Well this should be no surprise that I just LOVED this. I loved Hannah and Fox in Piper and Brendan's story and I just KNEW their story was going to be swoon-worthy and filled with so much music!

What I loved about this book:
❤️ The friends-to-lovers aspect was done SO well - I LOVED their friendship and how Hannah wouldn't let Fox get away with deflecting and pushing his true feelings aside. She really got him to open up and using music as an avenue to having deep conversations was just so perfect. Friends-to-lovers isn't always a favorite trope of mine, but I think it helps that here, there was always an undercurrent of "more" for both of them that just kicked up the tension!
❤️ Obviously the playfulness of the two of them was there and the chemistry was wonderful 🔥
❤️ Being back in Westport and also having a little bit of Hannah's LA life be brought into the mix
❤️ The personal growth journeys that both Hannah and Fox underwent - loved them through all the stages and where they ended up. I wanted Hannah to succeed and reach her goals and my heart just felt for Fox - he grew SO much in this book and there were many points in the story where I could feel his struggle and just wanted to give him a hug ! This book definitely had me riding a wave of emotions 😭 😍

Tessa is an auto-buy author for me - her books never disappoint! They are always a perfect combo of sweet, steamy, and hysterical, and this book fits into all three of those categories perfectly!

4.5 stars!

ABSOLUTELY loved it!! Fox>>>>>

I adored It Happened One Summer and had super high expectations going into this one and it did not disappoint! I am generally not a huge fan of the friends to lovers trope, but the queen of sweet, sass and spice has done it to perfection.

Thrust back into the world of Westport, a small seaside town full of charm and hot fisherman, this book follows Hannah, Pieper's younger sister. In town for a movie filming, Hannah reconnects with Fox, her friend who she met last summer and has been texting nonstop since. With a strong foundation in friendship, the two find themselves getting closer and closer but with Hannah's reservations about ruining a strong friendship and Fox unsure about commitment, where will it all go?

From laughing out loud, to breaking my heart, this book has it all and is the perfect compliment to It Happened One Summer. I would recommend it to all romance, rom-com and feel good book lovers!

I liked this so much better than the first one. There was still an annoying amount of “masculine/feminine” descriptors present (which is a personal pet peeve), but thankfully not as many as the first book. Hannah and Fox were a much more interesting couple to read about than Piper and Brendan, and they actually seemed to have a relationship built on more than just lust.

It was refreshing to read about a male main character having a personal transformation, as typically it’s only a female main character that does in romance novels. I do wish Fox’s career desires/journey had been as well fleshed out as Hannah’s, however. I didn’t really get the sense that he actually wanted to be a ship captain until the very end of the book, it just seemed like something Brendan was pushing him to do.

(Slight spoilers) I don’t typically like flash forward epilogues, but I’m glad Hannah wasn’t the only one compromising with a move. It was sweet seeing the love Fox had for their daughters too. Still don’t like Brendan and Piper as a couple but what else is new.

I really love Hannah, and if Fox hadn’t wifed her I would’ve! One of my new favorite romance heroines for sure.

I want a book for Sergei I’m not going to lie. A film boy who’s actually a sweetie!

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022! This book was a great follow-up to It Happened One Summer. I loved Hannah and Fox’s story. Hannah is so relatable, and I loved watching Fox slowly open up to her and grow trust with the people around him. This is all happening while Hannah is trying to navigate her passion in life and figure out her career, which is so stressful and something a lot of people go through. The chemistry between these two jumped off the page. Loved it!

WOW…. I DON’T EVEN KNOW HOW TO DESCRIBE THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK. After meeting Hannah & Fox in IHOS, I was very excited to read their book. I never would’ve expected to fall in love with them the way that I did (I literally cried happy tears at the epilogue).

Their dynamic was everything and I love a good friends to lovers story. This book made me smile so hard and ugh I just love this couple so much. If I could give this book more than 5 stars… I would because it was simply just so amazing.

Okay, listen: I loved It Happened One Summer. I rated it 5 stars.
Hook, Line and Sinker was somehow better.
I'm a Hannah 100%. I loved reading about her love of music and I related to her on that aspect so much.
I didn't expect to like Fox, but he started to grow on me almost immediately in this book. I don’t love the man with attachment issues trope, but Fox’s backstory made it believable and interesting. He also made just saying “Hannah” so sexy.
Their love story was so sweet and sexy without being cheesy or cliché.
I loved the chemistry, I loved the spice, and LOVED that epilogue.
Thank you to Tessa Bailey and Harper Collins for the
ARC!

Hannah Bellinger and Fox Thornton are just friends. When Hannah comes back to the small town of Westport for work and needs a place to crash Fox doesn’t have a problem with her staying with him, because they are just friends. The fact that Hannah has a crush on her boss and Fox is allergic to commitment means they can’t be anything more than friends. But the more time they spend together the more friendship start to feel like love.
I thought this book was a satisfying sequel to It Happened One Summer, and I enjoyed Hannah and Fox’s story. It was interesting reading about Fox’s insecurities and how everyone’s negative perceptions of him affected his outlook on life.

I’m such a ho for Tessa Bailey.

Thank you Avon Books for my copy of Hook Line and Sinker! All thoughts are my own.

I was ready to fall in love with Fox before I even started this book and fall in love I did. It’s a storyline I simply love: two strangers meet and don’t get along, then become fast friends, and quickly learn their friendship is so much more. Frienemies to Friends to Lovers if you will. It was just the warm and sunshine I needed during these dreary winter days. It’s quieter and calmer than It Happened One Summer but it still captures the same magic that story did. Plus Fox is hella dreamy.

Synopsis:

What I Liked:

Fox and Hannah—I LOVE THEM. That’s all. I’m such a sucker for the reformed rake.

The Setting—Just like It Happened One Summer, I fell in love with Westport, Washington. I did feel like this story was a little more isolated, but that was necessary for the couple.

Use of Music—I usually don’t like when music is mentioned in books or at the top of chapters (that doesn’t happen in this one) but I really loved Hannah’s passion for music. It lept off the page and added so much to Hannah and Fox’s journey.

What Didn’t Work:

To Little Plot—I really felt like this was just about the relationship. Which hey, it’s a Romance! I just would have liked a little more exploration into Hannah’s job woes and Fox’s life on the boat. Just a dash!

The 3rd Act Break Up—This isn’t a spoiler since it’s a very common Romance trope but I just really didn’t like the use of it in this one. It felt so forced and put us through more heartache for no reason!

Content Warnings:

death of a parent, mention of infidelity, mental illness, emotional abuse

Character Authenticity: 4/5 Steam Rating: 2.75/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

When I got the email that I was approved for an arc of this book, I dropped everything I was doing and immediately started reading it. Hook, Line, and Sinker was absolutely amazing!
Read if you're looking for:
-Friends-to-lovers
-Cute nicknames
-Forced proximity
-The guy falls first
-Dual POV
-A little fake dating
- Vinyl records/music
-Slow burns

The development of friends-to-lovers between Hannah and Fox was quite a ride. They slowly- ever so slowly- become more than friends. Fox's backstory is emotional and he's the one we see go through the most growth. Which for me was refreshing to see the man in a story go through the growth and development since we usually read about the female character's growth. I loved the way they fell for each other and the fierceness of that love that developed. He tried to sabotage everything and she wouldn't let him. I love that she had enough faith in him to stand by him while he realized he did in-fact deserve her. You will go through all of the emotions while reading their adorable love story.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest opinions and feedback. Thank you to Tessa Bailey for this amazing and heartwarming story. Fox and Hannah will forever be one of my all time favorite book couples!

When I found out Hannah and Fox were getting a book I was so excited! Hannah and Fox have so many sweet little moments. I absolutely love the way that Tessa Bailey writes dialogue. She writes in a way that people actually speak.... with amazing dirty talk ;). I also thought it was really cool how both characters had completely different character arcs. Hannah's journey was about asserting herself and going after her dreams. Fox's journey was about believing in himself even when other people don't.
Now onto the negatives. I feel like there were times when the story was a bit slow. The main topic of the book was toxic masculinity, which I think is extremely important to talk about, but it seemed a little repetitive. I also didn't really like the way Hannah reacted when Fox was pushing her away. It seemed almost as if she didn't have respect for herself and I always thought of her as more of a strong woman than that.
I feel like there wasn't as much smut in this book as we usually get from Tessa, but the tension and moments we did get were amazing as always.
Overall, the story was cute, and I definitely think it's worth a read.

I'm not usually a fan of sequels that follow a secondary character from the original novel — I'm definitely more a fan of stand-alone books. That being said, Tessa Bailey really nailed it with this one. While the original characters appeared and were acknowledged, it was selective and for a purpose, which allowed me to really focus on Hannah and Fox's story. And their story? AMAZING.

I've read quite a few of Bailey's books, and this one definitely ranks as one of her best. The characters are honest, unguarded, and raw, and their hopes and fears are relatable and heartwarming. Their love tugged on all of my heart strings, and their strong friendship made the ending that much better. I laughed, I cried, I swooned. It was perfect. (Plus, it featured some of my favorite tropes — slow burn, friends to lovers, forced proximity, etc. etc. How could I not love it?)

MUST READ!! If I could give this book more than 5 stars I would. It was my first ARC and I couldn’t believe it got to be a Tessa Bailey book. I was already obsessed with her as an author and this book only made that grow. I adored the love story between Hannah & Fox. It felt real, and raw and very much applicable to real life. I like how you really got to know each character and part of their pasts. It had the right amount of push and pull within the growth of their relationship. The way she is able to describe how people feel in her books is incredible. It puts to words so many emotions that I never understood how to describe. 10/10 HIGHLY RECOMMEND. BUY THIS BOOK

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…

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.

————————————
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for an ARC of Hook, Line, and Sinker. Wow this book was so good. Probably Bailey’s best! What I loved about this book was the journey of healing for Fox. I find that often we get the vulnerability of a woman in books and here we get to see growth in a man! We love that journey for him! Fox and Hannah’s love story was dare I say… better than Brendan and Piper’s? Yes. The beauty of music in this book and taking a chance was so good. I cannot wait for everyone to read it!

5⭐️

My review is probably closer to 3.5 stars, but the high-quality steam bumps it up to 4. I had the same problem with Hook, Line, and Sinker as I did with It Happened One Summer in that both male leads need to go to therapy more than they need a girlfriend. Yet we see the same toxic trope of a woman fixing an emotionally damaged man with no mention of getting him actual professional help. The friends-to-lovers of this was really well done and I loved Hannah's arc of self-discovery. It seemed more realistic than Piper's. Ultimately this was a fun, steamy read,

Hook, Line, and Sinker is the next book by Tessa Bailey in the Bellinger sisters duology. This book was an absolutely fantastic read and I’m now head over heels in love with Fox. This book was fun, quick-paced, adorable and sexy all wrapped in one! If you loved It happened one Summer then you should definitely drop everything to read this when it comes out. Fox Thornton is my new obsession…Tessa you have done it yet again dropping another incredible read.

Tropes: Friends to lovers and Forced Proximity

SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD

The Plot
This installment follows Fox Thornton, the best friend of Brendan, and the town's notorious playboy. Everyone knows he's always down for a good time- both in and out of bed - and that's exactly how he prefers it. Until Hannah Bellinger, Piper's younger sister, comes crashing back into town. She is the first girl he met who is immune to his charms and looks and actually seems to develop a genuine friendship with him which he has never had with a woman before. Now that she's here for work he offers up his place to her and goes into it thinking that it can't be that hard to live with his best friend…until she's walking around his place in tiny towels and he begins to find himself fantasizing about her. Unfortunately for him she's nursing a crush on her director boss and he offers up his help to get the guys attention.. But helping her flirt with another guy is pure touture for him.Even though Hannah sets out to catch her coworkers eye it seems the more time she spends with Fox the more she begins to realize she wants to be with him instead. The lines between friendship and flirtation begin to blur but she refuses just to be another notch in the bedpost for Fox.

The Characters
Starting off with talking about our two protagonists I absolutely adore both Fox and Hannah. Hannah is this music loving nerd who's always there for anyone who needs help and Fox is this “playboy” with a heart of gold who is struggling with some nasty inner demons. After reading about Fox and seeing the way he was treated I just wanted to give him a big hug! This man was given some pretty nasty expectations from a young age, even from his own mother, and was pressured into living up to that idea. People labled him a heartbreaker and playboy from a young age and deemed him the guy who people would only have sex with for one night then leave… just like his dad. Parents would warn their kids away from him and his crewmates would even make fun of him for having a constant line of hookups. His own mother.. Ugh, this woman even supplied him with money for condoms at a very young age and flinches every time she sees him. What kind of mother does that! So instead of fighting this pressure and expectations, he ended up going along with it and was never able to have a healthy stable relationship. No one seemed to treat him with respect and he was even losing it in himself. Then comes Hannah who considers herself a side character in everyone's story and not the leading lady type. She has dreams of scoring music for films but is too afraid to take the step forward in furthering her career. She also doesn't really believe in herself and this is where Fox comes along. She and Fox have an instant connection and hit it off, but because of their self image issues he doesn't pursue anything with her. At the same time, he values their friendship highly and is afraid to lose her. She on the other hand starts to develop strong feelings for him and starts to see through his facade and that scares the shit out of him.

The Romance
I don’t usually go for friends to lovers romances but I'm confident to say this is now my favorite one of all time! It was done spectacularly and I feel like these two are absolutely perfect for each other. It's like they connect with eachother on both physical and spiritual levels. Hannah sees Fox for who he truly is and not what the townspeople perceive him to be and Fox sees Hannah as the leading lady in his story and absolutely falls to his knees to worship this woman. I also love how Hannah encourages growth in Fox and his character development is so wholesome. I also love how Fox is an absolute SIMP for Hannah in the best way possible. Like get you a man who carries you when he notices that walking in heels makes you uncomfortable. Or talk about he loves being in her presence and literally worships the ground she walks on. There is obviously some turbulence in their relationship because he doesn't think he is good enough for her but she shuts it down everytime he tries to bring it up. Can we also talk about the fact that he bought a record player and a whole bunch of vinyls because they remind him of her and also how her texts are the highlights of his day! Ahhhhh so cute! Like I said these two are legit perfect for each other! Hannah being there for him and listening to all his fears and internal conflicts and Fox pushing her to take the step forward in her career and going for what she wants.

The Writing
The writing in the novel is brilliant and I absolutely loved how Tessa focused on toxic masculinity and how damaging it can be to one's self esteem. I feel like this is a topic not talked about enough and I was glad to see how it can affect the mind. Every time I was reading from Fox’s POV my heart was breaking for him and I've never realized how big of a burden it could actually be. His character development was my favorite part of the novel, aside from the music aspect, and going through this journey with him was emotional and touching. Seeing him fight his past and all his beliefs about himself in order for him to be with Hannah was rough but seeing him defeat his demons was astounding.

Overall Thoughts
In the end I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait for everyone to read it! I love how this book focuses on what I feel like more of Fox than Hannah and seeing her fight for him was a breath of fresh air. These two deserve everything and more and it felt good to be back in this world! Plus that epilogue in the end was just oh so satisfying. I can't wait to see what Tessa has in store for us next!

Favorite Quotes
“I didn’t know what right felt like until you…. I’m holding on to the good you give me. I’m holding on to you” - Fox Thorton

“There was never going to be a life away from you, because Jesus, that’s no life at all. You Hannah. Are my life. I love you and I’m coming home” - Fox Thorton

Final Stats
Final Rating: 4.5/5
Romance: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Plot and themes: 4/5
Wow Factor: ⅘

Special Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

I absolutely loved this book! All the heart eyes. After you’ve read so many romance novels you know there’s a formula and specific character types. Tessa Bailey always managed to create a story and characters who feel real, with specific character traits that you see in yourself and the people around you, I finished this lovely book in one sitting. Thank you to Avon books for not making me wait a second longer for the resolution to this duology! ❤️

I received this book as an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This duology is seriously unputdownable and I loved it so much. I loved the character development in both books, especially the way in which our two MCs learn to communicate with each other on their own levels. It has some stereotypical romance tropes but I didn’t hate it. I could not wait to pick this book up every chance I got to sit down and read. I will definitely be recommending this series for a long time.

This book tore my heart out and put it back together. The perfect and endlessly endearing sequel to It Happened One Summer. Fox and Hannah are seen in the dictionary next to the words “persistence” and “hope”. Hannah believes in Fox at his worst and he loves her for it. I enjoyed this book to its fullest extent. (I’ve read 25 books so far this year and this one has set the bar infinitely higher).

I was totally looking forward to a sequel where Hannah and Fox finally get some time in the spotlight, and for a good reason! I was hooked from start to finish, and I can safely say that I may have enjoyed this sequel a bit more than the first(she is also a masterpiece of course). I really felt like I connected more to Hannah in this book, as I have never once thought myself the equivalent of a main character. And still, she was so incredibly passionate and driven, and it was so heartwarming to watch her fufill her goals! Now with fox, I was so involved with his character development, and it was refreshing to dive deeper into the male lead’s problems, as I usually don’t see it too often. It pained to watch the two refuse their feelings over and over again, but it was completely worth the wait. Hannah and Fox’s relationship as a whole was intense, sentimental, and so utterly captivating that I could’t help but finish the entire book in one sitting(yes it was that good!) Every time I witnessed one of Fox’s jealous moments, I practically rolled off my bed in excitement. And everytime he made himself vulnerable to Hannah and really opened up, I may or may not have teared up a bit. Overall, I would completely reccommend this book to anyone looking to immerse themselves into a romance touching enough to melt their cold, dead heart(well mine at least). Thanks to Net Galley and Tessa Bailey for allowing me to experience this!

Well folks, Tessa Bailey has done it again. Tessa Bailey has the art to make your heart throb and your eyes tear up from the deep romance between her characters, but she also has a very special way of making everything incredibly sexy. Hook, Line, and Sinker continues after It Happened One Summer. This novel follows Fox, Brendan's best friend and Hannah, Piper's little sister. Fox is a town-wide known playboy, however he's turned celibate after the summer in which he meets Hannah. Hannah and him become best friends over the course of the next 6 months, only texting, until her job brings her back to Westport. In the midst of Fox helping Hannah learn how to score the guy she's been crushing on for the past two years, he begins to see his relationship with Hannah differently. However, nothing really happens according to plan in romance novels, as Fox is too scared of what his past might do to affect what might happen with Hannah -- or, more importantly, how other people see Hannah if she's with him. Overall, an incredible love story that had me dying to get to the next chapter to get more of Hannah and Fox.