Y’all, I liked this book so much. It Happened One Summer was a top five read for me in 2021, and I honestly didn’t expect to like Fox as much as I liked Brendan, BUT HERE WE ARE. What made me LOVE this book, though, was Hannah. This friends-to-lovers, slow-burn, forced proximity story takes place over half a year after Piper and Brendan’s HEA, and in that time, Fox and Hannah develop a lovely friendship.

Hannah feels stuck in her current job and life in L.A. She knows what she wants to do, but she wants to earn it herself, instead of riding the coattails of her stepfather, a famous Hollywood producer. When the opportunity to speak up and shine at work presents itself, she remembers the resolution she told Fox and takes a chance at being the leading lady of her own life. Hannah’s bravery leads her, and her job and entire film crew, back to the shores of Westport, Washington, where her sister (Piper), future brother-in-law (Brendan), and best friend (Fox) are all waiting happily to welcome her back.

Hannah ends up staying in Fox’s apartment because Brendan and Piper’s guest bedroom is already taken, due to the last minute nature of this visit. The close proximity helps both Hannah and Fox realize that their friendship is solid, and that eases some of the tension that Fox feels about having Hannah in his home (if you can call his bare-bones apartment “home,” that is). The more time they spend together, the more each main character denies their feelings for the other, mostly because Hannah believes that Fox could never feel anything more than friendship with her, and Fox believes he can never let go of his playboy, heartbreaker reputation, making him feel like he’d never be good enough for Hannah.

The beauty of this story is that Fox is sneaky and doesn’t like to be seen, but Hannah sees everything, and that ends up meaning everything to Fox. While Hannah fights to be the leading lady of her life, Fox encourages her because he sees what is already inside her, waiting to shine, and it means the world to Hannah that he believes in her. At the same time, Hannah listens, much like she does to music, to everything Fox is communicating, using words, but also his choice of words, his silences, and his deflection. Hannah’s the first person in Fox’s life that sees him as more than just a good time. He’s more important to her than just intimacy, and that’s the most intimate thing Fox’s ever known.

This was a slow-burn, but I didn’t feel like I missed out on the steam that I’ve come to love from Tessa Bailey novels. It might be a slow-burn, but their chemistry is FIRE (especially their first hookup IN THE CAR… omg, hot).

Other things I loved about this novel:

Connection – Hannah grows closer to her grandma, Opal; she finally feels a connection to her father, Henry; the love between Piper and Hannah glows in this book; Fox finally clears the air with his mother after several decades of miscommunication; he finally stands up for himself with Brendan and that transforms their relationship
Community – I’ve been to the coast of Washington (hi from the east side of the state!) and the community in towns like Westport is true and it’s beautiful; Hannah experiences a different kind of community in her work environment as well
The feelings of home – I think one of the hardest things about becoming an adult is figuring out what you want home to look and feel like, and realizing that home definitely is a physical space but it’s also a person. This book perfectly captures how quickly your understanding of home changes when you’re in love with the person you want to come home to.
OBVIOUSLYYYY this gets 5 stars from me. I really connected with both main characters, mainly Hannah’s self-doubts and her comfort in blending in the background, and Fox’s desire to let people believe he’s exactly who they see because he’s afraid to be disappointed by other people/get left behind/be exposed. Give this a read!

Rating: 5 stars

So happy to be back in Westport with Fox the handsome relief skipper and Hannah, Piper's sister.

Piper is living is Westport with Brendan. So when Hannah suggests Westport to her production team she is a PA for, she thought to stay with her sister. But there is no room and the suggestion of staying with Fox sounds like a great idea since she's now friends with him, they have been texting for months. Though the close proximity is more than they bargained for.

Oooh I loved this!

Hannah was just what Fox needed who knew how much was going on underneath that sexy masculine veneer. He's just like us he wants to be loved for what's inside not his looks. But when he turns it on he turns it on.

Will he survive Hannah's crush on the Director she works with?

Read if you like:
✨ Steam and vulnerability
✨ Always banter and I loved it in text form too!
✨ Talk of music and movie production

Thank you avonbooks and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

✨Do we ever talk about those characters or people that aren't marriage material? How horrible to be raised in such a toxic way and to assume that's how everyone's childhood was like. I hate when others sexualize kids by saying they will be a lady-killer or have the girls or boys lining up. It's fun to imagine your child's future but the extent this family went to was🥺

In the follow-up to It Happened One Summer, Tessa Bailey delivers another deliciously fun rom-com about a former player who accidentally falls for his best friend while trying to help her land a different man.

This was my first Tessa Bailey and dang it was hot and steamy. The characters were very well written and the chemistry between Hannah and Fox was believable from the beginning. It was great because I can feel the relationship come to life as I read. This one made me smile and laugh out loud. Lovers of music will enjoy this one.
This one comes out March 1st! Don’t sit.
Thank you to NetGalley and @avonbooks for this eARC

’m not sure I’ve read a more poignant and lovely contemporary romance novel. Bailey is known for the sex in her books but this book felt INTIMATE. This was about falling in love but truly becoming who you are meant to be because another person completed you and gave you that push. This book felt like it was about soulmates and where It Happened One Summer gave me romance and steam and irresistible chemistry, Hook, Line, and Sinker felt like … music. A perfect harmony of two lost souls finding each other and I loved every minute of it- even when I wanted to hit the characters over the head.

It Happened One Summer was one of my favorite books of last year and one of the more passionate romances I’ve read. Hook, Line, and Sinker builds on the connection Hannah and Fox shared in the periphery of Brendan and Piper’s book. After months of a text friendship, Hannah is coming back to Westport hoping to use the town to help grow her career and nurture her connection to her father and she’s going to be staying with Fox. Totally platonically. Of course.

Fox Is dealing with his own demons- deciding whether to take up Brendan’s offer to captain his own ship and his growing feelings for Hannah despite his reputation. When the two of them reunite they can’t deny the chemistry but both decide it isn’t worth ruining their friendship over. That is, until the walls start crumbling down and they both begin to realize how the other can make their dreams come true.

This book is sexy and Fox and Hannah are such great as friends, but their chemistry drips off the page. From the opening delightful text message friendship to the end of this book, the two of them grow into the person the other one needs and it’s beautiful to see.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Spending time in Westport with these characters has been an absolute joy and I can’t wait to see what Bailey comes up with next.

"Hook, Line, and Sinker" by Tessa Bailey
Bellinger Sisters #2
Release Date: 3.1.2022

Fox Thornton is a flirty fisherman. He is friendly with many women, and it does not bother him in the least. Then, he meets Hannah Bellinger through his best friend, Brendan, and her sister, Piper.

Hannah moves back to LA, but she comes to town for work, crashing at Fox's spare bedroom. They're just friends, especially since Hannah has a crush on a man she works with. Fox provides Hannah advice, but as Hannah spends more time with Fox, Hannah grows a crush on him! She doesn't want to be just another warm body for Fox.

Fox thinks living with Hannah will be easy, as it is his best friend. However, she's sleeping right down the hall. It's harder for Fox to keep his feelings for Hannah to himself.

I love that Hannah got her own story!!! Hannah and Fox's banter was on point, and you could feel the love and respect Hannah and Fox towards one another. They moved from friends to lover. They both knew what they wanted, but they were both stubborn to admit their true feelings.

Thank you to @netgalley for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for my honest review.

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #netgalley #netgalleyreads #2022bookreleases #hooklineandsinker #tessabailey #romcom #romanticcomedy #2022bookreleases

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.
Tessa Bailey is one of my fave authors—how many times have I skimmed my fave parts of her books? (please do not ask 😆)—& yet I was still stunned in the best way by Hook, Line, & Sinker.

Friends to lovers usually isn’t a trope I stand up & cheer for but for an author who writes magnetic attraction so well to also be a romance master of pacing & a slow burn? It takes it to a whole new level.

This book gave me even more than I expected. Hannah is a LEADING LADY & I loved her so much. Sweet & sarcastic & loving & loyal—I could only applaud how she took up for Fox. (BTW, Melinda I hate you.) Hannah’s actions throughout the book show again & again that she is there, that she loves Fox for who he is.

& Fox. He is a walking dreamboat. His care of Hannah is so fantastic—there’s a small line about how he’s dying to get antiseptic on her cut & I SWOONED. (Not to mention how he decorates her room or the other gestures he makes).

This book gave me everything & I can’t wait to add it to my shelves. Thank you, Tessa, for another amazing book 🥵.
5 ⭐️. Release date: 03/01


​
CWs: an ex told Fox he was a hall pass when he thought they were in a committed relationship. His dad was a philanderer. People in town often make derogatory remarks to Fox about his sexual practices.


[ID: a white, green, coral, yellow, brown, & blue striped linen dress is on the right. An ebook rests on an open hardback. Underneath is a piece of pink embroidery art.]

I distinctly remember when the romance loving book community went gaga for It Happened One Summer in the Spring of 2021. It seemed like they were all reading and gushing about that book at the same time which made me curious. Once I was able to get my hands on a copy I understood the collective love and the book pushing. Piper and Brendan where a fantastic opposites attract couple. And then I met Fox and Hannah and saw their chemistry and I needed a book of just their story. And that is exactly what I got and Hook, Line, and Sinker and it just blew me away how amazing the companion sequel was!

Hook, Line, and Sinker is about Fox Thornton and Hannah Bellinger. Fox and Hannah met in It Happened One Summer and let’s just say it wasn’t immediate like. But as time passed Hannah found herself liking the personality of the flirt that very wanted to settle down. Soon the two of them are best friends and when Hannah is in town for work Fox offers her a room in his home. With the two best friends now living together to decide to push any attraction aside and be only friends. Plus Hannah has it bad for her boss anyway and with Fox’s help she hopes to grab his attention. Unfortunately as time passes Hannah realizes her boss may not be the one she is after and maybe living with your best friend is not as easy as it seems.

Hannah and Fox are a lot alike and those similarities really show in Hook, Line, and Sinker. Hannah has always played the backup role. She is the supporting cast in her mind and she is okay with that. And Fox has always let people think what they want about him pretending not to care but really being deeply hurt when the worst is always assumed. These two lost souls need each other and connect at the perfect moment in their lives. They share an emotional connection that only the two of them understand and support each other in the way they both need. They are there for each other and that starts to slowly change their friendship and what they think about themselves.

Hook, Line, and Sinker was perfection and I loved it even more than It Happened One Summer. Hannah and Fox were everything I wanted in a book. Their story was emotional and flirty and sexy. It was everything I wanted in their book and I can’t wait to have a copy on my shelf. A must read in 2022!

Hook, Line, and Sinker is friends-to-lovers romance at its finest. Tessa Bailey returns to the small fishing town of Westport, Washington and pairs up music-loving Hannah Bellinger and king crab fisherman Fox Thornton. The result is a fast-paced, engaging romance that will make you smile one moment and tug on your heartstrings the next.

Fox broke my heart. The handsome relief skipper is used to his good looks attracting women and the razzing he gets from everyone in Westport. But beneath the carefree surface is a deeply wounded man with low self-esteem. Toxic masculinity and oversexualization from a young age have chipped away at how he sees himself. He doesn’t think anyone – even those he loves the most – will ever take him seriously and doesn’t try because of that. But he’s a kind man with a huge heart and a sharp mind who is so easy to fall for. I loved that Hannah saw him, got beneath the surface, and wouldn’t compromise. She wouldn’t let Fox devalue himself and she fought for him and for what they could have. Hannah is at a crossroads in her life when she comes to Westport. She sees herself as supporting actress material, but not leading lady. Just like she does for him, Fox sees Hannah for all that she is. He supports her, urges her to step out from the shadows and into the sun, putting her skills and talents to use. I loved watching both of them come into their own over the course of the story.

Separately, Hannah and Fox are great characters. But together they’re absolute dynamite. There’s a lot of push-pull between them, but it makes sense and Bailey makes every bump in the road to happily ever after worth it. Fox and Hannah have fantastic chemistry; their banter made me smile, the sexual tension was sizzling, and the way they supported one another captured my heart. I loved every page of Hook, Line, and Sinker, from the zippy text messages to the unexpectedly sweet moments to the spicy bedroom scenes to the heartbreaking and heartwarming character development. I cannot wait to revisit Hannah and Fox again and again and again!

A well rounded story. I adore the friend to lovers trope and this book did it justice! Overall a great read and a great continuation of the series with a good character arc for the main characters.

4.5 stars

I loved the friendship formed in the background of It Happened One Summer between Fox and Hannah and was looking forward to finding out what happened after Hannah went back to LA (and maybe getting more details than what Piper and Brendan knew).

For the first time in his life, Fox isn’t out trying to catch any and every beautiful woman who crosses his path. His coworkers still expect him to maintain the party boy ways he is known for, but it has lost his luster and all he wants is to text and talk to Hannah.

Hannah has returned to her LA life, continuing to play the role of 2nd fiddle but dreaming of leading lady. Her love of music has her wondering if a career in soundtracking could be possible, but she worries about asking for more at work. When her director wants a change of location on their latest movie, she suggests Westport, which he agrees to immediately.

With Hannah and Fox back in the same town and sharing an apartment (Piper’s guest room was already in use), their friendship rekindles. But Fox has been warned off Piper, so even as they both feel sparks flying they try to keep things platonic as long as possible.

I loved these two, as I mentioned before, and this story lived up to everything I hoped for. I never would have guessed there was so much to Fox’s behaviors and loved as each layer was revealed. Hannah had her own development, and though she was a strong independent personality before, the events of this story required that she make some tough decisions and stand up for what she wanted. I loved the arc each of them took and the way their story resolved.

This was a small town meets big city continuation from the first Bellinger sister story, but it also added forbidden romance, mistaken expectations, and reaching for dreams. I flew through the story, devoting most of 1 day to it and finishing wishing there was more to this family so we could go back to Westport in the future.

I absolutely adored this book. It was so fun to see Hanna get a story. I’m not normally a fan of friends to lovers but Tessa nailed it. It was more then I expected and then some. I could not get enough of it. I just loved Hanna and seeing her grow. And getting to know more of Westport. This will definitely be one of my go to comfort reads.

My Alter Ego is Fictional
Book Blog

Title: Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
Category/Genre: Contemporary Romance

Hello Bookish friends!
Book Review✨

Thank you to @netgalley and @harpercollins for this e-arc. All thoughts are my own.

How hard must we fight for true love?


Perfect for lovers of:
Sunshine x Grumpy
Forced Proximity
Secret Pining


Tessa Bailey has done it again. I loved Hook, Line, and Sinker. This story follows Hannah and Fox as they begin a relationship. Hannah moves her entire LA film crew up to Washington in order to do the movie in a more scenic location. Fox has been secretly pining after her after she went back to LA earlier that year (in the previous book). He has purchased records, a record player, and texts her nonstop. The story begins when Hannah invites herself to stay with Fox while they are filming. It is so perfect for her because she has been also a little bit obsessed with him. Fox hasn’t been acting like a player since she left six months ago. She saw through his act and showed Fox that he was worth it. Fox knew that he had a horrible reputation and didn’t want to tarnish Hannah’s reputation. Through a lot of really great discussions and emotional growth, Fox sheds his past to create a better future.


Things I loved about this book: Fox. The emotional intimacy that comes with shedding your past is done so well in this book. Tessa Bailey truly knows how to get to the heart of a problem. I had never seen a discussion of being “a player” and being the butt of the joke talked about in this way before. Fox knows his reputation is horrible. He tried to live up to it for such a long time. Until he met Hannah. Now all he wants is to make her happy and to work with her no matter what. However, after being seen together in town, folks begin to suspect that he has feelings for Hannah. They suspect that Fox will just use her and they warn Hannah that he will ruin her with a one-night stand.

Hannah on the other hand has other feelings. She hates to see Fox treated this way. Through many discussions about his past, she finds out that he’s been treated this way since high school and it’s pretty much the only way he’s ever lived. He acts like he is this ultimate player and woman lover. When in actuality all he wants is to be loved by someone. Hannah knows that he feels that his reputation will tarnish her but through love and support she chooses to stand by him.


Hook, Line, and Sinker is a must-read for anyone who wants all of those cute tropes I mentioned at the beginning plus incredible emotional growth by the characters. Fox's journey from the beginning of the book to the end of the book truly is incredible. Every reader should be so lucky to see him go through this journey and come out stronger on the other side. It’s a great testament to what people can do through love and a great support system.

This book was an incredibly cute and fun read! This is a go-to for people that are also fans of music and would love to see their books have the perfect soundtrack to match. Hannah is a music fanatic that has hopes of making it in the world of movie soundtracks, and she was a character that I connected with incredibly well. I loved the unique perspective of being able to reflect on Hannah's feeling of being a supportive character after she played that role so well in the first book! I absolutely loved seeing her and Fox's relationship develop. Specifically, it was incredibly refreshing to see the author put more emphasis on the man's growth in an area where most authors focus solely on their female leads. This was one of the features of the book that I enjoyed most. The mention of specific famous songs during key moments also help set the scene so well and kept me even more engaged. I felt that Tessa Bailey tackled internal conflict well and helped the reader connect with the characters deeply while keeping the book light and fun!
I think that in some instances, some of the internal thought processes of the characters became a bit repetitive. Additionally, I think there could have been a bit more emotional depth to Hannah's thoughts and actions beyond those that were outwardly visible, like in her tendency to fall into the role of the supportive character.
Overall, this book was incredibly enjoyable, and I have to give even more praise to the epilogue, which was so insanely cute, I couldn't stand it!! Highly recommend for fans of steamy, upbeat romance and great banter!

THIS BOOK Y’ALL!!! Immediately after finishing “It Happened One Summer” I was SO invested in Hannah and Fox’s storyline that I went to NetGalley and requested the ARC for their book. When it didn’t arrive in the next two minutes I was DISTRAUGHT. But after a few days, I was approved, and once I picked up my kindle, I didn’t put it down again until I was done with “Hook, Line, and Sinker”.

Hannah and Fox’s dynamic was the perfect amount of supportive friendship and sizzling sexual tension. Tessa Bailey also went in a direction that I wasn’t expecting for Fox’s character development, which I think was insightful and heartbreaking at the same time. Meanwhile, Hannah remained a bright spot – and her faith and trust in Fox really sealed their relationship for me.

Overall, this book had the perfect amount of sweetness, spice, and heartbreak. Tessa Bailey has been a hit-or-miss author for me, but she really hit it out of the park with the Bellinger Sisters series – I will definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever she releases next.

Wow, I don’t have word do describe how beautifully this story of the Bellinger sisters wrapped up!! It’s amazing, hot, sad, funny and it’s the best!!

Friends to lovers will always be one of my favorite book tropes and I LOVED the prologue to this story. Through a stream of text messages, Tessa Bailey set up Fox and Hannah's story perfectly. The tension in this book was unmatched. After the fast paced first book, I was not expecting such a beautiful and hot slow burn. I loved being inside Fox and Hannah's brains and watching them pine for each other. I loved It Happened One Summer but there was just something so magical and endearing about Fox and Hannah. I really loved the challenges the characters had to overcome and the lessons they needed to learn. I found myself connecting deeply to both Fox and Hannah. I also really loved the music included in this book (so much so that I made a Spotify playlist and added to it as I read).

For my Swifties:
-peace
-The Archer
-Renegade
-Delicate

WOW. I didn’t expect to love Hannah and Fox more than I loved Piper and Brandon, but I think it’s true. While Piper and Brandon both had their own things to work through, the amount of psychological build up weighing Fox down is horrendous – and I love how Hannah refuses to back down or give up on him.

Not only that, but as much as Piper comes into her own in her own book, Hannah does so in her book even more. Piper was basically forced into it – leaving her party life and easy money behind to own and take care of a bar. But Hannah? Hannah has always lifted up others, helped others chase their dreams, and made other people feel seen and be made to feel special. But she finally realizes that she deserves all of that just as much – so she’s finally standing up, speaking up, and owning her voice. AND I LOVED EVERY MOMENT OF IT.

This book releases tomorrow and I cannot recommend reading it enough … and I mean it … go get it. Now.

That said, there will be characters you hate – just know, I hate them too and you’re not alone <3 Toxic masculinity is strong in this one, but watching them tear it apart is inspiring.

This book was unputdownable and I didn’t want to see it end. I also have to say that the way Hannah and Fox look at each other will make your heart race. Enjoy it!

What a delightful read! As someone who hasn't yet read the first installment of this series, It Happened One Summer, I fell in step immediately with the plot, characters, what-not.

Hannah and Fox are a magnetic pairing, and I loved their banter and their chemistry. As Fox tries to push back against others' perception of him as a sleazebag, I always appreciated Hannah's maturity in her conversations with him. There are a lot of healthy and mature relationships in this book. They compromise with each other over time, rather than wholly changing who they are as people.

I was not heavily interested in the relationships with the Hollywood characters--they seemed both one-dimensional and solely designed to get Hannah to Westport. But all in all, I enjoyed this one!

King crab fisherman Fox Thornton is the biggest flirt and well known good time of Westport. And that’s just the way he likes it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. His usual charms and good looks don’t seem to work on her, but she’s enjoying his personality? Now, Hannah is back in Westport to work on a movie project and crashes with Fox in his spare bedroom. Hannah has a hopeless crush on her director, Sergei, and Fox is just the person to help her catch his eye. But as Hannah spends more time with Fox, the lines between friendship and flirtation begin to blur.

I went into this book with zero expectations that it would top It Happened One Summer. BUT Y’ALL IT DID. If I hadn’t had such a busy week, I would’ve easily finished this book in one sitting. This book has so much going for it! Friends to lovers, good music, and all the flirtatious banter. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved Piper and Brendan. But I really enjoyed the progression and growth of Hannah and Fox so much more. My heart broke for Fox and how he was sexualized at such a young age. The way he begins to open up with Hannah and overcome his past was so heartwarming to read. This book had me laughing, smiling, and definitely shedding a few tears! Pro tip: have tissues ready for that epilogue because y’all I am not okay 😅 Thank you so much to Avon Books, Tessa Bailey, and NetGalley for my E-ARC!

Tessa Bailey is at it again! When I read It Happened One Summer, I knew that she was going to give us the very best with Fox and Hannah. What starts off as an unlikely friendship, turns into the sweetest and most delectable pairing. I love a good friends-to-lovers story. There is something so romantic about seeing two people who genuinely care for each other slowly start to unravel, bringing forth all the pining and yummy tension. As if that wasn’t enough, Ms. Bailey threw in some forced proximity and I practically perished. 🔥🪦

What I loved most about this was how Hannah and Fox supported each other’s growth. From Hannah who always felt like the supporting character in her own life story, to Fox who struggled with toxic masculinity and the pressures to keep up a façade. I simply loved these two together. Hook, Line, and Sinker was the perfect follow up to It Happened One Summer and I’m sad this series is over.