Tools of Engagement: A Novel (Hot & Hammered, #3)

by Tessa Bailey

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer and Hook, Line, and Sinker brings the heat in this rom-com about two enemies who team up to flip a house because their chemistry will either burn the place down or ignite a passion that neither can ignore...

Hair, makeup, clothing, decor... everything in Bethany Castle's world is organized, planned, and styled to perfection. Which is why the homes she designs for her family's real estate business are the most coveted in town. The only thing not perfect? Her track record with men. She's on a dating hiatus and after helping her friends achieve their dreams, Bethany finally has time to focus on her own: flip a house, from framework to furnishings, all by herself. Except her older brother runs the company and refuses to take her seriously.

When a television producer gets wind of the Castle sibling rivalry, they’re invited on Flip Off, a competition to see who can do the best renovation. Bethany wants bragging rights, but she needs a crew and the only member of her brother's construction team willing to jump ship is Wes Daniels, the new guy in town. His Texas drawl and handsome face got under Bethany's skin on day one, and the last thing she needs is some cocky young cowboy in her way.

As the race to renovate heats up, Wes and Bethany are forced into close quarters, trading barbs and biting banter as they remodel the ugliest house on the block. It's a labor of love, hate, and everything in between, and soon sparks are flying. But Bethany's perfectly structured life is one kiss away from going up in smoke and she knows falling for a guy like Wes would be a flipping disaster.

“Her voice feels as fresh and contemporary as a Netflix rom-com.” —Entertainment Weekly

• ISBN10: 0062872931
• ISBN13: 9780062872937
• Publish Date: 15 October 2020 (first published 22 September 2020)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Avon Books
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 368
• Language: English

Reviews

[Berls]

I've really enjoyed all the characters in this series, and Tools of Engagement was no exception. I love the way the small town where they all know and support each other. I love the ladies group. And I live the couples. The heroine (whose name I am forgetting at the moment) is very relatable for me - she obsesses over projecting perfection to everyone around her and can't stop and just enjoy because of it. She needs someone to see her for all her imperfections and love her anyway so she can learn to let her guard down (and she needs to watch Brenee Brown's Ted Talk about vulnerability, but I digress

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

I really adored this couple. She kept people at arm's length afraid that they would eventually see the cracks in her shiny veneer, while he never got too attached after a lifetime of bouncing from home to home. It was wonderful to see them find a "home" in each other. A safe place, where they could be themselves and not worry that it would be a cause for the other to leave.

Full review to follow.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[leelu92]

4.5 stars

Tools of Engagement hit all the right notes for me and it was a great ending for this series. Wes will be on my list of favorite Tessa Bailey book boyfriends. He was perfect match for Bethany and I loved his own personal journey from aimless cowboy to the rock that his niece and Bethany needed.

As always, Bailey's potent mix of humor, heart and smokin' sexytimes hit the spot for me.