Normally I don't have a problem jumping into the middle of series having not read the previous books. I struggled with this book as a standalone as it constantly felt like I was a beat behind while I read. Even by the time I finished this book I still didn't feel like I completely understood one of the characters. This is a simple romance novel, it should have been an easy read but it turned into a frustrating one.

Bethany Castle has put her dating life on hold as she attempts to strike out on her own in the real estate business and flip a house. Wes Daniels is new in town and gets on Bethany's nerves but he knows how to use a hammer so he will be helping Bethany out with the house. They will also be competing against Bethany's brother on a competitive reality show called Flip Off to see which team can do the best renovation. Again, Bethany has put her dating life on hold. Hmm... this is a romance novel, let's see how long that lasts.

Bethany and Wes had good chemistry. If you are looking for a steamy read, look no further as I consider myself a seasoned romance reader and a couple of their scenes made me blush. So the romance elements of the story worked well in my opinion.

The character I had a hard time with was Bethany. I didn't really get her personality and it seemed like most of her character development happened in previous books. If you are a fan of the other books in the series, I would imagine this would be a good read for you. But coming in without having any background info, was a challenge and that shouldn't have been the case. Needed a little more setup so both old and new readers could fully enjoy the story.

With that being said, I would like to go back and read the first two books as good chemistry is my number one requirement in a romance novel and the author definitely demonstrated in this novel that is one of her writing strengths.

Thank you to the Avon Romance newsletter and Netgalley for providing me with an advance digital copy!

*Thank you Avon at HarperCollins Publishers for the eARC from Netgalley.

Bethany Castle has had enough of being overshadowed by her brother in the family business. Bethany has made a name for herself for her interior designs, but she is ready to set up and lead her own flip. When Bethany decides to part ways with her brother for her own home flip, a wager is made over who can do a better job. Bethany is a perfectionist who is not comfortable being out of her element. However, Bethany soon realizes that she is going to need help from the willing Wes Daniels for this new transition.

This book is another companion in the Hot & Hammered series. This companion book focuses on Georgie’s sister Bethany and her transition in creating her own business separate from their family. Overall, I liked Bethany and Wes’ story. I like how this book discusses other topics and brings good conversation. While we do see some of Bethany in the other companion books, the reader gets more of a sense of what Bethany is personally going through as well as her thoughts and feelings about different matters. The reader is able to see Bethany deal with stress, anxiety, and the role that it has on her. I found myself having a deeper appreciation for Bethany’s character as the plot progressed.

For Wes, he is probably my favorite male character so far out of all the books. I love how with his character we are able to see found family come into play. We are given such a small and pretty much misleading glimpse of Wes in the second book, but we get to see so much more as we grow with our understanding of Wes in this book. Wes emits a great positive male figure presence in this book. I loved seeing him become a father in this book. He was so sweet with his niece and I loved how much care he had for her and others.

I will say that the romance between Bethany and Wes made me feel a bit awkward at times. Sometimes the more intimate scenes seemed a little off at times and felt forced as well as kind of fake. I think that this one was the most intimate heavy than the other books as well. I was okay with it, but it seemed a little quick to form at times and out of place. I would have liked to see a bit more good conversation and discussion without it jumping straight into intimacy.

Overall, I really enjoy reading more from these characters. I love the empowerment group that the women have formed, and I would not mind reading more about other women from the group. I love seeing all the progress that the group makes in each meeting. I love how supportive the community has become for everyone.

Tools of Engagement is everything smoking hot, deeply emotional, and utterly satisfying. There is nothing that this story is missing when it comes to wrecking and demoliting my heart so completely. It gives no excuses or demands as it works on rebuilding a solid and unshakable foundation where a true and honest love can bloom and remain protected and cherished. This story is pure gold, and worthy of all the accolades in the world for its incredible heart and uncompromising soul.

I never knew what to expect when I began reading this story. I just knew it was written by Tessa Bailey, so I knew I was in for a huge treat. What I found was so far above and beyond my expectations! Bethany and Wes stole my heart and refused to give it back. They ruined me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I never wanted to leave this stunning world full of real people with real struggles. Finally, I found a place where even a broken, imperfect person like me felt at home. This story is perfect in its raw brokenness and real emotion. I savored every second, emotion, and word as I walked this hard yet wildly rewarding story.

Tessa Bailey has rocked my world so utterly and completely. She has shown me that we are all beautiful with our brokenness and quirks and anxiety. I can't thank her enough for her touching encouragment and huge heart. She will always be one of my all-time favorite authors because she is the type of person I admire and am grateful for their presence in my life no matter how fleeting it is.

Romance, flipping houses, TV competition and a hottie from Texas? Yes please!!!!

Tools of Engagement follows the glamorous and perfect life of Bethany Castle as she navigates her first solo flip. Previously, she worked for her family's very successful construction company as an interior designer and stager. And while her rooms are styled to perfection, she no longer gets satisfaction from them. After being rejected and scoffed at when she asked her older brother if she could run a flip, Bethany leaves the family company to venture out on her own to prove to her family and herself that she is capable. The only problem is that her brother currently has every good construction worker in town working on his flip.

Enter Wes. The devilishly handsome and charming Texan who works for Bethany's brother. Wes has been attracted to Bethany since the second she stepped out of her mercedes and on to the construction site. Wes finds that he will do almost anything to be able to interact more with Bethany. Including, volunteering to work with her on her first flip in hopes that he can convince her to give him a shot. To make the situation even more complicated, Bethany and Wes get dragged into a TV competition against her brother to see who's flip will come out on top.

I absolutely LOVED Bethany in this book. I'll be the first to admit that I thought she was stuck up and not relatable in the first two books in this series. But I found myself relating to her the most out of any other character. Bethany tends to hold herself up to impossible standards all the time at the risk of her own happiness and mental health. She is always trying to look put together and like being perfect comes naturally and easy to her when the opposite is true most of the time. I connected with her as I have struggled and continue to struggle with this myself.

And can we talk about Wes? He is the ultimate total package. Not only is good looking and he extremely charming with his Texan accent, but he is the only one who seems to see beyond Bethany's perfectly crafted facade to see her internal struggles.

While Tools of Engagement is a standalone novel and can definitely be read with out reading the other two books first, I highly suggest reading them in order as it is the third book in the hot and hammered series. Plus you get to see all of the characters grow through each book, and it will make much more sense. I highly recommend setting aside a rainy day to read this fabulous book!

“Construction was not neat . . . Real life was not HGTV.”

Tessa Bailey’s newest installment in the 'Hot & Hammered' series is just as fun and steamy as the rest. Bethany Castle, a perfectionist-turned-house-stager, is determined to break out of the family house-flipping business and do some demo of her own. Wes Daniels, a Texas cowboy who is in town to look after his young niece, can’t keep his eyes off of Bethany. He pulls a Zellweger (à la 'Jerry Maguire') and quits the Castle crew to be Bethany’s foreman . . . with hopes of becoming so much more. Throw in a reality TV competition and the ladies of the Just Us League, and you’ve got a flipping winner.

Forgive me, I couldn’t help myself. Bailey sure knows how to have a good time with her characters, and 'Tools of Engagement' is no exception. The sexual tension and barbed banter is off the charts: these two give as good as they get. I thought Bailey couldn’t possibly top the first two books in the series, 'Fix Her Up' and 'Love Her or Lose Her,' but she did it again.

Things I loved:
-The banter! So much clever banter. If you liked the glimpse of Bethany and Wes’ rivalry in previous H&H installments, just wait until you get your hands on this book.
-Seeing what previous H&H characters are up to, including Georgie, Rosie, and their smoking hot partners.
-The fact that each of these books includes actual character development and that the three main women in the series get to realize serious dreams of their own. (Not true of every romance novel. Bailey gets the balance right.)
-The sweet relationship between Wes and his niece, Laura.
-Let’s be honest: the sizzling sexy bits. You know what I mean.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. Quotes are subject to change.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free ebook in exchange for an honest review!

This one was hot hot HOT. I loved the first two and thought they were steamy, but it was like Tessa Bailey turned up the fire on this one. I loved it! I loved how Bethany finally found her love in Wes and my is he just what the doctor order for her!

This one was witty, sexy, laugh out loud funny, amazing, and just so so good. I can’t say enough good things about this one.

I can’t wait to read her other works.

This is the third and final book in the Hot & Hammered series by Tessa Bailey. I really felt a connection to the female character - Bethany, who tries and feels like she has to be perfect in all aspects of her life and hide her fears and worries. She grows up the middle child and oldest girl who only shows the world what she thinks they should know about her. Her life changes after meeting Wes, a Texas bullrider, who is struggling with his own history, and makes her challenge herself and how she sees herself. Throw in a sexy times in a house under renovation, laughter, and tears, you have a story that I will read again. I found a few typos which don't detract from the story, but made me stop for a minute and try to understand what the author meant.

I love when a couple lives up to the hype of how they were introduced in an earlier novel of a series. I’ve been watching these two for the first two bucks and it was so hysterical and enjoyable to see them have their own story.

Recently finished reading Tools of Engagement Do we love Wes? Yes. Such a sweet story about two people asking for what they need and getting comfortable with their own selves. I would have liked a bit more direct competition and interaction between Stephen and Bethany. Although the story is ultimately about Bethany's journey, part of that is reconciling her relationship with her family. All I want now is a prequel story about Stephen and Kristin.

I’m in love with this series from Tessa Bailey! The Queen if Dirty Talk does it again with a hero I could really root for and a string minded heroine I want to be Best friends with. I highly recommend this book.

A delightful enemies to lovers rom com that bursts with Bailey's trademark humor and smoking hot love scenes.

House flipping takes a romantic turn. Bethany is ready to prove to her brother she has what it takes and the opportunity to do so with a television show reality competition against him. The only person on the renovation crew willing to side with her is Wes, a young new guy who has problems of his own, including taking care of his niece when his sister takes off. As Bethany and Wes work together to bring their house to beauty, will the togetherness bring something else to light? This is a fun romp of a romance that brings two great characters together.

A fun end to this series—truly enjoyed Bethany as the “always have it together” character who finds out that it’s ok to break down and ask for help. The hero is charming and the scenes with his Bruce are gold! I had so much fun reading.

Oh this book! It hits ALL my buttons! Single dad vibes, older woman/younger man, enemies to lovers, construction site, lol. It was a little bit of a “slow burn” for a Tessa Bailey book but man did it go FIRE once these two decided To get over themselves. Another total win!!! 5 stars!!!

I find this to be a highly relevant story for the high key lovers out there. While not my favorite in the series, Bailey brought out the strong sense of Long islanders and transplants to the island like a champ.

I really loved this story. I knew the moment that Wes was introduced that the pairing between him and Bethany was going to be my favorite. The whole enemies to lover trope will forever be my favorite. Throw in the additional perfectionist tendencies (and overcoming them) and the fast family building and I'm here for it. Definitely recommend to those looking for a spicy yet heartwarming story.

I really have enjoyed this series.. This is book 3. Bethany and Wes's relationship. Bethany and Stephen's work relationship, sister vs brother. Nod to a contemporary romance set in the house flipping trend. After reading the second book, I was excited to read about Bethany and Wes, both very similar but oh so different from one another. What can they learn from each other while falling in love? What will happen when you work with the person you love or the people you love? Can they overcome their worries and create the winning flip? I fell head over heels in love with this one, staying up late into the night to finish. The pacing of the novel is great until the very end where a few things felt sped up to all be contained in the last 10%. While you can read each book independently, I would read them in order, as characters from the first one and the relationships are explained and knit together over the three books.

*For those readers who enjoy erotic rom coms, this one is going to be such a turn on, but for those of you who don't like reading about sex, you'll be less excited as the sex is hot and heavy! Tessa Bailey definitely can write a juicy love session!*

I truly hope that this series evolves into all the characters becoming parents and raising kids together as they have a great neighborhood started.

First, we had Georgie and Travis in "Fix Her Up."
Then, we had Rosie and Dom in "Love Her or Lose Her."
And now, we finally get Bethany and Wes's story in "Tools of Engagement."

In a steamy filled plotline that'd give even HGTV a ratings boost, Bethany Castle sets out to prove to her family that she is more than the perfect, extremely well-organized, styled-to-perfection interior decorator of the family they all think she is. That she can flip a house just as well as her brother.

Wes Daniels is new in town. After leaving Texas and arriving in Port Jefferson to take care of his niece for a short time, Wes snagged a temporary construction job with the Castle family. Insults flew the first moment he laid eyes on Bethany, but he's not planning to stay long enough to make it anything more than a game.

When Bethany arrives on the latest Castle family construction site to announce her plans, only one of their current crew is willing to bet that she has what it takes to flip a house on her own -- a certain Texas cowboy. Word about the Castle v Castle Upping spreads and a local TV producer quickly turns it into a reality TV competition.

As the cameras roll and competition heats up, it's all Bethany can do to remind herself she's not going to fall for a guy like Wes.
Bethany and Wes have this obvious attraction that oozes off the page. And Tessa Baliey NAILS it with the banter between the two. If I had to rank the Hot & Hammered series, "Tools of Engagement" would be #2. Bethany and Wes's story played out better than I ever imagined it would while reading the other two entries in the series. With such a sweet, HEA ending. "Tools of Engagement" is a STRONG 4 out of 5 stars just like the rest of the series. Read it. Love it. Worship it. You won't regret adding this read to your TBR.

I loved the novel! I loved the continuation of the characters from the other books in the series! I always appreciate when characters have internal struggles instead of them fighting. Bethany’s struggles with perfection fit perfectly with the character we knew from the previous novels, the author did a wonderful job of giving the reader an inside perspective of her adversity. The reader was also informed of Wes’s misfortunes, like growing in foster care and his trust issues. There were a only a couple things that I thought didn’t fit; I didn’t think their age difference made sense, especially because Wes seemed more mature even with his foster care background and maybe I missed this, but what happened with Becky selling the house? Over all, cute read, I read it in one day it was so intriguing, and if you liked the other books in this series, you’ll love this novel!

This is the one I've been waiting for ever since I picked up the first book in this series!!! The tension! The younger (hot AND responsible) guy! The hate sex! Seriously, this is one fun read. I remember long, long ago thinking that Bethany was just a tiny bit of a stuck up perfectionist. But this book explains it all, and so much more. I adore the quirkiness of the Castle family dynamic (and that darn Stephen!). I really hope there will be more in this series!