4.25/5 ☆

This was a perfect combination of banter, tension, and romance! Natalie and August were adorable and despite "hating" each other at the start, they are easily obsessed with one another by the end.

Marriage of convenience is not something I gravitate towards often, but I thought this was well done and made sense for the plot. Natalie needs to be married in order to access her trust fund and August is in need of a loan for his business. As they navigate their feelings for one another, its obvious this marriage is something they both 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥, not needed.

There's a small third act conflict, but nothing too major and I thought worked well for how things unraveled in the end. Very much reminded me of Brendan and Piper in IHOS. The epilogue alone makes this book worth the read! It was adorable. Easily one of the better books from TB's backlist!

If you have already read Secretly Yours and thought it was amazing - THIS ONE IS SOMEHOW EVEN BETTER.

Honestly, Tessa Bailey never ceases to have me hooked on a book and her characters always draw me in. I absolutely loved this marriage-of-convenience tale. The characters were so funny and I loved their banter back and forth constantly. There were also some moments from August that were just so sweet you wanted just to die right there if someone ever said anything to you like that. Plus this one has a pretty good amount of spice in it as well. I loved watching these characters slowly grow into their "fake" relationship.

This was such a good little series and the epilogue gave us the cutest wrap-up ever. This book had me reading it completely in basically one sitting while my bath water got cold because I just couldn't stop reading. I highly, highly recommend this for fans of Bailey and just a general spicy rom-com. Easily a 5-star rating since I quite literally couldn't put it down.

I've read a LOT of Tessa Bailey books (and I've loved them all), but this is my favorite! If I am a sucker for ANYTHING it is hilarious enemies-to-lovers banter, and let me tell you... this is some of the funniest banter I've ever read. Seriously 'pee-your-pants' level funny from start to finish. And as if that isn't reason enough to read this, the romance and sexual tension???????? Unreal. Off-the-charts horniness. The chemistry these two have is just insane. Tessa really did something when she dreamed up August's character–I'll never be able to touch a non-fictional man again. 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

There's also marriage of convenience and an adorably mischievous cat sidekick so... need I say more? Nope. This is a PERFECT romcom.

Thank you to Avon Books for the e-galley in exchange for my honest review! 💜

Thank you @netgalley and @avonbooks for this Advanced Reader Copy of Unfortunately Yours — out 6/6/23!

This was my first time reading a book with the marriage of convenience trope, and usually I steer away from it because it’s not something that interests me. However, I really enjoyed Hallie and Julian’s story in Secretly Yours (the first book in this series) so I decided to give this one a try.

Right off the bat, I could tell that I wasn’t going to like Natalie and August’s story as much as Hallie and Julian’s — mainly because of the trope, but also because I was not a fan of the “banter” between the two MCs. I’ve read a decent amount of enemies-to-lovers stories, so I’m all for heated banter. But in this case, some of the dialogue came off as rude and offensive rather than flirtatious. The rivalry between the two characters seemed a bit forced.

Once I reached the halfway point, there were many redeeming qualities that encouraged me to continue reading. I loved the Napa Valley/vineyard setting as well as the reappearance of characters from Secretly Yours. There were many spicy scenes, which is expected from Tessa Bailey! 🥵

Given by my 3 star review, my recommendation is a toss-up on this one. I recommend it if you like the marriage of convenience trope and if you liked the first book in the series, but otherwise I would not say it’s a must read.

Tons of tropes in this spicy, fun little read of a down on her luck wine heiress and her sometimes nemesis, former military turned wantabe wine maker August. Natalie comes home after the double loss of her high powered career and her fiancee. She has plans on making a comeback but needs her trust fund which she can only get by marrying. So she makes a fake marriage deal with August who needs money to fund his wine making venture. This has enemies to lovers, he falls first, fake marriage just to name a few of the main tropes but it's written in the author's fun and spicy style which makes for the perfect beach read.

Perfect for Loathe to Lovers novel, even though each character secretly "doesn't" hate the other. In "Unfortunately Yours: meet Natalie Vos the heiress to her family's winery empire and August the retired, single, sexy Navy Seal who is trying to honor his fallen comrade by creating a successful winery. The two enter a fake marriage in order for Natalie to have her trust fund released and August to get a small business loan. But, what starts out as a business transaction quickly changes into something more as sparks and chemistry start flying. This book is for anyone who loves a curl-up worthy, read-in-one-sitting enemies to lovers rom-com. Bravo, Tessa Bailey.

Thank you to @NetGalley for the advanced ARC!

Okay listen, this was really a 4.75 star read for me but again goodreads won't give us half ratings so this one is 100% worth rounding up.

Marriage of convenience between enemies? SAY LESS.

This one features Natalie, a prickly former trader that is home nursing her broken engagement and the loss of the career she'd worked her a** off to get. Instead of setting around and doing nothing she made the choice to start her own financial firm but to do so she needs funds, specifically the kind of funds she'd have access to through her antiquated trust fund. What she doesn't expect is to get married to August Cates of all people.

August Cates, a former seal is doing his level best to make his late best friends dream come true. But he seriously sucks at it. He can't make wine to save his life, but after deciding to throw in the towel he finds himself marrying Natalie (even if she can't stand him and he quickly finds himself becoming obsessed with her).

Seriously, these two made me laugh more times than not. Their banter was top notch and the chemistry was obvious. More than the laughs though this one also broke my heart at times, I found myself crying for Natalie and August and I just couldn't get enough. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy to add to my ever growing Tessa Bailey collection.

I love everything about Natalie and August! I enjoyed Secretly Yours, but something about this duo just did it for me. I love a big burly guy, one who is emotionally capable and just lost for a woman. This felt like such fleshed out characters. Where Julian and Hallie were quirky and cute, these characters have such substance. I adore their growth and emotional evolution. Would 10/10 die for these two.

I really enjoy books by this author, but found this one a bit disappointing. The main character refers to himself as an Adonis entirely too many times. It comes off as cheesy. The main characters in this aren't quite as likeable as in Bailey's other novels. I still finished it and enjoyed it...just not one of my faves.

*happy sigh* I need an August in my life. Marriage of convenience is one of my absolute favorite tropes, but I rarely see it work as well in contemporary romance. Unfortunately Yours is a great example of when it works, and it works so well. I really enjoyed the characters and the setting, and as always, Tessa’s writing flows well and has plenty of spark and humor. I’m so looking forward to reading even more from her! 4.5/5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved Secretly Yours, so I was thrilled to get my hands on Unfortunately Yours to read Natalie’s story.

Natalie Vos has had her whole life flipped upside down. She lost her job and fiancé in New York and had to move back her family home in Napa. Desperate to return to her career in finance, Natalie needs the money from her trust fund to start her own firm. Unfortunately, the terms of her trust fund state that she must be employed and married in order to receive any money. Enter August Cates. The goofball former Navy SEAL is trying to fulfill his best friend’s dream of opening a winery, but his funds have fun dry. Agreeing to marry Natalie Vos would ensure his ability to get a small business loan. The only issue? Natalie and August hate one another.

The enemies to lovers and marriage of convenience tropes were truly enjoyable. The banter between Natalie and August was *chef’s kiss* perfect. Now, it wouldn’t be a Tessa Bailey book without some spicy scenes and she did not disappoint!

I think my favorite part of this book was that the third act conflict was not what I expected it to be which was refreshing.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for the digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked Sincerely Yours, the first book in this companion series, but I loved this one. A marriage of convenience in Wine Country? Yes please! Plus it’s Tessa Bailey so it’s steamy.

This felt like so much more than a standard contemporary romance because Natalie and August both recognize the things they need to work on in themselves and then also what triggers the other person. The book timeline moved pretty fast for all that growth, but other than that it felt more real life.

This is my fifth Tessa Bailey book and I can’t wait to read more.

5/5 stars

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC of this book.

3.5 stars

Natalie Vos had been living in the guest house of her family's commercial vineyard. She felt she had spent enough time licking her wounds and was ready to make plans to return to New York and the financial world. The only thing stopping her was money. She and a friend decided to start their own business, but they needed money for their start-up. She had a trust fund, but it would not be released until she was married and was gainfully employed. She was neither at the moment.

August Cates bought a vineyard with the objective of fulfilling his best friend's dream of being a wine maker. He taught himself the basics and worked to make his wine palatable. Unfortunately, he was struggling with the nuances of wine production. He spent every penny he had to buy the winery and his money was running out. He applied for a loan at the local bank, but was turned down. He feared failure was eminent.

This was the second in the A Vine Mess series. I read the first, Secretly Yours, and loved it. This one didn't resonate with me as much. Natalie and August had a mutual dislike for each other, but decided to put that on the back burner for a marriage of convenience. Natalie needed her trust fund money released and August hoped his marriage to Natalie would give him enough clout to get a small business loan. I liked Natalie as a main character. I could understand the issues that drove her personality. August fought an uphill battle with me. He revealed he thought with a body part other than his head on page two of the story. It was going to take a lot for me to like him after that revelation. I wish Tessa Bailey had left that part out honestly. I questioned his changing feelings for Natalie longer than I normally would . Were they genuine or not? For those interested, this book was spicy.

I received an e-ARC for Unfortunately Yours and want to thank Tessa Bailey, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the opportunity to voluntarily read and give an honest review of this book. Unfortunately Yours is scheduled to be released June 6, 2023.

This was so much better than the first installment in the series. I absolutely adored the main characters. Adored them. Their banter was SO GOOD. It had me blushing and squealing like a little school girl. This book had the perfect amount of flirting, spice, and romance. While I do have some issues with the timeline and how quickly the two fell in love, I can appreciate that these characters are perfect for each other. I wish there was more conflict with the marriage and convincing everyone it was real. I think it would’ve been a 5 star read if the char Ater’s actually truly hated each other for a while longer. But, I’d reread this. I’m buying it. I’m telling my friends to read it. Natalie and August stole my heart ❤️

I don't even know where to start with this review... I absolutely loved Unfortunately Yours. After meeting Natalie and August in Secretly Yours, I knew we were in for a treat but I didn't know it was going to be this good. The (sorta) enemies to lovers vibe is amped up by a marriage of convenience and I loved every second of it. The banter between the two is immaculate and we even get a short-lived prank war that just felt right.

If all of this wasn't enough, we also maybe get a shirt-tearing scene that is so perfectly spicy... On a more serious note, I thought Tessa Bailey did a phenomenal job of the nuances of each characters imperfections and struggles, it was heart-breaking but entirely believable.

I can't wait to (inevitably) read this again!!

I absolutely LOVED this duet by Tessa Bailey. (book one Secretly Yours)

Unfortunately Yours was such a fun read. It has so many of my favorite tropes.

Enemies to Lovers
Fake Dating
Marriage of Convenience
Forced Proximity
Small Town
He Falls First

I loved the chemistry and tension between Natalie and August. They were both lovable characters that you could root for. It's fast paced and witty, with dual pov chapters and lots of spice.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for an advanced eARC in exchange for my honest review.
This is due to come out June 6th 2023

Unfortunately Yours
Tessa Bailey
Pub Date June 6, 2023
Avon
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
#2 A Vine Mess
Love the cover. I have mixed feelings on this book. I’m sad that this book didn’t hit it out of the park for me. Technically ok. I just didn’t care like I did in Hook, line and Sinker,
4 stars

Unfortunately Yours
(A Vine Mess, #2)
Tessa Bailey
4-4.5 ⭐️

I knew while reading Secretly Yours that I absolutely needed more Natalie in my life, and Tessa Bailey totally delivered. I liked Secretly Yours, but I can happily say I adored Unfortunately Yours. I love it when the follow up tops its predecessor.

Hello swoony August, and welcome to my book boyfriend list. Former Navy Seal. Enough said. 😍 I loved him, his goofiness, and how totally gone he was for Natalie. These two were the perfect enemies to lovers couple. With their push/pull relationship and their snarky banter that paved the way for some incredible tension and angst. Of course Tessa brought her signature spice and dirty talk. 🥵

An entertaining and steamy read with hilarious dialogue. I enjoyed that the vineyard plays a bigger role this time around. We dip into a few heavier topics; anxiety, PTSD, family struggles, but Bailey does so without changing the overall lighthearted feel of the story. The epilogue was so sweet! I can't wait to add a physical copy to my shelves.

What I loved;
💜 Enemies to Lovers
💜 Napa Setting
💜 Marriage of Convenience
💜 Cinnamon Roll Hero/He Falls First
😻 Menace in a tux

Unfortunately Yours publishes 6/6 and pairs wonderfully with a nice glass of Cabernet🍷. While this can be read as a standalone, the characters and backstory will make more sense when having read Secretly Yours first.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A cutesy love story with marriage of convenience and enemies to lovers. I like the banter between the two but the story was a little slow for me. Overall it was a good fluffy book.

I really did not like Secretly Yours, so I was sooooo close to skipping this stand alone sequel. However, Tessa Bailey books are like a magnet, and after knowing this follows Julian’s sister Natalie, I had to give it a try.

To my greatest surprise, I liked this one A LOT!! Filled with some of my favorite tropes (marriage of convenience, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, small town), everything plot and character wise just worked. There was definitely steam, but it did not overpower the story and I wasn’t turned off by any of the banter or dirty talk (which sometimes happens in a TB book). August, the former SEAL turned failed winemaker, was the stern brunch daddy you will grow to love. He was upfront, honest, and all for open communication, which made his budding relationship with Natalie that much better. There was still some drama I didn’t think was totally necessary, especially in the third act, but definitely an overall win for me!!

Read if you like:
-Marriage of convenience
-Enemies to lovers
-Small town
-Stern brunch daddy hero
-Succesful heroine
-Napa Valley setting


Thank you Avon for the ARC! Pub date 6/6/23