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A marriage of convenience full of snark and repressed feelings? Sounds like a great time to me. In Tessa Bailey’s Unfortunately Yours, wine heiress Natalie Vos is stuck in a bind. In order to access her sizeable trust fund, she needs to meet one very old-fashioned condition, and that is to marry before it is released to her. Unfortunate, given that she wants to use the money to start up her own hedge fund venture in New York City.

Enter August Cates, an amateur winemaker running a winery in memory of his late friend, but with absolutely no knack whatsoever for the actual process of making drinkable wine. Determined not to give up, August needs just a little capital to keep the venture going.

Though Natalie and August have an initially antagonistic relationship, the two strike up a deal to enter into a fake marriage in order to get what they need. Surely real feelings won’t get involved, right?

The highlight of the book absolutely has to be the snark between Natalie and August. The fact that both are always so game to tease with insults that just toe the line of offensive works because it’s clear both know not to take what the other says too seriously. Words might say one thing, but by and large their actions convey something else entirely. Their chemistry is also really sweet in the fact that they don’t actually protest too much when they realize how real their feelings actually are, and therefore let themselves give in just a little bit sooner.

Where the book ultimately stumbles is in the way the two of them communicate more serious matters. I’m fine with a miscommunication trope, but it does confuse things when the two are so open about some aspects of their lives and feelings, and then shut down completely for other things because they feel they can’t open themselves up to the other. If that were true, where did the trust for the earlier openness come from? Especially when there was little done to warrant a retraction of trust.

On a separate note, while August’s personal plot felt very nicely wrapped up, there were elements of Natalie’s story that, by the end, felt unaddressed, or addressed in a way that didn’t track for who she had been up to that point. I can buy getting to that point eventually, but it felt as though it ended very suddenly. Certain points had me drawing parallels with Bailey’s It Happened One Summer, and I couldn’t help but feel that parts of Natalie’s story would have benefitted from the prolonged treatment Piper’s story got.

Unfortunately Yours is out June 6, 2023. Special thank you to Avon for an advance copy for review purposes.

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This is what I am talking about. I especially liked Tessa's forward, letting us know there will be lots of fun banter, but there will also be pining because that is what is absolutely needed so we know how they feel on the inside.
Natalie and August loathe each other, but when Natalie needs a fake husband and August needs capital, they could be a match made in heaven.
This book was exactly what I needed to get myself out of a reading slump, and it worked like a charm. I knew from book one that I would be obsessed with this grumpy wine maker, but I didn't honestly realize just HOW obsessed I would be. August gave me everything I was looking for from a book boyfriend and Natalie gave me all the sass I was hoping for. I loved her strength and resilience but I lived for the times when they picked one another up. Opening up bit by bit, becoming closer and seeing things no one else saw.
If you love Tessa Bailey, RUN and grab this book because it will NOT disappoint you.
Thanks to Avon, Tessa Bailey and Netgalley for an early copy.

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Tessa Bailey did it again. Over the last year I have become such a huge fan of this author and she absolutely did not disappoint. Coming into this book I did already read Hallie and Julian's story so I had already gotten a taste for Nathalies character and was super excited to dive into this one. August is literally EVERYTHING. From the beginning he was already worshipping the ground Nathalie walked on. It all just fell into place so conveniently.

Nathalie starts the story off by wanting to get back to New York to try and resume her financial career on Wall Street, where she feels she truly fits in, but in order to do so, she needs money. Unfortunately her dad is extremely old school and requires her to be married and working full time in order to have her funds released to her. In comes August, the perfect temporary solution or so she thought.

If you love a cute romance this is IT. I loved watching the slow burn and reading about the way each character felt about one another without actually informing them of how it really was. This book was super fun and I would definitely recommend.

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Hilarious, witty banter between war veteran and winery princess. I loved Natalie and Augusts banter Julian’s book and so excited to read their story.

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I was honestly a bit terrified to read this book after absolutely hating the first in this series. But I loved the peeks at Natalie and August in the first book, and marriage of convenience is one of my favorite tropes so I gave it a shot. The story sucked me in and it has all the things that Tessa Bailey does well - big burly man falls ass over chaps in love with tiny woman. The banter between these two was awesome and their chemistry was electric right from the beginning. I really loved the growth they both experienced and how it brought them together. The epilogue had me smiling ear to ear.

Content warnings: flash flood scene with a family trapped in their car; Natalie’s relationship with her parents is strained; August has lost a dear friend during war

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

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Tessa Bailey is the queen of spicy, dramatic stories with depth! "Unfortunately Yours" brings you back to Napa for more of a story filled with romance and fun.

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Book one in this series fell flat for me, but August and Natalie made up for it in all the best ways. Their banter, their tension and chemistry, the setting and even their trauma made for such a great read. I loved them together on page so much and was rooting for them the entire time. Enemies to lovers only works sometimes for me and I was a little worried that they were going to be too mean. But when you get to know them and the thoughtfulness behind their teasing, you love it so much. This was a book that I just needed to finish and I am so glad that I got to read and review. This is the Tessa that we know and love.

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How does Tessa do it? If you are a Tessa Bailey fan or romance reader in general you will love Unfortunately Yours. Tessa's approach to the marriage of convenience trope was new to me. Unfortunately Yours was the first dual POV marriage of convenience book I've read. By Immediately offering August's persepective the reader gets to experience some of the thoughts and feelings behind the banter from the very beginning. And believe me the banter between Natalie and August is adorable! I typically don't enjoy marriage of convenience books, but the situations the characters found themselves in to force the plot combined with the the dual pov really made Unfortunately Yours stand out. I can't wait to read whatever Tessa is writing next!

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oh this was perfect. this is tessa bailey at her BEST. so many good aspects here and such an interesting type of enemies to lovers where they ARE enemies but only because they think the other one is hot. im OBSSESSED. honest to god my favorite hero and i want so much more content of them!

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This was a very solid Tessa Bailey book, but not nearly as good as the first in the series for me!

Let’s get into the good: a prickly, funny, empathetic, and sometimes sad wall-street woman MC moves back to her home in Napa after being asked to leave her job, and subsequently being broken up with by her fiancé. Natalie is a lovable, fun and complicated character. She was one of the highlights of this book for me. August is an ex navy SEAL who is trying to run a crumbling winery in the memory of his best friend, who died in the field. I think my experience with August was a bit mixed, because on paper he seems wonderful. He’s a golden retriever hero with a big heart, who speaks before he thinks and routinely gets himself into trouble for it. This is typically a recipe I love, but on page the way august was actually executed felt… flat? Like I never quite connected with him as much as I wanted to. And as a result of that, I also didn’t feel the connection between Natalie and him.

The spice is good, as it always is with Tessa Bailey. However, I sound the dialogue in this book to be much more awkward that usual, both inside the bedroom and out. I also found myself a little sad with the ending as far as what Natalie ends up giving up, but I won’t get too deep into that to avoid spoilers here.

Ultimately though, this was a completely bingeable and fun read. It explores some slightly more heavy topics, especially with the grief August is experiencing over his best friend, although I didn’t feel the depth of this quite the same way I have in other TB books. I enjoyed it for the spice, antics, and setting of being back in St. Helena, which I fell in love with in Secretly Yours. Definitely worth a read, just not my favorite from TB.

Thank you to Avon & Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the eArc of this one!

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Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey
Pub day is June 6 🎉

I loved this *marriage of convenience* romance! It's not just a fake engagement. They really do it, these crazy kids get married! 💍💒🔔

Natalie Vos, a Napa wine heiress, wants to start her own hedge fund, but she needs capital. She has a trust fund, but no access to it until she is married. August Cates is trying to start a wine business in honor of his best friend, but it's going terribly and he is desperate for a loan. Natalie and August have equal parts chemistry and animosity, and yet they find themselves agreeing to marry in order to benefit both of their business dreams. No chance of catching feelings, they are sure. . .

🍷I loved August. He has a sad Navy SEAL back story and is making wine for his best friend's legacy. He's so soft and sweet sometimes, but he was dreamed up by Tessa Bailey so he's also dirty talking, crude, and bossy in all the best ways.
🍷The cutest bickering and banter 😍
🍷Did I tear up during this wedding!? Yes.
🍷He calls her princess.👸I decided I like it.
🍷Well balanced: sweet, funny, and emotional!
🍷I read that TB said August is one of her favorite heroes and NOw I KNOW WHY! He is amazing.
🍷There is a part in the book where Natalie and August have a fight, but they resolve it immediately. It's a quick one--not the third act conflict. I just loved this scene and the one before it. Lots of intimacy building happened in this chunk of the book!
🍷The *my wife* energy is so strong in this one. This is why MoC is so good. When the hero is clearly head over heels and has to pretend the marriage is not about love, but when he says "my wife" and is suddenly feral, possessive, and clearly attached... it's the best part!!

Thank you so much Netgalley and Avon!

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I was pleasantly surprised by this one because even though I’ve read a lot of Tessa Bailey’s books, I felt like overall this one had a little more heart and depth to it. Especially compared to the first novel in this connected series. The grumpy/grumpy vibe of the couple was hilarious and made their romance even more adorable, and the marriage of convenience plot line was the stuff of 2000s rom coms. This one was definitely a fun quick read!

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I loved this enemies to lover and loved the banter between august and Natalie. Loved the family and how this s marriage of convenience worked out. she has become an auto read author for me.

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After a mishap at work cost Natalie Vos her job and fiancé, she has no choice but to crawl back to her family's vineyard in Napa. It only takes a few weeks of drowning her sorrows in countless bottles of wine before Natalie decides enough is enough. She's ready to take back the finance world by storm but needs the funds to do it. After she discovers she can't touch her trust fund without being married first, she devises a plan. August Cates has no business owning a winery, but it was his late best friend's dream, so he'll stick it out. But with no bank willing to give him a loan, he's running out of options. So when Natalie suggests they tie the knot to help each other, he can't say no. All they have to do is pretend to be married for a while; how hard could it be? There's only one tiny problem: neither was planning on falling in love.

I didn't like the first book in this series, so I was a little hesitant to pick this up. I'm happy to report I thought it was great. I loved the chemistry between Natalie and August. They were both hot-headed and sassy. One minute they were at each other's throats, the next, they were ripping clothes off, and I was here for the drama. Usually, I'm not the biggest fan of the super alpha-male love interest, but it worked so well here. August was protective and macho but also a lovable goofball. It was so satisfying watching him and Natalie let their guards down and be vulnerable with one another. I loved seeing Natalie let herself breathe and be seen by August. Aside from the ending feeling a bit rushed, I did have one other nit-picky issue with this which was that August has a cat who we see for a little bit in the beginning, but then never really hear about again. Whenever authors do that, part of my focus is always on who's taking care of the pet rather than on what's going on, which I know is totally irrational. Other than that, I really enjoyed it.

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Tess Bailey knows how to write spice and romance!!!! AHHHHH I really like this! In the last book I was so excited to read about this couple. This was funny and the banter was everything!!!

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I think I have a new favorite hero, August from Unfortunately Yours. He’s basically a giant cinnamon roll, that can bench press you, while also saving kittens out of trees, but all he really wants is to love you and make you smile.

Yes, I can get behind that kind of hero.

August’s dirty talk was *chef’s kiss*, and the chemistry between him and Natalie was hot and sizzling. While their relationship starts as a marriage of convenience with a smidge of hate-to-lovers, their true feelings came out so quick. Both Natalie and August were so supportive of each other it hurts.

A minor issue that wasn’t really a third-act break-up ensues, but once again, communication and talking reign supreme.

Unfortunately Yours is the kind of Tessa Bailey book I will read over and over and over.

Thank you to Avon Books for the review copy!

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The second in Tessa's Bailey's newest series, Unfortunately Yours is a uber fun, deliciously spicy enemies-to-lovers, marriage of convenience read. I loved the dynamic between the two main characters and their banter—it's a love story filled with jabs, pokes, and a whole lot of heart.

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Gahhh the chemistry was amazing in this book. I loved Natalie & August's banter and again the chemistry was awesome. I also loved the fake marriage trope in this, I've learned I'm a sucker for that trope. This was definitely my favorite book in the series.

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This one was fun as hell, which I always think is what Tessa Bailey is going for. Marriage of convenience is my absolute catnip, and she pulled it off here. Bravo!

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All hail Tessa Bailey - queen of writing dirty talkers and the MOST memorable characters. August Cates is seriously one of the best heroes I have a read in a long time. I really liked Natalie as well - but the star of this book is August. I am still smiling thinking about their relationship and so many of the moments in the story. August is a good guy. A truly good guy - with some PTSD and serious grief. Losing his friend - who truly seems like he was more than just a friend or brother to August - broke him in ways he is still trying to work through. He's fiercely independent and definitely his own worst enemy when it comes to Natalie. But he is also incredible loyal and GONE for her (something I love about Tessa Bailey heroes - there is just something so sexy about a man completely over the moon for his partner).

But more than that - Natalie and August are just fire together. I will never forget the scene at the Wedding where they play Brick House. That scene will live rent free in my head, playing like a movie reel for a long time to come. Or really just the whole wedding. Really - a navy seal brings his cat, dressed in a tuxedo, to his wedding. Is that not enough for you?

My only gripe about the book is one I have about a lot of books where we are focused on one character who needs to do some work on themselves. And August definitely needed to do so more work. But I think as much as Natalie did deserve to have August and her family step up for her - she also needed to do some work. I think she had started t0 - but I am not sure she really recognized her own part in things. But that is really a small thing in the grand scheme of a really really great book.

This is definitely a must-read. I was very very lucky to received an ARC of this via NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

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