3.5 stars, rounded up.
I did not love this book as much as the first in the series, but I am still glad I read it. I liked Hannah and it was good to see her grow a bit and spread her wings more. However, I feel like more could have been done with her relationship with her grandmother, and even her parents, who were only mentioned once? Maybe? Also, there were multiple interactions with her friend/ enemy/ coworker/ I'm not sure what named Christian that lead to nowhere and seemed superfluous.
And Fox was just not as swoony as Brendan. I feel like his whole personality and story arc were flat. Also, he is TERRIBLE at dirty talk. Awful. I had to skim over those portions of the book once I realized it . I mean, the sex seems good, but could he please shut up??? It is making my skin crawl a bit thinking about it.
So, while I enjoy the forced proximity and the return to Westport, and I am overall glad that Hannah and Fox got out of their own ways to have an HEA, I did not swoon over the book like I did with Piper and Brendan.

As always, I love a Tessa Bailey book! She brings to life such fun characters and the steam level in this book was on point. I really enjoyed the main characters' love story, and I would highly recommend this book to my contemporary romance lovin' friends!

I was so nervous diving into this one after reading It Happened One Summer because Brendan and Piper were absolutely EVERYTHING!! I just didn't know if Fox and Hannah were going to live up to my expectations. I will admit, I was not loving this one until about 2/3 of the way through. Once they FINALLY told each other how they felt though, the story just hit me in my feels and took off from there. Fox really grew to love Hannah unconditionally and knew she was the only woman for him. The way that Hannah handled the situation at the end really made me appreciate the way the author took the direction in a very mature way. I will now be going back to read all of Tessa Bailey's backlist!

I really, really loved this! The friends to lovers trope was executed perfectly and the chemistry between Hannah and Fox was undeniable. I think their relationship development is even more impactful after seeing them meet in It Happened One Summer.

Last year I read and reviews It Happened One Summer, the first book in a duology by Tessa Bailey about two sisters who must leave their posh lives in Los Angeles to prove themselves to be capable adults in a small fishing town in Washington state. I really enjoyed that first book introducing the two sisters, with the main focus on Piper, so I was really excited to get a chance to read and review book 2 in the series that focuses on Hannah. I could more easily connect with Hannah than Piper so I knew the second book would probably be even better for me than the first book. I was not disappointed.

The book opens with a text string between Hannah and Fox over the course of several months while she is back in L.A. and he is in Westport. I loved the connection between them and how music brought them even closer together. They seemed to easily understand one another even though they were both so different at the same time. Even before Hannah got back to Westport, the way they fought their growing attraction made it seem more and more that they were meant to be together. Their chemistry was absolutely undeniable throughout the book. I also really enjoyed the vulnerability that they both had. Neither had been in a serious relationship and were scared to take that step. Especially with Fox knowing how his father was and thinking that everybody basically expected him to follow suite. Even more than the romance between Hannah and Fox, I very much enjoyed Hannah’s character evolution. She started out working as a production assistant for this director and always thought of herself as an extra or sidekick character rather than the leading lady. Gradually Fox helped her to see that she can and should be the leading lady in her own life. She started to take those steps to put herself out there more and get what she wants. I enjoy romances but it makes it so much better when the female character takes charge of her own life and doesn’t just let things happen to her.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I am sad that there will not be anymore of these characters in future books. But I will definitely be checking out more books from this author in the future.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @avonbooks for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a super cute friends-to-lovers story, which isn’t my favorite trope but it was still a heartwarming story.

In this character-driven romance, we leave off where the first book (It Happened One Summer) left us. We get to follow Hannah and Fox’s angsty, quirky, and complicated relationship. Riddled with miscommunication had me screaming at the book a few times…”Just talk to each other!! Use your words!” 😂

While the pacing felt a bit off and a few parts were a little too “hallmark channel” for me, I still really enjoyed it. I think I just went into it with different expectations, but I’d still recommend it if you were a fan of the first book in the series!

Tessa Bailey does it again with Hook, Line, and Sinker! I am obsessed with It Happened One Summer and Brendan. When I heard there would be a second book, I was elated. I was crushing on Fox during book one, and I've fallen for him in book two! Fox and Hannah are everything! I enjoy their multiple forms of communication through texts and talking. The steam did not disappoint either will this open-door romance. Thank you, Avon and HarperAudio, for my gifted copies in exchange for my honest review.

Hook, Line, and Sinker has all the swoon worthy flirting you could want. Starting with long-distance “friend” texts which somehow turn into convincing your boss to move filming to where your “friend” happens to live. I loved watching the two characters grow together. Both were so set in their ways before the book and I loved seeing actual communication. Of course there were misunderstandings but they made sense with their growth. The book does a great job of also dealing with the friendships outside of the main couple and the toxic way friends had been acting towards each other. With a little bit of steam thrown in, I flew through this one. For me, it was a 4/5.

If you like record shopping, nontoxic jealousy that ramps up the tension, or love a converted player, this is the one for you.

I received a digital copy of this book free from Avon Books and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was *heart eye emoji* I loved that she never gave up on him. I loved that he allowed himself to try even if he was scared. The chemistry was *chefs kiss*. The two books in this series were so good!!!! I want more!! The sisters were relatable and the guys were *swoon* and *steam*

I read It Happened One Summer and was very excited to read this follow up with Hannah's story. It was HOT! I look forward to more from Tessa!

Was very engaging as a Tessa Bailey book normally is. It didn't grab me as much as the first one in the duology but it was still really good. Fox just wasn't my favorite hero. I did love how devoted he was to Hannah and I thought his commentary on the sexualization of teenagers brought up a really interesting conversation but I just couldn't get over some of his stubbornness. I loved how committed Hannah was to steadfastly wearing Fox down and getting him to fall for her. It wasn't my favorite of the Tessa Bailey books but it was still really enjoyable and I liked it!

I absolutely loved this book! Tessa Bailey has my heart and I will read/but anything she writes. Her characters always leave you wanting more and this book has done the exact thing!

Hook, Line, and Sinker is the perfect romance read for anyone that has never felt like they were enough, like they would always be the bridesmaid and never the bride, for the ones that always feel like the support in their own movie.

Hannah has always been the support and the hype woman for everyone in her life, especially her sister, Piper, who has overshadowed her Hannah's entire life. But one can only take being the supporting actress in their own life for so long. Hannah takes out to grab life by the horns. Hannah wants to come clean to the man she is interested in about the crush she harbors, she wants to move out of her personal assistant role and into the musical department with movies.

But life in LA is lonely and Hannah convinces her boss to move production on the movie to Westport to both see the devlish rake, Fox, that she has been texting for months and bonding with and her sister. The unexpected timing of her sister's in-laws visiting forces her to crash on Fox's couch. But his rakish tendencies run deeper than it seems and imposter syndrome rears it's ugly head as the two attempt to deal with the feelings they have ignored. Will they growth both as individuals and together? Or will their romance go unsaid.

Hook, Line, and Sinker was the perfect summer romance, and perfect romance if you've ever felt like you weren't enough or didn't deserve a love. Hannah and Fox's growth as individuals was perfect to see. Their romance is intense and endearing. Tessa Bailey has become an instant buy author for me after this duology.

This charming sequel to "It Happened One Summer" gives us the hot friends-to-lovers romance between habitual player Fox and earnest music-lover Hannah. Though this book didn't quite have the magic of the previous story in the series, I still found myself eagerly turning the pages and holding my breath to see how Fox and Hannah would find their HEA. And, of course, Tessa Bailey knows how to write dirty talk.

Friends to lovers with so much tension! Agreat expansion of the characters with real insight into each other. No insta love here!

4.5 stars!

This book is the follow-up we were all expecting and needing! While I absolutely loved It Happened One Summer, I had felt the chemistry between Fox and Hannah from their small interactions way back then, and I knew they were going to have something special.

The plot follows Hannah, who works in Hollywood and has a huge crush on her boss. He hasn’t ever really given Hannah the time of day outside of work, but she finds the opportunity to impress him when she suggests the shooting location be Westport, the infamous location of our OG romance. Fox is the town’s well-known, forever single bachelor, and his reputation makes people treat him somewhat differently, especially where Hannah is involved. Hannah ends up staying in Fox’s extra bedroom, and the perfect roommate-to-lover’s plot is laid out… or it would be if Hannah wasn’t interested in another man and if Fox didn’t offer to help her impress him.

I loved how Hannah and Fox slowly got to know each other as friends and break down each others’ walls. For me personally, Fox’s character was the true light in the story though, as I got to see his true heart of gold beneath the perpetual player persona. And I am a sucker for it.

Go read Hook, Line and Sinker by Tessa Bailey NOW! You won’t regret it!

As much as Brendan got my motor running in “It Happened One Summer”, it is clear that Tessa Bailey was holding out on us.

She was saving Fox, the true dream boat, for Hook, Line and Sinker. Fox is epic book-boyfriend material. We get to know this ultimate playboy of Westport through his friendship with Hannah. They met in It Happened One Summer as ancillary characters to the love story of Brendan and Piper. Tessa Bailey finally tells us what happened when they first met in book one, and a beautiful friendship blooms, unbeknownst to their friends and families.

No spoiler here, but the text message threads may be the best part of the book.
Fox and Hannah’s friendship was wonderfully built over time, months before they’re eventually forced into constant contact. Nothing about their slowly developing romance was predictable. Each time I was sure they’d finally “hook up”, it would end before it even started. The sexual tension was massive, but Hannah knew it was necessary to keep the space. Fox was so much more than a good time between the sheets. The trouble was getting him to believe that about himself.

Having been typecast as a non-committal playboy at an early age, Fox has a deep inner hatred of himself. He projects an image of confidence but inside he doesn’t have very much self value. He’s definitely good at making women happy. He just doesn’t believe he’s worth anything else. Of course he’s attracted to Hannah, and if she’d let him, he’d show her just how good they could be together physically. Hannah is determined to help see himself as more than a good lay. This battle between them made the sexual tension bearable for the reader. I was just as impatient as Fox, thinking they’d work it out once they finally hooked up. Instead, Tessa Bailey gave us an honest perspective of how a healthy relationship is built when each partner believes in their own worth. No co-dependency for happiness here.

Music was significant to their friendship and eventual love.

I enjoyed the musical soundtrack throughout Hook, Line and Sinker. Music is deeply woven into Hannah’s daily life. Her creative talent is experiencing life and curating music that signify everyday moments. She doesn’t miss an opportunity to match a classic song to the cadence of her life’s events. It even creates a deeper connection with Fox. While she’s the musical expert, Fox develops his own taste in classic records. It’s adorable to see him grow closer to her with music.

The Bellinger Sister duology is one of the best modern romance series I have ever read. It brought me into Tessa Bailey’s world, and now I’m anxious to read all of her books. Me, my daughter, mother, and aunt all “Stan” Tessa Bailey now. We were lucky enough to snag tickets to the Hook, Line and Sinker event in Westport Washington this March.

Check out my instagram @read.lift.love for updates of the REAL Westport, and the exciting Hook, Line and Sinker launch event!

I wasn't a huge fan of It Happened One Summer, but while I didn't think Hook, Line, and Sinker was the best book I ever read, I really loved Fox and Hannah together. They had such an adorable chemistry together. I think the conversation about how over sexualized Fox was at such a young age was very important. We don't talk about that enough is society. Overall this was a cute book!

I received the ARC of this book before it was published and unfortunately JUST got around to reading it.

While I liked this book and give it 3 stars it wasn't my favorite Tessa Bailey book I have ever read. In IHOS I was so excited to see what was going to happen with Hannah and Fox and it unfortunately just... fell a bit flat for me and I can't really explain why.

Fox was just as charming as the first book and Hannah just as amazing I just didn't connect with them like I thought I would which made me a bit sad. Who knows, maybe I will give it another shot and re read this after I read IHOS again that way I don't have so much downtime between the two as I did before and I will change my opinion.

Overall it WAS enjoyable just not my favorite.

Such a delight of a book - a slow burn romance between a supposed player and a music lover. This is the second in this series and I enjoyed it immensely for a slow burn friends-to-lovers romance with a big splash of heat at the end!