Hook, Line and Sinker (Bellinger Sisters #2) by Tessa Bailey)

5 Stars Sep 25, 2022

My review

5/5 stars

A few weeks ago, I read the first book in this series (It Happened One Summer) and loved it, so I went in for number 2 pretty quickly.

Hannah is Piper's little sister, Fox is Brendan's best friend, both were given a pretty solid introduction in the first story, but was left vague enough that there was plenty of room for character development in this book.

Hannah was, like her sister, instantly likeable and served as a fantastic leading lady, despite her own thoughts on the subject. Her love of music was a real connector for me; I loved the idea that she was able to match each moment in her life to a particular song in her head. Her loyalty and strength shone through the pages.

Fox was a fantastic male lead. He was, like Brendan, incredibly masculine, but also had a hidden pool of vulnerability that went much deeper than I anticipated. I particularly enjoyed his individual progress as a character, as it developed alongside his romance with Hannah. He had some big demons to overcome and they were written about with great sensitivity and respect.

Their relationship was a real winner for me, and by far and away my favourite part of the book. Like Piper and Brendan before them, they had fantastic chemistry, but I felt much more connected to their story than Piper and Brendan's (which caught me off guard because I gave that book 5 stars as well). The fact that they started as friends first meant that their story ran much deeper than it's predecessor. We got to know them as people in their own right first, rather than jumping straight into what they were to each other - it made their developing romance feel much more important and life-changing. The alternation between the slow-burn of their friendship and the speed with which their relationship changed provided a really exciting dynamic to the story.

I appreciated that we got to see some more of Piper and Brendan, but I really appreciated that they were fleeting visits and that the author didn't let them dominate Hannah and Fox's story. They provided some balance and guidance to the overall story, but they were a peripheral not a main attraction.

The epilogue was a beautiful and funny way to round off the story for both sisters and gave a complete sense of closure for both stories.

Adored the series, but Hook, Line and Sinker definitely wins the competition for my favourite book of the two.

Book blurb

In the follow-up to It Happened One Summer, Tessa Bailey delivers another deliciously fun rom-com about a former player who accidentally falls for his best friend while trying to help her land a different man…

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?