Score: 3.5/5 Bookmarks

Steam Rating: 🍆🍆🍆/5

February is all about romance, so I’ve been working my way through the first two books in the ‘Hot and Hammered’ series by Tessa Bailey. The first book is Fix Her Up, about a 23-year-old virgin who spent her teen years pining after her brother’s friend who went on to be a professional baseball player. An injury causes Travis to come back to the town where they grew up. They strike up a mutually-beneficial deal to pretend to be dating, which inevitably turns into the real thing.

I liked this book, and I certainly turned the pages with abandon, despite it being predictable and giving off major 50 Shades of Grey vibes (with much more toned down kink). For instance, innocent virgin gets together with much more experienced man who’s older and more successful than her. They enter into an agreement, complete with rules. He vows he wants his life to be a certain way but of course she changes his mind with the power of her love and acceptance. I don’t think I’m giving away too much of a spoiler here (because it’s pretty obvious early on that they’re going to end up sleeping together) but it turns out she also likes him to be in control in the bedroom.

Did these similarities stop me from enjoying the book? Not really, just an observation on my part. The book is funny, and sweet, with a touch of drama, and definitely a fun read.

If you’d like to check it out, you can get a physical copy here, or grab the audiobook by using the button below.

And if you’re reading sweet or sext books during February, tag #FlirtyFebruary so I can check them out!

Synopsis:

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World... whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there's Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her...