Now, Hannah's in town for work, crashing in Fox's spare bedroom. She knows he's a notorious ladies' man, but they're definitely just friends. In fact, she's nursing a hopeless crush on a colleague and Fox is just the person to help with her lackluster love life. Armed with a few tips from Westport's resident Casanova, Hannah sets out to catch her coworker's eye... yet the more time she spends with Fox, the more she wants him instead. As the line between friendship and flirtation begins to blur, Hannah can't deny she loves everything about Fox, but she refuses to be another notch on his bedpost.
Living with his best friend should have been easy. Except now she's walking around in a towel, sleeping right across the hall, and Fox is fantasizing about waking up next to her for the rest of his life and... and... man overboard! He's fallen for her, hook, line, and sinker. Helping her flirt with another guy is pure torture, but maybe if Fox can tackle his inner demons and show Hannah he's all in, she'll choose him instead?
tessa bailey has never failed to deliver a book full of feeling. and i mean every single feeling under the sun. ever since how much i loved it happened one summer last year, i've been on the edge of my seat waiting for hook, line, and sinker. the introduction of hannah and fox's relationship in ihos was refreshing against the backdrop of piper and brendan's story. beyond the banter and all the teasing, we were able to watch two characters who struggle with their own insecurities learn to appreciate themselves in the process of loving one another. tessa bailey was able to tackle serious conversations such as dealing with imposter syndrome and vulnerability. this is a story for those who constantly doubt themselves and their abilities, and this shows that sometimes the faith someone has in you is enough to grant you the motivation to push on. hls is the perfect story for hannah and fox and embodies so much goodness, charm, and strength.
there's so much to be related to in this story. hannah starts off by describing herself as a supporting character. she views herself as someone who gives energy to her family and friends, fixing mishaps and cheering on her sister from the sidelines. she never quite had a moment where she pictured herself as the main character. that is, until she's convinced her production company to pack up and move filming to westport, where she gets to be reunited with fox, piper, and the spirit of her father. it is here that she gets to connect further with her past, her love for music, and develop a relationship with fox. she learns to put herself first, her attitude progressing into that of a main character, and decidedly chases after what she knows she deserves out of her career and her relationship with fox.
besides hannah's main character moment, we got to see fox grow into the person he's always been. imposter syndrome is something i think many of us deal with and reading about fox's struggle with accepting his skill and ability was very relatable. i understand his reluctance to be vulnerable about his insecurities and accept the fact that he is a capable captain and friend. fox and hannah's communication about this was very honest, and i enjoyed those bits of a dialogue a lot. it's great to read a rom-com with open communication and establishment of expectations, boundaries, etc. this made fox and hannah's relationship really authentic and made me want to root for them.
books like hook, line, and sinker make me realize how much i truly love the friends to lovers trope, even if it makes me existentially sad in the process. there's something so satisfying about the subtle hints, the yearning, and the gentle nudging; the way certain aspects of a life can be changed to accommodate for the possibility of something greater. hannah and fox are a perfect pair. they bring out the best in each other and their faith one another is so cute. this was a wonderful story for hannah and fox, and a fantastic way to round out the bellinger sisters' story. though i still enjoyed ihos more than hls, this was still a great book as always, considering it's a tessa bailey rom-com. i definitely recommend this duology to anyone looking for a little laughter, butterflies, maybe some tears, and joy.
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