I am a proud Tessa Bailey fan girl, but I’m pretty sure this newest book, to be published in March 2022, is my absolute favorite by her.

First, we’ve got the friends-to-lovers trope. Then, we’ve got the hot (🥵) hero who is a modern-day reformed rake (and also a sexy fisherman). And we’ve got two main characters who are so deeply kind, such good and flawed people, that you spend the whole book rooting for both of them to get their HEA.

This story follows “It Happens One Summer” and picks up with the first book’s heroine’s sister, Hannah, in a starring role. Hannah is the more reserved, patient, supportive sister in her family, but is starting to want more from her life. While helping her sister get back on her feet in book 1, she meets Fox, her sister’s love interest’s best friend. Fox, a notorious player, wants to become friends with Hannah - something he’s never experienced before with a woman - but before long, they are sharing an apartment, and Fox is having problems controlling his not-friendly feelings for Hannah.

In many ways, this story hit home for me as a reader. Who doesn’t sometimes feel like a supporting character and not a leading character in the movie of their life? Who hasn’t let what other people think of them influence their own thoughts? These are real issues that our characters need to work through, and I love that there is such a focus on Fox’s emotional growth throughout the book. I love a hero who shows real change.

Let’s be real, though. Hannah is a QUEEN. She is thoughtful, a little shy, and always loyal to those she cares about. I think most readers will fall in love with Hannah and the way she cares about her sister and Fox.

If you love a pining hero, good character development, spicy scenes, a slow burn with a large pay-off… then get this book when it comes out. This five star read will be one of my favorites of 2021, and will definitely go on the keeper shelf to re-read.

Thanks to @netgalley and @avonbooks and @harpervoyagerus for the ARC.

How is it that I haven't read a Tessa Bailey novel in a long time? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? Because now that I've read Hook, Line, and Sinker I remember how much I enjoy the worlds and characters she creates.



In this second book of standalones in the Bellinger Sisters series, I fell in love with the small town vibe, but even more so I fell in love with the story of Hannah and Fox. I loved how their friendship/relationship developed over time --it was something I don't think I've read before and it was refreshing and fun to read. So as the blurb shows us Hannah and Fox are cohabitating just as friends, though they both have ginormous crushes on each other that they insist on stifling. This denial leads to some humorous scenes and eventually, a revelation that their feelings are mutual. He's hot. She's gorgeous. 2 + 2 = 4, right? Eventually it does, but they had to make everything hard, which made it fun, and so rewarding at the end.



One thing I really liked about the way Tessa Bailey developed her characters is that she wrote Hannah as this forthright, to the point, do the hard stuff, confident woman (with maybe a few small exceptions). She wrote Fox as the uncertain one. I liked that. It's rare that you see a male character really struggle and delve into it the way Fox did and I really appreciated that reading experience.



I'm sure fans will appreciate the cameos of characters from the first book in this series, It Happened One Summer, but I can confirm that if you haven't read that one yet (ahem, that would be me), you can clearly follow the connections between characters. I cannot recommend Hook, Line, and Sinker enough--but I'm sure gonna try. It's romcom with depth and I can't wait to read more of Bailey's backlist.

I can’t describe how much I liked this book. I was drawn in quickly and found myself missing it when I had to put it down.

Usually we see the female characters as the ones that need “fixing” but not here. I really liked the way the characters went through their development.

The book felt like foreplay as it moved through the story. I appreciated the musical references throughout as well.

For anyone that suffers with Imposter Syndrome, this book will speak to you. I found myself agreeing with many of Hannah’s thoughts and although this isn’t what I would consider a “deep thinking” book, I think it made me think just a bit about how I approach my job sometimes.

Highly recommend and cannot wait to dive into more from this author!

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager & NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review!

After falling completely in love with Piper and Brendan in It Happened One Summer, this sequel was top of my list for most anticipated reads. My expectations were high, but I am here to tell you - THEY WERE ALL MET!!!

Hook, Line, and Sinker follows the story of Piper's younger sister Hannah and Brendan's best friend Fox. Hannah is a sweet, girl-next door type who dreams of creating movie soundtracks, while Fox is a fisherman with a very well-known reputation for being a player. They seem like they would naturally clash, but a mutual love of music and incredibly charming personalities have made them an adorable pair of besties.

An adorable pair of besties with some of the most insane chemistry I've ever read in my life. The tension between the two is swoonworthy, but both Hannah and Fox have convinced themselves they aren't good enough in different ways. Hannah doesn't want to be a conquest, and Fox doesn't want her to be one either (an idea he is unfamiliar with) - so they agree to reside in the murky waters of friendship. Fox even goes as far as to help Hannah win over her longtime crush.

But then they have to live together... and Fox does a bunch of thoughtful things for Hannah... and she starts to break down Fox's walls... it's just all so so good.

I loved everything about this book - the precious glimpses we got of Piper and Brendan, Fox and Hannah's use of nicknames, the piggyback rides, THE SALT LAMP!!! But my absolute favorite thing was the amount of careful conversations Hannah and Fox had. As someone who isn't always a friends-to-lovers fan, this one was so great because of the COMMUNICATION!!! I appreciated the frank talks about imposter syndrome and so much more because it made me fall in love with Hannah and Fox even more.

This duology is a perfect 5 stars for me, and that epilogue? Sobbed. Tessa Bailey hit it out of the park once again.

I'm loving this new series from Tessa Bailey. The characters are flawed and funny, dialogue is great, scenes are steamy, what's not to love?

I know, I know, 3 stars isn't bad. So I want to make sure that point gets across while I list how blah this book was for me. I think I've come to have high expectations of Tessa Bailey books, and I've enjoyed all the other books I've read, but there was just something about this that I didn't love.
Maybe I have high expectations for books when the main character's name is Hannah.
Anyway, Hannah is Piper's sister, and talks about how she's the supporting actress, and just coasting along in life. She was sweet, but didn't go much past that for me.
Fox was so sweet and I loved that for him, but I don't think the romance lived up for me.

4 stars

Tessa Bailey's books are hit or miss for me and this one was kind of right in the middle, not bad but also not amazing. I loved It Happened one Summer so much that I was super excited to see this pop-up and I know that it is super early for me to be reviewing it. I enjoyed the little bits we saw of Fox and Hannah in the first book and was so looking forward to their story. I love the tie of music that Hannah has and how she finds a way to go back to the small fishing town to film the movie that she is working on. Fox is such a broken man because of issues in his childhood mainly terrible parents, and Hannah is in love with her boss. It ends up with forced proximity because Hannah stays with Fox while they are in town because her sister's soon-to-be in-laws are in town.

This review is a little more disjointed than I intended. Overall I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next rom-com by Tessa Bailey.

Thank you Avon, Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Like 'It Happened One Summer', 'Hook, Line, and Sinker' is a phenomenal romance and character journey centered book. I once again fell in love with the world of this series, its endearing characters, and town of Westport.

When we meet Hannah, she exemplifies this fierce and loyal protective younger sister. Here in her own book, she is able to shine and show that same loyalty to herself. She not only follows her goals but makes a path for herself. I love how she starts off unsure but grows into a confident and even stronger person who knows what she deserves. This is especially shown in the healthy boundaries she sets in her relationship with Fox. She is hopeful, brave, and will show those characteristics when it comes to love.

We get to know even more about Fox and how he too is a loyal friend who believes in other people, just not himself quite yet. Seeing these two bring out the best in each other makes for a wonderful journey of them as a couple. I also appreciate how Fox being characterized as a "player" is discussed, and how that categorization is a deeper issue than often portrayed.

I am so grateful to have visited this world again and found myself already rereading the same day I finished. It will truly stick with me forever. Cannot wait to read again when it releases.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for an ARC to review! And thank you Tessa Bailey for another fantastic read.

*ARC provided by NetGalley*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.. Also a huge thank you to Tessa Bailey for this book.
Since I read It happened one summer earlier this year, i knew this book was going to be amazing and I'm so glad it was.even when i thought the direction was gonna be different , it still gave me what i didn't know i needed. Hannah and Fox relationship was so heartwarming and fun, not only did it feel more mature and there was NO MISCOMMUNICATION!!!! but also how they connected through music and how their relationship developed make total sense and it felt real. Once again the steamy scenes were amazing (i was expecting more of them but to be honest i was enjoying the book so much it did not matter).
THE EPILOGUE WAS PERFECT AND I AM STILL SMILING JUST THINKING ABOUT IT.
One of my most anticipated book of 2022 and I'm so excited for everyone to read it.
Also kinda sad to say goodbye to Westport but happy they all got their happy ending.

The Bellinger Sisters are amazing.

After reading the first book and being introduced to both Hannah and Fox, I knew they would have a sweet love story yet I wasn't prepared for the banter. From friends to love sick lovers where both want each other but are too stubborn to admit it. Even with the past that lingers on Fox's shoulders and the words that always seem to be thrown at him, he realizes that he can be who he wants to and not who others expect. And Hannah? Oh lord, she's such a sweet and supporting sister but I knew that from "It Happened One Summer" yet now? With her own story? It's beautiful to see her take what she wants, to grow and be the 'leading lady' as she refers to it as.

Anyways, I loved the way both Fox and Hannah grew, how they faced their fears.

Do I even need to talk about the tension? The steam? How Fox can make you swoon? How Hannah can make him doubt himself?

With that said, loved the story.

Tessa Bailey is one of my new favorites. She has the best dialogue, relatable characters, and I love the interconnectedness of her titles. They are series without being SERIES. Her descriptions are great, I love the imperfection of her leads and the journey I get to take with them. Highly recommend!

are you joking??? from piper and brendan’s book, i knew i would love fox and hannah, but they exceeded ALL expecations. this was such a cute and fun read with just the perfect amount of spice, and now i will be obsessing over fox thornton for the rest of my life

“there was never going to be a life away from you, because, Jesus, that’s no life at all.”

tessa bailey did such a great job of writing their story, if you loved piper and brendan, you’ll definitely love fox and hannah.

thank you NetGalley and the published for an eARC of this book!!!

I read It Happened One Summer this August and I was so invested in Hannah and Fox, so I took the first opportunity I found to get an ARC. There is no better storyline than the main character’s sarcastic, player, secretly sweet best friend.
Hannah stays with Fox while in town for work and her new mission: stop being a supporting character in her life, step up and become the leading lady. This is a feeling majority of women know all too well - avoiding being loud in order to avoid rocking the boat. But even through each obstacle, Hannah knows her worth! She does not settle, she fights for what she deserves.
Fox, oh Fox. My heart ached for his character. A large portion of the book is spent discussing the effects of him being sexualized as a child. Comments such as “he’s going to be a heartbreaker,” “he’s too pretty for that,” etc. may have all seemed harmless at the time, but with everyone in his life already deciding he was going to be the town player that would never settle down, he was forced into the role.
Although I am not a fan of a man dealing with trauma simply because there is now a woman in his life, this was an exception. Hannah was practically the first person that saw him as more than just a “fun time” and that was everything.
This book was an easy 5 out of 5. The banter, the pining, friends to lovers - what more could you ask for.

Please excuse me for a minute while I collect my thoughts due to being an emotional WRECK after finishing this incredible book...

Hook, Line, and Sinker was everything I hoped it would be and more. Hannah and Fox are absolutely adorable and have the most addicting tension to read! This book made me remember why I am such a huge fan of friends-to-lovers romances, and that is because the dedication that they have for each other is beyond beautiful. I love the little things that Fox does for Hannah, and vice versa.

THE MUSIC! As someone who loves a book with music mentions, this was such a fun read. Every mention of a song, I would play it in the background of the scene I was reading and it truly made the immersion 10x better. Tessa Bailey has TASTE in music, y'all! I absolutely adored how not only the love Fox and Hannah had for each other brought them closer, but their shared love of music. I am a firm believer that music can be extremely powerful in expressing emotions, and this book illustrated that beautifully. It was basically an ode to songs and I was totally here for it.

There is so much more I could say about this book, but since the release date is still months away I will end it here. All I will say is that I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as It Happened One Summer but, wow, I fell in love with it just the same, if not more! Please keep this book on your radars guys, I promise it will not disappoint. ♡

Hook, Line, and Sinker is a friends to lovers slow burn that felt so right!

We met both Hannah and Fox in the book It Happened One Summer, where they were both the supporting characters, but now they are stepping into the limelight for their leading roles.

Hannah and Fox had off the charts chemistry from the beginning, so it was easy to get swept away with the current that was their growing love.

And when it came time for the naughty parts, this book did not hold back in true Tessa Bailey fashion. It was dirty and sexy, and I loved it.

It's funny, sexy, and heartfelt. What more could I want?


***Thank you NetGalley and Avon for my ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.***

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

After reading It Happened One Summer and loving it, I was very excited to jump back into the world focusing on the second Bellinger sister, Hannah.

We are reintroduced to Hannah, a PA on a film production with big dreams. She wants to rise in her career and decides to become more assertive, which leads to the movie filming in Westport (where book 1 took place).

There, she stays in the guest room at a very handsome fisherman's apartment. That fisherman being, Fox. Fox is purely Hannah's friend, he is known as a ladies man and is comfortable with that reputation. When Hannah and Fox begin to cross the friend zone line, they both struggle defining their relationship and pushing past inner fears.

One of my favorite parts of the book was Hannah's passion for music. I absolutely loved how music connected Hannah to her late father and how it was used as a method of wordless communication between Hannah and Fox.

I also enjoyed checking in with Piper and Brendan and the rest of Westport.

This book made me want to live my main character storyline by going on a long, dreamy walk while listening to my personal soundtrack.

In this book we get Hannah and Fox’s story. They met when she and her sister lived there one summer snd have been texting ever since. Fox is trying to be seen as more than the hook-up guy and Hannah is trying to make a place for herself in film music. Their friends and terrified to what happens if they’re more.

I liked this book but didn’t love it. The biggest reason being I didn’t read the first book in this series and it felt like I didn’t know Hannah and Fox because of that. We start a book in the middle of something that has already been established.

Beyond that, this was an adorable friends to lovers romance. I absolutely loved how music and records played such a big roll with them and how their communicate. I also loved their friendship and seeing that be the basis of their relationship. It’s solid and fun.

Overall I think I’d give this 3.5 stars. Thank you Netgalley and Avon for this advance review copy.

I don’t even know where to begin with this book. I was so completely addicted to this story and I loved Fox and Hannah. Literally loved them. His relationship with this mother. Hannah learning more about her family. Their story and how that unfolds (and man does it unfold)
And that epilogue……. Wow…..

obsessed!

I literally made a netgalley account just so I would have a shot at reading this as soon as possible, because as soon as I finished It Happened One Summer I knew I couldn't wait until March for Hannah and Fox's story. And oh my god this did not disappoint. I haven't stopped squealing since I got the notification that I could read the arc yesterday. I don't know how to put into words how cute this book was and how much I loved it I can''t wait until it comes out and I can buy it and hold it in my hands and for more people to read it so I can talk about it with them.

Okay Tessa Bailey is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors. I freaking LOVED this series and it gave me the BIGGEST bookhangover. I was unwell and could not pull my heart back out of this story! Seriously Fox and Hannah were the absolute cutest.

Hannah was like weirdly obsessed with music and vinyls in the first book, and in book one it was like "eye-roll* she's not like ~other girls~ but this book made you realize why she has such a connection and why it's so important.

This is a perfect, easy, romance read that will only make your day better. I also thought it was an interesting take on falling for someone that has a big past as being a ladies man, and how that affects their future relationships.