Tessa Bailey does it again!

I really enjoyed this one! It was super fast-paced and I loved the relationship between Beat and Melody (despite them having really cliché names). Melody is such a witty and fun character and one I could probably relate heavily to if she had a bit more depth. This forced proximity and love-at-first-sight romance had me on the edge of my seat with just the perfect amount of spice. I really didn't want the story to end. It was so enjoyable, I had to force myself to slow down at times as I wanted to savour this one. I really liked the concept of a live-streamed reality show for 12 hours at a time and know in this day and age, people would lap this up just how it is described in the book. I also loved reading a festive love story with New Zealand just coming out of winter. It brought all those cozy vibes back!

This one wasn't totally without flaws though... I felt like the characters didn't have a lot of depth. Like their whole personalities revolved around each other and we never really got to know them outside of their romance and interactions with each other. This was quite apparent with Beat. I couldn't understand why Melody kept justifying his actions until the end when it finally clicked for me. I felt like with a bit more character development I would have a little more sympathy for him and would have understood him better. I also didn't really vibe with how fast their relationship progressed but that might just be a me thing as I LOVE a good slow-to-moderate-burn romance.

4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins NZ for sending me a copy of this one to review! I really enjoyed it!

I'd like to thank HarperCollins Australia for allowing me to read this book early as an ARC copy via NetGalley!

Another great read from Miss Tessa Bailey! This was so entertaining, fast-paced, and fun!
'Wreck the Halls' is a standalone holiday rom-com about the children of two superstars, known as the Steel Birds. The two children, Beat and Melody are tasked with reuniting their mothers to perform for a Christmas Eve concert, which is a hard task- as their mothers haven't spoken for a very long time.

Tessa Bailey did a fantastic job creating an amazing atmosphere for this novel, and as I was reading I felt like I was in New York watching the events of the book play out right in front of me! Tessa did an amazing job creating the relationship between Beat and Melody, and it felt so real! The dialogue between the two characters is witty enough to be interesting but sentimental enough to feel romantic. The perfect balance.

The only reason I docked a star from my rating was due to the overall vibe of the novel. I just wish there was more of an effort made to make it feel really like a Christmas novel, similar to Bailey's 'Window Shopping'. That gave all the Christmas vibes, which I really enjoyed.

This was a great rom-com, that I recommend you go read!

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I really enjoyed My Killer Vacation and everything about Wreck the Halls sounded like it would be another fun read. What’s not to like: adult children of Rockstar Royalty, friends to lovers, one wild road trip of forced proximity that’s being filmed as a holiday special.

For you if you enjoy: Insta-love (literally on the first pages), holiday vibes, spice, NYC @ Xmas and filmed reunion tours.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the chance to read it earlier.

4 stars! Imagine if “Daisy Jones and the Six” metamorphosed into a holiday rom-com, picturing Daisy and Billy’s offspring endeavoring to reunite the band and inadvertently falling in love in the process… all happening live instead of being documented in a film. This read is charming with Tessa Bailey’s distinctive flair and sizzle, blended with moments that are utterly outlandish. It’s a concoction of enjoyable, sultry, and ludicrous elements rolled into one.

This was a cosy and fun Christmas read featuring soulmates! A great escape and a good book to binge in a day or two (I didn't but probably would've enjoyed it more if I could have). Enough depth to it but overall just an enjoyable read for not having to take life too seriously and buying into being immediately connected to someone. Fun!

Thank you to HarperCollins Australia/Avon Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

4 stars - 2 spice
Wreck The Halls by Tessa Bailey.
A beautifully written friends to lover story.
Beat & Melody are the children to 2 famous band members who split after the children are born.
They spend years not knowing a lot about each other until a production company brings them together to work on getting the band back together for a one time event.
This is a funny, witty, romance set in the month of December.
Has a great amount of spice (as does most of Tessa's books)
Easy, fast paced read.

This was an enjoyable read. I loved the concept of the children of members if a rock band reuniting them and falling in love.
Melody was a fantastic FMC!
I couldn't get past Beats name. It just made me cringe so hard, especially during their intimate moments.
Speaking of, I really disliked the spicy scenes. I skipped majority of them and read the dialogue only. It was too much.
Not bad, probably my favourite book by this author.

Wreck the Halls is a cute little Rom Com about to children of former rock stars falling in love while they try to bring their mom’s band back together.

Tessa Bailey is one of my favourite romance authors, for her fun and light hearted story and this story delivers on this front. It’s fun, light-hearted and the characters have great back stories and flaws and problems that make them so likeable and relatable.

It’s not super Christmas themed, the story just happens around that time. However, for those who live in the northern hemisphere (which I do not) I feel it would make it feel more of a wintery read.

The main problem I had with this book was the insta love. I felt there wasn’t enough time for the couple to fully flesh out their relationship. In the context that this is a fictional seasonal romcom, however, I think it’s prefect for the person who wants to curl up with a book with a hot drink on the count down to Christmas and binge the book in one day.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Australia for the chance to read this book.

I loved this story! The reality show hype, the popular guy falling for the nerdy girl and the steamy chemistry, all combine for a full story that is funny and a heartwarming at the same time! Their mothers are also hilarious and add a quirky element to the story.

It's a great story to read when you need a laugh or don't want anything serious. You can't help but cheer on the relationship between Melody and Beat (though I don't love his name!). I could totally imagine the real life hype a reality show like this would create.

Tessa Bailey doesn’t miss! Another hilariously heart warming story, featuring two main characters you can’t help but fall in love with instantly.

This would be a perfect holiday read, although I could probably reread it any day of the year, it’s that good!

This book was definitely a 'cutesy' christmas read with second chance romance. I didn't love the names of the characters, and I felt like me focusing on those as I read really detracted from my experience as a reader. It was a typical Tessa book, light and airy and a super easy read.
Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with an early copy of this book.

This book is Tessa Bailey gold!
Absolutely loved the story of Beat and Melody. It makes you dream of finding a connection similar to theirs. The added aspect of Christmas time just makes it all that more magical. And their chemistry is just perfect. The only criticism I have is how quickly it ended once it did. That and the format of the arc as a pdf meant I had to zoom each page turn to be able to read it but that says something about the book being good as I persisted through. I'm ever so grateful to have the arc to begin with, and can't wait to get my Physical copy on release.

*I will post a social media review a couple weeks prior to release as per conditions*

Can’t go wrong with Tessa Bailey, she knows how to draw the reader in and make them root for her couples!

Always makes for a fun and steamy read and this will be a popular choice for the silly season!

Tessa Bailey has been talking about this book FOR SO LONG! When Harper Collins Aus and NetGalley allowed me the pleasure to read this ARC - Christmas truly came early 🤩🎄🎅🏻

Wreck the Halls is a romantic comedy stand alone which tells the story of the children of two former rock royalties who team up to convince their parents to play a Christmas Eve concert.

In Tessa Bailey fashion, i experienced all the emotions reading this, I laughed, was angry and felt sad all in the matter of hours! I liked the love story between Melody and Beat! It's a Definite feel good read for the Tessa Bailey lover in Christmas season! 💕

The perfect sweet Christmas read. Melody and Beat are the offspring of one of the world’s most popular rock duos. Their mothers broke up the band before they were born and the world has been crying out for a reunion ever since. Now Beat needs the money and the two of them set out on a reality show to get the band together. This is an Insta love story so avoid it if you don’t like that trope.
Melody is an absolute delight! She has charisma and the best one liners. Beat is charming and protective. I loved the two ladies of rock and their over the top personalities. It was interesting to see a male character with sexual issues so openly discussed.
I felt like I wanted more drama behind the break up of the band as the issue is resolved quite easily.
In fact the second act breakup is also resolved quite easily.
Despite this I really enjoyed reading this story, the characters are so likeable. Can see this as the next big holiday movie!

Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for this arc copy. All opinions are my own.

I adored this book, my heart is full and my soul is squealing with delight. The premise of Melody and Beat attempting to reunite their rockstar mothers for a one-off concert on Christmas Eve was a lot of fun to watch unfold. The chemistry between the two of them was palpable off the page, I couldn’t put it down!
While I wouldn’t really call this a holiday romance, there was sprinkles of festive red throughout which were a lot of fun including a good snowball fight.
There was also a lot of heavier themed explored throughout the story, for example the way that Melody and Beat have reacted to the pressure of being in the public eye their whole lives and their relationships with their families, especially their mums.
I loved this book, one I’d highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

This had me cackling and filled with all the holiday warm fuzzies - I simply loved this book.

It was the warm hug, romcom read I was looking for. The MCs were refreshingly honest and approachable and shared their personal growth journeys so authentically despite the storyline being a little outside regular life. It included so many of my favourite tropes and reminded me why I love Tessa Bailey’s writing. Whilst this book wasn’t quite a ‘Hook, Line and Sinker’, Melody and Beat gave me all the fun banter I’ve come to crave in the romcom genre!

Highly recommend for anyone looking for that joyful comfort read over the holidays!

Big thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the arc!

Wreck the Halls is another laugh out loud book from Tessa Bailey.

Wreck the Halls is lightly Christmas themed with plenty of smut.
If you know Tessa Bailey's work, you know she writes good smut with plenty of consent.

Once again, comedy gold. Maybe that's my New Zealand humour but I always resonate with Tessa's comedic moments.

Overall I enjoyed this book, just not to the degree I thought I would. A number of Tessa Bailey books are 5 star reads for me but this is sitting more in the 3 range for me.

I struggled to engage with this book outside of the comedy moments and even found some of the smut tedious.. I downloaded a copy mid August and it took me until the 6th of Sept to finish which is unheard of for me with Tessa's books.
Most of this initially was due to the characters names. Together I just couldn't take them seriously.
"There's no Beat without a Melody."

I did like that Tessa shortened Melody to Mel as at one point Beat tells her "Go to sleep Mel" and as Mel is my name I took the invitation and had the best nap.

I was gifted a digital ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Thank you to Tessa Bailey, NetGalley, and HarperCollins.

I DEFY you to read this book and not fall head over heels in love with Beat and Melody. I realise I am not telling you anything new, but Tessa Bailey is so good at writing steamy contemporary romance that my eyeballs are on fire.

This wonderful seasonal rom-com is not my usual fare - I don't get into Christmas themed romance as a general rule. But this was a winter book with all the charm of a Christmas story and without any of the the kitschness (is that a word? it is now)

You will just adore the two main characters but what absolutely made the story for me was Octavia and Trina. I want to see them on stage. I am picturing Angelina Jolie and Laura Linney in those roles respectively.

Make that movie someone. You have until next Christmas.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Harper Collins Australia. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes
✦ Forced proximity
✦ Insta-love
✦ Only one bed
✦ Opposites attract

I adore Tessa Bailey and Christmas so this book felt like it was made for me.
Beat and Melody are a dream couple and you can feel their chemistry from the very beginning.

It’s such a fun and lighthearted book but is also a little dark without being stressful.

The characters are well developed and so loveable. The plot is so fun and enjoyable and will definitely get you in the Christmas mood.