Member Reviews
A totally fun, totally sweet story from Tessa Bailey! Opposites attract in the best way in this summer tale set between the LA party scene and a PNW fishing town. Piper and Brendan have nothing in common at first glance. But the chemistry they are sparking could set a raging fire! Absolutely a good time read, and perfect to get lost in.
Bailey creates a wonderful setting, with even better characters. The story benefits from character development that fills the blanks and draws you in. The chemistry is raging. The doubts and insecurities keep the story moving and as a reader I was all in. Nice job on the secondary characters of Fox and Hannah; look forward to their story too.
I'm a sucker for a romance read and anything Tessa Bailey I tend to pick up! I adored this quick, sweet romance, regardless if it were predictable. Predictability is pretty common in romance reads, but I adored the twist of the local boy and the outrageously bougie girl from out of town getting together once she learns to not live as large. The transformation of her character is imminent and the growth is there. The sexual tension and flirty nature is palpable and I enjoy the steamy sections that led to the two characters getting together. I would definitely recommend this to readers!
So, so good! I loved this book and can't wait for the next one in the series. It's was so funny, cute and a bit raunchy.
I have to confess, I was fresh off binge-watching Schitt’s Creek when I read this description for this book, which sounded a little like Alexis’s situation: an influencer socialite has everything, loses it, and has to rediscover herself and her values. Freshly dumped and accused of being vapid, Piper breaks into a hotel’s rooftop pool for an after-hours party with 200 of her closest acquaintances and followers. Her sister breaks her out of jail, but at home she has to face the wrath of her wealthy step-father, who cuts her off and sends her to her parents’ small port town to run their late father’s dive bar. Sunshiney socialite Piper is a fish out of water…but finds her calling with ideas to improve the No Name bar, falling for a local grumpy crab fisherman during the process. There is real character growth, soul-searching, and relationship building with the local community, the grandmother she didn’t realize she had, and stronger bonds forged with her younger sister Hannah as well.
Bailey writes funny, steamy romps with real heart. There is a strong sense of place, supporting characters are fully fleshed out personalities, and the sex is spicy. Chapters are from the point of view of both Brendan and Piper, and we also get to see Hannah’s burgeoning friendship with skipper Fox. She gets her own dreams–and own man–in the excellent sequel Hook, Line and Sinker.
It Happened One Summer, the first in a new duology from acclaimed romance author Tessa Bailey, was sexy and funny and full of heart.
Don't let the cutesy cover fool you, Bailey isn't afraid to write steamy, sexy scenes. The chemistry factor is off the charts with our main characters (Piper and Brendan) and although the sex is great, you really stay for the love. You want these two together and you might even shed some tears. Piper started out a little annoying but once she was in Washington, she is more interesting and a lot less shallow. Piper's sister, Hannah (whom book #2 is about) offered us a chance to see Piper as a nicer person and it really helped to see beneath her flashy exterior.
I loved It Happened One Summer and will recommend to romance reader's looking for steamy romance and plenty of laughs/heart. Perfect for fans of contemporary romance authors like Christina Lauren, Emily Henry and Talia Hibbert.
I expected a cozy sweet romance and woah, I was blown away with the steaminess of this book. The enemies to friends with benefits to lovers was so well executed! I at first strongly disliked our female protagonist and saw our hero as in the right, all be it a bit surly in his demeanor. If you are looking for a fun summer romp in the sheets look no further than this recent installment by Tessa Bailey. I also have to say that the big romantic gesture at the end was so heartwarming and worth the wait!
This was a fun and sexy romcom and I enjoyed it a lot. It had lots of laugh-out-loud moments for me. At first, I didn't think I was going to warm up to Piper who is a rich and spoiled wild child that ends up in a small coastal town in Washington. Her stepfather can't take it anymore with her latest scandals and sends Piper and her sister to run the bar their father owned. She meets the super hot and gruff sea captain Brendan and romance eventually ensues. I ended up adoring Piper, much to my surprise. All the other characters were likable and interesting as well. Overall it was a 4.5-star read for me.
Having read many Tessa Bailey novels, this one was a winner. I love novels set in WA state as well! If you want some steamy romance, spice level medium to hot, give this one a read. Enjoyed the idea of finding your place, where you are wanted and loved vs just enjoyed for a few minutes and believe it will connect with other readers. The sex in this novel is a little hotter than her previous Hot and Hammered series, some of the language made me giggle because I've never heard a man talk like that during sex, HAHA. Thanks for the free NetGalley ARC for the review.
It Happened One Summer is a sweet and spicy romance between crab fisherman, Brendan, and rich party girl, Piper, from LA who is sent to Washington following her latest scandal. Westport, Washington is where Piper was born but she hasn’t been back since she was a toddler following the death of her crab fisherman father. Coming along with Piper on her punishment is Piper’s sister Hannah and while there they get to discover the legacy their dad left behind and how the want to be a part of it.
Piper was a great protagonist and has one of my favorite growths I’ve read in a romance. She stays true to herself the whole way through but also manages to see life in a different perspective and grow as a person. I also enjoyed Brendan even though I found it odd that he is a widow who never seemed that he was in love with his wife. She almost seemed like a burden to him which was off putting. However, I did like how strongly he felt for Piper (although it was insta love after a millisecond of dislike). My favorite part of the story was Piper and her growth as well as her relationship with Hannah. I’m really looking forward to reading the sequel in this duology because I’m looking forward to seeing Hannah’s perspective.
I loved everything about this. The heroine was absolutely charming (keeping in my she is inspired by Alexa Rose) and I found the hero's profession fascinating--mainly because I've watched a lot of Deadliest Catch lately with my dad. So the stars aligned with the main interests of this book.
And it was just charming. Perfect beach read--which is where I read this.
The Alexis Rose fanfic you never knew you needed. Loved Piper, her mannerisms and the love story was top notch. Brenden can dirty talk to me whenever he wants.
I'm not a huge romance fan and don't read a lot of it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I dove into It Happened One Summer. Piper is a typical LA party girl, self-absorbed and not the brightest. After a wild night, her dad decides enough is enough and banishes her & her sister to work for a few months at a bar in Washington. While it looks doubtful that Piper will last that long, she finds a sea captain who might just make it worth her while. Brendan is the exact opposite of Piper---down-to-earth, a hard worker, and self-sufficient.
While it seems unlikely that a pair like Brendan & Piper could last, they may just surprise the world and themselves. They learn to be vulnerable about who they are together and start to bring out the best in each other. The opposites attract theory is in full force in this book and we have a front-row seat to Piper & Brendan rediscovering their emotions and what it means to connect with someone seemingly so different than you.
Ultimately, Piper & Brendan may have more in common than we think and this story is a rollercoaster of lovey-dovey summer romance. The story is lighthearted and fun for the most part and it's easy to root for our protagonist. Everyone may not be perfect, but everyone's deserving of love and has a person out there that's ready to give it to them. The small-town setting was the perfect stage for this cute romance!
Thank you so much to Avon, Tessa Bailey, and NetGalley for the ARC of It Happened One Summer!
Piper and Brendan were a joy. Tessa Bailey has so much talent it hurts. I was so thrilled to have this book set in Washington State rather than the East Coast as Bailey usually does. I look forward to Hannah and Fox's story.
I don’t have enough to say about this book. While the spiciness DID startle me initially, I absolutely fell hard for Piper and Brendon (and Hannah and Fox!) and finished the book in one sitting. Tessa writes hilarious and charming characters, and I thoroughly adored this read.
I loved the pacing of this book! It had plenty of sad moments but not enough to make you cry. It was also very spicy!!
This is probably my FAVORITE Tessa Bailey book! I love the characters, the plot, the setting and the steam is just the chef’s kiss! I really love how Brendan wasn’t overtly macho so much as just….comfortable with his routine. It didn’t take long for me to warm up to him because he wasn’t sexist or a complete jerk once he got self aware. The communication between him and Piper was fabulous! I can’t wait to dig into the second book!
This steamy romance reminded me of Schitt's Creek, especially an Alexis-Mutt storyline. However, I did not like the characters in this story as much as I did the characters from that show.
I found the storyline (especially the ending) not plausible. Too much seemed to happen too quickly.
Will I read the sequel anyway? Probably.
**3.5 Stars**
I will admit that I picked this book up basically blindly without reading the synopsis or reviews after reading somewhere that it is perfect for fans of the show Schitt's Creek (which is one of my favorite things ever!). Well, I guess the gist of this is kinda close with a ditzy rich girl cut off from her money sent to go live a small town life- but that was the only real similarity. I was a little disappointed, not gonna lie. Don't get me wrong, this had some charm and a great cast of side characters that I loved, but the comparison to Schitt's Creek was misleading.
I will say that the romance/love aspect went way too fast for my liking (I get instalust, but this was almost instalove). The character's meet and the love interest is kind of a beast to the MC for like 2 days and then he decides he wants her and subtle courts her for a week (aka necessary acts of service) and then they are madly in love after he is was off fishing (his dangerous job) for a week. Oooookk... It was just too fast and not realistic for me, but I am sure that other people just ate it up. Keep in mind this has high heat, with lots of detailed sexual encounters so if you want some steam in your contemporary romances, here you go.
I adored her sister and I would love to read her romance story, she was so cute and awkward and the complete opposite of Piper.
This rom-com is a fun beach read. Piper Bellinger is a wealthy wild child who lives a very public life. After one too many unfortunate episodes, her step-father sends her and her sister to learn to be adults by managing their late father’s run down bar in rural Washington. The set up is humorous and lighthearted but the characters are a little grating and the story falls apart a bit in the last half. Fans of Bailey and Schitt’s Creek will enjoy this frothy read. 3 stars.
Just like all of Tessa Bailey’s books, this one was amazing! I loved the story of discovering family, finding love, and learning money doesn’t buy happiness and fame is fleeting. I can’t wait to read the sequel!