Tessa bailey

Hello readers! Today, I’ve got a romance set in a small town in the Pacific Northwest with a king crab fisherman for a male lead and a music loving female lead. Lead? Main character. It’s quite charming. Here’s the format for this review- I’ll give you a synopsis, my review, who I think should read this, and a pairing of some sort. Without further ado…..

Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey

The Synopsis

In book one of this duology, It Happened One Summer, we meet the Bellinger sisters, Piper and Hannah. Piper’s story is told in book one. Hannah is our girl for book two, Hook, Line, and Sinker. In book one, Hannah and Piper find themselves nearly broke and in the small town where their father is highly regarded after his death. As they get to know the people in town, they start to make a life for themselves and that’s when Hannah meets Fox, a king crab fisherman who is a bit of a ladies man. They are forced to spend time together on their own and bond over Hannah’s love of music. This causes something to shift in Fox and causes them to strike up a real friendship.
Now for book two. Hannah and Fox have been texting each other for about a year sharing songs that perfectly describe their day or the mood they are in. When the film Hannah is working on hits a snag, she suggests heading to Westport for an authentic setting as the perfect backdrop. While planning, she realizes the guest room at her sister’s house is already spoken for, but Fox agrees to let her crash at his place. After all, they’re best friends at this point. When Hannah arrives Fox starts to see Hannah in a new light. But Fox has always been a playboy. Will he have it in his heart to change? Or will he throw away the best thing that might have ever happened to him?

My Review

Admittedly, I was a big fan of book one, so book two was a no-brainer for me. I do not think that you have to read the first one to understand everything about the second book, but I did like knowing the context of everything going on. It’s worth your time to read both. I thought this was a great summer read due to its light and fluffy content. Nothing got too serious, and I had fun reading it. I will warn the more sensitive readers that this has some open door romantic content. If that’s not your thing, skim through those parts or skip this series altogether. I’m sad to not visit Westport anymore, but I’m sure glad I got to visit it for two books. The narrator on audio is a tad annoying, but not so annoying that I needed to stop listening. I gave it 4 stars.

Who Should Read It?

Lovers of romance and romcoms. Readers that don’t mind a bit of spicy content. Music lovers. I didn’t play this up enough. There’s so many music references in this book. I loved that! Read this if you’re a fan of the friends to lovers and forced proximity tropes.

Pair It With…

Any of the records mentioned in this book but playing your favorite record will work. I think this one also pairs well with a pool or the beach. And of course…with book one, It Happened One Summer.

Let me know if you visit Westport and get to know the Bellinger sisters! Get your copy of Hook, Line, and Sinker at your local library, independent bookstore, secondhand book website, or here.

Hello book lovers! As of today my Goodreads reading challenge page says I’m four books behind schedule. Oy! I have been cheating with a few podcasts, but life has also been consuming, and it has pushed reading to the back burner. No matter, though. Summer is around the corner, and I should have plenty of time to catch up. Do you do a reading challenge every year? Mine is always to read one more book than the year before, and I have to read 70 to reach my goal this year. (YIKES) But I managed to knock out seven this month, so that ain’t too shabby. Without further ado…

All My Knotted Up Life- Beth Moore

I’ve already spoken about this book in my last post, but I can say that it was my favorite read of April. Beth Moore has been teaching me about Jesus through books, bible studies, sermons, and interviews for as long as I can remember. This particular book, her memoir, was such an interesting view into her life. And you better believe that Jesus was all through it.

It Happened One Summer- Tessa Bailey

I waited for “several months”, as the Libby app told me, for It Happened One Summer. I had heard Tessa Bailey was a lot of fun and a little bit spicy. I would say that’s a fair description of her writing. This book follows an LA socialite to a small seaside town where she and her sister are forced to live for a short time. Naturally, the big city girl comes to the small town and falls in love with it all. Think Hallmark movie plot with HBO liberties. It was a fun read, and I’m already on the wait list for the book about this main character’s sister.

The Bodyguard- Katherine Center

For book club we read The Bodyguard. I enjoyed this book, but it was just okay. I say that because when I had to put it down, I wasn’t compelled to pick it up again or stay up late to finish it. It was a cute story of a female bodyguard that has been given the assignment of a handsome movie star. The close proximity and her recent breakup give you a will they/won’t they vibe. Again, it was cute but just okay for me.

I’m Glad My Mom Died- Jennette McCurdy

Boy, was this a tough one. However, it was incredibly done. This woman is truly a writer. I think that’s why this work so well. Jennette McCurdy did not have an easy childhood. One might even say it was a tad tumultuous. She explains in great detail her mom’s influence on her life, her disordered eating, and her inability to live life for herself. I truly did enjoy this book. I listened on the Libby app. Jennette reads it herself, which must have been tough, but it was nice to hear it in the author’s voice. I hate this term, but know there are tons of trigger warnings.

Matilda- Roald Dahl

After watching Matilda: The Musical on Netflix and loving the 90s movie with Danny DiVito, I knew that Matilda was going to be the perfect story to read to my students. Each class is different, but I knew that my students could handle the harshness of The Trunchbull and the magic of Matilda’s telekinesis. I’d never read this book, and I was blown away at the fun we had while reading it. I found the 90s movie on Youtube, as our school doesn’t allow Netflix, and we were able to do a comparison of the book and the movie during a few lunch breaks. What fun we’ve had! Reading to children is truly one of the greatest joys. Force it upon your kids! 🙂 You’ll all learn to love it.

The Great Gatsby- F. Scott Fitzgerald

My other book club likes to conquer a classic once a year, and this time we chose The Great Gatsby. I think I had read it twice before, but I was more than happy to read it again. I have always been fascinated with the story. This was exacerbated by the release of the movie featuring Leonardo Di Caprio. It’s his best look ever in a film. I digress…. I had different feelings about this tragic story. I felt that perhaps Gatsby was a bit obsessive. I used to find him to be completely enamored with Daisy, but this reading made me feel there was something unstable about him. Do I blame modern times on this thinking? Perhaps. I still enjoyed the story and wanted even more. A member of my book club expressed a need for more of the story about Myrtle’s demise, and I agree! Wouldn’t that have been a fun few chapters in the book! Anyway, I always recommend this book followed up with a watch of the movie.

Gather and Give: Sharing God’s Heart Through Everyday Hospitality- Amy Hannon

Mama kept telling me about this account on Instagram called Euna Mae’s. I finally started following the account and quickly learned to love Amy Hannon. We talked about her and expressed interest in going to one of her events, but mom settled on first giving me her book for Christmas this past year. I decided to take it slow and read it here and there during my quiet time in the morning. It took a long time to finish it, but I did. Along the way I made all but three of the recipes in the book. Each chapter ends with a recipe that is meant for sharing with others. I enjoyed making them so much. The chicken pot pie has been made multiple times in this Norman house. If you love Jesus and desire entertaining, I highly recommend this book to you.

How about that? Seven books in an incredibly busy month. I mean, I feel like it has zoomed by, and I can’t believe it’s over! I’d love to hear if you’ve read any of these books or hear what you’ve read in general. I’m still currently working on the last book in the ACOTAR series called A Court of Silver Flames. I’m also reading The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer during my quiet time now. So far it’s depressing but I’m hoping it will give me hope by the end. I’m also listening to The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn and am loving it! Leave me a comment to tell me your favorite book of April. Why not add more books to our TBR? 🙂

Tag: Tessa bailey

Book Review: Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey