ARC Review of Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey
* * * * *
Another contemporary romance from this fabulous author that filled my afternoon with a mellow, slowburn, soft-core enemies-to-lovers romance.

Natalie and August are not on the best of terms.
August's wine making venture is not doing too well, while Natalie is a pro in the business. One opinion later and they are spitting nasty words at one another...which may lead a glass of pitiful wine in the face.
So what happens when they need each other in a way that is legal and binding? A mess happens. Kindling feelings, steaminess arises, more nasty words and some minor drama.
But will their marriage and business thrive in this deal?

August particularly does not like Natalie for her position in life and loves to point it out, this much very clear at the beginning of the read. However, Natalie is a bit of a pickle herself. She's in need of a spot of cash. She also was massively burned by her ex-fiancee who she wants to crush - completely understandable. Together, their chemistry was always burning Simmering in the embers on a cool chapter can begin to roar into a nice toasty fire that could really cook up the drama and their relationship. It was entertaining to see how one moment August would be teasing Natalie, but the second she says something of the unexpected he could cool off and be concerned.
There is also a specific part of his vows I do like. If I ever get hitched, he/she better put that in their vows. It's sweet...and accurate to what I would do anyway.
It's sweet and spicy to see how their marriage evolves, and the steamy scenes did not disappoint.

So I of course read this book before reading Secretly Yours. I apparently like reading the sequel first. I quite enjoyed the marriage for convenience and enemies to lovers start of this story, but I did feel as if August was a very childish person and maybe the characters should’ve been younger. The conflicts were not spaced out properly and I did want more from them as they seemed to be resolved really quickly. The ending was precious and for an almost 400 paged book, I did get through it pretty quickly.

Really loved this. Feels like Tessa Bailey at her best. I fear that August has set a new- unachievable- standard in book boyfriends.
I didn’t love Secretly yours so approached this with uncertainty, but I really enjoyed it. Will be buying a physical copy.

Side note- typo on page 148- the text reads- “Hallie flexed a biceps” - the plural ‘biceps’ should be just written as a ‘bicep’

Thank you so much for this advanced copy

Have you gotten married to have access to your trust fund or to help the man you hate get a loan?

"Unfortunately Yours" by Tessa Bailey is a story of Natalie and August, who 'hate' each other. Natalie Vos has to leave her old life behind and ends up back where it grew up. Only to find there's a new winery owner in town, August Cates. The ex-navy SEAL and his charming personality don't make up for his horrible wine. (Seen partly in "Secretly Yours") While they don't see eye to eye, Natalie and August decide to have a marriage of convenience to help them achieve their own goals, even if it means working together.

While this book goes into the idea of grief and life post-serving for August, we see him learn to forgive himself and love again. Natalie learns that she is important and loveable without having to earn that love.

I loved this book so much. The way Natalie as a character was portrayed, showed the true difficulties of having a loving family, but never feeling loved. Natalie growing on her own, with the help of August broke me though. August had me in fits of laughter, and rage and caused some major sobbing. He is such a complicated character that is always trying to grow, it truly is perfect.

As I was reading, I couldn't hold in my laughter and brought so many emotions out of me. This has to be one of the best books Tessa has ever written.

Thank you so much Netgalley for letting me have access to this ARC!!

Can't wait until it's released and others get to experience it!

Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey had me laughing immediately and wanting to read more, so much so that I couldn't put it down. It's the perfect enemies to lovers tale, filled with sassy remarks and steaming with chemistry. The banter between August and Natalie was engaging and kept you hoping they would finally reveal their true feelings. I loved how Tessa Bailey writes from both characters perspectives letting you get a glimpse into their heads and why they act a certain why around each other. Can't wait for Tessa Bailey's next book!

⭐️4 🔥3.5
🗡️dislike to lovers
💍 marriage of convenience
🧎‍♂️He falls first
"Unfortunately Yours" by Tessa Bailey takes us on a whirlwind romance ride with pacing that left me slightly breathless. I had a great time; it was super hot it was fun. There was banter, the "marriage of convenience" and "enemies-to-lovers" tropes. I loved how August and Natalie stood up for each other and defended each other. August's goofiness caught me off guard, it brought a refreshing element to the I’m an ex-seal/special ops trope you see elsewhere. He genuinely made me laugh a few times and he was filthy 🥵🫠
"I'm asking as an upstanding citizen and service member" 🍭 ☠️
But I may have forgotten a good portion of this book… why, you ask?
The relationship between the characters develops at lightning speed, and while the sudden shift from animosity to attraction is always hot, it turns into real instant-love. Leaving me wanting a more gradual and substantial build-up. I know very little about these characters, they know very little about each other, is this true love?? I wanted their connection to unfold organically, allowing me to invest in their journey. I loved their relationship, but it also did leave the sceptic in me thinking it was more lust than super sustainable love
They seemed to be getting good at communicating but also withheld a bunch of stuff that just didn’t seem helpful…
You know when you enjoy a book, but you are also just yelling: “omg pls just tell them, this will be so much less dramatic if you tell them now…” 🫠
Can we all just be adults and say what our feeling and intentions are? No, too much to ask? 🥹
Unsurprisingly, this leads to unnecessary misunderstandings and conflicts. It frustrated me to see them stumble over their own assumptions instead of having open and honest conversations.
<img src="https://media.tenor.com/R6ORZih7ZXIAAAAC/communicate-i-was-trying-to-communicate.gif"/>
<spoiler> August, my dude….. tell her about the money
Natalie, tell him why it hurts when you can’t do wine time with August</spoiler>
<img src="https://media.tenor.com/bDSBCkIzc6oAAAAC/aladdin-genie.gif"/>
So, was this “enemies to lovers” though…? like they seemed more just mad for the sake of it 🤷‍♀️ They both were being super mean and then feeling sad they hurt each other.
While the initial animosity between the characters sparked some tension, I must admit that the transition to suddenly being obsessed with each other didn't feel entirely authentic. It lacked a deeper exploration of their emotional journey, leaving me wanting a bit more depth.
But if you are down for heated arguments that turn into tearing clothes off, and spice that is super hot 🥵🌶👏
However, despite its flaws, "Unfortunately Yours" remains an enjoyable read, especially for those who crave a light-hearted romance with a spicy twist.
All of that being said though, it wasn’t enough to hamper my enjoyment In the end, "Unfortunately Yours" provides a satisfying dose of romance, cuteness and spice. While I wished for more depth and slower relationship development, I still devoured this book and enjoyed its light-heartedness. If you're in the mood for a quick and passionate read, with some great spice
I was very excited to receive an ARC for this so thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review ☺️

While I enjoyed Secretly Yours more, I still really enjoyed this sequel. I liked watching Natalie and August slowly realise they were in love with each other and the epilogue was everything! The book was very spicy and I started to get sick of all the sex but the sex scenes were very well written and were not cringey.

After losing her job and her fiancé, Natalie Vos has returned home. After licking her wounds and drowning her sorrows in her family's wine for a last few months, she has decided that it's time to get up and move on. She just needs her trust fund to finance her new business venture. There is one problem though, the fine print in the terms and conditions say she must be married before she can access that trust money.

August Cates owns a vineyard, but he doesn't know a single thing about making wine. He is determined to do his late friend proud and make this a success. But to do that, he needs a loan from the bank to turn everything around and no bank will even talk to him. That's when fiery Natalie knocks down his door with the proposal that might just change his life.

Unfortunately Yours is hot, fast and will leave you gasping for air. Both Natalie and August's chemistry and dynamic was spot on, giving off the perfect love hate relationship we all love to watch. In typical Tessa fashion, the spice was steamy and written well - making it fit into the story rather than just being used as a sub plot. Recommended for anyone who loves fake dating, marriage of convenience and super hot love/hate relationships. While reading book one (Secretly Yours) is not necessary, it really does help add a new depth to the story.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon / Harper Voyager and Tessa Bailey for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately Yours releases 7th June, 2023.

𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
This book had me all up in my feels. August struggled with survivors' guilt and grief. Although he appeared alpha male, he was also soft on the inside, a goofball, and unafraid to talk about his feelings. His character very much gave off golden retriever vibes. Natalie struggled with insecurities and family drama. She had a desire to prove herself beyond misconceptions about her, made by her family and colleagues. She felt more relatable than I thought she would. They were both witty, which made the banter incredible and was the source of some thick tension. It was a classic rom-com with a sprinkle of spice, dash of dirty talk, and off the charts chemistry. I felt hooked from the first page, had a few chuckles, and swooned. And, the ending tied everything together so nicely.

Thank you to Tessa Bailey, HarperCollins AU, and Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.

𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅 𝒊𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆:
♡ Opposites-attract
♡ He falls first
♡ Marriage of convenience
♡ Enemies to lovers
♡ Reverse grumpy x sunshine

🌸 Tessa Bailey 🌸
@harpercollinsaustralia
Let's talk about Tessa Bailey's novels for a second! Wow, just wow.
After starting the year off reading 'Secretly Yours' I was blown away and had to get my hands on 'Unfortunately Yours'

I was lucky enough to get an E-arc of 'Unfortunately Yours' that comes out on the 6/6 of this year, and let's just say it did not disappoint.

4.5 ⭐ rating
3 .5🌶 rating
This book is for you if you're into;

🌸 He falls first ..... & harder
🌸 Fake marriage trope
🌸 Banter
🌸 Enemies to lovers
🌸 Opposites attract

From the very first line of the book to the last I was captivated and invested in this book. August and Natalie's marriage of convenience turn lover and protector had me from the start. From laughter to heart-throbbing moments, this book stretched my itch for a rom-com.

I knew this one would be my favourite and I was right! This is truly Tessa Bailey at her best- rom com perfection with heart and spice. August was such a quintessential Tessa leading man and the chemistry and love between him and Natalie was *chefs kiss*. Also love that this series is breaking the typical romance novel structure and giving us healthy communication!!! We love to see it. Also bonus points for giving us marriage of convenience in a way that hasn’t been done before.

This was bloody cute. And hot. Overall, just a good fucking time! If you’re looking for a lovely little escape full of wisecracks, teasing and chemistry, this book is a front-runner. August and Natalie were a dream team. The chemistry, charisma and banter were truly off the charts. I wanted a fun and flirty marriage of convenience and damn, did this tick that box! It was all that and more. Tessa Bailey delivered a surprisingly deep undercurrent and exploration of a complicated family dynamic. After the mental health messages in Secretly Yours, I'd expected as such, but I was nervous to see how they played out in Natalie’s story.

I didn’t expect to love Natalie, but I really did. I adored her smarts, quick wit, and spiky exterior on their own but once you know that it’s all a protective armour and understand her past, it’s all the more lovable. She had insecurities that were so damn relatable, and I really rooted for her, I just wanted her to be seen, understood, and cherished. And I think August was the perfect person to do so. You don’t exactly expect a big buff Navy SEAL to be so gooey and sentimental, but August really fits the cinnamon roll criteria. It’s actually insane how attractive it was to witness him rapidly go from orchestrating an actual rescue to doting and worrying over his fake wife. Together he and Natalie are just the most fun duo. The button pushing, the teasing and the banter were just perfect. No notes.

Marriage of Convenience stories can be quite unbelievable, but I adored how it was done in this book. I had been slightly anxious about whether or not this would be the case as I found parts of its predecessor, Secretly Yours, to be a touch unrealistic to the point that it pulled me out of the story. Safe to say this book felt much more grounded and was overall more authentic in its approach to both characters’ fears, insecurities, and psyche. I adored both August and Natalie and it was so much fun getting to witness their playful dynamic and witty banter, but I truly just adored how much they grew together and how they communicated. I was shocked to see how often August opened a line of communication and professed his feelings. He really created such a lovely foundation for their ‘partnership’ and I just adored how well they grew to support each other with their respective issues and insecurities. They’d both spent so long painstakingly working towards their own dreams and it was so beautiful to see them be vulnerable, open up to each other and support their partners to make those dreams them a reality.

I have to say the conflict in this book was quite refreshing. Miscommunication is so overdone is incredibly frustrating but so overdone in romance, but I was so pleasantly surprised when that was not the 3rd act of conflict in this book. I was quite shocked that this didn’t take that route - It’s often an ‘easy’ one for instant angst and tension but what did unfold was just as, if not more, lovable. The angst, yearning and panic were spot-on in the last few chapters. Also, the epilogue was the perfect amount of cheese and cuteness.

I adored August and Natalie. I think this takes 2nd place in my ranking of Tessa Bailey books after IHOS.

Unfortunately Yours

4 stars

We met Natalie and August in Secretly Yours and I'm so glad because I have to say I loved this story so much more than Hallie and Julian's.

Natalie and August are always at each other's throats. August, mainly because he can't think straight around Natalie and Natalie, well her sassy attitude is more of a coping mechanism.

When Natalie needs her trust fund to start up her own investment firm, she needs August's help. August also needs Natalie's knowledge and experience to ensure his wine no longer tastes like rat piss. Thus a fake engagement, marriage of convenience ensues.

These characters were so relatable and I just couldn't get enough. August is the hot but goofball Navy SEAL and Natalie is this strong independent woman who knows how to take care of her self. This was so classic Tessa Bailey, great chemistry, fast and witty banter and hilarious inner monologues.

The plot was a bit simplistic but this really allowed for time with the characters.

What's to love
❣Enemies to lovers
❣Marriage of convenience
❣Reverse grumpy x sunshine
❣HEA

Big thank you to HarperCollins AU and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately Yours was unfortunately a bit of a let down after how much I enjoyed Secretly Yours. Tessa Bailey’s writing style is quite enjoyable, light and fun, and she developed the story and characters well, but personally, I just didn’t really like them. The majority of the book’s conflict is based on miscommunication and the plot was predictable, but only in the way that there wasn’t anything to be surprised about or look forward to.

However, the book had some tropes I love and I will freely admit the spicy scenes were worth the read. Aside from all the miscommunication, the characters were mostly enjoyable and had good development. The story definitely got better as it went along, especially after the enemies became lovers, so I’m glad I stuck around, I only wish it had gotten there quicker.

You can see my full review break down on GoodReads. :)

I loved this book so much! The reverse grumpy sunshine trope is a favourite of mike and August was the perfect portrayal of this. I would have liked the angst to be drawn out longer but all in all, I really enjoyed this. I was laughing out loud and tearing up and I would recommend this to anyone needing a light pick me up!

Natalie, the daughter of popular Vos Winery and August, ex-Navy SEAL turned vineyard owner, love to hate each other. Their first meeting was full of intense chemistry, but quickly morphed after a disagreement over his wine. He'll admit that wine making isn't his passion, but he's determined to keep the dreams of his late best friend alive. All he needs is a business loan to give him a second chance.

Natalie ran from NYC after a failed engagement and she needs access to her trust fund to rebuild. There's just one issue... she has to be married first.

Both desperate, a crazy idea forms... They'll get married and fake a relationship until they both get what they want. But with chemistry as sizzling as theirs, will they be able to keep their hands off of each other?

Thank you to Author @tessabaileyisanauthor @harpercollinsaustralia & @netgalley for this ARC. All opinions shared are my own.

I was invested in this story from the first page 💜 The intense chemistry between August and Natalie was incredible, whether in their verbal sparring matches or as they tried to resist each other throughout their marriage. The line Tessa created between having a convincing relationship in public and their private life at August's vineyard was so fun!

I love when he falls first, and who would say no to a fierce protector in Navy SEAL form! I really appreciate when characters are vulnerable as it brings so much depth to the story as a whole, and their relationship is easily one of the best I've read in awhile!

Look out for publication on June 6th 🥳

Natalie Vos has returned home to the Napa Valley region after initial successes in the financial world in New York, Natalie has returned following a major work based incident. August Cates is an ex-Navy SEAL and now attempting to fulfil his best friend Sam’s winery dreams… quite poorly. In order to get back into the financial game in New York Natalie needs to use her trust fund. Too bad her fathers an old school sexist and has said to access her trust fund she needs to not only be gainfully employed.. but also married. This is where August comes in… the man drools over her every which way, and could use her winery connections to gain a loan, so to help each other out, they agree to a fake marriage.

Fake marriage (dating) trope, close proximity trope and a hot hunky MMC? Yes please! 😍 I loved this quick and easy novel (even if I got through it slowly thanks to my recent book slump). If you’re looking for your next cute romance - this is it!

Thank you at NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for this ARC!

When the first sentence contains the word di#@ you know you’re in for a raunchy read 😂
I really enjoyed the banter between August and Natalie although I found the dirty talk a bit cringe worthy. I enjoy the fake marriage trope.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

Witty banter
Marriage of convenience
Fake dating
Reverse grumpy sunshine / enemies to lovers
Trauma / PTSD
Complicated family

Firstly, Tessa Bailey will always be one of my auto buy authors! I don’t think that will ever change! I loved August and his no filter witty comments, which of course usually made Natalie mad 😂. August is a filthy mouthed and protective MMC but is also like a puppy at the same time. An alpha male that isn’t afraid to talk about his emotions???? Sign me up!
Natalie is stubborn and goal driven and just wants to prove to herself, the community and her family that there is more to her than just her last name. Her realistic and relatable insecurities made me love her even more!
Spice is sprinkled throughout the book, and the tension and banter between the two MC’s is 👌🏽

I loved how this book touched on both MC’s past and although they are completely from two different worlds, the couple managed to help each other grow individually without even knowing the other needed that support.

Thank you to Tessa, NetGalley and Harper Collins for sending me the ARC. Il be definitely getting a physical copy to add to my collection when it comes out!

⭐️4/5
🌶️ 2.5 / 5

I've read this described as "black cat girlfriend and golden retriever boyfriend." Spot on.

The characters are largely entertainining, however, the plot is exhausting. There are too many subplots and mini-obstacles that seem irrelevant to the relationship. This could have ended about 100 pages earlier. I like Tessa Bailey, but this one just doesn't hit the same.