It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey – entertaining swoon-worthy romance

It Happened One Summer is touching and entertianing swoon-worthy romance with lots of emotions and hot sexy scenes. I highly recommend to readers of this genre. I buddy read this with Toni and we both loved it.

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Synopsis

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. 

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. 

Review

entertianing swoon-worthy romance

It Happened One Summer is amazing, entertaining, very hot and sexy romance that follows LA socialite, Piper, being sent to a small fisherman’s town, Westport, as a punishment to learn responsibility by running her late father’s dive bar but unexpectedly she finds herself getting connected to her roots and falling for not just the town but grumpy bearded sea captain. The story is about self-discovery, connecting with roots, belongingness, trust, faith, and love.

The plot is super engaging, and entertaining with fast pace, written in third person narrative from Piper and Braden’s perspective. I loved the way story started, Piper taking break up of her longest relationship of three weeks badly, hosting out-of-control rooftop party, her step-father punishing her by sending to Westport for three months, and her best friend/younger sister, Hannah, wouldn’t let her go to the town alone so joins Piper to her three months stay in fisher town. It was really amazing to see how story will progress and how it will end.

I didn’t exactly like Piper in first few chapters. She is spoiled, frivolous, shallow, and rich socialite who only cared about Instagram and her party loving fun girl status. But at the same time, she has something that says she has more layers than it seems on the surface and as story progressed we see those layers unravel. It’s hard to not love Piper as we know her more. She is kind, compassionate, lively, and adaptable.

I loved how she found connection not just with her dead father and estranged grandmother but with the whole Westport. It was amazing to see how she discovered life outside Instagram, learned the value of money by working with budget and at the same time never lost her love for fashion and parties. My heart went out to her when she stumbled in the pool of vulnerability. It was sad people didn’t have faith in her and never gave her a chance to prove them wrong but her perseverance is admirable. She never stopped trying and I loved how being with Braden makes her try harder.

Braden is grumpy, bearded, and handsome fisherman and widower. He seemed harsh and judgemental in the beginning which created fun banter between him and Piper. I also could understand his judgment and see Piper through his eyes. It’s natural not to feel warm to Piper judging his beloved town who is there to take away their ‘No Name’ bar, and at the same time threatening to shake him mentally and physically. But I liked his quick step back as soon as he realized he is being mean to a harmless woman for no solid reason. 

He is observant, responsible, loyal, and so very thoughtful person who gives his full attention to something or someone he loves. I so loved him for understanding Piper and never wanting to change her. At first, I thought seeing her Instagram pics might affect his man ego or make him possessive but I was surprised he liked that version of Piper too. At that moment I sure wanted him for myself. I admired his patience and understanding but at the same time he was also vulnerable and feared losing Piper.

What I loved most is it’s not just Piper who developed in this story but also Braden. I loved how being with Piper made him get out of his routine and try new things looking at how much the guy was obsessed with routine.

Supporting characters are also amazing. They all are realistic and relatable. Hanna and Fox are my favorite. I also loved the sibling relationship between Hanna and Piper. They both are supportive and protective to each other. Hanna is lovely, responsible, and cute. Her unconditional faith in Piper made her best sister and I could see why she is Piper’s best friend too.

I didn’t like Maureen – Piper and Hannah’s mother and Daniel their step-father. It’s because of their almost nonexistence in both sisters lives. It didn’t sit well how they never talked about Westport or their biological father until they are sent them packing to the town knowing nothing about it; nor they told them about their paternal grandmother until Piper meets her. I was really disappointed in both Maureen and Daniel. They didn’t even try to check how girls are doing and they didn’t even show up in climax after all the talk of reliability in the beginning.

Small town setting of Westport is amazing. This sleepy town soon grew on me along with Piper and I loved how supportive and inclusive the community is. It was interesting to read about their hard life, how they cope with lost sons and husbands, and how hard they are with their emotions and belief.

Romance is super sexy, hot, and swoon-worthy and so so perfect. It is well balanced with rest of the story. I wasn’t expecting so many sexy scenes when I started the book but, oh god, they are so well written and never felt cringeworthy. I have to fan myself while reading them. I so much enjoyed the chemistry between Piper and Braden and I loved how they both found whole world in each other. Conversations between characters about their love, their issues, doubts, life, and expectations is well written. This definitely sets a standard.

It’s not just sexy scenes that are in abundance but also emotions, hilarious moments, lovely and romantic moments, and many surprises not like twist and turns but more like characters surprising me. My favorite is Piper running with the pan on fire, Braden opening Instagram account, Piper saying she loves Branden, Piper’s epiphany, and she realising there is more to world than instagram and parties.

Climax is heartbreaking and emotive. Damn, Piper’s pain and sadness made me cry in this part. I wanted to hit Braden on head for pushing Piper to making a decision, I wanted to take away that vulnerable moment in bar. Seeing Piper losing her spark is heartbreaking. I loved how things turned out, I loved Braden realized his mistake and the way whole town showed their love for Piper. I loved it when Braden said, “Piper is Westport” and I couldn’t agree more. End is so lovely, feel-good and satisfying. I loved that bonus chapter of Hanna and Fox in the end, I can’t wait to read their story in sequel.

Overall, It Happened One Summer is delightful, fun, touching, and swoon-worthy romance with lots of emotions and hot sexy scenes.

I highly recommend this book if you like,
Small town romance
Grumpy/sunshine arc
Hot sexy scenes
Fiery chemistry
Many lovely moments
Amazing character development
Lots of emotions and entertainment
A perfect summer read

Book Links

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon.in | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

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