Member Review

First and foremost, from the bottom of my heart, I want to thank Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for the e-arc opportunity to read and review Hook, Line, and Sinker. Quite honestly, reading this book was at the top of my wishlist, and let me tell you, it did not disappoint. It made 2021 for me, and I've now read the book five times within a week. YES, IT'S THAT GOOD! It's so amazing that I've stayed up till 3:00 am reading it repeatedly.

My very lengthy honest review starts in 3...2...1:

This book starts right where It Happened One Summer left off. I loved It Happened One Summer, with its nod to Schitt's Creek and my favorite trope of enemies-to-lovers. The passion was explosive between Piper and Brendan, and the bond of the Bellinger sisters was touching beyond belief. But as I was reading It Happened One Summer, I became enthralled with Fox and Hannah right from the beginning. I began to crave their story from scenes that were clearly bundled up in undeniable chemistry.

**Spoilers for It Happened One Summer**: The bonus scene completely hooked me when Fox took Hannah to the record store. You can instantly see the realization in Fox that Hannah is something different. It's not just that he's been sworn off from flirting with her, creating a cat/mouse chase. Instead, he notices something unique and special about her. The girl beneath the red cap, which I believe calls to Fox's soul because he's more than he lets others think as well. Earlier in the book, we see that Fox constantly has Hannah on his mind when he mentions the Record Convention to Brendan, hasn't been to Seattle for you know what, helps at the bar, and how Piper notices he seems...nervous around Hannah. Fox gravitates towards her instantly and is intrigued by her strong nature, blunt honesty, and love of music. Music is a connection they alone share, and we got to see even more of this when he left her the Fleetwood Mac album. I mean, come on...absolutely SWOONING AND HEART EYES. You realize that Fox is more than a "pretty face" in these simple yet profound moments.

I was thrilled when learning Tessa Bailey's sequel was Fox and Hannah's story. She truly understands what the fans want and desire! We thank you, Tessa, oh so much.

So here we are at Hook, Line, and Sinker. We have Fox, the relief skipper and best friend of Brendan (the captain of the Della Ray), who wants Fox to step up and become his own captain. Yet, Fox doesn't believe in himself, even though he seemingly has it all with appearance, charm, and a display of a going-with-the-flow nature. However, there's so much more to Fox beneath the surface, which I was hoping for when reading book #1. It Happened One Summer only hits the tip of the iceberg on who his character truly is. Hook, Line, and Sinker give us so much depth that Fox is now easily one of my favorite fictional characters. The sequel dives into topics that aren't mentioned often, and you feel for the guy, striving to help make a change in society on his behalf and others held to unhealthy standards like him.

For half of the book, I wanted to hug, comfort, and stand up for Fox, and the other half, I was busy swooning over how he views Hannah. Without giving too much away, the guy has it bad for Hannah—she's on the highest pedestal in his eyes. It's so apparent, and you gain moments of Fox doing the sweetest, most thoughtful acts of kindness for Hannah in addition to 100% pining for her (he desires her so badly that you can literally feel the tension vibrate from the page).

Fox wants to see Hannah happy; that's his number one priority, and who wouldn't love a guy like that? He cherishes their friendship above all else, never before experiencing a relationship of this nature. Listen, I love the enemies-to-lovers trope, as mentioned above. However, this book does friends-to-lovers so beautifully and touchingly that I now have a favorite parallel trope.

Let's talk about Hannah. She's the perfect heroine, which we saw in It Happened One Summer, and her character only expands further in the sequel as she moves to a path of becoming a leading lady of her own life. I absolutely adore her. She's exceedingly thoughtful, selfless, fun, witty, compassionate, loving, strong, and reasonable at supporting Fox to see there's so much more to who he really is. She has this unwavering faith in Fox, and it's remarkable. It's safe to say Hannah is his anchor in a tumultuous sea. I really appreciate Tessa when writing Hannah's communication skills, and truthfully, I was never annoyed by her character or the actions she took along the way.

Hannah has such a beautiful way of observing the world around her, and the way she views music is incredible. I listened to the songs mentioned in the book, making each moment much more powerful. I felt fully immersed in their world as if I were in the same room. It was as if I were watching a movie and could easily witness each scene being played out; the descriptions are that good!

Fox and Hannah's love story has got to be the best I've read in a long time. While I loved It Happened One Summer, this book easily wins for me (yet, I highly recommend reading both to gain the entire experience of the Bellinger sisters in Westport & set up Fox/Hannah's beginning). While It Happened One Summer may be apparently more steamy, this book was deliberate with how it all played out in a slow burn that makes sense to the plot. So when these monumental moments happen between the two, it's so special and realistic that it takes your breath away. Really though, I was actually holding my breath in one scene in particular, wishing I'd find love just like theirs. It was a standing ovation moment.

Hook, Line, and Sinker makes me giggle and smile from the first page (I love their text conversation, & Tessa is a genius for adding that view into their relationship). Fox and Hannah's connection is highly swoon-worthy from the very beginning. So often while reading, I was emotional (happy & sad tears) from the dynamic depth that Tessa has given us. Her talent has no bounds, and this book only proves it. I feel overall PURE JOY AND HOPE when reading Hook, Line, and Sinker. It's inspirational and touching in ways I didn't know I needed, which is probably why I'm starting the book again after this review.

This book is for you if you desire a beautiful yet slow-burn steamy romance with endless chemistry and sexual tension on every page. If you're interested in best friends traveling to the depths of a deep and fulfilling romantic love, this book is for you. If you enjoy all the rom-com tropes, then yeah, this book is definitely for you. This book is also for you if you want to see incredible character growth on both sides. Basically, pre-order and read this book when released on March 1st, 2022—you can thank me later!

In conclusion, Hook, Line, and Sinker is now one of my favorites. It's absolute perfection and pure book magic! Also, might I add what everyone else has said when saying that the epilogue was this book's most beautiful wrap-up?! EPIC.

★★★★★ 5 STARS FOR ME (I would give it more if I could)!