Tessa Bailey does spicy holiday reads like no other!

This book will be a perfect holiday read, if you don't take it too seriously. Readers will devour it in one sitting (I sure did) as holiday lights twinkle, fires burn and hot cocoa is enjoyed. This book is meant to be fun from page one and Bailey hits all the high points.

Ridiculous premise that leads to even more ridiculous love/lust at first sight? Check.

Two archetype characters that exist purely to be spicy? Check.

Cast of tropey side characters who all act like lunatics? Check.

Completely improbable resolution where everyone acts out of character, but you don't care? Check.

Spice that will make your toes curl? Check.

Now I will say that my enjoyment of this book relies on 100% suspension of disbelief. The plot is ludicrous and if anyone in real life acted like any of these characters, it would be intolerable. (Oh look a possessive control-freak (with a tragic past and dark secret) is proprietary over a woman whose only characters trait is having a crush on him...so unique!) However, in this case the story is exactly what is on the tin and for a quick winter romp, it is silly perfection.

Oh what fun it was to read Tessa Bailey’s holiday romance Wreck the Halls. Melody and Beat, children of two former rockstars, are the offered the chance of a lifetime when a producer offers them a life-changing sum for them to do a reality show to reunite their moms—but between 24-hour film crews, adoring fans, they’re both thrown from their comfort zone and are forced to come to terms with their feelings for each other. I adored Melody and Beat. This read is spicy and their connection is so vulnerable. I didn’t necessarily love the insta-love feel of them, but at the same time, I love the immediate understanding they had of each other, and while there were a lot of little misunderstandings I wish they had communicated better with, I think their resolution skills showed them a lot of growth and passion. Beat loves Melody so fully and Melody is such a light. There’s so much heart and whimsy and growth in this. And I loved the mothers and the journey to reunite them. In the start of the book, Tessa Bailey has a note about wanting to do those women justice and she really did. I actually would’ve loved an epilogue with this one and see more of those amazingly strong and very unique women. This was just such a fun and very spicy holiday read that had me smiling all the way through.

Yet again, Tessa Bailey completely delivers. Her voice and insight into rom coms that both make you laugh and make you swoon is untouchable. Perfect amount of steaminess and romantic sparks and it kept me turning the page for hours in one sitting. While I read this holiday book completely out of season, I know readers will enjoy cozying up under their Christmas trees with a cup of coffee and this book. The relationship between the two moms was also a really great side story. You rooted for their friendship and for their reunion.

I actually ate this book RIGHT UP.

Let me start by saying this book is LITERALLY ME (minus the romance and cavity inducing strangers to friends to strangers to friends (?) to lovers plot). The way I smiled at every flirtatious moment, blushed at every heart-swelling compliment, and laughed at every joke (I’m not even kidding,, my condolences to the ppl at the gym that saw me cheesing at my kindle screen) is actually amazing.

Friends to lovers has never been at the top of my favorites tropes list,, but oh my lord how I adored this book. Beat and Melody (ngl I love their names 😭) have stolen my heart and I will compare every relationship I see with theirs from this day forward. I was really able to grasp the connection the two had beyond Tessa just saying that they had one.

As for the plot,, I am a SUCKER for reality tv and loved this! Trying to bring a band together after 30 years but the members hate each other so you have to work with the only person you’ve ever felt true attraction to ??? Literally sign me up I will give away all my rights right now istg.

I love the side characters and the different relationships between them. Octavia is literally my favorite person ever and me if I was ever cool and rich (her humor and comebacks ate — literally my favorite thing I’m pretty sure 80% of my annotations are from her💀). Definitely going to be a buy and reread in the future.

Tessa Bailey's latest holiday romcom is zany in all the best ways. Perfect for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six, the Parent Trap, and all of Tessa's books.

Beat and Melody. Melody and Beat. Both are the child of a member of the famous rock duo, Steel Birds, but they've only met once. That magical interaction has stuck with Beat and Melody for the past 10+ years as they navigate life in the sort-of spotlight. When a producer calls and asks them to reunite Steel Birds, Beat isn't in a place to turn them down (despite knowing the task is impossible) and Melody can't say no to Beat. This holiday season, tag along as these two travel all over trying to set up their moms again for one last epic show!

Beat and Melody have amazing chemistry, hilarious banter, and get up to fun hi-jinx. This book is atypical but perfect for the holiday season! It should be on everyone's winter tbr. Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for allowing me to get this eARC in exchange for an honest review!!

This story really intrigued me and although I wasn’t sure how I would like it, I wanted to try it. The story line was great. I don’t love the insta love trope. Melody is really likeable and I love how Beat holds the “touch her and you die” type of personality. I liked them coming to learn more about themselves and their families along the way. But that was unfortunately really all I liked.

Another classic Tessa Bailey romcom. I’ve never been to New York City for the holidays, but this book definitely made me want to go. I love the rock ‘n’ roll theme and the overlay of the reality TV show. It’s a fun, cozy book that will hit you in the feels I’ll definitely be recommending this one for good holiday reads with a hefty amount of steam. Must read.

AWWWWWWWW. Fate brought them together in the sweetest, most messed up way possible. I loved it. Tessa Bailey really knows how to make sweet but hot work, and this book is no exception!

I absolutely loved this book so much and can't wait to get my own copy it was such a fun read and I loved it couldn't put it down

Wreck the Halls was really fun! Tessa Bailey's work continues to improve with each publication and it was truly evident here. The Steel Birds were an incredibly popular 90s rock star female duo until they split and the women now refuse to talk to one another. 30 years later, Octavia and Trina's children, Beat and Melody, are brought together by a production company to film (in real-time!) their attempt to bring their moms back together to perform at a Christmas Eve special. Hilarity ensues as camera crews follow Beat and Melody as they try to convince their moms, who could not be living two vastly different lives, all while falling in love with one another (to the glee of the millions of people watching the reality show live stream). Wreck the Halls was a fun holiday romance with a very strong plot. I loved it!

First big thanks to the publisher, Tessa Bailey and Netgalley for this arc in exchange for my fair and honest review.

Oh man THE BANTER, THE WIT, THE SPICE!!!! 5 STARS!!!

Tessa Bailey always delivers, and Wreck the Halls is no different. I absolutely loved this book, it was a treat from start to end, I couldn’t put it down.

This is a friends-to-lovers/parent trap twist romance between two children of rock royalty as they navigate being on a reality show centered around their crazy crusade to get their talented mothers to reunite for a Christmas eve show.

I really don’t want to give away anything because everyone should read this book, if you’re needing a great belly laughing, heartwarming, and spicy saucy romance experience this book is for you and you need to read it this holiday season.

A favorite of mine for Tessa for the characters! I loved that the main female character wasn't some weak, inexperienced heroine but jumped right in with Beat. I did have some questions on the feasibility of the live stream and how that would work/film ALL the time, but I was able to get passed those questions and focus on the love story.

If you enjoy Tessa Bailey’s books as much as I do, you’ll enjoy this. For me, it was a little too much instalove so not one of my favorites by her. (It was hard to feel the connection to the character when there wasn’t really a build up to their love story.) I still don’t call it a complete miss though.

I received this book from the publisher & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I was hooked in this story right from the first chapter. I adored how much Beat was into Melody right from the get go. It is definitely a story for the ages and I know I will come back to their beautiful story every time I am in a reading slump. I also adored how spunky and funny Melody is throughout the book. The back and forth in between Beat and Melody was a foreplay in itself while also being sweet and charming. This is a standalone book and I highly recommend reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Two children of former rock stars have to team up to convince their estranged moms to play a Christmas Eve concert but might find love along the way. Melody Gallard and Beat Dawkins are the children of the infamous rock band known as Steel Birds, their moms were music royalty until the huge mysterious band breakup, and ever since then their moms have hated each other. Melody and Beat met only one time when they were sixteen for five minutes, but that one hug, that one meeting was seared into their brains and now 16 years later when they are both 30, they are about to meet again. Beat is being blackmailed, and has been blackmailed for the past 5 years and the price just keeps getting higher and now he's running out of money, he hasn't told anyone and if the secret gets out it could ruin his mom and his family's lives and reputations and thats not something he's willing to risk, but the only way to come up with the money this time around is if he accepts a tv producer's deal that he and Melody are filmed on their journey to getting their moms to reunite the band for a Christmas Eve concert. From the moment Melody and Beat meet again it's instant attraction, it's more than their 16 year old selves could believe, but Beat has a secret that he's afraid will ruin this friendship and potential relationship with Melody, he only likes being edged and only finishes alone, he doesn't feel comfortable enough to give himself to someone fully and prefers to just be edged. Yet being constantly surrounded by Melody is not helping at all because he's become obsessed with her and now he'll have to ask if he's ready to finally give himself fully over to someone, to let someone in and to trust them, with all of his secrets. Can these two find a way to get their mom's back together, save Beat, and work out the relationship between each other? This one was a lot if I'm going to be honest, it laid in THICK with the whole "Beat and Melody" are a pair, they are two parts of one whole rockstar kids vibe. Then there was the insta love (which can be great at times), the communication issues, and it felt a bit cringey at times and not enough of a cute Christmas read despite it being set during the festive time, it really did not read as a Christmas romance. Overall it was just a bit much for me personally, but if you like rockstar children romances mixed in with reality tv show vibes then give this one a go, maybe it'll be right for you.

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Tessa Bailey delivers a heartwarming, rollicking, and spicy holiday romance in "Wreck the Halls,” the perfect novel for fans of Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone’s A Merry Little Meet Cute.

Melody Gallard and Beat Dawkins, the children of two rock star band mates, met only one time as teens – but their connection was electric. Decades after a mysterious feud tore the legendary band apart, Melody and Beat find themselves teaming up to convince their mothers to take the stage one last time.

Melody, despite being a descendent of music royalty, could not be more opposite than her Gen X Riot Grrrl mother. Their relationship was always distant and uneasy, and to cope Melody retreated into a quiet life, spending her days restoring old books and avoiding the spotlight. Beat Dawkins had a very different experience with his own mother’s approach to fame and family, but he shares Melody’s reticence to force a reconciliation.

Still, the powerful connection that ties Beat and Melody together transcends whatever strings snapped between their parents years before. When the tempting offer to reunite their mother's band on live TV comes along, both Melody and Beat question the things they hide and hold in silence to protect the deeply flawed but ultimately loving people who raised them.

It’s a journey of emotional healing, trust, honesty, and acceptance that love at first sight exists. Bailey's skill at balancing whimsical story elements with deep emotional connection shines here, as she weaves a tale filled with badly behaved rock stars, an all-seeing film crew, brawling Santas and hippies, and the wildness of fandom.

The chemistry between Melody and Beat crackles as their initial spark years before evolves into a deep and passionate love. As a team, they are able to step out of their comfort zones and support each other on their unconventional mission and beyond.

Melody’s willingness to be vulnerable uncovers a deep inner well of strength that previously remained untapped and stifled. Beat's magnetic personality and unwavering adoration of Melody amplify their power together, making their happily ever after feel true and inevitable.

While the romance takes center stage, Wreck the Halls also investigates the complex relationships between the characters and their family. The decades-old scandal looms over the reunion and adds a layer of external tension that keeps readers engaged until the climactic Christmas Eve concert.

Overall, "Wreck the Halls" is a perfect blend of spicy and sweet for holiday romance fans. Tessa Bailey once again proves her talent for crafting engaging stories with relatable characters, delivering a delightful standalone romance that will warm the heart regardless of the time of year.
______
Tropes: love at first sight, celebrity romance, friends-to-lovers, holiday romance, New York City stories
Spice Level: 3.5/5, open door, dash of kink, emotional + physical intimacy well portrayed on page, expert level dirty talker, consent
______
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected publication date October 3rd, 2023.

I normally don’t love the insta-love trope, but this one worked. 2 rock star kids who have an early and undeniable connection. He’s got issues, she’s got issues, we watch them work through those issues together. Plus it was hot as hell. Very enjoyable.

I tell everyone that either Tessa Bailey is going to be a hit or miss for them and unfortunately, this one is going to be a miss for me... although, I will try this one again on audio. I loved the storyline and plot however; I couldn't get over the male main character's name of "Beat."

Book : Wreck The Halls
Author : Tessa Bailey
Pub Date : 03 Oct 2023

Thank you NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, Avon, & the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.

If you love :
- Friends to Lovers
- Holiday Rom-Coms
- Insta Love
- Big City Settings
-
Then this book is for YOU!

I am a massive Tessa Bailey fan and LOVE all of her books and her writing style. When I saw this super cute holiday rom-com I squealed at the chance to read it. This book gave me the feels and made me laugh out loud so many times.

The characters are well developed with incredible dialogue and the plot is fantastic. This was such a fun read that is just want you expect from the authors books. I read this book in one sitting and lost track of time being emerged in the book. This will be my book clubs holiday monthly read, I can’t wait to share this amazing book with everybody that I know.

Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it. Cannot wait for it to be released. I will recommend it to everyone I know!