Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I have tried to get on the Tessa Bailey train, and I simply cannot handle it. All of her books are extremely cringey and entirely surface level. I could not stand the characters in this one, and since it was a novella, there was zero time to develop any type of character growth. I feel like Tessa just writes books as fast as she can with cheap sex scenes and unlikeable characters... I probably won't pick up another one of hers.

What a fun story! I immediately fell.in love with Britta and Sumner. They had such great chemistry together and the fake marriage plot hooked me in further. I love all of Tessa Bailey's writing and this novella was no different! Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for an advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Thank you NetGalley for a free e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In "Same Time Next Year" by Tessa Bailey, readers are treated to a sizzling novella that blends humor, heart, and a dash of serendipity in a tale that is as engaging as it is steamy. The story centers around Britta, a spirited waitress with a firm rule against dating hockey players, and Sumner Mayfield, a talented player on the cusp of NHL fame but with a visa dilemma. Their solution? A fake marriage, born out of a wild New Year's Eve decision, which sets the stage for an unexpectedly deep connection.

Bailey's narrative is a masterful balance of lighthearted fun and emotional depth. The setting of Sluggers, the local bar, serves as a perfect backdrop for this quirky romance, encapsulating the small-town charm and tight-knit community vibes. The novella shines in its character development; Britta, with her ambition and vulnerability, and Sumner, with his dedication and hidden depths, are crafted with such authenticity that they leap off the page. Their chemistry is palpable, and their journey from a hasty decision to genuine affection is both believable and heartwarming.

The novella format works well for this story, as Bailey skillfully condenses the evolution of Britta and Sumner's relationship without sacrificing emotional resonance. The pacing is brisk, keeping the reader engaged from start to finish. The inclusion of humor, particularly through the secondary characters and the dynamics at Sluggers, adds a delightful layer to the narrative.

However, "Same Time Next Year" is not without its limitations. The brevity of the novella format means that certain plot elements and character backstories are not as fleshed out as they could be in a full-length novel. This occasionally leaves the reader wanting more detail and depth, particularly in understanding the motivations and past experiences of the main characters.

Content warnings for steamy scenes and adult language are appropriate, making this novella best suited for readers who enjoy contemporary romance with a spicy edge. Fans of sports romance and fake-marriage tropes will particularly find this story appealing.

In conclusion, Tessa Bailey's "Same Time Next Year" is a delightful, fast-paced novella that offers a perfect blend of romance, humor, and warmth. It's a testament to Bailey's skill as a storyteller that she can pack so much heart into such a compact format. For those looking for a quick but satisfying romantic read, this novella is a sure bet.

As always, thank you NetGalley for allowing me to receive a copy of this Novella. The overview sounded like this would be a cute, fun read. I'm glad I only gave it an afternoon. The premise of the story sounded like a cute rom-com. Girl marries a guy in order for him to get a green card to remain in the US. That took up a few pages. Then I felt like I was reading Fifty Shades again. (Which was better).
Sadly, I wasn't fan and don't think I"ll recommend this book to others.

I technically stopped this one at 70% because I just couldn’t get invested. I love Tessa Bailey but this one wasn’t my fav

First, this cover is the best. It’s so cute. Second, this was everything I wanted and needed in a Christmas Romance. The romance was sweet and spicy. Fake marriage is one of my all time favorite tropes. The chemistry between Britta and Somner was off the charts. The story was just so good. I would love more stories from the side characters. Hint hint dear author! I highly recommend this one! Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Original Stories for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first Tessa Bailey book and I absolutely loved it. The perfect amount of spice. They were the perfect couple. And I’m happy it was long enough to understand her struggles with wanting a relationship but wasn’t too much of a slow burn.

I'm usually not a big fan of novellas. I think it's tough to build a solid storyline in a limited space. But let me tell you - -- Tessa Bailey did just that and more with Same Time Next Year. I was able to get to know the characters and actually feel invested in them and their happily ever after. I also had ample opportunities to be frustrated when they both did foolish things.

This is basically a marriage of convenience when Britta agrees to marry Sumner so he can stay in the country and continue to pursue his NHL dream. Britta assumes she'll be helping him out for a year. What she doesn't count on is catching feelings but man does she ever catch them.

This novella was a pleasant surprise for me. I really enjoyed the characters and plot of this book and hope that Ms. Bailey will be writing more books from this world.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review this and the opinions contained within are my own.

This is the Tessa I know and love, spicy, funny, a tad bit corny. She is back to her old self with this novella, and I love to see it. I really enjoyed the plot - fake marrying her brother's teammate so that he can get a green card. if you want a quick little romp, a spicy good time, and you don't mind characters who have a strong physical attraction to each other this would be a good one to pick up!

Thank you Netgalley, Amazon Original Stories, and Tessa Bailey for the eARC. Same Time Next Year is available through Kindle Unlimited, and it also comes with free Audible narration.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this eARC!

I had high hopes for Tessa Bailey’s newest novella. I was intrigued by the plot and tropes as well as excited about New Years Eve Setting. However, this novella was not my favorite.

Most of the reasons I did not love this story can be summed up from the following quote:

“I should have gone to Sluggers, carried her into the office, and kissed her until we were on the same page.”

The relationship in this book begins with a marriage of convenience, which I am all here for, but then digresses into something that is supposed to be a slow burn. That idea/ concept is muddled throughout the 100 pages with multiple large time hops and left me wanting more development from both sides of the story.

Sumner’s biggest personality traits are hockey and liking Britta. Throughout the book, I felt I only got to see his puppy dog love and not his growth to earn a place in their relationship. At the beginning of the book, he literally pays her to enter their fake marriage and then does nothing else to invest in Britta besides begging her to like him back.

Britta on the other hand seemed to be a deep character. Between family trauma that has led to very clear relationship boundaries and her stock in the restaurant, especially after Sumner’s bribe, I was excited to see her grow. Unfortunately, it felt like the rest of the story pushed these interesting qualities aside to make way for physical attraction.

Two things I really loved: The dual POVs and the Smut. Honestly, if you like Tessa Bailey’s works this is worth a read. It skips past lots of details and character development BUT it could be just something fun to read.

In the end, my review comes down to the fact that Sumner and Britta had two very different relationship ideals going into the marriage of convenience and by the end one had sacrificed a lot of their values just to be with the other person. The relationship seems to only grow based on their physical attraction/need for one another rather than a genuine building of relationship. Probably a symptom of the story being restricted to a novella.

I will continue to read Tessa Bailey’s novels but this one was just not for me. Two Stars ⭐⭐

Alright, is this the *best* writing for Tessa? No, it’s not. BUT it is a quick little smutty sports romance novella that’s a fun read. It might be a great option to help you if you’re in a slump or just want something super quick to read!

Read this book if you like
▫️fake marriage
▫️marriage of convenience
▫️hot hockey men/sports romance
▫️novella under 150 pages

I’m not a huge fan of insta-love, which this has, but Sumner was a sweet Canadian hottie & I loved how protective he is of Britta. 🥹🩷 all my stars for this rating go to him.

This was a sweet novella from Tessa Bailey. It wasn't her finest work, but it was good for a novella. It hit the spot for a quick enjoyable read.

I think I like Tessa Bailey’s books more in theory than in reality. This was a fun, steamy fake marriage novella. I appreciated the fast pace to keep the story moving.

Oooh I didn't care for this one. It's a shame because it was my first Tessa Bailey and it's never really fair to judge an author only on a novella where there's just not enough time to fully develop the plot or the characters. But honestly, neither of those things were even where my issues lay. It was the smut! It was part gross and part cringey and it really gave me the ick. As did the dialogue both in and out of the bedroom. I'll still give probably one of her full-length novels a whirl (preferably not a hockey one) before I decide if this author is for me or not.

"Same Time Next Year" begins with the promise of a humorous Tessa Bailey short story, and as a fan of marriage of convenience tales, I was intrigued. The male lead, Sumner, embodies the too-good-to-be-true archetype, swiftly falling for his teammate's sister, Britta, who has sworn off men.

The plot takes an interesting turn when Sumner faces a green-card issue, leading to the convenient solution of marrying Britta. Surprisingly, she agrees, setting the stage for them to spend time together preparing for their immigration interview. As they delve into each other's lives, genuine feelings develop.

However, the story ultimately falls short of expectations for me. It left me wondering if, as a full-length Tessa Bailey novel, it might have achieved a more satisfying impact. While the premise holds promise, the short format seems to limit the depth and development that could elevate the narrative to Bailey's usual standard.

In conclusion, "Same Time Next Year" offers a promising start with the comedic flair characteristic of Tessa Bailey. Yet, the constraints of the short story format hinder its ability to fully explore the potential of the engaging plot and well-crafted characters.

Perfect blend of holidays, fluff, and spice. A sweet marriage of convenience trope. A reverse of “the proposal” it hits several popular tropes with hockey romance, brother’s teammate, black cat/golden retriever and lots of my wife feelings. Sweet and spicy little novella that I really enjoyed.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for this Advanced Reader's Copy of Same Time Next Year by Tessa Bailey!

If you're a Meghan Quinn fan, Tessa Bailey will not disappoint! Bailey's latest, Same Time Next Year, is peppered with laugh-out-loud moments and spicy sex scenes that keep you entertained throughout the book.
Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the ARC ebook I read to complete this review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I love a marriage of convenience story! Sometimes novellas can be hit or miss with not enough plot or character development but this was really nicely done. I felt like the pacing was perfect and really enjoyed these characters.

Bailey packs a full romance arc—and her trademark heat—into novella Same Time Next Year. Despite the short length, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything from Britta and Sumner’s story.

In this marriage-of-convenience tale, Britta marries Canadian hockey player Sumner, so that he can stay in the United States and get his chance to move up in the hockey world. Britta doesn’t have fond feelings towards marriage, so she sets boundaries for them: they’ll be friends only and there is an expiration date on their match. Sumner, well, he’s basically been in love with Britta since the moment he saw her, so he agrees to her terms. This is his chance to get to know her better and to further his hockey career.

We know how these things go, though, don’t we? It’s tough to fight feelings and attraction. Maybe this marriage in name only will mean something more. Maybe there won’t be an expiration date after all.

Thank you to Amazon Original Stories and NetGalley for an advance copy. All review opinions are my own.