Hook, Line, and Sinker follows Hannah and Fox, both introduces in the amazing spicy rom-rom It Happened One Summer. The book follows Hannah on her path through her career while she comes back to visit Westport, the town where her sister lives, and her father died. From where IHOS ends, you can tell that there is some kind of chemistry between Hannah and Fox, but will Fox end his playboy behavior to take a chance on love with Hannah, or will it end in heartbreak when he can’t do it?

I really enjoyed reading this book, as I can really relate to Hannah, complete with quoting my therapist and having a loving relationship with music. I thought the relationship between Hannah and Fox was amazing, with the focus on Hannah and Fox stepping up to be the person each of them needed, and to be great support friends that would defend each other through anything. It was also fun seeing Piper and Brendan, as I loved IHOS soooo much.

I can’t wait for you all to be able to read this March 1st, 2022! Mark this one on your calendar!!

I genuinely screamed in delight when I found out I had been approved for Hook, Line, and Sinker! I loved It Happened One Summer and was so excited to read Hannah's story, since I loved her character already.

Hannah returns to Westport after convincing her boss that it is the perfect filming location for his movie. In the time between the first and second book, she has continued to work on film sets with the dream of scoring movies due to her love of music. Throughout the time she was in LA, she and Fox texted often, securing their friendship. When she comes back to Westport, she ends up having to stay in his spare bedroom. Through their forced proximity, they are forced to acknowledge the attraction they have for each other. However, both Fox and Hannah are given pause due to Fox's "reputation" around town as a womanizer.

This was a much slower burn than It Happened One Summer and had fewer spicy scenes because of that. I enjoy a slow burn and totally get the reasoning for this book since Fox really had to come to terms with his past, but I wasn't expecting it given the first book in this series. Tessa Bailey's spicy scenes are still incredible though!

I think ultimately I liked It Happened One Summer just a bit more than Hook, Line, and Sinker but they are both great and I would absolutely read again!

REVIEW: Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

When I got an arc of this follow-up to It Happened One Summer after finishing that book earlier in August, I was ecstatic! Thank you to Net Galley and Avon Books for sending it to me to read and review ❤️

We finally get Hannah and Fox’s story in Hook, Line, and Sinker. We learn that Fox has a reputation as the town playboy, and he has spent years wrestling with that and trying to overcome his past. Hannah is back in Westport filming a movie, while also trying to get her dream job as a music coordinator for films. The two reconnect after 7 months of texting, and while Hannah is trying to help Fox realize he isn’t defined by his wild past, Fox keeps putting her in the friend zone because he isn’t sure if he believes that.

This was much more a slow burn romance than It Happened One Summer. There was also some forced proximity as well, which I liked and adding to the sexual tension in the story. There also wasn’t as much steam in this one as in the first one, and I missed it! It’s still a must read if you enjoyed IHOS, though 😊 Hook, Line, and Sinker releases 3/1/22!

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Wow! Just Wow! This book was a stunner! Hannah and Fox’s story was not just a love story, it was also a story of true self-discovery for both main characters. Hannah wants to be the “leading lady” in her own life and struggles with imposter syndrome, which is, unfortunately, something I think many women can relate to. Fox struggles with his past, his own reputation as a player, and how he has been living his life to fulfill a role he was unfairly cast in.

When we talk about “slut-shaming,” it’s not usually applied to men with the same degrading tone as it is with women. Instead, men are praised for being “players” or “heartbreakers.” But this story shows that even this type of “praising” banter can be damaging to a person’s self-worth.

The friendship between Fox and Hannah helps them both learn to fight for who they truly want to be, and from that friendship, an amazing love story is born. Following these characters on this journey was such a joy and one I won’t soon forget. Tess Bailey writes with such understanding, thoughtfulness, humor, and depth. She really gets inside the character’s heads, unpacks their decision, and what makes them tick. It was really beautiful to watch it all unfold.

I also loved the way Hannah’s love for music was used throughout the book to set up the mood for each scene. So clever! This is definitely a 5 star read for me and I will be singing its praises for a while. It comes out in March of 2022! It’s a must-read!

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for providing me with a digital ARC.

My heart is screaming for joy over Fox and Hannah’s story! I knew there was more lingering between them after the first book (which you don’t have to read to enjoy this book)!

Hannah’s life is now in California but her soul still songs for Washington state! With miles between them Fox and Hannah talk through text sharing about their day and music! When chance leads Hannah back to Washington she snaps up the opportunity but with it comes a revelation she isn’t sure she is ready for!

Fox had spent his life being the person everyone things he is! He doesn’t fight it and just takes things as them come! With Hannah back he has to face truths that scare him more than life on the boat!

I loved getting to know Hannah and Fox more! Seeing them bloom individually as well as a couple was a just absolutely beautiful! Fox is the most amazing hero! There was so much more to him and I loved who he became! This story really hit my emotions and I love a good emotional book!

Tessa Bailey reeled my heart in once more with this adorable friends to lovers book. This is the sequel to the wildly popular, contemporary romance book, "It Happened One Summer", following Piper and Brendan. "Hook, Line, and Sinker" continues the story of Brendan's right hand man on his fishing boat, Fox Thornton, and Piper's younger sister, Hannah. I was immediately intrigued by the cover and loved the illustrated representation of Fox and Hannah.

Hannah and her sister, Piper moved from their luxurious, sprawling mansion in Los Angeles and traded it in for a dingy apartment above a bar, that once belonged to their deceased father. When they arrived, Piper was disgruntled and could never picture her life in a quiet fishing village. Her heart belonged in the flashing limelight and glory of LA. Very different from her older sister, Hannah rolled up her sleeves and began to work on the bar and at a local record store. Whereas her sister wore designer dresses and heels, she preferred sneakers and her headphones. During her stay, she managed to confront Brendan, a tall, broody sea captain who thought the girls were fish out of water in Westport. She also became good friends with a gorgeous, tattooed womanizer, named Fox Thornton. While her sister kindled a steamy romance with the widowed sea captain, Hannah began a platonic relationship with Fox. Wondering if something more could be between them, the pair texted daily for about seven months after Hannah's stay in Westport.

Back in LA, Hannah is working as a production assistant for a grungy director named Sergei. When she suggests the melancholy fishing village as the set of his new film, Sergei readily agrees. Heart-eyed Hannah has been holding an unrequited crush for her boss for years. She is giddy to see her sister and her fiancé, and the bad boy fisherman she left behind.

Back in Westport, Fox finds himself constantly thinking of the blonde beauty who enraptured his heart. He convinces himself that he will never be enough for her and that their feelings for each other are purely based on friendship. With no where else to stay during the filming of the movie, Brendan offers Fox's sparse two bedroom apartment, for Hannah.

When she arrives, their friendship becomes more of a flirty situationship. Could Hannah find herself settling down with a player? Can Fox change the beliefs he has about himself, before the woman of his dreams walks out of his life forever?

The natural energy between them, made this story flow perfectly. The epilogue?? Made me sigh with happiness. I adore Piper and Brendan, but this may be my favorite book of the summer. I suggest reading the first book, but of course it isn't required and can be read as a standalone.

Besides an adorable romance, I loved the character development and vulnerability of Fox. I also loved Hannah's passion of music and the discoveries she finds about herself.

tropes: HE FALLS FIRST, commitments and compromises, and friends to lovers, slow burn, and close proximity
2/5 🌶️ steamy scale

ARC kindly provided by Avon Books and NetGalley!

While I haven't read the first book in the Bellinger Sisters series, this very much feels like the second book. Hannah suggests the small town of Westport for a scene in the movie they are filming. Since her sister won't have her guest room available, she will have to stay with Fox, the guy-with-a-reputation she met the previous year who has become one of her best friends.

It felt very repetitive. Dual third person POV recounting the same scene with hardly any added story to move the plot forward. It felt very formulaic and not necessarily in a bad way, but in a "I've come to expect this from a second book in a series" way.

It took way too long for the characters to actually get together and while I know slow burn is a thing, there is nothing really that is stopping them that couldn't be talked out. The progression from friends to lovers while I was expecting it just felt forced and came on out of nowhere. It didn't feel natural and it wasn't satisfying.

crossed posted to goodreads

I was beyond excited to read Hook, Line, and Sinker after devouring its predecessor, It Happened One Summer. Here, it's Piper's younger sister Hannah's turn in the spotlight. We've got a tale of a reformed playboy who's secretly harboring romantic thoughts about his platonic best friend while giving her tips to land a different guy. Taking place six months after IHOS, local fisherman Fox has texted Hannah daily after she left her three-month stay in Westport. Every day, every night, all the time. When she's in town for work, she crashes in his guest room but the more time she spends with Fox, the more apparent her actual feelings lie and the thin line between friendship and flirtation gets very blurry. Though they are both hopelessly against it because of his major reputation around town and she doesn't want to be just another notch in the bedpost. So, we've got forced proximity and friends-to-lovers tropes at play for a delicious romance read that I legitimately couldn't put down. Plus, more insight into the beloved characters we first met in IHOS.

In the prologue, we see how their friendship has developed since IHOS through their daily texts, which is a nice introduction to their mindsets and inner thoughts because they are 1000 percent the same lovable characters we met in the first book. And yes, there is an adorable post-HEA check-in with Piper, Brendan, Opal, Sanders, and the rest of the Westport townies. Told in dual point-of-views, Tessa Bailey brings her signature style to this novel with her penchant for compelling language and relatable characters that enthrall me to keep reading.

As a rom-com pair, Fox and Hannah have tension and banter, which I love and is so adorable, but they also have so much heart, vulnerability, and emotional depths. I seriously couldn't put this book down, which ended up being cuter and less spicy than IHOS. Don't get me wrong, I still really really enjoyed it, it's just comparatively, yes, there was less spicy moments. Still spice, just not as much as the first book.

Another KNOCK OUT hit by Tessa Bailey! Can this woman do no wrong? She is a really phenomenal author. I loved this sequel to her previous book. I am so sad that I just finished it. Can I reread it again? The romance was hot, believable, and just wonderful. I loved these characters. When does the third book come out?!?!

I loved this! I may even love it more than the first book, and I really enjoyed that one too.

Hook, Line, and Sinker takes place about 7 months from where It Happens One Summer leaves off but instead of being with Piper we're with Hannah and Fox and I couldn't be happier about it! I remember wanting more of Hannah and Fox in the first book and was so excited when I found out we'd be getting their story.

I love everything about Hannah and how she's so different from Piper, I liked Piper and wish we got to see a bit more of how she's doing in this but for the most part I really wasn't missing her as much as I anticipated. Hannah is completely her own person the same way Fox is different and all his own compared to Brendan in the best possible way! We could have had a little bit more of the side characters in this but, like with Piper, I didn't really miss them because I was so engrossed in the events unfolding in Hannah and Fox's bubble.

Getting to see a bit more of the movie set and Hannah's work was fascinating and I love how she was able to navigate things and where she ends up by the end of the book. Wish we got to see a little bit more of Fox's work on the boat, but the stuff we do see was nice.

I feel as if I connected with Hannah and Fox more than I did with Piper and Brendan. There were many points within this book that I was thinking "mmhmm yup" and a few points I was telling a friend about before I had to stop because she plans on reading this. Basically I love them and they're so good for each other!

I really have no complaints for this book, in fact it almost has solidified my love of Tessa Bailey's writing. This is the third of her books I've read and I don't know why I haven't read the other 'Hot and Hammered' books yet.

Overall this is an amazing sequel/companion novel to It Happened One Summer! You really don't need to read the first to read this one, all the main points are recapped and we really don't see much of the main couple from book one, but I would recommend them both for each is fantastic and I love them both!

Tessa Bailey consistently writes books that are so good you hate for them to end. Hook, Line and Sinker takes us back to Westport and the story of Fox and Hannah with a true friends to lovers story line. Like many of the author's books there is more to the story than you think. This book delves into the way a handsome, well, truly hot, man might feel to be objectified and thought he is only good as stud material. And a woman who knows she would be really, really good at a job but is also only looked at as if she is there to perform mundane tasks and look good. The communication in this book Is great, you get that feeling right from the start with a series of insightful, funny text messages between the two friends. I highly recommend this book and sure hope there is another book coming in this series.

Hook, Line and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
Release date: March 1, 2022
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the eARC.

Y'all know I'm a big, huge Tessa Bailey fan. Like, if I was stranded on a desert island and can only have a few books - I'd take more than one of hers (but please don't make me choose!). It Happened One Summer has been my favorite summer read so I was salivating when I got my hands on HLS. And to make it even better it was my first buddy read! Had so much fun with @the.bookish.mom, @travelinglovereads and @thankstomylocallibrary.

Hook, Line and Sinker is the second book of the Bellinger Sister series (behind It Happened One Summer) and follows the story of Hannah (Piper's sister) and Fox (Brendan's best friend). This is a great friends-to-lovers/reformed player story. The texting early in the book was on point - I wanted so much more of it. Fox and Hannah evolve individually, fighting through insecurity and shaky self-worth and you can feel their devotion to each other jump off the page. There were a few points I wanted to do a classic Cher in Moonstruck, "Snap Out of It" slap to Fox to speed things up in his own journey but other than that, I loved being part of their world and missed them when I finished. This had it all - sexy, endearing characters, excellent jokes and dialogue, perfect build up and as one would expect, lots of dirty talk and steam. Music references were also woven in throughout the book (too bad I hardly knew most of them!) so an added bonus if you’re an indie buff.

Quote: "You make me feel like I'm in the exact right place...nothing to run or hide from. Nothing I want to avoid." (and if I'm honest, "I can smell the oil, Hannah.")

Song for Hannah and Fox: All To Myself by Dan and Shay, "I'm jealous of the song that you've been singin' And the way it's rollin' off your lips. It might be selfish but I'm thinkin'...I want you all to myself, don't need anyone else...girl, I want you in the worst way."

One of my favorite reads of 2021. I absolutely adored this book, it was written beautifully and with wit and humor. This author is not new to me, but I have to say that this is one of the best books I have read from her so far. Any romance reader will want to devour this book.

“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 been happy. With her.”

Oh what an angsty, bingeworthy follow up to It Happened One Summer! I was excited and let’s be honest, extremely shocked when I received the approval to read the e-ARC of Hook, Line and Sinker. Tessa Bailey absolutely delivered in her sequel. I loooved it! While the first book was on the lighter rom-com side, this one dove a little deeper into the characters. Hannah is adorable but quiet and reserved. Fox is.. a total FOX but flawed and riddled with insecurities. I absolutely loved their story, their chemistry and the music connection.

I can’t wait for this book to be out in the world so everyone can fall in love with Hannah and Fox! Now if only there was another Bellinger sister! 🤔 I am 100% not ready for this series to be over.

5⭐️
Read HLAS if you love;
🎧Friends to lovers
🎧Slow burn
🎧Forced proximity
🎧Lovable & relatable characters

Pub Date: March 1, 2022

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books, and the amazing Tessa Bailey for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you enjoyed It Happened One Summer, I would definitely recommend Hook, Line and Sinker!! If you haven’t read IHOS, go do it now and make sure to pre-order your copy of HLAS!

This was so much fun to read! The companion novel to this one, It Happened One Summer, has been a surprise favorite of mine this year, and I loved the opportunity to jump back into the world of Westport.

Again, thank you NetGalley and thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for this fantastic ARC. It was the perfect beach read for my vacation state of mind.

The opening of this book was so unique! The opening conversations set up the love story, gave it history, and made it believable. Never did I feel like there was “insta love” in the story. It was also such a sweet read. I really loved Hannah and Fox; both separately and together.

Hannah. I LOVE HER sOOooOo MUCH!!! I enjoy music, but have never felt it as deeply as her. Hannah, feels the music in her soul and it is 100% believable. It makes her unique and gives her so much depth as a character that you want to call her up for coffee and talk about the latest hot movie soundtrack.

Fox. . . I love this man! His internal struggles are deep-rooted and hard to watch him work through. There is also so much more that I want to say about his internal dialogue, but I really don’t want to give any spoilers.

If you are looking for a light and genuinely sweet read, I strongly recommend this book. It is high is entertainment and low in the drama department.

Um okay I am obsessed with Hannah and Fox and I’m so glad I got to read this early. It hooked me IMMEDIATELY and didn’t let go the entire time. I also lovvvvvved the dual POV, which doesn’t happen often. I wish we got a little more of Brendan and Piper, but I’m so sad to leave Westport.

Ahhh! This book was amazing! An angsty, friends to lovers, forced proximity dream. I loved It Happened One Summer and couldn't wait to learn more about both Hannah and Fox. Everything about their relationship was adorable. Fox falls hard and fast for the only female friend he has ever had. As a guy who sticks to one night stands this is a big deal to him. Hannah also falls hard but is trying to balance the possibility of a work place romance and what she wants to do career wise. Hannah and Fox bond over their love for music and tend to communicate with songs when they don't know what to say. Together they work through a lot and when they finally give it a chance it makes up for all the slow burn tension. I am such a fan of the way Tessa Bailey writes her characters. The way her men worship their women and communicate so well and in healthy manner. I loved this book and this series. Im so excited and grateful to have been given an early copy of this book!

Reading this beautiful friends-to-lover story between Fox and Hannah right after reading It Happened One Summer and just WAITING (impatiently) for them to get together was the best treat! Fox and Hannah are such beautiful souls and are so perfect together. There was so much yearning and i felt every emotion alongside the characters. I really related to hannah and how she never felt like she had ✨Main Character Energy✨ but SHE DOES!!!! Hannah was so lovely and deserves all the happiness.

Tessa Bailey can take ALL my money

I am in love with this book!! It is literally everything I look for in a book- it's spicy, it has amazing witty banter, it's friends to lovers (AND ROOMMATES!!),and I loved Fox and Hannah's story so much. This was by far my favorite read of 2021 and my new favorite book. I cannot wait to by a physical copy so I can read it over & over again.