This is the Tessa Bailey I know and love and such a fun reminder that she crafts heroes, heroines, and dirty talk like no other!

4.5 out of 5 wine glasses.

A delightful sports romance romp where Bailey brings the heat. Plenty of heart and joy amongst the flirting.

This is definitely a top 3 read for me when it comes to tessa bailey's books! I LOVED THIS. I loved the #1 fan girl and athlete vibe. It totally works and makes out to be a fun and meaningful storyline. Starting with Josephine, i want her work ethic and her positivity. she comes off as a quirky fun girl, but as you get to know her you see that she is very mature and knowledgable and for the most part has her shit together. Although she thinks she might not. She really surprised me throughout this book with how she handles a variety of situations. i just absolutely loved her. Wells Whitaker, also surprised the F out of me. We have this grumpy and angry man who despises everyone, but somehow Jos gets under that tough exterior and gets through to him. Watching his annoyance of her turn into an obsession was just delightful and i loved reading him grow and change in the book. They both seriously had so much character growth and it led to the most perfect ending. i definitely am going to buy the physical copy of this book so i can go back and reread again.

Tessa Bailey has done it again. I love this!

I recently read Wreck the Halls by Tessa and I didn’t enjoy it nearly as much as I usually enjoy books by this author. So I was little but unsure when going into Fangirl Down but I needn’t have been nervous, Tessa is back to her usual perfection with this one.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to like Golf romance but I obviously ended up really liking it. I loved the romance in this, the way Josephine slowly wears away at Wells chipping away his hard exterior and revealing the protective, thought, sweet man underneath. I loved the elements of a comeback/underdog story. The spicy scenes were perfect and totally up to Tessa Bailey standards. The banter in this was perfect and we love a friend group.

My favorite read of the year so far and I am so excited for a little hockey romance in the next book!

I loved this book! A grumpy/sunshine golf romance featuring a strong, kind, smart, capable, confident FMC with Type 1 Diabetes and a down-on-his-luck grump of a professional golfer. They were magic together!

Josephine is pro-golfer Wells Whitaker's biggest fan, despite the shambles his career is in and his decision to quit the PGA Tour. She believes in him even though he's hungover more often than he's winning tournaments. When her family's golf shop business is ruined by flooding, and she hasn't kept up the insurance premiums for the business or her healthcare because of dire financial straits, Wells makes an offer she can't refuse. Become his caddy.

This was entertaining, spicy, and fun, with emotional depth and an enveloping sunny warmth. I adored Josephine. She was such a refreshing, vibrant, and compelling character, and the inspiring way Bailey wrote her will stick with me. Wells is brooding and gruff, tends to self-sabotage, and doesn't like anyone until he gets to know Josephine. She believes in him, and something about her makes him want to do better. He admires her and respects how she handles her own life in ways that make him super swoony. These two had serious chemistry!

The plot was engaging, the pacing was good, the banter was fun, and there was a fair amount of spice. This was Bailey on top of her game, and I binged it. But I mostly loved this story because of the MCs. This couple was endearing and entertaining to read. I cannot wait for the second one in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the free book.

I loved this funny and spicy book! I was happy to see a sports romance about golf, my son was a competitive golfer (non-pro). I also loved how Josephine’s diabetes was seen as an issue to address instead of being a debilitating handicap.

Josephine Doyle is true fan, a member of “Wells’ Belles”, fans who support hunky PGA golfer Wells Whitaker. Unfortunately, Wells has slid in the standings because of his temper and Josephine is the only Belle left.
That’s fine with her, her family owns a pro shop and she’s been golfing for as long as she can remember and she thinks she could help him. Too bad Wells stands her up for a prize lunch she won.
When a hurricane hits S. Florida, it destroys her family’s uninsured pro shop. Josephine is a type 1 diabetic and she needed the money for insurance premium to buy insulin.
Wells feels bad about standing her up, and finds the pro shop with Josephine standing in what’s left. He’s decided to enter the next tournament and needs a caddy. If he does well, Josephine can earn enough caddying to save the shop and buy health insurance, and she’s going to make sure he improves his game even though he can be a jerk.
As the tournament goes on and their chemistry grows, Josephine finds a unique motivational tool to improve his game.

This is such a fun read I didn’t want to put it down, 5 stars.

Thanks to Avon and NetGalley, I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I was very nearly off the Tessa Bailey train, but this pulled me back on.

I'll give this to Bailey. She can write some great banter. The dialog had me giggling quite a bit.

I'd say this book was hovering between a 3.5 and 4 for a solid 90%. There were a couple icks, like her annoying fangirlling (even know I know that was the point...), and his over the top asshole-ness. But the character growth redeemed that.

In one scene, he specifically talks about her emerald green dress she wears to a party that starts off the tour, and then doubles down with that color in the next chapter. However, when talking about the same dress later on, Bailey forget she used "emerald" and "green" to describe the dress, and calls it blue. That distracted for a good long while.

But the biggest pet peeve i had was, after knowing her personally for maybe a month, he proposes. A MONTH. No. That was an ick I couldn't personally ignore.

With that said, I enjoyed this enough to not give up on Bailey just yet.

Tessa Bailey has mastered the romcom. This was a fun, lighthearted, entertaining sports romance. Actually, this might be my first golf romance… Overall, I’d rate it a 4.25/5 (rounding to 4) and probably a 3.5/5 spice. The chemistry and character growth were both well executed. Plus, we got a little teaser for the sequel.

What to expect:
-she has a crush first but he falls first
-insta lust
-golf/caddie, so a little like work place romance
-comeback story
-alpha male/touch her and die
-“I hate everyone but you”
-grumpy x sunshine
-banter and fun bets

I liked how T1D was represented in this book (FMC) but in a way that was a detail/background info versus her defining characteristic. Tessa Bailey does a good job showing you can lead a normal life despite this diagnosis. Also TW for child abandonment (MMC).

I absolutely enjoyed this book!! I love reading Tessa Bailey’s books and this book did not disappoint. It was equally intriguing and exciting. I loved getting to know the characters and reading their moments together. The chemistry between them is so explosive and it had me rooting for them through it all.

“Everyone drifts from their path once in a while. But your path is still there. It’s a perfectly good one.”

I always know what I’m getting into with a book by Tessa Bailey, and she definitely delivers here. It’s full of humor and heart and steam, which is exactly what I expect from her.

I love Josephine. She’s so determined and smart, and her chemistry with Wells is so good. He’s a frustrated pro golfer who’s lost his way. After a storm flood her family’s pro shop and Wells comes to check on her, she finds herself agreeing to be his caddie for an upcoming tournament. There is such tension between them the more time they spend together, and the initial attraction they have is smoldering.

I don’t even like golf but I was interested in this story from the start. Josephine is knowledgeable about the sport, and it’s fun to see her wit when she’s around the other caddies and golfers. She can hold her own. Wells is surprised by his feelings for her and he’s incredibly protective of her. I was presently surprised by seeing the T1D representation from Bailey. It was so great to have this be part of Josephine's story and something that she has obviously struggled with throughout her life. She's felt boxed in by her parents and is reluctant to accept help, even when she needs it.

And that brings us to the ultimate conflict in the third-act breakup. Wells is so sure he's doing the right thing by sending her home to her family's pro shop, but she isn't willing to accept that he is doing it for her because she refuses to do it for herself, The resolution is also solid, They both realize what they've done ad are apologetic while also being understanding of the other.

Any fan of Tessa Bailer will really enjoy this one. It's exactly what I come to expect from her novels and I can't wait to get a physical copy.

normally, I fall head over heels for TB and her characters but for some reason Wells and Josephine lacked the same level of chemistry I found in some of her other works. they were still so cute to follow, just not as top tier as some other works by Tessa.

these two start out as pro athlete and fangirl and perhaps that's what made it so difficult for me to get into. because it's so hard for me to digest the possibility of the celebrity trusting and falling for a fan. I know this is fiction, but that's a far jump in any world. the dynamic is skewed. but I digress. they had their cute, sweet moments as they built trust between themselves.

I did appreciate the authors candid discussions regarding Type 1 Diabetes. disabilities of all forms are the most underrepresented group in media and art. she did a great job in explaining TD1 throughout the story without sounding too preachy or info dumping on the reader, which was great.

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an earc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a sexy and entertaining sports romance. It has all the things readers love about Tessa Bailey's romances and some scenes will 100% leave you fanning yourself. I don't watch or follow golf, so some parts of the story went a bit over my head, but this didn't take away from the overall story for me.

Things to look forward to:
- a protective, dirty talking alpha hero (it is a TB romance after all ;)
- lots of tender moments of care between Wells and Josephine. The little and big things he did to make sure her type 1 diabetes was under control were so sweet.
- tropes like: forced proximity, grumpy + sunshine, workplace/boss, I hate everyone but you, etc
- "sex-centive"
- melt your kindle/earbuds sexy times *insert peach emoji*
- great set up for the next book featuring Josephine's BFF and a gruff single dad hockey player looking for a nanny ;)

I didn't love the push away at the end, but I could understand why the characters reacted the way that they did. I appreciated that the feelings were never in question though and that Wells and Josephine were able to stand on their own two feet and flourish. The epilogue was adorable and I loved that peek into the future.

I listened to a majority of the book and Callie Dalton's narration was fantastic! She voices all the characters so well and I enjoyed her performance so much!

Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3.5 stars

CW: hurricane and hurricane damage, type 1 diabetes (numerous mentions and discussions about management, monitoring, and care), financial issues/concerns, lack of healthcare, fighting, parental abandonment (past)

*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*

Tessa Bailey can do sports romance, and do it well. I'm practically vibrating with anticipation for her next, a hockey/nanny romance!

As for Fangirl Down, this is the most fun grumpy/sunshine, caddie/player, MMC supports his strong FMC romance I've ever read and ever will. Josephine is Wells's biggest fan, but he's ready to give up, and he can't have her around looking for him, so he basically tells her to buzz off before leaving the golf world.

Except he can't forget her (he falls first, hello!) and he gets worried when a hurricane comes right through where she lives, hurting the pro shop her family owns. He discovers that Josephine's had to make impossible choices to keep the shop open and also treat her type 1 diabetes, and wow is he ready to help her.

Even if that means hiring her as his caddie and getting back into golf. The most difficult part? He must *win*, because the better he does, the more he can do for Josephine. And that he wants to make his talented, strong af caddie proud is more than adorable. He'd clearly do anything for the woman.

And Josephine would do the same for him. I adored their eventual devotion to each other, something Tessa excels at writing. This author knows how to write soulmates, and clearly, she can make golf sexy.

I also loved the diabetes representation here. Josephine had practical aspects of diabetes to deal with -- like paying for insulin and healthcare-- but never once was she portrayed as weak. If anything, I was in awe of her for being able to carry Wells's golf bag the way she could, health conditions or none. I sure couldn't do that. The woman's an athlete and a professional, just like Wells, and secondary to their sweet love story was the love story between Josephine and the golf community at large.

This book felt like Tessa Bailey wanted to write her own version of Happy Gilmore with a feminist twist and an amazing romance. Wells, or "Unhappy Gilmore", his nickname among many, was a hero of a partner for Josephine, and she lit up each page.

If you're looking for a romance read, this should be your pick. It has everything-- spice, humor, golf, character growth, and so much love that I teared up more than once. I could not recommend this more!

✨ Fangirl Down ✨⁣
⁣⁣
⁣Genre- Sports Romance. ⁣
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⁣Length- 384. ⁣
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⁣My thoughts- Tessa Bailey has done it again! Fangirl Down is a delightful sports romance about a down and out pro golfer and his number one fan turned caddy! Wells is the perfect grumpy character while Josephine is a ray of sunshine, strong women who knows what she wants. I also really appreciated the type one diabetes representation. ⁣
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⁣This book features a ton of strewn and Bailey’s signature dirty talk. I was actually reading this at the nail salon and about died when the tech asked me what I was reading! I really hope he did catch a few choice words on my kindle! 🤣🤦‍♀️⁣
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⁣Fangirl Down is a sexy, adorable sports romance that might just make you suddenly interested in professional golfing! I highly recommend! Four stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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⁣Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC in return for an honest review. Fangirl Down comes out February 12, 2024!

Honestly, this was so cute. I am in no way shape or form a golf fan. I do not know anything past put-put and even that is iffy at best. That did not stop me from being invested in Wells and his "comeback" with his Wells Belle beside him. Grumpy Wells and Sunshine Josephine are this perfect balance of polar opposites and I love them. If you are nervous about this being a celebrity crush or instalove situation, you'd be right, but in a weird way. Wells gives major "touch her and die" vibes while Josephine is this adorable, yet headstrong, bubble of happiness and wisdom. I do wish Bailey had explored the gender stereotyping and gatekeeping a little more, but at the end of the day I understand this is a romance and sometimes heavy stuff doesn't always need to be pushed.

I loved this book, but I have a feeling I am going to love the second even more. Hockey IS my sport of choice and the Burgess/Talulah story line seems promising.

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

If you’ve been reading my reviews for a while, you’ll know I’ve been reading and loving Tessa Bailey for awhile. But the last few books she’s come out with haven’t quite hit the mark for me. So, I was nervous for Fangirl Down but I am pleased to report I really enjoyed it! It felt like a return to the Tessa Bailey I fell in love with. It still has an aspect of “suspend your disbelief” element, where you just need to fully commit to swooning over a romance hero, but it had a bit more grounded reality that I prefer in my romances. I also really liked that it took place in the golf world! It was a fun change for a lot of sports romances.

Synopsis:

“Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.

Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…

As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Premise—I learned to golf in 2020 and while I don’t watch golf super regularly, I am always fascinated by golfer interviews. It’s a harder sport than I realized so I liked being in that world!

The Characters—I loved Wells and Josephine. I thought they complemented each other really well and I liked how they overcame their situations together.

The Chronic Illness Rep—My favorite part of romance is that it takes real world problems and allows people to work through them while also experiencing love and relationships. This book features a character living with Diabetes, which helped me learn more about what it looks like day to day.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

A Little Cheesy—As always, when you pick up a book by this author, there will be some moments that can feel over the top for some readers. I still really enjoyed it though!

Character Authenticity: 3.5/5 Spice Rating: 3/5 Overall Rating: 4/5

Content Warnings:

chronic illness, medical event (diabetes), abandonment

Did I just read and obsessively love a book about the most boring sport on earth? Yes. Yes I did. And was it filthy? Yes. Delightfully filthy.

FANGIRL DOWN had me hooked from the first page until I closed the back cover with a happy sigh. Wells and Josephine are Grumpy + Sunshine perfection! But the grumpy and shine aspect is so much lore than just a well-loved character dynamic, it's an important part of this book that is actually meaningful (but also charming af).

Josephine has Type 1 Diabetes and I truly loved learning more about that condition while reading those book. And the golfing setting and storylines were perfectly written. Not too little and not too much.

Now, let's talk about the important thing: STEAM. Good Lordt, was this book spicy as hell. The dirty talk was epic and that shower scene. My kindle almost burst into flames. Tessa Bailey always brings heat and this book had HEEEEEEAT.

FANGIRL DOWN has banter, sweetness, steam, snort-laugh moments, and a perfect HEA. It gets a very easy 5-STARS from me.

SPICE LEVEL: Rated NC-17 / 5+ sex scenes, harsh language. *MIGHT* include props/bondage.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Diabetes, past parent abandonment
FEELS: 2/5 - A bit of drama, but still a pretty light read.

If I was just reading for myself, I would probably rate this much lower. I didn’t feel like there was any kind of relationship development, they kind of just jump straight into love. I also didn’t really love the way the MMC talks about the MFC. I normally enjoy Tessa Bailey, but this was just a miss for me.

Thank you Tessa Bailey for absolutely crushing this hot golf romance.

As a hobby golfer, the anticipation for Tessa's take on a golf romance had me excited since she announced it at her Secretly Yours tour a year ago. Already a fan of sports romance subgenre, I couldn't have asked for a better golf romance than what Tessa Bailey presented. She certainly exceeded all expectations.

My concern about the term "fangirl" was quickly dispelled by Tessa, assuring readers that Josephine's passion extended beyond Wells' bad boy image to a genuine love for the game. The shared enthusiasm for golf in both the MMC and FMC brought a refreshing dynamic, reminiscent of "The Dugout" by Meghan Quinn.

Wells and Josephine's relationship, from start to finish, was a more than I could have asked for. Their banter, chemistry, and mutual affection struck a perfect balance. Wells' character added such depth to the romance.

Josephine, a Type 1 Diabetic, aimed not only to revitalize her family's legacy golf pro shop but also to earn her parents' trust in managing her condition. When a hurricane shatters her dreams, the opportunity to help her favorite bad boy golfer, Wells, regain his PGA tour standing arises.

Wells' character arc was fantastic. As the aloof bad boy with abandonment issues, despite a two-year slump and self-destructive tendencies, he undergoes a transformative journey with Josephine's influence.

Wells' growth is spectacular to witness. His transition from self-sabbotage, to opening up to Josephine, to caring for her, to listening to her advice, to his final act of selflessness to prove to her, himself and everyone that he is a better person because of her and not only when she is there to keep his temper in check made for an incredibly compelling character.

Our boy falls HARD. Hard and fast - just the way he likes it - and good lord I cannot handle the way he loves this girl. When he thinks something terrible has happened to Josephine - the way he races to find her and busts down the door to get to her. I died. I DIED. I love this man and the way he loves his caddy.

Tessa hit was a hole in one with this book. The love, growth, and passion between Wells and Josephine are brilliantly crafted, making "Fangirl Down" an unforgettable and thoroughly enjoyable read. I can't express enough how much I loved it.

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

Such a fun read! The characters came to life and made me feel like I too could meet a grouchy golfer and fall in love.