Piper Bellinger’s father was killed by a rogue wave while crab fishing when she was 4 years old; he was standing on deck one minute, gone the next. For me, reading It Happened One Summer was like being hit with a rogue wave: one minute I was causally reading along with my next summer romance novel, next thing I know I was half way through the book and 100% invested in Piper, Brendan, Hannah, Opal and Westport.

It Happened One Summer starts off with Piper, an LA wild-child and step-daughter to a wealthy film industry legend, getting dumped, throwing a huge out-of control rooftop party, getting thrown in jail for the night, then being cut off from her step-father’s money and being exiled to her late father’s hometown, Westport (a tiny Pacific Northwest fishing village) for 3 months. Did I mention that her mother hasn’t spoken about her father since she was a child because of her deep grief, Piper hasn’t retuned to Westport since she left at 4 years old and has absolutely no idea what she is in for?

Brendan is a big, bearded sea captain – coincidentally, he captain’s Piper’s late father’s best friend’s old boat, because, you know, small towns. Brendan is also a set-in-his-ways grumpy old (at heart) man with his own past grief weighing on his shoulders and wants nothing to do with the new flashy socialite in town – though certain pieces of his anatomy remind him that he is, in fact, a young man with a lot of life left to live, and *that* particular part of him reaallly wants to get to know her better….

I couldn’t figure out what about this book drew me in so quickly while I was reading, but once finishing I realized it was Piper’s character – which really surprised me as Piper is so close to the COMPLETE opposite to me in many ways. But then I started thinking back to some of the other books I liked recently – The Simple Wild, Wild at Heart, Not the Girl You Marry – and I realized that none of these leading females were like me, but they did all have one thing in common: they were all unapologetically themselves. Yes they did struggle throughout their books to find their places, but in essence they all found ways to get comfortable with the new challenges in their lives, while still keeping the parts of them that make them *them*. For Piper, this means reconciling her love of the spotlight and her flashy LA lifestyle with what truly makes her happy deep down, and figuring out if she can have both.

All in all, was this book fairly predictable? Yes. But did I love going along for the ride and meeting these characters? Hell Yes. I actually pre-ordered the physical copy of this one – I’m excited to be able to shelve it, re-read it, and lend it out to friends when they’d like a good summer read! Or if they are looking for a book about a big, bearded boat captain who is ripped AF and despite a recent lack of sexual partners seems to be very much on top of that dirty talk and need-you-now sex-capades… that IS a little specific but really doesn’t everyone want a little bit of *that guy* in their literary collection, even if we don’t know it yet?!?

It Happened One Summer is another sexy, fun, contemporary romance winner from Tessa Bailey. In fact, I'll go as far to say that if you've enjoyed Tessa Bailey's writing in the past, I guarantee that you'll adore this book.

Contemporary romance, especially of the het variety, isn't especially my thing, but I never turn down a Tessa Bailey book. When I'm craving a romance with a more traditionally masculine male MC and lots of steam and humor, it really doesn't get better than this author. Plus, the author promised Alexis Rose vibes with this story, and I could never pass that up.

I read It Happened One Summer on vacation at the beach, and it was the perfect setting for this book. The story takes place in a costal fishing town, and I felt right at home reading it while looking at the waves.

While some readers may race through this story, it did take me a little while to finish it. It didn't have that unputdownable quality of some stories I've read, but I'm also in a suuuuuper finicky mood. The fact that I was even able to finish a story is a huge accomplishment right now. What kept me going was the opposites-attract storyline, the incredibly hot sex (yaaaasssss), and the engaging cast of characters. Truly, Tessa Bailey always seems to find the right balance between humor and seriousness. She is the master at that.

It Happened One Summer is an incredibly pleasing story from the very consistent Tessa Bailey. I can't wait to read more in this series.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

I genuinely was not expecting to love this book as much as I did. I expected Piper to be and remain this ditsy and flat airhead and boy was I wrong. This was such a tender and sweet romance, and in the end Piper kind of reminded me a little of Alexis Rose from Schitt's Creek - shallow on the surface but a deep, kind and caring soul who is very unconfident on the inside.

Do not sleep on this "ditzy blonde" main character. There are much deeper waters that you initially expect.

I don't think I've ever met a more unlikable main character. I understand she's based off of a TV character but she was brutal. I have read & loved TB previous novels but this one was a huge miss for me.

3.5 stars rounded up.

After learning that It Happened One Summer is based on Alexis Rose from Schitt’s Creek, I knew that I had to read it. Piper Bellinger is a popular fashion influencer who goofs up and finds herself in jail one night. Piper’s stepfather takes matters into his own hands and sends Piper to the fishing town of Westport where her biological father and mother met. 

While living in Westport, Piper meets the mysterious sea captain Brendan. Despite the fact that Piper is dead set on getting out of Westport as soon as possible, Brendan catches her eye and the rest is history 🔥 It Happened One Summer is The Simple Wild (K. A. Tucker) meets Schitt’s Creek. While the storyline didn’t super wow me, I loved being transported to a beach town interwoven with some spicy romance. I also recommend taking a few precautions as the level of steam is higher than your average romance book 😆

Content warnings: sexual content, grief, death, death of a parent, toxic friendship, toxic relationship

“ ‘It won’t let me just use my own name as my username.’ ‘Yeah, probably because about nine hundred Brendan Taggarts joined before you.’ ‘So what should I use?’
‘CaptainCutie69,’ Fox spat out.
‘IGotCrabs4U,’ Deke supplied. ‘SlipperyWhenWet.’ Brendan stared.
‘You’re all fired. Go home.’ “

It Happened One Summer is a Schitt’s Creek inspired rom-com about Piper, a Hollywood “It Girl”, who is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled back to her childhood hometown in the Pacific Northwest. It is from this fishing community that her father was lost to the sea and her mother ran, broken hearted. But her late father left her and her sister Hannah a dive bar, currently run by the locals, and it is here where she will be forced to learn some responsibility. Piper is hell bent on getting out of this town as fast as she can. That is, until Brendan enters her life. He is hard working and dedicated and loyal, everything that Piper is not. Yet. Can they break down each other’s walls without destroying each other?

This book is hot Hot HOT 🔥. I am obsessed with Piper. I am obsessed with Brendan. I am obsessed with Piper and Brendan together. I looove manly men. Beards. Muscles. Hard working men. Carhartt men. This book has them in spades. I used to devour season after season of Deadliest Catch, so there is no way I was not going to love this one! It is a laugh out loud funny, no she 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩, endearing story of finding yourself, healing those broken pieces, and trusting someone with your heart and soul. LOVED!

“If the ocean doesn’t kill me you will.”

I was just approved for the ARC Hook, Line, and Sinker, the follow up to this one. I will be starting it immediately! Thank you to Netgalley, Avon Books, Harper Voyager, and the author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Available now!

This reminded me of that reality show Paris Hilton did when she went to a farm, only with crab fishermen and sex.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes. Am I ok with the fact that I enjoyed it? I'll get back to you on that.
It Happened One Summer was your typical rom-com: girl who's looking to learn some kind of lesson, grumpy man with a hard exterior (and harder abs), and a small town.

The main male character had the same characteristics that nearly all male characters in a rom com have in that he was surly, misunderstood, and had a mysterious past. I liked him enough, but some of the things he said were...questionable. And look - I love a good steamy scene, but the way they played out in this book just felt out of place. In my mind, there's rom com sex scenes, and there's smut sex scenes. The author tried to combine the two and it was off-putting to me. I saw another Goodreads review that said "There is dirty raunchy filthy sex and Tessa Bailey writes her heroes to be pretty alpha," and that's pretty spot on - so if that's a trope that you're into, I say give this one a shot. Unfortunately, it's not a trope that I love, and that's ok!

I loved this book so much! The characters are so well written and I love their journey. The small town, water town setting is a perfect backdrop, Piper and Brendan have such well written comedy and chemistry together. It’s so passionate and romantic too. Would love more in this world!

As always, Tessa Bailey enchanted me with a wonderful story of opposites who fall in love despite themselves. I'll be honest, Piper got on my nerves at first and I wasn't sure I would like her. I shouldn't have worried though. Tessa made me love Piper and all her insecurities. and Brendan? Holy smokes! Dependable, loyal, strong and lovable. There was a swoony teddy bear underneath all that gruff and beanie. And let's not forget that Tessa Bailey writes the BEST sex scenes.

All in all, I really don't think you can go wrong with a book by Tessa Bailey.

Yes Please! This book is hands down my new favorite book from Tessa. This incredibly written book is so much more than a romance. It's a story about moving forward, building relationships, and finding yourself. I'd forgotten how much this kind of story fills your heart with warmth. It was a much-needed read. I'll be highly recommending this one to anyone who will listen. I'm already counting down for Hook, Line, and Sinker.

Eeekk! Two of my favorite things together- enemies to lovers trope and Schitts Creek! This was so fun and flirty and quite steamy! Buckle up for this one!
I am a huge fan of a grumpy man/sweet and sunshine woman who turns the grumpy man into a romantic teddy bear and this delivered over the top!
Piper is a socialite from LA who throws an over the top party that causes issues for her stepfather so he sends her back to where her father was from to try and realize the value of money and where her roots come from. Of course Piper and her sister Hannah don’t take the news well, but figure they can do anything for 3 months, so they go and upon arriving they meet Brenden and his friends, who have been taking care of their dads bar since he passed away. Brenden is a rough, calloused sea fisherman who lost his wife 7 years ago and never really moved past it, until Piper. Piper brings sparkle and life, and Instagram to his life! He brings Piper the reality of real life and the value of real relationships, not just superficial followers.
There were funny parts, some super steamy parts and of course, oodles of love by the end. And the supporting characters, Hannah and Fox, Brenden’s best friend, add a lot of depth and dimension to the main characters.
This is my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last!
Thanks to Avon Publishing and Netgalley for this Arc in exchange for my review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Piper gives me Alexis Rose vibes, so if you love Schitts Creek, you definitely need to pick this book up. And if you haven't seen it, you need to watch it and still pick this book up!

Big city girl meets small town guy and I am here for this! It is as much charming and fun and loving as it is steamy, sexy, and heartfelt.

I loved Piper's development as the book progresses, and found myself wishing I had a real life Brendan boyfriend 😭🤞🏽. I loved the relationship between Piper and her sister, but also the relationships and characters in the town of Westport are a force of their own!
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Always late to the party, but so many thanks to @netgalley and @avonbooks for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
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Seriously, yall, Tessa Bailey never disappoints, so if you haven't read it, do it now!

I just finished this book and im just so happy! I found myself smiling and laughing quite often while reading. Im in love with both our main characters! How is that even possible?! There were moments of sadness when talk of her biological father were brought up, and I wished her mother could have been more fleshed out.

Tessa Bailey does it again! Bailey seems to always deliver a perfectly filled romance complete with sizzling banter and scenes and this one did not disappoint. Everyone kept comparing the main character Piper to Schitt's Creek Alexis - sadly, I haven't watched the show so I wasn't sure what to expect. I'll admit - I DID NOT LIKE PIPER AT ALL in the beginning. She is a spoiled, selfish and shallow party girl with zero responsibilities... but after breaking one too many rules, she is sent to spend a summer in a remote fishing town and has to take a hard look at what she is doing with her life. Cue the meet cute and hunky bearded fisherman with his own jaded past and heartbreak. I really enjoyed Piper's character development, despite is seemingly a bit predictable and fast - it hit all the right notes for a summer romance novel.

I absolutely loved this one! So we’ll written and the perfect summer read. This is one I could read over and over again.

Piper Bellinger’s only responsibility? Well, she doesn’t really have any. She’s a spoiled rich girl who reacts to a breakup by breaking into a hotel pool and throwing the party of the century, which lands her in an unexpected place: jail.

The punishment?

Her stepdad is sending her and her sister, Hannah (who bailed Piper out when she wasn’t supposed to) to Westport, a small fishing village where her late biological father was born and raised and left some property to the sisters, which turns out to be the diviest bar ever. For three months. His hope is that they’ll finally learn what the word responsibility actually means.

On arrival in town, it’s clear that Piper’s most definitely a fish out of water in their new environment, and the locals can see it. One particular local—a hot, bearded fisherman named Brendan—seems determined to give her a hard time. He’s sure she’s not going to last a night in the rundown apartment above the dive bar their father left them. But Piper is more resilient than even she knows.

I don’t think there’s ever been a Tessa Bailey novel that I didn’t love, and this one is absolutely no exception. Once again, she managed to suck me in and make me fall in love with every single character from start to finish. Not only that, but the growth of these characters and the way she built not just the love story, but Piper's growth with the entire town of Westport was just...perfect. This is one of those books you'll always wish you could go back and read for the first time again.


*** ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review ***

What a great, fun story. I loved it. Looking for more from this author, as this was the first time reading her.

Is it even possible to give this book more than five stars like 1 million. The chemistry in this book was off the charts. I loved the backdrop setting of the pacific northwest. And I also couldn’t agree more this is the deadliest catch meets Schitt’s Creek and can’t wait for Tessa’s second installment in the series. Thank you so very much for an advanced reader copy of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

It Happened One Summer was hot, steamy, and such a good summer read. I devoured this book in two sittings. The characters were so entertaining, and I definitely got the Schitt's Creek vibes. This is my first Tessa Bailey novel and I'm in love. Can't wait to read more from her!