I absolutely love a grumpy/sunshine, she fell first but he fell harder sports romance, and Tessa Bailey doesn't disappoint! Wells and Joey are my new favorite rom-com couple and I am absolutely obsessed!

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the e-arc! This publishes February 13th, 2024.

Tessa Bailey has a way of writing characters in her books with more depth and growth than a standard romance novel, which I always like to see. The spice is always great without being over the top, and I'd say this is one of her spicier books (in a good way). I really enjoyed the banter, and the golfing parts. Josephine and Wells had great chemistry, and I especially loved the epilogue. I am really excited for the next book in this series.

After reading this book, I might like golf now? Perhaps not, but this was a hole in one, I loved the dual perspective, I loved the lost mmc and the very loyal fan, I loved his response to her and how he fell first. This was great fun. And really spicy which I love. It set up the next book well and I can’t wait to read that,

*reviewed on 1/22/24

This has to have been my fastest read book in a month! The story is so fun right from the start (grumpy/sunshine is the best, right?!) that it was easy to be immersed. Tessa Bailey is always a favorite for her ability to start a story right away, but somehow you're not confused and know exactly what is happening.

Wells Whitaker is a pro golfer. Well.... he used to be. Lately he hasn't been as good. Known as one of the rudest golfers hasn't helped him either. But somehow he still has fans- more like one super fan, Josephine Doyle. Despite Wells being on a constant losing streak with a bad temper, Josephine is there. After all, Wells' Belle doesn't give up... ever. Until Wells himself is "done" with golf and tells her to get lost. Wells thought that would make him feel better, Josephine finally seeing him for the fraud he is. But it doesn't. And as a hurricane rolls through Florida, right where he knows Josephine is... he can't help but ensure for himself that she is safe. What he finds is her dream absolutely ruined- her family's pro shop is in complete disrepair. And since Josephine chose to forgo insurance so she could afford her diabetes medicine, she can't see a way out. But Wells does- and decides that he's going to do whatever it takes to help his number one fangirl see her dream come true without compromising her health. Whitaker makes Josephine his caddy. Despite him being "done" with golf he will dig deep to be a winner again, for her to see her dreams come true. At least that what he's telling himself. The closer that Wells and Josephine get on the tour the more they realize they may be just right for each other. Josephine can see through Wells' grumpy exterior and Wells can see that Josephine is the most sincerely loyal and kind person he has ever met. Will they continue to remain professional- after all, Wells is now her employer- or will they risk it all for each other despite their other dreams? #NetGalley #NetGalleyARC #ARC #FangirlDown #TessaBailey #Romance

Fangirl Down was a hole in one! I loved it! ⛳️🏌️‍♂️

I was a huge golfer for years, so I got immediately into this book! In fact, I could not put it down. It is one of those blink-and-you’re-20-chapters-in books. Do I think it had to do with my affinity for golf? No. The presence of the sport definitely helped since I was extremely familiar with it, but the thing that had me captivated was the relationship between the characters and their storyline.

At first, Josephine came on a little – ok, a lot – strong, being a fangirl and all. I did end up warming up to her quickly. I attribute this to the fact that Tessa Bailey did a great job with the writing. The quick shift of being a bit put off by Josephine to liking her is a testament to her writing ability.

As for Wells, MAJOR SWOON. I loved his character arc and the way he was in general. Please, please just trust me on this. I don’t want to give too much away about him and the way he is, but big yes to Wells. Go ahead and add him to the book boyfriend list. Also, I just love his name.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE AND ADORE THIS BOOK. I found that every time I finished a chapter, more often than not I found my hands on my heart and audibly sighing or saying “aww”. There were a lot of really sweet parts throughout and I love when one character shows how they care for the other character. I also found myself staying up later than I should to keep reading – always the mark of a great book. The chapters ended in a way where I just couldn’t stop reading.

In true Tessa Bailey fashion, there were some very adult scenes (since, duh, this is an ADULT romance) and things escalated quickly.

This story was just SO sweet and SO well done. I have such love and appreciation for this book. Please pick this up – the story itself is EVERYTHING.

The last chapter before the epilogue, I got the chills and got teary eyed – something that RARELY happens to me. The epilogue was fantastic as well. I shut the book audibly sighing with content and smiling.

I’m also super excited for the novel that will follow this one as this one introduces us to the next set of characters! CAN’T WAIT!

I will absolutely be reading this again in the future since this is now right up there with my favorite Tessa Bailey book, It Happened One Summer. I absolutely recommend you pick this one up! I’ll be grabbing a physical copy since I read a digital copy on my kindle and I just know I’ll be reaching for it to read my favorite sweet scenes over and over. Golf fan or not, please do yourself a favor and read this!

As a huge fan of Tessa Bailey, I was psyched to receive an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! Big thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley! This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2024, so I am so grateful I got to read this early!

Fangirl Down checked all the usual Tessa Bailey romance boxes: a grumpy, slightly messy, overprotective hero with a dirty mouth and a ridiculous name who falls hard for the sunshine heroine.

I should note that of all the sports that I do not like - which is all of them - I would consider golf my least favorite. Our hero is a former golf star who allowed self doubts to get the best of him. Josephine is the last fan standing and honestly his only fan. Through the bad and the worse, Josephine is always there to cheer him on. When his behavior causes even Josephine to walk away, Wells realizes he truly has lost it all.

Josephine Doyle is a sunshine girl from the sunshine state; she loves golf, she’s Wells Whitaker’s number one fan, she is a type 1 diabetic, and she’s in a bit of a mess. Wells has managed to disillusion her fangirl heart, a hurricane has managed to destroy her family business, and she’s feeling a bit lost.

Wells shows up when Josephine is at her lowest, with a crazy proposal: help him stage the biggest comeback in golf’s history and join him on the journey as his caddie. This is a rom-com, so of course she agrees. The attraction and the flirting is there from the start and there is a conversation of what it all would mean to their work dynamic.

Disregarding all of the potential downfalls, they fall hard and fast and move even faster, but it was a thoroughly entertaining ride along the way.

thank you NetGalley for sending this book for me to review. all opinions are my own!

toes and bubble butts.. now that i've gotten your attention;

this book was just meh. it's grumpy x sunshine, lots of golf (obviously) and a diabetic heroine.
the first half was better for me than the latter half and if you're a bit iffy about picking this book up thinking, how can a pro golfer get with a SUPERFAN, i was too. that's actually not my bone to pick with this book though.

Tessa Bailey has such an easy witty writing style, and the first half had me giggling and really enjoying myself, but the last 50% was more so cringe than funny WHICH HURTS ME TO SAY! i love her other works, and in no means is this a bad book, it's just nothing special.
the hero, Wells, was mediocre for me as well as our heroine Josephine. i just didn't really care about them as a couple or as separate people... and the smut scenes. there were more than expected but at some points i had to put it down and cover my face out of embarrassment because what do you mean ""tell me you need me to fix it"?
and of course. an epilogue with kids. when does a romance not have that? this will always taint the book for me.

besides that, it was fun. you can always count on Tessa Bailey for a quick romance read that packs a punch on the spicy scale.

This was the SPICY, dual POV, golf romance I didn't know I needed but instantly became my new favorite from Tessa Bailey!! I loved the Type 1 diabetes disability rep and just how strong Josephine was, insisting on her independence despite money and health insurance struggles. I can't recommend this book enough especially for fans of the 90s movie, Tin Cup! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I plan to immediately dive into the second book of the duology that features Talullah and Burgess!

Grumpy/sunshine on a golf course with great banter. When a blazing golf star's career implodes, his last fan keeps the faith. That is, until he gave up on himself. Then she did too. What gives this book depth is the discussion of the mental health issues of the main male character and living, and still thriving, with a chronic disease for the female lead character. If you have any interest in golf, unlike me, this book will definitely intrigue you.

How does one make golf sexy? Tessa Bailey does in her newest book “Fangirl Down.” In true Tessa Bailey style she makes you fall in love with her characters and not want to put the book down.
Joey is Wells’ biggest and maybe only fan. She has been cheering for him for a long time and if he is close by she will go and watch him play. When tragedy strikes Joey, Wells is there with a plan that she can’t refuse. As Joey and Wells spend more time with each other, they begin to grow closer. When they both think they are right what will happen?
I never knew that the sport of golf could be so hot. This is a must read!

Yet another magical masterpiece from the queen herself where she will have you craving for more...

It should not come as a surprise that Tessa has once again written a rom-com that will have everyone on their knees. It sure had ME on my knees. Golf romances are new to me. Every time I think of golf my mind goes to "Happy Gilmore", and I love that movie. Reading about Wells and Josephine made me love it even more. I adore and admire everything that is the same yet different about Tessa's writing. Her vibe is always the same, but the story plots are always unique and obsessive. Down right feral obsessive.

And then she goes ahead and writes about Wells. OH MY GOD! This man is everything and so much more. Fire ignites from the pages when reading about him and Josephine. Their relationship, like most of Tessa's books, is semi insta-love. Definitely insta-lust. It defines them being friends to lovers, but friends that truly get to know each other deeply emotionally. Their banter was also **chef's kiss** lovely! And I love how Tessa doesn't hesitate to write sexual scenes that you would not expect at all if you are a new reader of hers. Even as an OG reader of hers, her writing takes me by surprise sometimes.

I am truly looking forward to the rest of this series. Especially the "single father" trope she is releasing next.

I’m not big into sports romance, but I do enjoy Tessa Bailey’s books, so I thought I’d give “Fangirl Down” a try. Boy, am I glad I did!

Funny, sweet, and sexy this book follows Wells Whitaker, washed up pro golfer and all-around mess, as he allows his #1 fan, Josephine, to bring him back from the brink. Normally overzealous, borderline stalkers aren’t my preference when it comes to heroines, but Josephine is so sweet and down to earth, that it’s hard not to like her.

As with any Tessa Bailey book, the romance is off the charts; Bailey certainly knows how to build up the sexual tension! In addition to the spicy scenes sprinkled throughout, is a real sweetness exhibited by our duo. Josephine’s love of golf and bigger yet, love for Wells, is evident in her every action. Her patience and her hard-working ethic make her one admirable heroine. As for Wells, he may have initially given up on himself, but he never gives up on Josephine. His transformation from selfish jerk to compassionate partner, also makes him one worthy hero in my eyes.

Add in the fact that Josephine has Type 1 Diabetes and that her mentorship of Wells has a expiration date, and you get enough tension to keep the plot really interesting.

I will say I don’t know much about golf, but by the end I was wanting to play a round or two myself. That to me is the mark of a good book!

3.5⭐️
This was my first Tessa Bailey book and I was really excited based on the hype surrounding her and the synopsis of this book. I thought the setting and the pairing seemed really interesting and for the most part, I was right! I really loved the characters and the grumpy sunshine trope. The way they got together and the things they went through together was really well done. I will say, I am a spicy scene skipper and this book made that really hard. I didn’t like that a lot of their most important conversations happened at the most inappropriate times (if you know what I’m saying…) and the MMC had no self control. I felt that was a little immature and didn’t add to the chemistry. I know that’s completely personal preference and I did love the relationship of the MCs and plot of the rest of the book.

I’ll be honest, I’m a big believer that Tessa Bailey can do no wrong in her writing. If you have enjoyed one of her books, I think you’ll love all of her books, and this one was just so much fun that reading it felt like coming home to me. Tessa will always be the epitome of the spicy rom com for me.

This Tessa Bailey gem is a sports romance all about golf, and let me tell you that it does for golf what Happy Gilmore does for golf, and that is to make it fun and exciting and amazing (even though I think in reality it’s a pretty big snooze fest)!

Wells Whitaker was the new bad boy of golf and was winning titles left and right until he lost his mojo suddenly. Now he’s washed up, no longer winning, and is on the brink of losing the only fan he has left. Josephine has been Wells’ number one fan since pretty much the beginning and has stuck by him through thick and thin even though he only knows her as the annoying fan who still shows up. When Wells’ realizes the mistake he has made in letting it all go, he turns to Josephine to be his caddy and sparks fly!

I swear that only Tessa could make golf into a sexy sport, but Wells is the kind of broody that puts the grump in grumpy and Josephine is the epitome of sunshine. This grumpy/sunshine is exactly what I want with all the amazing dirty talk and possessiveness that butters my bread. My only issue with Fangirl a down was that eventually it had to end and I could’ve read their banter forever. Absolutely adored his one, and am now back to anxiously awaiting for the next great Tessa Bailey to come out!

Thank you to Avon Publishig for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This book is classic Tessa Bailey. I really loved the FMC and how down bad she was for the MMC. In my opinion, no Tessa Bailey can come close to It Happened One Summer but this book is close (for me). I wasn’t sure how golf could be in a good romance book but Tessa made it work well.

Thank you @Avonbooks for the #gifted ARC of FANGIRL DOWN!

I’ve been a Tessa Bailey fan since learning about her after joining booksta a few years ago and while I didn’t love her A Vine Mess duology, I’m happy to say that her newest sports romance, FANGIRL DOWN, is a hit! And I think I might like golf now??

I absolutely loved the grumpy-sunshine dynamic between Wells and Josephine. Despite everything, she has the most positive outlook and is determined to coach Wells out of the massive career slump he’s dug himself into.

And Wells is a grump with a heart of gold but refuses to let anyone see it. He wears his prickly demeanor like armor and I just love it when it takes one special person to peek behind that armor and see a person for who they are.

This one is a little insta-lovey but I think it’s more that they are just both insanely attracted to each other and the setting of a PGA golf tournament is high stakes.

Like with any Tessa Bailey book, this one is SPICY and has dirty talk galore so if that’s not your thing, maybe skip this one.

I can’t wait for the next book in this series to come out later this year (it’s a hockey romance!).

FANGIRL DOWN comes out February 13, 2024!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6150534676
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2SifFmxWEM/

I devoured this book! Tessa did not miss on this one. Soo cute and hot!!!

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book! It was one of the most fun sports romances that I’ve read in a long time, and also the first golf romance that I’ve ever read. This author always slays a good grumpy sunshine book! Fangirl Down is the first book in the Big Shots series.

Wells was once a huge golf star, but is now dwindling…fast. His behavior is as bad as his attitude. He kind of gave me Happy Gilmore vibes and the book was just as funny! Wells alienates all his fans besides his super fan Josephine. Josephine ends up becoming his caddie and inspiring his unlikely comeback. Not only was I rooting for Wells and Josephine to get their HEA, but I was really vested in Wells’s golf comeback! I was rooting for him as much as Josephine!

Josephine was a fantastic and inspirational character. She was loyal, smart, and is carrying the entire world on her shoulders. She was so worried about letting other people down that I was glad when Wells decided to step up his game and look out for her. In addition to the financial struggles that set up Josephine’s working relationship with Wells, she has Type 1 Diabetes. Her positivity despite the reality of her circumstances was inspiring.

This spice in this one was also turned up a notch! These two could not get enough of each other! Anytime and any place! Also, Wells is into R1mming, so fun surprise there!

I’m super excited for the next book in this series!

This book is a joy to read. I love the concept of a grumpy golfer, who reign his career by convincing a fan girl to become his caddy. The chemistry between Wells and Josephine is quite evident from the beginning, even though it takes a while for them to realize that the professional relationship should be personal as well. Wells is grumpy, but he ends up being such a sensitive guy who does take care of Josephine. I love Josephine, because how she thinks is really interesting and I really do enjoy the progression of the relationship. It’s a book so of course there is sexy banter that just makes you want to speed read the book. This is a really fun book.

** I received this book as an arc through NetGalley**

OMG, Tessa Bailey did it again!! Obsessed with this book from the start. I love a good grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and holy cow- Wells definitely has the grumpy lead down!! His dirty talk is also next level and I love it for Josephine. Loved Josephine's character and the dynamic of her being Wells' biggest fan turned caddy. The only thing I would change- I wish the book was longer!! I was not ready to say goodbye to Wells and Josephine by the end of the book. I would 10/10 recommend to anyone who likes a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, sports romance and smut! The sexy time scenes were top tier!

Spice rating: 4/5
Overall rating: 9.5/10