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blackveilbeccy's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Tropes: Grumpy-sunshine opposites attract romance between a rich influencer (FMC) and a grumpy deep sea fisherman.
At first I really did not like the FMC and found her selfish and vapid, but her personal growth and character development were both very deep. The MMC was someone I liked from the start - his stoic, practical, routine-driven personality was appealing. I did not buy the InstaLove here, but the relationship gradually became more believable as it unfolded.
The sexual content in this was absolutely gratuitous and took a lot away from the story. I skimmed / skipped it all.
At first I really did not like the FMC and found her selfish and vapid, but her personal growth and character development were both very deep. The MMC was someone I liked from the start - his stoic, practical, routine-driven personality was appealing. I did not buy the InstaLove here, but the relationship gradually became more believable as it unfolded.
The sexual content in this was absolutely gratuitous and took a lot away from the story. I skimmed / skipped it all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Abandonment, Cursing, Alcohol, Death, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Blood, Toxic friendship, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit, Infidelity, and Pregnancy
books_hay's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a cute book. Pretty spicy in some parts 🌶️🌶️🌶️
#spicy
#spicy
Content Warnings
Minor: Grief, Gaslighting, and Death of parent
caitlinemccann's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment, Classism, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Sexism, and Gaslighting
ka_ke's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I understand the hype behind Tessa Bailey’s books now.
It Happened One Summer is a perfect mix of Schitts Creek and Canadian East Coast culture, as a Canadian thats the best way to describe this lovely book.
It Happened One Summer is a perfect mix of Schitts Creek and Canadian East Coast culture, as a Canadian thats the best way to describe this lovely book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Toxic friendship, Grief, Abandonment, Gaslighting, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent
Minor: Pregnancy
bookshelvesandbookcorners07's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-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? Yes
3.5
Enjoyable read, but not too memorable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Medical content
Several sexual scenes, couple gaslighting each other, and hospital scene with a character in the icufromjuliereads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
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? Yes
3.5
I liked this one! It was an enjoyable read. Piper was difficult to like in the beginning but she grew on me! I liked the way their relationship progressed. I think I liked the side characters a little more so I'm curious about their book!
Minus a star for the million times he called her "baby" because it gives me the ick.
Minus a star for the million times he called her "baby" because it gives me the ick.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Gaslighting, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Grief
Minor: Medical content
vj_thompson's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Cute rom-com book. The characters were lovable. I forgot how much I love Tessa Bailey’s writing!! I thought the relationship moved very fast and the small internal battles were resolved quickly. Overall, a cute summer read 💕
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death of parent, Cursing, and Classism
Moderate: Death, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Grief, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content
Minor: Child death, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Sexism, Drug use, and Vomit
infectedarea's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Started out entertaining but seemed to go off the rails once the first sex scene occurred. Seemed to descend into light pornography after that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Grief
myhandmadehell's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I am not really sure what to say about this. I’ll start I guess by saying that I am aware this book scratches a lot of itches for a lot of people - but as I learn more about myself in my romance reading journey, I have learned that this kind of story - specifically these kinds of people - do not scratch any itches I have.
What I liked:
The character voice (both for Piper and Brendan) was very good, consistent, and specific to each person. I laughed out loud several times at each of their internal perceptions and clever little phrases. For example, a passage I highlighted:
“Was he annoyed? Yes. Did he want to be anywhere else in the world? No. And that was fucking frustrating but apparently it was what he enjoyed now.”
It was overall humorous, and I enjoyed the setting and the story set up. Hannah in particular, Piper’s sister, was a great character: supportive, loving, protective, but also her own person who didn’t need to emulate her sister in order to love her or be loved by her.
The spice was plentiful and explicit. That’s how I prefer it so the book did not disappoint on that front. I’ve heard Tessa Bailey is referred to as “the queen of dirty talk” or something - some reviews here indicated that the dirty talk was cringey and awful, but I found it was fine at worst, pretty hot at best.
What I didn’t like:
Just their whole relationship really. Every conflict they had came from Brendan being incapable of having a relationship. I don’t hate a possessive MMC but possessive doesn’t have to mean abusive - and yes I said it, and tagged it in the spoilers. He is emotionally abusive of her. And based on the sheer number of times he physically restrains her from walking away from him, when she clearly wants to, I’d also consider tagging in a warning of mild physical abuse as well. In fact, Brendan doesn’t let her do much of anything that he doesn’t approve of. He doesn’t let her finish sentences when she’s struggling to explain her feelings (which are, to say the least, confusing and new to her). He doesn’t give her time or space to think through those feelings. He doesn’t allow her to adjust to her dramatically different life. This sounds extra picky, but he unilaterally buys her jeans she said she doesn’t like! It’s played off as cute and “spoiling her” but it’s just one more way Brendan outs himself as a controlling asshole.
Again, I know this is part of the fantasy for some readers, this gender essentialism that categorizes all actions, appearances, attitudes, and behaviors as solely “male” or “female”, and allows people to explore and revel in the idea of a woman submitting to a man’s emotional and intellectual dominance. And I’m not here to shame anybody for that.
Just saying, for those who didn’t know that this is a book that explores those themes, and it isn’t your cup of tea? It does, and it is pretty blatant.
2.75 stars, losing 2 for all of the above, losing 1 more for the sentence “even a casual mention of Brendan’s name and her pussy started pumping out a slow jam”, and gaining back 3/4 of a star for what turned out to be a reasonably good apology on his part - a good start but not the end of their struggles, I fear.
The spice was plentiful and explicit. That’s how I prefer it so the book did not disappoint on that front. I’ve heard Tessa Bailey is referred to as “the queen of dirty talk” or something - some reviews here indicated that the dirty talk was cringey and awful, but I found it was fine at worst, pretty hot at best.
What I didn’t like:
Just their whole relationship really. Every conflict they had came from Brendan being incapable of having a relationship. I don’t hate a possessive MMC but possessive doesn’t have to mean abusive - and yes I said it, and tagged it in the spoilers. He is emotionally abusive of her. And based on the sheer number of times he physically restrains her from walking away from him, when she clearly wants to, I’d also consider tagging in a warning of mild physical abuse as well. In fact, Brendan doesn’t let her do much of anything that he doesn’t approve of. He doesn’t let her finish sentences when she’s struggling to explain her feelings (which are, to say the least, confusing and new to her). He doesn’t give her time or space to think through those feelings. He doesn’t allow her to adjust to her dramatically different life. This sounds extra picky, but he unilaterally buys her jeans she said she doesn’t like! It’s played off as cute and “spoiling her” but it’s just one more way Brendan outs himself as a controlling asshole.
Again, I know this is part of the fantasy for some readers, this gender essentialism that categorizes all actions, appearances, attitudes, and behaviors as solely “male” or “female”, and allows people to explore and revel in the idea of a woman submitting to a man’s emotional and intellectual dominance. And I’m not here to shame anybody for that.
Just saying, for those who didn’t know that this is a book that explores those themes, and it isn’t your cup of tea? It does, and it is pretty blatant.
2.75 stars, losing 2 for all of the above, losing 1 more for the sentence “even a casual mention of Brendan’s name and her pussy started pumping out a slow jam”, and gaining back 3/4 of a star for what turned out to be a reasonably good apology on his part - a good start but not the end of their struggles, I fear.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Cursing, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol, Child death, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
fiercereadsfiction's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Gaslighting