Absolutely loved this title. The character development was amazing and I feel in love with that entire small town. It definitely had a Schitt's Creek vibe and I loved every minute of it.

This one definitely kept my interest! What's funnier than a Schitt's Creek-like socialite cut off from the family money and forced into small town life? Not much. Add in an obvious physical attraction between our main character Piper and one of the resident burly fishermen Brandon, and you've got a winner in your hands. Yes, it’s a little predictable, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to recommend this title to anyone seeking a romcom with some steamy action, too! Thanks to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for a review.

It Happened One Summer follows a fisherman and a Hollywood it girl. Piper and Brendan couldn’t be more than different, but they can’t help but be drawn to eachother. If you loved Tessa Bailey’s Hot & Hammered series, you love this one! It was a great story with amazing chemistry. I now have my fingers crossed for a sequel to this book featuring Hannah and Fox! I look forward to recommending to our audience and include in our roundup of fun beach reads for summer 2021. Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

**Thank you HarperCollins publishers for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change.**

“There’s just nothing to you, okay?...you have no drive to go anywhere. Or to do anything.”

It happened one summer by Tessa Bailey follows Piper, a socialite from LA, who is known for being a notorious party girl. After her boyfriend of 3 weeks calls it quits on their “relationship” at a party, ashamed and humiliated Piper throws the most instagrambled party anyone has ever seen in order to maintain her status of elite party girl; a party so out of control it lands her in jail. Tired of her expensive proclivities her billionaire step father banishes her to Westport, the fishing town she was born in. Enters Brennan a broody, handsome mammoth of a man set in his ways, “no sense in fixing something that wasn’t broken.” He is the type of guy who does not do well with change, he always orders the same thing on the menu, always has one cup of coffee except on Saturdays. He can smell that piper is trouble as soon as she arrives in Westport, but nothing will prepare him for the immense attraction between them. This intense pull towards Piper the woman set on shattering all of his boundaries.

“I can be in a room full of people that I know and still not feel like I belong.”

This book is about connecting to your roots and grieving the loss of a parent. It's about finding yourself away from the glitz and the glamour of a superficial environment.

“Piper owns my heart. She came here and robbed me blind of it.”

Who turned up the heat ?? Sheesh. This book is sizzling hot. The perfect amount of sweetness and the right amount of smut. Brendan is a man in a sea of boys. Such a fun and fast sexy read. This is by far Tesaa Bailey's sexiest romance novel yet and it is the perfect beach read! Which is why I'm rating this book a 5/5.

“I’ll love you until my heart gives out.”

This was my first book by Tessa Bailey and she just made her way on to my favorite authors list! Excuse me while I go binge every book she’s ever written because I just can’t get enough of her writing! It Happened One Summer was the ideal book for me. A quiet coastal setting: check. Lovable characters with a undeniable chemistry: check. Witty, steamy, and unexpected : check, check, check! I had a feeling I’d be a fan since Bailey noted the main character Piper was based off Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek, but no clue I’d be so smitten with this book. While Piper seems to encompass so many of the same traits as Alexis Rose, those are all just surface level similarities. We get to truly know Piper and get a look inside her heart. And Brendan— the grumpy old fisherman who steals Piper’s heart is grouchy and rough until Piper changes everything for him. Then we find out who Brendan truly is- which is thoughtful, sensitive and very swoony. I can’t say enough good things about this book. I loved getting to know Brendan and Pipe and seeing their growth and how they were able to bring out the best qualities in each other— and clearly their physical attraction was undeniable. The perfect rom-com that will make the best summer book club pick! Thank you NetGalley and Avon for this Advanced Copy— I can’t wait for everyone to fall in love with this quiet little fishing town this summer!

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for honest review. I enjoyed the book for what it was, a romantic comedy. It wasn’t terribly lengthy and moved along at a nice pace. I liked that characters and saw the deep down meaning of being a little lost and finding yourself. I found some of the language and sexual dialogue a bit much at times for my usual reading preference, but it didn’t detract from me finishing the book or enjoying the story. I connected to Piper’s mother on the level of widow and wanting to flee the life I had with that person and I see now maybe that wasn’t entirely fair to my children. As mothers we do what we think best at the time but the girls were definitely missing a huge part of them and it was a nice piece of the story to learn about the bar and to watch them bring it back to life. Piper had to lose everything to realize that even though she had lots of possessions, she also had fake friends and followers that didn’t really care about her. She really found herself when she was forced to slow down and just be in the moment. No followers or people who knew who she was. She forged real friendships and impacted neighbors’ lives in a positive way. I think that should be the real take away. Put down the phone, enjoy the moment you’re in, and forge actual friendships with people who live right next door.

I fall more and more in love with this author with each book. I got where she was coming from to write the heroine but it was the hero who stole the story for me. He was perfection. I enjoyed the natural evolution of their relationship and their banter was delicious

I didn’t hate this story, which is a shock because if there’s one thing I hate in stories it’s instalove. I feel like maybe their dating timeline can be edited because sometimes I’d get so engrossed in their relationship and then remember that they’ve only known each other one month and two weeks of that he was gone. It would just feel like two or three weeks had went by but it had only been a day or two and they’re saying I love you and moving in together. It really needs to be cut down as well because it was a little long and drawn out. Everyone had to make a speech for Piper at the end and I thought that was annoying and awkward, I also didn’t understand the point of Mick at all. The love scenes were very steamy and written very well and I give them 5 stars. Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for a free copy of an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Loved this Tessa Bailey contemporary romance! Piper Bellinger is a rich girl from LA who gets ''banished" to the Pacific Northwest were she meets Brendan Taggart, fisherman and sea captain. Piper's mother warns her not to fall for a fisherman as she did many years ago when she married Piper's (deceased) father. The novel starts out as a bit of a enemies-to-lovers type style. Piper and Brendan have great chemistry together. I loved the dialog between the two, and watching the evolution of Piper's character as she lives in the small fishing town. Piper learns more about her family history and her roots in this small town, while she slowly falls for Brendan disregarding her mother's warning.

Fans of KA Tucker's, the Simple Wild, will love this novel! (Note: As with other Tessa Bailey novels, this one is VERY steamy!). Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. I hope Tessa Bailey writes Hannah's story! Can't wait to read that one if she does!

Same Tessa Baily, different coastline.
I liked how reserved Brendan was (very still waters run deep), but then found it super jarring that once there was any sign of getting action his became a gruff talker. It wasn't what I wanted for him. I experienced the same feeling when I read Fix Her Up.

Okay, I have had time to process and feel I can give feedback. This was a DNF for me. I love Schitt’s Creek and Alexis so I was excited for it but I just thought there was unnecessary language here and the main character was, surprisingly, not shallow enough at first. If she is to be compared to Alexis, then she would not have had the character development as quickly as she did. I think I would have enjoyed it more without the language and if I wasn’t such a big SC fan, because the comparison didn’t do it any favors. Thank you, though, for allowing me an advanced copy to read and I hope it finds its audience.

This book was EVERYTHING I love in a rom com- hilarious at times, witty, angsty, a broody sexy man who knows how to use his hands (amongst other things), swoon worthy and panty melting. 🔥⁣⁣
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Still currently fanning myself.... ⁣⁣
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I binged this book one one sitting, it was that good. Piper is your materialistic “it” girl, she was raised in LA with everything in life handed to her until she messes up for the last time and is sent to Westport where her late father was from. ⁣⁣
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Brendan is angsty and sexy, the Captain of his boat and is a fisherman for a living. He hasn’t been with a woman in years. His heart belongs to the sea and his late wife and her still grieving father. ⁣⁣
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Westport is a tight knit community filled with lovely people that are so different from the people Piper normally surrounds herself with. These two couldn’t be anymore opposite but they fuel each other to be their best selves and prove how important it is to love people for who they are. ⁣
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The growth in these characters, the chemistry and the steam make for an epic and romantic love story you won’t want to miss. Not to mention, the awesome side characters- Hannah, Piper’s sister who is wonderful and quirky; and Fox the lady’s man; Opal and Abe the sweet older community members. ⁣
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Thank you @netgalley and @avonbooks for an ARC for my honest review. ⁣
#bookstagram #books #bookcommunity #romance #ithappenedonesummer #tessabailey #netgalley pub date 7/21

Review posted on GoodReads (February 2, 2021)
Review Linked.

3/5 stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me an E-ARC of this book for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Tessa Bailey's other book, FIX HER UP, when I read it last year, but this book did not make me fall in love with it as much as the last one. For me, IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER had a great premises, a really well thought out plot, and pretty good writing. But there were a few things that just made me not fall into the story—the main one being how sexist our male lead was and how Piper, our main character, never really called him out on his comments. There were only like two moments where she said something, but even then, found some excuse to find his comments okay, and then his mysogyny was never really fully addressed. This made it really hard for me to want Piper to fall in love with Brendan.

The only reason why this book is three stars instead of two is because the rest of the book. Outside of those really strangely placed comments, that honestly felt almost out of character, the rest was really well done. Like I said earlier, the plot was really well thought out and I really enjoyed the idea of this book. The other aspect of the book that raised it to three stars was the sister’s storyline and dynamic between Piper and her sister Hannah. I LOVED their relationship and their story of discovering their family history. If only Piper had fallen in love with someone who was less of a sexist asshole...

Thanks for reading!
Caden

🦀Book Review🦀
I received an ebook copy of this from Netgalley and boy did I enjoy it! This was such a fun story and I couldn't get enough of it.
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Short Goodreads synopsis:
"Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com about a Hollywood “It Girl” who is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town... where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong"
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At first, I didnt like the main character until a few chapters in and we got to know her. She is "instagram famous" and only seems to care about her followers and social media but as time goes on she realizes shes missing out on what truly matters in life. She makes lasting relationships with people of the town, including a Crab Fisherman named Brendan. We figure out how great of a person she is and we see her fall in love.
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I felt like the characters were so well fleshed out. Each individual character had their own wants, needs, desires, and personality. I loved the ambiance of this book. I could easily visualize this fishing town and the locals.
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Overall, it's a story about finding out who you are and where you belong. It shows you how important the people in your life are and that social media isnt what matters. Sometimes social media clouds our judgement and we get so used to relying on others' attention and "likes" we miss the beautiful world around us.

This is the love story of Piper, LA party girl, and Brendan, small town fisherman. The author mentioned in her note before the book that she was inspired by Schitt's Creek when writing this book, particularly with the heroine, and maybe I would have gotten it better if I had watched the show. But this book was mostly a miss for me. A lot of it was cliched - she realized the big city life just wasn't for her, he realized that his regimented existence was just missing her big city glitter. The love story moved aggressively quickly for me and the steamy scenes got really dirty, really quick, which felt out of character for Brendan at least. I also felt that a lot of the back story ended up lacking depth. Even things like Piper and her sister Hannah meeting their grandmother they hadn't known for 20+ years were rather glossed over. I will say that the characters were generally likable.

Piper Bellinger is a social media influencer and spoiled rich kid from LA who loves to party and whose identity is based on Instagram posts documenting her lavish lifestyle. After one too many brushes the law results in a night spent in jail, her stepfather tells her that he is sending her to the fishing village of Westport in Washington for three months to take charge of a small bar willed to her and her sister Hannah by their biological father who was swept out to sea by a rogue wave and drowned in a storm many years before. The novel tracks Piper and Hannah as they land in the tiny fishing village and take on renovating the crumbling bar. At first, they are very much fish out of water, but as time goes on they form relationships with the friends and relatives of their father, including the grandmother they have never met. Piper also meets Brendan, a deep-sea fishing captain who seems to be her polar opposite in every way. Of course, they fall in love, and the course of that love runs about as smooth as the tropical cyclone that hits while Brendan is out to sea on his boat. Will Brendan and his crew, not to mention his relationship with Piper, survive this final storm?
The author’s note discloses that she based the character of Piper on the Schitt’s Creek character Alexis Rose. In the first few chapters of the story, socialite Piper is a shallow, not particularly likable person, and I wondered if I’d find the story enjoyable without a solid heroine to root for. However, the reader soon discovers that there is more to Piper than is first apparent. She finds her way to a better understanding of what’s important to her life as the months in Westport draw to a close, and her journey is an entertaining one for the reader. The secondary characters of Brendan, Hannah, and Grandma Opal, among others, balance the narrative nicely. Piper’s character development is believable and touching and the story’s humor engaging, and romance aficionados will delight in the struggles that she and Brendan overcome in order to find a life together.
This is a fun light read and should delight Tessa Bailey’s many fans. The novel’s publication date is July 13, 2021.
#NetGalley

I don't even know how to put into words how much I enjoyed this story. An absolutely perfect romance in my opinion. The character development in both characters was wonderful to watch and the setting could not have been more immersive and relaxing.

Piper was such a fun female character to read- not too campy or silly which I feared but rather a young woman who has been underestimated and began underestimating herself. Brendan was the perfect male character for me- he was strong (alpha vibes) but so respectful of boundaries and emotions, vulnerable while still being a stable rock for Piper to lean on.

The setting was stunning- I felt like I truly transported to the Pacific Northwest and I loved every second. The secondary characters were perfection- they had so much depth and added so much to the story. I cannot wait to see them in the next book.

I can't even explain how wonderful I thought this romance was. I cannot wait for Hannah's story and in the meantime, I'll be reading all of Tessa Bailey's other books!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyage, Netgalley, and Tessa Bailey for allowing me to read this wonderful book in exchange for an honest review!

This book filled the massive hole Schitt’s Creek left in my heart. I loved this!

I thought this book was a great mix of The Simple Wild (one of my favorite romances of all time!), Schitts Creek and its own story. While Piper was very clearly inspired by Alexis Rose, they were different enough that I didn’t compare them at all.

This book had it all: two lovable MC’s, amazing side characters, a good story/plot, and the perfect amount of comedic moments and angst.

It Happened One Summer was my first Tessa Bailey book but it certainly won’t be my last!

Very cute! A fun story with some depth. I would recommend to readers that enjoy romantic comedies. Strong writing by author.

This is my first Tessa Bailey novel, but it surely won’t be my last. I am officially a fan, and will be adding all of Bailey’s backlist to my never-ending TBR list immediately. Thank you to Avon Books for giving me an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Do you read the “Acknowledgements” before or after you read a story? Most of the time I see Acknowledgements at the end of a book, but I can’t help skipping to the back before I dive in so I can know about all the people who helped put a story together. I think reading through the author’s notes gives the story more depth and layers, and makes me love them a little bit more. The acknowledgements in “It Happened One Summer” did not disappoint, and I’m so grateful that I read those before hitting the first sentence of Chapter 1. Bailey confirms that Piper is a nod to Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek, and it is the most perfect comparison that my mental picture of Piper is complete.

Bailey describes this book as her mental escape from 2020, and I could not agree with her more. This book is everything I could have wanted in a romance. There is action straightaway. No bull. You know exactly what you’re getting from page one. I wish this story could just keep going so I could be part of Piper and Brendan’s life forever. I love the fishing and nautical themes, the passion, the romance, and the character development. There isn’t a huge plotline, but I think when reading a romance we all kind of know that we’re not looking for major action, but more just the Happily-Ever-After to come true. The steam in this book is legit, it won’t disappoint, but the romance, too, was everything that I wanted. I finished it in 24 hours.

I wish there were another 10 books for me to devour. Do yourselves a favor and add this to your pre-order list, and as a surprise there’s another story coming about Piper’s sister, Hannah, in 2022! I am here for it all!