I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

I can definitively say that I am not a fan of how Tessa Bailey writes her books.

It's not the plot or the characters that I have a problem with, but the gratuitous pornographic language she uses during her love scenes. For me, it completely ruins the whole experience. In the case of this book, it seemed very out of character for her two main leads, specifically Brendan. I would get sucked into the story and then immediately get pulled out again by the love scenes

I want to be clear - I am no stranger to spice in my books. I enjoy reading it and it often adds an extra layer to the romance playing out on the page. But it has to make sense in the context of the characters. This is the second book I've read by Miss Bailey where I've felt that she missed the mark on the language she uses during her love scenes and I don't foresee myself giving her a 3rd try.

It's a shame, really. Because overall, I liked the story. Just the one thing that was supposed to be good was really bad.

Thanks to #netgalley, #avonbooks and #harpervoyagerus for a copy to read and review! I am so excited for this new series.
This was labeled as a Schitt’s Creek inspired romance! I LOVED that show and definitely saw the similarities between Piper and Alexis. Hollywood “it girl” Piper is shipped off to exile to a Pacific Northwest beach town where she immediately butts heads with sea captain Brendan. As she reconnects with her past, she can’t fight the growing attraction with Brendan.
It took me a little bit to become absorbed with this boo but once I did I couldn’t out it down. It also set up the next book in the series (I had to stop in the middle and make sure a second book was coming with the characters I thought 🤣🤣)! I can’t wait to read book 2!! If you need a new romance, this one comes out July 13.

It is so hard rating this book. The story? Super fun. Characters? Charming, lovable, chemistry off the charts. Setting? Also charming and lovable.

But there was homophobic and transphobic language in here that I am honestly shocked (and frustrated) at still seeing in 2021. This isn't the first Tessa Bailey book that I've enjoyed; I think she is a fantastic romance writer. But I think this is it for me. Until she stops gushing over how "male" having a big dick makes you, I just can't do it. I can't read her books anymore. Wanting to enjoy this book at the same time that it felt toxic to me at times as a queer and nonbinary person was just a really upsetting experience.

Piper, socialite and party girl extraordinaire, has been sent to a small fishing town on the Washington Coast after her latest scandal. Brendan, fisherman and boat captain, doesn't take kindly to having his carefully set routine interrupted by this beautiful woman in impractical shoes.

Reader, I loved it. It's Piper (who is basically Alexis Rose from Schitt's Creek) coming into her own after a lifetime of living down to everyone else's expectations. It's Brendan setting aside his routines and moving out of the safety net he built in grief to take a chance on someone new. And it's Tessa Bailey, so there's dirty talk and sexy times far beyond what a cartoon cover would suggest.

And the emotions! It's so full of emotions. When Piper is scared and runs through a rainstorm? So good.

A favorite. I want to read it again immediately.

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

The opposites attract vibe is on point in It Happened One Summer.

Piper is a rich girl, influencer, party girl that goes one step too far and ends up being sent to spend 3 months in a small fishing town in Washington, where her dad is from. It made me a little sad that Piper and Hannah basically knew nothing about their dad except that he died at sea. I get why it would be hard for their mom to talk about it, but goodness!

Piper went through a lot of self discovery, this was my favorite aspect of the book. You really get to see who your true friends are when bad things go down, and her LA crowd was really just there for the notoriety. Piper discovers in Brendan someone who believes she is more than just a party girl.

Brendan is the captain of the Della Ray, a widower and an all around great guy (don't worry, he still has some faults). I loved how deep he felt his attraction for Piper, despite the fact that they are complete opposites. He knew from the beginning that to ask her to stay in Washington would mean her giving up everything, and he actively thought about what he could do for her to ask that.

My one small issue was I didn't understand why in the big event at the end that someone just didn't text her?
Or reply? And after the fact why didn't Hannah reach out to her? Hard to explain, but when you read it you'll understand!

I'm seriously looking forward to the next book, Hannah and Fox were too cute and should be a great story!

4.5 ⭐️

After a public break-up, social media elitist Piper ends up in jail after throwing a rager. Her stepfather cuts her off, ships her to her birth father’s small town, to learn the value of money, actual work, and responsibility. Enters the exact opposite of Piper’s whole being—the bearded, beanie-wearing, grumpy pants, stuck in his ways with no ounce of spontaneity, and widower, Brendan. Can these two navigate what they feel for each other and what they truly want?

I got major THE SIMPLE WILD vibes with this one. The grumpy alpha male living his small town, doing what he did best, being one with the open seas and the big city girl who had never done anything for herself. The small town of Westport was vivid and the characters I met only added more character. Though it seemed Piper had more adapting to do, it was pretty apparent how much Brendan had to get out his comfort zone, too. The two complimented each other throughout the story, and the final chapters totally made me cry.

And, we all know Bailey throws down steam, so if you’re in the mood for a heavy on the raunch raunch-com with tender, heartwarming elements, I definitely recommend!

It Happened One Summer is a fun, quirky romance with plenty of steam. Definitely perfect for fans of Schitt's Creek.

Piper Bellinger is a L.A. party girl through and through... but after her partying goes a little too far, she is exiled to the sleepy town of Westport, Washington. Prescribed a dose a reality by her successful stepfather, Piper plans to prove herself and return home as fast as possible... but Westport has other plans...

Brendan Taggart is a gruff sea captain who finds comfort in his routine and is an expert at navigating rough seas. When Piper shows up and shakes up his town, Brendan vows he wants nothing to do with her... but it doesn't take long for his dislike to turn into a very inconvenient infatuation...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It Happened One Summer was a hilarious, sexy, and completely adorable, opposites attract romance! Piper and Brendan have nothing in common, except for being mutually annoyed by each other. But Westport is a small town, where everyone knows everyone else's business, and Piper and Brendan just can't avoid each other, or the sparks between them, forever... 

Piper is an instagram famous, socialite who is the first to admit that she is helplessly out of her depth in the charming town of Westport. And while her sweet personality and bubbly attitude easily charms the residents of the small beach town, there is one man who makes no secret of his feelings for outsiders like her...

Brendan has a dangerous job that he loves. He belongs on the ocean, and in Westport where he was born and raised, and he absolutely wants nothing to do with an interloper who is bound to shake things up. But the more Brendan gets to know Piper, the more he realizes he enjoys her high maintenance ways, and he craves learning and experiencing everything he can about the spoiled L.A. princess...

This book was such an incredibly fun read! Piper was a fantastic character with so many layers and depth that you never expected to see from her after her first introduction. I loved her relationship with her sister and the journey she embarked on into discovering her own self worth. Brendan was an utterly delicious, dirty talking hero who worshipped Piper like she absolutely deserved. He was protective, sweet, and of course, provided many hot sexual moments with his lady.

This story was fabulously written, had a superb plot, and showed so much character growth between both Piper and Brendan. Oh, and did I mention just how SUPER hot Piper and Brendan's relationship was?! It Happened One Summer is a total must read book for this summer, every summer, and any season in between.

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

5/5 Stars

If you’re looking for an easy, steamy, hilariously funny romance to read this summer. THIS IS DEFINITELY IT. Tessa Bailey’s writing is amazing and she delivered!!

I fell in love with both of our characters, Piper and Brendan. Piper is a 28 year old wealthy, ditzy Hollywood socialite who hasn’t accomplished much in her life and has never had to work for anything. After getting into some trouble, her stepdad sends her and her sister to the north western fishing town where their parents met to learn how to become more independent and provide for themselves. Once they arrive, she meets Brendan…a hot, sexy, brooding fishing boat Captain who isn’t impressed by her charms. But after some choice encounters, confident Piper wiggles her way in to Brendans mind and heart, and Piper begins to crave Brendan and the simple life.

There is so much I loved about this romance. I appreciated the fact that Brendan didn’t pressure Piper to change who she was to please him. He accepted her wholly and it was refreshing. Tessa Bailey did a great job transitioning Piper from the glamorous Hollywood socialite to the hardworking small town girl. The whole ditzy aspect of Pipers personality could have gone very wrong but I found it charming and hilarious. The steamy scenes were smoking hot…Tessa didn’t hold anything back!

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book!! Hannah (Piper’s sister) is getting her own story in 2022 and I can’t wait!

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Tessa Bailey for the advanced copy!

This is every girl's dream romantic fantasy. It was humorous, cunning, and romantic. I like Tessa Bailey's ability to immediately throw us into the book without dancing around anything.

Thank you so much to @Avonbooks & @netgalley for this e-arc of It Happened One Summer 😍 Pub date: 7/13! (Mark your calendars!)

Tessa Bailey is one of my favorite romance com authors. Her stories are just out of this world. When I tell you I could not stop reading this book I MEAN IT.

This book had me missing my husband and wanting all my besties to experience a love like this. This story follows an “IT” girl fall in love with a small town manly man. Throughout the story, piper begins to question who she is and who she wants to be. Meanwhile, Brendan sees Piper in a way piper has never experienced. Brendan comforts and treats Piper like the queen she is. Brendan also is not afraid to get honest and real about his intentions and feelings which throws piper for a curve (the bar is set so low lol) The two are from completely different worlds and struggle with accepting their fate as a couple. This book gave me Schitt's creek vibes and i am not mad at it! When i tell you right after finishing the book i made an order to @worldbookstore to score a SIGNED copy of this because it’s that good. Definitely a steamy pool read and a great way to spend a few hours. Tessa Bailey can easily take my money. ❤️

I didn't plan on requesting and reading this book early as Tessa Bailey books are hit or miss for me. The blurb, while cute, didn't stand out as something I would particularly enjoy, but I kept hearing over and over how amazing this book was. I decided to give it a try and you know what? I LOVED IT. Like, really, really loved it. It Happened One Summer ended up being the perfect sweet and steamy fun summer read. I ate up every super tropey fish out water/opposites attract/grumpy one and sunshine one minute of it. I hope Bailey intends to make this the first in a series and that we get to revisit some of the side characters in their own books in the future! Highly recommend for romance readers or anyone looking for a fun summer read!

Piper Bellinger has spent her life getting by just fine on her pretty looks and her stepfather’s millions. But when Piper’s partying ways go a bit too far, she finds herself sent to Westport, Washington - a small fishing town where no one is impressed with her socialite status and millions of Instagram followers. Piper’s father lived and died a fisherman in Westport, but he definitely isn’t the only fisherman she’s interested in learning about while in Washington. Brendan Taggart lost his wife seven years ago, and his life has been full of no-nonsense routines ever since. He makes the same fishing trips, gets the same groceries, and orders the same thing at the restaurant. But then Piper walked into the bar in Westport, and his life as he knew it was over. Inciting feelings he never felt before, Brendan suddenly found all his plans thrown to the side, his routines completely upended. Brendan’s job is dangerous, but falling in love with Piper might be the hardest task he’s ever taken on.

I absolutely adored It Happened One Summer. I find Tessa Bailey’s writing so easy to fall into, and her newest book is no exception. I love watching characters fall from grace and rebuild themselves into a better person throughout the book, and Piper does exactly that. I love the character’s slow realization that the life they used to thrive in, full of flashing cameras and fake friends, isn’t the life that truly makes them happy. Brendan was a different kind of leading man: rough and tough fisherman on the outside, dirty-minded softy who’s not afraid of Piper’s materialistic sensibilities on the inside. I really loved the character of Brendan and everything he brought to the table. Once Piper cracked his tougher, routine-driven exterior, he was funny, protective, and nurturing. I will for sure be looking for more romances with men like Brendan because he was such a lovable character.

If I have any complaints about It Happened One Summer, it would be Piper and Brendan’s relationship itself. I guess I found it a little harder to believe that the small-town fisherman would love, and even sort of encourage, the materialistic values that Piper had. Sure, Brendan made good money off his fishing boat and could easily support Piper’s Hollywood lifestyle, but it seemed a bit out of character for someone like him to encourage that sort of lifestyle. I truly did love Piper and Brendan together - it was hot, it was playful, and it was sweet - but Brendan occasionally seemed out of character with his materialistic side.

Overall, I loved this book. The plot pulled me in and I was instantly hooked. Piper and Brendan had a great story, and I can’t wait to see what happens next in Westport, Washington.

A lovely and fun read that loses a star for me because the third act fight felt completely out of character and forced. I enjoyed these characters, this town, and this world -- I'll definitely seek out the sequel! But I said out loud "this makes no sense" as the big blow up was happening, which took me out of the story a bit and made me less invested in the happy ending. Overall, a charming story that I would recommend.

To start with, I really love Tessa Bailey's style of writing. This is my first book by the author, but its one of those books that read so well. I will definitely be picking up more of her books in the future. The nod to Schotts Creek is what inspired me to read this one and it did not let me down. I found Piper to be such a fish out of water and still likable and hilarious. I thought Brendan and Piper were great complimentary characters and enjoyed watching them get together. This was such a fun romcom, a PERFECT summer read!

Steamy, hot, fun, and the perfect book for the summer! This is one book you will not want to skip nor should you underestimate.

I hadn't read a Tessa Bailey romance in a while so I had forgotten how she does it but oh my god HER STUFF IS STEAMY. I am a fan now and have to go and read her backlist (I'm reading The Sweetest Fix asap!). Thank you to everyone who has been reading this book because yall made me want to get it. Mae, Nick, Katee, you're the reason I HAD TO READ IT.

It Happened One Summer is about It Girl Piper getting cut off and moving to a small fishing town to finally meet the place where she came from. There she meets a grumpy, bearded fisherman who is not happy at all she moved there. But hello, that just means the romance is going to hit so very special, am I right?

I really love the "city girl goes to a small town" (wink wink expect some recs for trope tuesday this week!) so much. It reminds me of Hart of Dixie, one of my favorite TV shows, where a city fashionista girl moves to a small town and actually forms a found family there, falls in love, does what she loves. I related so much to Piper in this book. Sometimes I find too many characters who know what to do, who know how to cook perfectly, do manual work, and yeah, I'm so not like that. And Piper burnt a pan when making bolognese, she hates getting dirt inside her nails, and she loveees expensive stuff. She's my kind of girl. She's finding her way and I loved seeing her journey.

The romance is amazing. I adored it and IT'S SEXY AF. Brendan is a dirty talker ooof. You all really need to meet him. He constantly tells Piper she's his. He worships the ground she walks. He wants to spoil her rotten, buy her stuff, be with her 24/7, help her in any way he can. Sir, where can I find someone like you? He literally gets off by spoiling her.

I can't wait to read more in this series. But yeah, this book easily catapulted itself to my top reads of this year. If you're looking for that summer-y, small town near the ocean, opposites attract romance, look no further!

This will post on the Romance Reviews Today website in July. http://romrevtoday.com/

IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER – Tessa Bailey
Avon
ISBN: 978-0-06-304565-1
July 13, 2021
Romantic Comedy

Westport, Washington – Present Day

Piper Bellinger is used to being the belle of the ball, but after her latest antics end up jeopardizing her stepfather’s career, she is in hot water. Piper’s stepfather, who financially supports her, sends her to Westport for thirty days to prove she can handle being out on her own. Her sister, Hannah, comes along for moral support. The sisters haven’t been to Westport since their mother left after their father’s death when they were small children. Turns out that their father had a bar which he has left to them. They arrive in town with little money and no plans. One of the first people Piper meets is bearded—and very gruff—sea captain Brendan Taggert. He isn’t very welcoming but does offer the sisters advice on how to survive the night in the shabby apartment above the dilapidated bar.

Brendan figures the girls will head out of town the next day since they appear to be a couple of high maintenance fish out of the water. Piper is sassy, yet deep down she appears vulnerable. Her father was a revered fisherman in Westport who died at sea, and this is the first time she is able to see the memorial for him. Despite her party girl façade, she is a caring person as people are drawn toward her. But the encounters between Brendan and Piper are like a love-hate relationship. He’s not in the market for a love interest, even if he has been widowed for years. Yet, the two are drawn to each other like a butterfly to a flower. Will their attraction turn into something more?

Spending the summer in a remote fishing town on the coast of Washington state is not something Piper ever expected. But her latest shenanigans have landed her on her stepfather’s bad side, especially since he could lose a job assignment over it because it was his client’s property that she helped trash. She’s “shipped” off to Westport where she is expected to survive on her own. If Piper refuses, he will permanently cut off her funds. With Hannah along, the sisters decide to make the best of it, even if they don’t have a clue what they’re getting into. Mice inhabit the apartment, and the sisters will be sharing bunk beds. Add in that they don’t know how to cook, it’s a good guess they aren’t going to last. Meanwhile, Brendan always seems to be around…

Brendan is a dedicated fisherman and has mourned the loss of his wife for several years. But maybe it’s time to move on, especially when he finds himself attracted to Piper. But she appears out of her element in Westport. She’d rather be partying and shopping at high-end stores, not living in a rundown establishment. But Piper and Hannah decide to “spruce up” and reopen the bar to prove to their stepfather that they can accomplish something, even if their plans don’t include staying. As Brendan gets to know Piper, he begins to see beneath the glitzy veneer that she wants to be loved for who she is, not what she represents. A fling might be the way to kill time for both, but will they be wanting more?

IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER is a cute, funny tale about being thrown out of your safe space and into a place far from your usual stomping grounds. Will Piper survive her thirty days? Will she fall in love with her sexy sea captain? Find out the sizzling answer by grabbing a copy of this book.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

•B O O K R E V I E W•

⛴It Happened One Summer- Tessa Bailey @tessabaileyisanauthor

A Schitt’s Creek inspired book?? Sign me up! Spoiled party girl Piper must spend 3 months in the fishing town she was born in as a punishment for a reckless stunt she pulled that landed her in jail.

One of the things I loved the most about this book is the character growth for Piper. She started out not really caring about other people’s lives and ended up forming meaningful relationships and being a genuinely thoughtful person.

The other thing I loved is Brendan 😍😍
Whether he was pushing Piper to be her best self or building a freaking pergola- he was dreamy! (And steamy 🔥)

What I liked 💕:
•Brendans patience when it came to Piper
•The sisterly love between Piper and Hannah (can’t wait for Hannah’s book!!)
•Unique plot and setting
•Piper’s character growth
•Steam city 🔥🔥

What I didn’t like:
•There were times that Brendan seemed a little too possessive to me 😬

I definitely recommend this book if you’re a fan of Schitt’s Creek and/or are in the market for a steamy summer romcom! This comes out on 7/13, so be sure to preorder!

Thank you to @avonbooks and @harpervoyagerUS for gifting me this earc 🥰

Also, be on the lookout for Hannah’s book next! And if you’re really into steamy romance, I DEFINITELY recommend Bailey’s Hot & Hammered series! 💕

I will read absolutely anything by Tessa Bailey. Frankly, I wish I could just hang out beside her as she writes. How is it possible that every single book is a complete home run- and yet they all feel so different to me. Her characters, their banter, the always satisfying resolutions. Gah! I fell hard for Piper and Brendan- and I started It Happened One Summer while sitting in a parking lot waiting for my son. I thought I would be there 45 minutes or so- and it was more like 2 hours. But I barely noticed. And when he finally finished, I couldn't wait to get back home and finish reading!!!