After finishing It Happened One Summer, I immediately wished to have Hook, Line, and Sinker in my hands. These books aren't just rom-coms, they are packed with real-seeming characters who have personality, baggage, and hangups. I love reading a story where the characters have flaws and actively have to battle them.

Hannah is passionate about music and has begun a job with a dreamy director as an assistant while trying to work her way into a soundtrack role in production. Hannah is always the helpful friend, the doting sister (or more accurately, the sister who picks Piper up from jail), reliable...in other words, the supporting actress.

Fox is a fisherman who projects an all-around good-time guy vibe. He is known for being good-looking and his meaningless one-night stands (far away from his home in Westport). Fox and Hannah met in It Happened One Summer, when Piper and Hannah crash into town, but Fox has been thoroughly warned away from Hannah. And with his best friend engaged to Hannah's sister, there's no way Hannah can be temporary, so Fox can't go there.

I love a story where two people are so well-suited and yet spend the book resisting each other. These characters grow together as people, confront their inadequacies and baggage together and individually. There are parts of this story that warmed my heart, as they were open and honest and vulnerable with each other. There were also some blush-inducing moments when things finally progress to the inevitable conclusion. I highly recommend both books in this series. They will make you smile, make your heart hurt briefly, and then make you smile again. I will be pre-ordering a copy for my shelf.

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING. I fell in love with Westport and it's inhabitants when I read It Happened One Summer, but I was skeptical if Hannah's book could suck me in as deeply as Piper's had.

Oh, but it did. IT DID. I adored Hannah and Fox's friendship, and all it's snarky combative origins, and how it grew into something genuine and then something more. Their dynamic is so great, and I loved seeing how maturely they managed to handle some of the challenges they faced -- even while working to overcome their own insecurities. And the STEAM. Whoo-boy, Tessa Bailey always brings the heat in her books and this one was no exception.

HEAT and HEART and HUMOR all rolled up into one fantastic book. I wish there were more Bellinger sisters to find matches for in Westport, because this series is just so flipping fantastic.

I really enjoyed this book! Tessa Bailey is a new auto-buy author for me. Oftentimes I feel like contemporary romance books feel too contrived, but this book and these characters felt very real to me. Especially the text conversations at the beginning. I loved both Fox and Hannah. This book had everything - lovable characters, funny moments, a love story to route for, and great steamy scenes! My one complaint with this book is that Fox's storyline was very reminiscent of Travis' storyline in Fix Her Up, which seemed a little unoriginal. They were both men who had reputations for being party boys/man whores that they didn't think they could overcome and both felt like the love interest was too good for them and would be sullied by their reputations. I wish that Fox would have gotten a more original storyline/motivations. This could have been something that only stood out to me because I recently went on a kick of reading all of Tessa Bailey's books after loving It Happened One Summer. Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and have recommended it to all of my friends who love contemporary romance books!

While I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, It Happened One Summer, I felt that Hook, Line, and Sinker had a more of an emotional payoff. We are introduced to both Hannah and Fox in It Happened One Summer, but don't get to see the development of their friendship/relationship until this book. This is a great love story, but more importantly covers toxic masculinity, combating past emotional trauma, and following/discovering career dreams. This is a very enjoyable read, and goes a little deeper emotionally than your typical rom-com. Definitely recommend - but be prepared to cry a little bit!

I freaking adored this book. While It Happened One Summer was sheer rom com/Tessa Bailey perfection, this one took me by surprise. I have to say, I loved this follow book so much more than the first.

Hook, Line, and Sinker is touching in a way I wasn’t expecting. I love the depth Bailey has given not only these sisters, but the heroes as well. Fox is known as a heartbreaker and a hook up and has really adapted that into his identity. A major plot point of this book is slut shaming for men which was an interesting and refreshing take to see done. It was explored so well and how much it can affect a guy and how he values himself. To say that I pined for Fox is an understatement. And Hannah, ugh what a precious soul. I loved her and her love for music. But I didn’t expect to relate so much to her. It’s been a while since I’ve really seen myself in a heroine and she constantly is dealing with in depth imposter syndrome. She never sees herself in the spotlight and seems content to be a perpetual side character and never the leading lady. I loved seeing her come into her own in a really realistic way.

Still set in the charming backdrop of a little PNW fishing town which great side characters, this book just felt like a warm hug. I could not be more pleased with how much I loved this story.

This amazing story between friends, Fox and Hannah, is a series follow up to “It Happened One Summer” by Tessa Bailey. The two start a relationship as friends via texting and sharing music together, then Hannah finds herself in town for work and the progression of the characters as they discover how much their friendship means to each other is great. It’s a fresh take on friends to lovers though, as Fox is struggling through stereotypes he’s faced his whole life and working to overcome those doubts to be the best friend and partner to Hannah. Tessa Bailey is one of my all time favorite romance authors and I am really excited to make my way through more of her books. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

Hook, Line, and Sinker can be read as a stand alone but it is best read following Tessa Bailey’s hit novel It Happened One Summer. Hook, Line, and Sinker follows Fox, a King Crab fisherman who is known as the town flirt— not the type of guy you would ever settle down with. And Fox was okay with that, until he met Hannah when she and her sister came to stay last summer. But now Hannah is back in LA and Fox has become her best friend. She’s in a rut at work and can’t stop thinking about her best friend. The friends to lovers is done so well in this book! Hannah and Fox have such a slow burn love story (there is still steam though don’t worry :)) but it is so worth it! They bring out the best in each other and it is amazing to see them learn and grow together. Honestly they are such a supportive couple! Highly recommend this book, especially if you have read It Happened One Summer!

“The hurt they caused you . . . it’s valid. It’s meaningful. But you can’t take the bad lessons you learned and apply them to every good thing that comes your way.”

Hook, Line, and Sinker ⚓️
➖𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: March 1st, 2022
➖𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 5/5 ⭐️’s
➖𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦: 3/5 ❤️‍🔥’s

I had such high hopes for this book following “It Happened One Summer” and it did not disappoint! “Hook, Line, and Sinker” is easily one of the sweetest friends-to-lovers books that I’ve read this year ♡

This book has:
➖a sweet yet steamy (!!!!!!) slow burn
➖forced proximity
➖that signature Tessa Bailey tension/banter
➖cute nicknames!!
➖an epilogue that will make your heart explode

After how fun and fiery IHOS was, I was in no way prepared for how wonderfully slow and emotional Fox and Hannah’s story would be! Their journey was so raw (tears were shed over here!!) and getting to see a more vulnerable side to both characters just made my heart swell. I absolutely loved how they connected through music as well as their similar insecurities, but more than anything I loved that Hannah never gave up on Fox while he worked through his past. They were truly the perfect compliment to each other!

Overall this book was sweet and heartwarming and more than anything, hopeful ♡ I’m so so excited for “Hook, Line, and Sinker” to come out next year and I can’t wait to add a physical copy of both books to my shelf!

Thank you to @netgalley and @avonbooks for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I just wanted to wrap Fox up in a big hug and tell him everything would work out. I loved the viewpoint he lent to this story and the trappings of being pigeonholed at a young age. The feeling of trying to break away and just not being able to. It was nice to see Hannah come in and break down the barriers and be patient with him while he figured out his journey to gaining the confidence to move his life forward. The quiet ways Fox went about to win Hannah without telling her. Just the subconscious acts that he did and then when it all dawned on her, what he had done and why. The whole book was just beautifully laid out. The character development was strong and flowed nicely, nothing felt out of place or unnecessary or out of character. Definitely Tessa Bailey at her best!

after reading It Happened One Summer, i knew that Bailey was going to have a challenge ahead of her if she wanted to top that one, however she totally pulled through. HLS was so well written and intriguing and i really appreciated the depth that she gave Fox despite being labeled as a pretty boy. i absolutely flew through this story and my only complaint is that there isnt another for me to read!

I think I might have loved HL&S more than Pipers book. I knew I would like it and had intentionally been saving it for a slumpy/cozy day when I needed a reading win. This was exactly that. Hannah is so completely different than her sister, Piper. She is steady and sensible and also a little scared. Her friendship with Fox is so solid, but when she returns to Westport for work and needs a place to stay (FORCED PROXIMITY!!), everything changes. I love her steadfast faith in him and how clearly she sees what he needs. I loved that he slowly but surely worked through his stuff and had all of the hard conversations to move past his fears an insecurities. It was steamy and tense and so sweet and I think I might need to read it again. Like soon.

Loved the chemistry and romance! Reformed bad boy trope is right up my alley! The amount of spicy content was a little much for me but easy enough to skip.

Hook, Line, and Sinker was a fun read. I recommend reading it after you've read the first in the Bellinger Sisters series, It Happened One Summer. The couple's backstory starts there and it helps to explain where they are when this book starts. I would recommend this book to readers looking for a fun, contemporary romance with lots of music recommendations.

As always, I have an eye toward the character names. Some of the highlights from this book are:
Fox (the male main character), Hannah (the female main character), Brinley, Piper, Brendan, and Opal. Tessa Bailey does a good job choosing names that fit the characters.

Bonus Points: The title uses an Oxford comma.

An amazing friends to lovers, I adored the first book in this series and this one didn’t disappoint.

I love the writing style and the author really knows how to make you fall in love with her characters, it was great developed and I can’t wait to read more from her.

I totally recommend this duology, you will fall in love.

A solid sequel. My preference is still with the first in the series, but it was great to hear Hannah's story and particularly satisfying to get an epilogue to close out both stories.

I’ll read anything Tessa Bailey writes! I really enjoyed this one, just not quite as much as It Happened One Summer. While I did appreciate the theme and lessons in this one; the honest talk about therapy and taking responsibility for your life, it just seemed to lag a bit and I missed the heat and spice that is synonymous with Bailey’s writing. That being said, Fox and Hannah are a dream and I love them and would still definitely recommend this one!

I was incredibly sad when I finished It Happened One Summer and saw that Hook, Line, and Sinker would not be published until 2022. So getting to revisit Westport sooner than I expected has been incredible. From the beginning, I have loved the relationship between Hannah and Fox. The character development for both of them is well-done and felt believable. I am a sucker for the close proximity and friends to lovers tropes so the fact that this had both makes it a win for me.

I absolutely devoured this book and then put off reading the last few chapters because I didn't want the story to end. Tessa Bailey just continues to knock it out of the park.

Thank you to Avon, Tessa Bailey, and NetGalley for this ARC! I loved every minute of it. I can't wait to buy a copy of Hook, Line, and Sinker.

I've always liked Tessa Bailey's books, but I've been absolutely obsessed with this series. I love the depth of the characters in this novel in particular - especially if you're someone who feels like you need to step up to be the main character in your own life instead of just a supporting role (reminds me a bit of Kate Winslet in The Holiday on that front). I wish I could read this one and It Happened One Summer for the first time again!!

"Bailey tackles mental health and childhood trauma in a beautiful, loving way with a heroine who is absolutely leading lady material and a hero who makes your heart swell." - Sarah Robinson, bestselling author of RWA's 2021 Vivian Award Finalist Every Last Drop

I could not put this book down. I was in love from the opening of the first page. Tessa Bailey is a romantic genius and this book is a must read for romance lovers.