Reading romance books is my passion … and what I’d love to do on the side. If you’re new to romance novels, and want to start reading more of them, I highly recommend picking up a Tessa Bailey novel. She is the queen of steamy romance novels, in my honest opinion. If you’ve read any more books by her, please comment down below!

Synopsis:

King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a sexy, carefree flirt. Everyone knows he's a guaranteed good time--in bed and out--and that's exactly how he prefers it. Until he meets Hannah Bellinger. She's immune to his charm and looks, but she seems to enjoy his... personality? And wants to be friends? Bizarre. But he likes her too much to risk a fling, so platonic pals it is.

Now, Hannah's in town for work, crashing in Fox's spare bedroom. She knows he's a notorious ladies' man, but they're definitely just friends. In fact, she's nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport's resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker's eye... yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can't deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.

Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she's walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and... and... man overboard! He's fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he's all in, she'll choose him instead?

My Review:

Tessa Bailey has done it once again. I’ve dubbed her the queen of steamy romance novels—but I haven’t read too many steamy romance novels, so I may be a little biased in my review.

This is the sequel to the beloved It Happened One Summer book and stars Piper Bellinger’s little sister, Hannah Bellinger as she returns to the small town of Westport, Washington for her job as a production assistant. Although she’s a PA, she dreams of scoring music (like Jesse from Pitch Perfect) and the only way she can learn more is shadow the music producer on the set of the movie she’s working on.

When Hannah returns to Westport, not only does she reunite with her sister, Piper, and her sister’s fiance, Brendan, she also reunites with her friend, Fox Thornton, a King Crab fisherman and someone she’s been exchanging borderline flirty (yet friendly) text messages for the last seven months.

But she tries to put Fox out of her mind as she’s harboring a secret crush on the movie’s director, Sergei.

However, in this friends-to-lovers romance trope, Hannah tries to shut down feelings for Fox because Fox is a player. But we also get to hear from Fox. And honestly? I really, truly loved reading Fox’s POV over Hannah’s. I thought Hannah was a bit whiny at times, and although I could relate to her being a people pleaser and someone who loves to help others and put others above herself, Hannah was annoying at times and I wanted to fast forward her chapters. I liked her badass energy when she wanted to be, but for the most part, I was wanting to get to Fox’s chapters.

When it comes to Fox Thornton, everyone passes him up as a playboy and a one-night-stand, not the relationship guy. Even his best friend, Brendan, thinks this way as he forbids her from pursuing Hannah, his fiance’s little sister. Fox has always been pigeonholed into this “character” of playboy, and you (the reader) can tell that really messed with his head, self-worth, and commitment issues. The entire time I was reading his chapters (listening, because I listened on audio), I kept hearing the bridge to You’re On Your Own, Kid by Taylor Swift. He is the epitome of that song and I’m pretty sure he would cry to that bridge (lol, relatable).

Did I like this book? Absolutely—Tessa Bailey is a superb romance writer. Did I like this book better than It Happened One Summer? Not necessarily. I think both books had strengths and weaknesses of its own. I would say I loved Fox’s character in the second book and relationship between Piper and Brendan in the first book (that grumpy/sunshine can’t be beat).

I am VERY excited for the first book to be turned into a movie and anticipating that this second book gets adapted as well!

Rating: 3.5/5

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