🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦
This is the second book in the A Vine Mess series by Tessa Bailey and I really enjoyed this one! I was a bit hesitant going in as the first book wasn’t my cup of tea, but I enjoyed the sister in the first one and she is the FMC in this book, so I wanted to still check it out. I ATE THIS UP. Literally read the entire thing in a day. It isn’t quite IHOS or HLS level to me, but it was a solid Tessa Bailey novel!

In typical TB fashion, there was some instalust/love going on (however as the characters met in book one, it was fine for me), lots of dirty talk, and a decent amount of spice! We all know Tessa loves her characters spunky and a bit wild, and the main characters here did not disappoint. I really enjoyed the FMC, Natalie. She was a strong, snarky gal and is just trying to get back on her feet after losing her job and fiance. August is a golden retriever of a MMC, an ex-Navy SEAL who has the hots for Natalie, even though they hate each other. Their relationship was so fun to watch develop and the banter between them had me laughing out loud. Throw in a marriage of convenience and some forced proximity and this really was romcom gold.

It had some heart warming moments as well, with both characters having some emotional wounds that needed healing, so seeing them work through that was sweet. We also got a lot of dirty talk in this one and boy, the mouth on this man was top notch in many ways, let me tell you.

The pacing and plot were pretty fast paced and this was an easy, light-hearted read. Overall, I think Tessa Bailey fans will enjoy this one as well! If you’re familiar with her style and enjoy her insta-lust/love stories, the banter and spice in this one is a can’t miss!

𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙄𝙛 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚
Marriage of convenience
Forced proximity
Hate to lovers
He falls first
Golden retriever MMC
Dirty talk and banter

I will post a review to the linked Instagram on release day.

Thank you @netgalley and @Avonharper for this ARC in exchange for my honest review! If you've read my reviews before you would know that tessa bailey is one of my favorite authors and is the queen of smut writing! Unfortunately, yours is a solid book with a good plot but it has cringe moments. The biggest one is august cates (MMC) is a retired navy seal for me, this was cringe because my husband is in the Navy, and we make fun of what movies and books make navy men act like.

This is also a marriage of convince, and this isn't usually my cup of tea, but I also love how August is a big ole' cinnamon roll. August is the first to fall and does whatever needs to be done to make sure Natalie is happy. It’s a slow burn with a lot of frenemies to-lovers action.


Overall, this isn't my favorite Tessa Bailey book but its not horrible. My favorite is still hook, line, and sinker! It was a fun, easy read with great smut and an even better understanding that the person you are is perfect, and you will find someone who loves you for you, not for who they want you to be <3

(will be posting this on my bookstagram closer to pub date) @ticareads_

Marriage of convenience between near-strangers for the win, yet again! There's a reason why I love the trope so much, and this was another great example. These two almost had a one night stand before things went south, so they're not-so-friendly when they agree to a temporary marriage that benefits them both. They're also fully aware that they are attracted to each other in a big way, which is surely a recipe for disaster. I loved the opposites attract vibes, particularly the rugged Navy SEAL turned (terrible) winemaker, who is so absolutely smitten with his girl. He's also a bit of a golden retriever, with a loving, protective personality that gives off easygoing vibes... outside of the bedroom, at least. That paired perfectly with the put-together, independent heroine, and it was so satisfying to see them realize how well they fit. The only thing that's holding me back from a 5-star rating is a slower start, but I sincerely enjoyed this overall.

The story follows Natalie, a woman who comes from a family of winemakers. She's been working in finance for the last several years, but a failed business deal has left her jobless and reeling. Natalie would love to start up her own business and return to the city, but she needs money to make that happen. In an effort to obtain her inheritance, Natalie decides to enter into a temporary marriage of convenience. The last person she expected to volunteer for the role of husband is August, a former Navy SEAL and owner of a failing vineyard. He could also use the money and respect that a marriage to winemaking royalty could provide, so it's a scenario that could benefit them both. Unfortunately, they're also openly attracted to each other, and that could pose a problem. It's not wise to enter into a fake marriage with someone you have real lust for, and neither one is sure what to do about that.

I'm a fan of Bailey's writing, but I will admit that the first book in this series was a DNF for me. Every author has a miss here or there, and I think a lot of us acknowledge that was one. So I went into this a little less enthusiastic than usual, and it's entirely possible that's the reason this had a slower start for me. It also takes me awhile to get into third person POV, as so few contemporary romance novels are written from that perspective these days. But August and Natalie's chemistry was apparent from the start, and I love a good marriage of convenience romance. As the story progressed, I came to love their bickering/bantering and playful vibes in a major way. It was easy to see why they were perfect for each other, and I also loved how their marriage benefited both in ways that had nothing to do with money. They make each other stronger, and that was obvious. They also have some crazy good chemistry, with plenty of super spicy scenes sprinkled throughout. I can't quite call it a slow burn, but I appreciated how they worked to build up the emotional connection before going all in. In the end, this was a very strong 4-star/low 5-star read for me, and I'm excited to see what's next from the author.

This officially takes the top spot as my favorite Tessa Bailey book!

I was hesitant at first because while I found Secretly Yours charming and I enjoyed reading it, it didn’t have the heat from It Happened One Summer or the character depth of Hook, Line, and Sinker (though I did love that it tackled some tough topics, like anxiety).

Let me just say, Unfortunately Yours CAME TO PLAY!

August is top-tier book boyfriend material. Seriously. He’s a 6’3” beef-cake, former navy seal, who is head over heels in love with Natalie, and absolutely hilarious.

Natalie has a lot of crap to work through (who doesn’t?), but she does so in a way that doesn’t make her seem whiny or unlikeable. She is strong when she needs to be, but doesn’t let that strength hold her back, which I find rare for FMCs in RomComs. They tend to go so hard one direction that it becomes their flaw. That wasn’t the case with Natalie.

The spice in this book was TOP NOTCH! And the filthy words that came out of that beautiful man’s mouth were perfection.

I would absolutely recommend this book and I can without a doubt say that I will be rereading this in the future.

3/5 🌶️
5/5 ⭐️

This is my new favorite Tessa Bailey book. I absolutely adored August, and I rooted for him and Natalie from the beginning.

I loved all the tropes, and I don’t know…there was just something about this book that was so…high quality. It just hit different.

I enjoyed Secretly Yours a lot so when I saw I was approved for an arc of this I was super excited. One of my favourite tropes is marriage of convenience and lets just say this book did the trope justice for me.
I loved Natalie and August’s characters although at some points they can be very stubborn and annoying. They both seemed to be extremely headstrong characters which caused most of their conflicts but even with that they always solved. ( I will say some of the conflict was stupid ). For romance, well, there's spice. And lots of it. The scenes were amazing, and unlike the first book didn’t feel awkward at all for me. The scenes actually fit both of these characters.
The only issue I have with this book is that their relationship for most of it felt very just, towards the sexual aspect. And it moved very fast and i wish it felt like the characters connected more!
Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

WOOO, this was such a step up from Secretly Yours. I was so pleasantly surprised with how much i did like it.

Marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes and this book was textbook MOC. Both making the decision to marry for personal gain, but both decide before they even truly marry that’s not really the reason they’re marrying.

AUGUST - lord have mercy. August is something else. Supportive, caregiver, protective. I adored him.

Natalie was strong, confident and such a beautifully misunderstood human. She had a lot of inner battles going on and i loved watching her character develop.

While i did enjoy this book alot, it was cringey to me that the MCs said “marriage of convenience” so much. like we get if, why are we being so repetitive with the trope term. It was too much for me.

Banter was spot on. Tessa writes in a way where you have every emotion by the end of the book and i love that.

It’s giving: marriage of convenience, forced proximity, and enemies to lovers

I was really underwhelmed with Secretly Yours, so I was a little hesitant going into this book, but was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. There’s a lot to love about this book, including its immaculate marriage of convenience trope, the incredible spice, the witty dialogue, and the love interest falling hard for his girl.

One of my biggest dislikes is that Natalie and August’s relationship comes out of nowhere. The set up for this book happens in Secretly Yours and is barely mentioned in this one so it’s a little confusing if you haven’t read that book. I also think the ending of this book was kind of rushed as it tried to wrap up loose ends that definitely would have led to more conflict if it was properly fleshed out.

Overall, this book is incredibly funny and super sexy. Also, Tessa Bailey really knows how to write an epilogue that punches me in the feels every time.

This book was very cute! Such an Easy read. I loved the characters and their fun banter! I would definitely recommend this cozy rom- com!

Tessa Bailey my queen 👑
I don’t usually go for the marriage of convenience trope but this book has me second guessing myself.

The banter and chemistry between Natalie and august was SO good! I couldn’t bring myself to put it down. Natalie being such a black cat and August the golden retriever being completely obsessed with her; was the best vibe I could have asked for.

I loved Julian and Hallie’s story but this book may be my favorite of the series 🙈

Thank you Avon Books/Harper Collins Publishing and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Man, I enjoyed this book. Tessa knows how to write them.

August was such an enjoyable character. He always said and did goofy things which made him that much more likable. A lot of my laugh-out-loud moments came from lines he said or thought. He had problems he was working through just like Natalie, but he presented himself in a loveable way. The way he loved Natalie was so beautiful.

I loved getting to know Natalie more in this book. We got a little glimpse of her problems in book one that she was forced to encounter in this book. But getting inside of her head and seeing how things felt to her was different. She was also pretty cool. I kinda wish we could have seen her with a friend in this book. But that was also kinda the point, that she didn't have anyone she felt she could trust or lean on.

There were some emotional parts in this novel that made me tear up. I love that Bailey can go from emotional to sexy in point five seconds. And there were so many good, romantic lines in this book that I wish I could bottle them up.

Overall, a great follow-up and end to the A Vine Mess series. Bailey's books will always be enjoyable to me.

Just as spicy as Secretly Yours, but even better!

Read this if you like: A doofus of a MMC, a witty FMC, flirty hate-banter that builds into TENSION, marriage of convenience, a Navy SEAL+a Wall Street investor walk into a wine bar in Napa vibes, JOKES+PRANKS+LAUGHTER, and the spice we've all come to love from Tessa.

I found myself really drawn in by Julian and Hallie in Secretly Yours, but I found myself even more excited to read August and Natalie's story, and it did not disappoint.

Natalie is a pretty bad ass character with a soft spot in her heart where the rejection of her family, the disloyalty of her employer, and the sad high school girl who never felt seen still live. Unseen, until August shows up in her life and he CAN'T HELP BUT SEE HER.

August. I truly love him but he's such a doofus. I say that with the mostly love from my heart. This guy picks up his life, moves to St. Helena to make wine with no experience, all to honor his best friend. It's sweet. Really sweet. He puts his foot in his mouth more often than you want (secondhand embarrassment is real), but his relationship with Natalie cracks open that vulnerable place he protects, and these two go from storming away to charging towards each other in the pages of this book.

I like Tessa's writing - it's silly and a little crazy, but also deep and emotional and transformative.

Definitely check this one out next week when it releases, especially if steamy Tessa Baily scenes are your jam. She does not disappoint.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this one, and to Avon/Harper Collins for the completed copy of the book! These are my honest thoughts.

August for the win! Who doesn't want a former SEAL willing to do just about anything for them!?! Dedicated, loving, and dorky but 110% committed to your every need and whim...

Yeah, August says he won but Natalie definitely won this forever after lottery. Their story is sweet and feisty just like they are!

The second book in the Vine Mess/Vos universe does not disappoint! Natalie Vos lost her job and needs to access her trust fund- just one catch, the recently dumped Natalie must be married to get the funds. Enter August, vineyard owner and bane of her existence. First comes a sham wedding, then comes....?

Great companion to Secretly Yours. I actually thought Unfortunately Yours was much, much stronger than Secretly Yours. I really enjoyed the love story between Natalie and August, and appreciated the tension provided by both August's background and Natalie's family.

I loved the first book in this series but wow I loved this one even more. Tessa absolutely NAILED the marriage of convenience trope. August and Natalie's banter was just the right balance of funny and snarky, the romance was swoony, and the dirty talk was dirty.

Natalie is so headstrong and capable. She knows exactly what she wants and goes out there and grabs it. No matter who stands in her way or tries to make her feel small, she perseveres. One of my favorite things about her and August's relationship is that he doesn't "save her". He does what any good husband should do, supports her and stands by her to help her realize her dreams. It's very clear that Natalie doesn't "need" him but its just as clear that she is happier with him by her side. With that said, boy do I love August. Ngl the whole calling her princess every 5 seconds thing got old fast but I genuinely loved his character. He was surly but not quite grumpy? He was obviously guarded but he knew that he was all in with Natalie from day 1 and he made sure she knew that. There were no mind games. He just fell for her and made his feelings and intentions abundantly clear. It may have started as a marriage of convenience but from the second they made their agreement, August did not come to play (the vows he wrote and surprised her with!!)

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Avon, and of course the brilliant Tessa Bailey for this arc!

The cover of this is the CUTEST. August is perfect, Natalie is fancy, and Menace is lounging.
NEVER do I enjoy a novel with military personnel- except for this one. Tessa really understood the assignment of having a hero who was soft and squishy while being a retired Navy SEAL.

August is trying to run a successful winery to honor his best friend’s dream. The problem is that he makes BAD wine. This happens to draw the attention of Natalie Vos, the Napa Valley wine princess. She’s the daughter of one of the most prestigious vineyards, but her passion is in investment. Unfortunately she made a bad trade, lost her job and fiance, and left New York in disgrace. With both of their livelihoods on the line, August and Natalie decide to engage in a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience. This will get her access to her trust fund and will get him the leverage to get a small business loan.

I love a marriage of convenience and forced proximity, especially when there’s obvious previous chemistry. These two were so lost for each other, worrying about each other while the other is gone and also dealing with the difficulty of shutting each other out of their most private concerns.

I flew through this, just like I tend to do with Tessa Bailey novels. She knows how to write spice, love, grief, friendship, I could just go on and on. It was a pleasure to read Unfortunately Yours.

I did get teary on the treadmill finishing the epilogue, especially as I listened to True Friend from Hannah Montana. Then I posted about it and Tessa laughed at me. So she knows what she’s doing!

This is the first Tessa Bailey book that I’ve given 5 stars to. I finally feel like I understand the hype around her books after reading this one. I loved both Natalie and August. I especially love when the man falls first and falls harder. The genuine love August had for Natalie before she had for him just reeled me in. Not to mention this book had just the right amount of spice and banter. I love that this book showcased Natalie as strong and independent with a drive to prove people wrong. I love a strong female lead with a supportive male lead to add to it. This book is the second in the series A Vine Mess and in my opinion was much better than Secretly yours the first in the A Vine Mess Series. This book is our June 6th! Be sure to get it! Thank you again to Avon Books and Tessa Bailey for an early finished copy!

Read this book if you like:
- Marriage of convenience
- Opposites attract
- Subtle spice
- Banter

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! This is the second book in Bailey’s A Vine Mess series, and full disclosure, I loved this book WAY better than the first in this series. Natalie and August have to enter into a marriage of convenience for him to get a business loan and for her to get the trust fund, and of course, they fall in love. Many tropes are done well in this book: marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, and man falls first and hard. I loved August and Natalie’s banter: this is Bailey at her finest with her writing style, really sweet and funny, causing me to laugh out loud many times in the book. I think this book is also a great blend of steamy, well paced, and I loved that August fell first and hard, realizing quickly Natalie was it for him for life. I liked Natalie’s character progression as well, with her career and life goals moving forward in a nice way throughout the book. The steam level is also classic Bailey, meaning it’s high very high steam and open door. I recommend this book for fans of Bailey, contemporary romance, marriage of convenience, and funny banter.

5/5

This book was truly phenomenal and may be her best yet. The passion and desire between Natalie and August is unmatched. Even when they hate each other, they can’t seem to stay away. I love the exploration of overcoming failures and realization that it’s okay to ask for help. Natalie and August are imperfect but they love one another’s faults and continue to communicate and forgive.

I personally think this book is better than the first in the series and encourage everyone to give it a read!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review