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.
MY REVIEW
One glance at the synopsis for this book and I just knew I had to get my hands on it. I mean, Schitt’s Creek inspired?! Sign me up!!
It Happened One Summer follows the story of Piper and Brendan. Fresh off of a humiliating break-up, Piper decides to do something wild and crazy to try and save face. Little did Piper know her so called best friend would rat her out and her whole world would get turned upside down. Piper’s step-father has had enough and decides to teach her a hard lesson, and that lesson lands Piper in Westport, Washington. It’s a totally different pace of life there and Piper has to learn to adjust and fend for herself. The last thing she needs is the broody Brendan who thinks he’s got her number. He’s her complete opposite and challenges her in every way. As Piper starts to reconnect and lay down roots in the last place she ever thought, Piper starts to question everything she ever knew. Will Piper stay put and enjoy the simpler life or will she revert back to her old Hollywood ways? There’s only one way to find out….
It Happened One Summer is a fantastic read from beginning to end. I was sucked into this story from the very first page and never wanted to put it down. I adored Piper and her sister Hannah. I loved how they had each other’s back and how Hannah stuck by Piper’s side and endured being cut off. Hannah helped Piper grow and learn that there is more to life than just the glamour they were used to. I love, love, loved the slow burn between Brendan and Piper. They started off as an enemies, but the more they got to know each other, the more impossible their chemistry was to ignore. And let me tell you, this couple is one you want to root for. You want them to learn and grow together, to find a way to move away from their pasts, and take a risk on each other. And yes, they 100% burn up the pages together.
It Happened One Summer is everything I was looking for in a sexy, rom-com. I loved the Schitt’s Creek and small-town vibes. The characters are fantastic, relatable, and will leave you wanting more. This story is filled with friendship, fresh starts, and taking chances. I laughed, I swooned, and even teared up a little. It checked off all of my boxes and I for one hope that this won’t be the last we see of these characters.
I had the best time getting swept up in this story and highly recommend checking this book out!
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
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