Piper has grown up in LA with everything she could ever want, thanks to her film producer step father. At 28 years old, she leads a frivolous sort of life, throwing big parties and getting more Instagram followers are all she really cares about. But underneath her a glamorous exterior is an insecure woman who has been told by society that she can’t be any more than that, When her longest relationship (three weeks) is ended with harsh words about her character, Piper licks her wounds by throwing a large and extravagant pool party without consent of the pool’s owner. Sold out by the person she thought was a friend, she is given the punishment of having to go back to the town where her family started. Weston is a small fishing town, where her father died at sea when she was four. She feels completely out of her element.

Branden is a widower and fishing boat captain. Everything about Piper is different from all the things he has ever known, but feels a pull for her almost instantly. His job is one of the most dangerous in the world (king crab fishing) but after seven years of being alone, he finds he finally wants to bid goodbye to his wedding ring and look for something new,

I love Tessa Bailey’s books, and this one did not disappoint! The chemistry between the two main characters is amazing, and she managed to grow Piper from a character that I wasn’t sure I would ever like to a charming and layered woman. The book made me want to pack up and find the quaint fishing town, and immerse myself in it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me this ARC in exchange for an honest review,

LA Trust-fund socialite, Piper lives a carefree existence until she gets herself in too much trouble after an especially rowdy party. It was the last straw for her stepfather who controls Piper’s cash flow. To punish her, he decides she needs to spend 3-months in a small town called Westport, Washington. Piper hasn’t been to Westport since she was 4-years old when her crab-fisherman father died at sea. And now she’s not looking forward to going back.

When she arrives, Piper meets town local Brendan. He’s lived in Westport his whole life and just so happens to be a fisherman. His wife died 7-years ago unexpectedly and he hasn’t been able to date since. Piper & Brendan get off on the wrong foot, the complete opposites that they are, but their butting heads quickly turn into a budding attraction.

When Piper & her sister start fixing up the bar they inherited in Westport, Brendan offers to pitch in his help. And the more time Piper & Brendan spend together, the less they can deny the attraction between them.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey is a fun romance that’s perfect to read in the summertime. Miss Bailey’s books have been pretty hit or miss for me thus far and while this wasn’t a miss by any means, I didn’t love it either. One of my issues is the setup that I’ve heard is inspired by the popular show, Schitt’s Creek (which I’m not a fan of). I didn’t believe Piper’s overnight transformation from spoiled socialite to seaside fisherman’s girlfriend. I wanted the enemies to lovers trope to be played up more before the attraction started. Also a few things with the steamy scenes bugged me, but that’s a personal thing. Overall though, the plot was fun and the characters were charming. Clearly I’m in the minority with this one! 3/5 stars.

Thanks NetGalley, Avon & Tessa Bailey for my review copy.

This books was amazing!!! Loved the banter between the couples! The description in the pages made you feel like your their. I also feel like it shows that getting to know someone changes your perspective on a person and assuming makes you look like an a**. Everyone has a story read it before guessing the ending!

I loved this book! This author is a hit or miss for me and this one she knocked it out of the park. My biggest hint is that you need to read the acknowledgments and that will put you in the right mind set for the main character Piper.

There isn't really much world building, and you don't need it. The characters all shine for themselves, with the dual P.O.V. making this the icing on the cake. I loved the interactions between Piper and Brendan and how you got to know both sides of the story about those interactions/ where they each were coming from in the story. Hannah and Fox were great characters and I can't wait for their story next. All the town people are great, and have wonderful interactions with Piper. I was happy to see both main characters grow, and felt the pace of the story made this all work.

I think Tessa Bailey might be my favorite romance author. I've been working through her blacklist ever since I read the Hot and Hammered series and I've been having a great time. So when I was approved for this ARC I did a happy dance and immediately got to reading!

This book was a great mix of familiar romance tropes as well as some refreshing honest conversations. There was fantastic dirty bedroom talk and so much steam! I loved the growth Piper and Brendan make with each other and also as individuals. And the conflict towards the last quarter of the book had me tearing up because of how invested I was in their relationship!

This book generally follows the typical romance plot/relationship progression but I honestly was just enjoying the read so much that I blew through this book in just a few hours.

My only issue with this book were some grammatical errors that will hopefully be caught and corrected in the final copy.

Great book and I can't wait to read the next book with Hannah and Fox!

Trigger warning: spouse death, parent death

Thank you to the publisher for my review copy. All opinions are my own.
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Hot. Freakin. Dog. This book was amazing. I finished it two days ago and I can't tell you how many people I have already told about it. Loved and Loved it.
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Rom Com at it's best. High maintenance girl with the heart of gold meets the gruff, angry....but of course hot manly man....mmmmmmm. Yes, please. I'm always here for the protector. You know....the man who is so protective he treats the girl like she is glass? Showing my age in that statement. But that's my jam....I'm not even sorry. Dawg. Sorry, got sidetracked remembering how much I loved Brenden.
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As always the town and it's quirky characters become a character all on its own. De.Light.Ful. Sorry, maybe I am not clear. This is going down as a favorite.
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Deadliest Catch meets The Holiday is the vibe I got. I'll keep talking about it to anyone who will listen ;-)
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Pick it up. Trust me. When you do...come back and tell me your thoughts.

This book jumped into my top favorite books of 2021. I absolutely loved the comedy in the beginning of the book. The mild enemies to lovers between Brenden and Piper in the beginning had me laughing out loud and completely enthralled. I thought the pacing of the book was fantastic and the character development was great. Nothing in the book felt forced or rushed. I fell in love with every character introduced and even the town that they lived in. My only complaint (not even taking a star off for it) is that the ending just...ended. I wanted more Brenden and Piper BUT I'm assuming we will get more in the spin off..I hope. This was the perfect quick. STEAMY, and hilarious summer read. I'm buying the book for my friends to read because they need to meet Brenden.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager books for this ARC! Many thanks!

I am a fairly recent fan of romance as a genre and a Schitt’s Creek comparison is always going to make me want to read it. There are definite similarities between Piper and Alexis but I would love Piper either way.

This is a sweet story that turns scorching at a moment’s notice and I am here for all of it. And I cannot wait for Hannah’s story next year.

I adored this story of a sea captain and LA socialite. Sometimes an obsessed social media influencer can seem a bit shallow but this was not the case with Piper. She had such a genuine heart and was looking for love in LA which turned out to be the wrong place. The sea town’s people of Westport opened their arms to Piper and allowed her to shine. Brendan was burly and stoic and stayed the course to break down Piper’s insecurities while learning to be a bit more spontaneous thanks to Piper’s influence.

Highly recommend for romance fans.

I love anything by Tessa Bailey. Classic story of opposites attract that is so cute and adorable. Feel good book in the perfect setting.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review. This is the second Tessa Bailey, I tried to read Fix Her Up when it came out but sadly I couldn’t get through the book, just like I couldn’t keep reading this book. While in Fix Her Up I disliked both characters in “It Happened One Summer” I only disliked Brendan, who is the definition of Red Flag, he was not only an asshole towards Piper (which at least as far I read he ended up apologizing) he still was absolutely jealous since the start, telling his crew they weren’t allow to make a move or even look her Instagram, I was waiting for him to tell Piper to not talk to other guys and what clothes she could wear (and since this was a DNF for me, he could have). There are characters who are endearing assholes and then there are unlikable assholes, Brendan is one of the second ones.

This book was announced for fans of Schitt’s Creek. While Alexis was a charming spoiled rich girl in the series, Piper was a different type of spoiled, who was said to charm people easily but I just couldn’t find her charm.

Sadly this book with the asshole alpha male main character was not for me and I think I won’t be picking up another Tessa Bailey anytime soon.

Hands down, this the best book I've read all year. My book hangover is going to last for awhile with this one. It Happened One Summer has been hyped by all my friends and it absolutely lives up to the hype. In a love letter to Schitt's Creek Alexis Rose, In Happened One Summer is her happily ever after.

Piper Bellinger is the typical LA party girl. With zero drive in her life to accomplish anything other than napping and a wealthy stepfather to bankroll her shenanigans, Piper is the definition of privilege. But when one night lands her in jail, her stepdad has finally had enough. To set her life in the straight and narrow, he sends her off for 3 months to Westport, Washington to live about the dilapidated bar that her dead birth father once own.

When she arrives in Westport, Piper is not so welcoming greeted by a band of king crab fishermen, including Brendan. With a rough exterior and zero tolerance for crap, Brendan doesn't find Piper's high maintenance act charming at first. As the two work together to give the No Name bar a face lift, the sparks start to fly. But when Brendan yearns for forever and Piper sees everything as temporary, what will happen to their hearts?

Brendan is such a grump, set in his ways, but incredibly loyal and vulnerable. As he continues to cope with the grief of his wife's death, Pipers insertion into the town completely shakes him up and I fell in love with his character. He showed major growth throughout the book, stepping out of his comfort zone to meet Piper halfway. The scene where he takes off his wedding ring had me sobbing. It was so raw with emotion and reflection. I love that he was described as a man that came with a whole roll of caution tape around him.

Piper is so Alexis Rose and I was there for every minute of it. She is painted as a dingbat with a tough exterior, but deep down, she struggles to identify her self worth. She has this softness to her that only Brenden seems to be able to decipher. As she spends more time away from LA, she starts truly seeing herself for the first time and I loved how she allowed herself to struggle with growth, but was open to love.

Together, Brendan and Piper are perfection. Both are learning to lean into the scary. They were simply made for each other. Brendan sees through all Pipers defenses and calls her on her crap. Piper challenges Brendan to live a little and go more with the flow, instead of being paralyzed by anything out of the ordinary. Because Brendan is all man and put together, he's the perfect person to settle Piper down. He knows what he wants and isn't afraid to work for it, even if it's a challenge.

Overall, I loved the book and cannot wait for Hannah's book next. This is a super steamy read with amazing character development and explosive chemistry.

When Insta-famous rich girl Piper gets into legal trouble, her stepfather cuts her off and banishes her to the small fishing town where - unbeknownst to her - she has inherited her late father’s bar. She almost immediately meets gruff sea captain Brendan, a widower who loves his routines and his small town. He finds Piper ridiculous and doesn’t think she’s cut out for life outside her rich girl party circle. What starts out as strong mutual dislike turns into friendship - and maybe something more.

It Happened One Summer strikes the perfect romcom balance of mutual pining, steamy scenes, and humor. The chemistry between Piper and Brendan was off the charts; their dynamic was so jaw-droppingly sexy that I never once gave second thought to the (kinda flimsy and ridiculous) premise on which the plot rests. The supporting cast of side characters was endearing and I can’t wait for the as-yet-unnamed sequel following Hannah, Piper’s younger sister.

This took some time for me to get into. I had hard time connecting with the characters and I think that hindered my overall enjoyment of the book. Piper is a spoiled rich woman without a care in the world and I found that hard to connect with. By the end of the book it was easier to see Piper as a likable character.

This was truly a simple, delightful, swoonworthy read. I loved it from beginning to end, which happened in basically two bouts, sitting in the sunshine next to a pool and having the best and most hilarious time with Piper and Brendan. Pure escapism reading with great writing, a witty and fun and slightly nuts heroine who's so charming and a hero who's grouchy and no nonsense but equally as charming. The two have chemistry that's combustible from first sight. They both had a ton of character and pizazz giving the setting life and the story flair. The secondary characters were also great and make me want to read from this world created by Tessa Bailey. I've not read any other Tessa Bailey books but I'll sure to add her others to my list of must reads too. The blurb and cover for this book intrigued me when I saw them both and I'm so happy I was able to read this great romance story on a little escapism getaway. It was the perfect read for an afternoon of lazy, purely romantic reading in the sunshine and I can't recommend this story enough. You'll love the characters and their grit and their wonderful journey. I sure did and am adding this story to my list of books to reread on a rainy day. Romance, with some comedy and light drama, at it's finest. It Happened One Summer is a great book to make you smile, laugh, and swoon.

This was my first Tessa Bailey and it hit the spot! For anyone craving a fun, easy, and steamy romance, look no further. After reading the synopsis and seeing that the main character Piper was inspired by Alexis Rose (Schitt's Creek) I knew I needed to read it. This book was over-the-top but I felt like I was watching a TV show in my head while I was reading.

Did I wish the story moved a little faster? Yes. Was Piper annoying at times? Definitely (but I think that was the point). Was it predictable? Yes but not in an annoying way.

Not a new favorite romance but I did enjoy the journey and characters. I will be reading more Tessa Bailey in the future and I'm even more excited for the next book which is supposed to feature Piper's sister

Y’all, I cannot say enough how gosh darn lovely It Happened One Summer is. I read it in one sitting and have no regrets about staying up way (way) past my bedtime to fully immerse myself in the sweet, small town of Westport. LA socialite Piper is banished to the coastal fishing town after one too many big mistakes, joined by shy younger sister Hannah. Why Westport? It is where Piper and Hannah were born, leaving after the death of their sea captain father in a tragic accident. Neither sister remembers their early years in the town but it still manages to quickly feel like home.

For Piper, that may have something to do with burly, routine-loving Captain Brendan. This is more than a will they-won’t they. Though heavy on romance, Bailey manages to delicately explore narratives around loss, tradition, authentic self, and community. The side characters as well-developed and believable – at least believable enough for a romcom. We’re supposed to have a little willful suspension of disbelief, right?

‘Schitt’s Creek inspired’ is certainly accurate and refreshingly so. It is an homage, not fan fiction, which can be such a difficult balance to strike.

This is a very steamy, thoroughly enjoyable, and entirely endearing read. Highly recommend It Happened One Summer for lovers of Much Ado About You, Act Your Age Eve Brown, and Shipped.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
•Book Review•

Piper, who lives a life of social media and fashion, finds herself stuck in her small hometown after a party went too far. Piper now has to stay and work in the fishing town that she once called home. Local sea captain Brendan doesn’t think she’ll make it even a week. Piper is determined to prove she is more than just a pretty face, but she feels even more compelled to prove it to Brendan. The more she stays in this town, the more she realizes how unhappy she felt in her old life. Will a grumpy sea captain and the memories she’s unlocked be enough to make Piper realize where she needs to go in life?

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5/5⭐️

I’m so happy I received this ARC bc this book was A-MAZ-ING!! Tessa Bailey just does romance so well. The description said that lovers of Schitt’s Creek would love this book and that is so true. Piper is a complex character that I feel many people might be able to relate to. And Brendan...I mean who doesn’t love a hot sea captain?! His loyalty and love for Piper was just *chefs kiss*. They’re relationship was funny and captivating and this book was such a fun read. This book doesn’t come out until July 13th but it’s such a perfect summer read so put it on your TBR!

This book was a great escape.

I was hesitant about the Hollywood angle, but I love Tessa Bailey's books and this one was no exception -she is an excellent writer! Piper and Brendan have excellent chemistry. The Hollywood name dropping was fun and added to the escape!

I love this Rich Girl/fish out of water stuck in a small town. This book was high heat, low angst and a delight. This is the perfect summer read.