Sooo… I don’t love golf. But I really enjoyed this book anyway! Just as spicy as it is sweet, Tessa Bailey once again writes a great story!

Fangirl Down is the first in the Big Shots series by Tessa Bailey. Leave it to Tessa to make golf fiction fun. I hope this series ends up being more than just the two books. Fangirl Down is a seriously fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital copy.

Now I’m a huge Tessa Bailey fan but wasn’t sure if this one would pull me in like so many of her others have. I was wrong. It was so good. I hate gold but I loved this storyline so much. And I thought the character buildups and obstacles were done so well.

As a fervent fangirl, I will admit that I was nervous about this book, where a golf fangirl gets the opportunity to be her favorite player’s caddie.

I was worried that it would lean into the cartoonishly delusional extremes that fangirls are so often (and usually wrongly) associated with. That even though Tessa Bailey was at this book’s helm, it would be at best cringey and at worst deeply insulting.

But y’all – any concern I had evaporated by Chapter Two.

Though Josephine is a true fangirl – devoted to Wells Whitaker, the bad boy of the pro golf world who is in a downward spiral – she’s never solely defined by just that. And Tessa does an incredible job of not just capturing, but balancing, the reality of being a fangirl of an athlete. Sure, Josephine will admit she thinks Wells is hot, but that isn’t the reason she loyally supports him – she’s a golf expert who loves how he plays and what he brings to the game.

And Wells is a self-sabotaging mess who will take every thought you might have of a preppy, fratty, pro golfer MMC and light it on fire. He is grumpy and brooding and mouthy and really funny and such a fangirl defender and he falls so hard and so fast, and omg, you’ll love him.

With “Fangirl Down,” Tessa delivers a classic sports comeback story in a (very, very steamy!!) romance book package that is cute and clever and sexy and so, so satisfying.

Tropes to expect:
⛅️grumpy x sunshine
🥰he falls first
🌶️spicy bets
🖤touch her and 😵
😈morality chain

If you follow golf or have learned about it through osmosis (like me!), there is a moment in the third act that will have you going, “absolutely no one in the golf world would do this,” but, I mean, it’s fiction, so I didn’t stay too hung up on it.

All in all, I really loved this – in fact, it may be my favorite thing I’ve read from Tessa Bailey. (Yes, really!) And to think, I went in worried!

4.75🌟
3🌶️

I enjoyed this story, It’s your typical Tessa Bailey material, lovable main characters and I liked the fact that it included information about diabetes.

What a delightful read! I had so much fun reading Fangirl Down. It has some of my favorite tropes including: sports romance, workplace romance, and grumpy / sunshine. It could be argued this book is “who actually falls first,” but it can’t be argued who falls the hardest, and I love how fast and hard Wells falls for Josephine. The banter between the two love birds is perfect, and Tessa does a great job of stretching out their sexual tension. You can feel it radiating off the pages.

While all of the romance is fun, my favorite part of this novel is Wells and how his character grows. He stays his grumpy, cocky self throughout the book, but you can also see how he is transforming into a better person. He is able to reflect on his past decisions and what led him to where he is and see mistakes he has made along the way. Josephine really helps him with this, making them even more the perfect duo.

The diabetes representation is great, especially since it is not something that comes up often. I think it is great to bring awareness to all the struggles diabetics have, not just the disease itself, but the way in which people treat them. There was also some mental health representation in this book too, which is always a win for me.

Tessa also set the next book up perfectly, leaving me so excited for it to come out in July. I feel like Tessa, as an author, is growing as well, and I can’t wait to see what else is in her future.

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me a copy of this novel.
4.5

overall i really loved this!!! a bit cringey at times but it was a fun read and this author always delivers on the chemistry and banter!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Silly? Yes. Over the top? Yes. Delightful? Also yes.

Fangirl Down is classic Tessa Bailey. She’s in her element in this book, doing what she does best: writing scintillating banter, sizzling dirty talk, and grumpy men obsessing over sunshiney women to the point of near worship. This is also probably the spiciest of her books I’ve read to date, going boldly where no TB book has gone before (IYKYK). And in a GOLF-themed romance novel, of all things—who knew?!

There wasn’t much I didn’t enjoy about this book. Both characters were chaotic messes who occasionally read as a bit immature (especially Josephine, near the end), but they balanced each other out and demonstrated growth over the course of the book. It didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it was nice to see chronic illness represented (Josephine has Type 1 diabetes). We also got a glimpse of the budding spark between Burgess and Tallulah, the characters who will be featured in the next book in the series, and I’m really looking forward to reading their story.

There’s something comforting about picking up a Tessa Bailey book and knowing you’re guaranteed to have a good time! Fangirl Down is a delight, filled with Tessa’s trademark witty banter, blush-worthy spice, and characters you love to cheer for. Wells is lovably grumpy, and Josephine’s optimism is contagious- they’re the perfect grumpy/sunshine pairing, and I especially enjoyed reading a golf-themed book, which is such a unique combo for a romance book! I can’t wait until the next book in the series.

Thank you so much to Avon for an advance copy of this!

"...that's the thing about a fangirl. Be in it for life or keep walking, pal."

This book will be published on February 13.

I have been a fan of Tessa's since first reading about the Bellinger sisters and I have been trying to chase the high of reading about them and FINALLY this reeled me back in. I was obsessed with this book right from the start. I am notorious for not reading blurbs for books so I only knew that it was about a overzealous heckling golf fan. I thought it was going to have her follow him from tournament to tournament and somehow along the travel they fall in love but nope this was so much better!

Tessa knows how to write grumpy male characters. Wells Whittaker gave me all the broodiness that I could want in a MMC. He came across incredibly hot and you knew deep down there was a teddy bear in there. Just the way he treated Josephine and was so protective of her just made me all ooey and gooey inside. He thought she was just this super fan of his but it was just so much more. Usually super protectiveness/touch her and die is not something that is in the rom com books but I loved it from him! I also love his relationship with her parents. He wasn't afraid to reach out to them and ask questions.

Josephine was such a great FMC. I thought Tessa wrote her incredibly well and was likeable throughout the whole book. I am not diabetic nor am I close with anyone who is but I thought the inclusion of having Josephine be a Type 1 was a clever way to incorporate his extra protectiveness of her. I love that she was able to prove them all wrong with her knowledge of golf and encouraged Wells to be the best golfer he is. What I loved that Tessa did was even though Josephine was a fangirl, those fangirl tendencies kind of went away early on when having that one on one time with Wells. It would have been annoying if we got internal monologues of possible unhinged behavior but it never came.

"You don't want games? Fine. I wasn't visiting anyone in Palm Beach. I came for you."

I love the chemistry between the two & anytime I was questioning an action that they were doing, somehow Tessa knew and gave me an answer. And if there is one thing Tessa knows how to do, she knows how to write an intimate scene and LORD so hot! Who knew shower & golf cart sex would be so gosh darn sexy! I love their banter and that she wasn't going to take any crap from him.

My biggest annoyance of this book and maybe I missed it while reading but her parents really upset me. I just didn't understand why they didn't check in with her more especially after the hurricane. I really felt bad for Josephine even though I know she wanted to be independent and act like everything was okay to them but she really needed them. So I was happy that by the end they stepped in and helped when she had a big opportunity to go to the Masters.

I just really loved this one so much & I am looking forward to the next book in the series coming out later this year. I thought Tessa did a great job introducing and setting up the next book starring Burgess & Tallulah.

You do not need to be a golf fan to enjoy this book but being a casual watching of golf made it really enjoyable for me!!

Wells' golf career has been circling the drain for quite some time due to his bad boy antics and poor performance. But when his biggest fan, Josephine, agrees to caddy for him in order to make some quick money to save her family's struggling pro shop and pay for her heath insurance, being part of a team inspires him to start winning again. I will recommend to readers of Susannah Nix's Chemistry Lessons series and the STEM romances by Ali Hazelwood because while it's more sporty than STEMy, Josephine's level of professional expertise and seeing characters at the top of their fields struggle and succeed hit similar notes for this reader. The love story feels genuine, and the spice level was balanced with genuine mutual respect and care. Time after time, Wells demonstrates care and consideration for Josephine and I loved it! This is book one in a series and comes out in time for Valentine's Day 2024. I will watch for more from this series. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for a digital review copy.

Absolute, pure fun. This grumpy/sunshine, sports romance provided characters that I loved. Set in the world of golf Josephine is Wells’ number one fan. Wells is a top ten golfer on the PGA tour but his career fizzles out just as quickly as he rose to fame. All he had left is one fan but when he quits and Josephine goes home he knows he made the biggest mistake of his life and he quickly tries to rectify it. I really loved both of these characters and I loved them even more together. Also, important to note Bailey does a phenomenal job with Diabetes rep with Josephine’s character. With a satisfying epilogue this book was a hole in one!
I am already counting the days for book 2 with two characters we met briefly but made huge impressions.
.
Huge thank you to @avonbooks and @netgalley for an advanced copy. This one is available February 13th! Perfect for some Valentine’s Day reading!
.

How did Tessa Bailey manage to make golf sexy? Jesus, she’s amazing.

Okay, let’s get honest for a second. There isn’t TOO MUCH actual golf talk in Fangirl Down, which to me is the perfect amount. It’s more about the relationship between celebrity and super fan, and golfer/caddie. Tessa wins again by connecting two unlikely people and bringing them together through patience, understanding, and wild sexual chemistry.

This will be one of my favorite Tessa Bailey books for the sole fact that Wells is exceptionally growly but exudes the “touch her and die” vibes perfectly. Josephine is smart, strong, and independent and a perfect “sunshine” to Wells “grump”. Tessa writes grumpy sunshine so so well, and I can’t wait for the dynamic between Tallulah and Burgess in the next book. It’s gonna be palpable.

This is such an easy read. The story flows along so smoothly. Josephine and Wells had amazing chemistry. There is such great tension. There are quite a few explicit erotic scenes. I would definitely rate this high on a spice scale. Tessa Bailey's romances are always so easily enjoyable. The characters are amazing and have a natural connection. They were nicely balanced. Wells is grumpy and antisocial to Josephine’s sunny and in your face. Bailey even made the golf aspect not a boring bummer.

There is nothing that will get me to stay up way past my bedtime reading furiously like a Tessa Bailey book does!

I have been anticipating this release for quite some time, and it did NOT disappoint. Tessa Bailey hit every one of her strongest points on the head for me in this one: absolutely sizzling tension, immaculate spice, hilarious banter, an undeniably lovable and relatable FMC, and a MMC who goes through one hell of a journey to become the person he’s wanted to be all along.

I’ll say, at first I was a bit skeptical. I don’t care for golf, and I was afraid that Wells wasn’t going to be my cup of tea. This turns around so quickly but also so organically. He’s ultimately such a teddy bear, who is dealing with insecurities that he doesn’t know how to cope with. He also is so open to learning and humbling himself, especially when it comes to Josephine and the things he will do for her, as well as what she teaches him. By the end, Wells is nearly unrecognizable in some ways but keeps his perfectly grumpy charm.

And I so adored how natural these two felt together. I adored Josephine right from the get go, and love the emotional journey she goes on as well. I love her humor and her confidence in herself. I love how these things in her push all of the right buttons for Wells and make them even better together. The epilogue made me giddy with happiness, and my excitement for the next story is off the charts!

Thank you so much to Avon & Harper Voyager and NetGalley for this eArc!

After Full Swing I was looking for a golf romance and nothing. So I was super excited when Tessa had one coming out! This is a hole in one- its for golf fans or newbies. Wells Whitaker was on the top of his game and is now down and out of luck but his super fan Josephine (Joey) Doyle keeps coming back. You will love her and want her as a friend as she is strong and helps him get back on his good golf game. She is also good at her job! Wells falls for her fast and hard, the work through it on the course and makes the golf part in the book fun.
Yes, this is my favorite Tessa book so far! For her it is a more slow burn but don't worry the dirty talk will make up for it! I can’t wait for the next one!
Grumpy- Sunshine
Sports Romance - GOLF
T1D
He falls first and Hard

⅘ spicy
⅘ LOL
⅗ Badass FMC

I can totally see how Josie is fangirling over Wells. Underneath that grumpy exterior there is a big soft teddy bear when it comes to Josie. He is completely misunderstood and has obvious abandonment issues. Josie was his perfect match. She pushed him, believed in him, and could dish it right back to him. Watching their friendship/relationship blossom melted my heart. He was fiercely loyal and protective over Josie. This was an entertaining, funny rom-com and their moments would have you fanning your face!! I loved how Wells loved Josephine and that epilogue was the best!

Fangirl Down
Genre: rom com
Rating: 4.5 stars

Thanks Avon Books for a copy of this ebook - full review on bookstagram closer to publication.

What a fun sports rom-com - Tessa Bailey makes golf sexy in a way I never thought possible!

The story follows Wells, a fallen from grace former golf star, and Josephine, a golf shop owner and super fan of Wells. As the story progresses, both show each other their insecurities and Josephine fills in as Wells’s caddy on a tour stop. Close proximity, banter, tension, and hilarity ensue… and the steam was the icing on the cake. Sports romance fans will absolutely eat this up, and I can’t wait for Tallulah’s story in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for an e-arc of this new Tessa Bailey sports romance!

2.5/5 ⛳️ I lowkey feel like I was reading this against my will. The amount of talk regarding butts was honestly so annoying, also how good can a man’s butt be to have full monologues about it? Also I truly cannot believe that two golfers would have a “touch her and die” moment in full seriousness.

This grumpy x sunshine dynamic was more he’s an asshole and she’s obsessed with him as a golf player. Also based on reading a few reviews, looks like the T1D rep was incorrect on a lot of fronts.

I’ve been a Tessa Bailey fangirl for a long time, but I will be honest that her last few books have been flops for me. So I came into Fangirl Down with a bit of skepticism admittedly. However I ended up absolutely adoring this book. It felt like Tessa doing what she does best (grumpy men, excellent steam, tender moments) without the cringe of her recent books.

I really loved seeing how Wells and Josephine grew and worked through their hang ups with each other, becoming better people for the other. This book has some pretty strong instalove that I thought needed a little more backstory (we know she’s his fan but why is he suddenly so drawn to her?). Once you get past that and see Wells for the protective stern brunch daddy he is, I started to really love him. As a native of Palm Beach, I also really loved seeing a book set in my hometown! Tessa represented it really well (well except when Josephine finds a contractor who shows up and finishes ahead of schedule - not in this town!)

Content flags: parental abandonment off page in the past, Josephine has type 1 diabetes which plays out on page in major ways

I voluntarily read a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.