Thank you Tessa Bailey for a book that totally hit the spot. I’d been in a bit of a book rut lately but Wreck the Halls was such a welcomed surprise that I couldn’t help but stay up late into the night to finish it in one sitting.

Wreck the Halls has a catchy title for a Christmas romance but don’t let that stop you from reading this any time of year. Yes, the book culminates on Christmas Eve but there honestly isn’t much holiday-ness to the book at all if that’s what you are or aren’t looking for.

What you will find is a sweet, instalove story that totally works between the adult children of two rock stars who broke up their band before their kids were even born. Their names alone proved that Beat and Melody were meant to be together but their instant chemistry sold it too - from their first meeting at age 16 and again at 30.

“I feel like I already know you.”

In this romance, Beat and Melody decide to join forces to reunite their mothers, the famed duo of the popular group, Steel Birds, that broke up over thirty years ago with neither woman speaking to each other since. And they are going to document their attempt to orchestrate a reunion while live streaming their day-to-day activities over the two weeks leading up to Christmas Eve.

Beat has some serious reasons for why he’s willing to sign on to the live stream reality TV show and he convinces Melody to join in. While the side story about the two moms is pretty fun to follow and unique in its own right, the true story of the live stream TV show really became about Beat and Melody and their instant attraction to one another.

Tessa Bailey created two fun and unique characters that you were routing for the entire book. I loved Beat and his protection of Melody and I thought his kink was a neat addition to the story that wasn’t just something to add in but really made sense to his character.

Melody was a surprise. I was afraid she would take a back seat to Beat and be a slight doormat but she was snarky and funny and someone I would absolutely hang out with. I loved when they riffed off each other - they were the best moments of the book. And even though this is quite the instalove story (they fell for each other in less than two weeks) it totally worked in my mind.

It’s always fun to read a romance that doesn’t follow a typical plotline. Bailey crafted such a fun story and that’s what keeps me coming back to her books over and over again.

I would have loved to have given this five stars but the ending wasn’t as spectacular as I hoped it would be which was kind of a bummer but it didn’t diminish the book in any way. I just wanted something amazing to bring the show to an end and their relationship on solid ground. It’s still a must-read of the year!

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This one was a miss for me. Tessa Bailey's novels are usually guaranteed to be entertaining, but this title felt very different from the others I've read from her. I was continually surprised while reading that it was a Tessa Bailey novel. None of the banter or typical characters you'd find.

Wreck the Halls has a modern and fresh feel. It reads very current, with a unique pop-culture vibe. The characters are well developed and the second chance romance is meaningful. The story setup escalates and grows to a satisfying ending. There were a few things along the way that didn't work for me, but overall I liked this book. 3.5 stars.

It's been a hot minute since I've read Tessa Bailey. I've previously read most of her early work, which was less mainstream and more edgy. This book is the first I've read since Bailey pivoted to more straight up contemporary romance. I do recall she writes heroes that are champion dirty talkers, and there was some of that here. Bailey is a solid author in the genre and her popularity continues to increase.

Thank you to Avon via Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Tess Bailey never fails. This book was such a fun one. I loved everything about it! The characters, the story, CHRISTMAS. I will forever love Tessa Bailey

RATING: 3/5 STARS

Some Tessa Bailey books really work for me and others not so much. This one didn't quite grab me and I wasn't invested enough in the story and relationship between Beat and Melody to finish the book. But if you are a fan of Tessa Bailey and holiday rom coms, this one does have her classic writing style and plot elements that I have enjoyed in the past.

I always enjoy Tessa’s stories and this isn’t any different for me. This book is definitely one of my favorites of hers. Her characters are always pretty lovable and they have elements to them that you can connect with a fair amount. Beat and Melody are the cutest together and I really loved that they complemented each other really well. They each support each other in the ways the other isn’t strong in yet. The relationship between them was pretty well balanced and didn’t lean heavily towards one of them than the other. The plot was fun and gave a lot of opportunities to the story in how things could go for the characters. The spice was spicy! It was pretty interesting seeing how Beats kink is explored and understood. It definitely added an extra layer to their story together. The characters also had a great the amount of growth that made sense. There were still moments of immaturity that weren’t necessary for the story to remain entertaining but they happened. That is something I honestly dislike when these moments are forced into the story to cause some type of conflict that doesn’t need to happen. This is a cute story but again this is a pretty heavy insta love, touch her and you’ll die trope heavy piece of work so if that’s not your thing this won’t be for you.

“I hope it’s not going to be a problem that I’m obsessed with you, Peach.”

Wreck the halls is about Beat and Melody, the adult children of two former rockstars who team up to reunite their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert. This is the perfect holiday rom-com with some of my personal favorite tropes; friends-to-lovers, one bed trope, “parent trap” twist.

I was not prepared to love this book as much as I did! I was captivated from page one. Being able to feel the immediate kinship of beat and melody struck me right in the feels. I’m a sucker for a protective MMC and Beat checked all the boxes right away. And don’t get me started on the banter between Trina and Octavia, because they literally had me dying, laughing out loud, their one liners and IDGAF attitudes were perfection.

I won’t give too much more away, but I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a feel good, heartwarming holiday rom-com!

A big thank you to Avon Books/Harper Collins Publishing and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was such a cute read! I loved the fated aspect of Beat and Melody’s love story. It’s like they were always meant to be together, but life, unfortunate circumstances and two stubborn rock star mothers kept them apart. The way they kind of just fit together was swoon worthy. Melody was funny, relatable and so cute while Beat was just so dreamy. I expected his dirty little secret to be a much naughtier one, but either way there was some naughtiness in there that checked off all my spice boxes! Bailey nailed it as usual with this funny, romantic and spicy read! The Christmas theme got me in the holiday spirit and I definitely anticipate this one being a popular read this holiday season!

I had a lot of fun with this one! The son and daughter of two rockstars with a decades-long grudge try to reunite the band in time for the Christmas Eve concert. While the holiday vibes are light until the end of the book the chemistry between the hero and heroine sizzle! The reality show element moved the plot along and had me rooting for them the whole time!

I absolutely loved Tessa Bailey's last four novels but this didn't do much for me. From the beginning, I just wasn't invested in the plot point. Melody and Beat's moms used to be a famous rock duo in the 90's. One of their hits is viral now and the public is clamoring for a reunion. Except the two haven't spoken in decades. Their children then become tasked with reuniting them and the whole thing had a skeezy feel to me. If this wasn't an advanced copy, I would have quit at about 40%. But I was interested enough in what happened to keep going. The pacing is slow and the writing isn't as good as her previous novels. I'm not sure what happened here but this was a miss for me.

Three stars for Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey because I liked it. It served up Bailey's classic wit and comedy, sugary sweet moments, and blistering hot love scenes. This was fun.

Melody Gallard and Beat Dawkins are the children of 90's rock legends, Trina Gallard and Octavia Dawkins. Their moms were in a very popular band, the band broke up mysteriously, and their moms haven't talked to each other in 30 years because the breakup was full of animosity.

Melody and Beat go on a mission to get their moms back together for one concert on Christmas Eve. The two are followed around by a livestream and they break the internet with their mutual attraction.

Beat is very protective of Melody, and he has been since they were teenagers when they had only met one time. Melody is low-key funny and very lovable character. Her quips and one liners are easy because she is very easy going but she also recognizes that her mother's fame cast a long shadow over most of her life.

In terms of romance, this is a soulmates story. From the moment they meet at 16, there is a mutual understanding and attraction. Even though they don't see or hear from each other again for another 14 years, when they reunite, they can't hide how they feel about each other. Bailey does a great job of illustrating their rightness for each other.
"She could have known this boy sooner? Felt... understood sooner?"
"... he wondered if he'd been missing Melody his entire life."

As a holiday romance, I would say this is Christmas-adjacent. There are some holiday tropes/elements but they could be popped out and this would be a soul mates romance. Although, the idea of soul mates is just as magical as the Christmas season.

Thank you to Avon Books and Netgalley for an eARC of Wrecked the Halls by Tessa Bailey in exchange for my honest review. I honestly liked it. This was fun.

Tessa Bailey is coming in hot with her upcoming holiday book, Wreck The Halls! When the children of Steel Birds agree to a live streaming TV reality series to reunite the band by Christmas it’s a steamy, fun filled romp that will put you in the holiday spirit! Available October 3!

Beat Dawkins and Melody Gallard grew up in the glaring, unforgiving spotlight, each a child of one half of the infamous rock duo Steel Birds. The bands spectacular break up only served to make them more popular over the years, fans begging for a reunion. While Beat was treated as a teen idol, Melody was harassed and bullied by the press. They’re single meeting when they were sixteen seared in both their memories. Could there possibly be someone else who understood them, and how could they feel so connected.

Melody and Beat don’t meet again for fourteen years when they join forces in a reality TV show to reunite their mothers for a historic one night show. An impossible task, Steel Birds haven’t spoken in thirty years. It’s soon apparent to everyone live-streaming that Beat and Melody are crazy about each other. This is a story of learning to trust, of tearing down walls built to protect ultimately isolated. It’s a story of reimagining a life that reflects who you are, and taking a stand in relationships that aren’t respecting that. The author did an excellent job weaving a story with characters I was invested in and cared about. I loved Melody’s arc especially. I loved seeing how she was loving, accepting, but needed to set some boundaries and expectations that felt right for her as well.

I recommend for readers looking to get a jump start on holiday reading, those that like some steam in their romance, and those that really crave that HEA with some humor. Make sure to add to your goodreads TBR!

I received an advanced copy from the publisher Avon and Harper Voyager via Netgalley.

Tessa Bailey comes in hot with this holiday rom com. Beat and Melody are two adult children of former members of the rock and roll band Steel Birds, that broke up under mysterious circumstances before Beat and Melody were born. Thirty years after the breakup, when Steel Birds music goes viral, a producer proposes a plan to live stream Beat and Melodies attempts to reunite their mothers for a Steel Birds reunion on Christmas Eve.

I stayed up way to late and woke up early reading this book! It is a fast paced, quick read with witty banter and an interesting premise. I fell in love with all the right characters and were rooting for them the whole way. I was getting a little bit of Jim and Pam vibes from Beat and Melody. Tessa does use some Insta-love to get the tension ratcheted up very quickly in this book, but using a celebrity guest was a fun explanation. The 90s music references had me reminiscing and creating a new Spotify playlist 😂. The holiday appearance was more winter and less Christmas, which was perfect for me. A great read.

Tessa Bailey has done it again! These two were so perfect for each other, I found myself at times just going "Just kiss already!" I loved the storyline - while farfetched, it never once felt unrealistic, and it made me go listen to Fleetwood Mac immediately after finishing! The hero was the quintessential Tessa Bailey man; dark, brooding, would-do-anything-for-her, but with enough wit to balance it out. Melody never once felt like a damsel, which I was a little worried about, but instead I knew she was strong and could do anything. These two played off each other so well, I got to the end and found myself wishing for six more chapters! Great book!

I really enjoyed this sweet and steamy holiday standalone romance.

Beat and Melody have always been linked by the press because their famous mothers were in a notorious rock band years ago, that has since split up in a terrible break up that no one knows the full extent of. When attention on the band reignites and Beat needs a lot of money quickly, they team up on a reality show to reunite their mothers.

Is it slightly unbelievable that they would amass a huge following and people would become obsessed with the idea of them as a couple in only a few short days? Absolutely. Does that matter all that much? Nope.

Beat and Melody have a really fun dynamic between them and while their love story happens fast, it makes sense given all that they each struggle with. If anything, Melody gets a little shortchanged in the narrative because of all that Beat is dealing with, while Melody has definitely grown into the more well-adjusted of the two, but that's not a real problem in the narrative.

It's fun, emotional, and hits all the right beats, like every good Tessa Bailey book does.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Melody and Beat are two halves of one soul and the ultimate team. Their instant connection and deepening of their bond throughout their adventure convincing their rock star moms back together for a comeback tour was a delight to read. Tessa Bailey never disappoints.

This was the first of this author’s books that I’ve read and I get the hype. What a romance! So much spice! I didn’t totally get into the Christmas setting; I feel like this story could have taken place at any time. But still it was a fun read with great characters, great banter, and steamy sex.

Thank you Avon Books for my copy! All thoughts are my own.

When I think of Tessa Bailey, I think of FUN. So, I was very much looking forward to reading Wreck the Halls, since I love a good fun Rom Com and a holiday book. Unfortunately, this book didn’t meet the mark for me. It was a little too fun and a little too cheesy. It has “Hallmark After Dark” vibes and I wish there was a bit more reality to it. But, it is a really fun book that doesn’t take itself seriously and I think will bring a lot of people (who like open door romances) joy this season. Just didn’t work for me!

Synopsis:

“Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show. 

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Typical Tessa Bailey Fun—Looks, Tessa Bailey’s books are plain old FUN. And this book is no exception. I wish there was more festive cheer in it because that’s what I was hoping for.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

The Insta Love—I want to get behind it, but it just always makes me cringe. It doesn’t feel real to me!

The Cheese—Beat was just a little too much for me. He’s adorable and such a golden retriever, but I couldn’t suspend my disbelief enough to get on board.

The Pacing—I think overall this book just wasn’t for me.

Character Authenticity: 1/5 Spice Rating: 3.5/5 Overall Rating: 2/5

Content Warnings:

Abandonment, blackmail, infidelity

Tessa Bailey gives us a nice Christmas treat with Wreck The Halls. It’s not your typical hallmarkesque Christmas romance which I LOVED! Beat and Melody (yes, those are the names of our MCs) are each the offspring of two legendary rock goddesses! Beat’s mom Octavia has serious diva pipes and Mel’s mom Trina is magic on the guitar and a world class lyricist. (Does this remind anyone else of Heart? My all time favorite band) Together they were Steel Birds and they were the biggest rock duo in the world in the early 90s until shit hit the fan on their last tour and the band broke up leaving the world to speculate why and hungry for more music. 30 years later their biggest hit is now number one on the charts again and people are begging for a reunion. A reality tv producer approach Beat and Melody separately and task them with the impossible. Reunite Steel Birds for a Christmas Eve special and we are going to live stream the whole process! There is only one problem, their mothers LOATHE each other. Beat and Melody each have their reasons for agreeing to the impossible and along the way the world gets to see them realize they are two halves to a whole. What beautiful music a beat and melody make. We also get a charity gala with plenty of drama, a brawl with Santa’s at a hippie commune, a classic only one bed trope that ends just how we like, lots of hilarious dialogue and of course a happy ending!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Tessa Bailey for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was Tessa Bailey at her best! Wreck The Halls was everything I love in a Christmas book. It was funny and charming and had the feel-good moments of the season, without being so over-the-top Christmas that you weren’t enjoying the actually plot. Beat and Melody were great characters. I found myself rooting for them both. I thought the premise of the book was so unique and fun. The banter between Melody and Beat was perfect. Honestly, this book just made me smile the entire time I was reading it. It was full of shenanigans and hijinks and dramatic grand gestures. As with every Tessa Bailey book, there was the perfect amount of spice, that was silly and sweet and just a tad over the top. Honestly couldn’t have loved this book more than I did!