Hook, Line, and Sinker
- Tessa Bailey
- Albany, WA
- March 21, 2023
GOODREADS BOOK BLURB:
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?
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?
SERIES / GENRES:
FIRST WORDS:
Hannah Bellinger had always been more of a supporting actress than a leading lady. The hype girl. If she’d lived in Regency England, she would be the second at every duel, but never wield the pistol.
MY REVIEW:
absolute favourite:
☆☆☆☆☆ 5/5
Beware starting this book too late at night – from the first pages, it became apparent that there was no chance I was going to bed before finishing Hook, Line, and Sinker.
I absolutely loved It Happened One Summer. The characters were stereotypes that grew into something I wasn’t expecting, and I could not wait to get my hands on Hook, Line, and Sinker. One month later (thanks, Libby), I’m so happy to say this was everything I wanted it to be.
Hannah and Fox are so certain about who they are as people that it takes a lot to get them to consider they may be completely wrong. I think most people can relate to that – wanting so desperately to be or act a certain way without realising that you may be closer than you think. Imposter syndrome hits hard, and it seems that very few people are spared.
It may be unfair, but Hannah, the reserved, music-loving sister, was always easier to get behind than Piper, the socialite sister. While I ended up loving Piper in the end, I always knew Hannah’s story would be my favourite. And while Fox and his self-destructive cycle of ‘I can do this’, ‘no wait, I really can’t’ did start to get a little repetitive, it’s not realistic to believe that 30 years of expectations and behaviour can be shrugged off in a week. And there’s something so wounded and yet hopeful about Fox’s inner monologue, especially when it sees a glimmer of potential right before giving in to the pit of despair, that makes him absolutely irresistible. Brendan’s reserved, almost gruff, attitude can be hard to take sometimes, but he was an incredibly strong character in It Happened One Summer. But all it takes is to observe a few of his interactions with Fox from Fox’s perspective, and it makes you want to throw him off the boat while they’re in the middle of the ocean. Considering how much he trusts Fox – and why would he be asking him to take over his boat if he didn’t? – his actions in all other aspects of his life are extremely questionable.
I absolutely loved It Happened One Summer. The characters were stereotypes that grew into something I wasn’t expecting, and I could not wait to get my hands on Hook, Line, and Sinker. One month later (thanks, Libby), I’m so happy to say this was everything I wanted it to be.
Hannah and Fox are so certain about who they are as people that it takes a lot to get them to consider they may be completely wrong. I think most people can relate to that – wanting so desperately to be or act a certain way without realising that you may be closer than you think. Imposter syndrome hits hard, and it seems that very few people are spared.
It may be unfair, but Hannah, the reserved, music-loving sister, was always easier to get behind than Piper, the socialite sister. While I ended up loving Piper in the end, I always knew Hannah’s story would be my favourite. And while Fox and his self-destructive cycle of ‘I can do this’, ‘no wait, I really can’t’ did start to get a little repetitive, it’s not realistic to believe that 30 years of expectations and behaviour can be shrugged off in a week. And there’s something so wounded and yet hopeful about Fox’s inner monologue, especially when it sees a glimmer of potential right before giving in to the pit of despair, that makes him absolutely irresistible. Brendan’s reserved, almost gruff, attitude can be hard to take sometimes, but he was an incredibly strong character in It Happened One Summer. But all it takes is to observe a few of his interactions with Fox from Fox’s perspective, and it makes you want to throw him off the boat while they’re in the middle of the ocean. Considering how much he trusts Fox – and why would he be asking him to take over his boat if he didn’t? – his actions in all other aspects of his life are extremely questionable.
To be fair to Brendan, as soon as this is pointed out to him, he course corrects immediately. I knew there was a reason I liked him after all.
I loved It Happened One Summer, and somehow Hook, Line, and Sinker is even better. I wish my time in Westport didn’t have to end, but the absolute beauty of that epilogue does take the sting out of it a little. I could not recommend this series more highly for its rich storytelling, constantly evolving characters, and a little side of excellently written spice.
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