[Emily’s Review]: Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey (Bellinger Sisters #2)

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?

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...

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Piper and Brendan and Hannah and Fox and Westport never left my mind and upon finishing It Happened One Summer… I needed more immediately.

So, Did I stay up all night reading this book. Yes. 
Did I cry at Fox’s big realization and declaration of love? Yes. OF COURSE I DID!

This novel is one about trying new things, putting yourself out there, being in charge of your own destiny and making tough choices while thinking about the long term. It is so steamy but thought provoking, silly but full of kindness. I really can’t recommend it enough.

I think I liked Hook Line and Sinker more than It Happened One Summer! Hook Line and Sinker was a story about growing together and succeeding as a team. Whereas It Happened One Summer was a book about personal journeys and how you have to be good with yourself before becoming good with someone else. Both had great lessons and plots. But as a happily married woman, I definitely identified more with Hannah and Fox’s journey.

Hannah and Fox’s love story was patient and kind, supportive and it was truly rooted in friendship.
It’s the kind of love that everybody wishes for but so rarely often receives. It also helped that they had some seriously undeniable chemistry. This book was hot.

Hannah was an excellent heroine. She was the strong one, she was the one who kept things together and all the emotions in check and I loved that. 
It is so common for the male main character to hold all the cards. To know the status of the relationship first. To be the one to nurse the female’s character back to health, emotionally and physically. 
The men are the “strong” ones, and the women are the ones with character flaws to over come, insecurities that hold them back. Women are almost always depicted as the weaker sex. Hannah took that line of thinking and said, “NOT TODAY!”.

Tessa Bailey took on the patriarchy and won this round.
She handled a toxic, overly masculine culture with a deft hand. Fox was a vulnerable character. His insecurities and self esteem were the reason for the miscommunications and misfortunes. Fox depended on Hannah for stability, support, love and guidance; and Hannah stepped up to the plate like the boss babe that she really was.
I loved this component of Hook Line and Sinker! The emotions were flying at an all time high because of Fox’s character arc.
I also think that it brought to light some really destructive behaviors that are celebrated in our culture and certainly should not be.
Tessa Bailey did a really great job of highlighting the difference between letting one’s past dictate their future, and learning from past mistakes to move forward.

This book carried some serious emotional weight.
Like… I cried a lot. 
Fox broke my heart over and over again. And poor Hannah, she kept having to put both Fox and myself back together every time.
But for tear may or may not have escaped my little eyeballs, I definitely had a good laugh as well.

Worry not, it’s a happy ending.
But, did I cry again at the ultra cheesy epilogue and get all mushy gooshy after I finished? UH… Yes. I absolutely did.

I just can’t believe that I had not read any of Tessa Bailey’s work before this duo. I’m currently downloading her whole back list now. 

Emily

Emily is a coffee loving, cat snuggling, hairstylist and book-a-holic.
Having always been a voracious reader and devouring books at a breakneck speed, joining the bookish and blogging community seemed like a natural next step. She loves giving recommendations to friends and family and then very gently (and not forcefully at all) asking for their opinions after they complete each chapter.
Her reviews tend to be goofy, a little sweary, on the more impassioned side and maybe sometimes a little self deprecating.
Emily typically enjoys reading almost every genre, including (but not limited to) monster romance, literary fiction, rom-com, contemporary, LGBTQ+, low/urban fantasy, paranormal, dystopian, sci-fi, gothic romance or basically any book that will make her cry.