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jc_wb's review against another edition
The plot was vaguely interesting, I was hoping for a spicy Hallmark-esque story. The FMC is a grieving mess who makes bad decision after bad decision, usually involving too much wine. The MMC is an upright writer, completely undone by seeing a bra through a t-shirt (and needs help for his face down masturbation and the amount of times he masturbated thinking about the bra . The spicy scenes mainly made me cringe - the kitchen scene?! But I was willing to finish the story until he'd realised she's a virgin due to how "tight" she was - with his finger and shortly after that nightmare said "I love you like this. Drowsy and pinned to the ground where you can't make trouble." .
I finished the chapter but couldn't pick it up again after the creepy misogyny.
Sadly I've already bought another one of the author's books (different series). I'll give it a try but not hoping out much hope.
I finished the chapter but couldn't pick it up again after the creepy misogyny.
Sadly I've already bought another one of the author's books (different series). I'll give it a try but not hoping out much hope.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Misogyny
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
samantha914's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
It’s was ok. Kinda boring. My least favorite Tessa Bailey book I’ve read so far. I found myself “skimming” rather than truly reading it. The spicy bits were odd and awkward. The oddly dramatic break up and then getting back together all in the last few pages was weird.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol and Sexual content
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Death of parent
hollydestefano's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I think Tessa Bailey is just not my cup of tea. I don’t love her men that she writes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content
meganholman0911's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
This was such an easy, lighthearted read but with the right amount of emotion and as always spice from Tessa Bailey.
I love a grumpy X sunshine trope and these too were just perfect for it! Hallie is just a breath of fresh air and human sunshine and Julian is more serious and regimented but the way they learn from each other and grow together is beautiful.
I think Julian is one of my favourite male love interests in a book so far, I loved his vulnerability with his anxiety and how he wanted to work on it so hard and didn’t believe he could ever be happy but he proved it to himself that there is so much more to him than that.
The secret admirer letters worked well but I think more could have been explored with that part of the storyline.
Would recommend though if you love a good romance
I love a grumpy X sunshine trope and these too were just perfect for it! Hallie is just a breath of fresh air and human sunshine and Julian is more serious and regimented but the way they learn from each other and grow together is beautiful.
I think Julian is one of my favourite male love interests in a book so far, I loved his vulnerability with his anxiety and how he wanted to work on it so hard and didn’t believe he could ever be happy but he proved it to himself that there is so much more to him than that.
The secret admirer letters worked well but I think more could have been explored with that part of the storyline.
Would recommend though if you love a good romance
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
zitaknowshowtoread's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
nightsparks's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Def a Bella x Edward fanfic. The whole losing her virginity part was so rushed, very fanfic
Rosalie sister, and she gets her Emmett in the background.
It was very frustrating how poor their communication was. Like I get the "why", but I could not stand it. Likeguess you broke up?! And just mourn that. I wanted to dnf round then. But didn't have lots left on audio
The spice is okay, some good scenes, but some cringe ones that made me laugh. Not 100% positive it was supposed to be funny, but it was to me.
I love books where everything works out, but this one didn't quite hit that spot. It didn't feel like Mr. Darcy levels of 'I will go and fix this on my own. With or without me I will improve your life.' And instead opportunities to do the right thing fell into Edwards, ahem I mean Julian's lap.
Not terrible, but definitely not Tessa's best. Could have used some more beta reader feed back, ahem I mean editor work.
Rosalie sister, and she gets her Emmett in the background.
It was very frustrating how poor their communication was. Like I get the "why", but I could not stand it. Like
The spice is okay, some good scenes, but some cringe ones that made me laugh. Not 100% positive it was supposed to be funny, but it was to me.
I love books where everything works out, but this one didn't quite hit that spot. It didn't feel like Mr. Darcy levels of 'I will go and fix this on my own. With or without me I will improve your life.' And instead opportunities to do the right thing fell into Edwards, ahem I mean Julian's lap.
Not terrible, but definitely not Tessa's best. Could have used some more beta reader feed back, ahem I mean editor work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury and Panic attacks/disorders
Cute but feeling incomplete, and rushed finish. The drama at the end felt so unbelievably unnecessary.kaileylebrun's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, and Alcohol
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Hallie drunkenly decides to write a secret admirer letter to her former high school crush Julian when he comes back to town…but their real life attraction may be complicated by their pen and paper romance.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I love a Tessa Bailey audiobook. They’re fun, they’re silly, they’re cute, they’re spicy, and overall I am generally entertained. This book was no different! I’d go so far as to say it had some truly stellar moments—and I’ll never be over “he’d choose her smile over oxygen.”
That said, I struggle with romances where the primary conflict/obstacle to the relationship is just “they won’t talk about their feelings” and this one is definitely that. The third act breakup was also absolutely ridiculous to me, and frankly unnecessary.
I loved the set up for the next book that we got here, though, and am really looking forward to reading that one soon! Overall, would still recommend this, but there are definitely better TB’s out there as well.
CW: Grief; panic attacks/mental health; fire/wildfire
Hallie drunkenly decides to write a secret admirer letter to her former high school crush Julian when he comes back to town…but their real life attraction may be complicated by their pen and paper romance.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I love a Tessa Bailey audiobook. They’re fun, they’re silly, they’re cute, they’re spicy, and overall I am generally entertained. This book was no different! I’d go so far as to say it had some truly stellar moments—and I’ll never be over “he’d choose her smile over oxygen.”
That said, I struggle with romances where the primary conflict/obstacle to the relationship is just “they won’t talk about their feelings” and this one is definitely that. The third act breakup was also absolutely ridiculous to me, and frankly unnecessary.
I loved the set up for the next book that we got here, though, and am really looking forward to reading that one soon! Overall, would still recommend this, but there are definitely better TB’s out there as well.
CW: Grief; panic attacks/mental health; fire/wildfire
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
andreaaaoid's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death
lindsaymck's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
This book was sweet, but I’m looking forward to the sequel a bit more after listening to the first chapter! August (and his banter with Natalie) seems *hilarious* and I admit that I’m more excited for their enemies-to-lovers story than I was for this secret admirer story.
Honestly, the anonymous love letters come into the story late enough that the title had me confused; it seems like a minor part of the story considering it’s the title. I think Hallie only sends 3 letters and receives 1? In the end, Hallie’s guilt about writing the letters frustrated me. She was being romantic and putting herself out there in a way she felt comfortable with, especially considering she hasn’t ever been emotionally or physically intimate with anyone before. But, she doubted herself the moment Julian found out she wrote them and retreated into himself, even though she knew he has done that before AND incorrectly assumed the letter was the cause. Julian falling off the grid for two and a half weeks after she was her most vulnerable also made the ending fall flat for me. Even though I could’ve done without this miscommunication trope, his anxiety and rigidness with time and scheduling was well established to justify it and her 15 years pining for him made it clear why she wouldn’t write him off.
Hallie’s bubbly, spontaneous, and colorful personality clashing with and shaping Julian’s rigidity and need for structure was enjoyable to read. The opposites really do attract with these two! Chaos and control <3 Tessa Bailey successfully wrote two characters with very different personalities deciding to put their relationship first and learn to compromise in a way that didn’t feel like either was changing, but instead evolving.
In my opinion, I think Hallie carried the first half of the book and Julian carried the second half. She was strong, interesting, and independent in the beginning, but then turned into an “oh my god” “yes” girl and doubted herself with the love letters. Her sparkle seemed to dim for me as Julian’s POV really took over the spotlight and his backstory and anxieties were explored. He definitely had more growing to do in letting go of his routines to accept and embrace the wildness that is Hallie, and Tessa developed him really well (perhaps at the expense of Hallie).
A final note: Julian’s dirty talk was surprisingly great for an uptight professor, but sometimes went overboard. Dirty talk is a delicate line to walk and sometimes he nailed it, sometimes it missed the mark.
Honestly, the anonymous love letters come into the story late enough that the title had me confused; it seems like a minor part of the story considering it’s the title. I think Hallie only sends 3 letters and receives 1? In the end, Hallie’s guilt about writing the letters frustrated me. She was being romantic and putting herself out there in a way she felt comfortable with, especially considering she hasn’t ever been emotionally or physically intimate with anyone before. But, she doubted herself the moment Julian found out she wrote them and retreated into himself, even though she knew he has done that before AND incorrectly assumed the letter was the cause. Julian falling off the grid for two and a half weeks after she was her most vulnerable also made the ending fall flat for me. Even though I could’ve done without this miscommunication trope, his anxiety and rigidness with time and scheduling was well established to justify it and her 15 years pining for him made it clear why she wouldn’t write him off.
Hallie’s bubbly, spontaneous, and colorful personality clashing with and shaping Julian’s rigidity and need for structure was enjoyable to read. The opposites really do attract with these two! Chaos and control <3 Tessa Bailey successfully wrote two characters with very different personalities deciding to put their relationship first and learn to compromise in a way that didn’t feel like either was changing, but instead evolving.
In my opinion, I think Hallie carried the first half of the book and Julian carried the second half. She was strong, interesting, and independent in the beginning, but then turned into an “oh my god” “yes” girl and doubted herself with the love letters. Her sparkle seemed to dim for me as Julian’s POV really took over the spotlight and his backstory and anxieties were explored. He definitely had more growing to do in letting go of his routines to accept and embrace the wildness that is Hallie, and Tessa developed him really well (perhaps at the expense of Hallie).
A final note: Julian’s dirty talk was surprisingly great for an uptight professor, but sometimes went overboard. Dirty talk is a delicate line to walk and sometimes he nailed it, sometimes it missed the mark.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders