The 52 Book Club 2022 Challenge Prompt: 11. A book with less than 2022 Goodreads ratings (it’s literally 1998 as I write this…I know it won’t last, but I think it’s fair to count it if I read it before it had that many!)

Other Possible Prompts: 2. Featuring a library or bookstore, 5. Chapters have titles, 22. An unlikely detective, 23. Author with an X, Y, or Z in their name, 41. Involves a second chance, 45. A book with illustrated people on the cover, 49. Book title starts with the same letter as your first name, 52. Published in 2022

UGH IT’S SO GOOD. I knew My Killer Vacation was a must-read for me, being a combination of all my faves: Tessa Bailey, romance, murder, the-grumpy-one-likes-the-sunshine-one…but oh. em. gee. She knocked it out of the park with this one!

After arriving with her brother at Cape Cod for their vacation, Taylor promptly discovers a body. In their rental house. Not the best way to start a vacation – unless you’re Taylor, and want to help solve the murder. When bounty hunter/PI Myles Sumner shows up to investigate the strange circumstances, Taylor inserts herself into the action, and right into Myles’ life. Taylor wants to be braver, and solving this case is a great way to test her limits…just like getting in bed with Myles would be.

Despite his dedication to a no-strings life on the road, Myles can’t help but be swept away by Taylor. Everything she does draws him closer to her, in such unexpected ways. But when it seems that Taylor and her brother have become targets of the killer on the loose, Myles is caught between protecting her – putting him even closer to her magnetic body – or getting back to his life on the road as soon as possible.

I just need to clear the air first here and point out that the main character’s name is Taylor Bassey. Tessa Bailey. Taylor Bassey…not that we’re not all living vicariously through your stories, Tessa, but could we make it a little less obvious? I actually laughed out loud when I read her full name the first time. Girl, I don’t blame you though.

I had 100% intended to read this book on my vacation, a quick plane-ride read, but it evidently didn’t get that far. I couldn’t help myself, bought it, and read it in under 24 hours. I couldn’t put it down. Tessa just manages to suck you in right from the first page, with everything she writes. This would have been an awesome vacation book, though. I’m a little bummed I had no patience!

I loved Myles. Taylor was great too, but Myles was just…ugh. So good. He slides into the gruff and overprotective role really well, whereas Taylor acting “braver” as part of her storyline is a little more jolting and harder to work into. But I liked both of them, and I think that’s super important. Nothing worse than a romance where you don’t like either protagonist. These two fit together seamlessly and pushed each other in all the right ways.

The romance was sweet but ~sizzling~. They did not lie about that. Tessa’s books have that extra oomph in the steam department that other romance out there right now simply does not. And she *consistently* delivers. Even other authors that I enjoy on occasion, other than maybe Lyssa Kay Adams (which, by the way, where you at Lyssa??), cannot so consistently produce romance this good with such good connection and good steamy sizzle. I will always be here, singing Bailey’s praises.

The Cape backdrop was also kind of fun and definitely reminiscent of her recent releases. I love that we’re always on the coast in one way or another, and she builds a fun atmosphere out of them.

The only weird thing to me was the epilogue… and looking back, it’s not so out of touch with the story as it is jarring and kind of funny. A little weird, but funny. You’ll see what I mean; I can’t spoil it for you!

I’m still processing how great this book is, and how sad I am that I’m months away from another Bailey. I just absolutely loved this one and it made my whole week to have it on my kindle at all. Please pick this up!! This honestly might be my favorite one since Fix Her Up, and I loved that one.

Have a great weekend!