I really loved this book! It was one of the most fun sports romances that I’ve read in a long time, and also the first golf romance that I’ve ever read. This author always slays a good grumpy sunshine book! Fangirl Down is the first book in the Big Shots series.

Wells was once a huge golf star, but is now dwindling…fast. His behavior is as bad as his attitude. He kind of gave me Happy Gilmore vibes and the book was just as funny! Wells alienates all his fans besides his super fan Josephine. Josephine ends up becoming his caddie and inspiring his unlikely comeback. Not only was I rooting for Wells and Josephine to get their HEA, but I was really vested in Wells’s golf comeback! I was rooting for him as much as Josephine!

Josephine was a fantastic and inspirational character. She was loyal, smart, and is carrying the entire world on her shoulders. She was so worried about letting other people down that I was glad when Wells decided to step up his game and look out for her. In addition to the financial struggles that set up Josephine’s working relationship with Wells, she has Type 1 Diabetes. Her positivity despite the reality of her circumstances was inspiring.

This spice in this one was also turned up a notch! These two could not get enough of each other! Anytime and any place! Also, Wells is into R1mming, so fun surprise there!

I’m super excited for the next book in this series!

This book is a joy to read. I love the concept of a grumpy golfer, who reign his career by convincing a fan girl to become his caddy. The chemistry between Wells and Josephine is quite evident from the beginning, even though it takes a while for them to realize that the professional relationship should be personal as well. Wells is grumpy, but he ends up being such a sensitive guy who does take care of Josephine. I love Josephine, because how she thinks is really interesting and I really do enjoy the progression of the relationship. It’s a book so of course there is sexy banter that just makes you want to speed read the book. This is a really fun book.

** I received this book as an arc through NetGalley**

OMG, Tessa Bailey did it again!! Obsessed with this book from the start. I love a good grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and holy cow- Wells definitely has the grumpy lead down!! His dirty talk is also next level and I love it for Josephine. Loved Josephine's character and the dynamic of her being Wells' biggest fan turned caddy. The only thing I would change- I wish the book was longer!! I was not ready to say goodbye to Wells and Josephine by the end of the book. I would 10/10 recommend to anyone who likes a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, sports romance and smut! The sexy time scenes were top tier!

Spice rating: 4/5
Overall rating: 9.5/10

Congratulations Tessa, you’ve done it, you’ve made me like golf… or at least like a golfer 😝

From page one, I was hooked. I can’t believe I’ve had to live this long without having a sports romance book written by Tessa frickin Bailey. Josephine and Wells are the ultimate grumpy x sunshine couple in my book. The way Tessa wrote their love story, it seemed impossible not to fall in love with their chemistry, connection, and intimacy.

My only complaint, is I NEED MORE 😭 I never wanted to stop reading about them. The epilogue was perfect, but if you could just write a really fluffy book of their lives starting from where the ending left off, that would be great. 🤪

“Being around her again was like waking up after a lung transplant and remembering what it’s like to breathe.”

Wells mother truckin Whitaker is my new book boyfriend.

If you love the grumpy x sunshine trope, touch her and die mmc, and 🍑🍑🍑🍑, this book is for you. (Even if you could care less about golf, seriously read this book.)

A big thank you to Avon Books/Harper Collins Publishing and Netgalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was really enjoyable. Tessa Bailey is sometimes hit or miss for me, but this was solid. I don’t usually do sports romance but I enjoyed the aspects of it that were related to golf, especially because Josephine was clearly portrayed as a powerhouse in the sport in her own right. And loving it for its role in her life and not just because she’s a fan of a golf player.

I also appreciate how Bailey’s main characters get more and more mature. I think some of her earlier works were criticized for being a little misogynistic, but each book I’ve read since It Happened One Summer shows that she sees that her readers want healthy relationships and mature characters. Or rather, characters that grow and make the right choices, and help each other to be better without fixing each other.

I found the third act breakup to be a little contrived, but it was redeemed for me by the characters coming to intelligent, mature conclusions about themselves and their relationship through introspection. And supporting characters.

I also enjoyed how writing a heroine with T1D was in honor of her daughter, and showing how those who have to deal with a faulty pancreas can and do live lives of fullness and normalcy.

As always, Bailey’s work is full of spice and dirty talk. If that’s not your thing, you’ve been warned. If it is, you’ve been informed.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Tessa Bailey has become my go to author for great laughs and fun romance I can't put down, and Fangirl Down was no different. In fact, this book exceeds the rom com expectations.

The characters were witty and charming with the ideal amount of grumpy to her sunshine (especially with how much I wanted to squeal every time Wells admitted how much he was already head over heels for her basically- love that for both of them).

Definitely one of my favorite books by Tessa Bailey and I can't wait to read more.

4.5 stars!
Oh I LOVED this one!!!
Now I will say I was a bit hesitant because the mf plays golf and I’ve never in my life been interested in golf or know of any hot men who play golf. However, I now stand corrected because Wells Whitaker the man that you are!!! Oh I absolutely loved him and his grumpy self. And Josephine was such a breath of fresh air and I liked how open and honest she was with Wells! They balanced each other out perfectly. From the way they communicated with one another, their banter (which was hilarious fr I was audibly laughing out loud), and the tension between them?!? Y’all aren’t ready because these two are HOT HOT HOT! I just thought everything flowed beautifully and I really felt the love between both of them. I had so so much fun reading this one and I genuinely think a lot of people are going to be pleasantly surprised reading it. Don’t let it being about golf fool you okay!!! Gosh they’re so many moments I truly adored about this book but as this was an ARC I shall keep the spoilers to myself🤭

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Voyager/ Avon for the ARC!

3.75

On the surface, finding out that this is a romcom about golf and especially professionals on the nation tour, I might have immediately recommended this to my mother to read. Fortunately, not only is the book not yet released and, more importantly, I already knew that it was a Tessa Bailey romance and what that meant. In brief, though I enjoy most of them, hers are not books I would ever recommend to my mother. And if my mother has ever read anything like this, I don’t want to hear about it.

To be clear, Tessa’s books, and this is definitely one of them, she writes descriptively about sex, uncensored and sometimes very kinky.

That aside, this is a sweet, touching, inspiring story using a setting not often covered in a romcom. The characters have depth and a lot of it is believable. She has issues. He has issues. Together, they make a formidable pair. There have been other romcoms about golf, but I loved that they came together to make this formidable pair and the setting of the pro golf tour was new to me and interesting (much more interesting than the tournaments my mother watches). It’s a cute story and worth wading through some stuff that is maybe sometimes a bit too raunchy for comfort.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for providing an unbiased review.

Tessa Bailey's foray into the world of sport romance had me in the first half, but fizzled out in the end. An overreliance on tropes, likely inserted on purpose to sate the BookTok crowd, makes this one not up to par. Also a major blow to us ladies trying ardently to convince everyone that we're not working in sports just to fraternize with the male players!

The perfect read!

Now I’ll be honest I was a little worried going into this book that it was going to be information overflow about golf, but I was pleasantly surprised. This book had a beautiful balance of golf and romance!

I loved the dynamic of this book so much, I think the characters got along extremely well and their chemistry could be felt constantly throughout the book.

I loved seeing the romance develop between the two main characters, how they built a friendship and then developed into more!

THE SPICE!? OMG IT WAS SO GOOD!! Sometimes I feel asthough spice can be overdone in books and take over the plot of the book, however in Fangirl Down, it was a perfect balace of spice throughout the book.

Overall this was such a fun read and one I will definitely be rereading once it is released! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

Thank you so much to Avon, Harper Voyager, NetGalley and Tessa Bailey for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Incredibly surprised and pleased to see this book did not browbeat me with heteronormativity and gender essentialism even though it’s the straightest book I’ve ever read. The smut was fun but this was undeniably the weirdest premise ever. A golfer cannot exude a “touch her and you die” vibe because golf does not ascribe itself to violence and scruffiness. The core of the sport lies in having so much free time and wealth that you cut down acres of trees to make empty green instead of using the land for housing and community. Hard to suspend my disbelief but I suppose in fiction anything goes. The diabetes representation was well done though.

When I say I gobbled this book up….gah! I’m a firm believer Tessa can do no wrong, but this book may be my new favorite of hers. I CANNOT WAIT for Au Pair Affair. Do yourself and start this one today. 5 glorious stars.

Thanks to @netgalley and @avonbooks for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book and can't wait for the rest of the series! Sports romances are my new Roman Empire. Tessa Bailey has always had a great way of making banter and grumpy MMCs the best in her books. But Wells and Josephine def take the award for best banter. They are so well written and developed and their relationship is very real and loving.

I had so much fun with this book; it literally had me giggling and kicking in my seat. Their development from fangirl/caddie and professional golf player to equals/dating was done so well. The banter was so much fun to read about and I love that you can see just how well they know each other, even when they're bickering. Wells and Josephine are so committed to each other and it's obvious how they look at each other as a sign of security/hope. They both make each other better. It's a very wholesome relationship. I really liked Wells' character because we can see how protective he gets and he just wants to be better for her. I love that he was so transparent about his feelings, both to himself and to Josephine. He's so aware of what he needs for both of them to be happy in their relationship and I thought he was a great main character. As for the conflict, I appreciated his thinking and although I can understand Josephine to an extent, I was a little frustrated with her but it was a very quick conflict.

This book was full of humor, precious and heartfelt moments, and I was definitely not expecting to love this book as much as I do. There was a lot of depth to this story and on top of all the wholesome, playful, heartwarming, and utterly cute moments, Josephine and Wells are truly perfect for each other (I will admit though the spicy moments can get a bit cringe-y at times but this didn't really bother me much). This might just be my new favorite Tessa Bailey book!

Tessa Bailey came through and had another big hit with this one. I absolutely loved the writing and the story. Tessa Bailey has been an auto buy and auto read author for me. Thanks for the ARC copy!

I loved this book!

Wells Whitaker was golf's darling, until he blew it all up. Josephine is his #1 fangirl until the bitter end, when he walks off the course and rips her sign. After a hurricane, Wells feels compelled to help Josephine turn her life around - and falls for her in the process.

I appreciated that Tessa Bailey did not spend much time of the specifics of golf, as I don't care for it. Instead, we got some very, very steamy scenes and characters that jumped off the page.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

Tessa Bailey is truly some kind of magician to be able to make golf HOT.

I wasn’t sold on the premise of this one but I’m a TB stan so I gave it a shot and I should have known better than to question her brilliance. I was IMMEDIATELY sucked into Wells & Josephine and their electric relationship on and off the green. I AM THE FANGIRL DOWN.

From the way that she coached him to believe in himself to the way he loved her exactly the way she needed to be loved it was pure grumpy x sunshine joy. And that grumpy mouth sure can spit some GAME.

Thankfully more time spent on the relationship (🔥🔥) than on the specific details of golf but there was enough in there to make this a true sports romance, enjoyable even if you aren’t a fan of this particular sport.

Dual POV
Golfer x Caddy
Grumpy x Sunshine
Forced Proximity
Bad boy golfer
She’s his #1 fan
Touch her and die
Diabetes representation


I will forever fawn over Wells and Josephine.

Wells Whitaker might be known for his boorish behavior and consistent crudeness, but when he intentionally detonates his career and sends his last remaining fan home for good, he knows he has made the biggest mistake in his life.

After a hurricane destroys her family’s pro shop, Josephine Doyle never expected to find Wells at her door, but he is determined to do anything to help her succeed in rebuilding her legacy — even if this means rejoining the pro circuit with Josephine as his caddy.

Josephine and Wells’s chemistry is truly palpable. But, it’s the respect, honesty, trust, and loyalty that add so many layers to this all encompassing romance. Wells is utterly bewitched by Josephine’s magnetism and Josephine is just as captivated by Wells’s consistent belief in her strength.

Fangirl Down is the cheeky, enchanting sports romance you didn’t know you need!


If you love Fangirl Down, check out Kiss My Putt by Tara Sivec!

I didn't think it could be done, but Tessa Bailey made golf SEXY. And if there was a Wells Whitaker on tour right now, I can guarantee that there would be a huge increase in PGA tour viewership.

I admit that I haven't read Tessa Bailey even though I've been wanting to read a few of her books. I am so glad this was my first because this sports romance was clever, charming, and every fangirl's dream come true.

Josephine is the number one fan of pro golfer, Wells Whitaker. He was once on top of his game but has struggled both on and off the golf course. His latest attempt at making the cut for a tournament has him contemplating retirement so it still boggles his mind when he sees Josephine cheering him on at every hole. That's a fangirl for you; loyal even when the going gets tough. And then he does the one thing that could leave him all alone, he rips her 'Well's Belle' in half not only singling out his one fan but making her question her loyalty. This time it's Josephine who is ready to throw in the towel of being his #1 fan girl.

The following day, he begins to feel bad for hurting her. He finds her at her family's golf shop and makes her a proposition she can't refuse; be his caddie for a few tournaments. She could really use the money for health insurance, her diabetes medicine, and repairs on her golf shop.

Wells is grumpy, sarcastic, and one could even say a jerk but Josephine brings out his softer side. As they are prepping and going over the game plan, they are both enjoying each other's company. They laugh so much at all their inside jokes, stand up for one another, and learn to trust each other pretty quickly. I love how Wells puts her needs above his own. She was scared of him finding out that she had type 1 diabetes. She didn't want him to coddle her and treat her like she couldn't do anything because she has this disease. She wants him to know that she can control her numbers and will take care of herself.

Tessa Bailey's writing is just magical. I can picture her words and see them playing in my head like a movie. The romance was just beautiful to see. because Josephine and Wells are a perfect match. And there are a few spicy scenes for my smut lovers. Get your fans ready because things get HOTT!

Fangirl Down is a must-read sports romance that will make you want to start watching golf if you aren't a fan already! Wells will make you swoon and Josephine will leave you applauding her strength!

Fangirl Down has one of the most unique starts as we meet Josephine who is a fangirl for a golfer named Wells Whitaker. It’s clear from the start that Wells’ career is on a downward trajectory and after choking at a golf tournament, he takes it out on Josephine who is truly one of his last loyal fans.

Josephine leaves in a huff and Wells doesn’t start to feel bad until later. After some reflection, he finds her and asks her to help him get back in the sports good graces. In exchange for being his caddie and much more, he’ll give her a cut of his winnings. Given that Josephine is struggling to pay for her diabetic supplies and fixing up her parent’s golf shop, she decides to agree.

From there, we watch as Josephine slowly but surely changes Wells. He goes from being a complete jerk to being a great and respectable player and man. Of course, things start to get complicated as the attraction between them sizzles. These two are brimming with sexual tension from the start in a way that only Tessa Bailey can write.

While the story does focus a lot on Wells, we also come to love and feel for Josephine. She’s doing so much yet doesn’t get nearly as much credit as she deserves. I honestly felt stressed for her when it came to certain things. Ultimately, these two end up pushing each other in the best way and I couldn’t get enough of them as I read this book in two sittings.

As for the third-act conflict, it felt a bit predictable yet I do think it had to happen to give the story more stakes. Given that I haven’t been loving some of Tessa Bailey’s recent releases, Fangirl Down ended up being a lot of fun and surprisingly sexy. Plus we get some rep for women who like big butts and cannot lie so what’s not to like?

If you’re one of those people who are wondering if Tessa Bailey makes golf sexy, the answer is not really. There’s nothing inherently sexy about the sport yet their relationship is the right amount of sexy.