Scan barcode
A review by amys_hygge_reads
It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
lighthearted
slow-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
3.0
Okay, I finally dipped my toes in the sand of spicy romance and read It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey. But unfortunately it disappointed!
The Story 📚
Piper appears to lead a fabulous and lavish lifestyle. A well known influencer, and is frequently photographed by the paparazzi - but the party lifestyle and bad choices catches up to her after throwing a rooftop party.
Queue the stepfather deciding to stop giving Piper money, and sending her (and her sister?!) to go and discover their roots. Three months in a small fishing port town called Westport, they are given the job of running their dead father’s bar.
The small town life is miles from what she knows. A sense of community, physical labour, no social media - oh, and a fishing captain called Brendan who seems to be everywhere and too hard to resist. Just how much can change in 3 months?
The Review 👩🏻💻
Well apparently a main character can have a complete personality transplant in 3 months.. I’m all for character development, but Piper in the beginning, to even her in the middle just felt like a different character?
The side plots were terrible. Her mother, father and granny were all throw away characters with no development. There was more about the stepdad?! They were just forgotten for majority of the story.
For the spicy scenes and love story, a lot was very eye roll worthy or just over dramatic (like the ending!). The use of the phrase her s*x and a back entrance to front transition were major nos! But there was a lot to like about Brendan - and Piper 2.0. Minus the overly dramatic miscommunication which was thrown in at the end.
I listened on audio and the narration just didn’t suit. The voice for Brendan was possibly why I didn’t love him more. But it was a fun, lighthearted and easy listen.
On a final note - how does Abe get down the stairs of the museum, seen as she just leaves him there? 😂
The Story 📚
Piper appears to lead a fabulous and lavish lifestyle. A well known influencer, and is frequently photographed by the paparazzi - but the party lifestyle and bad choices catches up to her after throwing a rooftop party.
Queue the stepfather deciding to stop giving Piper money, and sending her (and her sister?!) to go and discover their roots. Three months in a small fishing port town called Westport, they are given the job of running their dead father’s bar.
The small town life is miles from what she knows. A sense of community, physical labour, no social media - oh, and a fishing captain called Brendan who seems to be everywhere and too hard to resist. Just how much can change in 3 months?
The Review 👩🏻💻
Well apparently a main character can have a complete personality transplant in 3 months.. I’m all for character development, but Piper in the beginning, to even her in the middle just felt like a different character?
The side plots were terrible. Her mother, father and granny were all throw away characters with no development. There was more about the stepdad?! They were just forgotten for majority of the story.
For the spicy scenes and love story, a lot was very eye roll worthy or just over dramatic (like the ending!). The use of the phrase her s*x and a back entrance to front transition were major nos! But there was a lot to like about Brendan - and Piper 2.0. Minus the overly dramatic miscommunication which was thrown in at the end.
I listened on audio and the narration just didn’t suit. The voice for Brendan was possibly why I didn’t love him more. But it was a fun, lighthearted and easy listen.
On a final note - how does Abe get down the stairs of the museum, seen as she just leaves him there? 😂