Hook, Line and Sinker by Tessa Bailey: My Review of this Friends to Lovers Romance
Check out the book review of Hook, Line and Sinker by Tessa Bailey from romance book blogger, She Reads Romance Books.
This book is the follow up to It Happened One Summer, one of the nominees for best romance book according to the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards.
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Hook, Line and Sinker
by Tessa Bailey
Category: Contemporary Romance
Tags: Friends to lovers, small town romance, texting, wounded hero, Forced Proximity
Coming March 2022
Amazon | Goodreads
Rating: ★★★★★
Boyfriend Rating: 
King crab fisherman Fox Thornton has a reputation as a hot, carefree flirt who’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?
Now, Hannah’s in town for work, crashing in Fox’s spare bedroom. She’s still nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead.
A sweet, emotional, friends-to-lovers romance that can’t be missed!
After falling in love with the cast of characters and town of Westport after reading, It Happened One Summer, I jumped at the chance to read Hook, Line and Sinker.
You get a glimpse of Hannah (Piper’s sister) and Fox (Brendan’s friend and coworker) in It Happened One Summer and knew that their love story was going to be just as heartfelt and wonderful. It did not disappoint!
Though this can be read as a standalone, you do get some history to Hannah and Fox’s initial connection in It Happened One Summer after going record shopping and attending a record conference.
Even though Hannah went back to Los Angeles after that summer, she and Fox started texting each other and growing their friendship.
When Hannah suggests Westport as the perfect location for the new movie her producer/boss is filming, she finds herself back in Westport and sleeping in Fox’s guest bedroom.
There is honestly so much to love about this book. Great writing, fantastic character development and an emotional storyline that tugs on your heartstrings.
There’s also no ridiculous drama or miscommunication – and maybe that’s what I loved most and admire about Bailey’s talent.
She let these two characters be real, be honest and be vulnerable but without unnecessary heartache because that’s not what was building between these two.
It would have felt like a huge disconnect if she went in that direction.
These were two adults with real feelings that trusted each other enough to bare themselves, their insecurities and give the other person the opportunity to see the true them for better or worse.
It’s also rare that the hero is the one with the most vulnerability and is the one trying to overcome a reputation that’s followed him for so long.
I loved Fox.
Here is a man who believes his worth is only about his prowess in the bedroom and is therefore only worthy of temporary entertainment.
He was hurt before when he tried to change his ways and be more than just his reputation or the assumptions of others.
My heart hurt reading Fox get a glimpse of hope of how his life could be different but not wanting to mess up.
Hannah was his perfect match.
She too was learning to use her voice in her work and also in a new, potential relationship with Fox.
She had always had a crush on her boss, pining without him knowing, but now she was afraid to put her heart on the line for a man who only ever did temporary.
She saw what Fox was trying to hide and supported him and it was magnificent.
If you love reading romances that give you the most amazing characters who aren’t afraid to be vulnerable, then you HAVE to read this book.
It was just the most pleasurable read that I couldn’t put down which is why it made my list of the best romance novels of 2022 and is a nominee in the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominees for Best Romance.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
Related Reviews:
- It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
- Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey
- Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey
- The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey
Related Lists:
- Best Romance Novels of 2022
- Most Anticipated Romance Books Coming in 2022
- Tessa Bailey Books in Order
- Best Friends to Lovers Books to Snuggle Up With
- The Best Slow Burn Romance Books
- Best Forced Proximity Romance Books
- 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards Nominees for Best Romance
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