Charming, funny, and romantic, with hot sexy times. What more could you ask for?

After being injured and dumped from major league baseball, Travis wants to lie in his rut forever. But his best friend’s little sister Georgie just won’t let him. See, Georgie may be a clown (she does birthday parties), but she is tired of not being taken seriously. And she has had a serious crush on Travis since she was a kid, so she’s not going to let him flounder if she has anything to say about it. Just as Travis starts to get his shit together, he gets an amazing offer from his agent– but his bad boy persona has got to go if he wants to get the job. And Georgie realizes she needs to make some moves and stop clowning around (see what I did there?). So they decide to fake date! Like you do! And the deeper they get into their faux relationship, the more Travis can’t seem to keep his eyes (and hands) off of her.

I was really charmed by this story. It’s not perfect, but Georgie’s resilience and sense of humor go a long way. Georgie is fun, funny, independent, speaks her mind, and doesn’t take any of Travis’ shit. Watching them interact, I actually chuckled out loud during some of their more combative moments. She’s trying to get both her family and the town to stop seeing her as the little sister and recognize her as a competent adult and businesswoman. She does some growing, some changing, and in the process, sees Travis for who he really is, not just her childhood crush, and falls in love with him.

It’s also fun to watch Travis fall head over heels for Georgie without being quite aware that he is doing it. See, Travis is a bit of a stick in the mud. Damaged, broody, sarcastic, and destined to be alone (he thinks). When Georgie comes dancing into his life with her optimism and hilarious one-liners, he gets knocked on his ass, emotionally. The good thing about the book is that Travis doesn’t backtrack. Once he starts moving forward, he sticks to the path– he doesn’t succumb to his man pain and ruin everything. He does, eventually, ruin things, but it’s ok. It’s a romance novel, there’s a happy ending.

Don’t let that cutesy cover fool you– the sexy times are really hot and sexy. Woo, boy! Someone on Twitter said Tessa Bailey is the queen of filthy bedroom talk and they were damn right. 4 stars. ( )

79000

Wish I had read it BEFORE “Live Her or Lose Her”- too many cute parts!! ( )

Falta drama, el problema se resuelve muy rápido, no hay epílogo.
baby girl lo odie. ( )

In three words...Fun, flirty, and sexy! ( )

This book was so cute, wholesome, fun, and at times sad. I shed some tears reading this book because it reminded me of my life at some parts. Which another reason I liked this book a lot was because it could be low key relatable. But I’ll definitely be checking out the next book in this series. I love the author’s writing and her characters. ( )

Call her "baby girl" one more time and I swear I'll fuck you up, Travis.
Also, some of the cringiest dirty talk EVER. The story was nice tho. ( )

Tessa Bailey’s romance novels seem to be everywhere recently, so I thought it was time to try one. I enjoyed Fix Her Up so much that I went and bought a few more of her novels. They are light, funny and hot (and not ‘just TikTok books’ as a bookshop worker commented). Perfect for a holiday or midweek read.

This is the first book in the ‘Hot and Hammered’ series, which focuses on the Castle family who renovate and sell houses as a business. Georgie is the youngest sister and often ignored by the rest of the family for being too young. Georgie is also the only one who didn’t go into the family business, instead deciding to become a clown for children’s parties. Georgie has also had a crush on Travis, best friend of older brother Stephen for years. So after the hot shot baseballer retires early due to injury, Georgie is determined to help him find her way out of his rut. Travis begins to see Georgie as something other than the annoying younger sister and they become friends. Then, to get what they both want – family recognition and a new career as a commentator – Travis and Georgie decide to fake date. Of course, they end up falling for each other with a misunderstanding and a make up session that is definitely unique. Meanwhile, other characters such as sister Bethany and friend Rosie are introduced. They aren’t happy with the men in their life, so they set up the ‘Just Us League’ to support each other in new endeavours. This ends up attracting the attention of the entire town. I’ll be interested to see if it continues into the next novel in the series.

The romance scenes in Fix Her Up are multiple, prolonged and pretty spicy. While Travis’ reputation as a love ‘em and leave ‘em man has been done before, he is redeemed through his recognition of the effect of his past and his father on him. Sometimes his dirty talk was a bit too alpha male, but deep down his gestures show that he is a good guy. Georgie in comparison is very innocent and perhaps a little too accepting of Travis’ dominance. But throughout the book she does learn to stand up for herself and tell people how she feels. I am still a bit unsure of her occupation though – surely being a clown doesn’t pay enough for her own house? It made for a couple of cute moments but it didn’t really seem to gel with her lifestyle or add a lot to the narrative (could have been easily replaced with her being a teacher). Also, brother Stephen seems a bit out of the last century, often appearing angry and roaring up to places, demanding that his wife leaves with him. For the most part, she doesn’t seem to take him seriously, but it was a bit disconcerting at times.

I did have a couple of issues with the timing in places. At one point Georgie and Travis get down and dirty in a baseball dugout on a school day (baseball isn’t in season though) and at another, all the women in town appear at one of the character’s houses midweek. Do they not have jobs? They are minor points though. The majority of the dialogue is witty (some is a bit cringy, thanks to Travis) and overall, it’s a light, fun read.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com ( )

I mean I had to close this off because I really didn't see myself going back to it because of the characters. The female protagonist is great but she's bogged down by a male love interest that just doesn't seem up to mark. Could've been better if fleshed out properly. ( )

3,73 stars

(Book number 2 for #romanceathon.)

This was the worst kind of fun romance. It was great fun up until the final conflict after which it was such a shitshow. I feel like the author either got super lazy or seriously ran out of ideas.

I enjoyed the characters, the dynamic between the mains, the side characters, and the potential for the sequel (it's gonna be Rosie's story, right?). I also liked how this wasn't the traditional "girl saves a man" storyline, because the man also saved the girl. If only the ending wasn't such a garbage fire.

I recommend this to any romance reader, but maybe just stop reading when Travis spots his dad at the bar and rest assured that he gets the girl and everybody gets to live happily ever after. ( )

It was pretty good and I was really enjoying this book until it got to the sex scenes. I am by far no prude and enjoy a little smut in my romance books as much as the next girl, but once it started it seemed as though that's all the rest of the book was. Which still could have been forgiven had the dialogue not been so extremely cringeworthy. ( )

It was pretty good and I was really enjoying this book until it got to the sex scenes. I am by far no prude and enjoy a little smut in my romance books as much as the next girl, but once it started it seemed as though that's all the rest of the book was. Which still could have been forgiven had the dialogue not been so extremely cringeworthy. ( )

It was pretty good and I was really enjoying this book until it got to the sex scenes. I am by far no prude and enjoy a little smut in my romance books as much as the next girl, but once it started it seemed as though that's all the rest of the book was. Which still could have been forgiven had the dialogue not been so extremely cringeworthy. ( )

Is it possible for a book to make you blush? Yes, yes it is and this book had me blushing A LOT (and I think my eyes almost popped out of my head at one point). This book is intense and HOT as fire. It is like Bailey challenged the fake relationship concept to a fun game of Twister. Along with a lot of humor and some page scorching moments, this book also dives into how one's past and the perspectives of others can destroy you or propel you forward. I truly enjoy the nuggets of wisdom these authors tend to slip it. ( )

Rainy days at the beach can be hard to fill. Lucky for me the first very rainy weekend day in the past month came when I was about 1/3 of the way into this book, so I curled up in bed and listened, went for a manicure and listened, and ran to the grocery and listened, blasting through the remaining 2/3. Turns out the rainy day at the beach was pretty darn good.

I had read the other two books in this series already (though this is the first book in the Hot & Hammered series) and I have also read some other Bailey books. I will say something close to what I always say about Tessa Bailey books. The writing is not great (though it is much better in the Bellinger Sisters series than in this earlier one) and Bailey desperately needs a copy editor. There is a little bit of word misuse in all the books, and tons of duplication of words and concepts. Does anyone else say "business degree diploma?" No.

In addition to the writing not being super strong, Bailey's men have a possessive slightly toxic edge that is problematic. It was less problematic in this book than some others though our hero, Travis, infantilizes Georgie quite frequently. I cringed when Georgie had a workman in her house and he barked something about it not being safe for her to be alone with the man in her house. And then there is the money thing....our heroine in this book, Georgie, is a 23 year old party clown who was able to purchase a house in Port Jefferson, For those that are not in the NYC metro, Port Jeff is on Long Island at about the midpoint between Queens and Montauk. Port Jeff might not be as pricey as houses closer to the city, but you would be hard pressed to find anything there for under about $700k which seems out of reach for a 23 year-old party clown. If not, I got into the wrong business.

Here is where this review gets a little inconsistent, because despite the clunky prose, and the men who are a bit too caveman for my particular liking, and the absurdly luxe lifestyles enjoyed by construction workers, and longshoremen, and clowns, I enjoy these books. They are very very sexy and delightfully romantic. So yeah, it was really fun. ( )

I swear “Fix Her Up” has been on my TBR pile since the get-go and I had to snatch this right up when I saw the paperback on sale #noregrets and it pretty much lived up to the hype. I’m not going to lie, I was a bit besides myself when the raunchy scenes came up and the explicit dirty talk (oh boy!) that came out of our baseball stud’s mouth. Like woo wee, it was damn hot. And if you haven’t already known, this rom-com falls under typical small town romance, older brother best friend trope and unlike many others releases that I had read that fell under this category, the lead heroine Georgette wasn’t the typical heroine you often find in books like this. She was the clown in the relationship. Literally.

The fallen baseball hero and the party clown falling in love was a unique twist and I was pleasantly surprised by how compatible they were even though there were some instances I wanted to ring Georgette’s neck due to her somewhat subtle immaturity (if that makes sense). Nevertheless I have enjoyed this novel because it was filled with oh-so-hot romance, memorable secondary characters (brother’s wife anyone?!), and a decent storyline that left me wanting more. This would be perfect for readers looking for a lighthearted rom-com with side of dirty talk.

( )

Georgie's family is in the business of flipping houses, but she's still viewed as "the younger sister" or the baby of the family. It doesn't help that she makes her living as a clown... But when hunky baseballer Travis returns to town, bumping into each other makes sparks fly... ⁠ ⁠

So you know how when you bang metal to metal and sparks fly??? Yeah, Travis and Georgie meeting happened pretty much just like that.⁠ ⁠

So you know when those sparks fly, if they hit something dry a fire can spread pretty quickly??? Yep, Travis and Georgie again...

He's a horn-dog and she's a pretty princess... and before long, my glasses are steamed up.⁠ ⁠

I enjoyed the story, even if it's been done a zillion times before. Hey, it's a popular troupe (hunk dates best friend's little sister)... It was a quick, (very) steamy read! ( )

Rtc ( )

Georgette Castle is the baby of the family--the only way to get attention is being funny, the clown of the family and town. Literally. Georgie is a professional clown due to that no one takes her seriously especially her family. To top it off her childhood crush returned to town. Georgie is at her wits end. She needs to be taken seriously.

Travis Ford returns home a broken man after being traded from team to team after his shoulder injury. He feels like a complete failure, not even his World Series ring can make him feel better. His best friend's baby sister little Georgie waltzes into his room--throws food at him. The sprite yells at him for the way he's been moping, wallowing and the way he's been living the past few months. Georgie doesn't leave him alone after that either. She brings him leftovers and helps him clean his apartment. What does he do in return? He fantasizes about her. He can't treat her like he does other women. 1) she's Stephen's baby sister, 2) Georgie is different, 3) she's a virgin.

If he wants the broadcast job, he has to show he's as wholesome and family oriented as the network. Georgie wants everyone to look at her differently and to be taken seriously. They make a deal--fake date until Travis gets the job. Too bad they both develop feelings for each other along the way. It doesn't help that both Stephen and Travis's dad further complicate their relationship. ( )

I did not finish.

I'd like to say got bored around 75% into the book.......which was when I stopped reading by the way.......but I was thinking of putting this down a long time before that.

I was intrigued by the premise.....fake/pretend is a favourite trope of mine.....and the sex scenes were point......but the sex crazed thing was just freaking me out around a third into the book.......and the BABY GIRL was putting me off ......BY THE MENTION.....it was just weird.

Like seriously there was way too much sex and way little plot .......and though I might like reading sex scenes I need plot even more.....it was just one sex scene after the other after that.....I gave up by the third one??? I think.......I was just exhausted.

I would not recommend this for people who like reading plot.

I came here for a romantic comedy.....but I got stuck reading a smut fanfic.......like im not lying .....I have read PWP fanfics that are better than this.....and I don't read PWP fics a lot.......around halfway through the first sex scene I was literally thinking this is written like a badly written PWP smut fic.

The plot is not too bad.......but it could have been a lot better.....also the characters required a little work.....Travis was literally creeping me out.....and Georgie was a little too damsel in distress.....if you know what I mean.....I mean as a rule I love the male hero coming to save the female.....taking care of her....stuff like that....I loved The Hating Game if you have read that one.....and I fully recommend it.....but in this it was just too much???....I don't know what exactly put me off here.

I dont think I will ever finish this or continue this series if all of them are going to be like this. ( )

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of this story. I freaking loved it. First, let me say that I kind of love the newish trend in romance novels of an illustrated cover. It is so charming and fun to look at. Second, I love a good brother's best friend romance.

Georgie is our female protagonist and she's pretty much been in love with Travis, her brother's BFF forever and then some. Travis moves back home after retiring from baseball due to an injury. To help Travis improve his image and hopefully get a fancy announcer's gig, Georgie and Travis agree to fake date. Of course fake dating leads to an actual relationship (relax, it's a romance, this shouldn't be a surprise). What I loved about these two was how they helped each other be better. Georgie is the baby of her family and no one ever stands up for her until Travis. He helps her get some confidence and learn how to stand up to her family. Georgie helps Travis realize that relationships aren't all bad and it's okay to let people in.

I really liked the two of them together. I also loved how Georgie inspired a lot of people in the town, including her own sister, to be better versions of themselves. I am 100% ready for the next book in the series. I spoke briefly with Tessa Bailey at a signing this weekend and she said it's her first married couple (book 2) and she is excited about it. Me too Tessa Bailey, me too. ( )

Not bad! Quite a powerful story and the heroes take a journey. Usual trite ending of a misunderstanding - there must be other plot devices for romantic comedies! I will read another Tessa Bailey. ( )

I enjoy Tessa Bailey's stories. This one was cute and funny, with a side of steam.
Four flames of five. ( )

This was really cute and pretty steamy, as well. If you're looking for a rom-com in a novel, this is just what you want. Read my full review here. ( )

an aggressive, possessive MC who is weirdly obsessed with her virginity??? in 2020??? NO THANK YOU 1/5