3 stars
To be honest, never felt any connection between the main characters. I loved the little girl, butt hat was the highlight of the whole book for me. The plot line was off. Someone abandon a kill and a house?

The the ending felt a little rushed to me.

This book is the perfect fun read when you need to relax during a stressful time. If it was summer, this would be my beach read. It’s my favorite in the series so far. Classic Tessa Bailey steamy romance with a main character who suffers secretly from anxiety, which was very relatable and made me love her even more.

I was pulled in by the premise of this book and deeply enjoyed it. It had all of the good elements of a rom-com: tons of humor, a compelling romance, and a really satisfying ending. Would recommend for those who love home improvement reality TV shows and are looking for a behind-the-scenes story.

What a delightful book! Tessa Bailey has written sympathetic and realistic characters that you root for every step of the way.

Wes is a young, tough talking Texas guy who is used to running away when the going gets tough. Bethany is a little bit older, perfect in every way, and exceling in her job as a house stager. Sparks start flying - and it is so much fun to be a long for the ride! If this book came out ten years ago, Reese Witherspoon would star in the movie adaptation.

Watching these characters learn to lead with their hearts is a total joy.

Wow, this was a steamy book. Bethany stages houses for her family’s company but is ready to do her very own house-flip. The very sexy cowboy, Wes is ready to help her. They fight and push each other’s buttons- and we can all guess where that leads.
I found both of these characters to have a lot of depth and I really enjoyed reading their love story.

I appreciate that Tessa Bailey is trying to have her females be a little more empowered than the usual romantic lead females, but that means absolutely nothing if the leading men continue to be domineering, chauvinist (self-described, to boot), over-protective, ridiculous pigs. Why not be an example of the empowered female without having the lead be a caveman?

I received an advanced copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this book! A solid hate-to-love story is always a win for me! Wes and Bethany's story was so fun to read! (Mild spoiler ahead) The ending happened a little quickly for me, but the book was, overall, well paced! It's got plenty of steamy scenes and lots of heart. This was my second favorite (next to Fix Her Up) by this author, but it did not disappoint! I highly recommend!

Tessa Bailey's steamy and sassy Hot & Hammered series comes to an end with Tools of Engagement, an enemies-to-lovers rom-com that features a heroine stifled by her need for perfection and a younger man suddenly faced with caring for his five-year-old niece.

I have loved all the books in this series, but Tools of Engagement might be my favorite one of the bunch. Each book is a standalone, but it's delightful following the couples from each previous book -- and seeing the groundwork laid for the subsequent books. We first met Bethany in Fix Her Up, and saw her infuriating first encounter with Wes in Love Her or Lose Her. But in Tools of Engagement the two clash in spectacular fashion, when Wes joins up with Bethany for her first solo flip project, in defiance of her older brother.

The chemistry between these two sizzles, and I loved seeing inside each characters' mind as they come to terms with their attraction to one another, and the personal hurdles that trip them up along the way to coupledom.

Bethany's desire to put forth that "perfect" persona is especially relatable, I think, given the world we live in today, where everyone is able to "curate" the life they want to project via social media. Everything in their home just so, every outfit styled to perfection (and never repeated), hair and makeup always perfectly coifed, and nothing but utter success in career and life.

But we all know life isn't like that. It's messy, and so are our homes and our clothes, and some days it's a success just to get out of bed, never mind outfits or hairstyle or makeup.

Bethany is crumbling under the stress she's given herself in always maintaining this flawless, perfect image -- and it's when she shows some of that vulnerability to Wes that they truly start to connect on a deeper level.

Seeing the two open up to each other is a lot of what makes Tools of Engagement so special to read. Sure, there's some hot as hell sex scenes. (It IS a Tessa Bailey book, after all.) But the relationship between these two characters is what really makes this such a fantastic book. Plus, the addition of Wes's niece Laura, and appearances from the characters we've grown to know and love in the earlier books in this series, makes for an overall delightful reading experience.

This review will be posted online at NovelNovice.com closer to release date in September.

This a classic enemies to lovers story. Fun and fast paced with all the same characters from the previous books in the series. I liked the two main characters a lot more in this book than in the others. Bethany is portrayed as having her whole life together, but is constantly "on" - always thinking about what others think of her. Wes had to grow up at a young age and has a quiet, casual confidence that plays nicely off Bethany. This is a fun book to read even if you haven't read the others in the story and an enjoyable read for romance book lovers.

The Hot and Hammered series by Tessa Bailey has been one wild ride after another. It started with Fix Her Up, pairing a party clown with pro-baseball player suffering a career-ending injury, and then moved on to Love Her or Lose Her which was my first romance novel featuring a married couple. And in Tools of Engagement we finally get to see romantic sparks fly between mortal enemies Wes and Bethany.

Bethany is a perfectionist who hyperventilates at the thought of anything being out of her control in the slightest. I saw a lot of myself in her honestly. Throughout the book she is forced to confront her need for perfection and I found her journey, at times, to more fascinating than the budding relationship between her and Wes. She takes the overdone heroine trope of the past--perfect, beautiful, and untouchable--and flips it on its head giving us the truth behind the mask.

Wes is what you expect from a Tessa Bailey hero. He's gorgeous and rough around the edges and dirty talking and possessive. And yeah, some people don't like that in their heroes, but if you read Tessa Bailey I have to assume you know what you're getting into to. I mean, this is book three, so... Anyways, Wes has a little journey of his own going on (you'll have to suspend a tiny bit of belief in the legal process here, folks), but it was just the cutest thing watching him become closer to his niece. And the way he was constantly supporting Bethany and accepting her for her true self made him the hero we all want to have in our lives.

You're not going to find hate sex here (as much as you might have thought you would from the previous books). The book ended up being so much more than the enemies to lovers trope we might have expected from their constant banter and hate-filled looks. It was an emotional trip down some pretty deep, dark roads for a rom-com. There was less sex than a usual Tessa Bailey novel, I think, but the sex that was there was as hot as you'd hope to find.

As for Laura, Wes' niece? I'll say this. Normally I hate children in books because, as someone who spends the majority of their time with children, they're almost never done right. They either talk too mature or too childish or they're solely there for entertainment purposes or they aren't entertaining at all. You see the problem? But darling little Laura was actually one of the best parts of the book which surprised me greatly.

I didn't think that Tools of Engagement was the best book in the series, but they can't all be the best book in the series, you know? It's not a complaint about the book, just a matter of opinion. It was a sexy, entertaining read that had me laughing and smiling which is always to be expected from a Tessa Bailey novel.

Easily my favorite book in the series!! This was wildly sexy and very fun. I can't wait to see what's next!

Two opposite individuals whom have expressed nothing more then fondness and a powerful, true chemistry...

This is the one book in this series in which I was truly hesitant to dive into because of one thing... I am not the biggest fan of younger guys, and older woman tropes. I know, I know, I wish I weren't saying that but that seemed to be the one thing in the back of my mind in which had stuck there when I was reading this novel. BUT, with that being said I still loved this story! I can never turn away from a book by Tessa Bailey anymore. Let alone, with a synopsis and cover such as this one.

Wes and Brittany are this over couple that had me catapulting for more! She is a force to be reckoned with, while he is this power oozing cowboy that knows how to sweet talk her, but also dirty talk the shit out of her. This combination is what makes them mesh together in the best of ways. Especially with the additional improntu of a semi "single parents" trope due to Wes taking care of his niece.

Wes and Brittany know how to push each other's buttons, and they both also know how to properly take care of each other in a way in which romanticizes every word Tessa has written;
"In the glory of the moonlight, he looked older, more worldly and wether. Or maybe it was the words coming out of his mouth. She didn't know what it was, but all of it, everything, drew her closer..."

I am not sure if this is the final book in this series. I am hoping it's not, but if it is then what a way to go!

I liked Georgie and Travis,
I adored Rosie and Dominic,
I loved Bethany and Wes.
The best of the series.

Bethany presents to the world a polished, effortless, and perfect persona. But behind the façade lies a woman terrified of being exposed as a fraud so she keeps everyone at a distance.

Wes sees past the surface to the real Bethany and of course she hates that.

Bethany wants to prove she can do more than décor. She sets out to do a house flip without her contractor brother who she’s been working with for years. Reality TV gets involved and it becomes brother vs. sister in a house flip duel of the ages.

Along the way Bethany and Wes develop beyond bickering laced with innuendo into a real relationship. Their exchanges are laugh out loud funny. Tessa Bailey brings her A-game with this book.

Added in are the couples from the previous books along with Wes’s niece, a real cutie pie who is convinced Bethany is Elsa from Frozen.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC

I have been waiting and waiting to read this book!! It was my favorite out of the whole series! The others to me were just ok! This one was really good! It had plenty of sweet moments, the storyline was funny, cute , and definitely 🔥🔥🔥!! I definitely recommend reading this book! I still think this whole series is way over priced ?! That's crazy but?? Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!!

I absolutely loved this book. I'm a little biased because I'm basically a fan of everything Tessa Bailey writes, but this book did not disappoint. I loved the enemies-to-lovers romance between Bethany and Wes! Their banter was hilarious, their interactions were believable, and their eventual romance played out in an organic way. Also, this book was full of some pretty serious emotional issues that the author somehow wove pretty seamlessly into the story. I cried reading about Wes's childhood, and I cried again reading about Bethany's struggles with anxiety and perfectionism. She was so relatable, and I just loved the character. Overall, definitely recommend. I couldn't put it down! This might be my favorite book in this series!

I love this series and the enemies-to-lovers trope is one of my favorites, the added HGTV type plot was a super fun addition as well. I've been waiting for Bethany's story since I read Fix Her Up, so I was excited to read this and pleased that she got her HEA.

Sizzling chemistry, witty banter, and hot hookups abound in "Tools of Engagement." I always enjoy it when a hunky guy lets down his walls and his heart softens for his woman.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I’ve quickly become a huge Tessa Bailey fan girl. Her latest is sharp, sweet, and sexy... everything I look for in a romance!

I didn’t think any couple could top Rosie and Dominic, and they’ll always hold a special place in my heart. But, Bethany and Wes are just the best. She is who we all are in some way, and he is imperfectly perfect. This book is simply fantastic.

If you're looking for a fun romantic comedy, enemies to lovers read, then this is the book for you. Bethany is tired of how condescending her brother is about her contributions to the houses they flip. She decides to flip one on her own and it turns into a contest, thanks to a Flip Off reality show. When she's humiliated by her brother in front of his crew, his best worker, Wes, quits and joins Bethany's team. Bethany has been trading snarky comments with Wes for awhile and isn't all that excited to work with him but beggars can't be choosers. They're so attracted to each other that the snark turns to heat right away. Bethany looks like she has it all together but her internal critic is overwhelming. I really enjoyed how she overcame her issues and how Wes stepped up with her and the niece he's been raising. Recommended.