It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey is book 1 of the Bellinger Sisters series and my favorite read of the summer!

Piper Bellinger, an influential LA socialite, lands in some trouble and gets sent to her late father’s hometown, a small fishing town in the Pacific Northwest. In Westport, she meets gruff and brooding captain Brendan Taggart, who thinks she and her sister Hannah won’t last even one night in the run-down apartment above the bar. However, Piper is determined to show everyone, especially herself, that she is much stronger and more capable than people assume.

Piper and Brendan’s journey is so fun and full of sparks. They set off fireworks right from their first meeting and make the pages sizzle. Their relationship is wonderful. I love how Piper brings out the best in Brendan and makes him see life in a new light. And I absolutely adore Brendan for never trying to change Piper’s personality. He loves her just the way she is! In addition to being sweet and kind, Piper is high-maintenance, optimistic, and loves fashion and social media, and Brendan not only embraces all of it but encourages it. I don’t have enough words to express how much I love Brendan.

The character arcs are so well-developed. It was amazing to see how much Piper and Brendan grew throughout the story. In particular, Piper reconnecting with her past was beautifully written. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Piper and Hannah.

If you haven’t read this book yet, you should definitely read it soon, especially if you love the sunshine vs grumpy, with a dash of enemies to lovers trope. Tessa Bailey’s writing is magical and will make you fall in love with the town of Westport and its residents. I’m looking forward to Fox and Hannah’s story in Hook, Line, and Sinker!