*review copy provided by Netgalley, but all opinions are mine

Tools of Engagement is the third book in the Hot & Hammered series, and - in my opinion - it's the weakest of the three (which is saying a lot, because I couldn't past the fact that Georgie from Fix Her Up is a literal clown). Bethany is a perfectionist who refuses to show her flaws to anyone; Wes is a younger man, fresh from Texas with a cowboy hat and a reluctance to form meaningful connections to the people around him, even though he has temporarily taken over guardianship for his niece. As Bethany and Wes work together to flip a house in time to win a competition show, Bethany learns that she needs to trust Wes to love her despite her flaws.

I feel like the characters in this book are pretty shallow in terms of development: they all seem to be recycled from Tessa Bailey's previous books, except that Wes has a cowboy hat instead of factory worker overalls. None of the characters get any real depth over the course of the book.

This is also notably less steamy than other Tessa Bailey books. Her sex scenes make up for the trope-y writing for me, but this book doesn't get steamy till after the halfway point - which is not enough to distract me from the one-dimensional characters.

Also, Bethany refers to a retired man as "Bum Leg" because he has a limp. That's really not okay, at all. A person's disability can't be their defining characteristic, especially since we don't learn anything about him except his name and that his wife wants him to eat healthier. It wasn't funny, or clever, and it seems like something that should've been edited out.

When I was approved for the kindle ARC of this title, I was wicked excited! I had already read the first two books of the Hot & Hammered series and was highly anticipating this release. Similar to Fix Her Up and Love Her or Lose Her there are some racy love scenes. While I would categorize this one as erotic literature, there is much more to this story than sex. The love story between Bethany and Wes is both engaging and realistic. Bailey, the author, does a fantastic job with creating her characters and Tools of Engagement truly is the perfect way to close out this series. It is always refreshing to read a "fun" title and I highly recommend this book to other adults looking for a sexy and provocative read.
(PUB DATE: 9/22/2020)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

I had a hard time putting this book down. The hilarious banter between Bethany and Wes is what really made this book a hit for me. It was the perfect mix of romance, steamy chemistry, and the characters being stupid and not communicating.

Another hit by Tessa Bailey.

This book gave off a HGTV vibe: Beth was a little like Joanna Gaines while Wes was a rowdy Chip who had yet calmed and settled down. Their chemistry is through the roof and sledgehammers flying couldn’t stop it.

Wes’ situation brings a full circle, instant family feel mixed with complete chaos while Beth can’t have a single thing out of order. They perfectly balance each other. I laughed so hard in some spots, I physically hurt.

Bethany Castle is ready to make some big changes in her life. Working for her family’s real estate business as a designer, she wants to branch off and do the heavy lifting in her own home renovation flip. She finds unlikely help from Wes Daniels, a friend of her brother and someone who pushes all her buttons. This book is all about taking risks and opening up to the possibilities that life throws at you.

Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey is the third book in the Hot & Hammered series and it was an enemies to lovers romance with an age gap (older woman/younger man). It was full of witty banter and steamy chemistry between Wes and Bethany. Wes was cocky, but also very patient and caring. Bethany tended to over analyze things and hid insecurities. When they begin working together, they tended to take shots at each other more often than not, but there was something else there as well. I truly enjoyed reading this one. It was funny, light and charming.

A great end to the trilogy! I actually think this might have been my favorite of the three. It was fun to see the Just Us League come full circle, with all of its members, including its founder, fully accept themselves for the women they are.

I was so excited to get this book from Net galley. I have really enjoyed Tessa Bailey's other books, Fix Her Up and Love Her Or Lose Her. This one did NOT disappoint.

I didn't think I was a fan of the younger guy older woman trope. Tessa Bailey makes this such a fun ride.

I hope this isn't the last book in this series because I love it.

I enjoyed this book.

Wes was a dream book boyfriend. He was confident, alpha, caring, responsible, helpful and great with kids. I loved when he was helping Bethany with her confidence and she wasn't even realizing it. I loved that he stepped up with his niece.

Bethany was a woman who at times got on my nerves. She was a successful woman who wanted to branch out. I could completely understand that. However, I just couldn't get over the bet she made with her brother to have their flip filmed. She wanted to prove herself to her family and also to herself and yet she let a petty competitive streak with her brother force her to have this whole thing filmed.

This has been my favorite series by Tessa Bailey and even though the second book remains my favorite by far I was still very happy to spend my Saturday immersed in this book. I had been looking forward to Bethany and Wes’s story since enjoying their fun bantering in the previous book. Luckily the bickering as foreplay was still there as the two get to truly know each other while working on Bethany’s first flip. As they grow to understand each other they each feel understood in ways they haven’t before. Bethany’s need for perfection got to be a little much especially when Wes’s life decisions were figured out in but a moment. I really disliked the reality show element. It felt distracting and unnecessary and not even really well developed. What I did love was everything involving Wes and his niece or really anything involving his niece at all-so many heart melting and humorous moments. She was what really moved this book from three to four stars for me.

I received a copy of this book In exchange for an honest review.

A huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I adored the first two books in Tessa Bailey's Hot and Hammered series, and couldn't wait to read this one.

The family house flipping business is one where everyone has a certain role to play. Bethany's role is staging. She does it to perfection- a reflection of what everyone sees as her impeccable life. What they don't see is the chaos inside her, the crippling doubt, and the overcompensation because she fears she's not enough.

Then the sexy cowboy onsite for the current flip stands up for her. He even understands and appreciates Jerry Maguire movie references. When she tenders her resignation to do her first solo flip, he tags along as her foreman.

Wes has wanted Bethany since his first glimpse. But he's a temporary guardian for his 6 year old niece and in no position for a planned seduction. The sparks have been sizzling between them for weeks- and there's an undercurrent to their barbs and insults that burns from the inside once they release it.

The relationship won't be easy. They both have hurdles to leap over. And now the pressure is on to flip a disaster of a house in a glorified, and televised, epic battle of sibling rivalry.

When the dust settles, everything has changed.

This book checked so many of my boxes. It's filled with fun, witty banter. And, I'm such a sucker for a kid in a book. I thought it was a unique idea for the niece to be a part of the story. I do wish that maybe, in the beginning, we had a little more info about that part of the story. I loved Wes, and I found Bethany relatable. I'm an overthinker who strives for perfection at the expense of my sanity. I enjoyed her character growth. Overall, it was another fun read by one of my favorites. As always, I can't wait to see what's up next from Tessa.

Another great romance novel from Tessa Bailey. This one focuses on Wes and Bethany and their very steamy antagonist to romantic relationship that develops as they work on a flip together.

I thought Bethany's struggles with perfectionism were super relatable, and I thought her romance with Wes was very well done.

I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book once I got pretty far into it, but for some reason it took awhile to catch my attention. This whole series has been a fun, sexy, fluffy romance that I've enjoyed for light reading. Throughout the series though, despite the fact that the women are all strong and independent, there has been chauvinism in the plots that I've found frustrating. This third book is also a bit cheesier than the others. However, if a light, sexy romance is what you're looking for, this one is sure to satisfy you!

Super cute story of a woman coming into her own and falling in love! Read this is you enjoy HGTV and steamy romance!

I have been a huge fan of the Hot and Hammered series from Tessa Bailey, and this final book in the series is the icing on the cake. Tools of Engagement follows the story of Bethany Castle and Wes Daniels. And we all know I am into cowboys, so I was hooked from the beginning. This book has some great banter and is the classic enemies to lovers trope. What really sets the books apart is the exploration of their age gap. As well as Bethany's drive for perfection was so relateable to me! Tessa Bailey is one of my favorite romance writers, and this book definitely delivers the steamy scenes! Finally, I loved the setting of a renovation show. I'm a huge fan of HGTV so this was a ton of fun to read! If you have read this series yet, I highly recommend it!



Hair, makeup, clothing, decor... everything in Bethany Castle's world is organized, planned, and styled to perfection. Which is why the homes she designs for her family's real estate business are the most coveted in town. The only thing not perfect? Her track record with men. She's on a dating hiatus and after helping her friends achieve their dreams, Bethany finally has time to focus on her own: flip a house, from framework to furnishings, all by herself. Except her older brother runs the company and refuses to take her seriously.

When a television producer gets wind of the Castle sibling rivalry, they’re invited on Flip Off, a competition to see who can do the best renovation. Bethany wants bragging rights, but she needs a crew and the only member of her brother's construction team willing to jump ship is Wes Daniels, the new guy in town. His Texas drawl and handsome face got under Bethany's skin on day one, but the last thing she needs is some cocky young cowboy in her way.

As the race to renovate heats up, Wes and Bethany are forced into close quarters, trading barbs and biting banter as they remodel the ugliest house on the block. It's a labor of love, hate, and everything in between, and soon sparks are flying. But Bethany's perfectly structured life is one kiss away from going up in smoke and she knows falling for a guy like Wes would be a flipping disaster.

I really loved this third book in the Tools of Engagement series. Since we originally discovered Bethany and Wes's chemistry in the second book, I had been dying to read this one. Parts of it were a little too much for me (I mean, there's steamy and then there's STEAMY!) but I loved the romance storyline. Nothing can beat the hate to love trope, right?

I liked it and had a lot of fun with this book. The story is very fresh and light, there is not so much drama, although there are family problems they’re not so impossible to solve and the protagonists solve it in a way that does not even seem complicated. Another thing is the love part on Bethany's side, she is a girl with many insecurities and therefore finds it difficult to open up to others, so when Wes enters her life the clashes are inevitable because unlike her Wes is more determined and goes for what he wants. A project will bring them together and during all this they will delight us with situations that are very steamy and hot. Wes will not stop until he seduces her and what a way to do it, the boy from Texas knows very well how to seduce this perfectionist house designer and will make the girl jump at every encounter. I want to read the previous books because I've done a spoiler again to myself since this is book 3 of the series. If you like stories where the relationship comes up slowly and culminates in happily ever after, this is your book.
I received an ARC on exchange for my honest review.
Thank you so much to the author and #Netgalley

Yall, I was so excited when I was approved for Tools of Engagement. I'd been looking forward for this book since seeing Wes and Bethany meet in Love Her or Lose Her. I'm so excited to say that I was not dissapointed, this book lived up to the hype for me, and is my favorite book of the series!
Tools of Engagement follows Bethany, as she breaks away from her family's business to do her own thing because no one seems to take her seriously when she says she wants be more active in the demolition and rebuilding aspect of the business. Once she breaks away, Wes decides to join her and help her with the process. Even though they don't like each other (they totally do), they begin spending a lot of time together and learn more about each other.
Both Wes and Bethany have walls up and never like letting people in. Bethany shuts people out after a certain amount of time, and Wes doesn't stay anywhere long enough to get close to anyone. I loved seeing the two of them learn how to let down their walls and let each other in. Not only did they let their walls down with each other, but with everyone around them. Bethany loves her sister, her friends, and the Just Us League, but she still puts on an act with them and doesn't show her vulnerabilities. I also loved Wes and his niece's relationship, and him learning to open up with her, and be okay with staying in one place long term.
My one complaint about the book is that it's an age gap romance, with Bethany being older than Wes, and it was brought up so often throughout the book. I'm not complaining that it's an age gap, but that it had to be brought up over and over again.
Overall this was a fun book that I really enjoyed. I can't wait to read more from Tessa Bailey!

This book will absolutely sneak up on you and hit you right in the feels. Especially the relationship between Wes and his niece Laura. This book has so much heart, and I love how this series has followed up with the Just Us League, women supporting women.

Wes is 100% a good guy. While a little cocky, as any good looking 23 year old is, he stepped way the hell up. And I'm a complete sucker for this type of hero.

"You're a good man, Wes. Every time I think I'm finally giving you enough credit, you go beyond it."

I feel a lot of people will be able to see themselves in Bethany's character. Their banter definitely kept me on my toes, and as with most enemies to lovers story line, the chemistry was off the charts.

"Expecting perfect can only lead to disappointment. Besides, it's the flaw that give a person character. That's where the beauty hides."