Book Review Tools of Engagement: Five Stars
Reviews

Review: Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey

Tools of Engagement by Tessa Bailey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


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Two people who drive each other crazy partner up to flip a house and sparks fly! (Book 3 of Hot and Hammered)

Publication date: September 22, 2020

Tessa Bailey is a favorite for me and with her โ€œHot and Hammeredโ€ series sheโ€™s getting the recognition she so rightly deserves. โ€œTools of Engagementโ€, the final book of the series is absolutely delicious. We were introduced to Bethany and Wesโ€™ hot hate-ship at the end of (โ€œLove Her or Lose Herโ€) Rosie and Dominicโ€™s book and this Enemies-to-Lovers relationship is hot as hell.

Bethany Castle is a stager for her familyโ€™s renovation/flip business. Her designs have to be perfect, however, and this has started to impact every aspect of her life and is holding her back. Tessa Baileyโ€™s treatment of Bethanyโ€™s insecurities and doubt is moving, wonderfully layered and eye-opening but I donโ€™t want to say too much about this aspect of the story because it was such a pleasure to come into blind. Bethany wants to tackle more in her life but her brother, Stephen, the head โ€œflipperโ€ of the business, keeps blocking her aspirations. Enter, Wes Daniels, her partner in smack talk to โ€ฆ each other. Heโ€™s just recently arrived in town in order to care for his five-year-old niece and started working for Bethany and Stephenโ€™s family business. Bethany and Wes end up partnering up on a flip and in a crazy turn of events, on a reality TV show in a competition against Stephen.

As I mentioned, I went into this book blind and it was an absolute delight. I think itโ€™s my new favorite of the series. To me, Tessa Bailey is the queen of hot and dirty romance. This book is a little more restrained than the other two books in the series due to the presence (perhaps) of a five-year-old. Itโ€™s a bit more of a slow burn as well. Wes is an ex-rodeo rider thrust into the situation of caring for his niece for the โ€œforeseeable futureโ€ and no longer and even though there is an age difference (Wesโ€™ eventual dirty talk about their age difference is palpitation-inducing) he is the one man who understands the way Bethany ticks. His protectiveness and understanding towards Bethany and (no spoiler) his โ€œZelweggerโ€ move at the beginning of the book makes you fall for him. His back story and his growing relationship with Laura, his niece, makes him a wonderful character.

We also get to catch up with Georgie and Travis (โ€œFix Her Upโ€) and Rosie and Dominic and the Just Us League which is a treat. I promise you a hot and steamy, fun read with a smidgen of HGTV-type shenanigans, a worthy romantic male lead and heartwarming romance. I highly recommend โ€œTools of Engagementโ€™.

WRITING STYLE: 5/5
PLOT: 5/5
WORLD-BUILDING: 5/5
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 5/5
ROMANCE: 5/5
HEAT: 5/5

My thoughts and opinions are 100% my own and independent of receiving an advance copy.

Kate Grand

Hi, I'm Kate. I started this website in 2020 to share my love and respect for romance books. I adore the works of Chloe Liese, Penny Reid, Karina Halle, Talia Hilbert, Kennedy Ryan, Catherine Walsh, and Charish Reid. When I'm not devouring romance novels, I love to travel and spend time with my Nebelung cat, Fitz. I hope this space helps you fall in love with the wonderful world of romance books as much as I have!

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