I love a fun holiday book so I was excited about this one but it just fell a little flat for me. I didn’t feel connected to the characters and overall it seemed to just drag on. I loved the NYC setting and the idea of the book but it just wasn’t enough for me to love it.

Tessa Bailey is Romance Royalty
I’m just going to tell it like it is – Tessa Bailey can do no wrong in my eyes.

“Wreck the Halls” is the latest from Queen TB, and it’s one of the most enjoyable books I’ve had the pleasure to read. Tessa Bailey has the ability to take an idea that seems outlandish and turn it on it’s head, writing her characters into such relatable and well developed people that you can’t help but invest your heart and soul into their journey. Let’s look at her backlist.

Murder mystery at the beach? Check.

Secret Admirer leaving love letter through a vineyard? Check.

Businessman falls in love with an ex-con in NYC? Check.

Party Princess gets cut off and ends up a small business owner in love with a fishing boat Captain? Check.

A ‘Why Choose’ where four strangers find love in a cable car? Check.

“Wreck the Halls” is another perfect example of such an experience for me. Two children of celebrities take on the task of reuniting their feuding mothers to get the band back together. They’ve only met once in their lives prior to this, but they share a unique experience that no one else in the world would understand, one that brings them closer to each other than any other person on the planet.

Beat and Melody are Dynamic Characters
Novels are beautiful and complicated. You need to have the right amount of plot and forward momentum to keep interest and anticipation, and the right character motivations to keep a reader invested. I find myself falling in love with characters before anything else. The plot is great and all, but if you don’t have the right characters to take you on that adventure, it’s gonna fizzle out. Beat and Melody, our “Wreck the Halls” main characters, are absolutely dynamic.

Melody Gallard is down to Earth and far more relatable than any child of a rock start should be. She craves to be independent from her mother’s reputation and stardom, and does what she can to live her own life and be her own person. Much like what Four says to Tris in Divergent, fear doesn’t shut Melody down, it wakes her up. I love how Melody acknowledges her anxiety and fear and nerves but chooses to make choices in spite of them. She’s strong and smart, and I admire her character.

“You believed in me enough to bring me on this journey with you. Brought me along to fight the monsters. You might have made choices to keep me out of the battles. And I understand why, I understand that protecting me is how you show your love, but we fought the war together. We won, because we get to love each other. We won because there is no one you trust more than me and no one i trust more than you. I believe in that.”

Beat is a simp for Melody from day one and I am here for it. From the beginning, Beat shows impressive character when he calls for out the paparazzi and media for the different ways they treat him from Melody. He is praised and desired while she is critiqued and dissected, taking away her humanity almost altogether. He spends his time and energy doing everything that he can to protect Melody, and keeping her safe. That’s how he shows his love.

“No matter what, though, Beat, we’re best friends. I think maybe we have been this whole time without even seeing each other. If we can still be best friends after one crazy night, I think that means we’re in it for the long haul.” She wet her lips, searching for the right words. “Maybe we just needed to get it out of our systems?”

He huffed a sound. “You’ll never leave my system, Mel. You’re one-half of it.”

Final Thoughts
“Wreck the Halls” had me firmly in it’s grip from the first page. I laughed out loud and caught myself smiling so hard my cheeks hurt, especially the fights with the Santas. Despite the title, “Wreck the Halls” doesn’t lean too heavily into the holiday spirit, so it’s totally okay to read this any time of year. That being said, I did catch myself yearning for a trip to the city in the winter when the snow is falling and the Rockerfeller Christmas Tree is up and lit. The city is magical in the winter.

Beat and Melody are captivating as a couple. Absolutely enchanting when they’re together. Octavia and Trina’s feud felt straight off the pages of a tabloid or the behind-the-scenes of a Bravo show. I could picture their antics and dramatics perfectly.

When you pick up a Tessa Bailey, you know what to expect. Witty banter, zesty 3-d characters, and palpable sexual tension. You can’t go wrong with whichever title you choose, and “Wreck the Halls” is up there as one of my favorites by Queen TB.

This was one of my favorite Tessa Baileys. It follows Beat and Melody, the two children of estranged rock duo Trina and Octavia of Steel Birds. As teens, the press followed both Beat and Melody relentlessly and is far kinder to Beat than they are to Melody. Beat and Melody meet at age 16 and have an instant connection but don't meet again until they are 30 and approached by a TV network to do a reality show about reuniting the Steel Birds. Beat desperately needs the money because he is being blackmailed by someone threatening to air out a dark family secret and Melody wants to help Beat.

Things I liked: the chemistry, the main characters, the side characters, the rock and roll storyline, the coziness of the season, the spice.

Things I didn't like: the main characters names were a bit too twee for me.

Definitely would recommend to any romance fan!

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Melody is just an ordinary girl, whos mother is a famous rockstar. Beat Dawkins is the quintessential golden boy: handsome, cool, confident, and knows how to command the spotlight, who just so happens to also be the son of a famous rockstar. This is because their parents were the famous singing group Steel Birds, broken up 30 years prior. These two adult children of two former rock stars team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert. The banter between their mothers, Octavia and Trina, had me laughing out loud. Don't let the cover of the book fool you. The story is more serious than the cover intends, and the only "Christmas" feel this book has is that the concert takes place on Christmas Eve. Still, I just love Tessa Bailey and this book has all of the hallmarks of a great book: instant connection between the two main characters, second chance (kind of - they met once and she pined for him for years), friends to lovers (the best!), forced proximity (all the angst), and most importantly, a HEA.

I just like her books. What can I say? I go into them knowing they will be well written, and just a fun quick read. This fit that bill perfectly. Add into it a holiday theme and that just kicks it up a notch. Can read in a day or two, even when tired and don't want to think too much. Think chic lit/rom com a touch spicier than your average Hallmark movie= maybe a Lifetime or Passionflix version instead.

Beat and Melody (yep, those are their names) are the now-grown children of legendary rocker mothers who split under circumstances that left their massive fan base wanting more. Now, a new generation has discovered one of the hit songs by Steel Birds and public interest is renewed. Beat and Melody agree to take part in a live-streamed reality show that follows them as they try to reunite their mothers for one more show. Obviously, Beat and Melody feel some things and are forced to spend a lot of time together for this new reality show.

Wreck the Halls was fun and spicy, but kept the plot at the center. Some of the tropes were a bit tropey, but it was all in good fun and gave the audience exactly what they wanted. I will say that the story got a bit more sappy than I expected, but I still enjoyed it overall. If you like Tessa Bailey’s other books, you’ll love Wreck the Halls.

This holiday romance is the perfect prescription for lonely souls, depressed individuals who carry clouds beneath their heads, and anyone in need of a great laugh and heartwarming moments. It revolves around a captivating friends-to-lovers trope with a Parent Trap twist, featuring two rock legend parents who happen to be arch-nemeses.

I don’t read a lot of holiday romances, but you can bet I snapped this one up as soon as I could.

Tessa Bailey’s newest romance features the children of infamous band members and rock legends, who split long ago and are now enemies, Melody Gallard and Beat Dawkins. They’ve always known about each other, but only met in person once, briefly, as teens. But when an entertainment television company has an idea to boost ratings by getting the band back together, they are about to be thrown into reality TV superstardom.

This book had so many tropes- friends to lovers, instalove, and forced proximity. I kind of fell into it the moment I opened my Kindle. You just can’t help but fall in love with these MCs. They connect on a fundamental level during that first meeting as teens and then keep thinking of each other through the years, even though they never reconnect through phone or email. Yet, when Beat comes to Melody with the entertainment company’s idea for them to pressure their mothers into reuniting, they can’t help but be instantly drawn back to each other.

Their romance is a heartwarming, sweet melding of souls. The live stream of their quest garners them instant stardom and the audience can tell right away that there is something more there than just friendship. Insta-love isn’t usually my jam, but oh man did I enjoy it here. Beat is sweet and protective and always, always thinking of Melody’s feelings. Melody has a huge crush on Beat and is really only doing this whole thing because she knows he needs it for reasons and to become independent from her mother. Their dialogue is full of sparkling wit and snappy comebacks.

In true Tessa Bailey style, Beat has a sexual secret he’s afraid to share with Melody- something that he’s always kept to himself and never shared with a romantic partner. This “secret” brings the hotness to the sexytimes and does create a bit of drama between the couple. And yes, Beat has a dirty, dirty mouth in bed.

There is also a blackmail plot behind Beat’s decision to take part in the show. It drives all of his decisions and is the catalyst for the third act breakup. I did love the way the blackmailer received his comeuppance at the end, and how that scene ultimately brought this couple back together. Their HEA is super sweet and reminded me a bit of a Hallmark movie ending.

All in all, Wreck the Halls is a spicy holiday romance, full of delightful shenanigans, quirky characters, and sparkling banter. The premise is fun and the romance sigh-worthy. I enjoyed it immensely.

A holly jolly holiday romp between two long time acquaintances who want to get their parents' band back together.

Fun, uplifting and full of holiday based spirit!

Tessa is absolutely beautiful and charming. I could listen to her talk all day.
Now the book....I honestly have few words to describe it. It wasn't so much an "instagram-love" but a
"soulmate". The connection between Beat and Melody was pure magic. loved every minute.
Thank you @netgalley for the ebook. Thank you @thehauntedbookshopmobile for hosting the event!
Thank you @avonbooks for bringing Tessa to Mobile... we want her back ASAP! And @tessabaileyisanauthor ..thank you for a night I'll never forget and another wonderful book.

I’m a relative newbie when it comes to Tessa Bailey. This is the first book I’ve read by her that is new. I had previously only read her Line of Duty series and most of those are over 10 years old. I was curious if her writing style would still be similar and, being as she’s super popular right now and that’s not always a great thing for an author’s writing, I was wondering if her current work could live up to her hype. I’m happy to report that I adore this story.

Let me start with the dialogue. Melody and Beat have magnificent banter. Melody, in particular, is extremely witty and wry. I couldn’t get enough of her. Beat always “got” Melody and it was often as if they were sharing an inside joke when her dry humor would come out. The way these two clicked verbally really helped to build their chemistry from the start.

This is a fated mates story if I ever read one. Melody’s mom and Beat’s mom were a phenomenal rock duo that broke up while they were both pregnant. The moms haven’t talked since so these two only met one time in their childhood, as teenagers for a brief moment. Those 10 or so minutes were enough to make an impression on both and leave them wondering “What if?” for the last 14 years. When they meet again as adults it’s as though they’ve been friends forever. They just fit together so seamlessly although they are very different personalities. Part of it is knowing the other has the same shared experience of being the child of beloved rock icons, and part is chemistry.

Along with witty banter and a quick-paced storyline that keeps these two on their toes, there is a lot of soul-searching. For Melody and Beat as well as their moms. While Beat always snaps into protector mode when it comes to his loved ones, Melody has always attempted to remain invisible. The problem is, Beat doesn’t know when to ask for help when he is the one who needs protecting, and Melody is so good at her invisibility trick that she forgets to speak up for herself when needed.

I’m not a huge reality show fan so I was a bit hesitant when starting this book. I’ve read enough smarmy producer stories and it’s not a favorite of mine. I was delighted to find this story had such loveable side characters who truly cared about Melody and Beat. Those peripheral characters helped infuse heart and humor into the story when needed. I’m officially hopping on the Tessa Bailey fan train.

Spice: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️
POV: Dual

Wreck the Halls is a unique kind of romance book, and while it is relatively light on the Christmas part, it is definitely not missing that special holiday magic!

I loved how Beat and Melody were soul mates from the moment they met each other as teenagers, and how as adults they picked up right where they left off. Beat is one of the sweetest heroes of Tessa’s that I’ve ever read, and Melody is a perfect match for him who really comes into her own in this book.

With the Christmas in New York setting and the drama around Beat and Melody with the reality show they agree to be on while trying to reunite their retired rock star moms, this book is even more fun than I imagined, but what kept me reading was the undeniable chemistry between these two amazing characters!

This book had a really cute premise. The children of two previous performers from a musical group that broke up are pulled together in the hope of getting their mothers to reunite for a concert. The entire project is to be streamed online. But the outcome isn't likely since their mothers seem to have no love lost for one another. They also appear to be total opposites who can no longer relate to each other. Yet, Beat and Melody take on the challenge and give it their best shot. Along the way, they discover a great deal about themselves as well.

I've read a great deal by Tessa Bailey and always enjoy her books. Of course, I enjoyed this one as well but it also felt a little special. I just really liked Melody and Beat's characters a great deal and loved their blossoming relationship. it's a real feel good book. That said, there are some topics that are challenging - - Melody and Beat both have baggage from their childhood. But overall, this story kept me smiling. A lovely holiday read for sure.

Thank you to NetGalley fro this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Instalovers, this one's for you! The instalove is STRONG with this one, with our couple falling from the moment they lock eyes with each other. They briefly (very briefly) met when they were teenagers, and their mutual crushes reignite as soon as they reconnect as adults. It's a light and fluffy rom com for the most part, with a hearty dose of the spice Bailey is known for. I wish it had felt more like a holiday romance - other than being set at Christmastime, it really didn't give off those vibes. I also wish the relationship had developed slower, so that the pacing didn't feel so slow one minute and rushed the next. And I wasn't completely sold on the hero's preferences in bed, though it's an interesting concept. So it wasn't an overly successful read for me, but there's definitely an audience for this sweet and spicy romance.

The story follows Beat and Melody, two people whose mothers had a falling out years ago. They had one encounter when they were teenagers, and it left a lasting impression on them both. So when they're paired up for a reality show, it takes no time at all for that ember of connection to spark up again. As they grow closer during filming, it's difficult to remember the reasons why giving into their mutual attraction is a terrible idea. But Beat is harboring a few secrets that threaten to derail their budding relationship before it even gets started, and that means there's sure to be trouble ahead.

Bailey is notoriously an inconsistent writer, and that holds true for this as well. Some of her books are easy 5-star reads for me and others are obvious misses. This sits somewhere between the two. I liked the cute Christmassy vibes, even though I don't actually consider this to be a holiday romance. It felt sort of like Hallmark after dark though, and that was pretty fun. I also enjoyed the fact that both characters were so likable, and the mutual crushes were a win in certain ways. I almost wish these two hadn't met before though, and instead had bonded once they met. That would've lessened the instalove vibes and the messiness of their history, in addition to smoothing out the transition from strangers to lovers. It made sense to me why they bonded so quickly, it just felt like too much. So I never connected to them as a couple. I also understood the reasoning behind Beat's bedroom preferences, and I think I would've been more accepting of them if they'd met for the first time as adults. I can't really go into that without spoiling things, but that'll make sense if you read it, lol. In the end, I didn't emotionally connect to the story at all, and that made it incredibly easy for me to put down. I can't rate this one any higher, but that's just me.

What a sweet romance!
No one can write steamy scenes and the utter desire a man has for a woman like Bailey.
Two rock star legends’ kids team up to ignite the impossible reunion but instead finally act on the spark that has been between them since they first met.
I thought the play on their names was catchy.
I loved that Beat was obsessed with Melany and that it played out live.
A sleazy rat gets his comeuppance but I wouldn’t have minded if that had involved something more forceful.
If your looking for holiday zing— the steamy scenes will melt the tinsel of your tree.

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars

It took me a little while to read this because for some reason I had it in my head that it was part of the Secretly Yours and Unfortunately Yours series so I read them first. Turns out it’s a standalone Christmas time book! I liked the story and the characters for the most part, but I found a lot of the dialogue to be too cringey for me. I think I may be moving away from Tessa Bailey books because I really only loved It Happened One Summer and the rest have been average.

Might recommend depending on what else my friends have read. But it’s not for everyone.

Wreck the Halls is a fun romance book, where the two main characters, Beat and Melody have to reunite their rock star mothers for a concert on Christmas. To do this the two main characters agree to do a reality show and twists and turns follow. The idea of the book was great and I loved Melody, and the interaction between the two mothers, Their story and interactions were a lot of fun to read. I did not connect with the Male main character Beat. He was so clingy and overprotective of Melody that it made me cringe at several points in the book.
Overall an OK book for me, certainly not the best of Tessa Bailey's books in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy!

Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey is a quirky and delightful holiday romance about the two children of two former rock and roll stars, along with a rock star reunion, intrusive reality show and unorthodox sizzling tension as Melody and Beat comes together for a Christmas miracle. In all, with just the right amount of friendships, relationships, and reunions, this was a fun holiday rom-com with a lot of heart and turmoil mixed in that I highly recommend to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Wreck the Halls is the latest from Tessa Bailey. Beat and Melody work together to reunite their mothers' band. Oh and this is all being filmed live. Not only do these two have a tough task ahead of them, but they also try to fight their growing feelings for one another. There were many different twists and turns that not only dealt with their mothers but also each other. I was intrigued in how all of this would play out. Beat and Melody are put through the wringer, and it was compelling. There were some amusing scenes as well as tender and heart wrenching ones. Beat and Melody were nice together. Their banter and interactions were good. I also liked the time they spent with their mothers. It was interesting to see the dynamics there. I was curious with it all. Overall, a pleasant holiday read.

I think I’ll set this one down for now as I had a hard time with this book. The main characters names were a bit too cliche and the story had a bit too much Insta love. I still want to try more of her books but at the moment this one is a dnf