***Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
I usually love Tessa Bailey, but I was a little put off by the main character. She was a little too type A for me and I couldn't get into the book. Unfortunately, I dnf.

Confession: I was a little disappointed after reading Georgie and Travis’ story and first book of the series was three starred, mediocre starting for me. But at the second book, possessive, passionate Alpha-dog Dominic and his fight to win his wife Rosie back stole my heart. And at that book: I already introduced Bethany and charming Wes including their fiery-smart-entertaining banters as a first start of their enemies to lovers story so I was so excited to read their own book.

Well: I have to admit: I didn’t like this one as much as I enjoyed Dominic and Rosie’s love story because:
Bethany is quirky, perfectionist: everything in her world should be organized, polished, in order, sophisticated. She loves to design houses and working on details. It all works well for me and I actually enjoy reading the characters with their own antics, flaws but Bethany’s extreme insecurities, judging herself so harshly made me frustrated. This hot-sex chemistry between she and Wes start to turn into something angsty- ultra slow burn romance between charming cowboy and annoying insecure woman.

The other thing I didn’t like was the reality TV concept. In my opinion it slowly kills the true romance parts between characters and turning them into something unrealistic and artificial. Without the TV concept, Wes may still Rene Zellweger’d Bethany (it means he quits his job just because following Bethany because he believed in her cause just like Zellweger did at Jerry Maguire , joining her to support her against rivalry between she and her brother. (At the end: if their partnership doesn’t work, he may Cuba Gooding Jr’d her any time by requesting: SHOW HIM THE MONEY as well!)

And of course: I wanted to scream at the author when I didn’t see any intimacy between the characters till the last third of the book.

But I truly loved Wes and his connection with his niece Laura. And Bethany is also more secure and relaxed when she is around Laura.

And the sweet-sour rivalry between Bethany and her brother, the conclusion of their fight were the sweetest part of the book.
So I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars and I decided another 3,5 stars and rounding them up to 4. Because I still enjoyed the story more than the first book. Wes definitely stole my heart with his sweetness, smartass comments and his patience to earn Bethany’s heart.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Collins Publishers for sharing this feel-good ARC with me in exchange my honest review.

I started reading this book almost immediately but it wasn't until I finished that I realized it was third in a series. This was very easy to read without having read the previous 2 books. I am always down for a great rom-com!
Bethany is quite the perfectionist while presumably sexy cowboy Wes is not. The bickering back and forth between Bethany and Wes only adds to the sexual tension between the pair! Some parts of the book definitely had a "Fifty Shades" quality, which I really enjoyed!

This book was such a fun enemies to lovers romance. I read the first in this series and it was ok for me, but I loved this one. I'm thinking I will have to go back and read the 2nd that I skipped. There were definitely some heavy topics but the I really enjoyed the back and forth between Bethany and Wes. Perfect summer read!

Funny, sexy, and much needed during this time of lockdown. Tessa Bailey is a always a solid author at my library and this is a great addition. If you are a fan of the enemies to lovers trope, as well as the younger man for an older woman, this is for you. While not necessarily my favorite of hers, it's still a sweet and steamy read when you are looking for escapism.

In hindsight, I don’t know why I requested this one from @netgalley when I didn’t even like the first book I read from this author??? I got click happy and overeager, I think! It’s a true romance with little plot and much steaminess and that’s just not my jam. The storyline that was there felt 100% cliche and laughable and I couldn’t buy into any of it. If you’re into that kinda thing, you’d love this one, especially since it’s the story of side characters from the other books in the three-part Fix Her Up series so you can keep reading afterward, too!

Yes! The third in this series does not disappoint! This made me laugh out loud, brought tears to my eyes, and made me fan myself because this was hot hot hot! I loved that Wes stood his ground and proved he would be there and I was overjoyed that there wasn’t any kind of crazy issue that threw a wrench into the works. And good job Bethany for recognising your issues and taking charge of how you wanted to change. Loved this!!!

This is the third book in the series and I am pretty sure the last since this is the last of the founders of the "Just Us league" I always liked Bethany she was funny and to the points and definitely there for her friends. Bethany had met Wes in the last book so I hope you guys have read it if not stop go read it you want to know the characters better and their back story. Wes is 7 years younger than Bethany and not someone she probably would have gone for and you love him he does not let Bethany use her sarcasm of put downs at him. Their banter was funny and even though they are different we know opposites attrack and these two have that. I loved reading about he previous couple!! I love Georgie and Travis, love them and still can't stand Kristen, I wish she would have been put in her place they placated her too much, however I was happy they stopped her from getting the microphone, wondering what I am talking about? Grab a copy and find out!!

I have been waiting for Tools of Engagement since the moment I finished Love Her or Lose Her. I got a glimpse of the dynamic between Wes and Bethany and was so excited for their story. It didn't let me down. Tools of Engagement was my favorite in the Hot & Hammered series.

What made Hot & Hammered so good? Quite a few things. First, I LOVED the banter. There was a whole I'm going to be mean to you because I actually like you thing going on. It was childish, but totally worked. It made the banter super fun because I could appreciate how ridiculous Wes and Bethany were being. Bethany especially. The banter made their swoon worthy relationship that much more fun.

The next thing that stood out to me was Bethany's character. I don't have much in common with her, but I could see a lot of women in her. She strove for perfection to the point where she couldn't let loose or be herself. She had everything the way she thought it should have been, but was missing the big picture. I loved how she figured out the perfection was required.

Then, there was Wes. He would definitely make my list of favorite male characters. He might have only been 23, but he came across much older and more mature. I loved how he antagonized Bethany. It wasn't done to be mean, but to light a fire under her. I also loved how he was with his niece, Laura. That relationship showed what a good person he was.

I can't leave out the group of women and how they come together to support each other. That's been one of the coolest aspects of this series. It wasn't quite as heavily featured in this book, but it was there to support Bethany when she needed it.

Finally, there was the whole competition between Bethany and her brother Stephen. I liked not only what it did for Bethany's relationship with Wes, but with Stephen as well.

Tools of Engagement was truly a fun romantic read filled great banter, humor, the sweetest of romances. If you're a fan of this series, you won't want to miss out on it.

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I love a good opposites attract romance with a hot, funny, wicked cowboy and a straitlaced woman desperate to keep it together. Bethany feels a lot of pressure to prove how perfectly she can make things even when the reality is a different picture. Wes is a trailblazing cowboy who comes to town to take care of his niece after her mother bails. He ends up working with Bethany as she attempts to fix and flip a wrecked house. Their love and hate relationship made for some delicious banter. He learns her quirks and goes out of his way to make her feel at ease. Had my heart melting with how supportive he was of her.
That is until he develops deeper feelings for her that turns a bit possessive and raunchy. It was a bit unexpected since up to that moment he seemed to allow her to take the reins but her insecurities get so out of hand that in order not to lose her he steps up and becomes more demanding. The sex turns raunchy as well and the ending felt like a last act of desperation between two people desperately wanting to make it to work but scared that it might fail.
Overall, the beginning was great but the ending failed to convince me that in fact their love could last.

I have been *obsessed* with Tessa Bailey's Hot & Hammered series since I first read Fix Her Up last year, so when I got approved yesterday to read the 3rd and (final?😭) book in the series, Tools of Engagement, I was ECSTATIC.

Bethany and Wes are complete and total opposites in this hate-to-love story and that is what makes them such a good match. She's the small town equivalent of Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way. He is the new-to-town rodeo cowboy from Texas who was born to run. But when they reluctantly team up on a renovation project the walls they're hiding behind start to come down and they find themselves building more together than just a house.

This book was so good! I did find Bethany to be annoying at times, but that is probably because crazy recognizes crazy. 😂 I'm so sad to see this series ending, but it is ending with a bang!
If you haven't read Fix Her Up and Love Her or Lose Her yet, what are you waiting for?!

Why? I'm so freaking sad that this series is over but Bethany and Wes's story was the perfect way to end this series. Bethany and Wes were like fire and Ice, Total opposites, but meant for each other. The chemistry between these two characters were HAWT!!!! The sweet moments made me swoon, and I definitely want a Wes of my own. This series was so good and despite being sad its over, Im happy I got to read each of these couples stories.

Brr! Bethany Castle’s fashionable look and perfectionist attitude leave her labeled as an ice queen. No one knows that that chilly perfect picture is a veneer. Riddled with anxiety and low confidence, Bethany wants more from her job in the family business, but is shut down when her brother doesn’t support her.

The only one who wants to help is her worst enemy, the new guy in town, a Texan with a perpetual cowboy hat and smirk on his face. A few years younger and with his own baggage (in the form of a five-year-old ward), Wes Daniels finds himself drawn to the Elsa look-alike but soon finds himself falling hard as their rivalry melts away into something even hotter.

While the trope is enemies-to-lovers, the angst level is low and the sweet level is high. The two find common group pretty quickly and the love that inevitably follows is a given rather than a pride-shattering obstacle. This was definitely my favorite book in the Hot & Hammered series and Bethany and Wes are a couple you really root for.

Just finished my free ARC from @netgalley @tessabaileyisanauthor @avonbooks. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for me, romance books are a little out of my comfort zone but this one hit it out of the park. If anyone is a big fan of Chip and Joanna Gaines, you will love this one! Frenemies Wes and Bethany team up to flip a home in Long Island against Bethany’s brother Stephen, and somehow end up on a reality competition show. This one is very steamy, FYI 🔥 #reading #bookstagram #books #book #booklover #bookworm #read #bookish #booknerd #bibliophile #bookaddict #instabook #bookstagrammer #reader #love #booksofinstagram #bookaholic #readersofinstagram #bookshelf #writing #booklove #bookphotography #literature #b #readingtime #library #igreads #bookblogger #instabooks #bhfyp

While I admit that the second book in this series, Love Her or Lose Her, was definitely the steamiest, this one did not disappoint and I stayed up all night to finish it. I also really liked the character development of Bethany, even as I found Wes' guardianship plot line rushed at best. I still can't wait to see what's next from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the ARC!

Tools of Engagement is a classic enemies to lovers romance. It was full of banter and steamy exchanges between an anxious-perfectionist home stager, Bethany, and an overly confident, cowboy constructionist, Wes. The overarching plot consists of these two having to accomplish the goal of a successful house-flip that’ll outshine our leading female’s brother.

This novel was the first Tessa Baily book I’d ever read, and there were some elements I enjoyed. For instance, I was very intrigued about Wes’ character and his backstory. I truly enjoyed scenes from his point of view where we learned more of his background, his sister, and his niece who’d been placed under his care. I believe his character was very strong, although I would have enjoyed his “southern cowboy” personality to be better represented. I had to keep reminding myself he was southern. Having grown up in the south, I would’ve expected at least one or two “aint’s” or “yall’s” to be spoken. This man is supposed to be a bull-riding cowboy from Texas, but the most southern he got was occasionally calling Bethany, “Darlin’.” I would’ve appreciated this aspect of his character been more representative of reality.

When it comes to Bethany’s character, I have to say I did not care very much for her. Her tendency for overthinking was very relatable, but I had a hard time understanding it. I felt that her character could have been given more depth so the readers could understand more on why she grew to be such an insecure and anxious individual, beyond just sibling rivalry for a parent’s attention.

While I cannot deny the steaminess of the novel, I have to admit I felt the romance between Bethany and Wes to be lacking. We can tell Wes cares deeply for Bethany, but I honestly do not understand why. The novel felt more of a story of lust than it did love. The tender moments, when they occurred, were sweet! But those moments were too few and it made the romance between them a bit unbelievable. Had the author toned down the sexual thoughts and added a few more moments of honest vulnerability, it likely would’ve been a better love story. Wes’ possessiveness over Bethany was also very off-putting (and honestly a warning sign if this was real life) for me. It came of as a bit creepy, annoying, and more old-fashioned than I would prefer. This may be a bit more of a personal preference, but I felt it worth mentioning.

Overall, I felt this story has a lot of potential. There were most definitely entertaining moments where I didn’t want to put the novel down, particularly in Wes’ story. However, as a whole I felt it was lacking a decent amount of depth. Depth to the overarching plot, Bethany’s character, and the romance. However, this book will be perfect if you are looking for a quick and steamy read and depth isn’t a major concern.

Another hit in this series! I was looking forward to this story! All I can say is I would want a guy like Wes!
If you have ever dated someone younger than you or if you're thinking about it,this can prove to you that it can work!

This was super cute. The sexual tension between Bethany and Wes made me squeal but the stand out relationship is Wes and his niece Laura. I normally don’t like romance novels where children are involved but I ended up loving Laura and may or may not have cried on several occasions.

The timeline requires some serious suspension of disbelief but hey, it was a fun and heartwarming story so I’m okay with it. I also really enjoyed the depiction and evolution of Bethany’s anxiety. I think Tessa Bailey handles mental health issues pretty well (I haven’t read Love Her or Lose Her but I loved Fix Her Up).

Part of a series, can be read as a standalone. Bethany works for her family real estate company staging houses, but wants to do more, and be taken more seriously. Wes, is on the construction crew. He is in town looking after his niece, and waiting for his sister to return. Bethany and Wes wind up competing against her brother and the family company, on a reality show about flipping houses. Forced to work together, and rely on each other, Bethany & Wes become close. But time is short, and life is also throwing them curveballs. Totally enjoyable read, funny and heartwarming. Definitely will read more by this author.

I've anxiously been awaiting for Wes and Brittany's love story since he walked on to the jobsite. I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers and I was not disappointed. This is by far my favorite of the series and I loved both Fix Her Up and Love Her or Lose Her.