It Happened One Summer: A Steamy, Fun, and Unforgettable Read by Tessa Bailey

It Happened One Summer is book 1 of the Bellinger Sister Series – detailing the story between Piper, the older sister, and Brendan Taggert, the grumpy local fisherman of Westport. This Schitt’s Creek-inspired story is about finding the courage to step outside of your comfort zone and daring to see yourself as more than what you are. 

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.

Characters

BRENDAN

The grumpy sea captain is a stickler for rules and routines. So it’s not surprising when he gets defensive after Piper throws a wrench into his daily habits by coming to Westport. But his efforts to avoid her are futile, especially in such a small town. And he finds himself being drawn to her “Piper sparkle” that slowly reignites a flame in him that he thought he lost long ago. Unable to resist her for long, he decides to take a leap of faith to explore this new, sizzling chemistry between them.

I loved how he encouraged Piper to see that she was worthy of being loved. Tessa Bailey gave him a great balance of alpha male and heartwarming tenderness that will shoot him to the top of your list of favorite book BFs.

PIPER

Feeling like a fish out of water in the fishing town of Westport, Piper is forced to adjust her sails to a new course. Growing up in LA, Piper is used to being seen as nothing more than a “good time,” but deep down, she craves to be something more. Without the glitz and glamour to hide behind, she only has herself to survive on. Her inexperience with life, though it may be considered a bit spoilt, was more funny and endearing than anything else.

Despite everyone thinking she’s just an “airhead,” she has grit and a heart of gold beneath all her designer clothes, and I loved being on the journey the author took us on as she discovered her independence.

SIDE CHARACTERS

Hannah is the younger of the Bellinger sisters and is a commendable supporting character. She’s fierce, loyal, and not afraid to take on a rugged, burly sea captain in defending her sister. Despite being polar opposites, what brings these sisters together is the unwavering support they have for each other. Her love for music was adorable, and I look forward to reading her story with Fox, Brendan’s best friend, in book 2 – Hook, Line, and Sinker.

The other men on Brendan’s fishing crew, including Fox, added great comedic moments to the story that had me laughing out loud. My favorite of which was Brendan trying to figure out Instagram.

Plot

Every chapter added value to the story and carried it forward. The romance felt natural and progressed at a realistic pace, and I never got bored. The backstory of the connection between the sisters and Westport added a lot of heart to the story. I especially enjoyed learning all the little details about King crab fishing and the dangers of it all.

I could feel the sparks coming off the pages for the chemistry between both MCs. The build-up of sexual tension as they slowly broke down each other’s walls made for an engaging and fast-paced book. And when they finally gave in, it was totally worth the wait. 

I also appreciated the emphasis on the drawbacks of social media and what it truly means to be happy and living in the moment. While social media is ideal for many things, it puts a lot of pressure on the need to stay relevant every day, and I’m glad this book tackled it head-on. 

Sometimes in rom-coms, you can tell that one MC is more responsible for the conflict than the other. But in this one, there was such a great balance of both characters that that wasn’t present. Both have flaws and insecurities that they needed to work through, and watching them do that was so gratifying.

The swoon-worthy ending will not disappoint, and there are enough teasers for me to be itching to listen to book 2 – Hook, Line, and Sinker.  

Writing

I adore books that focus on the POV of both MCs because it gives me a deeper dive into their actions and motives. I felt like I was on the journey with Piper as she found herself and with Brendan as he learned to trust his feelings again. This intimate look into their minds made for a captivating book that I could not put down. 

There was a great balance between inner dialogues and story progression without either becoming tedious. The conversations flowed smoothly and made for an easy listen. 

Narrators

Charlotte North has become one of my favorite narrators of audiobooks. Her ability to animate each of her characters makes the audiobook experience much more worthwhile. The gruff tone she gave to Brendan matched him so well, and the way she carried Piper’s voice minimized any ‘brattiness’ that may be associated with her. I would definitely recommend listening to this as an audiobook. 

Conclusion

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey is a sexy, sweet, and inspiring story of redefining your priorities, discovering your strength, and fighting for what you love. After reading this, you’ll be looking for the nearest fishing village for your next summer escape. 

Quotes