Tessa Bailey’s done it again. Honestly, I have no original feedback: nothing I haven’t said in a previous review whilst singing Tessa’s praises. Even her last release, It Happened One Summer, had me questioning, as I didn’t know if I could like the characters…but I did. Of course I did, because it’s Tessa Freaking Bailey.

Hannah is decidedly not a leading lady: the kind of woman who takes control of their lives and their stories. As evidenced by the hopeless crush she’s been nursing for years, and that she is still a production assistant, and not composing music scores. But when she finally speaks up at work, suggesting a new filming location, she ends up back in Westport…and much, much closer to Fox, her sister’s fiance’s best friend, and possibly hers, too.

Ever since Hannah Bellinger walked into Fox’s life last summer, everything he knows has been turned upside down. Regular trips to Seattle for hookups have been replaced by late night texts and purchasing records…and while he’s got it bad for Hannah, being a loyal boyfriend is just not in him.

Feelings aside, there’s a lot to unpack here!

I couldn’t wait for Fox and Hannah’s story since I devoured It Happened One Summer, last summer, lol. Hannah’s bold demeanor was an instant draw, and you could tell Fox had puppy dog eyes every time he saw her. I loved their dynamic even before it had a name. But truthfully, this was even better than I had hoped. Hannah and Fox fit together perfectly as best friends, so their romance comes naturally. Fox is a steamy fisherman who elevates the ~romance~. Hannah is sweet and down to earth, and I loved her true to desire to help people, including Fox. They’re a good contrast and an even greater match.

This book was psychologically deep. Like the characters here had some serious things to work through, but I love that it was done tastefully and believably. We leave our characters better than we found them, but still with work to do: and I’m living for it. I love when we acknowledge that people have problems, and despite their best efforts, that’s what they bring to the table in a relationship, too. Everything about this book hit so acutely: you can’t keep waiting for happiness to come to you. It’s an effort, and we work at it. All of Tessa’s novels hit pretty square in the chest when it comes to personal growth, but I thought this one was the more evolved and impressive of all that she’s written. The things that Fox grapples with in the book, regarding being a ladies’ man and where that stems from, is intricately woven and so delicately unraveled by Hannah, a perfect polar opposite, through her friendship and warmth. It’s truly a beautiful novel, while also being a hell of a good romance.

This is one of the first romance books to make me cry in a while. When did I tear up? Right about here:

You can’t live life worrying about what people will think. You’ll wake up one day, look at a calendar, and count the days you could have spent being happy.

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey, LOC 4711.
Even out of context, that hits hard! And in context, it’s just enough to make you cry.

Like I said from the start, I don’t know what else to say except read it. I’m so here for Hook, Line, and Sinker.

Hook, Line, and Sinker was provided to me by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It will be released March 1, 2022. You’re going to love it. 😉

Hook, Line, and Sinker is a lovely follow up to It Happened One Summer and lives up to the hype that Piper's story garnered. Hannah and Fox are absolutely charming together and the pining in this friends to lovers romance is A+. I love how deftly Tessa Bailey avoids the typical pitfalls of the genre that would typically turn me off of a book - pointless miscommunication, etc. - and portrays such healthy boundaries and communication and expectation-setting. Fox is wildly self-aware and while that doesn't protect him from acting poorly it does protect him from unleashing trauma-driven destructive behavior on the people around him, namely Hannah, which is unfortunately still a novelty in the genre. I loved how much of this book was both of them processing their own issues in healthy ways, both together and as independent people. I was only disappointed in the ending; the grand finale wasn't as grand as I would have liked and it honestly felt cringey to end the book in the middle of a sex scene. I also wasn't a fan of the HEA epilogue - cringey in a different way and didn't have any emotional impact. But overall a joy to read and I wish this series wasn't over.

honestly i think i liked this book better than IHOS. fox and hannah are so cute, and the love they have for each other is so sweet. i normally don’t love a friends to lovers but tessa bailey has done it again. (4.5)

I loved this book!!! There is something special about sharing music with someone and I love that Hanna and Fox did this. They shared music for every up and down in their relationship. I have to say, I totally love how the author had Hannah bring out the best in Fox and that she pushed him to be his best self. It is totally refreshing when the female role gets to take charge of her relationships. Character growth in this story is great and I was happy to see the story unfold. The steam is just perfect. Friends to lovers, slow burn is great and so worth it. Read this book.

Definitely liked this one better than the first in the series, but I'm also a sucker for some friends to lovers. I felt that Hannah and Fox had more chemistry and it was more believable for them to end up together than Piper and Brendan. I loved all of the music references throughout, and I loved Hannah. She is such a strong female lead (despite her arguments that she's not a leading lady), and it was refreshing to read. The texting got me all in my feels, and the platonic friend moments were just so precious.

I will say that this could've been a shorter book though; there were quite a few times where it felt that it was repetitive and droned on. And Fox's dialogue during the spice scenes was a little... cringey. And I felt that some of the things he said were borderline inappropriate and forceful. I understand that he never actually forced anything on Hannah, but it was walking the line and not a hero I would want. For those reasons, I had to down rate this one.

As always, I could have done without the epilogue. They always make me roll my eyes. Why do we need a follow up of their perfect life? Can't it be enough that they found one another? And why does the HEA always need to include marriage and kids. SMH romance industry needs to do better.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5/5)

This sequel to It Happened One Summer was amazing. We get to know Hannah, Piper’s sister, and Fox, Brendan’s best friend.

Hannah and Fox’s relationship was beautiful from the beginning. The friendship they created to the love they shared.

Both characters were so relatable! Hannah never feeling like a leading lady and Fox not feeling like he deserves a great love. Helping each others journey to self confidence and breaking barriers, while also growing their relationship was perfection.
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Thank you @tessabaileyisanauthor, @avonbooks, and @netgalley for the digital advanced readers copy!
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Hook, Line, and Sinker reeled me in from the very first chapter. Tessa Bailey has created these two amazing characters, Hannah and Fox, and even in It Happened One Summer, I knew they would be "endgame." Hook, Line, and Sinker, book two in the Bellinger Sisters series, exceeded my (very high) expectations, and I fell in love with the town of Westport all over again.

Hannah is always the sidekick, never the leading lady, but she's ready to change that. Fox has a reputation as a ladies man, but since last summer, he only has eyes for Hannah. Now Hannah is back in town, with a production company, to film an indie film, and she's staying in his guest room. The only problem? Brendan has made it perfectly clear that Piper's little sister is off limits.

Tessa Bailey writes the BEST steamy scenes, without being over the top. It's a bit of a slow burn, and Fox and Hannah's chemistry is off the charts. But beyond the bedroom, Bailey deep dives into each of their insecurities and fears, and I love how Fox and Hannah help each other grow into the best version of themselves.

I can't wait to get my hands on my physical copy of Hook, Line, and Sinker when it hits shelves in April. It's a keeper!

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for my e-ARC.

A decent follow-up to It Happened One Summer featuring a friends to lovers story with a dash of best friend's little sister (in-law) and fake dating. Fox and Hannah meet and strike up a friendship in the first book which is fleshed out when she returns to Westport with her movie crew. It's clear from the beginning that she and Fox are destined to be more than friends but I would recommend that he get some professional help, I have found therapy to be incredibly helpful in dealing with my Daddy Issues and I think he would too. It was great to get to learn more about these characters that we met in the first book but I found this one to be less interesting.

Thank you for the ARC! I read It Happened One Summer a few months ago and loved it. I don’t read contemporary romance very often. So, when I do I’m happy to find out that knocks my socks off. I was so excited for this sequel to learn more about Fox and Hannah. Tessa Bailey definitely knows how to write characters. Hannah and Fox are very fleshed out and you get to feel every single thing they are going through. The pain and the happiness. The growth of Fox and Hannah was so great to see. I definitely recommend this book. It’s a beautiful tale of growth and love.

Get ready for undeniable attraction, intense flirtation, and breaking down your inner demon. Tessa Bailey brings us back to the small fishing town, but this time it's Hannah Bellinger turn. After secretly pining after the director of the production company she works, Hannah has a chance to prove herself that she is more than just an assistant by suggesting to move film locations to Westport. Things get complicated when Hannah can't stay with Piper and her fiance Brendan, and she ends up rooming with Fox, the town's well known ladies man. Fox can't deny what he feels for Hannah but he also doesn't want her to get mixed up with him because of his reputation. From an early age, Fox was just expected to break hearts...this definitely causes issues with how he handles each relationship. But Fox truly overcome this or just continue what is expected of him??

Tessa Bailey has a way for you to fall in love immediately with these characters and I only wish I could get more of them! This one did not disappoint!

”Do you ever get so happy, you can barely stand it?”

Wow! I’m not usually a romance/rom-com fan, but boy did Tessa Bailey hook me with Hook, Line, and Sinker! This friends-to-lovers romance was a sweet and steamy story about refusing to accept other people’s expectations for yourself, and I was here for all of it.

”You can’t live life worrying about what people will think. You’ll wake up one day, look at a calendar, and count the days you could have spent being happy.”

Hannah and Fox had the perfect friendship dynamic, that grew into the best relationship. I loved their interactions, their dialogue, and how they helped each other grow into better versions of themselves. If you’re looking for a truly feel-good story that will make you smile without being cheesy, Hook, Line, and Sinker is a winner. (Wasn’t expecting the very open-door sex scenes, but you don’t see me complaining either!)

”Maybe if she wanted this man to believe he could captain a ship and rely on his wit and humor and spirit alone, then she had to believe in herself first.”

The best part of this book, though, was the ten-years-later epilogue. Not enough books give you that peek into the future, to let you know how things actually turn out, after the fairy tale ending. I loved that Bailey included this for more closure on Fox and Hannah’s story.

”If someone so smart and incredible believed he was more… couldn’t it possibly be true?”

Hands down, this was one of my favorite romances I’ve read so far. I’m giving it 5 stars, not because it was the best book I’ve read all year, but because it’s top notch in the romance category!

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A huge thank you to Tessa Bailey, Avon Books, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Fishermen work hard and play hard in the northwestern fishing village of Westport. In the first book in the series, disgraced heiress Piper Bellinger is exiled to clean up her father's bar and falls for a widowed sea captain named Brendan who owns the Della Ray. His second in command crew member Fox Thorton has a womanizer reputation and is warned off younger sister Hannah, who decides is the perfect atmospheric location for the film she's working on to be produced. As Hannah and Fox became friendly when Piper and Brendan started dating, it's only natural that she stay in the spare bedroom of her (only) male friend. But their daily texts and songsharing have created a bond. Feelings are beginning to develop. Each is sure the other could never be interested...

As in the first book in the series, the setting is as much a character as any person and secondary characters are full of personality. Like in Talia Hibbert's novels, the male leads have their own issues and baggage. In Fox's case, he struggles with his reputation and has unresolved daddy issues, while Hannah, living a bit in the shadow of Piper, never quite sees herself as leading lady material and also has unresolved daddy issues. Both struggle with their career choices: Hannah is ambitious and wants to score movies, but is stuck in her PA job; Fox is content in his lower-responsibility job without ambition of promotion in part because he recognizes the lack of respect people have for him.

Other details that make this a four-star book: the soundtrack of Hannah's life and her passion for music, the movie making process, the banter with a frenemy actor. And of course, sea shanties are on trend in a big way right now, and they pop up in this book.

A very satisfying friends-to-lovers romance. The cover is bright and compelling, the title is GREAT, and if you have not read the first book, this is still worth pursuing (you'll want to go back and read It Happened One Summer).

I received an advance review copy of #HookLineAndSinker from #NetGalley

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“Hook, Line, and Sinker” by @tessabaileyisanauthor
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
✈️ to: Washington State
Swipe ➡️ for description

Read this book if you’re looking to be immediately charmed! I loved this sequel, which focuses on the other Bellinger sister, Hannah… who I personally found a lot more relatable/down to earth (I still love Piper!).

All in all, I wouldn’t say these books are trying to say anything especially deep, but gosh dang it if they haven’t gotten the perfect rom-com formula down to a T. The epilogue might also be the cutest one ever written! I’ll probably be ugly crying if @tessabaileyisanauthor doesn’t write more in the Bellinger sister world!

P.S. to the author: I’m high key in love with your male characters, so if you’d like to let us know where to find a man like ANY of them, DM me 😂

#Bookstagram #IGReads #BookReview #BookBlogger #Bookstagrammer #NovemberBooks #2021Reads #RomCom #RomComBooks #ChickLit #RomanceBooks #BookNerd #ItHappenedOneSummer #TessaBailey
#HookLineAndSinker #NetGalley #ARC




This is posted on Goodreads. I will post on Instagram and Amazon (unable to now) closer to the book's release date.

I absolutely loved this story. I first fell in love with Hannah in It Happened One Summer so I was super excited that she was getting her own story! This book deals with a very common problem in our world today but took it to another level by pointing out how it can effect men too, not just women. As with all her books, Tessa Bailey made me laugh throughout (bingo scene, especially) This book had great character development! Can’t wait to read more books by this author!

Thank you Avon, Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title before publishing!

UGH. This was EVERYTHING I want in a romance novel.

This book follows Hannah Bellinger, younger sister of Piper from It Happened One Summer, as she returns to Westport as part of a work project. As her sister and future brother abd law have their spare room occupied for the month, Hannah stays with Fox, a longtime bachelor and commitment-phobe, and Hannah’s new *platonic* friend. What she doesn’t know is that since their friendship bloomed 7 months ago, Fox hasn’t been returning to his usual haunts to pick up women. Their friendship continues to bloom, and Hannah learns more about why Fox doesn’t see himself as capable of more, all the while they are both acutely realizing that their feelings aren’t actually platonic at all.

This was *chefs kiss* SO GOOD. I enjoyed the first installment in this series just fine, but I have found that I enjoy rom-coms with a smidge more depth and challenge. Fox and Hannah’s story was exactly this, while never painting either of them as anything less than the lovable characters they are. Fox’s insecurities were well explored and utterly believable. Hannah’s fierce devotion to showing him who he can be, even if he ends up being not for her, is inspiring and heartwarming. The exploration of
Hannah’s own internalized beliefs of always being the supporting side character and never the leading lady were also so well handled here, reminding the reader that there is always a story out there for you, even if you haven't found it yet. Tessa Bailey always pays off as far as steam goes, and you can certainly expect the same here.

I also found myself so incredibly heart-warmed by the epilogue, and I’m so happy it was included here. Tessa Bailey’s voice really bloomed and impressed me here, and I’ve already purchased her recent Christmas release and cannot wait to get my hands on it. If you want a heartwarming love story with great tropes (forced proximity, friends who are desperate to be more to one another but are terribly afraid of ruining their friendship) PICK THIS UP.

I loved this book so much. I thoroughly enjoyed Tessa Bailey's first book in the Bellinger Sisters duology, but I saw so much of myself in Hannah. I don't think I've ever read a romantic comedy protagonist with the exact "supporting character" insecurity that I have struggled with, and loved her journey to gaining confidence while she did the same for Fox. Such a sweet (and spicy!!!) romance that is up there with my all-time favorites.

Hook, Line and Sinker is utter perfection. While I loved It Happened One Summer, I felt that it lacked a deeper emotional connection. Tessa Bailey gave us with just that with Fox and Hannah, and it was perfect. It was just the right balance of emotional vulnerability, tension, and of course, plenty of humor.

I was a little nervous to pick this up because I didn’t vibe with It Happened One Summer but this book totally blew my expectations out of the water. I love Hannah and Fox’s story. The slow burn and build up with everything. I felt they had so much chemistry and I’m not usually a friends to lovers gal but everything about it was perfect. 5 stars all around!

Hook, Line, and Sinker is a perfect romance. Samantha and Fox start out as friends and then become lovers. I think I’d read just about anything from Tess Bailey because her books are dependably good. I felt happier and more invested with every page I turned. A romance novel isn’t the same as therapy but it might be close!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon Harper for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: March 1, 2022.

I LOVED this book. Let me start off by saying that while I really enjoyed the first book in the series, I fell in love with Hannah as a character and was beyond excited when I got approved to read her story early through NetGalley. Everything that I loved about the first book (hot fisherman hero, small town vibes in the PNW, steamy scenes) was still there with the addition of the adorable quirkiness that envelopes Hannah and Fox. I loved that the book started out with some of there messages, showing us that they had been in contact since that heart skipping album showed up for Hannah at the end of It Happened One Summer.

I loved their dynamic, there is something about these books that hits with me when they are showing that sometimes people are dicks to guys too. Yes, Fox made a lot of mistakes in his past and we got to walk with him while he worked through his issues in order to make himself the best version of himself for Hannah.

Then there is Hannah! I love that she lives her life through playlists and is constantly hearing a running soundtrack in her mind. Seeing her break out throughout the book and gain so much confidence in herself was a lot of fun and really rewarding. I love when we get to see both of our main characters grow, not only with each other but as people. It seems more realistic that way.

I was NOT happy with the crew and how they and other members of this tiny town treated Fox. I was right there with Hannah when she went off on those old men for being so shitty to Fox. That had my blood boiling! I was so proud of Fox when he stood up to Brendan and told him how he felt about Hannah, It was an important turning point for him, so when the crew talked shit to him at the end of the trip and turned him back on himself, boy was i hurting for him!!!

And boy that "break up" scene with Hannah and Fox. My heart was in my throat!! Ms. Bailey really knows how to write in some angst and I was crushed when Hannah walked out!!

Overall. I loved this book. This really cemented Tessa Bailey as a must read author for me, I think I will pick up anything she writes at this point, Boy is my TBR going to explode!!