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Quick answer: If you love Tessa Bailey, read It Happened One Summer, then Fix Her Up, Emily Henry's Beach Read, Christina Lauren's The Unhoneymooners, Ali Hazelwood and Elle Kennedy. All are funny, steamy contemporary romances.
Tessa Bailey is an American author of contemporary romance, known for spicy, funny stories with banter and heart, including Fix Her Up, Hook, Line, and Sinker and It Happened One Summer. The books below offer similar romance with laughs.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| It Happened One Summer | Tessa Bailey | Adult | fish out of water |
| Fix Her Up | Tessa Bailey | Adult | readers who like fake dating |
| Hook, Line, and Sinker | Tessa Bailey | Adult | the direct follow-up |
| Love Her or Lose Her | Tessa Bailey | Adult | readers who like second chances |
| Beach Read | Emily Henry | Adult | readers who like banter |
| Book Lovers | Emily Henry | Adult | workplace sparks |
| People We Meet on Vacation | Emily Henry | Adult | slow-burn fans |
| Happy Place | Emily Henry | Adult | readers who like second-chance romance |
| Funny Story | Emily Henry | Adult | readers who like fake dating |
| The Unhoneymooners | Christina Lauren | Adult | readers who like enemies-to-lovers |
| Love & Other Words | Christina Lauren | Adult | second chances |
| The Love Hypothesis | Ali Hazelwood | Adult | fake dating in academia |
| Love on the Brain | Ali Hazelwood | Adult | readers who like STEM romance |
| The Kiss Quotient | Helen Hoang | Adult | romance |
| The Deal | Elle Kennedy | Adult | fake dating |
1. It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
A California socialite is sent to a small town and falls for a local. Funny and sexy.
Best for: fish out of water.
2. Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey
A former baseball star and his best friend's younger sister pretend to date. Funny and sweet.
Best for: readers who like fake dating.
3. Hook, Line, and Sinker by Tessa Bailey
The next Bellinger Sisters book, with the same banter, heat and small-town setting. A natural next read.
Best for: the direct follow-up.
4. Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey
A married couple in trouble tries to rediscover each other. Emotional and steamy.
Best for: readers who like second chances.
5. Beach Read by Emily Henry
Two rival writers swap genres for a summer. Funny and moving.
Best for: readers who like banter.
6. Book Lovers by Emily Henry
A hard-edged literary agent and a book editor keep running into each other in a small North Carolina town. A smart play on small-town romance tropes.
Best for: workplace sparks.
7. People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
Poppy and Alex take a trip every summer. Friends to lovers across ten years.
Best for: slow-burn fans.
8. Happy Place by Emily Henry
Harriet and Wyn, a broken-up couple, pretend to be together at their friends' vacation. Full of friendship and ache.
Best for: readers who like second-chance romance.
9. Funny Story by Emily Henry
Daphne is left by her fiancé for his best friend and decides to fake-date the best friend's ex. Warm and funny.
Best for: readers who like fake dating.
10. The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
Olive and Ethan take a free honeymoon. Fast and funny.
Best for: readers who like enemies-to-lovers.
11. Love & Other Words by Christina Lauren
Macy and Elliot were best friends as teens and meet again years later. The story moves between past and present with big emotion.
Best for: second chances.
12. The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood
A PhD student fake-dates a famous professor. Funny and sweet.
Best for: fake dating in academia.
13. Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
A neuroscientist works with her old rival at NASA. Funny and fast.
Best for: readers who like STEM romance.
14. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
A woman with autism hires an escort to teach her about relationships. Sweet and tender.
Best for: romance.
15. The Deal by Elle Kennedy
A student agrees to help a hockey player pass a class in exchange for fake dating. Popular and light.
Best for: fake dating.
How to Choose
For more Bailey begin with It Happened One Summer or Fix Her Up. For witty romance choose Emily Henry and Christina Lauren. For romance in labs pick Ali Hazelwood. For sports romance read Elle Kennedy. Bailey's books are spicy, so these picks suit adult readers. Bailey's books are known for their heat levels and humour, and she has been a regular on bestseller lists. Her Crossing the Line and Hot & Hammered series are popular among fans.
Related: Printable List of The Bailey School Kid Books · 12 Dystopian Books Like the Hunger Games | Best Books to Read Like Hunger Games
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Tessa Bailey?
An American contemporary romance author.
Where should I start?
With It Happened One Summer or Fix Her Up.
Are the books spicy?
Yes.
Are they funny?
Yes.
Are they standalone?
Many are in series, but each stands alone.
Are there audiobooks?
Yes.
Is there a TV adaptation?
Check current listings.
What should I read next?
Try Beach Read or The Deal.
Which book here is best for readers who like second chances?
Try Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey, which suits readers looking for readers who like second chances.
Which book here is best for slow-burn fans?
Try People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry, which suits readers looking for slow-burn fans.
Which book here is best for readers who like enemies-to-lovers?
Try The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren, which suits readers looking for readers who like enemies-to-lovers.
Which book here is best for readers who like STEM romance?
Try Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood, which suits readers looking for readers who like STEM romance.