4⭐️ This is such a heartwarming holiday story about two beautiful souls who were always destined to belong together. My heart is full. But don’t let the cute cartoon cover fool you, this is still a novel by Tessa Bailey, the queen of steam. And it is definitely not lacking any spice.

Melody and Beat are both the children of America’s most legendary female rock duo, Steel Birds. Melody works at a Bookstore restoring young adult books, and is the quirky and awkward introvert. And Beat is her total opposite. He’s the wealthy, handsome, and charming guy who turns heads wherever he goes. They only met once when they were teenagers, and Melody has been infatuated with him ever since. And 14 years later they’re brought back together and are being offered an insane amount of money to persuade their moms to re-unite the rock-n-roll band for one last Christmas Eve show. Beat and Melody both know there’s no chance of getting their estranged mothers back together after their disastrous split but they still agree to participate in a 2 week long live stream with cameras following their every move, along with capturing their attempts at reuniting their moms once again. What could possibly go wrong?

I loved these two characters, Beat and Melody, so much. Melody was absolutely hilarious and Beat was such a sweetheart and was head over heels for Melody. And his oh so dirty mouth had me sweating. Melody thought she didn’t stand a chance with Beat because she believed he was way out of her league. She’s like a caterpillar before it emerges into a beautiful butterfly. In the beginning she doesn’t realize just how amazing she is. But Beat brings out the absolute best in her and he would do anything to make her feel like the beautiful butterfly she is. They had such an enviable relationship.

The live stream, turned the Beat and Melody reality TV because of their undeniable chemistry, was so entertaining. And I’m sad we only got a way too brief appearance with their moms. Their chaotic dynamic and banter was intoxicating and laugh out loud hilarious. I need more of the firecracker duo, Octavia and Trina.

Tessa Bailey hit it out of the park once again.

And I am so grateful to Avon Books and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this wonderful ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I can’t thank you all enough.

Christmas in July (kind of) continues! Wreck the Halls is a holiday-adjacent story of Melody and Beat, the now 30 year-old offspring of rock royalty, who each have their own reasons for participating in a reality show aimed at reuniting their mothers' band 30 years after its breakup. Along the way they uncover secrets, face personal demons, and explore the not-quite-unrequited feelings they have each harbored since their teen years.

Despite its festive cover, this book has as much to do with Christmas as the Easter Bunny does. I found the first half to be a bit of a slog. While the action picked up in the second half, I struggled to get invested in the story. I thought many of the characters were caricature-like. The co-dependency qualities were not enjoyable to read and also were odd because the relationship lacked depth and development.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for gifting me with an ARC to review!

I realyl liked the premise of this book, but it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The relationship between Beat and Melody seemed a bit contrived and I felt like the characters were never truly developed to their full potential. I needed to see more depth to their relationship. Chemistry does sizzle but without the substance to back it up. It does have a festive setting and the ending with respect to the "band" getting back together was great.

Gorgeous amazing fun beautiful


Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

This was great. Absolutely so much fun! I can't wait to get the print version and read it again at Christmas. It was perfect. The witty, funny dialogue, the charming characters, the cute plot! I loved it all. I highly recommend this as your next book crush!

Tessa Bailey's holiday romance novel Wreck The Halls centers on rich Beat Dawkins and book restorer Melody Gallard.

Basically, the famous former rock band mates and their children are at heart of this novel. The novel does focus on an iconic rock duo that had split up, but now their kids are trying to bring them back together. 

Beat and Melody clearly had chemistry and tension, and it was hot asf. The fact that Mel never once judged Beat for his behavior, or the fact that Beat had his vulnerable moments with Mel despite how distant he had been, were both very wholesome.

In all, with just the right amount of friendships, relationships, and reunions, this was a fun holiday rom-com.

*Thank you to Avon & Harper Voyager, and to the author, Tessa Bailey, for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.*

This one was so fun! I think it's my favorite by Tessa in the recent years. The banter was the best and I loved how soft he was for her and how naturally quirky she was. I really enjoyed the mothers as well and thought the whole story was well told and fun. This one will be a fun one to add to any holiday reading!

Okay, I hope some television producer is waiting in the wings to turn this one into a holiday movie! Tessa Bailey knocked it out of the park. It had all the elements I love in my romances. Prepare yourself for spicy, sultry heat, sweet romance, and strife-ridden drama. It was the perfect recipe for a splendid book. I adored Melody, Beat, and the entire cast of characters. Melody and Beat are irresistible with their undeniable adorableness. Their vulnerability only adds to their charm and makes them even more endearing. It's impossible not to adore them! Trina and Octavia and all their drama made for such an excellent backstory. I couldn't help but burst out laughing at the witty banter exchanged between the two. I loved how Tessa weaved her magic and caught every personality on the page. It made for a delightfully entertaining read. I highly recommend checking out this holiday romance. This story has lovable characters and a sweet friends-to-lovers plot loaded with epic rockstars and family drama. Trust me. It's the kind of book that'll leave you feeling happy and content.

I’m a Tessa Bailey fan so I figured I would read this as a Christmas in July thing. It doesn’t have as much to do with Christmas as I originally thought. Beat and Melody (yeah those are actually their names) are the offspring of two women who were in a famous band. The band broke up under very volatile circumstances but now Beat is being offered a bunch of money to get them to reunite. He needs this money because he is being blackmailed. There are also hints about his weird sexual behaviors. When the secret is revealed…it doesn’t seem like much of a big deal.

Beat met Melody once before this when they were teenagers and he basically has loved her ever since. The issues that keep them apart (his reluctance to…open up and his need to protect her by not being truthful) seemed really manufactured. It was cute but not my favorite Bailey.

From the lovely cover to the bubbly atmosphere, Tessa Bailey provides readers with yet another delightful romcom to devour. Bailey wrote such a delicious spice packaged story with compelling characters. Melody and Beat, kids of ex-band mates with fated names, have the most firey holiday in the city romance and it does not disappoint.

When I first started this novel, I thought I would have to DNF because the spice level is beyond what I’m usually willing to read. (This was my first book by this author, so now I know what to expect.) After seeing others’ reviews, I decided that I really wanted to see how Trina and Octavia develop into these characters that are so loved by other readers, so I pulled myself together and picked it back up.

I like Melody more than Beat, and their romance is interesting with all the tropes that pop up, but I desperately wanted to point them to the nearest couples’ therapist. I had a hard time just escaping into this story because their relationship lit up all my “need to fix” buttons in my brain.

As for Trina and Octavia, I wish this friendship had been developed more, maybe with flashback scenes or something! I still didn’t really feel that I knew enough about them by the end to be satisfied with the story ending.

The Christmas setting…definitely not integral enough to make this a warm and cozy Christmas read. This could’ve been set in any month with snow and the story wouldn’t have really changed.

Wreck the Halls
By Tessa Bailey
3 stars

Melody and Beat, offspring of famed musical duo the Steel Birds, met once as teenagers in 2009 doing interviews about their moms' acclaimed music and notorious public breakup. Despite Melody feeling horribly awkward vs. Beat’s seemingly easy awesomeness, they clicked. But, then never saw each other again, until….

Beat, now 30, is being blackmailed by his birth father. In an effort to protect his parents’ marriage he’s been paying increasingly ridiculous demands for money. Money he doesn’t have. When he’s offered a million dollars by a producer who wants to get Steel Birds back together for a Christmas Eve reunion concert, he thinks it’s crazy. Even crazier that they want to film a reality show of him and Melody trying to make it happen. Melody does not like drawing attention to herself. The paparazzi was awful to her as a teenager and her confidence has never really recovered. But, when she realizes Beat really needs this money (although doesn’t know why), she agrees.

As they spend time together trying to convince their stubborn moms to give each other a second chance, sparks fly. But, between Beat’s belief he doesn’t deserve anything good and Melody’s lack of confidence they’ve got their own challenges to overcome.

Although there were enjoyable elements, this is not as strong as other Tessa Bailey books I’ve read.

Who better to reunite a band that had an epic fallout than their own children? And when better to do it than Christmas Eve? Applause (a Hallmark-esque) Network wants to bring former rockstars Trina & Octavia back together, and allow me to tell you, I read it as Applesauce Network every single time.🙃 Wreck The Halls serves all the drama, plus a spicy romance, all wrapped up in holiday cheer!

❕This was so chaotic & kinky, y’all I cannot cope.❕

Also TB - can we get like a Thanksgiving novella or something for the producer & the cameraman?? Danielle & Joseph were just as compelling as Beat & Melody😂

🗓️Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey is out Oct. 3!

This had Daisy Jones vibes. It was more of a Christmas adjacent novel. I love me a Tessa Bailey. The plot was unique and interesting. Parts during the middle dragged on for me a bit. Melody was such a lovable (and relatable character!)

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tessa Bailey did it again! The witty heroine will always be my favorite and make me want to be her! The bomb sex scenes help too

Yet another Tessa Bailey book I could not put down. I enjoy how the author captures the different characters in her books. Going from a romance book based in a small fishing village to NY AND a reality show is a big change. The characters are well written, always with the male love interest being immediately overprotective and a bit creepy. The female love interest cherishing the immediate obsession from the guy. But that's what I love about these books. How loony can these guys get!? Chefs kiss for a fun read.

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

The main plotline was fun and engaging. The main characters were likeable enough (her more than him). Liked that she was emotionally stronger than I'd anticipated. The sexual kinks didn't really do it for me personally, but were kind of interesting. Your suspension of disbelief needs to be strong for this one in several places, but that's kind of par for the course. The holiday spirit is not particularly strong in this book, despite its title and the calendar timing of the plot. Still, I like the outcome well enough to be able to recommend the book to others.

I couldn't put down Wreck the Halls!!!! Tessa Bailey delivers us the perfect star crossed love, rock and roll, holiday romance that we didn't know we needed!!! I loved everything about this. Two children of rock legends meet as teens and feel an instant connection. Fast forward to when they are adults and they are approached about a reality show trying to reunite their mother's for a Steel Birds reunion of Christmas Eve. The rest is so good. I loved the instant connection between Beat and Melody. There is a push and pull, the restraints of being on camera and secrets!
For my Tessa Bailey fans the romance here has a slower build but it is STEAMY! You are going to love it. Also, a quick, fast paced read!

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced read. All options are my own. #WrecktheHalls #NetGalley

Mixed feelings on this book. .

I was hooked from the beginning with the story of the band and their grown children trying to get them back together all while being filmed live. It reminded me a little of the movie Ed TV... I used to watch it over on my VHS back in the day. LOL! The romance between the two - Melody and Beat - was a little ehhh for me. I loved the attraction and the build at first but then Beat went a little weird and came on too strong for my taste. He was a little creepy and obsessive sometimes. I realize some people like that in their romance books... not me. I knocked it down a star for that.

I loved how quirky Melody was and loved that she came into herself. Her comments had me laughing and she is definitely someone I would be friends with!

Not my favorite Tessa Bailey read but still enjoyed it minus Beat's creepy parts.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

I found this one to be Bailey’s most enjoyable one yet. Now granted, I know everyone has their favorite tropes and vibes, and this may not be everyone’s, but it absolutely was mine. Apparently I’m into fixer daddy vibes, total simping, soulmate level connection, where he could be who he was but she didn’t lose any agency or feminism.

I was hoping for no third act breakup and I did find this one a bit contrived, as I had hoped that the other, darker obstacle would be all that separated them, and frankly I do think it would have been enough for that necessary “will they? Won’t they?” at the climactic point of the book. But I think the meh-level third act breakup was the only downside.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the cast of secondary characters. 3 dimensional, interesting, added to the story, had great banter, made the book. Even the addition of live streaming and social media following was well done. I think this one could easily be a Christmas-time cozy reread.