‘It Happened One Summer’ (2021) Book Review

It Happened One Summer Synopsis from the Publisher:

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.

Review: Admittedly, it took me a while to get through this book – however, that’s no fault of the book itself. I’ve been in and out of a reading slump for a while now. That being said, I adored this novel. I was afraid Piper would start grating on my nerves after a while, but Tessa Bailey did a fantastic job giving her depth instead of just tossing out a one-dimensional spoiled princess and calling it good. Brendan was sexy as hell! And the two of them together created just the right amount of chemistry to keep me reading.

Even better, Bailey took the time to flesh out the town of Westport. I could visualize it perfectly in my mind, as well as the secondary characters. Knowing that were was a sequel featuring Piper’s sister Hannah made me more forgiving that there wasn’t a lot of focus on her. She’s getting her own novel – with Westport playboy Fox – which I am excited to read.

So often, I’ve been reading rom-coms that are really dull in the story or lack chemistry between the two characters, but It Happened One Summer has both. Oh, and Bailey also sprinkles in the right amount of angst. If you can get me racing to the end of the book to make sure our two lovebirds have a happy ending, even though I know they will, then you’re the kind of author I’m going to continue to read.

I’ve noticed that my reviews tend to be longer when I dislike a movie or book because I have so much to complain about. But when I love something, I want to say how much I love it and recommend it to others without revealing too much. It Happened One Summer is briskly paced and has some great characters, not to mention some incredibly steamy sex scenes. If you’re a fan of rom-coms, or even contemporary romance, pick up this book and give it a go.

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