Review: The Au Pair Affair by Tessa Bailey

THE AU PAIR AFFAIR
Series: Big Shots #2
Author: Tessa Bailey
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 16, 2024

A sports rom-com about a burly, surly, single dad who falls head-over-hockey-stick for his quirky live-in nanny…

Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween.

Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away.

Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah. 

AMAZON

One measly lunch had led to months of staring off into space trying to remember the exact shade of her eyes.

An MC who is singular and wholly obsessed with the FMC? yes, please and thank yew! Sign me up immediately.

Why should you read this book? Let me tell you
Burgess, who is:
– A single dad who is trying to navigate raising a preteen
– a Pro hockey player
– A big ole’ marshmallow who is wholly obsessed with Tallulah after one meeting
– A dirty beast in the sack with a dirty mouth to beat
– Still maintains cinnamon role status throughout

The inked skin/thick butt/muscle trifecta was really bringing home the fact that she was not simply working for a single father. She was working for a snack. A DILF. A big boy. The most eligible of bachelors. How was this man—this hot


Oh and I did I mention the pining? And the age gap? And OMG the pining!

The weekend starts tomorrow,” he said, his focus very intent on her mouth. “What do we have planned?”
“Me and my bodyguard?” she murmured.
“That’s me.” He looked her up and down. “I’ll guard it well.”
“Better than you guard your goalie?” she managed choppily.
“Yes. And that’s saying something, considering I’m a beast on defense.” He dragged his bottom lip through his teeth, a low sound leaving him. “I’m a beast everywhere, Tallulah.”

Oh and let’s add heartwarming, laugh out loud funny, and deliciously sexy to the mix too, mkay?

But also, the pining! THE PINING, people!

When you’re ready to call me your man, I’m going to spit on this hot little c*nt and call it mine before I f*ck it. Go ahead. Lie and tell me you don’t want that.”

No one likes a liar, Tallulah. But I digress once more.

Tallulah gets the job of a lifetime as an au pair for a pro hockey player. A big, giant hockey player who intimidates her with all his bigness. Still reeling from a traumatic event in her past makes her skittish but she’s determined to work through it. The instant chemistry and undeniable attraction to the man certainly doesn’t help things. She wants to experience life and Burgess wants nothing less than a commitment and determined to break through all her walls for it. And who doesn’t love a determined man.

What starts of as Burgess volunteering to be her buddy as she experiences the thrills of her bucket list, soon veers into some dangerous territory. Well, if banging your hot boss is dangerous anyway. But I digress once more.

This was such a cute, funny and deliciously sexy romance that I simply couldn’t get enough of. I loved Burgess and his big teddy bear ways. Almost as much as I loved his dirty mouth and beastly tendencies in the bedroom. There was plenty of laughs along the way and a yummy grovel to boot. And who doesn’t love a good grovel, I ask you?

Anyhoos, if you’re looking for a fun read with plenty of steam and terrific characters, look no further.

Review: Wreck the Halls by Tessa Bailey

WRECK THE HALLS
Genre: Contemporary Romance, RomCom
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date:
October 3, 2023

A sexy, hilarious standalone holiday rom-com about the adult children of two former rock stars who team up to convince their estranged mothers to play a Christmas Eve concert…

Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love. 

AMAZON 

“Maybe we just needed to get it out of our systems?”
He huffed a sound. “You’ll never leave my system, Mel. You’re one-half of it.”

I am so wholly obsessed with everything Tessa Bailey writes. It doesn’t matter what it is, it will just always hit the spot. And while this one wasn’t my favorite of hers, it still hit the spot.

There’s one thing that Tessa can write like no other and that’s an MC who is obsessed with his woman beyond all reason. And Beat is more than a little obsessed with Melody.

“Jesus Christ, Mel. Your mouth.” He growled against it. “Of all the privileges I never feel like I’ve earned, you’re going to be the ultimate one, aren’t you?”

Beat and Melody are the offspring of rockstars who owned the stage until their band broke up and no one has been able to figure out why. They meet once as teens and then don’t see each other again for 14 years until a reality show brings them back together. The premise? Get their famous moms back together for one final performance on a reality TV show. And both of them have their unique reasons to agreeing to this when fame is the last thing either of them want.

Admittedly, this was a bit too insta for me. Melody has been harboring a crush on Beat since she meets him as a teen. And when she sees him again all those feelings come rushing back. They do have a special understanding of the other one due to their upbringing and involuntary fame. But it was still a bit too insta for me.

For the length of the book I fell the actual romance development fell a bit flat for me. It was more fitting for a novella rather than a full length book. It was also missing the holiday feel. Aside of taking place in December there wasn’t much holiday feel to it. I did love the moms and their crazy wackiness added a layer of comedy that I really enjoyed. Unfortunately, while it packed the usual Bailey steam, the romance was missing that bit of oomph I was needing. But I still enjoyed it quite a bit and if you’re looking for a fun read with plenty of spice, this one will hit the spot.

Review: Unfortunately Yours by Tessa Bailey

UNFORTUNATELY YOURS
Series: Vine Mess #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date:
June 6, 2023

A down-on-her-luck Napa heiress suggests a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience to a man she can’t stand… only to discover there’s a fine line between love and hate.

After losing her job and her fiancé in one fell swoop, Natalie Vos returned home to lick her wounds. A few months later, she’s sufficiently drowned her sorrows in cabernet and she’s ready to get back on her feet. She just needs her trust fund to finance her new business venture. Unfortunately, the terms require she marry before she can have the money. And well, dumped, remember? But Natalie is desperate enough to propose to a man who makes her want to kill him–and kiss him, in equal measure.

August Cates may own a vineyard, but he doesn’t know jack about making wine. He’s determined to do his late best friend proud, no matter what it takes. Except his tasting room is empty, his wine is disgusting (seriously, he once saw someone gag), and his buddy’s legacy is circling the drain. No bank will give him the loan he needs to turn the business around… and then the gorgeous, feisty heiress knocks on his door. Natalie has haunted his dreams since the moment they met, but their sizzling chemistry immediately morphed into simmering insults.

Now, a quickie marriage could help them both. A sham wedding, a few weeks living under the same roof, and then they can go their separate ways–assuming they make it out alive. How hard could it be? There’s just one thing they didn’t account for: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.

AMAZON 

He could still remember the moment the expression in those eyes had gone from take-me-to-bed-daddy to please-drink-poison. Witch.

When I tell you that I’m obsessed with August, I mean I worship the pages this man graces with his delicious presence.

Full disclosure, I was not a fan of book one Secretly Yours. It was cute, but not my cuppa. It was missing a little something to fully enrapture me. But this book? This book grabbed me by the heart and my ovaries and owned me from cover to cover.

What do they expect us to do here?”
August considered the curved and extended sides of the swivel chair that were obviously meant to block them from view. “Some groping at the very least.”
Please tell me that my nipples aren’t tingling. “Grope me and live to regret it.”
“Fine.” He sighed, running a hand down his tie. “You can grope me.”

August and Natalie have lust at first sight, until Natalie insults his wine and suddenly their lust turns to hate with a strong undercurrent of lust. And this girl? Couldn’t get enough of their chemistry. They give as good as they take, but none better than August.

August is a retired SEAL who is trying to fulfill the wish of his best friend who he lost during his last deployment. The problem is that he knows nothing about wine or wine making.

Natalie is the black sheep of her family. She ran away from the winery to New York to make it work, until one bad investment for her client cost her billions and a failed engagement later she’s back in the winery she grew up in to lick her wounds. But it still doesn’t fully feel like home. She’s desperate for another chance but only needs the capital. The only issue is that her trust fund comes iwht an archaic clause of needing to be married. So what’s a girl to do? Ask her mortal enemy who needs capital to turn his wine business around for a mutually beneficial arrangement; marriage in name only.

But August isn’t interested in anything halfway. He’s wanted Natalie since the moment he first saw her and he’s determined to make it work beyond just an arrangement.

It’s five o’clock in the morning, give or take a few minutes.”
He sauntered toward her across the lawn, guilt kicking around in his stomach over the phone call he’d just taken. “This is when I get up.”
“Oh.” Another yawn, bigger this time. “In that case, I want a divorce.”
“Sorry, I won’t sign.”
Her smile was sweet and sleepy. “Arsenic poisoning it is.”

I couldn’t get enough of the chemistry these two had. August is absolutely obsessed with his fake wife and I loved his adorable caveman ways. This man is the ultimate cinnamon role with a possessive and obsessive streak a mile long and I loved every part of him.

You need to give me twenty minutes to flip my tire when we get home.”
Puzzlement knit her forehead together. “Huh?”
“The leftover adrenaline, Natalie. I need to work some of it off first or . . .” He pointed at the apex of her very smooth, very spreadable thighs. “I’m going to offend the queen.”
She did a double take. Squinted one eye. “Wait, so I’m the princess and my vagina is the queen?”
“And I’m her loyal subject. Yes.”

When I tell you I devoured this book in one sitting, I mean it. I had a goofy smile on my face from cover to cover. It hit every spot and even those I didn’t know I had. I loved the to pieces and can’t recommend it enough if you’re looking for a sexy, feel good romance with two characters that you’ll fall head over heels for.

#DGRFave & Review: Happenstance by Tessa Bailey

HAPPENSTANCE
Genre: Contemporary, Why Choose Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date:
November 7, 2022

From #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer comes a romantic comedy about an accidental relationship between three smitten men…and one commitment phobic woman.

Elise Brandeis has never won a Pulitzer—and she never will. At least not while she’s delivering sandwiches at the Gotham Times, instead of working there as an actual reporter. Her only shot at seeing her byline in print is to prove to the no nonsense managing editor that she has a nose for news. And she’s got just the story to grab her elusive attention.

Right after she delivers this turkey on ciabatta.

Chasing down leads brings Elise to Roosevelt Island, but just when the trail of clues begins to take shape, she gets stuck. Literally. On a cable car with three strangers who couldn’t be more different. An uptight rugby coach, a construction worker and a former adult film star she pretends not to recognize a little too well.

At first, Elise wants nothing more than to be rescued ASAP.

An hour later, everything has changed. By pure happenstance, four separate journeys have collided in an intense, meaningful way. Suddenly, disentangling their lives feels more impossible than winning that Pulitzer. Good thing Elise is too busy proving herself at work to consider three boyfriends. Nobody has time for that—even if they make giving in feel oh so right. But three heads are better than one and these loners will teach themselves to work together to win Elise over forever…

And more importantly, keep their dirty socks off her floor.

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N 

“Just a brief rundown. You’ve come here to ask for a foursome.” I look each of them in the eye. “In broad daylight. Stone cold sober.” They trade glances and nod.

This cover is the Trojan horse of smut. You look at it and think, oh look, a cute little rom com. Or you would, if Tessa Bailey didn’t write it. But she did. And the woman is the queen of dirty talk for a reason. But this book? Oh this one may be her hottest yet. And having read her entire backlist, that’s saying something.

“You’re staring, love,” taunts the British man.

He’s right. I’ve been staring at him in the glass reflection. Because there is something familiar about him. Something I can’t quite put my finger on. Did he bartend at that hotel where I trained as a concierge three years ago before getting bored and throwing myself into the natural deodorant space? No, that’s not it. Where do I know him from?

“Porn,” he says from his elegant lean against the interior wall of the tram. “You know me from pornography, darling,” he drawls, his mouth spreading into a grin. “The good shit.”

Happenstance was the most fun I’ve had reading in book, like ever. It had everything you could possibly want; laugh till you cry humor, amazing characters, romance hot enough to singe your fingers when you turn each page, and a story fun and gripping enough to keep you glued to the pages from beginning to finish.

“My God,” Tobias says on an exhale, his hair in disarray. “I’ve seen it all, but I’ve never seen anything like you.”

We have Elise, a commitment phobic heroine who becomes the sheer obsession of not one, not two, but three men. And each of them was EVERYTHING.

We have Tobias, the British porn star who hides his pain be behind smarmy sexual jokes. Gabe, the sweet cinnamon roll construction worker who is obsessed with Elise from first sight and with debilitating confidence issues from his previous marriage. And Banks, the quiet and intense rugby star turned locally famous rugby coach with mommy issues.

“Gabe makes me wish for lazy Sunday mornings in bed with coffee and the smell of cinnamon in the kitchen. Sweet. Tobias is Saturday night. Strobe lights and moaning and…that tipsy feeling, like if you have one more drink, you’ll be sorry.” “And me?” “You are…” I swallow. Being open and honest to someone about how I feel on the inside is harder than I remember. I’ve been out of practice so long. “You’re real life. The place where I’m in my pattern and feel safe. You’re not a detour, you’re a path forward.”

I went through a ringer of emotion reading this star of a book; I laughed, I swooned, I squirmed uncomfortably, I simply devoured it.

The pacing, the humor, the romance, the character development, all of it was utter perfection. It was one of those reads where you can just shut your brain off and enjoy something that just absorbs you completely. And no one delivers that better than Tessa Bailey.

If you’re looking for sizzling hot romance with three men and one woman who they are utterly obsessed with but still packs humor and even a splash of suspense, you need this book in your life.

These men are desperate to praise me. And I let them, because my heart demands it.

Review: My Killer Vacation by Tessa Bailey

MY KILLER VACATION
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date:
June 6, 2022

An all-new, spicy murder mystery from Tessa Bailey, New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer…

It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation in sweet, sunny Cape Cod—just me and my beloved brother—but discovering a corpse in our rental house really throws a wrench into our tanning schedule. Now a rude, crude bounty hunter has arrived on the back of his motorcycle to catch the killer and refuses to believe I can be helpful, despite countless hours of true crime podcast listening. Not to mention a fulfilling teaching career of wrangling second graders.

A brash bounty hunter and an energetic elementary schoolteacher: the murder-solving team no one asked for, but thanks to these pesky attempts on my life, we’re stuck together, come hell or high tide.

I’m just here to do a job, not babysit an amateur sleuth. Although…it is becoming less and less of a hardship to have her around. Sure, she’s stubborn, distracting and can’t stay out of harm’s way. She’s also brave and beautiful and reminds me of the home I left behind three years ago. In other words, the painful hunger and protectiveness she is waking up in me is a threat to my peace of mind. Before I sink any deeper into this dangerous attraction, I need to solve this murder and get back on the road. But will fate take her from me before I realize the road has been leading to her all along?

AMAZON | KOBO | IBOOKS | B&N 

And I’m done. I’m fucking done. I might be dominating her, but she’s owning me.

Tessa Bailey books are like a combination of your favorite ice cream mixed with your favorite alcoholic drink. They’re a comfort but with a kick. A nice little zing that’s just the perfect amount of heat for your palate. And this girl? I live for her books.

What I love most about Tessa is while she has her signature dirty talking alpha thing, her books never feel formulaic. And as a reader who has read every single one of her books, that’s saying something. But I digress.

First there was some kissing….
Then we broke up even though we were never dating in the first place. We’ve been ending our non-existent relationship since we met, actually. It’s kind of our thing.”

My Killer Vacation was the perfect campy romance read with a mix of humor, sizzling romance, and murder mystery. It has a dirty talking tatted bounty hunter who likes it rough and dirty and has a heart of gold and a sweet elementary school teacher who looks innocent but secretly wants it rough. God but I lived for this combo.

Go to your meeting. I’ll meet you afterward.” She grins at me. “We can get ice cream.”
I snort. “Do I look like the kind of guy who goes on ice cream dates, half pint?”
“No…I guess you don’t.”
We walk in silence for a few seconds. “What flavor are you getting?”

The last thing anyone wants to discover on the vacation that they’ve been saving for forever and are finally on…a dead body. Suffice it to say Taylor and her brother didn’t see that coming on their anticipated vacation in Cape Cod.

I haven’t met a Tessa heroine who I didn’t adore, and Taylor was no exception. I loved her quirky personality and curious nature, and I especially loved the relationship she has with her brother.

When the gruff and tatted bounty hunter comes roaring in on his bike to assist with the investigation of the murder, he doesn’t expect the tiny little school teacher to insert herself in the middle of it. But while he may act all grumpy and annoyed, he can’t stay away from her.

When I tell you that I adored this book, I mean I adored this book. The humor, the banter, the steam. Everything. Even Taylor’s penchant of getting into ridiculous trouble because she wants to solve the murder didn’t bother me. And I’d normally dub her as TSTL. Yet she was nothing short of perfectly endearing.

And the ending and that epilogue? All of the swoons! And if Tessa doesn’t immediately give us a story for the brother and his best friend? I’m starting a riot!

Review: Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey

WINDOW SHOPPING
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date:
October 19, 2021

A sizzling, standalone, feel-good holiday romance from Tessa Bailey, New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer.

Two weeks before Christmas and all through Manhattan, shop windows are decorated in red and green satin.

I’m standing alone in front of the famous Vivant department store, when a charming man named

Aiden asks my opinion of the décor.

It’s a tragedy in tinsel, I say, unable to lie.
He asks for a better idea with a twinkle in his eye.
Did I know he owned the place? No. He put me on the spot.

Now I’m working for that man, trying to ignore that he’s hot.
But as a down on her luck girl with a difficult past, I know an opportunity when I see one—and I have to make it last.

I’ll put my heart and soul into dressing his holiday windows.

I’ll work without stopping. And when we lose the battle with temptation, I’ll try and remember I’m just window shopping.

AMAZON

I’m not what one would refer to as approachable. In fact, I’m fluent in Fuck Off. Hopefully he speaks it, too. Or at least knows how to read body language.

This is the story I never knew I needed but now I have no idea how I lived without it.

A reverse sunshine/grump trope with a grumpy with an ex convict heroine and a sunshine, Christmas loving and bow tie wearing hero? I. Am. PUTTEH.

I really thought I had a read on this man. He’s a wholesome rule follower who believes the best in people. A man who has a few demons lurking but is innately good at his core. Now we’re throwing a dirty streak into the mix? Good grief.

Oh did I forget to mention that he still has Tessa’s signature dirty talking side? Because holy ovaries, batman! I’m obsessed!

This was one of the cutest holiday romances I’ve read and the perfect book to cuddle up on the couch with on a cold and snowy night. But we’re still in fall, and I made due with a nice cup of tea and a blanket that I enjoyed with a giant goofy grin on my face, because THIS BOOK.

Stella nods, letting her head tip back and hit the wall. “Yes. Anything. Yes.”
Anything.
Permission granted, I reach down and yank up her skirt.

Stella recently moved to NY after serving her sentence and stumbles upon an atrocious holiday window display. Naturally, she tells the bow tie wearing handsome stranger making idle small talk with her on the street how she feels. And naturally he invites her to interview for the window design job. Oh and he may have forgotten to mention that he happens to be the namesake and owner of the store. Whoopsy.

Aiden is the quintessential nice guy I never knew I wanted. I am not generally a reader that likes nice guys. Wow, that sounds bad. What I mean is I want a nice guy in real life, and I love them toxic in fiction. But Aiden? He was just impossible not to love. He’s a sweet man with a dirty streak who is already picking out china patterns in his head the minute he and Stella get together. It takes Stella a hot minute to come to terms of her feelings for her boss, but once she does, it’s all in.

This was one of those feel good type of romances that will put a smile on your face and keep it there. It wasn’t angsty. It wasn’t full of drama. It was opposites attract in the perfectly cute holiday romance with plenty of dirty talk thrown in and all of the warm and fuzzies. The warm blanket of romances that is cozy, comforting, and heart warming.

#DGRFave Review & Excerpt: It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER
Series: It Happened One Summer #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: July 13, 2021

Tessa Bailey is back with a Schitt’s Creek-inspired rom-com about a Hollywood “It Girl” who is cut off from her wealthy family and exiled to a small Pacific Northwest beach town… where she butts heads with a surly, sexy local who thinks she doesn’t belong. 

Piper Bellinger is fashionable, influential, and her reputation as a wild child means the paparazzi are constantly on her heels. When too much champagne and an out-of-control rooftop party lands Piper in the slammer, her stepfather decides enough is enough. So he cuts her off, and sends Piper and her sister to learn some responsibility running their late father’s dive bar… in Washington.

Piper hasn’t even been in Westport for five minutes when she meets big, bearded sea captain Brendan, who thinks she won’t last a week outside of Beverly Hills. So what if Piper can’t do math, and the idea of sleeping in a shabby apartment with bunk beds gives her hives. How bad could it really be? She’s determined to show her stepfather—and the hot, grumpy local—that she’s more than a pretty face.

Except it’s a small town and everywhere she turns, she bumps into Brendan. The fun-loving socialite and the gruff fisherman are polar opposites, but there’s an undeniable attraction simmering between them. Piper doesn’t want any distractions, especially feelings for a man who sails off into the sunset for weeks at a time. Yet as she reconnects with her past and begins to feel at home in Westport, Piper starts to wonder if the cold, glamorous life she knew is what she truly wants. LA is calling her name, but Brendan—and this town full of memories—may have already caught her heart.

AMAZON

Brendan Taggart was the first Westport resident to spot the women.He heard a car door slam out by the curb and slowly turned on the barrel that passed as a seat in No Name. His bottle of beer paused halfway to his mouth, the loud storytelling and music filling the bar fading away.

Through the grubby window, Brendan watched the pair exit on opposite sides of a taxi and immediately wrote them off as clueless tourists who obviously had the wrong address.

That is, until they started hauling suitcases out of the trunk. Seven, to be exact.

He grunted. Sipped his beer.

They were a ways off the beaten path. There wasn’t an inn for several blocks. On top of misjudging their destination, they were dressed for the beach at night, during a late-summer rain, no umbrella to speak of—and visibly confounded by their surroundings.

It was the one in the floppy hat who caught his eye right away, purely because she looked the most ridiculous, a lipstick-shaped purse dangling from her forearm, wrists limp and drawn up to her shoulders, as if she was afraid to touch something. She tilted her head back and gazed up at the building and laughed. And that laugh turned into what looked like a sob, though he couldn’t hear it through the music and pane of glass.

As soon as Brendan noticed the way the rain was molding the dress to Floppy Hat’s tits, he glanced away quickly, going back to what he’d been doing before. Pretending to be interested in Randy’s overboard story, even though he’d heard it eighty goddamn times.

“The sea was boiling that day,” Randy said, in a voice equivalent to scrap metal being crushed. “We’d already hit our quota and then some, thanks to the captain over here.” He saluted Brendan with his frothy pint. “And there I was, on a deck slipperier than a duck’s ass, picturing the bathtub full of cash I’d be swimming in when we got home. We’re hauling in the final pot, and there it was, the biggest crab in the damn sea, the motherfucking grandpappy of all crabs, and he tells me with his beady little eyes that he ain’t going down without a fight. Noooo, sir.”

Randy propped a leg up on the stool he’d been sitting on earlier, his craggy features arranged for maximum drama. He’d been working on Brendan’s boat longer than Brendan had been captaining it. Had seen more seasons than most of the crew combined. At the end of each one, he threw himself a retirement party. And then he showed up for the next season like clockwork, having spent every last dime of last year’s take.

“When I tell you that sucker wrapped a leg around the arm of my slicker, right through the pot, the mesh, all of it, I’m not lying. He was hell-bent for leather. Time froze, ladies and gentlemen. The captain is yelling at me to haul in the pot, but hear me now, I was bamboozled. That crab put a spell on me—I’m telling you. And that’s when the wave hit, conjured by the crab himself. Nobody saw it coming, and just like that, I was tossed into the drink.”

The man who was like a grandfather to Brendan took a pause to drain half his beer.

“When they pulled me in . . .” He exhaled. “That crab was nowhere to be found.”

The two people in the crowded bar who hadn’t already heard the legend laughed and applauded—and that was the moment Floppy Hat and the other one decided to make their entrance. Within seconds, it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop, and that didn’t surprise Brendan one bit. Westport was a tourist stop to be sure, but they didn’t get a lot of outsiders stumbling into No Name. It was an establishment that couldn’t be found on Yelp.

Mainly because it was illegal.

But it wasn’t only the shock of non-locals walking in and disrupting their Sunday-night bullshit session. No, it was the way they looked. Especially Floppy Hat, who walked in first, hitting the easy energy of the room with shock paddles. In her short, loose dress and sandals that wrapped around her calves, she could have stepped out of the pages of a fashion magazine for all those . . . tight lines and smooth curves.

Brendan could be objective about that.

His brain could point out an attractive woman without him caring one way or the other.

He set his beer down on the windowsill and crossed his arms, feeling a flash of annoyance at everyone’s stupefied expressions. Randy had rolled out the red carpet in the form of his tongue lolling out of his mouth, and the rest of the men were mentally preparing marriage proposals, by the look of it.

“Little help with the luggage, Pipes?” called the second girl from the entrance, where she’d propped open the door with a hip, struggling under the weight of a suitcase.

“Oh!” Floppy Hat whirled around, pink climbing the sides of her face—and hell, that was some face. No denying it, now that there wasn’t a dirty windowpane distorting it. Those were the kind of baby blues that made men sign their life away, to say nothing of that wide, stubborn upper lip. The combination rendered her guileless and seductive at the same time, and that was trouble Brendan wanted no part of. “Sorry, Hanns.” She winced. “I’ll go get the rest—”

“I’ll get them,” at least nine men said at once, tripping over themselves to reach the door. One of them took the suitcase from Floppy Hat’s companion, while several others lunged into the rain, getting stuck side by side in the doorway. Half of those jackasses were on Brendan’s crew, and he almost disowned them right then and there. 

Within seconds—although not without some familiar bickering—all seven suitcases were piled in the middle of the bar, everyone standing around them expectantly. “What gentlemen! So polite and welcoming,” Floppy Hat crooned, hugging her bizarre handbag to her chest. “Thank you!”

“Yes, thanks,” said the second girl quietly, drying the rain off her face with the sleeve of a UCLA sweatshirt. Los Angeles. Of course. “Uh, Pipes?” She turned in a circle, taking in their surroundings. “Are you sure this is the right place?”

In response to her friend’s question, she seemed to notice where she was standing for the first time. Those eyes grew even bigger as she catalogued the interior of No Name and the people occupying it. Brendan knew what she was seeing, and already he resented the way she recoiled at the dust on the mismatched seats, the broken floorboards, the ancient fishing nets hanging from the rafters. The disappointment in the downturned corners of her mouth spoke volumes. Not good enough for you, baby? There’s the door.

With prim movements, Pipes—keeper of ridiculous names and purses—snapped the handbag open and drew out a jewel-crusted phone, tapping the screen with a square red nail. “Is this . . . sixty-two North Forrest Street?”

A chorus of yeses greeted the strangled question.

“Then . . .” She turned to her friend, chest expanding on quick breaths. “Yes.”

“Oh,” responded UCLA, before she cleared her throat, pasting a tense smile on a face that was pretty in a much subtler way than Pipes’s. “Um . . . sorry about the awkward entrance. We didn’t know anyone was going to be here.” She shifted her weight in boots that wouldn’t be good for anything but sitting down. “I’m Hannah Bellinger. This is my sister, Piper.”

Piper. Not Pipes.

Not that it was much of an improvement.

The floppy hat came off, and Piper shook out her hair, as if they were in the middle of a photo shoot. She gave everyone a sheepish smile. “We own this place. Isn’t that crazy?”

If Brendan thought their entrance had produced silence, it was nothing compared to this.

Owned this place?

From IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER by Tessa Bailey, published by Avon Books. Copyright © 2021 by Tessa Bailey. Reprinted courtesy of HarperCollinsPublishers.

He was a set-in-his-ways fisherman. She was a rich, adventurous socialite.

Y’all. I’m going to make a pretty extreme statement here and you may want to sit down for it. But this? This was, hands down, my favorite Tessa Bailey book to date. I’m on bookish cloud nine. I felt like I was floating just reading it. And the goofy grin on my face for the entire book? Couldn’t help it! I’m in love and his name is Brendan Taggart.
This book had everything; humor, steam, a slow burn, a small town setting, a quirky socialite, and a grumpy bear…err…fisherman.

It won’t let me just use my own name as my username.”
“Yeah, probably because about nine hundred Brendan Taggarts joined before you.”
“So what should I use?”
“CaptainCutie69,” Fox spat out.
“IGotCrabs4U,” Deke supplied.
“SlipperyWhenWet.” Brendan stared.
“You’re all fired. Go home.”

This story reminded me a little of It Had to Be You but in a totally unique way. Maybe it was just the feels that it brought out, but man, I just died.

Piper is a type of heroine that could easily be seen as a fluff, unless Tessa writes her. She’s a spoiled socialite who has never known hard work or trouble beyond no good parties around on the weekend. So when her stepfather finally has enough of her antics and inability to take anything serious, her and her sister find themselves in a small town running their late fathers dive bar in the middle of a fishing town. Suffice it to say they’re ill equipped for the task, but in the most hilarious of ways.

Piper followed, looking down at him from the top of the stairs. “Are we friends, Brendan?”
“No,” he called back, without missing a beat.
Her mouth hung open, a laugh huffing out of her as she closed the door. Hannah sat up and asked, “What the hell is going on there?”
Slowly, she shook her head. “I have no freaking idea.”

No one has ran the bar for years since the passing of their father. And the town just kind of took it as their own. So when Brendan meets who he assumes is an air headed socialite, suffice it to say they get off on the right foot. Add into the fact that no one knew of the long lost daughters and they do anything but fit in with the locals and well, it’s a catastrophe waiting to happen. But god was it good!

The slow burn of this romance was EVERYTHING. And I really mean everything. I loved watching Piper grow into her own and I loved watching Brendan fall for her. She was such a sweet, quirky, and endearing character. And the grumpy and broody fisherman captain? I LIVED FOR HIM.

Going to fuck the word ‘friend’ right out of your beautiful mouth. You’ll forget how to say anything but my name. Real quick, honey.”

I loved this book beyond words and beyond reason. It was funny, swoony, and with a sizzle of Tessa’s signature dirty talk and I was so here for it. If there’s one book you add to your TBR this summer, make it this one. The perfect beach read is here and I can’t recommend it enough. Now if Tessa can just write Hannah and Fox’s book faster because the level of need that I have for that one is UNREASONABLE.

 

Review: This Time Tomorrow by Tessa Bailey

THIS TIME TOMORROW
Series:
Phenomenal Fate #2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: June 22, 2020

Roksana, heiress to the vampire slayer throne, has performance anxiety.

She’s supposed to kill Elias, but so far she’s only succeeded in maxing out his credit card. Now her failure to stake the brooding vampire has sent her back to Moscow in disgrace to face her mother’s wrath. Expecting punishment by death, she’s given a rare reprieve. She now has three tasks to complete, the last of which is to finally kill Elias. She will not fail this time.

If only the memories of one magical evening—back when Elias was human, would stop holding her back. He claims to have forgotten that night. Why can’t she? Three years ago, Elias was a SWAT team member on a guy’s weekend in Vegas. Playing poker and minding his own business, his life changed forever when a captivating blonde strolled past his table in a light-up bra. He followed Roksana as if compelled, his very bones demanding he do so, his soul resonating with the belief she would be important to him. Always. That turned out to be a vast understatement—and nothing has changed.

Roksana embarks on her mission, determined to win back her mother’s approval, but when an astonishing truth emerges in the eleventh hour, will her stake pierce the very heart that beats in her honor? Or will love triumph over duty?

AMAZON

I love you,” he whispered, shaken by the emotion expanding in his throat, cradling her in his arms and carrying her to bed.
“No matter what happens this time tomorrow, that will never change.”

You guys. YOU GUYS! I’m practically vibrating with glee as I write this review. Because OMG. I mean OH MY GOD. This was EVERYTHING.

I’m going to date myself a little here, but I have to say, that if you’re a die hard fan of Buffy and Angel like I was, this is the holy grail of romances here. I mean; a sassy and smart mouthed vampire slayer falls for the dark, brooding, and uber protective alpha vampire. HELLO?!!! This was my happy place for the few hours it took me to absolutely DEVOUR THIS BOOK.
Now I have a confession to make here, too….
*whispers* I didn’t love the first book in this series. *cringes* I KNOW! I felt awful. I love me some Tessa Bailey, so to not like a book of hers, I felt like I was broken. But everything that I wished the first book was, the second book turned out to be. I’m not even exaggerating when I tell you that I devoured it. It was quick paced, emotional, and full of Bailey’s signature dirty talk that’s a one two punch straight to the ovaries. I LOVED IT.

Roksana is impossible not to love. I loved her as a secondary character, and I absolutely adored her as a main one. She’s so much more than just a smart mouthed slayer threatening to kill the vampires that she’s somehow been working along side with. Though her threats to kill them tomorrow sort of soften the intent. I was immediately gravitated towards the magnetic pull between her and Elias in the first book. But in this one? I was absolutely obsessed with it.

The story takes us back to the beginning of how these two first met and brings us into the now. Though you don’t find everything out right away, and you’re told in delicious bits and pieces until the puzzle begins to click together.

Elias was…GOD. This man was EVERYTHING. He loves Roksana beyond reason, even if she’s non the wiser for it. He’d die for her and would do anything for her, even if it’s sparing her the truth of something that has cost them both everything. His yearning for his woman was a tangible thing that you can practically taste from the pages. I’m not even kidding. It was utterly delicious. Their chemistry was absolutely incendiary. I couldn’t get enough of them and their push and pull. Talk about opposites attracting. Roksana’s mission is to kill him while he’d die to protect her. SWOON.

The world building here just did it for me. I was riveted to the quick paced story and all the side action it brought to the romance. And can we talk about this cover? PERFECTION. You bet your ass I’ll be buying the hell out of this paperback. And not just because I have every intention of re-reading this book countless times. If you’re looking for a sizzling hot PNR with one of the BEST couples that you will love to root for, don’t miss this one. Seriously. DO IT. Thank me for it later.

Review: Reborn Yesterday by Tessa Bailey

REBORN YESTERDAY
Series: 
Phenomenal Fate #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: March 17, 2020

A timeless love story with bite.

It was a night like any other for funeral home director Ginny Lynn, until the exceptionally handsome—and unfortunately deceased—young man on her embalming table sat up, opened his emerald eyes and changed the course of her life
forever, making her feel quite fluttery while he was at it.

Humans aren’t supposed to know Jonas Cantrell, or any vampire, exists. It’s kind of a major rule. Despite his instantaneous bond with perfectly peculiar Ginny, he has no choice but to erase her memories of their one and only meeting.

That was the plan. Before a reluctant Jonas can wipe Ginny’s mind clean, she reveals a secret that brings their worlds crashing together. Human and vampire. Past and present. Darkness and light. And while their love is strictly forbidden, it might be the
only thing that can save them…

Reborn Yesterday is a standalone novel.

AMAZON 

I’ve been thinking on my rating for this book for weeks. And now as I’m posting my review, I’m still torn. Did I like it? Kind of.

Here’s the thing, guys. I love and I mean LOVE all things Tessa Bailey. When I see a new Tessa book, I don’t even bother to read the blurb. I know I’ll be reading it. And when I saw that she’s writing in a new genre for her? I was ALL over it. But here’s another thing. PNR is my first love. It was THE genre that got me into romance. So to say that I’m picky when it comes to it would be a mild understatement. Perhaps that’s what played a big role in my feelings for this story? What I’m saying here is take my review with a grain of salt. Many readers really loved this one and clearly I’m the anomaly.

So what worked for me? The characters. They were adorable. I love me a quirky heroine and Ginny was adorkably quirky. She’s a mortician with a goofball personality that enjoys making clothes on the side. It was impossible not to bond with her immediately. As much as I also wanted to love Jonas, I sort of waffled on two sides. A part of me loved his edgy and somewhat tortured side. Another part of me got frustrated by his purple prose-y side. The man is a dirty talking anomaly. He sounded like he belonged in a Victorian novel rather than a modern age PNR. I suppose he was too sweet for me in parts. God, that hurts to say. Don’t judge me. But he was.

The other thing is that the story itself felt campy. The world was difficult to fully wrap my mind around. The characters got a bit confusing. It was all mostly very…underwhelming. It just didn’t grab me. It took me almost a week to finish because I had to push myself to keep reading in the hopes that it would pick up soon, but it never did. The pacing was simply too slow.

I loved the idea of the series and the concept of the story. Unfortunately it just lacked something to truly grab me and connect me to the story. It did grab me enough to want to read the next book in the series. The set-up sounds delicious. Unfortunately no matter how much you love a certain author, you simply can’t love all of their books. This was that one for me. I still adore Tessa and can’t wait for the next one in this series.

#DGRFave & Review: Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey

LOVE HER OR LOSE HER 
Series: Hot & Hammered 2
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: January 14, 2020

New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey returns with a unique, sexy romantic comedy about a young married couple whose rocky relationship needs a serious renovation.

Rosie and Dominic Vega are the perfect couple: high school sweethearts, best friends, madly in love. Well, they used to be anyway. Now Rosie’s lucky to get a caveman grunt from the ex-soldier every time she walks in the door. Dom is faithful and a great provider, but the man she fell in love with ten years ago is nowhere to be found. When her girlfriends encourage Rosie to demand more out of life and pursue her dream of opening a restaurant, she decides to demand more out of love, too. Three words: marriage boot camp.

Never in a million years did Rosie believe her stoic, too-manly-to-emote husband would actually agree to relationship rehab with a weed-smoking hippy. Dom talking about feelings? Sitting on pillows? Communing with nature? Learning love languages? Nope. But to her surprise, he’s all in, and it forces her to admit her own role in their cracked foundation. As they complete one ridiculous—yet surprisingly helpful—assignment after another, their remodeled relationship gets stronger than ever. Except just as they’re getting back on track, Rosie discovers Dom has a secret… and it could demolish everything.

AMAZON

I’ll do anything you ask me to do,” he said in a gravelly voice. “Except walk away.”

*Flails happily*
Y’all. This book. I can’t even right now.
I think this may be my favorite Tessa Bailey book to date. And that’s something something considering I’ve devoured the woman’s entire backlist.

The second Rosie and Dom appeared on the pages of Fix Her Up as secondary characters, I could practically taste the tension between them. I was dying to get my hands on their book, so the very second this landed in my grabby little hands, I devoured it in one delicious sitting. I couldn’t bear to put it down for even a second.

This was…I don’t even have words. Perfection! Swoony, sexy, and brimming with feels. It was everything I wanted in their story and yet so much more.

Rosie and Dominic are high school sweethearts. They fell in love fast and hard when they were teenagers. But as adults, that love is no longer enough to hold the pieces of their marriage together. Lack of communication, too many things left unsaid, too many assumption have all come together to leave Rosie feeling empty. She misses the man her husband used to be. Their marriage is crumbling around them and she has no idea how to hold it together.

All Dom ever wanted was Rosie. This is an inevitable fact and something that’s a constant in his life that will never change. So when his beloved wife tells him he’s leaving, he knows that he’ll do absolutely anything to save their marriage, and he’s not above fighting dirty. Withhold their physical connection until she agrees to come back to him? Check! Agree to see a quirky and borderline crazy marriage counselor? Check! Take every opportunity to remind her just why the fell in love? Check and CHECK.

GOD. You guys. I don’t even know how to begin to describe this to you. Dom was easily one of my favorite Bailey heroes. He’s a little troubled and a lot obsessed with his wife. He’s a dirty talking god, even if he doesn’t have much to say in his day to day. He’s quite, broody and intense. But the man is captivating and practically sizzling with sexual chemistry.

Rosie was perfection, too. This is not a woman that blames their crumbling marriage on her husband only. She takes full accountability for her faults as they fight to work through their issues. Add into this a kooky counselor, favorites from the previous book, and a brand new hero introduced to drive Bethany insane and I was HOOKED. Line and sinker. I was glued to the pages. Riveted. Captivated. And utterly charmed. I loved this story from beginning to finish. With the glimpses of the hate lust between Wes and Bethany, I’m already gagging for the next book. But if you’re looking for a swoony, sexy, and totally charming second chance romance, look no further. SO GOOD.

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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