I LOVED this! Beat & Melody (apart from having the most perfect complementary names ever) are like peanut butter & jelly, movies & popcorn, and me & books (you all understand and can relate to this one!). Their love story and their mission they’re on - reuniting both of their respective mothers’ band after a decades old feud - was one that I didn’t want to stop reading (and I didn’t - I was up way too late finishing the book and then immediately writing this review).

Tessa Bailey (I’ve said it before and it’s worth repeating - she’s one of my all-time faves!) was able to write this in such a way that I felt like I was watching it on screen. I mean, the story is actually about a reality livestream show, but I felt like it could be actually made into one. Fingers crossed for a TV/film adaptation! In addition to loving the dynamic duo of Beat & Melody, I adored Beat’s mom, Octavia. There’s one scene in particular that cemented that for me (she’s a wise lady) and she was everything. As for spice, Tessa leaves the door wide open and it’s just so good. A word of caution - don’t be reading this around your family this holiday season though, unless you want your cheeks to be as red as Rudolph’s nose! (That was a corny joke and I make no apologies.)

All in all, I loved this, love Tessa, and give this book my wholehearted recommendation. Pick it up to read during this holiday season - or whenever, really!

Huge thanks to NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for this eARC. You made my year with this approval! This review has been written honestly, voluntarily, and these thoughts are all my own.

This book was so dang entertaining form start to finish! As if I couldn't fall in love with Tessa Bailey even more, she gives us a heartwarming, funny, dirty, mushy holiday read that I couldn't put down. Melody and Beat's insta-chemistry was insane from start to finish and I loved every single thing about them. I loved how they fit together just right, like they were made for each other. This rom-com was funny as hell, Tessa Bailey style, and further affirmed how much I love Tessa. The feud between Melody and Beat's mothers was hilarious but also realistic, and the mental health issues that both Melody and Beat went through/were going through made my heart ache to read. I love that Tessa makes her MCs always obsessed with each other. All in all, this was a FANTASTIC read, Tessa knocked it out of the park once again.

Wreck the Halls was my most anticipated holiday romance of the year. It had all of the things that I wanted...celebrity, steam, just the right amount of Christmas woven through...But it also had things that frustrated me to no end. Blackmail just isn't a trope that works for me. It seems like such an easy fix from the outside looking in and always leads to lies and secrets. Their need for space constantly made me feel like they weren't dealing with their issues. It was so good and had so much potential but also left me wanting more.

This was an easy fun read just in time to get me ready for the holidays! I really enjoyed these characters and loved getting to see their story play out. I loved the tropes and couldn’t help but laugh at some of these moments between them. If you’re looking for a great pick me up and make me feel good romance then this is a good one!

Wreck the Halls isn't like anything I have ever read before. Melody and Beat have been connected their whole lives by their mothers' fame. When they finally meet, that connection is only reinforced, but they don't follow up on it for reasons. Melody is convinced that Beat has the whole "child of a famous person" thing handled while she is just trying to hide from cruel tabloid articles. It turns out that the truth is way more complicated than that. I loved both of these characters, and I loved their relationship. The magic between them jumps off the page and makes this book impossible to put down.

I absolutely LOVE Tessa Bailey and I was THRILLED to receive this ARCH book. This swoon- worthy holiday romance gave me everything I didn’t know I needed, I’m crying and have such a book hangover from this. PEOPLE; ORDER THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!!

🎤holiday RomCom
🎸second chance(ish)
🎤celebrities’ kids
🎸reality show
🎤insta connection
🎸one (very narrow) bed
🎤close proximity

“It was ridiculous that he should still be thinking about Melody Gallard fourteen years after meeting her one time.”

It Happened Once Summer & Hook, Line, and Sinker were the second and third romances I’ve ever read. The latter was the first I’d ever done an edit on because… well, I couldn’t help it. It did things to me. Made me feel. And I just couldn’t not do it. I’ve been chasing that Tessa Bailey high ever since. Until now. Until Wreck the Halls.

“And why did she feel alone whether she was with people or not?”

I could tell there was something special about this one from a handful of pages alone. The same special thing so many of us found in the Berlinger Sisters.

“Were you made for me? Is that what this is?”

Beat & Melody go into this wild crusade to get their moms back together for one last concert. All while getting the whole thing streamed live on social media and as they dodge the many secrets they harbor.

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

The banter. THE BANTER. The swoon. THE SWOON. The laughter. THE LAUGHTER. Tessa Bailey hit the perfect home run with this one and made me crave the holiday season like crazy.

Tessa’s humor really shines through Mel.
Tessa’s talent to write a perfectly imperfect MMC really shows with Beat.
And this might be my new Tessa Bailey favorite.

Tessa Bailey is QUEEN!! Tessa is one of my favorite authors, and have been for years. I have read almost all her books, and they are always a hit for me. This one was no different… I ate this UP!! A perfect read for the christmas season & I know everyone is going to love this book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars

Wreck the Halls is the latest Tessa Bailey romcom and this time set at Christmas. It follows Melody and Beat, children of two former rockstars who team up to reunite their estranged mothers at Christmas. Mel and Beat had a teen romance and realize those feelings never went away.

This was such a cute and steamy holiday read. I love a second chance romance and this one really worked for me. It definitely made me ready for the holiday season!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

‘Tis the season to reunite everyone’s favourite rock divas—who haven’t spoken in decades. Meet Melody Gallard, daughter of music royalty, whose life is quiet and quaint. Preferring to spend her days restoring old books and avoiding the cameras, she’s the perfect opposite to Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, who is adored by the paparazzi. Growing up under the eyes of millions who just want Melody and Beat’s respective mothers to reunite and sing epic songs again, Melody and Beat have a lot to deal with and they’re just fine not stoking the fires of reunion rumours. That is, until a producers offers them a lot of money to reunite their mothers’ band on live TV. Together, they will try their best to make the Steel Birds soar once more by Christmas.

While dealing with a camera in their faces 24/7, mobs of adoring fans and the seemingly impossible task of getting their mothers to reunite, Mel and Beat can’t seem to help their intense chemistry and attraction. And what starts out as a way to gain independence from their headstrong mothers and earn a whole lot of money might just be the start of a newfound love.

But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal could ruin everything Melody and Beat have been working towards—most of all their happily ever after.

“You’ll never leave my system, Mel. You’re one half of it.” Excuse me, nothing to see here, just catch me simping for Beat Dawkins the way he simps for Melody. If you like the “he fell first AND he fell harder” trope, add this book to your TBR right this second. In all my years as a romance fan, I have never seen a man be that gone for a woman and I was very much here for it. One fateful first meeting between the two of them when they’re teens turns into a love story for the ages when the two are thrown together to reunite their parents’ band and old feelings surface. And honestly, who can blame them, even I fell in love with both of them just reading that scene.

Melody and Beat have uncanny chemistry from the very first moment they meet. I loved all the scenes between them, from Beat’s protective instincts to Melody’s kindness and hilarious running commentary on everything they were experiencing. It’s so painfully obvious that these two are meant to be together and I just wanted to tell them to get smooching already (just like all the fans watching their livestream). Rarely have two characters been so in tune, whether it comes to the way they understand each other’s fears and reluctance to open up or simply to the way you can charm somebody’s pants off.

While I confess that the secrecy around Beat’s kink and his reluctance to tell it to Melody seemed a tad ridiculous to me (I’m a veteran indie romance reader and let me tell you, that kink is like the most run-of-the-mill one there is when it comes to romances), I think it made a lot of sense, especially considering the way it was heavily influenced by his inability to trust anyone who wouldn’t use it to exploit him.

This brings me to another highlight of Wreck the Halls, and that’s the sensitive touch with which Bailey approaches the topic of trust in here. Both Melody and Beat find it hard to trust others because of the way the media has been treating them over the years and the way Beat is being exploited by someone that should care for him. I loved how we got to see the ways in which this has influenced their attitudes toward others—Beat has perfected his performance in front of his friends and loved ones while Melody shies away from being too vulnerable and opening up her heart. Individually and together, they both have a lot to learn and it’s a fascinating journey following them to their happily ever after, all mixed together with hilarious situations with their mothers, the ups and downs of falling in love and casually being hunted down by adoring fans. Because, lest you think this story is super heavy, Bailey excels as always at balancing the heavy with the light, and every sad scene is easily counteracted with one that makes your stomach cramp from laughing.

In all honesty, their mothers Octavia and Trina, while only present for a few key moments, are the cherry on top of an already incredibly delectable story. Their animosity, smart banter, and eventual scheming perfectly rounded out this intense yet hilarious romance. I think this just might be “the” holiday rom-com of the year.

A story of love, forgiveness, and learning to trust after being burned, Wreck the Halls is the unputdownable holiday romance you’ve been waiting for!

I am a Tessa Bailey Stan but this book was not it for me. I did like the whole second change romance aspect but I found the characters to really not be great and I’m finding out that I don’t like music themed romances. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I love Tessa Bailey books. That said, I had a wee bit of a hard time connecting with this one. I loved everything, except Beat’s reason for why he’s doing this. Also, the synopsis was definitely deceptive to me. That said, I did love the journey into some different loving. Can’t say more cause I don’t want to give away any spoilers!

Let’s be honest…Tessa Bailey books are the best and they never disappoint. The characters and chemistry are pitch perfect. Beat and Melody are great characters…and the steam…WOW!

DID I LOVE THIS BOOK OR DID I LOVE THIS BOOK?

I love Tessa Bailey, I love her heroines and her heroes and her absolutely fun plots, and this story was no different.

Beat and Melody are the children of the two leads of Steel Birds, a band that separated right before their birth over some unknown drama. The mothers go their separate ways and the kids finally meet up at teenagers at an interview related to their moms, and their connection is instant but their visit is over in minutes. Two decades later, these two come crashing back together in an attempt to finally reunite the band, while Melody tries to stand up for herself to her mom for the first time and Beat tries to protect his mother from a blackmailer... all while live streaming their attempts to get the band back together.

The drama takes place in the two weeks leading up to Christmas Eve, but this isn't really a holiday read, outside of that timing. However, the season does lend itself to some fun environments and sets the stage for the reunion, should it happen.

The things I loved:
- Melody is quirky but in such a normal way (not in a bookish girl way, if you know what I mean)
- Beat and Melody's banter is *chefs kiss* perfection
- Celebrity parents/children in the spotlight
- Viral sensations/live streams
- Edging ;)
- MMC who help FMC be confident in who they are
- FMC who help MMC be vulnerable and trusting with people who love them
- When walls come down
- He falls hard
- She falls hard

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for early access to this book. These are my honest thoughts.

What a sexy, charming read from Tessa Bailey! Tessa always writes a fun romance, and Wreck the Halls is no exception. It's so Christmas-y and romantic!

Melody and Beat, the MCs. are the children of a famous rock duo who broke up 30 years ago under less-the-perfect circumstances. Neither of the teenagers know each other, but end up meeting at a documentary-type sit-down that's being recorded about their famous moms. It's lust at first sight, but neither makes a move. Fifteen years later, they see each other again to get their moms together for a final concert. They are being paid a LOT of money to do this, and each of them has their own reasons for doing it, but they end up being WILDLY attracted to each other, and then sparks fly. Hot ones. I can't stress this enough.

Tessa excels at dirty-talking heroes, and Beat is a perfect example of her MMCs. Sooo sexy. And in the bedroom? He likes to be told what to do. That's right. It's HOT.

Melody is smart and resourceful, and kind to a fault. She's helping Beat with this reunion so that he can get the money--he's being blackmailed by his own father!--but ends up loving the time they spend together.

There's only a couple of issues--for me--with this romance: For starters, the plot is a little all over the place. I think this is definitely a "me" thing, though. The other thing is that, while I buy their sexual chemistry, their love story feels a little random. Combined with the plot, I was kinda like "They pined for years after only seeing each other for 10 minutes over 15 years ago?" At times, the writing felt too much, like the author was trying to cram too much into the plot, and it was scattered. The romance, at time, felt underdeveloped.

Now, most of this is a "me" thing, If you like Tessa Bailey romances--which I do--you'll adore the chemistry the MCs have. Beat is a little different from her normal MMCs, but was still awesome. I'm sure most readers won't have an issue with the plot at all, but I just wanted to be honest and put it out there that this romance felt rushed and all over the place. Don't get me wrong, though. I'd recommend this to romance readers, especially fans of Bailey.

Rating: 4 stars/5

**A huge thank-you to NetGalley and Avon Harper Books for this ARC to read and review for my own opinions.**

Title: Wreck The Halls
Author: Tessa Bailey
Pub Date: October 3, 2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What was the last book you finished in less than a day? For me, it was Wreck The Halls by Tessa Bailey! I could not put this one down and just felt such a connection to the characters and the storyline from the first page.

Melody and Beat are on a quest to reunite their mothers, former music icons and band members, Trina and Octavia. While Melody and Beat did not grow up with one another, there was an instant connection when they met once as teenagers. Now, with Beat in some financial trouble, Melody agrees to help him reunite their mothers in order to win one million dollars by bringing the two divas together for a Christmas concert. The catch? The entire lead up to the hopeful reunion is set to be live streamed, AND, both Trina and Octavia want nothing to do with one another. Can the two pull of the impossible? Will the same spark they felt as teenagers still be present now?

Read If You Like Books About:
🎤Forced Proximity
🎤Opposites Attract
🎤Childhood Friends to Lovers
🎤Holiday Romances
🎤Family Feuds
🎤Reality TV Shows

Thank you Avon Books, Tessa Bailey, and NetGalley for providing me with a #gifted copy of Wreck The Halls!

I loved Melody and Beat. She's snarky, he's charming, together they have an undeniable chemistry and understanding (due to who their moms are). The banter and flirting was so good and I couldn't get enough of them. Of course Trina and Octavia are glorious and I especially enjoyed their story arc.
There was some miscommunication which isn't my favorite, but it also had a lot of "touch her and you'll die", and a delicious amount of spice. When I got to the end, I wanted a quick peak at the future, but I think I just wanted more of these two.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Voyager for this ARC!

I have read several Tessa Bailey books, and this one did not disappoint. I enjoyed Wreck the Halls so much! Beat and Melody are absolutely perfect for each other. Their chemistry flew off the pages. There were also so many sweet moments that I can't wait to read again when the book officially comes out!

With all Tessa Bailey books I read, I never want them to end. And this book is no exception. I just want Beat and Melody's story to continue forever! Melody is also really funny and lovable! I could not wait for what she would say next when in certain situations.

Overall, if you are looking for a quick, cute, STEAMY, book with adorable characters, pick this one up!

“Love doesn’t come and go that easily, Beat. You need to believe you can lean on it, even when you have to lean really hard.”

I loved the premise of this book: the children of estranged rock stars come together to reunite them for a live television special. Beat and Meloday met once when they were sixteen and although they didn’t keep in touch for fourteen years, they’ve always felt this bond. That same feeling comes roaring back when they meet again at thirty.

Melody is so relatable in that she has always been a wallflower and a bit insecure. She has a job restoring old editions of books and doesn’t really go out much. But she is also so hilarious. Her banter with Beat is absolutely excellent and their tension it always simmering close to the surface. She has always struggled with her relationship with her mother, and there are a lot of moments that we see directly how it's affected Melody.

Her juxtaposition with Beat is so interesting. He’s always been popular, but he’s always kept himself guarded. He's insecure in a completely different way. He struggles with how easily things have been afforded to him. It’s Melody that grounds him, and I loved how they realize the immensity of their feelings for each other. They really understand each other even though they have different personalities. As the reader, you're endeared to them both immediately. You want them both to have their happily ever after.

“Of all the privileges I never feel like I’ve earned, you’re going to be the ultimate one, aren’t you?”

I also adored the background of Octavia and Trina who were once a great rock duo, but broke up under circumstances that were never explained to the public. Their resolution is equally as satisfying as Beat and Melody’s. Any fan of Tessa Bailey will love this one.

This is a very fun holiday romcom. Melody's and Beat's moms are former bandmates that parted on terrible terms. Beat is being blackmailed and needs the money offered from a livestream show to reunite the former bandmates. He decides to tell Melody but lets her know that she doesn't have to do anything but give her permission. That leads to her deciding to step out of her comfort zone and work with Beat to accomplish the task in a short amount of time. Highly recommend reading this to see how people named Melody and Beat find a wsy to make music together.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy in exchange for my honest review