I’m not generally a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, but this one was FANTASTIC. Cute, charming, hilarious, delightfully clever...I could go on and on, this was SUCH a fun story to read!

Bethany Castle is perfectly put together - her appearance, her house, her hostessing skills, her job staging flipped houses for her family’s business, Brick & Morty, are all...perfect. But now on the cusp of 30, she wants more. More respect, more responsibility, more of her own life. So when she walks into the family’s latest job and announces she’s quitting to manage her own house flip, her brother tells her she’s being ridiculous.

Bethany expected resistance to her announcement. What she didn’t expect is her archnemesis, Wes Bentley - the man she constantly argues and bickers with - to quit his great job with Brick & Morty and join her as project foreman.

Wes recently moved from Texas to Long Island to take care of his 5 year old niece after his half-sister decided she needed a break from motherhood. With the blink of an eye the carefree 23 year old bull rider has a full-time day job and full-time fatherhood duties. He’s completely smitten with Bethany, even if she can’t stand him. But the last thing he’s going to do is let her fail.

The internal thoughts of Bethany and Wes were amusing, and their banter was hilarious. I loved watching the push and pull between them, and loved Wes’s determination to break through Bethany’s walls. It was wonderful to see a young hero behave with so much maturity. Wes’s relationship with his niece was precious.

But…this was a strong story with an ending that ran out of steam. I loved how the relationship conflicts played out, but I’m not sure I completely understood what drove Bethany to feel she needed to be perfect all the time, and I felt like the ending - with the reality show “reveal” grand gesture - was gimmicky and cliched. After a whole book that was refreshing and not cliched, it felt like a let down.

Regardless, everything else about Tools of Engagement was completely enjoyable and I’m determined to read more Tessa Bailey. I can always use more fun stories like this in my life!

* thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I'll be honest, I love the whole Hot and Hammered Series by Tessa Bailey. It is so much fun, and so emotional at the same time. The perfect balance of romance, comedy, and emotion in my opinion.

This is the third book in the series, and we've already gotten to know Bethany and Wes throughout the series, so it's time for us to experience their path to love. The two have been sparring, sarcasm-spewing enemies before this book. Bethany is a perfectionist, and she wants everything organized and sophisticated. But she's also extremely insecure and her own harshest critic. Wes is a little more low-key. When they are paired up, the sparks definitely fly. But although the sparks fly, it takes a good long time for this relationship to truly get off the ground - it is definitely a slow-burn.

Not only does Wes support and help Bethany, but he also has a great relationship with his niece, Laura, and it shows a real depth of character and caring on his part.

All in all, a satisfying slow burn romance with a sweet and supportive hero who helps build the confidence of the women in his life.

TOOLS OF ENGAGEMENT is the third book in the HOT AND HAMMERED series, and it moves at a quick pace. There are moments of anxiety and fear mixed with a sweet and sexy romance that definitely satisfies.

This is Wes and Bethany’s story, and while she fights him every inch of the way, she also slowly realizes that he understands her, and their romance blossoms. She would start spiraling, and with one look, Wes would ground her.

Wes is taking care of his niece, Laura, while her mother, his half-sister, takes a much-needed break. He doesn’t expect to love Laura so much, but he makes a great father figure. And he also is a great support for Bethany, who chafes under her brother’s put-downs. When Bethany and Wes start working together, the sparks fly.

The story had a nice flow with multiple storylines. I loved meeting up with characters we’ve met before, which round out the story. There is nice closure and a happily ever after that is better than expected, with the epilogue that takes place eight months later. And the title is really clever!

I enjoy Ms. Bailey’s stories, though for me, the cursing is a little over the top. TOOLS OF ENGAGEMENT is a fun contemporary romance with a sweet love story and engaging characters. Worth the read!

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I really enjoyed this one. I really didn't know what to expect but had seen this one on lists people were excited for so I went for it. And I'm really glad I did.
I always love a good enemies to lovers romance. I haven't read the other books in this series because I didn't realize it was a series when I started, but that didn't end up making much of a difference. I expect there's some background I missed out on but after enjoying this one so much, I've already requested the others from my library.
The best part about this book was the two main characters and their chemistry together. I loved that both had issues to work on and somehow they were made better when they were together. I don't ever like when a relationship solves everyone's problems, but when couples can share the burden and provide unconditional love and stability and help when the other needs it, that makes a great couple. And I think these two do that for each other and that's what makes it so great in the end. They both step up when it's time and choose to be together.
This was a perfect read for right now, it's pretty light in terms of the issues they face, and while the sex scenes were a little over the top for me personally, I can definitely see why people love these books. I'm looking forward to catching up on the earlier stories!

**I received a free ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

**TW: foster care, vague allusions to child abuse, abandonment**

This ended up being my least favorite book in the series, but it was still very enjoyable. Bethany is a perfectionist--to a compulsive degree. She has intense anxiety over everything from what clothes she wears to making sure her planned events go off without even the slightest hitch. She hides her anxiety well from everyone except (surprise, surprise) Wes, who pays close attention to everything she does. I found her to be a brave, if somewhat annoying, character. She was always over-analyzing things and very in her head, which was tough to read, but she was still willing to try new things and challenge herself, even when stepping out of her tightly-controlled box scared her. Wes is a rolling stone who tries not to get too close to anyone. However, he's very motivated by responsibility and strives for stability, like the other heroes in this series. He wants to be the rock for his niece, his sister, and Bethany, which is a lot for a 23 year old to take on. I was disappointed that we didn't get to learn more about Wes's past, as the story was laser-focused on Wes and Bethany's present journey together, but he seemed like a man for whom still waters run deep.

The character work in this book really pushed the story along. It was great to see the characters from the other books and dig a bit deeper into Bethany and Wes, who we've seen before. I found the plot to be a little less engaging, as it focused more on the characters' individual journeys as Wes was working to bring his family together and Bethany was taking on a new challenge. As always, the banter was funny and the steamy scenes did not disappoint! Finally, the epilogue was just adorable!

I'm sad to see Hot & Hammered come to an end, but I loved these three books and thought they were a great introduction to Tessa Bailey's work.

This is a classic enemies to lovers story. You have your opposites attract, your perfectionist vs go with the flow. You have your reality tv subterfuge. It was an ok read. I like the author so it wasn't a waste. But it wasn't nearly as meaningful of a read as the last book (Rosie and Dom) was for me.

Phew, the hotness meter on this romance is off the charts and for majority of the book it was only word foreplay. This is definitely my kind of romance. The chemistry between Wes and Bethany scorches the pages. The hate turned into love relationship is beautifully written by the author. I had loved both their characters when I read the previous books in this series and was excited to finally read their own story. I also loved Wes's relationship with Laura and the extent that he is will to go to, to help his sister, Becki. The struggles that Bethany goes through while trying to be perfect for everyone and relatable in this world of FOMO and social media. This is book three in the Hot and Hammered series and can be read as a standalone but I would highly recommend reading it as part of the series. You don’t want to miss Rosie and Georgie’s beautiful romances.

* I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review*

3 stars

You can read all of my reviews at Nerd Girl Loves Books.

This was a cute and easy Contemporary Romance that is the last book in a series. I have not read the first two books, but this can be read as a stand alone so it's no problem to start with this one. I'm sure I missed a little bit of context, but overall, it did not affect my enjoyment of the book.

Bethany works as a stager for her family business that flips houses. She is outwardly cool, calm and controlled and demands perfection in herself, even though she is secretly wracked by insecurity. She's had a series of disappointing relationships and has decided to take a "man hiatus". Bethany feels stifled by her work and dreams of branching out and taking on a house flipping project of her own. When she's finally pressured to start her project, her brother, who's in charge of the family business, does not take it well.

Wes is a construction worker that works for Bethany's brother. He is in town taking care of his niece while his sister "takes a break" after her marriage fell apart. Once his sister returns, he plans to go back to Texas to resume his job as a bull rider. So his playful banter with Bethany is just his way of flirting, but he's never gotten serious with anyone so far, and doesn't plan to anytime soon. So, he's surprised himself when he abruptly quits his job with Bethany's brother and tells her he will help her on her project. Considering the duo's relationship thus far has been to insult each other at every turn, what could possibly go wrong?

This was a cute, but predictable story. The tv show pitting Bethany against her brother in a "flip off" was almost an afterthought and wasn't really the focus of the story. Most of the book revolved around Bethany and Wes's sparring matches and their secret lust for each other. It was a typical "I am going to pretend to hate you but I really like you" scenario. Even though Bethany seemed turned on by Wes' domineering behavior and cheesy lines, I cringed at several of them. I was also pretty sick of the word "baby" by the end. This book has a lot of very racy scenes in it - not that I'm mad at it. Just letting you know... :-)

Overall this was a quick and fun read that I enjoyed.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was fully prepared not to love this book. I didn't enjoy Rosie and Dominic's story and I fully disliked the glimpse of Bethany and Wes that we got in that one. But against all odds, they somehow completely won me over and I think this might be my favorite of the series!

I love enemies to lovers, and even though I hated how their story started in Love Her or Lose Her, Bethany and Wes were wayyyy less annoying in their own book and I adored the dynamic between them. I relate hardcore to Bethany and I just really enjoyed seeing the two of them go on their journey together. (Although I have to say that Wes is ridiculously mature for a 23-year-old?? Like, that’s a definite sign that this is fiction, haha.)

There were a few moments that leaned a little too much into the sappier, unrealistic side of romance novels for me, but if you’ve read Tessa Bailey before then you already know what you’re getting into. And thank goodness the nicknames in this one were kept to “baby” and “darlin’” (still significantly overused for my taste – but a definite improvement on the awful “baby girl” and “honey girl” from the previous books in this series).

Overall this was a hit for me and I’m looking forward to the next series from Tessa Bailey.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wes and Bethany's story was a welcome addition to this Tessa Bailey series! It pulled from a few different tropes (age gap, "single dad" of sorts, enemies to lovers) to a nice blended effect. Bethany and Wes are both witty and fun, and together they were a great pair. As always it was fun to see the other couples of Port Jefferson continuing as side characters.

The Hot & Hammered series has now come to end. I was so excited to get Bethanys and Wes’s story since Love Her or Lose Her. What sold me on this couple was their back & forth banter. These two took enemies to lovers to another level. The attraction was there from the get go. With that being said, I think the romance progressed way too fast for my personal taste. A LOT happens in this book in such a short time frame.

Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey

Bethany Castle is a type-A perfectionist who stages houses for her family’s house flipping business. She makes every single decision with INTENSE forethought given to every single detail and possible outcome. She has a carefully crafted veneer and NO ONE, not even her best friends, sees what’s behind it. Until Wes Daniels. Wes is a drifting rodeo cowboy who finds himself in Bethany’s small town when he is called on to take care of his niece, Laura, after her mother (his half-sister) up and leaves. And guess what? It’s hate at first sight. But does Bethany truly hate Wes? Or does she resent the fact that he can so effortlessly call her on her bullshit and sees right through her facade? Sparks (and nails) fly when they work together and learn that feelings, like house flipping, are messy.

I LOVE a good enemies to lovers romance, friends. Emphasis on good. Too often, however, the spark of “hate” that makes the chemistry SO delicious pops like a bubble as soon as the love is realized. They go from snappy repartee to “No, poopsiedoodle, I love you more,” and it takes the wind right out of the sails. BUT NOT THIS BOOK. Let me assure you that the whip-sharp banter (which is DELIGHTFUL) between these two doesn’t go anywhere once they catch feelings. If anything, it just gets sexier.

If you know Tessa Bailey, you know that her heroes have MOUTHS on them. The things that come out of Wes’s mouth in his Texas twang are just all kinds of shivery good. But beneath all that rangey muscle (and skin-tight Wranglers) beats the heart of an absolute MUFFIN.

Bethany is INTENSE, but beneath the icy exterior is a deeply insecure person who can’t even put her hair in a ponytail without worrying what someone will think about it. And Wes, bless him, doesn’t mind at all. If anything, he interprets her perfectionism for what it really is and loves her straight through it.

If you like an age-gap romance with an older heroine that is ALSO enemies-to-lovers, achingly sexy, but funny to boot with Bailey’s trademark ability to stuff a book with side characters that are endearing and fully rendered, Tools of Engagement is a must-read.

Kiss and tell:
The sexual tension in this book is tighter than Wes’s pants, but once that zipper is down - hold on tight. Bailey writes sexy sex. It’s just what she does. Kissing, groping hand play, oral, and p&v penetration all feature in explosive ways when two people who couldn’t stand each other suddenly can’t keep their hands off.

By far my favorite book in this series. Bethany is a great romantic lead, dealing with her own perfectionist tendencies and fighting against the assumptions her family has about who she is and what she can do. I liked Wes as well, and I appreciated that he was younger than Bethany, which I don’t see that often in romance novels. He was old for his age because of his guardianship of his niece, but it was still refreshing to see an older woman/younger man dynamic. I mean, she’s like 30 and he’s 23, but still.

Interior Designer Bethany Castle has a knack for designing the perfect houses, what she doesn't have is the perfect love life. She has sworn off men. When she meets cocky Wes, she wants nothing to do with him, however he is quite handy. There is a 7 year age gap, will she find love in a younger man? Will she finally pick up the phone and ask for help? Read to find out! This was a cute story! Well done!

For years Bethany Castle's job has been adding the spectacular finishing touches on her family's flipped houses. She has earned quite the reputation for organization, decorating, and overall style. The thing is: Bethany is ready to have a little more creative input from the beginning of the flip and not just right at the end, but her brother won't even entertain the idea. So Bethany decides to strike out on her own. But Bethany is hiding a secret.

Bethany is super insecure. It's one of the reasons why she pushes herself so hard to keep everything well-organized, planned out, and stylish. She knows that her family is going to be scrutinizing her new endeavor and she's terrified that she'll fail. And with no other help on the project, she doesn't see how the outcome could be any different. Until Wes Daniels enters the picture.

Wes came to town to take care of his young niece while his sister is getting back on her feet. Wes has been in Bethany's orbit since he arrived, after he took a job with her family's home renovation business. His attraction to her hasn't gone unnoticed, but their age difference has put a damper on things going any further than flirting. But when he sees Bethany clearly in need of some help he "pulls a Zellweger" and goes to work with Bethany.

Along the way they'll both teach each other that mistakes aren't truly failures and that a true partnership can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

Wes and Bethany made a huge impression in the previous book with their brief secondary appearances so I was really looking forward to their story.

What really stood out for me was learning about Bethany's insecurities and how her compulsory perfectionism is due to the fact that she's always trying to earn the respect of her family, always putting herself out there to be noticed for her accomplishments and ends of losing to her older brother. It was an interesting family dynamic. I felt like it was handled really well, although I would have loved more interaction between Bethany and her brother.

But I did love the interactions between Bethany and Wes. I liked how they challenged each other. Mainly, Wes challenging Bethany if I'm being honest. He has different perspectives and different lived experiences than Bethany. His childhood was spent in various foster homes. Some were good, some were not. Wes learned to count on himself and survive while Bethany grew up in one loving household with relative privilege. Wes teaches Bethany that mistakes don't ruin something, that they're actually an opportunity for growth and learning. Bethany, on the other hand, with some help from his niece, teach Wes about family. Whether it's found family or blood family.

I kind of wish the age difference between Bethany and Wes was explored more. It's touched upon the fact that there's a seven year difference between them and Bethany is older. It's just that with Wes's experiences, he comes across as being older than his 23 years, so at the end of the day, I'm kind of left wondering why the age difference was even highlighted in the first place? It is used as an excuse by Bethany to initially put distance between them, but I feel like a simpler explanation of the fact that she's taking a break from men having had some recent bad relationships is a plausible enough reason (and another that she uses). I just feel like the age thing, especially when the woman is older than the man, is such an interesting topic to explore in a relationship. Here it kind of missed the mark for me.

Overall, though, I enjoyed the read. It pretty much met the anticipation from the previous book, and I enjoyed seeing the three women come together a lot more. It was an overall feel-good read.

Spicy little read! I read one other in this series, and will definitely seek out the third. Lovable characters and a fun and cozy plot.

The woman who has it all together, at least as far as everyone else can see. She struggles to keep the appearance of always being in control, then meets a man who challenges her and wants to help relax and enjoy life a little. Great story of a challenging friendship that has the potential to be a great partnership. Fun, flirty, enjoyable read.

There's a fine line between love and hate. Bethany and Wes really criss crossed, erased, and highlighted that line. The chemistry between them was off the charts. Wes is one sexy, alpha man who knew who he wanted and wasted no time chasing her. I love his possessiveness when it came to Bethany. His country drawl of "darlin' " was seriously hot. He claimed her and made good on taking her. Goodness gracious they had some hot scenes. Now i loved Bethany. She was a little high maintenance, too much to take at first. But underneath the hard exterior was a beautifully vulnerable woman I felt for. Her OCD perfectionism pained her and me. I wanted her to be better, accept her true self, and find happiness. Then there was cute little Laura, who just about stole the show. Absolutely adorable who brought others to their knees with her declarations.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher through Netgalley.

There's nothing like a sibling rivalry to bring a family together. At least you'd think so when it comes to the Castles. While at sister Georgie's wedding an eavesdropping producer hears Bethany and brother Stephen going at it. Bethany ever afraid of not being enough for anyone has decided she wants to prove her stuff to brother Stephen by doing her own renovation. What befalls is a charming romance when Wes; a rodeo cowboy from Texas, Zellweger's his way into Bethany's project and ultimately her heart. Tessa Bailey's Tools of Engagement is the hot caramel sauce on the top of this Hot and Hammered contemporary romance sundae.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Tools of Engagement is the third book in the Hot & Hammered series by Tessa Bailey and it fully enjoy the book you NEED to read book 1 and 2 for the build up of steam between these two characters! A rom-com featuring home renovation television complete with sparks and family rivalry - this book was a lot of fun and well worth the wait. I think it's my favorite book in the series.