Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
5/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

•••Spoiler free review below•••

What do we want? More Romance books.
How do we want them? With dual point of views!

WOW!
Tessa Bailey is a queen. Honestly, truly.
I am so glad she was not done with Westport after Piper and Brendan's story and I would not be mad if she found other stories to tell in this world.

I will admit that friends to lovers is not my usual genre but Hannah and Fox's story was absolutely perfect and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it. Their banter is perfect and all of their interactions left me grinning.
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Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books/Harper Voyager for sharing an arc with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

I loved this book even more than the first book in the Bellinger Sisters series. Hannah's character versus her sister Piper was just so much more deep and easier to readers to empathize with and for. I also loved the way Fox tried to better himself so he could be better for Hannah. The way he cared so deeply for her was touching and I found myself tearing up when he did a few times. What a big old handsome softie he is! The location of this book is atmospheric, and I love hearing about what the kind crab fisherman do on their trips. The romance was straight fire in this book. First the angst and flirting and then more angst and then full blown fire! Tessa Bailey nai.ed it with this one. I can't wait for her next release.

Although this fun and steamy romcom falls flat as a follow up to It Happened One Summer, I think it still stands strong on its own.

The way Fox’s history with toxic masculinity and struggles with sexual shame were introduced made it difficult to really understand what the actually internal conflict was. Things surrounding it didn’t feel very serious or clear until much later in the book and initially reads as Fox complaining that he can’t help that every woman he meets is attracted to him. I did, however, enjoy seeing more depth to Fox’s character and he feels much more fleshed out than his initial introduction.

I also feel that we didn’t get much personality from Hannah. The bulk of the energy comes from Fox going back-and-forth between being vulnerable about his image and returning to his cockier, more lighthearted self. Hannah has an overwhelmingly neutral presence at all times, which isn’t inherently bad but definitely makes it difficult to make her memorable. I think the two characters had very strong chemistry, though, and nothing between their progression felt forced.

The frustrated professions of love and casual messages between them were incredibly sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed how Tessa Bailey approached establishing a developed friendship between the two through something as simply as an introductory chapter of test messages spanning many months. Their connection feels incredibly honest.

4.5

Thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks for my review copy. Loved going back to the Westport for this book.
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We meet both Fox and Hannah in, It Happened One Summer. Fox being the Hero’s friend and Hannah being the heroines sister. You get some insight on them in the first book and I was so excited to see how their story would unfold. It did not disappoint.
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Hannah is back in LA trying to breakthrough in her job and Fox is in Westport but they manage to communicate via txts for months. Hannah realizes she misses Westport and her sister so manages to convince her boss to change direction for his movie. Now she’s heading back to Westport AND staying with Fox. Temporary roomies!!! Yes! TENSION. I loved how they developed this sweet friendship with one another and just kept getting closer.
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From the beginning of the book they were committed to each other even if they were just friends. I think having this foundation is what made me love them together so much. While Hannah did have a crush on her boss once upon a time, she didn’t play games and there was no back and forth there. LOVE. Everyone considers Fox a player including himself but Hannah truly believes in him and sees that he’s much more than what he tries to portray.
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My only thing is that I wish is that he would have had more faith in himself and not let everyone else’s opinions get to him and hold him back. Overall, I have to say that I loved Fox and Hannah and this story. The steam! 🔥🔥
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.5**

Here's the thing: I <b>LOVED</b> [b:It Happened One Summer|55659629|It Happened One Summer (Bellinger Sisters, #1)|Tessa Bailey|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1604991895l/55659629._SY75_.jpg|86795919] so when I was approved for Hook, Line, and Sinker, I was THRILLED. That being said, it took me so long to get into this book! I've started and restarted this book so many times and finally was able to immerse myself into Fox and Hannah's love story.

If I'm bring honest, this <i>was</i> an enjoyable book but the romance did not feel like it was the main focal point. I've noticed that this is the case for a few of Tessa Bailey's other works: Too Wild to Tame comes to mind. I wanted to see more of Hannah dealing with not being able to relate with Piper about their father- maybe a conversation between the two about it.

Overall, it was good, but not great.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I would do anything for Fox and Hannah. Fox is a new ultimate book boyfriend, and the relationship development between him and Hannah was top tier. Highly recommend this book!

I’ve always been such a fan of Tessa Bailey’s work. She has a chokehold on me where I will always read what she releases regardless of if I am intrigued by it or not. OH MY GOD. Tessa, you have done it again, and not only that you have done an even better job! I fell in love with Piper and Hannah’s stories in It Happened One Summer. I think it helped that I was able to read it right after finishing Schitt’s Creek and loved Alexis Rose, but that is beside the point. Anyway, You have taken their stories and made them everything I wanted and more.

To have Hannah and Fox’s story make me fall more in love with this world you have built is saying something! You have truly outdone yourself with this sequel. I loved every moment, from the friendship to the tension and love between Fox and Hannah, to the jealousy and guidance of Piper and Brendan. Seeing these two get a happy ending was what made this book such a win. Hannah’s fighting and trying to find a connection with her father was beautiful, and Fox as a whole was just such a stellar MC. Knowing there are only two sisters, I do hope you will one day return to this world you have built, but as always, I cannot wait for your next release!!!!

rating:☆☆☆☆☆
After reading It happed One Summer, I was really excited to get into this book! This book has become one of my favorite romance books. There was so much in this book and I loved every part of it. The friends-to-lovers trope did not disappoint! The characters are complex, and the plot had multiple layers to it. Picking up this book, I was so happy to read about Westport again. The storyline was perfectly paced, and I never found myself bored and wished for more. While reading, I couldn't put the book down! I was fully immersed and really enjoyed reading. Hannah and Fox's dynamic was so fun to read about. I loved the character development and how both of the characters worked through their emotional trauma. This book made me feel a number of emotions, most of them being unbelievably happy but I did shed a few tears for the epilogue. From the forced proximity to the slow burn, this book had everything! This book was the perfect wap for both of the Bellinger sisters. I highly recommend this series and everyone has to read and give it a try!
Thank you to Avon Books for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley!

Hook, Line, and Sinker unfortunately just did not live up to my expectations. While it didn’t exactly sink, it didn’t quite swim for me either

. Hannah and Fox were two characters that I absolutely adored in Piper’s story and yet, their chemistry didn’t work as well once they were center stage. While I especially enjoyed the necessary talks about toxic masculinity, I could have done with a little less of Fox’s self loathing.

The music aspect of this story is what made me continue to push through and what lifted it up for me. Music is a beautiful medium for these characters to express their feelings through and those moments really popped off of the page!

While I didn’t adore this story, I didn’t dislike it either. All in all, this was a case of little sibling in it’s older siblings shadow for me!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked It Happened One Summer, but I loved Hook, Line, and Sinker! I'm not usually a fan of friends-to-lovers stories, but something about Fox and Hannah really drew me in.

Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager and Tessa Bailey, for an ARC of this book!

I had high hopes before reading, and this book completely surpassed any and all expectations!

This book centered around Hannah and Fox's story. I haven't read Brendan's and Piper's story (which is high on my TBR now), but I found that I wasn't confused or lost on anything. In fact, I even am more excited to read about Brendan and Piper!

Any who, I found that I immediately loved both characters. Hannah is a strong female character with aspirations that don't revolve around the male lead, which was a breath of fresh air. She knew what she wanted and went from "supporting actress" to "leading lady," a character growth that she mainly did on her own but had the support of Fox. Which is amazing. Her insecurities were all too real to me. Reading Hannah's story not only brought excitement to learn what happens next, but she also instilled the message that we must fight for the role we desire in life (as cheesy as that might sound). All in all, I absolutely love Hannah. She was a complex character with her own hopes, dreams, friends, and history. I love romance, but I love it even more when the woman is able to be her own person.

As for Fox, I did really enjoy reading his perspective. It was lovely to follow along his journey of breaking out of the box he not only allowed others to place him in, but that he placed himself in as well. His confidence (as well as Hannah's) grew as the story progressed. A lot of character development on both sides, which is wonderful. I also love a man that is able to talk feelings and acknowledge when they have hurt others, as Fox is able to do. I also absolutely adored his heart-to-heart with his mother at the end.

Some parts did make me cringe, such as parts of Fox's dirty talk and his persistence when he was trying to prove to Hannah that he was just a "hall pass." The point he was trying to make did come through, but the whole situation was extremely uncomfortable. I believe that Tessa Bailey was aiming for this, now that I think about it, to evoke the same feelings that the characters were feeling in the moment (that something was incredibly wrong).

All in all, I love this book. When I'm able, I'm definitely going to buy the physical version of the book to put on my bookshelf. I didn't expect to like it so much, as I have no interest in fishing, but man. Tessa Bailey has a way of making people care about her characters.

Tessa Bailey's books are the answer to any bad day. Her writing, characters, and plots just feel like a big hug and I love escaping into her books. Hook, Line, and Sinker takes readers back to Westport for another fun visit to the ports and small town. This book is a much slower burn than many of Bailey's other books but it's worth the wait.

I absolutely loved this novel. It was so engaging I love the character development and I was so invested in their love story. I cannot wait for the next book in the series. I don’t know how this author constantly raises the bar with her super sweet super sexy super accessible love stories.

I loved this one just as much as the first one. I could not put it down. I wanted something between Hannah and Fox since the first book and this one did not disappoint. I was laughing or smiling throughout this one and a sobbing mess by the end. Tessa Bailey is a must read for me! I definitely recommend this rom-com. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the ARC of this in exchange for my honest review.

Did I love Hannah and Fox in Hook, Line, and Sinker? Yes, I did, just not as much as It Happened One Summer.
I loved Hannah, and I loved how Fox brought out the best in her. I love the way Hannah stands up for the people she loves. We saw it in It Happened One Summer, and we see it here too.
This book had a lot of emotion, and I liked that, but I also didn’t. I really didn’t love the way Fox was portrayed. I completely understand that it was for his character development, and I know we are supposed to feel outraged, but I still didn’t enjoy it. I was happy with how it turned out, but this just felt like a heavier read to me.
Fox and Hannah together were great though a few of the dreaded miscommunications happened, which is one of the reasons the friends to lovers trope is not a favorite of mine. Both of them were very insecure, and I enjoyed watching them navigate their relationship. However, I also got a little annoyed that they didn’t just talk to each other more.

This was so SO good!! Tessa Bailey is simply brilliant. She is so skilled at writing an emotional, spicy book while still making me giggle every other page. I cannot recommend this book enough!! I loved It Happened One Summer, but I’m OBSESSED with Hook, Line, and Sinker…. and Fox.

This is such a cute romance and a great book to throw in your bag for Spring break! #partner @tessabaileyisanauthor @avonbooks

Fox Thorton is a player who has never had a relationship. The last thing he needs is to fall for his best friend, Hannah, while trying to help her get her crush.

And to make matters worse, she has moved into his spare room for the next few weeks while she is filming a movie.

I wish there was a soundtrack to go with this book. It was such a cute and quick read.

As a big fan of It Happened One Summer, I was so excited to read the second book in this series by Tessa Bailey. And thankfully, it did not disappoint! Hannah was a delightful main character, quirky and thoughtful and supportive, and she's surprisingly down to earth considering her rich family. Fox is a charming f*boy who doesn't believe he's capable of being more than just a charming f*boy, and Hannah is here to set him straight. I will say some of his issues didn't make him the most relatable (he's just too hot to be taken seriously? please.), but suspension of disbelief is often necessary in the romance genre. Overall not *quite* as perfect as It Happened One Summer, but then again, nothing will ever be that good again. A solid 4+ stars and a welcome addition to this coastal hot crab fisherman universe.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and while I did still enjoy it, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. In It Happened One Summer, the snippets we got of Fox and Hannah’s friendship were EVERYTHING to me, but I was pretty let down by the way their relationship ended up playing out in their own book. I understand why Fox was hesitant to open himself up fully to Hannah, but that doesn’t mean that I liked it, lol. Also, the super unnecessary third act conflict in this one drove me bonkers. With all that being said, this was still a Tessa Bailey book so of course I did enjoy it (and the smut was of course, A+), but this as a whole just did not quite do everything that I was hoping it would and I am pretty bummed about it. Here's hoping her next release works a little better for me!

CW: death of a parent, slut shaming

I wish there was another Bellinger sister, because I love this duology SO, so much! The characters, the setting, the dialogue, everything is just perfect! I loved returning to Westport in this story about Hannah and Fox. They have kept in touch and have become friends since Hannah was last in town. When Hannah convinces the director of the movie she’s working on to move the filming to Westport, it just so happens Fox has an extra room for her to stay in his apartment. When Hannah sees Fox again, she realizes her director crush has turned into a Fox crush! Both of them feel like they aren’t enough in different ways, but they encourage each other to look past their self limits, and fall for each other along the way! Tessa Bailey has become a must purchase author for me!