Bailey, Tessa. Hook, Line & Sinker (Bellinger Sisters #2). Avon, 2022. ISBN 978-0063045699 400 pp. $15.99

****

Fishermen work hard and play hard in the northwestern fishing village of Westport. In the first book in the series, disgraced heiress Piper Bellinger is exiled to clean up her father’s bar and falls for a widowed sea captain named Brendan who owns the Della Ray. His second in command crew member Fox Thorton has a womanizer reputation and is warned off younger sister Hannah, who decides is the perfect atmospheric location for the film she’s working on to be produced. As Hannah and Fox became friendly when Piper and Brendan started dating, it’s only natural that she stay in the spare bedroom of her (only) male friend. But their daily texts and songsharing have created a bond. Feelings are beginning to develop. Each is sure the other could never be interested…

As in the first book in the series, the setting is as much a character as any person and secondary characters are full of personality. Like in Talia Hibbert’s novels, the male leads have their own issues and baggage. In Fox’s case, he struggles with his reputation and has unresolved daddy issues, while Hannah, living a bit in the shadow of Piper, never quite sees herself as leading lady material and also has unresolved daddy issues. Both struggle with their career choices: Hannah is ambitious and wants to score movies, but is stuck in her PA job; Fox is content in his lower-responsibility job without ambition of promotion in part because he recognizes the lack of respect people have for him.

Other details that make this a four-star book: the soundtrack of Hannah’s life and her passion for music, the movie making process, the banter with a frenemy actor. And of course, sea shanties are on trend in a big way right now, and they pop up in this book.

A very satisfying friends-to-lovers romance. The cover is bright and compelling, the title is GREAT, and if you have not read the first book, this is still worth pursuing (you’ll want to go back and read It Happened One Summer).

I received an advance review copy of #HookLineAndSinker from #NetGalley