Let it be known that the Bellinger sisters are every. Freaking. Thing. and I want to uproot my family to Westport forever.

That’s precisely how charmed I am by this series.

While Hook, Line, and Sinker didn’t quite get me in the same flaily, fangirly way that It Happened One Summer did, the margin was very narrow and probably IHOS wins out by only the faintest sprinkle of romance magic. Because, sigh. I still really really loved this book.

I loved the moody setting and the sort of salt-of-the-earth vibes of Westport. I loved the cast of characters in a sort of fierce way that can only be the mark of a story brilliantly told. I love the way my heart pinched and squeezed and fluttered, and raced for Fox and Hannah. I loved the witty banter and the honest dialogue and the indescribably warm moments. I loved the quiet way Fox loved Hannah without even realizing he was doing it. I loved the loyal way Hannah loved Fox, even when he didn’t think he deserved it. I loved the scorching heat between them (and oof I loved Fox’s filthy mouth). I just loved loved loved these two so much, and I was so addicted to their story.

I also loved the sweet epilogue that wrapped everything up. The best part of a romance that has you wholly invested, is getting that peek into the future that makes your heart so happy. Tessa Bailey delivered in spades with this follow-up to one of my favorite stories last year and I absolutely, enthusiastically recommend it! ~ 4.5 Stars

“I want you underneath me so bad that I can’t lie in bed without already feeling you there. I’ve never even had you, and your body haunts mine.”

I mean come on guys! That line! How can you even get over Fox in the book. DANG! Can someone say that to me please??

I took a bit to write this review because at first I was worried that it took Fox and Hannah too long to get together for my liking. But honestly I went back and read the beginning of the book again, specifically the prologue. I love how Tessa develops this deep friendship between the two of them and is almost also reluctant to let the two of them ruin it.

I love the scene at the party! I love the bingo hall. I love how distracted Hannah got during filming. I love how Fox brings the best out in her, a stronger, more courageous version of herself. The tone is so different in this one than It Happened One Summer but honestly I love it in it’s own way.

Thank you so much Avon and NetGalley for letting me read this early!

Thank you NetGalley, Avon Books, and Tessa Bailey for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review! I really enjoyed this one, which focuses on Piper’s sister, Hannah, and her relationship with the town and Fox.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t love It Happened One Summer. I enjoyed reading it, but ended up giving it 3.5 stars because I didn’t connect with it like I’d hoped. However, this one was a different story, and I ended up loving it! I think I enjoyed Hannah more as a main character because I could relate to her more. She sees herself as the support, as opposed to the main character, in her own story. This book is perfect for the quiet, supportive friends that aren’t always in the leading role, but are just as important to the story. I also loved her passion for music and the references throughout!

Hannah’s relationship with Fox is the perfect example of the “friends-to-lovers” trope. I’ve never been a huge fan of that particular trope, but Bailey writes it in a way that drags readers in and makes them truly care about the characters. I loved that Fox was the one that went through growth in this story, because it’s usually the female main character that changes. It was refreshing reading about how society can pressure men into thinking certain things and watching how Fox dealt with people’s expectations of him.

Overall, I enjoyed this one a lot more than book one and highly recommend it! The epilogue was bittersweet and it’s sad saying goodbye to the Bellinger sisters. 4.5 ⭐️’s

Does anyone else request a book on Netgalley, get approved for said book, start reading said book, and then realize its a part of a series? WHY AM I THE WAY THAT I AM?!

Spoiler Alert…Hook, Line, & Sinker is a follow up to It Happened One Summer (which I haven’t read) and features Hannah - the other Bellinger sister - and Fox, Westport’s sexiest bachelor. Since leaving Westport, Hannah and Fox have formed a friendship rooted in music. It’s a language that they speak fluently but when Hannah returns to Westport to film a movie and they become temporary roommates, they begin to question if they’re meant for more than just friendship. Can Fox get past the playboy label everyone, including himself, has placed on him or will he place Hannah firmly in the friend zone?

Aside from enemies to lovers, friends to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes. Aside from the angst and the stolen glances, Hannah and Fox’s back and forth banter was adorable. Their support for each other and their development was well written, and I appreciated that this story put a focus on the man overcoming his insecurities and societal pressures. Often it’s the woman who goes through this type of development, so that was a refreshing change from the typical romance novel.

I have never had a main characters inner monologue be so similar to my own as Hannah’s. I absolutely loved this book, didn’t think it could top It Happened One Summer but it absolutely did. So many books try to incorporate music and fail and it dates those books, but not with this one. Really felt like we had a soundtrack to read to. I’m so thankful to have gotten this arc because no way would I be able to wait til march. Everyone needs to put this book on their tbr immediately.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

She thinks she not leading lady material, while he believes he’s nothing more than a pretty face. But, Hannah and Fox are willing to see past the labels as they embark on a friendship together.

It was so wonderful to be back in Westport! This little “thing” between Hannah and Fox began in the last book, and I was excited that it was finally going to happen. But it was a slow road to that HEA filled with much self-doubt.

Both Hannah and Fox harbored a lot of insecurities and dealt with feelings of not being “good enough”. They each had a personal journey to take before they could really explore and act on their feelings. However, I felt Fox had a harder road ahead of him. His pain really hit me hard, and it was so important for me that he recognize how amazing he was.

His whole life, he was valued for his looks, nothing more than a pretty face there for her pleasure. Fox found it easier to live up to the image others had of him then to dispel it. But Hannah saw beneath the Casanova veneer. She developed a true and deep friendship with Fox and was able to see the man he truly was. I was really touched by that aspect of their friendship. Both of them were so supportive too, they were willing to fight for each other, and they allowed one another to be the best version of themselves.

This book had it all for me. There was heat and humor galore, and music! I loved all the musical references woven into the story. It was fun having a “soundtrack” for this tale. And the ending was so good! I was already shedding happy tears, and that epilogue was the whipped cream on top of my giddy little sundae.

Overall: A fantastic friends-to-lovers romance which left me emotionally satisfied and wearing a huge smile on my face.

4.5 stars

In the simmering follow-up to It Happened One Summer, a former player helps his best friend land a guy, but ends up falling for her instead. Fox Thornton has a reputation around Westport as a flirtatious and easygoing player. Everyone assumes that he will never settle down, preferring attachments that can be easily severed as opposed to the real thing. When his best friend Hannah Bellinger arrives in town for work, his routine is put on pause with her staying right down the hall. In tow with a hopeless crush on a colleague, Hannah needs assistance, and Fox is more than the right person to help her get the guy. As the two spend more and more time together, their friendship begins to blur, yet neither of them are willing to cross that line. If they are to become something more, they will have to reevaluate what they mean to one another and what they owe to themselves.

Returning to Westport after the knockout that was It Happened One Summer made this secondary novel a tough act to follow. That being said, Hook, Line, and Sinker is friends to lovers at its finest, complete with a delicious slow burn that had my heart aching the entire time. With one of the most touching love stories I have read in quite a while, this quickly surpassed the previous book in my mind. From the start to finish of the Bellinger Sister series, Tessa Bailey has absolutely nailed the Schitt’s Creek vibe that she was aiming for. The authentic small-town atmosphere and character relationships portrayed here give homage to that wholeheartedly. What makes this novel especially memorable is the various conversations intertwined with the romantic development. Though there is obviously a main focus on the romance evolving between the main characters, I loved that there was 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 certainly related 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. Bailey has a knack for creating well-rounded romances, and Fox and Hannah’s story is evidence of that. It was just as easy to fall in love with this sequel as it was with the first book last year. It Happened One Summer may have hooked me from the beginning, but Hook, Line, and Sinker has established Tessa Bailey as the romantic genius that she is. This is an outstanding love story, complete with the angst, pining, and emotion needed to close out the series.

Trigger Warning: death, slut-shaming

Hook, Line, and Sinker was another Tessa Bailey win for me - no surprise at all! I loved It Happened One Summer, but the characters and tropes in this one (second in this duology) were even more interesting to me.

First, our amazing heroine, Hannah - she works in the film industry and is trying to work her way into a niche that will bring her more joy. She has her sights set on soundtracks because of her love of music.

Our hero, Fox has a skewed image of himself and low self-worth. . .he is the classic rake who ends up believing women will only love him for his body/ability in bed. He is so stubbornly sure that he can't be good enough for Hannah and can't succeed in a relationship. Thank goodness Hannah knows how to handle this (secretly) cinnamon roll hero.

I love how TB really zoomed in on the couple and their relationship in this book. There is the perfect amount of plot outside of their time falling in love. I have to admit that I did get to the point where I wanted to shake Fox for the doubts and self-sabotage, but overall I enjoyed the way TB wrote the final conflict and resolution. I especially love how the heroine handles herself and the pace of their relationship when she becomes aware of the heroes issues and insecurities.

Read it if you:
love a consistently steamy, yet still pretty darn slow burny romance!
friends to lovers, secretly cinnamon roll hero
characters who love music
a heroine who knows what she wants and will fight for it!

In the follow-up to 'It Happened One Summer", we get the story of Piper's sister Hannah and Brendan's friend Fox.

Fox's reputation of a ladies man precedes him. He's here for a good time only and lets everyone know it, but ever since meeting Hannah, he thinks he may want to try something different. Hannah is used to being the sidekick, the supportive friend, but now she's setting her sights on more for her career and her love life, and she's not stopping until she makes it happen.

I loved the relationship between Fox and Hannah. Their friendship was a solid base for their romance, and because Hannah was able to know and understand Fox's issues, she was able to support him and push him to be better and have more confidence in himself. I felt so bad reading about how people just dismissed him and projected onto him. He was sexualized from such a young age; horrible. Hannah's glow up was amazing. She tried so hard not to use her family name that she stayed doing grunt work for her boss for far too long. It was great to read about how she stepped into the light to become the starring character of her own life, and Fox was always there to support her. She finally realized that she has what it takes to make things happen for herself. I absolutely loved the growth that we see from both Hannah and Fox.

There usually isn't too much angst in friends to lovers, but there was a sprinkle of it here and it worked so well. Great follow-up!

***I received an advanced copy of this book (thank you NetGalley & Avon Books) but all thoughts/opinions are my own honest views

4.5/5 ⭐️
🌶🌶/5

First, this book can be read as a stand alone but it is the 2nd book in the Bellinger sisters series and the first book, It Happened One Summer, does have some back story that will be helpful when reading this book.

Months ago, Hannah & Fox met when they were respectively playing wingwoman & wingman to Piper and Brendan. After some initial misconceptions about one another, they end up becoming fast friends and stay in touch even after Hannah returns to LA. In present day, we find Hannah wanting to grow in her career. In pursuit of impressing the production team, and maybe more than a little homesick for Westport, she convinces them to move the shooting location. Next thing you know, Fox ends up with a roommate for 2 weeks. Shouldn’t be a problem for two ‘friends’ not should it 😉?

Hannah and Fox are both well-defined, 3-dimensional characters. And in their own ways, each is dealing with imposter syndrome. Hannah thinks she’s meant to be a supporting character while Fox believes he can’t be more than a copy of his father with a casanova reputation to back it up. The most beautiful thing about their relationship is that they build each other up. I also thought it was interesting how Hannah’s personality is similar to Brendan and Fox is similar to Piper (looks like the Bellinger sisters found their perfect matches 😁). In line with that, it’s refreshing to see the female character take charge of the relationship and lead communication.

I would also say their love story felt more relatable. For one thing, it has a more reasonable timeline; they get closer over the course of 7 months. In comparison, Piper and Brendan met, fell in love and moved in over the course of 6 weeks in the first book. It’s also endearing to watch them bond over music and inside jokes. They also act a safe space for each other, talking about things they wouldn’t be able to say to even their best friends.

I’m also going to take a moment and appreciate this book has an incredible beginning and ending. The intro text conversation was so cute and this epilogue was one of the most satisfying I’ve ever read. Yes, the book hangover was intense but it’s great so see all the characters live out their HEAs.

The reason this isn’t a perfect 5⭐️ read for me is because both Hannah and Fox’s inner monologues can get repetitive. Fox especially goes over why he can’t be with Hannah so many times, it felt like the story was dragging over his turmoil. Also, this is a slow-burn romance, which isn’t my personal favorite. And compared to It Happened One Summer, it had less spice.

However, I certainly enjoyed this book. I read the whole thing in one sitting! Fox is definitely book boyfriend material 😄. These two just get you hooked from the beginning and play your feelings like a fiddle until you’re obsessed. Also, if you haven’t read It Happened One Summer I would definitely recommend that as well. I love each one for different reasons and can’t pick a favorite between them 😅. I think after this series, Tessa Bailey may just be on my instant buy authors list.

Tropes: Friends to Lovers, Slow-Burn Romance, ‘Forced’ (more like close) Proximity

3/5 stars

I would have given this more but this book was pretty forgettable and I hated that. There were some hard-hitting topics but Tessa just flew through those and put romance. Like why put anything hard-hitting if you are just going to cover it up with romance. The romance was cute it was better than Piper's and Brendan's but I feel like there were unnecessary roadblocks just to make the book longer. There was a good family aspect but like I said there is nothing special about this book and you can easily forget it.

My favorite thing about this series by Tessa Bailey is the fact that she balances romance and smut with deeper, harder topics. I loved the slow-burn friends to lovers relationship that Hannah and Fox had. I was so invested in their story and I couldn't put this book down.

This is absolutely one of my favorite duologies that I've ever read and I really didn't think I'd say that about something by Tessa Bailey (as I haven't totally loved her books in the past). But this was well worth the read and I hope more people check this series out.

Have you read It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey? It was all the rave last year and for good reason. I fell in love with Piper and Brendan's story. Couldn't get enough, didn't know I would love a fisherman story as much as I did. It totally left me wanting more. And now we get more, we get this follow up. Where its Piper's sister, Hannah's shot at love..

Hannah and Fox are two friends that discover they have secretly had feelings for eachother for awhile. But because Fox is a known player that gets around if you know what I mean lol. His best friend Brendan has told him he better stay away from his soon to be sister in law. And besides he thinks Hannah is all in love with a movie producer she is currently working with. So he knows he doesn't have a shot with her. Or so he thinks.. There is a deeper reason why Fox is the way he is, why he has never allowed anyone to get close to him, that is until Hannah came into his life.

Beautiful story. I absolutely enjoyed myself so much reading this. The fact that it was a follow up story had me in all the feels. Going into it knowing I was going to love it is the best feeling ever.

Tessa Bailey gives us likable characters that we truly come to care about. Friends to lovers in the best way possible. Fox and Hannah's story will make you laugh out loud and fill up your heart.

QOTD: Do you collect records?
My A little! We have a small collection, but we need a better record player before we buy more!
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It Happened One Summer was one of those books that seemed to really divide readers. While the story itself was great and I loved the setting, the insta-love vibe and the word baby both kept it from being a five star for me. Enter Hannah and Fox. Sigh. Swoon. All of the things. I just LOVED these two. I loved being back in Westport! Fox and Hannah may have been supporting characters in Brenden and Piper’s story, but it was clear that Fox and Hannah’s story deserved a HEA as soon as that Fleetwood Mac album landed on Hannah’s doorstep.
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Fox is the ultimate Oreo, a hard disguise on the outside, protecting a vulnerable and hurt heart on the inside. I absolutely LOVED the slow burn of this relationship and the friendship and trust that grows between these two. Obsessed doesn't even cover it! Isn’t even halfway through my ebook before I pre-ordered a paperback for my shelves! Just here to confirm what you already know: this book is romance gold!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC!

Wow. A review is almost too difficult to write since I’m still processing the amazingness that is this story.

It was everything. I adored It Happened One Summer, but I’m absolutely in love with Hannah and Fox’s story. It was wonderful reading a story where the woman is the one who is helping the man take on the stereotypes that men often have to deal with, but aren’t talked about.

Hannah and Fox uplift each other and actually think before they speak, and speak candidly about their fears and insecurities. The characters just jump off the page, and I’m actually sad I can’t be friends with them in real life.

A highly recommended 5 stars!

Have you ever gone into a book expecting laughs and a good times and then all of the sudden you’re tearing up in the back galley of the plane you’re currently working on? No? Just me? Fox and Hannah definitely got me all up in my feels. Fox comes off as a playboy who never takes anything seriously but by the end of the book all I wanted to do was wrap him in a hug and never let him go. And Hannah, the girl who is convinced she’s forever meant to be the sidekick, has leading lady running through every sentence. The amount of personal growth and care in this book made me feel like I was going to therapy in the best way possible. Tessa always writes books I devour but this is my favorite yet and I don’t know how she can top it but I can’t wait to read every book she writes until she does!

I don’t want to go back and change my star rating for It Happened One Summer so bear with me if I give this one like a 5.1 stars in my head. This book has cemented my adoration for friends to lovers as a trope. I totally loved the depth and characterization given to both Hannah and Fox. The blossoming relationship between the two of them really worked. Not to mention the spice was *chefs kiss*

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This book was way more emotional than I expected it to be, but I adored it. Originally marketed as being about Fox, who develops a crush on his best friend Hannah Bellinger, the younger sister of Piper from Bailey's It Happened One Summer, it divulges into being a heartfelt look into how expectations and insecurity can affect our relationships for the rest of our lives.

I don't expect most people to like this installment as much as the first book in the Bellinger Sisters duology, considering it can feel repetitive in how it deals with the issues at hand, but to me, it felt realistic and accurate to what it's like to live with deep rooted insecurities while trying to maintain relationships and friendships. I actually preferred this novel to the first, but I think they're both incredible and worth reading.

Thank you so much to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with an advance readers copy for review!

I decided to read this one before the first (It Happened One Summer) to see if it could be read as a stand alone. I completely believe I got more than enough to love this book! I will say reading this one first will spoil a lot of the plot of the fist, but I don't mind.
I was obsessed with both Fox and Hannah throughout the whole book!!! They are amazing characters and my only issue with them was I wanted MORE of them. I loved the slow burn, miscommunication (if that's what you want to call it haha), forbidden type romance.
This book gave me everything I wanted and more! Tessa is an absolutely amazing author and I cannot wait to read every book by them. Oh and let's not forget the spicy scenes, which were perfection!