4.5 stars rounded up.

Piper Bellinger is famous for being famous. She's got a reputation as a rich party girl, setting trends and influencing others. When a public breakup leads to too much alcohol and bad decisions culminate in an illegal rooftop party, Piper's stepfather has reached the end of his rope. He cuts her off and sends Piper, along with her sister, to learn responsibility by running their late father's dive bar in small-town Washington.

Within minutes of arriving, Piper meets brooding sea captain Brendan, who makes no secret of his belief that she doesn't belong there. Sure, Piper has no idea how to cook or fend for herself and the shabby apartment above the bar is less than welcoming, but she's determined to prove herself to her stepfather, and the grumpy, but also sexy, captain.

But Westport is a small town and Brendan is impossible to avoid. He is her complete opposite but that doesn't stop the fierce attraction simmering between them. Piper isn't ready to deal with anything as messy as feelings, especially for a man with such a dangerous profession, but as she begins to feel welcome and at home in Westport, she begins to wonder if she really wants to go back to her shallow old life. The glitz and glam still call to her, but Brendan has quickly claimed her heart.

This story was adorable! Probably the most adorable thing I've read all year. I'll admit, I couldn't stand Piper at first with her shallowness and whining, but she grew on me, especially as she became more self-aware and grew as a person. Brendan was amazing and is now on my favorite heroes of all time list. I loved his determination and persistence to get what he wanted with Piper, refusing to let her self-sabotage or shut him out because of her fears and insecurities. He knew just how much to push her and was a huge catalyst for a lot of her character growth. The steamy scenes here were on point and I loved the small town setting as well. Piper's developing relationships with the other locals, as well as new depths with her relationship with her sister, were excellent reading. Piper also helps Brendan come to terms with his grief and guilt over his wife's death seven years prior. I loved how mature Brendan was about everything. His refusal to play games was such a turn on to me (as well as to Piper) and totally solidified his position as a top hero. This book was light, steamy, and sweet, and it left me feeling good when I finished, even if it did feel just a little bit like a happy for now, rather than a happy ever after. I look forward to Hannah and Fox's story and hope we get some more time with Piper and Brendan in there too.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It Happened One Summer was hands down one of my most anticipated reads for Summer 2021, and this book was everything I didn’t know I needed and SO MUCH MORE. Not only is it my first 5 star read for 2021, but it’s definitely one of my new favorite romances as well!

Tessa Bailey is one of the first authors I checked out when I got back into reading romances again a while back, and she has quickly become one of my favorite authors! I have read quite a few of her books so far, and they just get better and better as they go along! I’m so glad to have read this newest book by her, and I am planning to read more soon!

So I really want to spend this whole review telling you “OMG THIS BOOK IS SO CUTE” over and over again, but I am going to try to contain myself and write actual words instead. But seriously, y’all … OMG THIS BOOK IS SO CUTE!

First, let’s start with the characters … Piper is awesome. She’s not the kind of character I would normally love when we first meet her in the book, but once you get to know the *real* Piper, you’ll definitely love her. Yes, she was inspired by Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek, and she’s that, yet so much more. She’s so great! And Brendan was just a big, adorable, grumpy teddy bear. A bit of an ass at first, but boy did that change. I loooooved watching the relationship between him and Piper grow as the story went along. It was so cute. And steamy… SO STEAMY.

There are some great secondary characters in the story as well, including Piper’s sister, Hannah… I mention her because she and Piper have the BEST friendship. I loved it!

The storyline for the book is very, very cute as well. Again, it was inspired by Schitt’s Creek, so if you like the show, you’ll love this book! (And if you haven’t watched the show, you totally should. It’s awesome as well!)

Once I finished this fantastic book, I was thrilled to discover that there is going to be a sequel! The next book in the series, Hook, Line, and Sinker, is all about Hannah, Piper’s sister, and Fox, Brendon’s shipmate! I am so very excited about this book … I already have my copy pre-ordered, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it when it releases in March!

Overall; Yeah… if you can’t tell by this super gushy review, I REALLY LOVED It Happened One Summer! I’ve been waiting and hoping for my first 5 star read of the year, and I couldn’t be any happier that it was this book. I am already planning my re-read soon … and will be reading again before the next book is released! Fans of Tessa Bailey, or of romance, or of Schitt’s Creek, or of love in general, DO check out this book asap! And I hope you love it as much as I do.

Happy Reading!

Spending the night in jail was the straw that broke the camels back. Piper Bellinger’s fancy stepfather could take no more. He knew this Hollywood wild child needed to learn a lesson after her champagne infused wrecking of a trendy hotel roof top party. Piper and her younger sister Hannah are sent to a small fishing town in the Pacific Northwest, Washington. It is where the girls were born and spent their earliest years of which they have little or no memory of their father who died at sea. When their mother remarried they were raised in the lap of luxury in Los Angeles. While Hannah was studious, Piper became the “It” party girl of instagram, gaining a massive following but few real friends. Now, sent to run and live above the ramshackle bar their father owned, the girls are not sure they will survive their three month banishment. That is until Captain Brendan walks through the door. This tall, hunky, bearded man is as crabby as he is handsome. No time for games, Brendan is a hard working no nonsense guy who lives by his own strict rules. The instant he lays eyes on Piper - it is game over. Their immediate chemistry is undeniable and no matter how many excuses they make, the fates have other plans. Steamy summer romance, sisterly love and plenty of hot fisherman, this romcom will have you hooked at hello.

Holy shit did it happen. My gosh the sex scenes! If you need a book that doesn’t hold back, enter Piper and Brendan.

I got The Simple Wild vibes with this one, which I was not mad about. Piper comes from money and a very lavish lifestyle, and yet she still managed to fit in with a small fishing town. I loved seeing her growth and how much love she has for everyone around her. This book was full of endearing characters, and a great love story! I would recommend picking it up soon!

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @avonbooks for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

I’m calling it. I read the first quarter of the book all in one go, then put it down and I just don’t see myself picking it back up. I was already hesitant about this book because I really don’t do books based on tv shows or movies I have zero interest in. I know people love Schitt’s Creek but apparently I’m turning more and more into a documentary girl, because I just don’t ever plan on watching the show at all and it was a huge turn off for me to see this book comped with that show. I only picked up this book because I heard good things from folks and thought I would like it.

But alas.

I think the story is fine but there’s minor things about the hero’s character that’s a huge red flag for me and reminds me at every turn that this isn’t a queer m/f book and it’s very set in its cis heteronormative ways and I just don’t think I can drag myself through this story anymore than I already have. Like, I read your typical m/f dark romances with alpha asshole heroes all the time, but none of them felt like THIS.

<blockquote>“Women are protective. Nurturing. A boat is given the name of a woman in the hopes that she’ll protect the crew. And hopefully put a good word in with the other important woman in our lives, the ocean.”</blockquote>


Gag.

I didn’t get to any of the sex scenes, so I can’t comment on those but I am bored. I liked Piper and her optimism and obliviousness. I liked grumpy Brendan until he spoke his nonsense.

I didn’t love that Piper’s sister was just hanging around all the time. I think I would’ve loved this story more if Piper was alone trying to figure life out without her sister in tow. Brendan’s friend seems fun but I don’t know if I’m all that interested enough to see him with Piper’s sister in the next book. I’ll probably be skipping it.

The book is a bit dark because Brendan isn’t over his wife’s death and it’s actually really sad. And there’s also Piper learning more about her own birth father and how he died. I don’t know, this book has its funny moments but then it also turns at a drop of a hat into an angst fest and I’m just not feeling it.

This is a DNF for me at 25% and I’m just going to save myself the trouble of reading this book and winding up hate-reading it to the end.

<i>***Thanks to the publisher for giving me an e-ARC for review.***</i>

When I heard this book being described as “Schitt’s Creek” inspired, I knew I had to read it. The fact that it has one of my favorite romance novel tropes, commonly known as Grump/Sunshine was an added bonus. This trope is similar to enemies to lovers but with less animosity between the love interests. The story hooked me from the start but I was worried because I didn’t like Piper at all. Part of this was by design as she is a rich, spoiled girl but I thought her actions and attitude were too over the top. It wasn’t until she arrived in Westport that I started to like her and as soon as Brendan was introduced, and the two met, I couldn’t put this book down. I was hooked. Brendan is the perfect romance novel grump: prickly, brooding, sexy, kind, and attentive. He says what he means and knows what he wants, except when it comes to love, of course. While Piper and Brendan can’t stand each other at first, the animosity comes more from the misconceptions they both have about each other than outright dislike or hatred. The chemistry is there and Bailey does a great job in building up the sexual tension so that when they give into their attraction, it’s believable and extremely hot. I can’t remember the last romance novel I read where I believed the love story as much as I did in this book. There was a surprising amount of emotional depth to the characters which made their relationship realistic. Even the side characters, Piper’s sister Hannah and Brendan’s friend Fox, are fully realized and believable and add to the story instead of feeling like they are just extras in the story. What kept this book from getting five stars was the somewhat contrived last act obstacle that Bailey has Piper and Brendan deal with. I know this is common in romance novels but it felt forced in what was a fairly realistic romance to that point.

I truly loved this book, even more than I thought I would. The relationship was realistic, the romance was hot, and the writing was fun. It was a perfect summer read with laughs throughout and low angst. Tessa Bailey has become a must-read author for me and I can’t wait for the second book in this series featuring Hannah and Fox. I hope you’ll like this one as much as I did!

I am a huge Tessa Bailey fan and I think this one was my favorite of all her books! I loved the humor and the wit and just the overall storyline.

I love Piper's sunshine personality and how it mixed with Brendan's grumpy one. Honestly, if you love Tessa Bailey then you need to read this one immediately. Heck, if you don't love Tessa Bailey then you need to read this one immediately because it will change your mind!

This was my first Tessa Bailey book and I loved it! I'm looking forward to grabbing her backlist books now.

This book is sweet, funny, and steamy and pretty much checks all the boxes for what I love in a romance novel or romcom.

Piper has such a wonderful character arc in this story and I enjoyed all the ways she changed as well the moments she realized she didn't have to change the parts that made her happy.

Brendan was such a swoony character! I loved his take-charge attitude, and that he had his own stuff to deal with and had to find his way and adjust course (boating pun 😉) just like Piper. And I've never read a book that had a fisherman as a main character so that was a unique, fun part of the story for me!

One of the best parts of this book? It takes place in Washington! The WA coastal towns are some of my favorite places and I was so happy when I found out this story is set in one.

I'm already excited for Hook, Line, and Sinker to be out next year!

Hands down my favorite Tessa Bailey book that I’ve read so far. I adored the concept behind this book (it being inspired by Schitt’s Creek and Alexis Rose), and it was executed immaculately. I loved seeing someone like Piper (and Alexis) get her own HEA. Brendan is the perfect grumpy hero who turns amazingly swoony throughout. As per usual with Bailey, the smut was *chef’s kiss*.

This book also made me feel so many things and I actually cried several times. Seeing Piper lay down real roots in Westport while also learning to love and appreciate herself was so rewarding to read about. The way Brendan and Piper fall for each other was absolutely everything as well. I cannot recommend this highly enough. GO READ IT.

**Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for and honest review**

I’m going to say it; I think It Happened One Summer might be my favorite read of 2021.

I loved just about everything about this book the characters were terrific, the story was great, and there was enough steam to make me very happy! Brendan and Piper were two of my favorite romance characters ever. They were both mature, which was kind of surprising given how Piper was characterized in the book. It starts as an enemies to lovers, but it quickly becomes less of the enemies part. I liked that Brendan had a clear physical attraction to Piper even though he didn’t necessarily like her.

And I get why Brendan’s attraction became more. Piper is a genially likable character. She is kind and intelligent, and though she is accused of being an airhead, she isn’t. I loved Brendan was able to make her see her true self. And once he realized she had been bullied and made to feel less than in the past, he took it upon himself to make sure she didn’t feel like that again!

Did I mention this book is steamy, like STEAMY? Have I read steamier? Yes. Have a read a steamier rom-com? No. I loved all the steam, but keep that in mind before picking this one up.
I cannot gush about this book enough! I loved it so much, and you will too!

Huge thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks for giving me my first ARC for an honest review.

Guys – I can’t give this book enough love. Tessa Bailey is quickly rising the charts as one of my favorite authors (which has nothing to do with us both being from Long Island but it’s an added bonus!). I couldn’t put it down – sneaking in reads between taking care of the littles and I haven’t even seen Schitt’s Creek! You can’t help but fall in love with Piper, Brendan and the delightful seaside town of Westport. It’s like choosing my favorite child trying to find the right quote. This book has great banter, lovable characters with depth and makes you want to live in a small town with quirky personalities that care deeply for each other. Oh, and steam. LOTS of steam. This is THE summer beach read. Just a home run.

Trope: Fish Out of Water, Opposites Attract

Quote: Builds A Pergola Guy didn’t seem like the casual type.

Song for Piper and Brendan: Brandy, you’re a Fine Girl by Looking Glass. I was humming this song the entire time I was reading (#yachtrock). “Your eyes could steal a sailor from the sea."

Even though I have had friends tell me forever that I should read a Tess Bailey book I hate to say that this was my first but it for sure will not be my last. The characters were cute, I adored the complete differences in who they were and found their relationship completely believable and loved every second of it. I will definitely take my friends advice and read more for this author from now on! A truly delightful romp!

Y’all I couldn’t get enough of this book! I’m a huge Schitt’s Creek fan, so when I hard this was an Alexis inspired love story I had high hopes & It Happened One Summer exceeded them!

I love loved Piper’s character and how she was just a light that filled every room. She is inherently kind and had me rooting for her to find her way in life and find someone like Brendan who not only accepts but loves everything about her. I loved their grumpy/sunshine combo in the beginning and reading their relationship progress had me reading well into the night because I couldn’t put it down! And Brendan — woo doggy he is a hunk of a book boyfriend that can be sweet as pie one minute and talk dirty with the best of them the next… thank you Tessa Bailey for this well balanced dream man! I fell in love with the small PNW town and the entire cast of side characters as well!

Overall It Happened One Summer is such a fun, steamy summer read you definitely need to check it out!!

I can’t wait for Hannah’s story next year!

Amazing!!! So funny, so sweet, and SO steamy. This was my first book by Tessa Bailey, but it definitely won’t be my last. I couldn’t put this one down, and I’m already thrilled for the next one in the series!

Hello, let me introduce myself, I’m Tessa Bailey’s newest fan-club member! It Happened One Summer was such a fantastically funny and cute rom-com and I am so thankful that I had the privilege to receive this ARC. Honestly, I actually DNF on my first attempt, but I’m so happy I came back to it. Piper is a Bel-Air total airhead and for the first few chapters, this was a turn off for me. I couldn’t see past her selfish, partying ways and nearly gave up. Which, as it turns out, is what pretty much everyone in Piper’s life has ever done.
Banished to a small fishing town on the PWC, Piper and her adorable younger sister Hannah, find themselves suddenly on a budget for the first time, living in nearly condemned conditions and without any friends or support system. The town is known for its crab fishing and the fishermen couldn't be any more handsome or wary of the new ladies in town. Most of all, Captain Brendan, who can’t figure out if he’s trying to drive Piper out of the town or into his own bed. I admit that I adored the cast of characters in this picturesque small town and laughed out loud many times. Tessa Bailey’s writing reminded me of Abby Jimenez’s witty style! If you’re looking for interesting character development, burning romance, quaint towns and spectacular dialogue, add It Happened One Summer to your summer TBR pile! And, as a spectacular surprise, Bailey is releasing a follow up story following Hannah and I cannot wait to be first in line.

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I had not watched Schitt's Creek before the loveARCtually club members raved about it during this book chat, I was more than ready and excited to read It Happened One Summer from Tessa Bailey. After reading and absolutely loving her steamy romances before (The Hot & Hammered series, highly recommend!) I knew that whatever the book was about, if Tessa was writing it, I was going to love it. Thanks to Avon Books + NetGalley, I got to read an advance readers copy of this title, and we selected it as a loveARCtually read in July as well and to say it was a popular club read was an understatement. No one writes steam like Tessa, and it made for such a HOT summer read, perfect for poolside reading for when you need to cool off!

Written to resemble Alexis Rose from Schitt's Creek, Piper is the perfect ode to the spoiled adult who has had little to no responsibility in her life, depending primarily on her family's money. Until she takes her crazy antics a little too far, and finds herself being exiled to a small, sleepy Pacific Northwest beach town where she'll be forced to run a dive bar with her sister, Hannah.

Enter Brendan, your obvious next choice for the title of best book boyfriend, because he is everything she needs even if he is her polar opposite in every way. An alpha male made of muscles and gruff exterior, who shows Piper she deserves to be treated like a queen.

Each of our main characters is endearing and full of surprises, as they learn to navigate one another and grow as people. The banter between the two of them was endearing and fun, making me feel that instant connection between them, as well as with the characters around them - I am SO excited for Fox & Hannah's story in book 2, Hook, Link & Sinker already!

This series promises everything I love about summer reading, quaint small towns that you wish you could travel to, with stories that capture your heart and make you wish YOU were in the story yourself!

3 to 3.5 stars?

Well well well, never thought I’d see myself back here again enjoying yet another Tessa Bailey book

Ok, let’s not get crazy. I didn’t absolutely love this one, but I also didn’t hate it! Sure, some scenes made me roll my eyes back so so hard and some dialogue I could’ve done without, but I couldn’t stop listening to the audio and WELP. Now I’m seriously anticipating the next book! Who am I???

I’ve also officially come to the decision that I will be skipping all of Tessa’s sex scenes from here on out bc holy shit, if I wanted cringe AF dirty talk, I’d just go turn on some hetero porn

ANYWAY. The beginning started off strong, but Brendan got too be a little too much for me, but I still enjoyed being around Piper and I can’t wait to catch more glimpses of them in the future.

Wouldn’t knock this!



(Side note: can I hold up this book next time someone wants to tell me that all romance is feminist? bye)

It Happened One Summer is a laugh out loud romp of a romance! I loved this book from the very first page and thoroughly enjoyed watching the bubbly Piper turn grumpy Brendan into the sea captain of her heart.
Funny, heartfelt, and compulsively readable, It Happened One Summer is the perfect summer read to add to your list.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

Oh my my! This was a fun and spicy little book!

Inspired by Schitt’s Creek (which I still haven’t watched), It Happened One Summer tells the story of spoiled Piper who is cut off from her family and excited to a small Pacific Northwest beach town… Once there, she quickly butts head with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick read and I loved the sizzling romance. The small town setting was charming and the side characters were all lovable. I laughed at Piper’s antics and had a little crush on Brendan. It was totally adorable.

Now- the steam level of this book?! Completely off the charts! I didn’t mind it, but the dirty talk was a little distracting.

Overall, I recommend this one to fans of The Simple Wild. Four stars!

Thank you to Avon Books, Netgalley, and Tessa Bailey for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. #ItHappenedOneSummer #NetGalley

I’ve had a few books by Tessa Bailey on my TBR for a while, but It Happened One Summer is the first that I actually read. And I’m so glad it was, because I enjoyed this fun read so much! I will say that this book was loosely inspired by Schitt’s Creek, which I haven’t seen, so any references or relatability to that show would have been lost on me. However, what I did get from this book are The Simple Wild Vibes, which is one of my all time favorite books! I loved the convent of a spoiled socialite from LA finding herself in a small fishing town. Fish out of water for sure! Her connection to one of the local fisherman was undeniable and made for a great read! I can’t wait to read book to with Hannah and Fox!