Started: March 1st
Finished: March 6th
TSM Rating: 5/5
I love Tessa Baily. I read It Happened One Summer and Hook, Line, and Sinkerlast year and loved them — Hook, Line, and Sinker being my fave of the two — then I went back and started reading more of her books. I’m a fan for life.
I really liked this book. I could relate to Hallie’s spiral. When my dad passed in my early 20s, I had this weird, heady feeling for a while where left was right, right was left, and the world was a little dimmer. So after losing her grandmother, Hallie is walking through a fog of bad choices and indecision. She even calls her indecision her “process” when it comes to her work as a gardener.
Julian is the ultimate grump MMC. He hates everything that Hallie represents, but she breaks down his walls anyway. I’ve seen a lot of other reviews reacting negatively to how Julian ogles her body, but to that o say, every man who has every looked at a woman has ogled their body. Physical attraction is part of building relationships.
I’ve also seen criticism of the use of the secret admirer letters. It’s plot device that dies two things: confirms Hallie’s recklessness and allows Julian to soften and see himself through someone else’s eyes. To know that the things he sees as flaws someone else sees as wonderful.
I enjoyed this book, as I’ve enjoyed all of Tessa Bailey’s books. I even enjoyed reading the dirty parts to my husband and watch his fake outrage at basically reading porn.🤣
I’m looking forward to the second book in the series — Unfortunately Yours.
The Saucy Mama 