I am most likely not going to post a full review for this title. I was so excited to read it, but had trouble connecting with the characters and didn't enjoy it the way I thought I would. I do want to re-read it and see if maybe it was the reading mood, so I will revisit this book at a later date!

What a great start to the Hot and Hammered series.
Georgie and Travis were so much fun to read and I loved their development as characters.
Bailey did a great job of introducing characters coming in other books without taking away from Georgie and Travis. (Sometimes the world-building is a scene chewer for me.)

Georgie was such a great character, I loved how she lived her life on her terms and forged her own path.

I'm really looking forward to the rest of this series!

this book wasn't for me. the characeters lacked development, the steam was too much, and i had to skim to finish the book.

I've read a few of this author's books previously, and I'm either in the "What a great book!" camp or the "Meh, this book is all right...but nothing special." camp with them. This book fell into the second camp for me. I felt that the author was trying too hard to be funny and it wound up being awkward and stilted.

Travis was a bit of a jerk throughout the book, but then again, so was Georgie. I had a hard time keeping track of things in the plot and didn't care much for the secondary characters either. The writing was actually rather good, but the actions of the characters made it hard for me to stay entertained or engaged with the story. I'm not sure I'd continue on with the series.

Georgie is the extra one in her family, always feeling on the outside looking in. She has known Travis her whole life, the pesky kid sister to his best friend. So when Travis needs a kick in the pants to get his life together, who better? It's not her fault she has always crushed on him, or that a plan to date in name only strikes sparks for them both. Things come to a head when they both find out the other has been keeping secrets, but can these two see that fixing each other means they both come out stronger?

I REALLY ENJOYED this book, first of all. It was fluffy, light, and readable, which was exactly what I needed the moment I picked it up. I thought Georgie and Travis were believable, and while I thought some of the dialogue was cheesy, I devoured this book. No, this book was not a nourishing meal, but it was a candy bar, and you deserve to treat yourself.
Pros for this book were the main characters. While the side characters are kind of forgettable in my opinion, it has been a week since I finished this book and I still remember everything about Travis and Georgie. I thought Georgie's struggle for acceptance in her family was relatable, and I thought Travis's need for family and validation was also well-written and believable. Another thing I think this book had going for it was the steam. It was WAY steamier than I expected and way more than what I normally read, but it was good. I never thought it was quite too much.
Cons for this book: BABY GIRL. When the hero calls the heroine "baby girl" upwards of fifty times, it's a problem. Ignoring the infantilizing creepiness of it (which honestly isn't super creepy to me), it's just too much. Another con was the women's club that was created. I didn't think it was necessary and I didn't believe it to be funny or charming. It was just weird. I also wasn't 100% convinced that Georgie dating Travis would give her what she wanted out of their bargain, but I was too wrapped in the story to care. Otherwise, it was a solid book. I already bought it for my library and I hope my patrons enjoy.

Fix Her Up

**received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What do you do when you are in love with your brother’s best friend? Tell him he is an idiot and that he needs to get it together because he is being stupid. Tessa Bailey hits this one out of the park! I instantly fell in love with this book, Georgie and Travis. I was excited to see what happened between them and what they would find out about one another. Georgie’s trust and faith in Travis started out because of her crush for him but as they worked together it grew into so much more and she made him better by giving him her support. They knew what they were getting with one another and in the end they were able to see that what they needed was right in front of them. They were home, no matter what they were doing as long as they had one another.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey was a magically emotional roller coaster full of heart and laughter. I loved this book. The chemistry between the characters was undeniable. Their banter kept the pacing of the book on point. I didn't want the book to end!

What happens when a Baseball God, notoriously known for his many one night stands, crosses paths with his best friend's little sister, the town clown (quite literally - she works the children's party circuit) and annoying tomboy tag-a-long of his youth? Well, one steaming hot romance ... but not at first.

In the first novel of Tessa Bailey's Hot and Hammered series, Travis Ford has returned to his hometown after an injury crushes his Major League Baseball career. He begins working for his best friend Stephen's house-flipping business as a way to come to terms with his destroyed dreams, but everywhere he turns, women are falling at his feet, and he just can't seem to accept that his ball career is really over. Georgie, Stephen's little sister who has had a crush on Travis since she was a pre-teen girl, is determined to pull Travis out of his slump. At first Travis is annoyed by Georgie's attempts to return him to the land of the living, but pretty soon he is seeing his best friend's little sister in a whole new light. How did he never notice before just how sexy she is? And her cooking is fantastic! Plus, she seems to really care about him and his well-being. And why is his heart hammering every time she comes around?

Fix Her Up is a sassy, spicy novel that will satisfy lovers of many romance tropes, including fake dating, childhood crushes, virgin meets experienced lover, and falling for your brother's best friend. The main characters - Travis and Georgie - both have strong personalities and interesting lives, which creates a colorful backdrop for this story. While the cover is super adorable, readers should be warned, this romance novel is not all about being cutesy and feel good. There is some very explicit content on these pages, and the story shifts from PG to R within a matter of paragraphs. If graphic sexual scenes and an overtly explicit tone make you uncomfortable, this is not the novel for you.

While I am not typically a reader of romance, I did enjoy this story; however, I will likely not read the rest of the series just because I don't believe this genre is for me. However, romance readers will enjoy what Fix Her Up has to offer and contribute to the modern romance realm.

A super cute romance that turns very very steamy. Travis a former baseball star gets pulled out of his slump by his best friends little sister Georgie. The two decide to create a fake romance to help each other achieve their goals.

Tessa Bailey is back with her trademark humor, charm and sexy romance with FIX HER UP. She never disappoints with robust character development, engaging plot and just plain ol' great storytelling. The combination of small town romance with best friend's little sister tropes are tried-and-true favorites for me, as is Bailey's ability to take regular people and make their story interesting.

I love love Tessa Bailey! I enjoyed this one. Plot had a few holes but nevertheless a win. A favorite author of mine indeed!

The book may have lost a star because the main character Georgie is a clown in the book as her job. I don't do clowns (thanks to the original IT movie). ⁠⠀
⁠⠀
Travis Ford was forced to retire from baseball from a career ending injury. He gets lost along the way but Georgie (his best friend's little sister) brings him out of his funk. Georgie wants to prove that she isn't just the clown of the party but is something more and wants more. The one problem is she's had a crush on Travis since she can remember. ⁠⠀
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Travis needs to clean up his image to try and land the job of a lifetime and Georgie is there to help. ⁠⠀
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You'll have to read the book to find out more.

I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well-built and it was a great summer read. The tension between Georgie and Travis was palpable and I couldn't put this book down.

Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey is an adult contemporary/romance which I received as an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) from @NetGalley and @Avon in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

SYNOPSIS | Georgie Castle is the youngest sibling in a close knit family and even though she is in her early twenties, people still treat her like the incompetent baby of the family. It probably doesn't help that she hasn't gone into the family demolition business but instead works as a clown at local children's parties. Travis Ford on the other hand is a renown local superstar baseball player (& womanizer), except he retired early because of a sports injury. He feels like his life is meaningless if he can't play the sport that he loves. In order for people to take both of them seriously they decide to start a fake relationship together, except they both start to develop romantic feelings...

MY THOUGHTS | I have heard an abundance of raving reviews about this book and sadly it was such a disappointment in comparison. The romantic scenes were steamy, but the main male love interest was such a chauvinistic pig that I could not root for him (& his dirty talk made me want to smack him across the head as he sounds like a sex-crazed caveman). I like fake relationships and I like steamy sex scenes, but I didn't like this as much as everyone else seemed too.

Fix Her Up was my first novel by Tessa Bailey and will not be my last. I fell in love with her writing style. Georgie and Travis are a unique pair. This book gives angst, laughs, steamy scenes, and more. I was surprised to fall so hard for this book. Georgie definitely stole the show but Travis was a close second. I will say there were a few scenes I wanted to smack him upside the head but in the end, he comes through for us and more importantly Georgie.

If you are in the mood for a light, sexy read this is definitely your book.

*4.5 stars*

Fix Her Up was my first book by Tessa Bailey and, to be honest, I wasn't sure what to expect. Reviews from my friends are all over the map, and people seem to love this book or hate it.

Frankly, I was expecting to hate it. But I didn't. I actually adored this one and wanted MORE.

I have issues with contemporary romance, especially those that most people seem to love. Don't get me started on the uber-popular Kristen Ashley books (no shade, they just don't work for me), and some of my lowest ratings are on over-hyped contemporary romances.

But I'm a sucker for humor, and Fix Her Up made me smile. Like, a lot.

Dominate men don't always work for me, and this book is a book for those who like the more alpha male, super-masculine type of guy. I do, however, like a dominate man IN BED, and I found the sex and the dirty talk to be suuuuuuuuper hot, which is actually pretty rare for me in contemporary romance.

I really enjoyed everything about the story. I can see why my friends didn't like it, but I smiled, laughed, and was turned on pretty much the whole way through, which for me is a big win. Fix Her Up is way, way steamier than that cute cover would suggest, and I was HERE FOR IT.

Read with caution, as feelings on this book are very polarizing, but if you like dirty-talking, lightly kinky, dominate men, and you like humor, a fun female MC (I loved her too!), and a super romantic HEA, then try this book. I'll be reading more Tessa Bailey from this point on.


*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

This was good summer read, especially if you're looking for an fun, easy & fast read. Georgette was fun & likable, but Travis was sometimes to full of himself. Their relationship didn't seem to have much depth even though she's loved him for years. Overall I liked the book & would read more by this author.

As always, Tessa Bailey serves up a cute romcom filled with delightful characters. I quickly devoured this one, smiling the whole time.

The sex seemed to replace character development. I would have liked to see more scenes devoted to the characters going after their goals rather than just quick summaries that tell the reader the characters are successful. Also, all of the characters were very self aware. Too self aware, really. I could feel the author in the writing and it pulled me from the story more than once. It was funny and had great bones, but needed some adjustments to help with plot development.