It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey is a perfect, sizzling beach read! I read that Bailey was inspired to write a character after Alexis Rose from Schitt's Creek. I couldn't imagine how Bailey could create a character like Alexis, but after being introduced to Jane this is the perfect way to describe her! It Happened One Summer starts with Piper getting dumped so she decides to cut loose and throw a party, only one problem she gets caught throwing said party at a closed hotel pool and goes to jail. To make up for her crime her stepdad sends her to live in the town she was born in but has almost no memories of, her sister is a saint and decides to join. Once the two arrive they have a chance to get to know more about their father who died while they were very young and learn about who they are. I loved seeing Piper navigate the town and learn to make friends. Seeing her relationship with Brendan take off was beautiful and more steamy than Piper's first attempt at cooking! Bailey really built an entire world in Westport and am sure this book will be a best seller!

Honestly the beginning of the book is not the greatest but if you push through the first 20% it gets better. This isn't Tessa Bailey's best work. I rate this a 2.75. She's a stereotype of LA insta influencer and he's a stereotype of a grieving widow who's fighting sexual attraction to her but goes out of his way to help her. They slowly build a connection that he fights very hard.

*********************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley***********************

This was a one sitting ready for me. I really liked both main characters, they were fun and went really well together. I liked the small town setting and the side characters we meet. Just a hint of enemies to lover in the beginning to make it fun but not the bulk of the relationship.

Oh my goodness, this book was just what I needed. I cannot give this book enough stars and couldn't stop thinking about it after I was done. It is one of the best romcoms I have read in a while.
Piper is the IT girl in LA. She parties and has a huge social media following but isn't really seen for who she is. Honestly, I don't think Piper sees who she is. After a breakup and a terrible decision has her ending up in jail, her step-father sends her for a sabatical to the town she was born. After her real father died, her mother packed up Piper and her sister and left Westport because it was too painful. The girls are still the owners of a No Name bar and when both of them decide to go, they will have to learn how to do things on their own.
As soon as Piper steps foot in Westport with her floppy hat, Brendan knows he is done for, and that makes him a little more irritable than he already is. This girl knows nothing about the town, about her legacy but here she is trying to invade his town. Brendan is a stickler for routines and this woman is all about breaking them. Everything he sees on the outside, he quickly learns, is not what is on the inside. He sees Piper, for the woman she is and it is clear he is falling fast. Piper is set out to prove that she is strong enough, even if the town thinks she isn't.
Just writing this review has me tearing up again. I absolutely adored this book; it had so many of my favorite things wrapped up into one story and it worked so well for me. Thank you to Tessa Bailey, Netgalley and Avon for an early copy!

It Happened One Summer is the first Tessa Bailey book that I have read and I loved it! This romance is about Piper and Brendan - two people who couldn't be more different. Piper is a city girl who has been sent to the small fishing town where she was born by her step-father. She landed in some hot water after her most recent party escapade and he is sending her to Westport to cool off and get back to her roots. Piper is used to all the finer things in life and she is counting down the days until she can return home as soon as she arrives in town with her sister. Brendan, a hot but grumpy sea captain, makes her feel less than welcome and their relationship gets off to a rocky start. To Piper's surprise, the more time that she spends in the town, she begins to fall for the people of the town - especially that irritable fisherman.

Full disclosure: when I was reading the first few pages of this book, I was worried that I wouldn't like the book because I might end up hating Piper. She seemed like a spoiled rich airhead who seems to only care about materialistic things. As the story progressed and I got to know Piper better, I realized how judgmental I was at the beginning. It takes a talented writer to develop a character who you might dislike at the beginning of the story but naturally progresses to a character that you love. I loved Piper's journey in rediscovering this small town and getting to know her late father through the stories from the people who knew him. And to my surprise, I ended up loving Piper's fun-loving, positive, snarky and unapologetic personality.

Now that I have shared how I feel about Piper, I have to talk about Brendan, one of my new book boyfriends. When he began to realize that he has romantic feelings for Piper, he let down his guard and was not afraid to be vulnerable. I loved that he didn't want to play any games and he came out and asked for what he wanted. It didn't hurt that he was a man who knew how to work with his hands, in more ways than one! *wink wink*

The two of them together were so darn cute and endearing. It was a yin and yang type of relationship, where they are opposites but mold together perfectly.

This was a feel-good romance that I highly recommend!

This was really spectacular. I loved how Piper grew as a person not only because of Brendan, but the whole town. I fell in love with every character and am so excited to read Hannah's story. A perfect book to cuddle up on the couch with.

Okay... I hate reality TV and "influencer" culture. So when Piper crosses the line of glitterati no-nos and gets herself exiled to a fishing town far from the lights of L.A., I may have felt some unfair glee. I enjoyed seeing her struggle with identifying what was actually important - people, not validation of the anonymous masses of followers on her social media.

This was an uplifting "nothing too bad can happen in a close-knit community like this" read. The small town grows on you as small towns are want to do. The same can be said for Piper, who, on the surface, seems like nothing more than an entitled airhead but underneath is endowed with a compassionate heart and an ache for self-understanding, for acceptance. She's a little reminiscent of Emma Woodhouse or Cher Horowitz in that respect. You grow to like her the more she bears her layers open to you.

I have to say I was surprised by the family history tie-ins because they were unexpected. Sweet. Sometimes even on the edge of emotional. It was nice getting a glimpse into the tapestry of feeling the girls' harbored about their father, especially as they learned more about him along the way.

I also liked that all the characters had distinctive interests, personalities. Brendan and Piper's prickly/buoyant differences broadened their dynamic in a complementary way whereas Hannah's music passion felt genuine and intrinsic to her as an introverted individual. As for Fox, well...his charm is the kind that could weaken many a knee so I'm already looking forward to his and Hannah's coupling in the next book.

So...did I like it? As to that I only have one answer: Aye, aye, Captain!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

Alexis Rose gets her happy ending!! The author’s note about the Schitt’s Creek character made perfect sense and made me LOVE this book. Can’t wait to recommend it!!

Piper is a social media maven who is always chasing the next big 'Gram-worthy pic-- until her wealthy stepdad cuts her off and exiles her to Westport, a small fishing town in Washington. Captain Brendan Taggert lives and breathes Westport, so when high-maintenance Piper and her sister Hannah stroll in to the local dive bar, he is less than thrilled. But lust flies --and Brendan's protectiveness emerges-- and the two can't get enough of each other. But is it fair for Brendan to ask Piper to give up her life in LA to be a fisherman's wife? And would glamorous Piper even fit in in weathered, small town Westport?

Don't let your first impressions of LA Piper stop her from continuing this book! She gets waaaayyy more palatable! In fact, I didn't make the Schitt's Creek similarities until I saw it here on the Goodreads description, but it fits it to a t! And I love how Brendan nosedives into being there --protecting, building up, and spoiling-- for Piper. Tough-guy with a heart of gold is one of my favorite romance tropes, and Brendan deliciously delivers.

On the chaste to steamy scale, it's an 7.75.

Tessa Bailey does it again!!!!

I am a HUGE fan of hers, and this does not disappoint.
It has all the makings of a great light hearted rom-com: great characters, humor, steamy scenes, and an ending that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

I only give it a 4star rating because the plot was not super original. But once you get passed that, you'll fly through this novel. This is a must read!!!

Bailey certainly pulled no punches with this one. A romcom in the most basic sense, but beneath the layers there was so much more.
I adored the relationship between Piper and Hannah. Not only did it give each of their characters some dynamic, but it also was just cozy to see two sisters come together in the face of adversity and see what kind of magic they could make.
More than that, though, I loved Piper and Brendan. Not only as a couple, but as individuals experiencing their own personal growths. It was beautiful to see how each one adapted to one another, and how they kind of balanced each other out.
I think this may be my favorite read from Bailey.

You ever read a book you’re so sucked into that you never want it to end? That was this one for me. I’m so sad it’s over. I might immediately go read it again.

Piper is super likable and definitely reminds me of Alexis from Schitt’s Creek. Brendan screams “manly stereotype” but is a huge teddy bear and just someone I’d love to hug in real life. Plus, he kind of reminds me of my husband, which is a plus 😍

This book is super sexy and steamy, but also full of “awwww” moments that make these characters jump off the page.

Everyone go preorder this one immediately!

Thanks NetGalley for the chance to read this one early.

Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar... in Washington.

Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.

Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.

As always, Tessa Bailey does not fail in her novels. This Rom-Com was full of laughter and tears and angsty romance.. Opposites to attraction per contemporary romances. As far as HEA books go, this was one that shot quickly to the top of my list.

Piper had me rooting for her and Hannah from the beginning, and then Brendan came along and it got even better! A fish out of water story done so, so very right! I just loved everything about it!

This fun little RomCom was just what I needed. I like all of Tessa's novels and this one did not disappoint.
The story was a little slow to start for me, but I enjoyed all the characters and watching Piper and Brendan battle it out. I enjoyed how quickly Piper was willing to adapt and grow rather than having to spend too long on her "spoiled brat" moments.
The sister relationship was strong and a lovely addition to make Piper feel more real.
The romance grew pretty fast, but nothing felt false.

This was my first book by Tessa Bailey and I really enjoyed it. After just binge watching Schitt's Creek for the first time (and a second and a third time), I'm obsessed with anything/everything having to do with the Rose family so when I saw that this book was inspired by our girl Alexis, I had to read it.

After being arrested and costing her movie producer stepfather a major investor in his movie, party girl Piper Bellinger is sent off to the quaint little fishing town of Westport, WA, where she was born and has inherited a run down bar from her long deceased father. With her sister, Hannah, in tow, Piper decides the perfect way to get back into their stepfather's good graces is by renovating the bar to prove that she can be responsible and care about something other than partying and being in the spotlight. Along the way, Piper meets grumpy fishing boat captain Brendan and forms new connections with the residents of Westport, leaving her wondering if she really wanted to go back to her old life or if she could be happy living in a small town.

The chemistry between Brendan and Piper is off the charts in this book. It's filled with hilarious and flirty banter and there are plenty of steamy moments. Not only is the romance great but Piper's overall journey was really fun to read. I'd definitely recommend this book and can't wait to read Fox and Hannah's.

Angst building, panty melting. Just another novel that describes the work of art that comes from Tessa, featuring a fierce character named Piper, and her soul mate of a grumpy yet sexy character named Branden...

The synopsis itself draws your name to the page and wanting to add this beauty to your TBR one hundred percent. And just the fact that it's a Tessa Bailey book speaks highly of itself. At least for me. I know what to expect, a grumpy sexy, handsome and possessive alpha that makes me drool and dream more and more of Henry Cavill every single day. And this fierce heroine of a character who knows exactly what she wants in life and so much more. When I first started meeting (reading) more of Piper, not going to lie, I was not the biggest fan. The way she was described as this preppy, and Hollywood a-list celebrity, having everything and being handed everything to the palm of her hand was not something that I found appealing to be honest. It's at a later line where she learns her true self, and finds that finding love and having a bond relationship with her sister is much more then having so many followers on social media.

Brendan, a seven year widower that had a guilt on his back of not moving on, finds himself in a contracting state of attraction towards not only Piper's sparky attitude and charisma, but also her way of being with others. This random stranger, comes to his town and takes it by a storm that he never encountered, no matter how many he has when at sea, Piper becomes someone to be reckoned with. It's at first that Brendan knows that messing "around" with someone like Piper was not a healthy move;
He'd ridiculed her at the outset. Now he wanted to fight off anything that made her sad..."

Once they both started opening up their hearts and breaking down the that wall, they start to realize that the urge that surrounds them to want to be together is so pure yet strong that nothing can break it apart. Nothing can break apart their "charging station" whenever they touch each other, hug each other, are in the same presence. And their physical attraction no matter what, is always off the roof of wanting more and more every time;
She writhed underneath him, trying to find the bottom of the pleasure well, but until his mouth landed on hers, anchoring her, she didn't realize... didn't realize the bottom of the well wasn't physical. She needed their emotional connection to calm herself down. Needed him, his hear, his Brendan-ness..."

Gosh this book had me turning with wanting more. And more we shall hopefully get! Hannah, Piper's younger and musical lover sister, alongside Fox, Brendan's best friend and crew mate are expected to have a story of their own which I am truly excited about. They have this bond to them, this friendship, and this attraction in which Fox is trying to admit to himself that he does not have but truly does that makes me rip my hairs with wanting their book ASAP! Hopefully we can all get their book soon as well.

A fun rom com presenting the surprising love story of a rather simple local guy with the current Hollywood It Girl. Will their love persevere, or will stereotypical thinking thwart their budding relationship?

This book is what happens when Alexis Rose stumbles onto an episode of Discovery's Deadliest Catch. We see Piper grow as a person and realize what she truly wants. I did want more closure with the stepfather and the agreement though. I am looking forward to Hannah's story!

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.