You first meet Fox and Hannah in "It happened on summer" As i enjoyed the 1st book I felt something was missing or I didn't connect with the main characters. But when I heard about Hannah and Fox story I knew I wanted to read it. Especially Hannah. Hannah Sees herself as the side character not the main. Once her sister is settled she goes back to LA to get a job in the film industry she's wants to work her way up based on talent not her step fathers name. So she gets a job at the bottom. The director is wanting to change locations and describes a place like Westpoint and she jumps on the opportunity to suggest the fisherman village to the crew and that means she can go stay with her sister. Once they agree she calls her only to find out her soon to be in-laws will be in town but suggests she stays at Foxs. Since he will be gone a good bit. Now in the time shes left her and Fox has started a texting friendship describing there days by songs and albums.

Fox is the towns playboy but hes never been looking for something serious and she's only looking for friendship. So this is the perfect set up for both. But Fox hasnt been his normal self since the nightly texting has begun. He feels for her something hes never felt before but he knows he would screw it up and shes not staying. why mess up a friendship.

As the lines blurr they have to make the decision on whats next. what do they want out of life.

I enjoyed this one more then the 1st one. Hannah is my kind of girl shes strong and smart and music is a drive for life with every moment can be a song. I feel that. And Fox is a lot more then he seems. he gets the rep of being a play boy but thats not him at all.

As his walls fall down and we get to know him better the more I'm rooting for him. And I've always been rooting for Hannah. Shes is a leading lady if you ask me..

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Harper Voyager for the ARC of this in exchange for my honest review

4.5 Stars!

I really enjoyed Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey. It is well-written book that takes place in Westport, a small coastal town near Seattle. This is second novel in the Bellinger Sisters series, and it can be read as a standalone. However, the first book is terrific as well.

Hannah Bellinger fell in love with Westport last year, when she and her socialite sister revived their late father's bar. She loves music and has an exceptional ear. Hannah works as a production assistant for the film industry and is in Westport working on a movie. She is hopeful to eventually evolve herself into the soundtrack end of the business. However, she finds it difficult to speak up and prefers to be a supporting player in her life.

Fox Thornton is an incredibly handsome deep sea fisherman. He is talented enough to captain his own boat, however, his insecurities prevent him from doing so. His reputation with the ladies is legendary, and the locals never let him forget it. Falling in love with Hannah changes his life and outlook for the future.

Hannah and Fox share an amazing chemistry which is felt throughout the book. They are wonderful characters and I could not get enough of them. Their sexy times are scorching yet very tasteful. By the end of the story I felt that I knew them intimately, and that their love would continue to grow and deepen. Don't pass on the opportunity to read this romance.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Boy did I love Piper and Brendan’s story and after getting a little glimpse of the flirtation between Hannah and Fox I knew I needed more and more of their story! I loved that Hannah’s job brought her back to Westport to Fox and her sister Piper. Since Piper’s in laws are in town, Hannah stays on Fox’s guest room and you can just imagine the sexual tension building the whole time. Their love story is anything but easy and there were times I wanted to smack Fox upside the head but I was totally invested at the same time. Hannah shows some intense character development and I loved watching her growth throughout the novel. Beware, this is a SLOW a SLOW burn romance but when it gets there it is STEAMY!

A fun, comedic romance about a small town boy who is dealing with a lot of stereotypes in his small town. A city girl has recently moved in and all hell breaks loose with their emotions and feelings. A great read!

Supporting characters have their time in the limelight in this second book in the Bellinger Sisters series. Playboy Fox learns how to form a friendship with a woman rather than a sexual relationship. Hannah begins to trust her musical instincts and skills are worth a job promotion. They push each other to grow into their better selves as their slow burn romance builds with scorching chemistry. Full of humor and emotional depth, readers will be hooked.

I loved this book! The friends to lovers storyline was super sweet and Hannah’s personality was much more relatable than Piper’s in the first book (for me, personally). As with any Tessa Bailey book the spice level is high. I also really enjoyed the way she explored themes of toxic masculinity and how harmful it is.

This book was an absolute delight. I don’t know if it’s a trend, which I highly support, or I’m in a good groove, but this is yet another book that opens the discussions around sex and sexuality. More specifically, toxic masculinity, and slut shaming amongst men.

Fox’s chapters are really great. To see his inner turmoil and the utter defeat when he tries to change public perception of him. I will say it’s hard as a woman to not be like, “buck up buttercup, that’s only one of the many perceptions I have to deal with daily,” but he’s so lovely, you embrace it.

My only struggle is this book took longer to grab me than It Happened One Summer. It could very much be a me thing, as IHOS was one of my 2021 favorites. Also this was more of a slow burn than an insta steam. But that epilogue is why the heart eye emoji exists.

I think this may be my favorite Tessa Bailey book because the characters do not use the word "baby" as a pet name haha. But seriously, this was a great slow burn love story. I really liked how the relationship was hinted at in book 1 and easily moved into this book. As a fan of music, I loved all the references and passion for music in this. I liked how each character truly saw who the other character was and challenged them to be better. Cute series!

I was so excited to start this book after reading it happened one summer and it very much so lived up to my expectations. I loved the depth that went into Fox’s character in this book. Both Hannah and Fox’s development individually and as a couple was so satisfying. This book also does a wonderful job of giving you a closer look into who Henry was and overall just closes perfectly. Will definitely be recommend this.

Thank you to Netgalley, author and publisher for an ARC of this book.

This book is book number 2 in the Bellinger Sister series. This is the story of Hannah and Fox. Hannah returns back to Westport to film a movie. While there she stays with her friend Fox. Fox has a reputation for being a ladies man. Fox makes a promise to Hannah’s sister and his best friend that he will keep things between him and Hannah strictly platonic. As time goes on and sparks fly and they are unable to keep their feelings to themselves. On this journey Hannah has to prove to Fox that he is capable of falling and staying in love.

Overall, I did enjoy this book. At times it felt slow but I think that was because I was wanting Fox to come to his senses! This is a great book for the romance/rom-com book lovers and it u enjoyed the first book you will definitely enjoy this one too!

This is hands down my favorite Tessa Bailey book.
Let's begin.
At first, I was skeptical of this sequel, because the character of Hannah, while lovely, didn't really capture my attention in the first book, It Happened One Summer. I didn't go into this sequel rooting for the couple, something I have done with other Tessa Bailey series, especially the Hot & Hammered series. This is classic friends to lovers. As a die hard enemies to lovers fan, this novel melted my cold cold heart. And broke it. And revived it again. Tessa Bailey utilizes a different narrative voice in all her novels (which is something that makes me extra excited to read her new releases, to see how she tells the story). This book is dual POV and within that, very internal monologue heavy. Looking back, there isn't a whole lot of dialogue, and I didn't even really notice until I was nearly halfway through. While in most books that are internal monologue driven the character's thoughts seem to be very repetitive, It didn't find that to be the case here. I just felt a stronger understanding of the characters, exactly as Tessa Bailey had envisioned them. I was rooting for this couple from the jump. The character of Fox absolutely broke my heart. I wanted to reach into the book and give him a hug. I loved the dynamic of Fox and Hannah. How they relied on each other, challenged each other, held each other accountable. It was all very...healthy. No toxic romance here (which, my girl Tessa is very capable of writing). This book was a breath of fresh air. Since finishing it, I haven't been able to focus on another book. I will forever love this couple.
And the epilogue? Listen, I am very picky when it comes to epilogues. They can make or break a book for me. This one was the icing on the cake. A true continuation of the series, giving a glimpse into the characters years down the line. The writing was excellent. At no point was my escapism interrupted.
If I could give this book 6 stars, I would.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the e-ARC!

I read this one before reading It Happened One Summer. While I know it technically didn’t matter, I wish I would’ve read them in the right order so that I could have seen the build up to Hannah and Fox that happened in IHOS. But either way, I still adored this book and really loved the relationship between Fox and Hannah!

What I liked:
🎣 The focus on music as an experience, both collective and individual
🎣 HANNAH - what a phenomenal female main character
🎣 Insecurity representation for men
🎣 Healing relationships (with family, friends, and oneself)
🎣 THE FLEETWOOD MAC ALBUM

What I didn’t like:
🎣 Some parts of the steamier scenes gave me the ick
🎣 The ending felt rushed and resolved super quickly for all of the build up

Overall, I really liked this story. My favorite thing about it was Hannah. Her love and passion shined the entire book. I loved her self-discovery journey and the way she helped Fox heal and learn to love himself.

Tessa Bailey, find me a third Bellinger sister. I <i>need</i> more of Westport.

God, I <i>loved</i> this book so much.

We met Hannah in the previous book, and we know that she sees the world in music — but we didn't get to see as much of Fox Thornton, and how he begins to see the world through Hannah's eyes. I have been waiting for them since he left that album for her, and now that I've gotten into his head, I refuse to leave.

Hannah shows up to Westport crushing on the director of the movie she assists on, but she finds that the more days she spends with Fox in something dangerously close to domestic bliss, the less she finds herself looking at anyone else. She's also on her own mission to move away from playing supporting side cast to starring as the lead in her own life, and part of that includes seizing whatever opportunities she wants.

Fox has been upkeeping a reputation that's been following him since he was a child — comments about his father's revolving door of women, <i>seeing</i> his father smelling like a perfume factory as women came in and out of his doors, people around town saying that he's going to be a heartbreaker, his mother inadvertently confirming the belief by giving him condom money, a "bad" reputation that's followed him even to the point where his best friend constantly warns him away from Hannah, sly comments from all his crew about getting laid, and just being treated like a side piece his whole life.

Safe to say, all of that takes a toll.

His reputation helps him protect himself, but it also means he refuses to move forward with his life because he doesn't think anyone would trust him with anything. When Hannah comes to live with him, Fox begins to worry about the ways his reputation can touch her — something that wasn't as pertinent when they were only talking through text messages.

Hannah sees him.

To put it very simply, Hannah sees straight through the curated image to the man underneath, and that's what makes this friends-to-lovers so delicious. She refuses to let him think of himself as nothing more than a means to a very pleasurable end, refuses to let him push her away with the force of his sex appeal and refuses to move forward with him until he sees that. And I loved the way the author weaved this romantic subplot into her own journey to become the "leading lady."

It was refreshing to see a man so insecure. Fox broke my heart at so many points because I just wanted this man to see himself for who he actually is, rather than the man he pretends to be. I enjoyed the way that the author made it to be that it's not having frequent sex that's bad, it's hiding behind it as a way to cope - like nowhere did I get the impression that Fox was being shamed for enjoying sex, and that's a delicate balance to have.

The only thing I wish we'd gotten more of, and this only shaves off maybe a half star? if even that? for me, and that is watching everyone else apologize to Fox for the comments — particularly Brendan, given how strongly the man comes on about how he absolutely should stay away from Hannah at all costs, being his best friend.

Anyway, Fox is the love of my life, and I loved seeing Hannah kick ass, so this is one of the best books I've read so far — a great series to start with Tessa Bailey's books!

[Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyage for providing this ARC to me in exchange for an honest review.]

I really enjoyed It Happened One Summer, so I was so excited to get Hook, Line, and Sinker from NetGalley!

4 Stars

In It Happened One Summer, there was A LOT of *Spice* and I expected this to be the same. It was a different type of romcom and different from the first book. I enjoy when things have a rhyme within a series, but that also causes problems. I enjoyed that this book felt the same, but was also its own thing.

Hannah and Fox were foreshadowed in book 1 towards the end. Hannah is a very upfront personality that will not hide or not fight. I connected with feeling like a "supporting character" in the story of life. Being the friend everyone goes to for help and advice, but not the one who always gets the help. It made, when she stood up for what she wanted, even more powerful.

Fox and Hannah's relationship is a "friends-to-lovers" which, honestly is not one of my favorite tropes. However, it could also be a little "enemies-to-lovers" until they opened up to each other more. I did enjoy their friendship that then blossomed into something more. Their relationship felt more "real" with the emotions the characters went through and how it wasn't straight to *spice* in their relationship.

However, if you are going into this book with the expectation of the amount of **SPICE** book 1 had, I would lower that expectation. There is SPICE, but it takes a lot of book and character growth for that part of the book to happen. I recommend this book for those who want more storytelling (plot) than smut.

I loved It Happened One Summer so I was thrilled at the opportunity to read the second book in this series, Hook, Line, and Sinker!

Tessa Bailey’s writing style is fun yet thorough so I knew I was in for a real treat. Dare I say I loved this book even more than the first one?!

Piper and Brendan grew together and separately in so many ways but really that didn’t even compare to the journey that Hannah and Fox would find their selves embarking on.

The character development was superb and the story carried very well for me. I loved the scene descriptions and situations that were featured. Side characters, both old and new, added nice variation and unexpected details.

5/5 - definitely recommend for any rom-com fan!

I can totally see why this series is getting such high praise among the contemporary romance crowd.
The second installment of the Bellinger Sisters series by Tessa Bailey is similar to the first installment but with sweeter, more vulnerable characters and a deeper storyline. I love the town of Westport, so it was pretty good to be back! The friends to lovers/forbidden romance tropes between Hannah and Fox were executed well and the musical aspects added to this book were enjoyable. +1 for Sea shanties!!
Would highly recommended this book for fans of rom coms, sweet characters, fun side, characters, and spicy scenes galore (although not quite as spicy as the first installment, I would say).

Tessa Bailey, you have stolen my heart with Hook, Line, and Sinker (Bellinger Sisters, #2). I absolutely loved It Happened One Summer, so when the opportunity to read this one on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. You first meet Fox & Hannah in book one as best friend to Brendan and little sister to Piper but from the trip to Seattle you knew they needed their own story. Fox is known for his sexy ways and Hannah just has an incredible knowledge of music so when an opportunity to have a film she is working on take a brief trip to his hometown of Westport she jumps at the chance to sell it. What transpires is a whole lot of sexual tension while staying at his place and so many feelings to work through that will well be worth it! *Thank you Tessa Bailey, Avon Books & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK. IT WAS SO GOOD. I loveeeedd It Happened One Summer so much but there was just something about Hannah that I felt kinship with so when I heard she was getting her own book I was literally COUNTING THE MINUTES. And it did not disappoint. Hannah and Fox are my favorite. I loved Piper and Brendan but Hannah and Fox are the ultimate. I love them so much, I love the growth that they went through-- it felt so genuine.

My happily married self is ready to spend the summer in Westport, please and thank you!

I absolutely loved HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER by Tessa Bailey way more than I expected to! Like I knew I was going to enjoy it but I didn’t think I was going to fall for it as fast as I did. Cue all the heart eyes!

After I read IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER, I didn’t think I was going to be into Hannah and Fox being a couple. But wow, I was wrong - I was VERY into it! I loved this second book even more than the first, I love Hannah and Fox even more than Piper and Brendan.

I really enjoyed the journey that Hannah and Fox went through together but also individually. It was a relationship that slowly progressed from friendship to something else so very slowly. It was perfection! It also just came off as more genuine.

I mean, I say that now although while I was reading it I was very impatient for them to give in but the wait is absolutely worth it! There were several parts where I just felt all the FEELS - especially the epilogue, wow!

This was spectacular and I can’t wait to read more from Tessa Bailey!

Thank you so much to Avon Books for the opportunity to read this e-ARC!

This book had more depth to it than “It Happened One Summer.” Where IHOS was more sexy, this one was more about the characters making personal changes so become better people, and therefore, better partners.

I loved the epilogue in this book! I would love if Tessa Bailey expanded the epilogue into a third book!