In Tessa Bailey’s latest rom-com, two enemies team up to flip a house… and the sparks between them might burn the place down or ignite a passion that neither can ignore!
Hair, makeup, clothing, decor… everything in Bethany Castle’s world is organized, planned, and styled to perfection. Which is why the homes she designs for her family’s real estate business are the most coveted in town. … business are the most coveted in town. The only thing not perfect? Her track record with men. She’s on a dating hiatus and after helping her friends achieve their dreams, Bethany finally has time to focus on her own: flip a house, from framework to furnishings, all by herself. Except her older brother runs the company and refuses to take her seriously.
When a television producer gets wind of the Castle sibling rivalry, they’re invited on Flip Off, a competition to see who can do the best renovation. Bethany wants bragging rights, but she needs a crew and the only member of her brother’s construction team willing to jump ship is Wes Daniels, the new guy in town. His Texas drawl and handsome face got under Bethany’s skin on day one, and the last thing she needs is some cocky young cowboy in her way.
As the race to renovate heats up, Wes and Bethany are forced into close quarters, trading barbs and biting banter as they remodel the ugliest house on the block. It’s a labor of love, hate, and everything in between, and soon sparks are flying. But Bethany’s perfectly structured life is one kiss away from going up in smoke and she knows falling for a guy like Wes would be a flipping disaster.
“Her voice feels as fresh and contemporary as a Netflix rom-com.” —Entertainment Weekly
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4.5 STARS!
The last hurrah for a series I have loved so much, Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey is the final book in her Hot & Hammered series . An age gap with a bit of enemies-to-lovers, Wes and Bethany’s story is what I live for!!
It has become Wes Daniels’ sole mission to antagonize Bethany and watch her light up like a firecracker. He can’t fight the attraction he feels towards the beautiful blonde.
Bethany Castle is starting to feel the pressure. She’s known to be nothing short of perfection, even her work as a house stager is immaculate. Bethany is a strong and intelligent woman but she treads close to the rules and has her doubts. She is pulling her first ever flip. In doing so, she’s going against her family which has her fearing she will disappoint them in the end.
“It was almost as if he’d seen through the bravado that fooled everyone else, straight to the mess beneath.”
I loved Wes but hated how insecure Bethany was. In the beginning, she constantly brought up the age difference. Bethany would seem hurt and Wes would amend the error. He pushes her out of her comfort zone and let’s her see she’s human, that she’s allowed to make mistakes and be imperfect. Wes wasn’t afraid to show Bethany that it’s okay to let her hair loose and be wild for once…. All the consequences be d*mned.
Bethany needed a little bit more development of course before she got to that place that she believed in herself wholeheartedly. The back and forth banter and character dynamics made this book and was such a treat! I especially loved Wes’ interactions with his adorable and witty 5 year old niece, Laura. Also, The Reality TV bit was so much fun to read about!
Tools of Engagement was funny, sexy, and the perfect romcom read!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Avon through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*
I have very quickly fallen in love with Tessa Bailey’s books! They are the best kind of romance—funny with witty dialogue and brilliantly crafted. This book made me race to buy the rest in the series.
I laughed until I cried! This is my first book by Tessa Bailey; it won’t be my last. The chemistry between Wes and Bethany is off the charts, and I love that Wes is a self-actualized (younger) man while Bethany is kind of a mess underneath it all. The snarky dialogue had me rolling.
I absolutely LOVED this book! This entire series has been so much fun and amazing and it ended PERFECTLY! Wes and Bethany was so amazing! I love the age difference and dealing with that yet also realizing that age doesn’t matter when there’s a connection and understand like there was between them. I feel like a lot of women can connect with Bethany; there’s so much pressure these days and I think Bethany was a perfect example of how a lot of women feel. Wes’ understand and support rather than laughing or shame was so amazing. It’s hard to put yourself out there and this relationship was just absolutely lovely.
Tessa Bailey (as always) writes heroines you can relate to and heroes you can’t live without. Every time I think Tessa can’t possible write a more perfect man… she does! If you’re looking for a hot and steamy rom com then you never need to look further than Tessa. This series has laughs, love, tears and the romance is spot on. To catch up read #fixherup and then #loveherorloseher !!
Humor and sass mixed with insecurities and love can melt even the coldest of hearts!
*****
Rating: 4 Stars
Steam: 3 Flames
Genre: Enemies to Lovers
*****
In book 2, Love Her or Lose Her, we get met Wes. The handsome cowboy that has moved from San Antonio to Long Island to take care of his five year old niece when his sister and her husband split and his sister just couldn’t handle it anymore and split too. Wes, a real life, bull riding cowboy is now responsible for and raising a five year old little girl alone. Well, not really alone he has the help of the “Just Us League” (that still cracks me up)!
Bethany, the perfectionist that wants more…no, needs more. She wants to flip a house on her own, she is no longer content to be the pretty decorator. She wants to be a part of the process from start to finish. She feels she has something to prove to everyone, herself. When Travis gifts her his childhood home, she decides this will be her renovation project. She will feel more like a part of the family business.
Of course no one takes the beautiful woman in Louboutins seriously, no that is, except Wes. And when push comes to shove and Stephen (her brother) doesn’t want to let her start her project. She walks and Wes walks with her. How will these two manage to make it through the project with stubbornness, chemistry off the charts, and sheer sass?
The banter between Wes and Bethany is funny, but it is hiding the true insecurities and doubts that each of the characters have. Wes, never having a home or people to depend on and Bethany, afraid to let anyone see she isn’t perfect. What will happen when each becomes exactly what they other needs during a renovation project?
This story was heartwarming, funny, and steamy, but most of all the story had depth and growth. As we peel back the layers of Wes and Bethany, you just begin to love them more and more. It was a fantastic story. The characters were loveable, crazy and kind of made you feel like you were home. The story was thoughtful and emotional and the HEA was perfect! I definitely recommend this book/series!
I was so happy to finally read Bethany’s story! It was worth the wait.
The third and final installment of Tessa Bailey’s Hot & Hammered series–so sad to see it end.
For like 90% of this book I was sure it was going to be one of my favorite books of 2020. I absolutely adore our slightly neurotic heroine, Bethany, who insists that everything must be perfect at all times. And perhaps a little bit in love with and our young, rough n’ tumble hero, Wes. Not your average 23 year-old, Wes is matured by the responsibility of taking care of his five-year old niece. When Bethany is tired of merely staging homes for her family’s house flipping company, and wants to take on a flip herself, Wes volunteers himself to help.
The chemistry and banter between Wes and Bethany is off the charts! One of my new favorite rom com couples, these two were clearly ship material from the very first book in the series. Their playful arguments and mutual attraction was the perfect setup for this book. I loved their story of working together to flip the house and figuring out how to take care of a five year-old–when neither of them had strong paternal or maternal instincts.
But I’d like to talk about the ending. ****SO SPOILERS BELOW****
Whhhhhhyyyyyyy do some many romcoms feel compelled to end in marriage? Okay. I understand that it made logical sense for Wes and Laura to move in with Bethany after only knowing each other for like two months, talking for three weeks, and hooking up for one. I can live with that. But why would you FREAKING propose after dating for like a week???? And then the epilogue has them get married within nine months of that proposal???? WHYYYYY? Why can’t we just be happy with them in a loving stable relationship where they take their time to get to know each other better before making a lifelong legal binding commitment. I was just so frustrated. Because this book was seriously a 10/10 for me until the proposal.
5 Stars – 9/10 rating
Thank you to Avon, Harper Collins, and Edelweiss for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Tools of Engagement, the third book in Tessa Bailey’s Hot & Hammered series, is a witty and sweet rom-com. It begins as Bethany decides to venture out on her own house- flipping endeavor instead of staging for her family’s business. Wes, in a great Renee Zellweger moment (I love this reference in the book!), joins Bethany. When her story and the family drama catch a producer’s ear, Bethany finds herself in a reality tv competition against her brother.
I enjoyed Bethany and Wes’s love story. Their teasing and flirting were a great build-up to a sexy romance. Between their witty, teasing banter and their strong connection, the chemistry was palpable. I also like that, as they each deal with personal issues, they are a great support to each other.
Stepping out on her own forces Bethany to face her fears. She is a perfectionist who stresses about what others think of her. She never likes to be anything less than exceptional, and it is shown in her work and her appearance. But Bethany deals with insecurity, anxiety, and fear of rejection. Can she succeed on her own? What will people think of her if she fails? Bethany spends a lot of her time keeping up appearances, and Wes is one of the few who see through her facade.
Wes deals with his own issues like taking responsibility for his young niece after his sister takes a “break” from parenting. A young, single man in a new town, Wes must juggle the challenges of caring for a five-year-old while working for Bethany. He is an honorable, if cocky, man with a wicked sense of humor.
Tools of Engagement is a fun and sexy romantic comedy with great characters and an interesting story. Though it’s the third book in the series, it can easily be read as a standalone. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Avon for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.
This was a low angst, entertaining story. Bethany and Wes have 7 years age difference (she’s older) but it’s really not a big deal. He’s mature for his age, and has been through a lot, and is taking care of his niece. And Bethany seems to have her life together, but she agonizes over every detail. They both have struggles in their personal lives that endear you to them.
The banter was good. And there were some really funny, highlightable moments. Wes’s niece was sure adorable. There were other couples, who had books previous to this, but I was able to read it as a stand alone. It was a light and enjoyable love story that unfolded pretty naturally with likeable characters.
Surprisingly I liked this a lot better than “Fix Her Up” despite its rave reviews. In my opinion, Bethany and Wes had so much better chemistry and the sexual tension, woo-wee! Our cowboy wasn’t afraid to shoot his shot and it was refreshing to see a male lead pursuing the heroine for once. He was the perfect book boyfriend with his patience and sweet encouragements he gave Bethany during her struggle with her insecurities. I really liked seeing them together despite how fast their relationship moved later on in the novel and the appearances of the previous characters that were featured in past installments. Am I the only one who wants to read how Stephen and Kristen’s stable but unstable relationship started? They’re a riot! Nevertheless, this is a great addition to the “Hot & Hammered” series.
Bethany Castle is always in her element. She is calm, collected and cool. After all, she is the interior decorator for her family’s business and that’s exactly what she does best. Put everyone else at ease and make them feel welcome. But what about her, who is going to be there for her when she doesn’t have the energy to always be “perfect”?
Wes Daniels, isn’t used to sticking around in one place for a long time. He’s used to jumping from one place or another; hence his career at being a bull rider. Life throws Wes a curve ball and he soon finds himself in Port Jefferson taking care of his five year old niece for the unforeseeable future.
I really enjoyed Fix Her Up (book #1 in the series), but Love Her or Lose Her (book #2 in the series) wasn’t one I connected with as much. Tools of Engagement might be my favorite of the series. I love a sweet (and dirty) talking, sexy cowboy and Wes was all of those things. The banter between Wes and Bethany was so perfect and the sexual tension was always simmering between these two. But more than that, I loved how Wes seemed to completely get Bethany. He pushed her when she needed it and backed off when she needed her space. He was affectionate and attentive and always so damn sweet.
His sweetness and desire to protect both this niece and Bethany was definitely what made me fall for Wes. The interactions between Wes and his niece were some of my favorites. They were so sweet together and I ended up falling for both of them. A lot of times the single parent trope doesn’t hold that much appeal to me, but these two were so perfect in this book!
I loved the interactions between Bethany and the Just Us League. I enjoyed revisiting with Georgie, Rosie and the rest of the gang. Watching Bethany transform and let go of her insecurities was perhaps my favorite part of this book. As Tessa states in her acknowledgements – we don’t always have to be that perfect person that’s thrown across our social media. It’s okay to just be who we are.
Tools of Engagement releases September 22, 2020 – add this to your TBR list!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
Corny, sweet and spicy, great combo!
I feel like it’s been forever since I read a book by this author even though I’ve had this book basically since it came out. Shame on me. This is a very cute age gap, antagonist to lovers romance with a 23 year old reluctant caregiver and his 30 year old boss who takes on a house flipping competition against her brother. The banter between Wes and Bethany is classic Bailey as is the steam. I really enjoyed this
3.5 stars- I really enjoy it; but perhaps didn’t connect with it as much as the prior two books in the series.
Tools of Engagement:
Tessa Bailey
Bethany Castle has always been the aesthetic queen, but when she decides to get her hands dirty and step away from her family’s booming business, the last thing she expects is for the infuriating, handsome, and sinfully irresistible cowboy Wes Daniels to step up to help her.
Allow me to say, I needed time to compose my thoughts but Wes and Bethany deserved the whole mf world and they served so hard so without further ado, let’s get into this baby.
The ice queen, Bethany Castle, is always prim and proper with a face of makeup, perfect hair, a dress she hasn’t worn before, and legs that go on for days. Nothing short of ethereal, really and such a contrast to what brews on the inside. Constantly self-doubting, overthinking, worrying, and overly stressed out, Bethany tries to prove her worth by stepping out from under her brother’s limited understanding of her capabilities. Though she may be that slightly uptight, perfect-as-a-dove diva, she is so insanely real and I think it’s a testament to Tessa Bailey’s writing to be able to portray that conflict incredibly well.
Wes Daniels put all uncles to shame because this man–this wonderful, kind man who is thrust into the arms of single parenthood when his sister leaves her daughter, Laura, behind with Wes, for him to take care of. Commitment and staying in one place is a new concept for Wes and though it’s incredibly difficult for him to adjust, he takes it in stride to make sure his niece is happy.
The romance in this book is top-tier. I’ve never really read an older woman trope before and I think the concept was so well addressed in this book–Bethany’s need for everything to be undeniably perfect, even in her relationships was overshadowed by how much she felt for Wes. Bethany is so afraid of not being perfect and Wes shows her that imperfection of itself is perfect. That being unsure, unkempt, and not knowing things is okay. It may take her a while to warm up, but when she does, Bethany is so fucking incredible and such a sweetheart.
The way these two love each other is so beautiful–Bethany’s love is powerful and all-consuming and Wes’ is steadfast even in the wildest thunderstorms (that may or may not lead to incredible sex idk you’ll have to read it, won’t you?).
One of the most beautiful parts of this book was seeing Bethany and Laura’s relationship grow to the point where she would do anything for that girl–literally anything and that much is evidenced by the end of this book. The adorable family that these three make and all those precious domestic scenes between them are almost too good to be true.
The most perfect conclusion to the Hot & Hammered series and further cemented my devotion to Tessa Bailey and the majesty that is her mind.
I think this is my favorite from the series. Fantastic hate to love, or more like… fake-hate to love in the setting of flipping houses in a small town. It involves competitive siblings, overcoming anxiety, and stepping into an unexpected parenting role.
Another fabulous read by Tessa Bailey. The love story of Bethany and Wes. I have to say this book was explosive. Though the age difference was a hurdle Bethany had to get over. We saw her and what they could become from the beggining. His book was spicy, funny and sexy. A must read.
Honestly, even with some cliches in there, this story surprised me in a good way. Though I have to say that the only characters I liked were Wes, Bethany, and Laura.
And am I the only one who thinks that Wes is a sexy name?
Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey was such a fun, poolside-perfect read! I picked it up during a trip to the bookstore just before my surfing vacation. It was exactly the light, joyful read I was hoping for. The book is #3 in a series, but was perfect as a standalone. I’ll definitely be going back to read the rest. This is a terrific read if you love enemies-to-lovers romances, sibling competition, or HGTV.
Romance that feels real 5 stars – It is an emotional story couched in humor, romance and reality-type plot. Both Bethany and Wes have emotional baggage but fate has a plan for them – to be each other’s load-bearing wall. The author has created two well-developed characters. You can see their strengths. More importantly, you can feel their vulnerabilities. The interactions between Wes and Bethany are amusing, sizzling, and feel real. Don’t miss this book. I borrowed from the local library and voluntarily chose to review it.