Reviews with content warning for Grief - Secretly Yours

Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey

62 reviews

jax10124's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Honestly, based on the description I didn’t think I was going to like this one… BOY WAS I WRONG! Emotional rollercoaster for me. The FMC’s just lost someone and that resonated with me years after losing mine. I wasn’t expecting that. Thank you so much TB! ❤️

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katierosecrane's review against another edition

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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

This book has a good message in it but it reminded me too much of a hallmark movie. It was a little too cheesy for my taste and I think the conflict through Hallie’s eyes are dumb.

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yarisbooksandbevs's review against another edition

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This book is not for me. I felt like the FMC was very immature for someone pushing 30 and she was super inexperienced and continued pining over her 14 year old crush. She compared everyone to this man and held him and everyone else up to this high school idea of him. Julian’s severe anxiety would not be so easily thwarted meeting someone for the first time. The entire passage about her breasts at the beginning was cringey and felt like it was written for the male gaze. Julian being threatening also was cringey. They had nice banter but no chemistry outside of that and Hallie’s obsession of him.

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abicaro17's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective 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

Julian and Hallie were so sweet! I really enjoyed how their dynamic worked within the semi slow burn. I think the plot was cute and i'm glad they worked out their issues. My problem with the book was first off was the lack of details on important plot stuff (post fire Dad plot, what happened to Hallie grandma, what happened to uncorked?) and the immediate apology acceptance after all the lying Hallie did. Like I get that he thought it was her anyways but she still lied?? It was a good book but not the best Tessa Bailey i've read.

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rshearon's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was written for ME!!!! Some of my favorite tropes written by my favorite rom com author! I am so happy this was the book I got to have signed by her; it is definitely hopping onto my favorites shelf. The characters are just so lovable and the chemistry is PALPABLE. The plot was cute and the character growth was sweet and realistic. The climax (the literary one) was really gut-wrenching and well written; I felt like I was experiencing an anxiety attack with the MMC. And the conflict that led to their fight was believable and not super frustrating. And don’t even get me started on the MMC… his MOUTH… Everything I’ve read by Tessa lately has been 🥵… I think she gets better and bolder with every book. I am SO excited to read the sequel. I’m not sure if this dethrones Hannah & Fox as my favorite Tessa book, but it’s at least a close second!

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mommareads67's review against another edition

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emotional funny fast-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

3.5

I LOVED The Hating Game (read it twice AND watched the movie) but this one disappointed me a lot.

I can understand Hallie carrying a torch for a long time and easily falling for Julian again, but Julian’s very, very quick falling for Hallie seemed off. The sex scenes were great, but for Hallie to 1. lose her virginity outdoors on the grass like a high schooler, was disappointing, and 2. be really great at oral sex the first time she did it hard to believe. I will say that I loved the way the panic attack and its fallout was written and it endeared me to Julian a bit more, but it was late in the book and I think it kinda shortened the story a bit. I think parts of the story were in the wrong order for me and that’s why I gave it a three out of five stars.

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onefineelephant's review against another edition

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challenging funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

9/10. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the character growth that both mcs go through during the span of their relationship. Love the dual POV. The only reason that I am not giving 10/10 is because while I love this book, I'm not obsessed with it.

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carefulfearanddeaddevotion's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.25

didnt realize this book was X rated when I picked it up, and it's the first of its kind ive read so maybe im just not familiar with the genre, but the writing and characters (especially Julian) were really...weird? idk how to describe it, very stilted, immature, and oftentimes difficult to like. the best character was by far Natalie, so even though im not sure i liked this book or Tessa's writing, i might read hers just to spend more time with her (plus it has my favorite trope: fake relationship). maybe the author was just unsuccessful at portraying someone with anxiety/panic attacks/ptsd? idk.

i also hated the lack of communication. like i get miscommunication is a big trope in romance, but this was a bit much. like?? you're 30 years old, it's very clear you're into each other (especially after the

mutual masturbation

like hello???) just make an effort to say like one (1) sentence instead of...walking away?? hard to believe they'll last with those kinds of communication skills.

also, and i've tried to think of a better way to word it, but it's just this: Julian gave me the ick SO often. Just when i was like "heheh cute" he'd be like "the world will end if i dont see an Hallie Smile tm" and i'd need to go rushing to the nearest trash can. nasty. like just so weird. the constant simultaneous infantilization and objectification of Hallie was a bit much. but maybe im the weird one idk.

edit: the secret admirer letters are so marginally relevant to the story that i even forgot to include them in this review. Hallie, as the secret admirer, writes a total of 3 letters. Julian responds once. And im supposed to believe that it's a central part of story? it's not. they got to know each other wayyyyyyyy more in person than they did through the letters. the only purpose they served was the, frankly senseless, final conflict.

like getting Hallie out of the house to have Julian have a panic attack over it could have been accomplished by any other mean

.

ALSO! and this is a small thing but

Hallie barelyyyy knows Natalie, she had no right to offhandedly tell her to get her drinking and sleeping in under control?? especially in context.

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callidoralblack's review against another edition

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lighthearted relaxing

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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kcbatts's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

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