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

I didn't think I would like this one more than It Happened One Summer, the first Bellinger Sister book, but I did. And you need to read it. Like, pronto.

I want to start by saying this book got me out of a terrible book slump. We're talking a two week slump that I could not get out of. I picked up five books and put them down after the first chapter. Ever. Single. One. And it honestly sucked.

But once I started it, I was hooked. But we'll get into that.

Synopsis

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 good 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 om 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 refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.

Living with her best friend should have been easy. Except now she's walking around in atowel and 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 Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he's all in, she'll choose him instead?

My Thoughts

Right off the bat, we are given a prologue that just consists of text messages between Fox and Hannah and I loved every part of it. The prologue honestly got me hooked. It doesn't take long for the plot to continue and by chapter three, they're back in Westport. And, in Tessa Bailey fashion, the story shares both Hannah's and Fox's points of view.

However, I think there was a bit of a twist. The story focused more on Fox and his redemption story. How he tries to show Hannah a different side of him, but also keep her at arm's length. He has a lot of demons and, as the reader, we get to see that process.

I think that's what I loved most about the book. That's what made me love this one more than It Happened One Summer, and that recevied a five-star rating.

As an English major, I learned about the byronic hero: the main male lead who has a dark past and tries to show he has a good side. I mean, isn't that what makes the morally grey characters so lovable? Because they all fit in the same mold but have a bit of a different touch or spark to them?

Reading Fox's inner dialogue and his overall thought process was so intimate, it was honestly beautiful. We see a friendship turn into, hopefully, more.

And Hannah, she has a mission of her own: become a main character, not a side character. And I loved that for her. Because she is stepping out of her comfort zone. Both Fox and Hannah have a lot of personal growth in this book, and I loved every part of it.

Plus, we got to see Piper and Brendan, which is a total plus. Piper becomes the side character and Hannah is the main character. That's what I love about books and book series like this. As we know, every character has a different story. I loved seeing both sides.

My Rating

I also give this book a five-star review, but because I loved this one more than the other, I'm going to spice it up a bit.

Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The character development, Fox's story, and Hannah's love for music really sold it for me. Plus, I'm just a sucker for friends-to-lovers.

Song That Reminded Me of This Book

If you haven't read It Happened One Summer, you should definitely read it before Hook, Line, and Sinker. Check out my review here:

If you've read both books, which one did you like better? Do you like romance books? Let me know in the comments! Let's start a conversation!

XO,

Kaylee