Tools Of Engagement by Tessa Bailey
Genre : Contemporary Romance
Publisher : Avon
Publication date : September 22nd, 2020
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. 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, but 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.
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!
I have been a long-time fan of Tessa Bailey's books and it wasn't a surprise for me when I fell in love with Fix Her Up. But, book two in the series - Love Her or Lose Her failed to meet my expectations. So, I was a little apprehensive while going into this book as I kept wondering whether I would like it or not. But, I'm glad I took a chance and read it as it was really worth it!
Bethany Castle was a unique heroine, who might look very perfect and organized from the outside. But, only she knows the constant self-doubt and the obsessive need for perfection that she's been battling. We get an enemies-to-lovers setup with lots of delightful bickering between Bethany and Wes, the hot guy who has just moved into her town. Wes has his own set of issues to deal with as he has to now single-handedly bring up his niece with no prior experience in parenting.
Just like the usual Tessa Bailey hero, Wes might seem a little overbearing at first, but I think this dynamic works well as only he could have managed to break down Bethany's walls. They both managed to deal with their issues by communicating like mature adults. There's an added sprinkle of humor along with their witty back and forth. And I don't think I would ever have any complaints in the steam department when it comes to this author's works as the chemistry is always off the charts. Some scenes had me fanning my face while reading.
The overall background with a reality show for flipping houses was also done well in an enjoyable manner.
All in all, this was a great read that managed to surpass my expectations and I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who's wanting to try a new Tessa Bailey book or just an enjoyable, steamy rom-com. This will definitely not disappoint you!
You can also find my review of the previous book in the series here :
I was provided with an ARC via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review
Tessa Bailey aspires to three things. Writing hot and unforgettable, character-driven romance, being a good mother and eventually sneaking onto the judging panel on a reality show baking competition. She lives on Long Island, New York with her husband and daughter, writing all day and rewarding herself with a cheese plate and Netflix binges in the evening. If you want sexy, heartfelt, humorous romance with a guaranteed happy ending, you’ve come to the right place.
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