Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
Bellinger Sisters #2
Contemporary Romance
3/1/2022, by Avon

Review by Angela

It Happened One Summer was one of my favorite books last year. When I tell you that I wanted Fox and Hannah’s book desperately I’m not exaggerating. I would have done pretty much anything for an early copy. Which is why when it landed on my Kindle in October I dropped everything to read.

And I was not disappointed.

This is very much a determined bachelor bad boy turned to mush over a quirky, musical girl friends-to-lovers romance. Also, I fell for Hannah and her connection to music in a way I haven’t fallen for a heroine in a good long while. I loved this woman so much. If you’ve read the first book in this series, It Happened One Summer, then you’ve already met Hannah and Fox. If not here is a quick rundown: Hannah is Piper’s sister and also her exact opposite. Where Piper is an Instagram fashionista/party girl, Hannah’s life revolves around music and working her way up in the movie industry where she can turn that love of music into a career. But these sisters are close and supportive, they really are each other’s best friend. So when Piper gets banished to the small fishing village of Westport, Hannah sticks by her side and goes with her. And this is where Piper meets her love and eventual husband, Brendan, and Hannah befriends Brendan’s shipmate Fox.

Hook, Line, and Sinker opens with Hannah back home and working on a movie. She and Fox are texting regularly and have settled into the friend zone. She has an acknowledged crush on a co-worker and Fox is an admitted bachelor who likes his casual hookups. But as the reader, you can sense that there is interest on both sides and that their friendship could me more. But Hannah regularly feels like she hasn’t yet achieved true leading lady status in her life and career and Fox lets others’ opinions of him rule his actions and thoughts about what kind of person he truly is.

Their romance is special and right from the beginning you can tell they are both truly lovely people. Hannah is just such a caring, supportive, loyal person. Her goodness radiates with every interaction and thought. She often relays her moods and feelings through music and I completely understood that. Fox, despite his insistence that he was bad at relationships, time and again handles Hannah with protectiveness and care. I loved watching them go from friends to falling deeply in love. Fox’s character growth is so well done and I felt for him as he pined for Hannah, not knowing what to do, convinced that he was no good for her, but unable to let her really go.

It must be said that the steam factor is pretty high. Once this couple finally gives in and has each other I’m surprised my kindle didn’t catch on fire with the hotness. This is good stuff, y’all. But it’s the emotional connection that really got to me and kept me rooting for them till the end and their HEA.

This slow-burn, friends to lovers romance should absolutely be on your to-read list. Tessa Bailey hit it out of the ballpark with the Bellinger sisters and their love stories. I’ve firmly placed both books on my favorite, comfort read shelf.

Final grade- A

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