Absolutely loved this book! i haven't read a lot of books with Fox's perspective as a person about himself so I really enjoyed reading about that. I especially loved how the book is from both of their POVs, its one of my favorite things in romance books. I highly recommend this booK!

Fun and frothy with a heart, I think I enjoyed this more than the first. Hannah is more my speed as a protagonist, and I am a sucker for a good friends to lovers romance.

Production assistant Hannah recommends the quaint fishing village where her late father grew up as the ideal location for the film she's working on. While there, she bunks with her totally platonic friend Fox, who's got a reputation as an incorrigible ladies' man. Which is fine, because she's trying to hook up with the film's director. She and Fox are just friends.

Except for the super inconvenient sensual tension that neither one of them can seem to resist. And a drunken kiss they can't forget. Okay, fine, they have a thing for each other, but they live in different states and don't want to ruin their friendship. The longer Hannah stays, though, the more she and Fox want more from the relationship. Can they find a way to make it work?

If you enjoyed IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER, you'll definitely want to read this book. And if you didn't read the first book in the series, go and read that one first. You don't have to, because this one stands alone, but the reading experiences are similar and you'll enjoy the series more if you read the books in order.

Hannah and Fox are fun, amazing characters. They both underestimate themselves, and through their friendship, they come to realize they're already the person they aspire to be—they just need to believe in themselves. This book really nails the friends-to-lovers trope: the camaraderie, the sensual tension, the unwillingness to jeopardize one of the best relationships in their lives. This couple is well-matched, with complementary qualities but also a willingness to grow together. Plus, the sensuality between them is off the charts. There are also charming side characters that make the novel even more endearing. The audiobook narration added to the enjoyment of the story.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Hook, Line, and Sinker was a fine read. This story is about Hannah (Piper's sister) and Fox (Brendan's friend). We met these two in the first book, It Happened One Summer and I was hoping that Tessa would give us a book about them. There was just so much to be explored. I liked reading how the friendship between Fox and Hannah developed. These two had a close bond and I enjoyed seeing how music played a major part. It was apparent how they fell for each other, and it was a cute falling. Both needed a cheerleader on their side to help them see their worth. Fox and Hannah were very sweet together. The time they spent together was nice. I also liked getting the glimpses of Piper and Brendan and seeing them living their HEA. Overall, a pleasant story about friends to lovers.

Hook, Line, and Sinker is book 2 of the Bellinger Sisters series by Tessa Bailey. It is a standalone romance with a HEA. Tropes: friends to lovers, forced proximity, small town

Fox Thornton is known as an incorrigible flirt. Women had been falling for him left and right until he met Hannah Bellinger who has put him squarely in the friend zone because she’s hung up on another man. That is until she moves in with Fox because while he helps her catch the other guy, he’s falling HOOK, LINE & SINKER for her and she’s realizing that Fox is the man for her.

Tessa Bailey knows how to hook a reader with her stories. Hook, Line and Sinker has everything I love about romance: a sexy hero who learns the error of his ways, a relatable heroine who’s trying to find herself, a delicious slow burn with sizzling chemistry and interesting supporting characters.

I loved both Hannah and Fox individually and as a couple. Hannah is hard working and passionate. Fox is swoony with a vulnerable side. I really enjoyed both the fun, laugh inducing moments as well as the emotional ones that had me smiling, swooning and fanning myself.

This is one of the few sequels that I actually liked better than the first and it all comes down to the characters. I liked Hannah and Fox and their relatio ship, but wanted a bit more action. It was prettttty steamy, so get ready! ⭐⭐⭐⭐ this was a fun read.

Happy Wednesday y'all! Man, it has been a busy couple of weeks! I was at a girl's trip in the mountains all of last week and I had all these plans to read so many books (well, 4-5 books really) but I barely read like 60 pages while I was there! We did so much during the day that I was always too exhausted to even consider picking up a book at night! So then, of course, when I got back on Saturday night, I had a stack of eARCs that needed to be read ASAP since they were coming out yesterday (March 1st)! One of the ones from that stack was Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey. I absolutely loved book one in this series (It Happened One Summer) so I was the most excited to read Hook, Line, and Sinker! Thank you so much to Avon and Netgalley for letting me read the eARC!
Hook, Line, and Sinker 5/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he's a guaranteed good time--in bed and out--and that's exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. She's immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his... personality? And wants to be friends? Bizarre. But he likes her too much to risk a fling, so platonic pals it is.
Now, Hannah's in town for work, crashing in Fox's spare bedroom. She knows he's a notorious ladies' man, but they're definitely just friends. In fact, she's nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport's resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker's eye... yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can't deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.
Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she's walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and... and... man overboard! He's fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he's all in, she'll choose him instead?
In the follow-up to It Happened One Summer, Tessa Bailey delivers another deliciously fun rom-com about a former player who accidentally falls for his best friend while trying to help her land a different man...
I was really looking forward to Hannah's story as soon as we met her and Fox, so from the get go, I knew I was going to enjoy Hook, Line, and Sinker. I really love them as our leads and I loved that Piper and Brendan didn't have room in their house for Hannah when she was up there, so of course her and Fox would have to live in the same space! It only makes sense! The whole "trying to help her land a different man" part of the summary was the smallest plot point, so I had almost forgotten it had happened! More of this book was about Hannah trying to understand Fox and Fox being willing to trust himself and others and work through the trauma of his past and the expectations that others put on him. I loved how complex of a character he was and how well him and Hannah went together. Plot wise, I thought everything was done really well. All of the elements went together and the storyline made sense. The steamy scenes were done really well too. I thought pacing was great. All in all, I was really, really happy with Hannah and Fox's story and I cannot wait for y'all to read it!

Love!! Tessa Bailey is an automatic read for me and I adored book one of this series so I was anxiously awaiting this! I do recommend you reading Piper's book before diving in so you get a better feel for the characters and background.

Fox and Hannah are wonderful as friends but even better as a couple. I loved so many things about this book, Hannah's growth personally and professionally was what I enjoyed most outside of their relationship.

I could go on and on but don't want to give anything away.

I was so happy to go back to Westport!! If you read It Happened One Summer, then you already knew there was a tiny spark between Fox and Hannah. I was so excited when they got their own story. I absolutely loved the friendship/flirtation between these two. Their chemistry was undeniable from the jump.

Throughout the book, they each help the other overcome these negative perceptions they have of themselves; Hannah has never felt like a “leading lady” always a supporting actress and Fox has always played up the playboy lifestyle, making fun of himself for his exploits before others make fun of him instead.

Like all Tessa Bailey books, this one has a good amount of steam, so be ready! You’ll love this book if you love the friends to lovers trope. There’s so much love and heart in these characters, I swear I could read ten more books in the series.

A perfectly light, spring/summer romance with just a pinch of tug-at-your-heartstrings emotion.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the e-arc.

Tessa Bailey does it again! Her second installment in the Bellinger Sister's series is delightfully fun, deliciously smart and delectably sensual. This small coastal Washington town is the prefect backdrop for love and understanding. Bailey's characters are dimensional and real, her secondary characters sparkle and shine and the situations feels nicely rooted in reality. Bailey's writing is engaging and quickly draws you into the world, it is well paced and she balances the budding romance with personal discoveries perfectly to help the hero and heroine grow and become the people they need to be in order to create a strong partnership.

This friends to lover's romance is between Fox, a king crab fisherman, and Hannah, a production assistant on a film. These two met in the first book and instantly fell into an easy friendship with each other and have kept in close contact. When certain needs arise in the film that Hannah is working on she see Westport, WA as the perfect location for their needs. While in Westport, Hannah and Fox decide to live together as well as spark up a flirtation to help move Hannah's love life along but the lines between friendship and attraction quickly blur.

Fox and Hannah has such an easy way about them when they are together. They can fully be their true selves with each other and they both are also very open with the other. Watching their easy relationship grow is so gratifying and really sets done a lovely foundation of respect for each other. Both Hannah and Fox start out this story as very insecure people who feel like they are stuck in a box when it comes to how people perceive them. As they open up to each other, it becomes perfectly clear that they both understand each other as well as see the true value in the other. I love that Tessa Bailey uses this as motivation for Hannah and Fox to look deep within themselves and learn to stand up for themselves. They must first overcome this obstacle in their own way before fully able to embrace a deep and true relationship with the other.

This best friendship sizzles with chemistry as Hannah and Fox fall into an easy flirtation with each other and an openness that they have only felt with the other. Bailey knows how to amp up the heat in the right places as well as build a beautiful sensuality between these characters as they learn to trust each other. I think the steam in this novel is perfectly balanced to the relationship that these two are building and it is beautiful to see how these two connect in intimate ways to further along their relationship.

This is definitely a must read romance in my book and I very highly recommend it! You should definitely read the first book as well if you have not gotten the chance. Watching these two sisters find their true loves as well as learn what is truly important in life is absolutely wonderful and should not be missed!

Hannah and Fox’s story in Hook, Line and Sinker by Tessa Bailey, book two in the Bellinger sisters series is a wonderful, friends-to-lovers, heartwarming love story. Hannah has always considers herself a supporting actress, not a leading lady; patiently waiting in the wings, waiting for the right time for her to be announced as best supporting actress. She was always the one bolstering the heroine at their lowest point, taking care of the situation, fixing things. Hannah is tired of this and wants to take some risks and maybe come clean with her long time crush, director Sergio, about her feelings and her passion to work in the musical department. She doesn’t have to work as production assistant forever; she really needs to make some changes in her life. Fox suffers from imposter syndrome; even his coworker and best friend, Brendan, doesn’t trust him with Hannah. Everybody in the small town thinks he’s just a man-whore. His parental issues and an unfortunate incident during college changed his perspective toward relationships. He’s always doubted about his own self worth and believes he destroys anything he touches; but seeing Hannah in his apartment, getting jealous after seeing her with her narcissist director change something in him.

This was the perfect friends to lovers. The way these two connect through music, their insecurities and their friendship was amazing. Their relationship was so pure and so genuine it tugged on all my heart strings.

Ms. Bailey wrote an enjoyable, amusing, emotional, and heartwarming story that should not be missed. She provided a tale rich with sizzling chemistry, family dynamics, clever banter, lots of laughs, and strong secondary characters giving Hannah and Fox a chance at love, happiness, and a future together. I highly recommend Hook, Line and Sinker to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Sometimes the sequels aren’t as good as the first; but sometimes they are even better! I absolutely loved It Happened One Summer, but I think Hook, Line, and Sinker is my favorite.

The book takes place a few months after our favorites sisters have made their mark on Westport. Piper and Brendan are happily engaged, Hannah is still toiling away as a PA in LA, and Fox is as moody and brooding as ever. The only difference is that Hannah and Fox have been texted every day nonstop and neither has been seeing anyone else.

Hannah convinces her job that they should film their movie in Westport, and soon she’s back in town, even rooming with Fox while the movie is filming. They flirt like crazy, but Fox made a deal with Brendan to keep his hands to himself. We all know how this is going to end!

This book is much more emotional than the first book. Fox really carries a lot of burden from his childhood and being told he won’t amount to much because of his father. His own mother is so wrapped up in her ex husband that she flinches even looking at her son. This was absolutely heartbreaking for me. Hannah is trying to make her way on her own in her career, but she’s treated like an intern rather than a full grown adult. She mentions it’s because she dresses so casually. This bugged me a little; what happened to dress for the job you want? She finally asserts herself towards the middle of the book and it works in her favor.

Hook, Line, and Sinker is a slow burn romance, but it definitely still brings the steam! This book definitely makes you blush. ☺️ I loved all of Hannah’s musical references and it definitely made me look some up! This book is another winner in my opinion.

Thank you so much to @avonbooks and @tessabailey. It’s on sale now and it’s a must read!

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was very excited when I was approved for this. I've been wanting to learn more about Fox and Hannah since we met them in It Happened One Summer.
Hannah and Fox have a few things in common. One being they lack self-confidence, the other being their crush on each other. Following the traditional rom-com plot, (which I love) and adding in personal growth and some amazing sexy scenes. Hopefully this series continues!

This one was fun but a little too spicy/steamy for my liking. I think the banter back & forth between the characters was fun, but ultimately just not the book for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the arc. I think if you like Tessa Bailey you will probably love this book, however it was just not my jam.

Piper Bellinger might not be the only Bellinger sister to lose her heart to a fisherman. . . .

Seven months after returning to LA, Hannah Bellinger finds herself on a bus back to Washington. This time, she's got a whole movie production company with her. In an attempt to finally and truly be noticed by the hot movie director Sergei, Hannah suggests he uses Westport as his next filming location. It might just be the move that elevates her from supporting character to fully-fledged leading lady in Sergei's eyes. But the location suggestion will also bring her back to her sister, and to Fox. . . Fox, who she's been secretly texting ever since she left for LA last summer. Fox, who knows all her doubts and fears. Fox, who may be the only one who truly gets her and has become her closest friend. Fox, who is beyond gorgeous and whose reputation with the ladies is no secret around town. They only have a few weeks together while filming, so will Hannah and Fox make it count or will they regret what they did and didn't do for the rest of their lives?

I loved It Happened One Summer, but Tessa Bailey really blew me away with Hook, Line, and Sinker. What started as some little flirtation between Fox and Hannah in the first book become such a wonderful and real romance in this book. Beyond the entertaining plot, Hook, Line, and Sinker really showcased Bailey's character development skills. As sort of superficial as Piper can come across, Hannah is as deep and unpredictable as the ocean Fox sails on. Her connection to music is beautiful and oh so relatable and truly is her love language. Hannah uses music to center herself, to give name to her emotions, and to connect to the world around her. Unlike her sister, who instantly connected with their father's previous life when they first came to Westport, Hannah has been struggling. But through music, Hannah could finally find that connection and find herself. After years of facing imposter syndrome, Hannah could finally find herself with the help of music and the love and support of Fox.

Fox wasn't what I was expecting at all after briefly meeting him in the first book (and that's really the whole point, isn't it?). If you're looking for a reformed character trying desperately to outrun his past, look no further than Fox Thornton. Despite seven months of celibacy and eyes for only one person, Fox still can't shed his reputation among the guys in town or with his closest friends. Bailey really dove into how these false perceptions can damage a person heart and soul, with clear commentary on toxic masculinity and how it can mold boys from such an early age into believing they have to be a certain way. It broke my heart watching Fox reveal his deepest insecurities and seeing how teenage expectations can make or break someone as an adult.

While Bailey definitely included all the good steamy bits we have come to love from her (Fox has some incredibly hot lines in this book), this book is a definite five stars from me because of the character development. I could've honestly cared less about what Hannah and Fox were doing or where they were doing it at, as long as they were helping each other see past the limitations and boundaries they had been putting on themselves because of the world around them. Hannah and Fox were perfect for each other, and Bailey wrote the perfect story for them.

A huge thank you to Avon for providing a review copy of Hook, Line, and Sinker!

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

What a great second novel in this series! Hook, Line, and Sinker is friends-to-lovers at its best.
What makes this novel especially memorable is the various conversations intertwined with the romantic development. Though obviously, the main focus is on the romance evolving between the main characters, I always love when there is an emphasis on personal growth outside of that. Fox’s development in particular was really wholesome and it was nice to see him challenged to be better. I could relate to Hannah’s struggle in viewing herself as a side character in her own life and how she had to step away from that in order to move forward. The connections through music that were interwoven throughout the romance were also an added touch, I am a total music lover so always enjoy it when books include that.
Bailey has a knack for creating well-rounded romances, and Fox and Hannah’s story is evidence of that. This is an outstanding love story, complete with the angst, pining, and emotion needed to continue the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this arc in exchange for an honest review

Trigger Warning: death of a parent, slut-shaming

✨BOOK REVIEW AND HAPPY (one day late) PUB DAY✨

Oh wow, where to begin. Fox and Hannah’s story was NOTHING like what I was expecting. Tessa really does know how to make a couple’s story THEIR story. I definitely had the mindset and expectation of Brendan and Piper’s relationship going into this story and that is not what I received. Tessa took Fox and Hannah and did a dive bomb of what a complicated relationship ACTUALLY looks like. This book is about finding your voice, breaking down stereotypes, and working alone so then you can come back together. That portion of the book truly stuck with me and left me wanting more. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to that climax until about halfway through the book.

Overall, it was an amazing story, but I felt like part of the magic was missing.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for my eARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub Date 3/1/2022

(Posted on Goodreads and Instagram)

This book made me FEEL SO MANY THINGS. I think it was maybe even better than It Happened One Summer for me! It was an unexpectedly slow slow-burn, but the sexual tension/mutual pining between Hannah and Fox was everything. I loved the way they were both so honest and vulnerable with each other, and how Tessa tackled Fox's background and his insecurities. His character development throughout the book was brilliant and I was rooting for him to realise that he was (more than) enough for Hannah. I loved Hannah's character as well; she goes through her own journey in this, but she was also so steadfastly committed to supporting Fox and believing in their friendship. I did wish there was an extra scene before the epilogue, but that's mostly just me being selfish and wanting to see more of their HEA! (It was also really nice to catch glimpses of Piper/Brendan from IHOS!)

Thanks to Avon for the ARC.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series – and I really would recommend that you read Piper's story before Hannah's. It explains a lot about how these two worldly women find themselves linked to Westport, a small fishing town, and how it has affected them in recent months. I am assuming you have in my review.

Once Piper and Hannah had restored their father's pub, and Piper decided to stay with her fisherman, Hannah returned to her life in LA. She had only ever gone with Piper because she is the very best sister ever. Unlike Piper, she has no memory of her father, and that guilt is one of the reasons she leaves her job in the record store, her friendship with Fox, and her birthright in the pub.

Unwilling to trade on her stepfather's connections in the business, she is working as an assistant to an independent director, delivering coffee to the leading man, and generally not doing what she is qualified to do and would thrive doing. Add in a crush on her director, and she really is wondering why she left Westport at all. Then a problem with a filming location gives her the chance to offer up Westport and see her friends again.

Fox is second in command to Brendan, the man who tamed Piper. He spent a lot of time with Hannah, just as a friend, and continues to text with her regularly – very regularly – so it is only right that she should stay with him when she comes to visit... or is that a terrible idea?

I loved how the story developed, how Hannah got to understand how much she had affected Fox, and how they both sat in the side-role to their louder sister and captain. It is a joy how they connect over music, and Hannah's habit to think of the very perfect song for every situation.

I have to admit that when I first started IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER, I was a bit uncertain as to the direction the story started from, but was soon completely engaged – well this time I knew that I was going to absolutely love and be drawn in… HOOK, LINE, AND SINKER .

Why is it so hard to put into words how much you loved a book, even months after finishing it? That's where I'm at with Tessa Bailey's latest: <i>Hook, Line, & Sinker</i>. She nailed it. Again. (Are you surprised?) This was everything I could ever want in a friends-to-lovers romance that just happened to include the amazing characters in Westport we met and couldn't wait for more of in the first book: Hannah and Fox.

This was slow burning sweetness with all the feels, swoons, and sexy times I could have ever wanted and I'm here for it. Drop all the things and go read this series right now.