It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey is the second Bailey book I've read. I read Fix Her Up and had big problems with it, so it was without much in the way of expectation that I started this one. (Also, this is such a boring title and I kept getting it confused with the Kleypas book It Happened One Autumn and the season has little to do with the plot, so...bad title.)
Interesting characters:
When I started reading this book, I was pretty sure I was going to stop reading pretty quickly because Bailey's depiction of Piper as a spoiled heiress in the style of Paris Hilton. Her entitlement and superficiality made the first couple of chapters very hard to get through. But the LA section was brief and soon enough we were in Westport and Piper seemed much more likeable there. That being said, I found it incredibly unbelievable that Piper would adjust that well to such dismal living conditions - she's staying in an apartment above the bar that is filthy and cramped - and that she wouldn't complain. Her transformation seemed to go from Paris Hilton to Mother Theresa in the blink of an eye and I think that true character development would have had at least a handful of scenes where she is overwhelmed and upset by the changes in her life circumstances. Her perpetual sunniness does not seem possible, especially in light of her terrible parental figures.
(As I was writing this, I kept thinking about A Little Princess by France Hodgson Burnett. What makes Sara Crewe so well-developed in that book was that she was a happy, well-loved little girl and when her life turns upside down, she's able to hold her head up, knowing her self-worth. But she's not perfect and she has occasional tantrums and that's actually what makes the book so powerful. When Sara's down, you know it's bad.)
And then there's Brendan. He's like a dream man, right? He's a widower, but he's not stuck on his dead wife, but mostly feels obligated to her family and memory. He's crazy good-looking, doesn't worry about money, is handy, and is absolutely understanding and sweet. He immediately apologizes when he says or does something wrong. He's basically so perfect that I sort of hated him and wanted him to show some gumption. I also wanted him to actually talk to Piper about some of his concerns instead of constantly rerouting conversations to go around difficult topics.
Believable conflict:
Sure. I think this is a typical "wrong time, wrong place" kind of plot. Each of these people may truly love one another and, in a different scenario, they might make sense. But since Piper eventually wants to return to LA and Brendan's job requires him to stay in Westport, there's going to be tension and conflict.
Emotional tension:
Piper's perpetual optimism and joy make her a bit of a Mary Sue and Brendan's sheer perfection makes him really boring. There are no real stakes and so I didn't feel emotionally involved.
Happily ever after:
My general feeling about all of this is that they are together at the end, but they still haven't had a discussion about what they need to have a discussion about. Disappointing. I put the second book in the series on hold at the library and we'll see if the second book touches on this couple's ending at all.
So, here's the thing. There is so much promise in this book. With the addition of a scene or two to show Piper facing challenges and growing from them and having Brendan actually fight back in one way or another, this could be a good book. The dialogue is sparkling, the small town setting is great, and the plot is fun. It could be great. Instead, it's just fine. 3/5 stars
I really gave up on Tessa Bailey after Fix Her Up since I hated that book so much, but I may add this one to my TBR to give it a shot. I'll just have to power through the first few annoying chapters.
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