I really enjoyed the first book in this series so as soon as I saw this book, I requested it. It was also fun and hot. Tessa Bailey is quickly becoming a must-read for me.

This is definitely a top book of 2020 for me! As I’ve read and loved the Hot and Hammered Series by Tessa Bailey I’ve come to realize it’s a shame this is the first series of hers I’ve read. No one writes a dirty talking hero quite like she does.

From the first book of the series I’ve grown to love Bethany as a character. I resemble so much her appearing put together on the outside but being an anxious mess on the inside. I wanted so badly for her hero to soften the edges and make her feel safe and secure. When Wes showed up, a somewhat cocky and mouthy 23 year old I was thinking this can’t be her guy. Boy was I wrong!! I think it was a little bit lust at first sight for both of them but I’m so glad the tension built for a while before they finally got their chance. Wes may be one of my all-time favorite heroes. He is so hot and intense and patient and tender.

The older woman, younger man trope has never really done it for me. But Bethany (30) and Wes (23) were a perfect fit. Some of the scenes in this book are still making me blush.

This series overall is a win! I adore it and wish I got 3 more books in the series!

4.25 Stars / 3.5 Steam Fans

For the third book in the Hot and Hammered series, Tools of Engagement gives the reader everything readers have come to love from Tessa Bailey. Wes and Bethany give us witty banter, sexy flirting, and super sweet swoony moments.

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The last book in Tessa Bailey’s Hot & Hammered series did not disappoint! We dive back into the world of Port Jefferson and the Just Us League but this time we follow Bethany Castle as she breaks out on her own to start her own house flip rather than stay in the shadows of her brother’s business.⁣
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Who comes to her aid when she makes the bold claim that she can flip a house better than her brother? Wes Daniels, a 23-year-old foreman, who is also taking care of his young niece. Since the romantic tension between Wes and Bethany began in LOVE HER OR LOSE HER, this book is the awesome story of these two lovebirds, however unlikely they may be. ⁣
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It addresses perfectionism, anxiety, an age gap (this time it’s the lady who’s older!), parental abandonment, and of course, love and lust. It’s very 🔥🔥🔥 steamy in signature Tessa Bailey style. I definitely enjoyed this one! ⁣

Tessa Bailey never disappoints. I love the fact that I finally get to get into Bethany's head. Wes is just as great, and it's nice to finally see why he "pokes the bear" all the time. 10 out of 10 stars, would definitely recommend this whole series!

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn’t a favorite. Although this is a series I’ve enjoyed, with some incredibly charming characters that I’ve found myself truly rooting for, I can’t pinpoint the exact reason why I can’t fall in love with it completely like others! I always find myself questioning some of the characters’ choices and not loving some of the personality traits of the hero. Not to mention that the endearing terms are, in my opinion, less than endearing. I enjoyed this more than the previous one in the series and it was still a very charming book with a lot of positive aspects about it!

I think this was my favorite book out of the three. It was fast paced and realistic and the banter between the characters didn’t feel awkward like it does in so many romance novels. The house flip section could have been a little more detailed but other than that this novel was a win for me! Thank you Avon and Netgalley for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the overall story, but it was maybe a little TOO hot (& hammered) for me. I wanted a little more backstory and a little less 50 shades.

Tools of Engagement was such a fun read! I soon discovered it is book 3 in a loosely connected series (not reliant on its predecessors for plot points) which quickly gave me motivation to see if I could snag the first two books - lo and behold #1 was already on my Libby Holds shelf. Yay me!

Tessa Bailey did a great job making her characters real; they have history, depth, and are just flawed enough to be human. The story, centered around a house flip, had enough unique elements to hold my interest and enough quirky bits to have me laughing out loud a couple times (which is rare for me). The ending was sweet, but not overly so, and somewhat predictable but in a good way; I dislike unnecessary drama.

4 stars for this one, because I can see myself reading it again and probably enjoying it even more once I read the first two in the series and get a little more backstory, but without that back story I felt like something was missing.

i love tessa bailey's books. i adored fix her up. didn't like the second one as much, but i thought that was because it was about a marriage in trouble and my own marriage had just gone up in a ball of flames. i had high hopes for this one. again, don't know if it's me and the state of my brain/the world, but it didn't do much for me. it was fine, but i didn't feel anything for the characters, which means i didn't fall in love - or lust - with them. i didn't hate it... i just didn't love it.

This was Tessa's best book in the Hot and Hammered series. It was funny, cute, and oh-so-sexy! She brings the heat with this one and it reminds me of her older work.

Tessa Bailey did it again!!! This book has all the feels and I really enjoy seeing the other characters come back! Totally hits the chip and Joanna vibes. Soooooo hot! She knocked it out of the park this time. So sad this is the last in the series!!!

Heat Factor: Hot and Hammered is a pretty accurate description
Character Chemistry: Teasing starts mean, gets good natured
Plot: When Bethany walks off her job, Wes pulls a Zellweger and follows her. Plus Wes is trying to figure out how to parent his niece.
Overall: I loved the relationship, but I had qualms about some of the other stuff

Let’s begin by meeting our protagonists.

On the surface, we’ve got a case of opposites attract. She’s 30, well established in the community and her career, and never gets messy. Her hair is always perfect. He’s 23, kind of transient, and likes getting dirty. I assume he always has hat hair because he never takes off his cowboy hat. Ever since they’ve met, he’s been pushing her buttons and imagining the hate sex they’re going to have one day.

However, Bethany and Wes, in classic romance novel fashion, have a lot in common once you get past first impressions. They are both deeply insecure and lonely. They both push people away - Bethany for fear that people will see the secret messiness beneath the surface, and Wes because he’s literally never had permanence in his life, so why would this time be any different?

Of course, once they start spending time together fixing up a house for a reality TV show (just go with it, ok?), they realize that it’s not about the zingers, but about the connection that they’re building. Wes pushes past Bethany’s shell of perfection, and Bethany realizes that she likes it, even if it also makes her nervous. Wes works really hard to show Bethany that he’s perfect for her - he knows she’s skittish, so he resolves that he won’t run away no matter what - and Bethany slowly peels back more and more of her protective layer, both to Wes and to others in her life.

Wes’ growth arc, which is centered on him realizing that stability can be a part of his life, is not just about his feelings for Bethany, but also about his feelings for his niece, Laura. See, Wes has come to town in order to temporarily care for Laura while his sister, Becky, gets her life back together. (I’m not sure where Laura’s dad is, but he is never mentioned beyond the implication that the breakup is recent.) It’s a nice spin on the single parent trope, as Wes wants to do what’s best for Laura, but is honest about not being exactly sure what that is. It helps that Laura is a believable five-year-old, and not just a plot moppet.

Oh, and before I forget! The sex writing! Oh. My. God. I was not prepared for the level of detail included here, but I am here for it. If you have a vagina, and you think that your partner could use some tips about how to go down on you, please have your partner read the passage where Wes goes down on Bethany. It’s entirely from his point of view, and highlights the small details he focuses on in order to make sure Bethany is enjoying herself.

However, there were a few things that made me uncomfortable. Some of it was tropey stuff that I don’t really care for. Some of it was part of random side plots. I’ll make a list:

- Bethany and Wes are really mean to each other in the beginning. They aren’t enemies, exactly, but their sniping seems a little bit overboard for people who are casual acquaintances. Bailey does have eventually have her characters address this in various ways (for example, Wes apologizes for making cracks about Bethany’s age when he realizes they really bother her), which went a long way in mitigating my discomfort here.
- There’s a very strange side plot with Bethany’s brother and sister-in-law which is predicated on “Bitches be crazy.” It made not a lot of sense and took up a lot of space in the first half of the book, without adding much to the characters or the romance. (I asked Erin, who read book 2, if there was anything about these characters and their weirdness there and she didn’t recall it being a thing.)
- There’s a scene where Bethany blocks Becky from seeing Laura. It is heavily implied that Becky is high, but it felt very...I don’t know. Judgy? For Bethany to tell Becky not only that she shouldn’t take Laura with her (probably valid) but shouldn’t see her at all didn’t quite sit right with me. Maybe because of the judgment about who gets to be a good mother? Becky still loves her kid, even if she’s even messier than Bethany.
- After the Big Fight, Bethany and Wes both decide that they don’t deserve the love of the other person because they messed up so much. Come on, guys!

There were enough of these niggles that I did some rage-texting with Erin and Ingrid. So despite the beautiful relationship and Bailey’s strong writing, I can’t wholeheartedly recommend this one.


I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report (10/14).

I absolutely loved this series, and I hope Bailey finds a way to keep it going. Wes and Bethany are a super cute couple, and I enjoy a younger man-slightly older woman dynamic.

What a way to end this series. I’ve read the other two books in this series through the public library and was excited to get a chance to read this book. This is a series that I would love to own. I loved how two unlikely people (she fought her attraction and he knew immediately but wasn’t sure about committing) found what they truly needed in life with each other. To see a female character who appeared to be perfect on the inside truly had insecurities and faults, but learn from them helped to make this story more realistic. I loved how it brought all the pieces of the other stories in the series together. The flow of the book was perfect it didn’t feel to quick or slow. I just wish this book and story of this family/friends didn’t end, want to know more about them after.

Parts of this book really irritated me. Like don’t be unrealistic about legal matters and for goodness sakes the timeline! Don’t try that at home folks. But I did really love Bethany. I think a lot of people could really relate to the way her brain works.

Tessa Bailey sure knows how to close out a series!

From the moment Wes appeared I knew I liked him. He was fun, witty and clever, and boy he did not disappoint me! I was a little worried about Bethany, she isn't exactly warm and fuzzy, however once I got inside her head a bit I really understood her and liked her a whole lot more.

The banter between Wes and Bethany was perfection. It never felt like too much or over the top, and I liked that Wes recognized that a particular barb bothered Bethany a lot and he let that go for other ones, a sign that he truly respects her. Wes was also absolutely adorable with his niece. I loved watching that relationship bloom to the point where he knew he wasn't going to be able to leave.

Bethany took a big leap in doing her own flip and I appreciated that she wasn't just in it for show. She picked up tools and got to work herself.

The addition of the TV show business didn't do much for me other than add some tension with her brother, but it also didn't bother me.

3.5 stars?

Well well well. How the tables have turned.

I’ve not been a fan of Tessa Bailey’s books before (specifically, the previous two in this same series) and while I should’ve given up, I found myself intrigued by the synopsis of this one. What was one more try?? WELL, YA GOT ME, TESSA.

While I’m not going around and singing its praises, it *did* surprise me and I found it quite enjoyable! Perhaps it was the fact that there weren’t too many sex scenes (which I find cringe from this author, and this book cemented that for me) or perhaps it was the fact that our two main characters each have such a strong story to tell that I appreciated Tessa gave time to. While the ending did seem a bit rushed where the conflict was concerned, we still got to know who Wes and Bethany were. Well, mostly.

What I just don’t get is why there had to be this whole reality tv show moment when the book honestly thrived without it. It could have given more way to Wes’ foster home upbringing or relationship with his sister and Bethany’s ideas of perfection and insecurities, which I felt did not get enough attention. Her’s kind of felt thrown into the story a bit? Again, the reality tv show bit was not essential to the story.

Overall, I’m quite glad I decided to give this one a listen! Not too sure I’m a fan still, but perhaps I’ll keep an eye out for Tessa Bailey’s next book!

I’ve really enjoyed this series so much. I think this was my favorite.
Bethany is the ultimate perfectionist and seems to have it all together. But when Wes comes along and shakes up her life, she’s annoyed at how he can easily see past the hard shell she presents to the world.
Wes was so funny and swoony and had so much more depth to him than I realized in the previous books.
I think he and Bethany were such a great match despite their differences. They really got each other.

This books so much fun to read and exactly what I needed.

I’m not generally a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, but this one was FANTASTIC. Cute, charming, hilarious, delightfully clever...I could go on and on, this was SUCH a fun story to read!

Bethany Castle is perfectly put together - her appearance, her house, her hostessing skills, her job staging flipped houses for her family’s business, Brick & Morty, are all...perfect. But now on the cusp of 30, she wants more. More respect, more responsibility, more of her own life. So when she walks into the family’s latest job and announces she’s quitting to manage her own house flip, her brother tells her she’s being ridiculous.

Bethany expected resistance to her announcement. What she didn’t expect is her archnemesis, Wes Bentley - the man she constantly argues and bickers with - to quit his great job with Brick & Morty and join her as project foreman.

Wes recently moved from Texas to Long Island to take care of his 5 year old niece after his half-sister decided she needed a break from motherhood. With the blink of an eye the carefree 23 year old bull rider has a full-time day job and full-time fatherhood duties. He’s completely smitten with Bethany, even if she can’t stand him. But the last thing he’s going to do is let her fail.

The internal thoughts of Bethany and Wes were amusing, and their banter was hilarious. I loved watching the push and pull between them, and loved Wes’s determination to break through Bethany’s walls. It was wonderful to see a young hero behave with so much maturity. Wes’s relationship with his niece was precious.

But…this was a strong story with an ending that ran out of steam. I loved how the relationship conflicts played out, but I’m not sure I completely understood what drove Bethany to feel she needed to be perfect all the time, and I felt like the ending - with the reality show “reveal” grand gesture - was gimmicky and cliched. After a whole book that was refreshing and not cliched, it felt like a let down.

Regardless, everything else about Tools of Engagement was completely enjoyable and I’m determined to read more Tessa Bailey. I can always use more fun stories like this in my life!

* thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review