Review: Worked Up by Tessa Bailey

Worked Up (Made in Jersey #3)
   by: Tessa Bailey

Publication Date: Aug. 1, 2016
Publisher: Entangled: Brazen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: Adult
Source: e-ARC received via the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 186 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Factory mechanic Duke Crawford just wants to watch SportsCenter in peace. Unfortunately, living with four divorcee sisters doesn’t provide much silence, nor does it change his stance on relationships. But when a fellow commitment-phobe stumbles into his life, getting him good and worked up, he can’t deny his protective instincts.

Samantha Waverly’s brother just put her in an impossible situation. The only way out? Marry huge, gruff, gladiator look-alike Duke—for show, of course. She doesn’t make promises—she knows too well how easily they can be broken—and this is no exception.

As the blistering attraction between them grows, the lines around the no-strings relationship blur. But Duke and Samantha’s marriage is only for show…or is it?

 

 

Aw yeah, Tessa Bailey bringing the SAWOON! I absolutely ADORED Duke! He was such a bear of a man but had the heart of a puppy. I am such a sucker for gruff, grumpy guys too. This was my first Made in Jersey novel and I really enjoyed it! It was sexy, fun, and sweet.

 

I also enjoyed Samantha's character too. She is only in Hook to meet up with her brother, but stumbles across Duke her first night in town. Duke, being the alpha caveman he is, lays eyes on her and bam! He's a goner. We do have your typical 'doesn't do relationships' in this story, as is the case for both Duke and Sam. Duke is too busy with work and taking care of his sisters to bother with them. His four sisters all live with him after they have divorced, so he has seen firsthand how love can wreck a person. Sam on the other hand, has not seen an example of love actually working, so she is pretty skeptical. Together, the two are a bit of a mess, but man did I love them together.

 

Duke's friends River and Vaughn are great too, and I definitely want to go back and read their story soon. I wasn't the biggest fan of Renner, Sam's stepbrother, but he did redeem himself in the end. I'm looking forward to seeing how his story plays out!

 

Overall, this was definitely a fun read for me. I really enjoyed the storyline, Duke and Sam's characters, their chemistry.... it had everything I could want in a Brazen!