in action. His bff’s dream was to make wine so August is determined to make his dream a reality. However, August is quickly running out of capital and when he loses a contest that would give him $10,000 more knows it’s time to throw in a towel.
Natalie needs capital too to start her own fund in NYC, only her trust fund has a stipulation that she must be fully employed and married before she’s granted her trust. So, even though they have nothing in common and fight like cats and dogs, Natalie and August need each other. Can the convince everyone around them that their happily married couple? You will have to check out Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey to find out.

Thanks to Harper Collins for the ARC and finished copy of this book.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via Netgalley***

4.5 Stars

August.

SIGH.

August.

there is just something about a big guy who absolutely, 100% falls in love first. And knows it. And, August knows he is in love with Natalie, so it just makes this one full of a dirty talking hero who is both hot and so perfectly swoony.

Are women supposed to want to be taken care of? Who knows...but when it's because you are treasured and adored the way August adores Natalie, it's just fine, thanks.

I agree with the author who comments in her comments at the beginning of the book that in order for an enemies to lovers to work, you have to believe the hero never really hated the heroine, and if it can be proven, even better. August proves how much he loves Natalie from the beginning, it just takes her a while to notice.

Probably because she is stuck in how hot he is, and the dirty talking, and the way he is with his cat, and with...well...everyone but her that just makes him so perfect but keeps her from totally being able to see it.

There are some moments between them that are just wonderful, and it makes you want to spend forever in this book. I can't really get into the details as they start to become spoilers, but I promise you August gets to show all of his sides to perfection and it's easy to see why Natalie is willing to believe they really aren't enemies after all.

I enjoyed and recommend this title.

“He walked in like everyone owed him a hundred bucks, but he was too lazy to collect.”

August Cates is a Navy SEAL who is fulfilling his best friends dream of owning a vineyard. He’s just completely failing at it. Napa royalty Natalie Vos has relocated back to the family winery to get her s#$% together and claw her way back to Wall Street after an epically bad trade. What could these two possibly have in common?

Yeah, I loved it. Marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, grumpy-sunshine, Navy SEAL, annoyed cat, wine caves, you name it. I finished it in two days.

I did not read the first book, but based on reviews I’m glad. This one caught me from the beginning. I was drawn into the characters and wanted to continue reading. This was a fast read. I would recommend if you like the marriage of convenience trope that is spicy. This is at least 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Natalie Vos is a Napa heiress that recently returned from New York after she was fired from her job in finance. She is devastated that her dream job didn’t turn out to be so dreamy. She’s finding comfort in her parents wine maybe a little too much.
August Cates is a retire Navy Seal that bought a winery to honor his best friend that died in combat. The problem is he is terrible at making wine.
Natalie needs her trust fund released to start her own business, but she needs a job and to get married.
August needs a bank loan to keep his business afloat, but the loan officer hates him.
Both need each other to get what they want.

𝙐𝙣𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙪𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨
𝖳𝖾𝗌𝗌𝖺 𝖡𝖺𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗒

I’ve said before and I will continue to say it, but Tessa Bailey is a never fail read for me! This is the second in her Vine Mess series. I read the first one, Secretly Yours which was really great, but I personally enjoyed this one even more! I think because August reminds me a bit of the main man in my own life 🥰

Unfortunately Yours follows Natalie, (Julian’s sister), a woman who has faced setbacks in both her career and love life. Seeking to rebuild her life, Natalie finds herself in a predicament where her trust fund is tied to marriage. Determined to overcome this hurdle, she proposes to August Cates, a man who infuriates and intrigues her in equal measure. August, a former Navy SEAL and the owner of a struggling vineyard, is desperate to save his late friend's legacy. When Natalie enters his life with her proposal, he sees it as an opportunity to secure the funds he desperately needs. However, their initial attraction transforms into a tempestuous relationship filled with witty banter and undeniable chemistry.

Get ready for the banter because it is on like Donky Kong in this one. This is most definitely an enemies to lovers romance and these two do not hold back and not just with the banter….if you know what I mean 🥵 I love how much August truly adores Natalie despite also giving her a hard time. He knows when to pull back and when to make amends. Natalie is dealing with a lot under the surface and even though she fights it, she eventually realizes August sees her for who she is and is helping her to heal even if he drives her freaking crazy a lot of the time.

I was so grateful to get an early copy of Unfortunately Yours! Talk about a dream ARC come true! Thank you to Tessa Bailey, Avon Books and NetGalley for gifting me a copy for an honest review!

In a bind and needing some capital to get their respective lives back on track, Natalie Vos and August Cates agree to a marriage of convenience that will allow Natalie to access her healthy trust fund. What Natalie and August-two people who can't help but tear one another down up until this point-don't realize is that when they enter the marital state they will both experience feelings that will be explosive in regards to their best laid plans.

Natalie and August were well rounded characters with interesting pasts and hang-ups. Natalie always feels like an outsider when she is around her family and I found that I could sympathize with her plight. Instead of sitting on her haunches, Natalie was proactive in her attempt to achieve her goals and move towards a life that seemed to embrace her rather than shut her out. August, on the other hand, was facing challenges that harkened back to his time as a Navy SEAL, and I found his character arc to be interesting and a great opportunity to look at what soldiers face when coming home from war.

Both characters were guarded and exhibited this through what they didn't say and the brutal banter that they sometimes engaged in with one another. As the relationship progresses the banter and pranks between Natalie and August made me smile and laugh-it was a definite serotonin boost and I enjoyed their interactions.

Where the story fell a tad short was in the crafting of the timeline alongside the relationship development. We get a lot packed into a very short amount of time and I had to suspend my belief to some extent. I also found August to be just a tad too perfect. He was a lovely character that I have no qualms with, but I would have liked him to have maybe one flaw to round out his character a bit more and allow for discovery through interactions with Natalie, rather than coming to epiphanies on his own because he is just a perfect hero.

Overall, this story was enjoyable marriage of convenience romance with delightful banter, interesting situations, and a fun couple. If you can suspend your belief a bit and just go into the story to enjoy the ride (which includes a multitude of quips and swoon-worthy musings by August), then you just might find this story to be to your liking.

3.5 ✨’s

I read and reviewed an advanced eARC of this book thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley. All honest opinions are my own.

Ladies and gents she does it again! Dare I say I liked this one more than book 1? I loved the mains and it was super spicy but still well written and didn’t sacrifice on plot for romance. Anxiously awaiting next TB release!

Tessa Bailey is kicking off the summer season with Unfortunately Yours, the second book in her series, A Vine Mess. It’s the perfect contemporary romcom tale for the long, hot days on the horizon … because those are sandwiched in between the sexy, sultry nights of Bailey’s bailiwick.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series, Secretly Yours, and was happy to learn book two returns to Napa Valley with the Vos family. This time we’re catching up with Natalie Vos, wine heiress of Vos Vineyard (along with her brother Julian, from book one). We quickly learn that Natalie must strike the deal of her life to claim her inheritance, and in the process, winds up saving a fledgling vineyard and inevitably falling victim to her own ruse.

Bailey is pretty much an auto-buy for me, and after so many reviews of her stuff, it’s hard to come up with something new to say other than simply, “I love it.” I don’t want to gush over how sexy her dialogue is, or how much I love a potty-mouth, or how current the story is, or how equitable her two main characters are. Because those are all a given.

Instead, let’s focus on the importance she places on actual love in this love story. August Cates loves Natalie from the beginning. It’s obvious in the way he watches her and pines for her, and in the knowledge, deep in his bones, that he made a mistake in passing up an opportunity to act on his attraction to her. He’s an adult with adult problems and adult obstacles. He’s a big, bad Navy Seal who struggles with PTSD, honoring a promise to a fallen friend, and finding his place in his new normal. He was a good soldier and a good friend, and he’s a good man. And he is absolutely bananas for the woman he loves. He’s just got to get out of his own way.

Natalie is an adult with adult problems and adult obstacles, as well. She lost her job and her fiancé on the same day. Because when you put yourself out there, sometimes life has other plans for you. But like August, Natalie gets back up and forges on. She will not be the victim of her own misfortunates and mistakes, and that made me cheer loudly for her.

It’s a pleasure to read about characters whose flaws so closely mirror the real world, yet they’re still compelling and dreamy. Bailey writes characters you’d like to have over for dinner, vacation with, or hit the road for an epic adventure with. The perfect balance of strength and vulnerability permeates them and the world they inhabit, along with an addictive openness to love. In short, Unfortunately Yours is a classic Tessa Bailey romance that’ll have you experiencing the whole gamut of emotions in a quick, playful 384 pages. It’s exactly the kind of story we need right now.

August Cates is beyond in love with his wife Natalie Cates (Vos). Except, he can't tell her since they are only marrying each other for the financial benefits...right?

Both August and Natalie are intensely hotheaded, but also have a need to finally be vulnerable. An innate bond between them allows Natalie to be her truest self with him, while August fully gives in to his feelings for her. I especially enjoyed Natalie's journey from never feeling enough to standing fully on her own two feet, all the while opening herself up to August. August was surprisingly perceptive and his grief journey over his SEAL buddy Sam was beautiful.

Excellent spice with well paced build up. As I got to the epilogue I realized the best part of the novel: of course there is the happily ever after, but Bailey winds the path to get there. There were multiple times I thought "Okay, they're happy! It's over!" but then she would drop the next pivot. She used some beloved tropes with a refreshing twist (hint: one-chair) and leaned heavily into the need to be vulnerable. At every turn I expected miscommunication to be the problem, and while it may occur momentarily, August and Natalie make sure to say exactly what's on their minds and in their hearts.

“she's worth walking through an endless field of landmines”

Napa Heiress is down on her luck and decides to suggest a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience to a man she can’t stand… only to realize there is a thin line between love and hate. After losing her fiancé and job in one fell swoop, Natile Vos returned home to lick her wounds. Months later, she has drowned her sorrows in wine and is ready to get back on her feet. All she needs is her trust fund to start her new fiancé business. Unfortunately, she is required to marry before she can get the money. Natalie is desperate enough to propose to a man that makes her feel like killing him, but also kissing him… August Cates owns a vineyard, but doesn’t know anything about making wine. No matter what it takes, he’s determined to make his late friend. But his wine is disgusting, his wine tasting room is empty, and his friend's legacy is slipping through his fingers. No bank will give him a loan to turn the business around, but then the feisty, gorgeous heiress shows up at his door. Since the moment he met Natalie she has haunted his dreams, but their sizzling chemistry turned into simmering insults. Now a fast marriage could help them both. A fake wedding, a few weeks living together, and they can go their separate ways–assuming they don’t kill each other. How difficult can it be? There’s one problem: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.

Thoughts: This book has my favorite tropes: marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, he falls first, “my wife”, and forced proximity. And Bailey delivered! I loved every second of this book! I ate it up like it was my last meal. Tessa Bailey’s always writing funny, creative, and spicy books. She has not disappointed me. I loved these characters so much! I love Natalie! She is blunt, confident, and has so many layers to her. Everyone underestimates her and I loved how she proved she was more than capable. I loved watching her grow and find her footing in the world, and made me want to give her a big hug. Another thing I loved about her is that she constantly roasted the hell out of August. Making the banter perfection! Sweet, sweet, August. I need this man in my life. He has it bad for Natalie and I am obsessed. He’s sensitive, attentive, honest, and has such a dirty mouth. I loved everything about this man, Tessa writes such amazing book boyfriends! This book was a fun, spicy, sweet, and swoon worthy book. Highly recommend everyone go read this ASAP.

This book includes:
-enemies to lovers
-marriage of convenience
-he falls first
-“my wife”
- forced proximity
-small town
- dual POV
5/5 stars
2.7/5 spice

Thank you Tessa Bailey, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for providing an arc for an honest review.

#SecretlyYours #NetGalley #AvonBooks #ReadAvon #HappilyEverAvon

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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“If I had one wish, it would be to slow down my time with you, Natalie. A hundred years won’t be enough.”
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Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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Tessa Bailey could hit me with a bus and I’d say thank you. This book is absolutely perfectly SO Tessa Bailey. It’s sexy, sweet, HOT, made me cry from how perfect the MMC is, and just all around a quick, fun read. Unfortunately Yours is the second book in A Vine Mess duology. It follows Natalie Vos, a disgraced investment banker who has been forced to return home to her family’s famous vineyard to re-center herself and find her priorities - and funding - to make her dreams of breaking back onto Wall Street come true, and August, a Navy SEAL and owner of the worst vineyard in Napa, with wine that he couldn’t pay people to drink. Natalie needs her trust fund which is trapped behind old, patriarchal rules, and August needs a small business loan to hopefully keep his winery afloat. The two concoct a plan to marry so that Natalie can access the money that’s rightfully hers and August can use the Vos name to get a small business loan. What they didn’t expect is how complex their banter, sexual tension, and feelings for each other would be.
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August is arguably one of my favorite book boyfriends ever. He’s so funny, so sexy, and so endearing. He’s so full of love and respect for Natalie that it made ME get butterflies while I was reading! I just adore him. Natalie is also so likable, fun, and relatable. The two together make the most exciting pair. Their banter, arguments, flirting, and sex are top notch. I’ll eat up anything Tessa writes, but this is particularly top tier. 10/10 would recommend!

Unfortunately Yours was hot AF. Full stop.

I am sucker for a marriage of convenience anyway but Tessa Bailey really nailed it (pun intended) with this one. Even better than the first of the series.

This book is a paradise for lovers of tropes, offering an irresistible blend of insta-lust, enemies-to-lovers, a swoon-worthy MMC with a heart of gold, and a captivating marriage of convenience.

Natalie Voss finds herself returning to Napa Valley with her pride wounded after being left at the altar and experiencing a devastating loss that led to her dismissal from her investment firm. Seeking solace and a fresh start, she seeks refuge at her family's vineyard, determined to rebuild her life while embarking on a new investment venture with her trusted friend. Amidst the constant rejection from her dysfunctional family and an undeniable attraction towards August, a man infamous for producing the most undesirable wine known to mankind, Natalie's journey becomes more and more unclear.

In her pursuit of starting the new investment company, Natalie encounters a significant obstacle: accessing her trust fund, which can only be obtained through marriage. Meanwhile, August Cates, a former Navy SEAL, strives to fulfill his late friend's dream of operating a vineyard, despite possessing zero knowledge about winemaking. While his wine elicits less-than-flattering reactions and his only customer is a mother of triplets, August remains determined, desperately requiring a small business loan to sustain his operations.

When a mutually beneficial agreement is reached, they concoct a sham marriage to attain their respective goals. Natalie secures her trust fund, while August obtains the crucial loan for his business. Unfortunately Yours delves into Natalie's poignant struggle with trust and self-confidence, highlighting the invaluable presence of someone who always stands by your side. August embodies the epitome of a supportive partner: fiercely loyal, stubborn yet willing to acknowledge his mistakes.

While I am a fan of Tessa Bailey's books, this particular one did not rank among my favorites. However, it was August's character that prevented me from abandoning the book before its conclusion.