Review: "It Happened One Summer" by Tessa Bailey (Bellinger Sisters #1) ★★★★★

Review It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

The dating apps are not working, so I am pretending to be lost in Westport. Hehe. Grumpy meets sunshine in this rom-com that I am surprised isn’t on Netflix – it should be.

Brendan had always thought battling the ocean would forever be his biggest challenge. But that was before he met Piper.

PLOT SUMMARY
28-year-old LA rich girl socialite, Piper Bellinger, was always a wild child. After a breakup makes her feel inadequate, she breaks into a poolhouse and throws a rooftop party in retaliation. This spirals out of control and she ends up in jail briefly, bailed out by her sister Hannah but now in trouble with her stepfather Daniel Bellinger, Academy Award-winning movie producer.

He decides to cut them off and send the sisters to Westport, Washington, to humble them and teach them a lesson about being self-sufficient. It also allows them to find out more about their late biological father Henry Cross, who is not mentioned often but the family used to live there when Piper was 4, and he owned a pub. Piper is determined to prove to everyone that she is more than a social image and decides to give the place a makeover.

The Bellinger sisters’ arrival and desire to take over the pub No Name, without much consideration of the town and its history, does not bode well with grumpy fisherman Captain Brendan Taggart of the Della Ray, a widower for 7 years. He likes order, a regime; Piper comes in like a force of nature and provides chaos any time they meet. Piper and Brendan cannot seem to avoid each other in the little town, so call a truce after getting off on the wrong foot.

Undeniable sparks fly between them eventually, and Piper wants to have a fling, no strings attached whereas Brendan desires something more. But he is a king crab fisher, so he goes out with his crew for days on end. This is unreliable, inconstant, unsafe. They fall helplessly in love each other. But in what world would a rich girl sacrifice her popularity and everything she knows to stay with a sailor with an unstable job where his life is always on the line?

“I’ll love you until my heart gives out. I’ll be your man for a thousand years. Longer if I’m allowed.”

OVERALL OPINIONS
It would appear that I started reading one of Tessa Bailey’s not-so-great stories Too Hot To Handle. I loved the idea of that story, don’t get me wrong. My main issue was that I did not warm up to the main character, Rita, and then when I did, she treated Jasper so horribly that I never recovered. The plot was mainly the spice, but [what was left of] the remaining plot felt rushed and incomplete, and the bond between the siblings was nice but could have been expanded on. She was good at writing Jasper, so I had hoped she would be good at writing Brendan – I was not wrong.

Long story short, I was skeptical of checking out her other works. I am very glad I found this and decided to give it a try. With around 4-5 years difference between Too Hot To Handle and It Happened One Summer, Tessa’s improvements in writing can be clearly seen here. This was a “recharging point” (iykyk), a comfort book to me.

This story had so much depth, almost as deep as the ocean. It was witty, it was amusing, it was spicy. It was as touching as the way Piper touches everyone’s hearts at Westport – which was so lovely! I like that literally everyone falls in love with her spirit, the “Piper sparkle” and she becomes so selfless and helps people – like getting her grandmother Opal to go out and party, or helping Abe get to the museum every day because of his mobility issues.

The song “Anchor” by Novo Amor, specifically its lyrics and the music video came to mind whilst reading this.

The opening paragraph is rather amusing: “Her longest relationship on record… over in the blink of an eye. Three weeks of her life wasted.” It immediately tells you that Piper has not been with anyone seriously, or for a serious amount of time – but takes it rather seriously because of the time wasted.

Tessa wrote this during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. I like that this brought so much comfort to her during these times. She was inspired by the character Alexis Rose of the TV series Schitt’s Creek (2015-2020), but with a happier ending in terms of the romance. Just seeing a picture of Alexis alone can show you the inspiration.

I will be sure to check out the other book in this duology, Hook, Line and Sinker, about Piper’s sister Hannah and Brendan’s friend and first mate Fox. I really loved the two of them in this story – and their bonus chapter.

<< Positives >>
🠚 The character development of Piper. Very beautifully written.
🠚 The amount of trust between Brendan and Piper was heartwarming to see. I am glad he pushes her into opening up to him about things. No relationship should have secrets.
🠚 The relationship was cute. I like that Brandan wants to spoil Piper but she does not need it for her to be happy with him.
🠚 Miscommunication, though it is not a favourite trope of mine, was done very well here. She intends to turn up before he sets sail to prove her love for him. He sets sail thinking because she hadn’t turned up, but she was delayed. That moment broke my hearttt!
🠚 I absolutely adore the friendship between Fox and Brendan! Any of their scenes together were simply hilarious! “Did you come here for advice on women?” | Brandan scoffed. “That’s a stretch.” | “You did, didn’t you? Son of a bitch.”

<< Negatives >>
🠚 I’m sorry but… bonking in a hospital? Reallyyy? C’mon, girl! Of all places – especially to have a first time. Not it for me.

CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Piper꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ I will not lie, I hated her character to begin with. Especially because she is 28 but acts like she is 16. I know this is because she is a spoilt child, that is all the life she has ever known, and is not used to people other than her sister, but it was draining.
🠚She gets the best character development ever! She is humbled, she becomes so selfless, she goes out her way to make everyone happy, she gives tips and tricks to the locals who want her advice.
🠚Not my favourite main female character, but one of a more complex main character.

-ˋˏ ꒰ Brendan꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ So he is exceptionally hot, broad, a deep voice, a black beard? You had me at hot. Hello sailor! Permission to come aboard you, sir?
🠚 It is giving Henry Cavill from “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare”. You know what to do, Netflix (hint: CAST HIM pls).
🠚 He shows his love through gestures, which I love. I think a lot of men are not always the best with words but are good at showing their love and consideration through actions. Brendan builds a pergola, books a fancy hotel and goes shopping with Piper, going out of his comfort zone for her but treating her to all the things she likes? He’s a keeper. An absolute keeper.
🠚 Also everyone, thank Brendan for calling out Piper when she says “Don’t talk to me like a child.” And he says “You’re acting like one.” – this needed to happen, yesss!

OTHER FAV QUOTES
• She had a reputation as a good time. Someone to covet. An “it girl.” If she didn’t have her social status, what did she have?
• Another man who thought she was worthless? How positively breathtaking.
• “thanks for the warm welcome, Mayor Doom and Gloom.”
• She’d gotten prettier overnight, damn her.
• “Just what the hell are you planning on making with that combination?” | “Something to poison you would be nice.”
• “Women are protective. Nurturing. A boat is given the name of a woman in the hopes that she'll protect the crew. And hopefully put a good word in the other important woman in our lives, the ocean.”
• “You can be as high maintenance as you want, honey. But I'm the only one who does the maintenance.”
• Captain Brendan Taggart was a man. A real one.
• “When I was falling in love with you, I was falling in love with Westport at the same time. That is my home. Our home. And I don’t want to be anywhere else. I knew it as soon as I got here tonight. Nothing was right. Nothing was right without you.”
• Piper had once said Brendan was Westport, but now it was the other way around. This place was her.