Who does Tessa Bailey think she is!! I loved It Happened One Summer on a whole other level. I didn’t know what to expect with Hook, Line & Sinker besides that I’d probably love it on some level. Experiencing Hannah come into the main character role was amazing. I felt like I could relate to the whole side character vibes, wanting to take risks to become the main character in my life. I loved diving deeper into Fox’ mind, and his character really developed. I gave this a 4 star rating because while I really liked it, I don’t love it as much as the first book. I would’ve liked more with Westport, and Brendan/Piper interactions. However, it’s still a nice continuation of the first book.

Tessa Bailey does it again. With likable characters and an epic romance, this story did not disappoint. It’s a little less steamy than the others, but the character development was great and moved the story right along.

I liked this second half of the duology better. To me the sexual tension was better and drawn out slightly longer, as Fox is willing to test out someone seeing him as a person and not just sex-on-legs, and despite his intense attraction to Hannah he doesn't want to ruin that. His genuine smarts could've been played up more--that he went off to college and almost started a tech company with a friend before personal stuff got in the way, and his heart was shattered--or maybe it just would've muddied up the plot of Fox overcoming being slut-shamed. But I also loved Hannah's own struggle with being a "leading lady" in her own life. (As an aside, I don't know how no one in Hollywood knew who she was. All someone had to see was her last name on a pay stub somewhere to put two-and-two together.) Both she and Fox were dealing with the identities they went along with, who they really, deep down, wanted to be, and how to find the strength in themselves to make that happen. And the epilogue is very sweet.

Tessa Bailey finally gave me a 5 star and it’s no surprise it was a friends-to-lovers! Hannah and Fox seem so organically drawn to each other and you’re rooting for them to realize it the whole time. I thought the conflicts were very realistic things to work through and the story of Fox’s “reputation” was a very nice add.

I am a sucker for Tessa Bailey's writing. She can make even the cold-hearted skeptic fall in love with romance. I appreciate how much research she does into her character's interests, such as Hannah loving music and Fox as a fisherman. It didn't take me long to get into this book—I was hooked after the first chapter, thanks to the mixed media of their text messages back and forth. I also appreciated that Piper and Brendan from It Happened One Summer being in this book quite a lot. It didn't feel like fan service; their cameos were integral to the story. And we can't talk about this book without commenting on the steam. This book is HOT. The sexy scenes feel real though, which I loved. All around, I loved this book so much. I'll read anything Tessa Bailey writes!

Hook, Line, and Sinker is one of the most anticipated books of the year. Bailey has created a sweet and funny romance brimming with sexiness and silliness.

I loved Hannah and Fox’s friends-to-lovers story so much! When we first meet the two of them in Hannah’s sister’s story, It Happened One Summer, you could see there were sparks between these two. So I was anxiously waiting for their story. It was as good as I was expecting it to be. It was not just the storyline and their chemistry that I loved, but the individual characters themselves. Hannah has always thought of herself as the second fiddle to her more vivacious older sister, the secondary supportive character, and never the leading lady. But in her story, she is willing to step up to the plate and put herself out there. I loved her progression throughout the book and I was fascinated with her unique ability to see a scene through music. As for Fox, he is seen as this playboy, only out for a good time, but there is so much more to him. His thoughts of himself were actually pretty heartbreaking. With the two of them back in the same town, they develop a more deep friendship and it progresses to finally realizing how perfect they are for each other. I loved watching them support each other and seeing their personal negative feelings about themselves start to disappear.

Hook, Line, and Sinker was a fantastic read, I loved the character development, how deeply they cared for each other, and how music played such an amazing role in their story. This was definitely a 5-star read for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the complimentary copy of Hook, Line, and Sinker. All opinions are my own.

i ADORED this duet!! i loved it happened one summer and then tessa bailey completely went above and beyond for hook, line, and sinker. i felt as though hannah and fox’s story was a bit more relatable, realistic, and so freaking cute. keep in mind this one is very slow-burn and friends-to-lovers which i really loved. it’s sexy and spicy, while a little less spicy than the first book, i enjoyed it a bit more!! two of the best romance books i’ve read this year and i definitely get the tiktok hype!!

OH MY WORD did Fox and Hannah live up to the hype I'd buit them up in my mind. I love the recent friends to lovers trope and this was chefs kiss! Of course tessa delivered on the steamy scenes. I love that piper and brandon were in this book as well.

Already preordered my signed copy because i need it on my shelf!

I received this advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Those who know me (and my reading preferences) know that witty banter is one of my FAVORITE things in books. Romance, Thriller, Mystery. All can be enhanced be quality witty banter. This book is full of witty banter. Just... All of it. It opens with a stream of texts that just immediately sucked me in. The writing is excellent. As this is my first Tessa Bailey novel and the second in a series, I was hesitant to give it the full 5 stars but my enjoyment can not be denied. The character development was done so well, and the romantic tension built perfectly. Fox has such deeply ingrained doubts and misconceptions about himself throughout the book and the progress he makes is so moving. Hannah's journey to be the leading lady of her life is pure badass-ery. Definitely eared all 5 stars.

I know a lot of romance books stand alone so even if they're a "series" you can read them in any order, however I think that this series does need to be read in order. There's a lot of backstory here, including how Fox and Hannah met and Hannah's family history that is necessary to know, and lots of other references to the first book.

This was such a cute sequel and I'm so happy I read it! Fox and Hannah's friendship to love story was incredibly well written and sweet, but this book also tackled some more serious topics without making the story feel grim at all. I loved how much toxic masculinity was explored with Fox, the pressure that society puts on men to behave a certain way, starting from elementary school when people talk about them having girlfriends or being heartbreakers. Fox is seen as a player but that's because that's what he was expected to be so he tries to live up to those expectations because he doesn't think anyone will ever see him as more than a pretty face who can get a lot of girls. Hannah is used to feeling like the supporting character, the best friend role in a romance movie, and dealing with imposter syndrome. I loved seeing how Fox and Hannah supported each other and encouraged each other to grow.

People who loved the first book will enjoy how the Bellinger sisters' story concludes.

This story ticks all the boxes.

"Hook, Line, and Sinker" was so fun/steamy! I went blind into this second part of a series, having not read the first book (I had to rectify that before finding myself able to finish this one).

The one con I encountered while reading, if you can really even call it that, is that this is book number two in a series and you have to read the first book before this one, or you’ll be a bit lost, like I was. I forced myself to put this book down (which I was really enjoying) and read the first book. This, however, turned out for the best; "It Happened One Summer" was a terrifically fun read.

I loved reading this even more after finishing the first book! I adored Hannah and Fox, and the chemistry between the two. The progression of friends to lovers in this one was unstilted and fantastic.

I would read the back story for Piper’s and Hannah’s mother, if that’s an idea of the author’s. Now that I’ve discovered this series, I don’t want to see it end!

LOVED this book so much. Fox and Hannah are my favorite characters. The growth of these two characters made me so happy. I felt that everything was well thought-out and executed in this. Kudos to Tessa Bailey!!

This book was absolutely everything I needed. 5 million stars. The characters were perfect, the story was perfect, everything was perfect. Like I would not change one thing about this book. I liked it even more than the first book in this series, which is saying something major. I found myself being so addicted to Hannah and Fox’s love story. I wish every book made me love, love the way this one did.

Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 Stars
Spice Rating: 3 Stars*
*While not the spiciest of novels, there’s some explicit themes and scenes throughout. Expect detailed descriptions.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager, Tessa Bailey, and NetGalley for sending me a copy of Hook, Line, and Sinker in exchange for an honest review.

Review:

My review of Hook, Line, and Sinker will be publicly available at giareadsbooks.com on February 22nd. You will be able to find it with this link:

www.giareadsbooks.com/book-reviews/hook-line-and-sinker



Meet Hannah Bellinger: vinyl-loving, vintage homebody and sister to the legendary social media influencer, Piper Bellinger. Hannah wants nothing more than to find the perfect soundtrack for every movie she works on, but Fox Thornton might have other plans for her. Fox, king crab fisherman and best friend to Piper’s beau, Brendan, hasn’t stopped thinking about Hannah since she left Westport. Now, she’s back, and crushing on another man. Sit back, relax, and let the chaos and hijinks ensue...

When I heard that Tessa Bailey would be releasing another Bellinger Sister book about Hannah and Fox, I screamed – then I screamed even louder when NetGalley sent the ARC for me to review. I absolutely loved It Happened One Summer, but something about Hannah and Fox’s relationship stuck with me and I ended up loving the sequel more than the first. It’s obvious to me that Bailey put her heart and soul into developing Fox into more than just a side character. He’s loveable, witty, and so dreamy. Hannah, while not really developed much in the first novel, really came into her own in the novel.

Hook, Line, and Sinker was well-paced and incredibly written – it didn’t rely on the success or plot of the first novel to push its own plot forward and the angst it brought out of me was wicked (yes, I used the word “wicked” in a professional review – sue me). I honestly wish there was a third and fourth and fifth (and so on) Bellinger sister so that Bailey could continue writing in this universe. Nevertheless, Bailey’s obvious knack for writing romance has piqued my curiosity and I am looking forward to exploring her other (and hopefully future) novels.

This was such a fun follow-up to "It Happened One Summer" and the perfect thing to read on my beach vacation. I loved spending time with the Bellinger sisters so much I wish there were more of them! Tessa Bailey is soon becoming one of my "automatic reads" authors! There are some heavier themes such as discussion of the death of a parent and sex shaming, but it was an overall wonderful story!

I really enjoyed this one, although not as much as It Happened One Summer. I loved Hannah and Fox’s relationship a lot. I thought there were some really great moments and great chemistry.

I’m really torn on this book, but ultimately ended up giving it 3 stars. I really liked the first book in the series, It Happened One Summer, so I was excited to hear Hannah and Fox’s story. I it just didn’t work for me!

What I liked: I’m a big fan of the friends-to-lovers trope, so I appreciated the friendship Hannah and Fox developed in the first novel that they built on in HLS. It made their love story feel authentic. I also loved reading Hannah’s POV - you can just feel the passion coming through and it’s inspiring!

What I didn’t like: almost everything in Fox’s head. He is really hard on himself, like to the point that it felt disingenuous that he “got over it” in one evening by talking to his mom. He has some really deep seated self image issues that in real life would probably need many sessions with a therapist to work through (not a knock on therapy! Fox should have gone!). In addition to minimizing the mental health aspect of Fox’s issues, it was frankly just annoying to read the same thing from him over and over.

Of course, finding one character’s inner monologue “annoying” is quite subjective. If you’re a fan of Tessa Bailey or just want to see how the series ends, I’d still recommend you check this out!

Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

Oh my gosh… this book 😍😍😍 I had high expectations after reading the first book, but I knew Tessa wouldn’t let me down. Such a great read, I couldn’t put it down!

I gave this book 4.5 stars on Goodreads. I really enjoy Tessa Bailey's writing style. In many books, particularly in romance books, I have found that the female character is the primary focus. She often shows the most character development while her male counterpart is kind of just....there. What I liked about this book is that both characters evolved and developed throughout the entire book. Both Fox and Hannah were multidimensional and were easy to become invested in.
This book also contained some really good social commentary on masculinity and other important issues which was actually really refreshing. Many people look down upon romance novels and the people who read them. The biggest argument that I have seen is that they don't contain as much substance as other genres. If you don't enjoy reading romance, that is fine. Everyone has their own preferences, but I really believe that it is unfair to look down upon those who enjoy reading a specific genre. This blog is a space for all readers... no genre shaming allowed! Tessa Bailey does a phenomenal job of incorporating these social issues to create more substance while also maintaining the more lighthearted and romantic vibe that readers enjoy.
This book is a follow-up to Tessa Bailey's book, "It Happened One Summer". It is not a sequel, though. The main female characters in both books are sisters. While there are a few moments here and there that would probably be better with a little more context, I think you could read this as a standalone if you wanted to. Personally, I read this book without reading ""It Happened One Summer" first and I still was able to immerse myself in this book entirely. I will, however, be reading "It Happened One Summer" soon!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I am super tempted to start working my way through the rest of Tessa Bailey's backlog! Because this book does contain adult dialogue, themes, and situations I would recommend this book for readers who are 18+. If you enjoy romance books, the 'friends to lovers' trope, and coastal town settings I am pretty confident that you will enjoy this book!