Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - Wreck the Halls

I wanted to read this book because I love Christmas and I love Tessa Bailey, seems like the perfect book, right? I loved it but I think it could have been developed as a series.

This book has two points of view, the first is Melody Gallard. She might be the daughter of music royalty, but her life is far from glamourous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo from her teenager years was enough). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll duo. The second point of view is Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite, the cameras love him, he could charm anyone, and his mum is not a potential cult leader. Beat doesn’t care if their mothers reunite or not, he is after the cash, he has been blackmailed for five years and the blackmailer has given him two weeks to get him the cash otherwise he is going to tell the world his secret. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it was nothing compared to the wild, intense attractions that builds as they embark on a mad mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show.

I liked the storyline and the characters had their individual personalities and their moments where they were the bright star of this story. It was a fun and easy read that also had characters with trauma and that made for an interesting read. The spice was entirely different, and I've never read anything like that. It was so kink-based but I loved it. I wanted to hug Melody, she just wanted to be able to live her life without the media being involved and not be asked about her mum. I loved her blind loyalty of Beat needs to this project so I'm in.

However, there was a few things that I was questioning during this novel. If you are looking for a fluffy Christmas novel, I’d say this isn’t for you. I kept forgetting it was based around Christmas, apart from the mentioning of the cold and the snow and that the reunion had to be done by Christmas Eve, I would have loved more Christmas vibes with this. I was more interested in the blackmailer aspect of it than the reunion and Melody and Beat’s relationship at times. I felt like the third-act conflict wasn’t really needed especially when there was less than 100 pages left.

Overall, I love Tessa Bailey’s work and always try to tell myself to pace myself when reading it and never do. So now I'm waiting for Fangirl down . . .

Content Warnings

sienasummerrreads's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.0

Tessa Bailey is my most-read author this year with this book being the seventh. Unfortunately, this was not it and my least favourite so far so let’s unpack.

Starting with Beat and Melody. The names, I get that the mothers were part of a famous band but I think it’s ridiculous and cringe honestly.

Beat and Melody’s relationship was Insta love and personally, it’s not a favourite trope of mine.

I felt that I knew nothing about Beat until he started confiding in Melody so I didn’t connect to him or fall in love with his character.

Beat and Melody as a couple are forgettable.

Beat in the bedroom was frustrating as well as he has issues with commitment and getting off due to reasons.

The whole story revolves around this reality TV show and trying to get their mother's band back together but following Beat and Melody. We finally meet one of the famous mothers 126 pages in.

Beat and Melody met at a coffee shop early on in the book next to a gym. Beat went after coffee and asked Melody to come with him and she was not dressed for the gym. Beat started doing box jumps and then asked her to do it too. Why a box jump and not a bicep curl to show off? This gym section was off to me.

Let’s talk about the cringe writing in terms of instead of saying “Holy crap” there was a line that was “Holy Hannah”… there was no Hannah in this book. Another weird line “Rotisserie chickens have nothing on me” which was after Beat’s mother was trying to put her in her place. Who says this honestly? There were a few weird cringy lines throughout the book.

Lastly, it’s a holiday romantic comedy based around Christmas. Not once did I laugh in this book and I was 205 pages in when we got the first Christmas paragraph about a decorated tree other than the reality TV show called Wreck The Halls and a deadline to meet before Christmas being mentioned.

Honesty I really didn’t care for the famous mother's backstory and band I wanted to know Beat and Melody and it overshadowed this book for me.

The audiobook was good just I felt the male narrator didn’t fit Beat.

I liked the idea just the execution wasn’t for me.

If you love:

🔹Holiday Romances

🔹Christmas Vibes

🔹Blackmail & Secrets

🔹Reality TV Show

🔹Insta Love

🔹Good Spice

Genre/Type: Holiday Romance 18+

APK: Physical & Audiobook

Pages: 359

Audiobook Length: 10hrs 33mins

Narrators: Brooke Bloomingdale & James Gloucester

Rating: 🌟🌟

Spice: 🌶️.5

Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone

Tropes or Themes: Christmas, Romcom, Famous, Insta Love, Friends To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Blackmail, Reality Show, Family Drama, Gala, Violence, Sexual Content, Praise, Edging and Third Person.

Check Triggers ⚠️ 💫

All Round Romance Reader

Sienasummerrreads 💕📚

Content Warnings

ajboyd_'s review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Tessa Bailey is back at it again with a BANGER. When I read the 'Broke and Beautiful' series, Bailey had put in a little sneak peek at the end of each book and I could not explain the excitement I had, waiting for this book to come out.

I WASN'T DISAPPOINTED!!! 'Wreck the Halls' is now my newfound favourite book (sorry Brandon and Piper), and nobody can say anything to make me think otherwise. I love the chemistry between Melody and Beat, the understanding, the obsession they had for one another. I know I'm a bit early for the Christmas season, but I don't care and neither should ya'll. PLEASE READ IT, YOU WON'T REGRET IT <3

Content Warnings

kaitlinnoodles's review

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emotional funny lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

hellowildflower's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes

✦ Forced proximity

✦ Insta-love

✦ Only one bed

✦ Opposites attract

I adore Tessa Bailey and Christmas so this book felt like it was made for me.

Beat and Melody are a dream couple and you can feel their chemistry from the very beginning.

It’s such a fun and lighthearted book but is also a little dark without being stressful.

The characters are well developed and so loveable. The plot is so fun and enjoyable and will definitely get you in the Christmas mood.

Content Warnings

lozs_shelf's review against another edition

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Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Wreck the Halls is a cute little Rom Com about to children of former rock stars falling in love while they try to bring their mom’s band back together. Tessa Bailey is one of my favourite romance authors, for her fun and light hearted story and this story delivers on this front. It’s fun, light-hearted and the characters have great back stories and flaws and problems that make them so likeable and relatable. It’s not super Christmas themed, the story just happens around that time. However, for those who live in the northern hemisphere (which I do not) I feel it would make it feel more of a wintery read. The main problem I had with this book was the insta love. I felt there wasn’t enough time for the couple to fully flesh out their relationship. The spice, however, as usual was perfect.

In the context of a seasonal romcom, I think it’s a prefect quick Christmas read. Ideal for the person who wants to curl up with a book with a hot drink on the count down to Christmas and binge the book in one day.

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