I honestly don't know if I'm going to be able to sum up how much I loved this one in words- it's really more of a happy and content feeling in my heart and soul. I knew I was going to love this one because of its roots in Schitt's Creek and because it's from Tessa Bailey, but I didn't expect to be knocked off my feet by it.

The characters, the small town, the steam, the tension, the romance, the emotion- this one HAS. IT. ALL. I read it in one sitting and was up until 2:30 AM finishing (don't tell my boss!). I was just so drawn in by Piper's personality and the struggles she faced as an "it girl" in LA. Brenden never gave up on her, no matter how hard Piper tried to pull back and it was just so heartwarming and wonderful to read and watch them learn not to give up on each other. The connections that Piper has to the town set a wonderful foundation for them coming together; it makes me want to vacation to coastal Washington! And those steamy scenes- WHEW! Tessa is a master of her craft, and I loved every moment of it.

Another excellent summer (or really anytime) read, this will definitely be a comfort re-read for me when I need it most.

Edge-of-your seat, hot romance. I can't believe how much action takes place in the first half of this book! If you like steamy sex scenes add this to your list. If you prefer your romance a bit more subtle then I would skip this one. A little too much for my taste, but I would definitely recommend to someone if I knew they didn't mind that. Well written characters and storyline.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This book was so much fun, it was everything I could ask for from a rom-com book. The chemistry between the main characters was so good. At first I was worried it would be too much like Alexis Rose since that what the book was inspired by but I feel like this book took its own take on it and made it its own. I loved it.

So I honestly wasn't super on board to start this one because I'm generally adverse to tropes involving spoiled/famous main characters. I started this book and then put it down at 13%, not sure if I wanted to continue. But then a few weeks later, I picked it up again and didn't really put it down. I don't know if my headspace just improved or what, but DANG this book got good!

I ended up really rooting for Piper, the very spoiled LA socialite. I definitely got Schitt's Creek vibes with her and Brendan as a quasi Alexis/Mutt. Piper got into some pretty funny circumstances that had me screaming. I'm pretty sure I teared up a few times. And the chemistry between Piper and Brendan was off-the-charts hott. I'm so glad I went back to finish this one because I would have been MISSING OUT.

I had such high hopes for It Happened One Summer, since it combines two of my favorite things - the Pacific Northwest and Schitts Creek - in a hilarious, steamy rom-com with a ton of heart. Not to mention that the Hot & Hammered series has been some of my favorites lately. And Tessa Bailey 100% delivered with this one!

Piper Bellinger is a seemingly spoiled, vapid LA girl, chasing social media notoriety and a good time, one party at a time. After one particular blowout that ends in her arrest, her stepfather finally loses his patience and sends her and her sister to the small Pacific Northwest coastal town of Westport where they were born and their father died in a fishing boat accident. They’re not even in town for a hot minute before they have a run-in with the locals and Piper goes toe-to-toe with boat captain Brendan Taggart. It’s not long before the two realize that they both misjudged the other based on first impressions and there’s much more below the surface. And that they could both learn something from the other, like Piper finding family, community and fulfillment in the simple pleasures, or Brendan realizing that the rigid routine he lives by is preventing him from really living. It’s not long before the initial mutual attraction gives way to steamy romance and love. But can they learn to trust each other enough to overcome their insecurities?

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advance copy of this perfect summer romance! It’s always a treat to get to read a book that I’ve already preordered and have been highly anticipating!

DNF @ 30%. I just cannot connect with the main female character in this book. I respect the author's attempt to recreate a Schitt's Creek inspired romance, and I think the right reader will absolutely fall in love with this story.

Ok, I am officially a Tessa Bailey stan! She has quickly worked her way into my favorite authors list over the past year and It Happened One Summer really sealed the deal for me.

While this is technically an enemies to lovers story, it took a quick turn into insta-love in my opinion (which I don’t typically like), but these characters ended up stealing my heart. Like all of Tessa’s books, her characters feel so real, like you know them and feel their emotions right along with them. When the steam comes, and her books never disappoint in this department, it’s always so well done and serves to move the story forward. This book is steam level 5 so if you aren’t a fan of heavy steam, it might not be for you.

Brendan and Piper are the perfect definition of grumpy meets sunshine. I adored Brendan and will add him to my ever growing list of favorite book boyfriends. Piper’s character development was so fun and endearing to witness and I loved her sisterly bond with Hannah. In fact, there is an entire cast of lovable side characters!

I loved this one and highly recommend!! I cannot wait to read Hannah and Fox’s story next!!

I really loved this sweet small town romance! We’ve got piper the spoiled heiress and brendan the gruff crab boat captain who not so warmly welcomes her to town. I just really loved this couple they simply worked for me! I loved piper’s character arc in this and my favorite thing besides the sweet romance was the deep friendship and bond piper had with her sister hannah! They were so cute and I loved how close they were. All in all good stuff!!

This book is the perfect summer beach read! It follows Piper, a famous socialite and Instagram influencer who leaves LA for a small town in the Pacific Northwest for three months. At 28, Piper doesn't know who she is or what she wants in life. As Piper learns more about who she is, she also becomes closer to her father who died when she was four and finds a family that she never had before. During this journey of self discovery she meets Brendan a widower sea captain who feels stuck in his daily routine. Piper and Brendan at first meet they can't stand each other but soon realize that first impressions aren't always correct. Over the course of Piper's stay, she becomes closer with Brendan but will her fears about his job prevent them from a happily ever after? Will Brendan choose the comfort of a routine over the chance at finding love again?

Fans of Tessa Bailey, Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry, and Sally Thorne will all love this book!

The title previews exactly what this book is: The Read of the Summer. It’s a perfect, one-sitting, romantic beach read that I could not put down.⁠⁠
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Some things I loved:⁠⁠
☀️Piper is unapologetically herself. In many books, when the female lead is girly and pretty, the plot centers around her changing herself completely. But in this story, Piper embraces who she is and what she can do, who cares what people might think about the spoiled socialite. That’s not to say she doesn’t grow and learn more about herself as she lives in Westport.⁠⁠
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☀️This book has great character development for both love interests. Brendan is a big burly sailor who’s a teddy bear underneath. Their relationship feels realistic, authentic, and above all is the cutest thing to read. It makes you love love. ⁠⁠
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☀️The PNW. Enough said.⁠⁠
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☀️Super lovable and supportive sister dynamic that I don’t see enough of in stories.⁠⁠
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Things that were lacking:⁠⁠
☀️There was a significant lack of diversity in the story, hopefully in the next book of the series this improves.⁠⁠
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🌶️🌶️🌶️⁠⁠
⭐⭐⭐⭐⁠⁠
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Please do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this story on July 13, 2021.⁠⁠
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Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review and the opportunity to read this work of art.⁠⁠
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I’m a fan of anything Tessa Bailey writes and this book is one of her best. Her books are steamy but they have heart and great characters.

I loved Piper as a character (she has a great character arc), the star of the show for me was Brendan. Tessa Bailey’s male characters can sometimes lean to the more possessive side but I feel like he was really balanced. Definitely grumpy but ultimately charming and possibly more feminist if that makes sense?

Ultimately I really enjoyed the book and I can’t wait for the next installment about Fox and Hannah!

A sexy rom com with sizzling banter inspired by Schitt's Creek you say? Oh yes, I'm immediately interested.

What's that? It features a picturesque small seaside town featuring colorful locals with hearts of gold who embrace the flamboyant outsider with open arms and embrace her as one of their own? Please go on.

And a relationship between sisters that is not rooted in jealousy, insecurity and misunderstandings but rather a sweet best friendship/bond that can never be broken between two polar opposites who see the best in each other. I AM SOLD!

Seriously, there were so many things I loved about this book. It's fun, sexy, sweet, and swept me off my feet. I loved the banter between Piper and Brendan so much--you just know those two are going to make it. The sex scenes were definitely more intense than I normally like, and I wished the sexy, subtler banter was more present in those scenes. But on the other hand, I really admire how Tessa just went for it in those scenes! I don't smoke but...hand me the cigarettes?

Thank you for offering this for review and we loved having Tessa on the podcast!

I live in Arizona and it is blazing hot this time of year. The only thing that I think could be hotter would be the chemistry between Piper Bellinger and Brendan Taggart. Yet the two could not be more opposite from each other. Maybe that is the attraction?
Partygirl Piper is banished to a small seaport town in Pacific Northwest after getting into some trouble in L.A. She needs to prove herself in a place where everyone has known each other from a young age. Brendan is a captain of fishing boat, set in his routine, but when Piper shows up, it makes him look at life differently.
While this is a light rom-com, it is written with such romantic intensity and passion. I couldn’t put it down and I cheered for the main characters throughout the book. It was a huge breath of fresh air and beat the summer heat. I’ve read the author’s “Hot & Hammered” series and am anticipating the continuation of this new series. Grab cool drink, sit in the pool, and forget everything else with this fun read.

I wasn't sure I was going to like this going into it. The rich, blonde, partying blonde girl stereotype did not appeal to me. However, being that it was written by Tessa Bailey, I gave it a chance. I absolutely loved it! Brendan is perfect and I loved the way things played out. The sex scenes were hot and I enjoyed the unique aspects of the plot.

Piper is a spoiled Hollywood socialite who has had to endure very few consequences in life. When she instigates an out-of-control party and lands in jail, her stepfather chooses to cut her off and sends her to her deceased father's hometown, where fishing/crabbing is the way of life.

Piper and her sister, Hannah, meet the locals including one very grumpy fisherman, Brendan. Though they get off to a rocky start, Piper is determined to show she is more than a pretty face. She and Hannah work on fixing up their father's old dive bar and find a very helpful hand in Brendan. Throughout the book, Piper grapples with the contrast of her old life in LA to her new life in Westport and realizes that she may not have been as happy as she thought she was in LA.

Overall, this book was super fun and very sexy! The character development was steady and made sense and the relationship between Piper and Brendan was full of banter and chemistry! I think this would be a great beach read this summer and would recommend.

Thanks to Netgalley for a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This is my first book from Tessa Bailey and it did not disappoint. I have had her recommended to me tons and glad I finally picked up on of her books.
Piper and Brendan have amazing and intense chemistry that melts off the pages.
Piper is an IT girl, crave attention and loves social media. She however always seems to fail in the relationship department. She gets into some trouble and is sent off to a small town where she meets Brendan.
Brendan is a widow and a total charmer, but his feelings for Piper start out with little interest and thinking she is nothing but a spoiled brat.
This is such a great story you won’t want to put down. Lots of fun and romance.

This book was EVERYTHING. Once Piper set foot into that quaint little town, my heart was stolen by her transformation and chemistry with Brendan. Their encounters were so humorous and the sexual tension had me turning the pages at max speed to see what would come of it. The author did an amazing job at capturing both an extremely steamy and extremely sweet relationship. I loved the protectiveness of Brendan and the fact that he wanted those important conversations and respected Piper along with being attracted to her. The ending felt a bit abrupt but overall the story was incredibly enjoyable.

Schitt’s Creek fans – this book is for you! Tessa Bailey’s latest steamy novel is loosely based on the popular TV series. A Hollywood darling is cut off from her family’s wealth and essentially banished to a small beach town. She’s forced to run her late father’s dive bar in the hopes she’ll learn some responsibility, but immediately gets into a spat with a local sea captain.

This opposites attract romance promises all the sexual tension and steamy scenes that Tessa Bailey is amazing at writing! It made my list of the best books of the year!

I was expecting plenty of eye rolls at the spoiled main character, but she was so well written that her antics never felt over the top or exaggerated. There were plenty of genuinely sweet moments and authentic emotions that helped me connect with her and root for her success at proving herself.

As for the male lead - swooooon. I adored his gruff outer layer that so obviously was a cover for a kind, thoughtful man. Cheering for these two was a bundle of fun, both because of their intense attraction but also their complimentary qualities.

By far, my favorite of Tessa Bailey's books so far!

I have a complicated relationship with Tessa Bailey. I read the entirety of the Hot and Hammered series, and it was a mixed bag for me. However, when I saw that her next book was inspired by the one and only Alexis Rose, I couldn't say no. A burly fisherman and a sparkly disgraced party girl? I am definitely here for it. And it was enjoyable! Just similar enough to Alexis to be in on the joke, but not such a carbon copy that it felt like fan fiction. And the burly captain definitely fulfilled all of my expectations.

However, there was something that bothered me about their spicy scenes. It just felt off-- and I couldn't put my finger on it until I was reading some other reviews for this book on Goodreads. Someone mentioned that while the sex scenes are well-written, they don't necessarily align with how the characters have been acting throughout the rest of the book. And that's exactly it! It almost feels like her spicy scenes are generic paragraphs cut and paste with the character's names added. They're not bad scenes, they just seem a little disconnected from the rest of the storyline.

Overall though, I would recommend this book if you enjoy Tessa Bailey books, and I'm definitely invested enough to see what happens between Hannah and Fox in the sequel!

Loved the dialogue and chemistry between the two main characters. A fish-out-of-water story that Bailey pulls off with genuine characters and an easy-breezy rom-com writing style.