As a huge Schitt's Creek fan, I absolutely loved this book! Tessa Bailey was able to capture the complexities of a character like Alexis Rose and have you whole-heartedly rooting for her HEA.

Well, I loved this. I loved Tessa Bailey's Fix Her Up books, and this was just as hot, but also funny and goofy.

Piper is a spoiled little rich girl who spends her time shopping, partying, making bad decisions and posting it all on Instagram for the world to see. But when a very public breakup leads to an even more public arrest her movie mogul Stepfather decides to teach her a lesson once and for all and effectively cuts her off by shipping her to her (deceased) father's hometown for three months to learn some responsibility. There she is confronted by the reality of her own shortcomings, the legacy of a father she's never known and a sexy but surly Sea Captain determined to keep his distance.
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I'm sure it comes as a surprise to absolutely NO ONE that I loved this book. I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to a good Rom-Com, but this one really checked all my boxes.
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✅ Enemies-to-Lovers
✅Small Town
✅ Alpha Male with a big heart and a tragic backstory
✅Tessa Bailey
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Ever since randomly grabbing Fix Her Up last year I've been obsessed with Tessa Bailey's books, so when I saw this on on Netgalley I couldn't request it fast enough!

I LOVED this book! I feel like the story opened it's broad arms and admitted me into the recharging station that I needed so far in 2021. It was cute. It was sweet. It was heart-wrenching. It was steamy. It was everything!

I received the book for free from NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

This is why you give authors another chance. I didn't love my last read from Bailey (part of the Hot and Hammered series). But I snagged this book because it was inspired by the character of Alexis Rose from Schitt's Creek. Piper is the epitome of the Hollywood rich girl who is famous for being famous. After she leads a rooftop party to get the ultimate Instagram photo her step father says enough. He cuts her off and sends her to a dive bar in the small fishing village of Westport that was left to her by her father. He hopes she'll learn responsibility. Her younger sister Hannah bravely decides to go with her in support. Piper is genuinely kind but is a fish out of water. Brendan is a handsome, grumpy fishing boat captain and a widower. His run ins with Piper brings out his protective side.

This is a fun rom com. Lots of humor and nothing overly serious. I loved the little jaw dropping price mentions like a gift of a Rolls Royce for a birthday. I was surprised at how emotionally attached I became to the characters and especially saddened at Piper's final disillusionment making her lose her sparkle. There are some hot steamy scenes which oddly didn't fit my image for Brendan who was still wearing his wedding ring after seven years. And I would have liked to have seen her changes acknowledged by her parents. Overall a fun read and I can't wait for the sequel to learn Hannah's story.

Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for a ARC ebook in exchange for a honest review.

Entertaining rom com but I hated how Brendan kept calling Piper baby. Why did this annoy me so much? I didn’t really like him very much but I love Piper and I wish we had spent more time at the bar and with the townies.

This is by far my favorite from Tessa Bailey. I finished it all in one go.

Piper is one of LA's most famous party girls. After getting dumped by her ex-boyfriend rather publicly, she decided to pull off a crazy revenge stunt that lands her in jail. Her movie producer stepdad ships her off to Westport, where her mother and father lived prior to her dad's death. Her younger sister Hannah decides to accompany her and together, they slowly learn to do things on their own and meet friends they didn't think would come to accept them. But a local fisherman/captain named Brendan isn't making life easier for Piper. He swears she won't last a single day in his town.

I thought this story was cute and hilarious. Piper was the perfect lead character for a plot like this one. She is your typical Hollywood socialite. Her growth was endearing to watch. Even her voice sounded exactly like those in rom-com movies. Brendan too was hot and grumpy and so set in his ways that you can't help but cackle at his little slips. Even though things between them escalated quickly, the chemistry was definitely A+ and so was the steam. What I loved best was Piper and Hannah's relationship, and I can't wait to read more of Hannah in the next book. Already, I ship her and Fox.

Overall, this is something you've probably watched or read several times before, but it still was a complete joy to read.

Thank you Netgally and Avon and Harper Voyager for the earc!

3.75/5 stars!

After a breakup led to disaster, the heroine's stepfather ordered her to go to her late father's bar to recuperate. With her sister in tow, the heroine returns back to her childhood hometown and meets the hero. The hero doesn't want want the heroine in his town, but can't help but be there for her as he is attracted to her. Though duty and loyalty to certain townspeople keeps him from acting upon said feelings, how long will he stay away before he succumbs? And after spending some time in the town, will the heroine stay or will she return back to her old life?

Like any Tessa Bailey book, this one is a steamy read. The characters has flaws, but they are redeemable. Like how the heroine was first introduced until her metamorphosis during her stay at her childhood hometown. And how the hero was set in his ways but also changed a bit as he lets the heroine into his life. There were also secondary characters that supported the couple, like the heroine's sister and the hero's best friend, who I look forward to reading in the next book. I do feel like certain parts of the story needed more details for closure, but that's a personal preference. Overall this is a nice Tessa Bailey book and I look forward to reading more from the author.

**Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.**

Great light read. Brendan and Piper were a polar opposite individuals that eventually find love unexpectedly. 

I love that Brendan acts like a man and not just your usual guy. He was quite a gentleman that is a bit grumpy (I would've love a more grumpier hero 😂) that do not know how to verbally express his interest  towards Piper so he showed it towards his action. 

I love Piper's relationship with her sister, they were a power duo. I noticed that Daniel plays only a little part in this story,  yet it seems that he has better relationship with them as compared to their mother who was better off being dead because she doesn't show any care.  None at all. 

I love Piper's sparkle and Brendan's care Overall, it was an enjoyable read.

Tessa Bailey does it again!

Between laughing, crying, and butterflies in my stomach I couldn't put this book down! Tessa Bailey can do no wrong in my eyes!

Piper Bellinger is the definition of spoiled Hollywood party girl and after a breakup which results in some very questionable decisions, she ends up in a small town named Westport along with her sister, Hannah.

Brendan Taggart is the definition of a growly alpha. He is grumpy, bossy and all kinds of sexy. He is a resident of Westport and when he and Piper meet sparks fly and our romance begins! Without giving too much away, I loved seeing Piper go from spoiled little rich girl to putting down roots and learning the value of hard work. She has a huge heart and everyone slowly starts to see that.

My only complaint is towards the end there is a misunderstanding and from there the ending felt a little rushed. I'm also selfish so I wanted a longer epilogue but the characters of course got their HEA!

Nobody quite writes alpha males and love scenes like Tessa Bailey! (WHEW) If you're looking for laughs and romance, READ this book! I'm eagerly awaiting book 2 which will feature Piper's sister, Hannah.

**ARC provided by Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for review.

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Avon/Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an advance copy of Tessa Bailey’s latest romance novel, It Happened One Summer, in exchange for an honest review.

I am not one to go out of my way to read romance novels, so it no surprise that this is the first book I have read by Tessa Bailey. #ItHappenedOneSummer is promoted as a Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com. I wish book blurbs would stop comparing themselves to other books or TV shows because I always end up disappointed. The closest this comes to Schitt’s Creek is that the protagonist, Piper, can easily be envisioned as Alexis Rose (at least initially), and that her love interest, Brendan, is comparable to Mutt Schitt. Other than that, the author must have lost focus on writing the characters in that vein, since around midway through I cannot unsee Piper becoming a whiny Jessica from Love is Blind. There, now I am guilty of TV comparisons too.

Overall, I would give this story a solid 3.5 stars, 4 stars for the first half. It starts off really strong and intriguing, and it is without a doubt going to be a solid beach read this summer. In a way, there are even some similarities to Emily Henry’s novel Beach Read, which was released last year. However, Piper’s sister, Hannah, seems like sort of a throwaway character (though readers will understand why once they make it to the “announcement” page at the end of the novel). I also felt like more could have been done with the grandmother, Opal, and potentially, having her mother and/or stepfather coming to visit. Again, I am not familiar with Ms. Bailey’s work, so I kept waiting for a Taylor Jenkins Reid-esque twist, or any twist at all really, but I understand that the author enjoys wrapping-up her stories on a happy note and that is completely fine; I just was not expecting it. So, if you enjoy fairy tale endings, then this book is for you.

As for the plot, the novel opens with LA party girl Piper being dumped by her current celebrity beau, Adrian, who has some scathingly honest words about who she is as a person, namely, a vapid rich girl who is famous for her IG stardom and her stepdaddy’s money. This leads to her being convinced by her faux friend Kirby to break into the Mondrian and throw an epic pool party, which lands her in jail. After her loyal sister Hannah bails her out, she returns home to discover that her stepfather is banning her to her childhood hometown in Westport, Washington, and that her mother is not going to defend her this time.

At 28 years old, Piper’s survival skills consist of knowing how to take perfectly curated selfies, applying make-up, and partying; she barely knows how to make toast by the time she reluctantly arrives in Westport. After making a quite a scene at the local No Name bar, which happens to be the bar that her father left to her and Hannah in his will, she catches the eye of a brooding sea captain named, Brendan, who unbeknownst to her at the time will change her life for the better forever.

Piper’s three month stay in Washington is a lesson in growing up and learning that there is more to life than posting selfies on social media. She forges a stronger bond with her sister, makes true girlfriends along the way, connects with her family roots, renovates her deceased father’s bar, and helps out members of the local community without seeking anyone else’s validation. Most importantly, she figures out how to fall in love with herself and gains a boyfriend who loves her for who she is, not just her looks and money.

Again, the book is a fast-paced and entertaining beach read, there were just a few choices at the end that dragged it down from a 4 to 3.5 for me. I do not know whether fans of Bailey’s or the romance genre will agree, so it might be best if you check it out for yourself instead. If nothing else, you will acquire some knowledge about the modern day fishing industry.

I have read four books by Tessa Bailey and this one was by far my favorite. This is a classic fish out of water rom com that I could not put down. I was up until 2am finishing it last night. Piper is a spoiled rich girl who lives her life through her pictures on Instagram. When a wild hotel party goes wrong and lands her in jail, her stepfather decides it’s time to make her stand on her own two feet and sends her back to the small fishing village she was born in Washington. The author noted that Piper was heavily drawn from the character of Alexis in Schitt’s Creek and I definitely pictured her the entire time. She was just as lovable as Alexis and I am glad the character finally got her happily ever after. Brendan is a grumpy widowed fishing Captain who has been living his life in a routine. When Piper and her sister show up in town, he can’t help but be drawn to her and the chaos surrounding her.

Brendan and Piper had incredible chemistry and I loved their banter. It Happened One Summer was filled with sexy sailors, lovable sisters and a charming little village. There were some laugh out loud moments and also some really touching ones. Overall, I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good romance. I can’t wait for Hannah and Fox’s story next!

Piper is a spoiled rich girl is banished to a small town where her flaws magically become endearing, and she unexpectedly finds love. "It Happened One Summer" is a light but steamy romance.

I haven't watched the show Shitt's Creek which the author noted she heavily drew on for the development of Piper's character and wanted to give her a "happy ending." So, I am unsure if the character's quirks can be attributed to the television character or the author's invention. The naivety of both Piper and Hannah about real life is a bit hard to stomach--but they are all likeable enough.

The story is likeable enough.

This was probably the best book I've read by Tessa Bailey. Usually her writing style is not to my taste, but I really enjoyed this one. Piper was incredibly likable, despite being a bit vapid and shallow. Brendan was a good character, too, and the romance was believable and cute. These books, however, are not for everyone as they are usually a bit naughtier, so this would definitely be a recommendation but not for those who only want a light romance. I'm looking forward to Hannah and Fox's story. 4 stars.

I DNF this one. I could not get into at all. I thought for sure once Piper was cutoff I would have been able to relate to her more and enjoy her character. Not the case for me so I ended up quitting this one - I didn’t even skip to the end to see how it ended because I just didn’t care.

Tessa Bailey elevates Schitt$ Creek fan-fic to a higher level in her latest book. She does a great job writing her character's banter.

Enjoyed this book, especially as a kickoff to my 2021 reading challenge. It was light and fun and a quick read, but still had some heavier tones that felt somewhat relatable. Would recommend to other chick lit lovers!

I really enjoyed this book! I've read other books by Tessa Bailey. I loved the inspiration for this one from Schitt's Creek. I enjoyed it!

Tessa Bailey's new Schitt's Creek inspired romance is a sexy romp through a small fishing village fraught with hot sailors, endearing sisters, and life lessons at every turn.

God, where do I start with this one? I have been in need of a good romance FOR AGES. And this one DELIVERED 🙌 It checked all the boxes for me.

1. Characterization ✅
2. Smut & Spice ✅
3. Humor ✅

The spicy scenes had me sweating, I kid you not. Brendan was the ultimate beanie-wearing dream. Piper was such a refreshing character who definitely broke the pretty airhead stereotype. She was so kind, I loved her! And did I imagine Brendan as Sailor Henry Cavill from Man of Steel? Probably.

Who am I kidding? I did. I definitely did.

I loved Hannah's sass, Fox's douchey quips, the quirky townspeople, and Piper and Brendan above all else! This was such a fun ride, and I can't wait to read about Hannah and Fox's story 🧡that book can't come soon enough!

Big thank you to Avon & Harper Voyager for sending me an ARC copy of this book!

Admittedly, I've had some struggles with Bailey's books in the past. Her Hot 'n' Hammered series was a very long journey for me. I was super close to really enjoying It Happened One Summer, but there were a few execution choices that made that difficult.

This is definitely a personal preference, but I love when authors let their novel's dominant trope just breathe for a bit. This was supposed to be enemies-to-lovers story, but Piper and Brendan stopped being enemies far too soon—and were ~enemies~ for relatively mundane reasons to begin with. There was a real missed opportunity to let them stew in that mutual dislike a little bit more, considering how juicy the premise was. If they're supposed to be enemies, let 'em hate each other for a bit!

Additionally, there's obviously been a lot of hype around the comparison to Alexis Rose from Schitt's Creek. But I think the very critical difference—and one that makes more sense for a long-running TV show—is that Alexis' growth took place slowly over six seasons; Bailey makes the case that Piper's similar transformation happens in a matter of days and weeks, and I just don't think I was as convinced in the process. There were so many fantastic sections in this book where Piper was showing growth, but they just came far too quickly and therefore tipped into "unearned" territory.

And of course, it wouldn't be a review of a Tessa Bailey novel without addressing the steam: This book, in my opinion, is even dirtier than Bailey's Hot 'n' Hammered series. I've always had trouble with her sex scenes and often just thought they weren't my taste, but I've read far dirtier things in other books without issue at this point and wondered why I never struggled as much with those. I think the problem, which felt a little clearer to me in this one, is that the sex scenes don't match the characters' personalities and backstories. Sex can obviously bring out a different side of people than how they present in daily life, but the whole time I was reading, I kept thinking, "This is a well-done and dirty AF sex scene but just...not for these two people." They weren't cringe-y in a traditional sense necessarily; they just felt mismatched.

Overall, I liked this book, but I don't think I quite loooved it, if you get what I mean. And obviously, a lot of this is preference: I adore a slow-burning journey over something quick 'n' dirty.

Content warning: Widower, mentions of parental death