Wells Whitaker, once golf’s golden now golf’s resident bad boy, is suffering from a long streak of extraordinary bad playing. The man who had fans around the globe finds himself down in the trenches, with only one remaining supporter. While everyone else seems to have given up on him, Josephine Doyle has always been on the sidelines, cheering him on. No matter how bad he plays, how much he grumbles, there she is, waiting with a smile. But when Wells decides to up and quit and his fangirl finally throws in the towel, he realises that he might just have made the biggest mistake of his life. Determined to make it up to the woman who’s always supported him from afar and believed in him even when he no longer believes in himself, he offers her a spot as his caddy in the upcoming games to turn his game around. Josephine is quick to agree, desperate for the prize money that could help her rebuild her pro golf shop which has been devastated by a natural disaster. As they travel together and become inseparable on the golf course and off, sparks fly. Before long, Wells starts winning again and Josephine finally sees the man that she knew he could be all along. But no one ever finds the love of their life in a fangirl…right?
Leave it to Tessa Bailey to get me invested in golf, of all things.
I could tell you about so many things in this novel that made my heart pound—the fact that Josephine is a diabetic and that it was dealt with so incredibly affirmative and supportive without ever making it seem like the book was preaching down to you, or how fleeting success and glory and all the so-called friendships that come with being at the top really are the second you don’t perform as well as you should or the subtle commentary, but really, this book is all about Wells and Josephine. They’re the heart of this story in all the ways that count (and not just because it’s a romance).
Wells is such a relatable grump. The more the public believed in him and the more he heard the whispers and felt the pressure of the elite sport, the more he questioned his own place in that elite hierarchy to the point where to be grumpy and failing was still better than trying. Because if you try, you might fail. Better to not try and therefore not fail at all, right?
As for Josephine, she was on the way of making a name for herself in the golf business and convincing her parents that she can do things on her own and doesn’t need them hovering over her because they fear her diabetes diagnosis (with which she has been living for decades and knows perfectly well how to manage) just when a fateful storm made her lose all her progress. Rebuilding not just your store but her faith in her own strength just shows what a steadfast woman she is. Pairing two such stubborn and strong characters together who are similar in so many ways was a huge risk but by god did it pay off.
The romance. Holy, the romantic scenes were to die for. It’s hard to put it into words but Wells finds so many ways of communicating just how devoted he is to Josephine throughout the novel but there’s another layer of emotion and almost reverence that is added whenever we get to see Josephine from Wells’ point of view. Smitten and devoted are not strong enough to express just how much Wells loves Josephine—and how much I love him in turn. I’m going to need every man in the whole universe to step up their game immediately. I cannot tell you how many times I paused reading this book and contemplated the dire reality of Wes not being a real human being, that’s how much I loved him.
And Josephine is the fangirl we all want and need in our lives. Her unflinching ability to detect when Wells is trying to put himself down (even when he’s not even saying it out loud) and making certain that he knows he is worth so much more than he thinks had me bawling my eyes out multiple times. To have someone in your corner who goes that hard for you, whether you’re there or not? Who defends you yet also determines that she’s the only one who gets to annoy you and make fun of you because then you know it’s just in good fun and not meant to pierce skin? Yeah, that’s Josephine for you. No wonder Wells wants to worship at her altar, I would have proposed to her the second I met her.
And the funny thing is, that these characters work so well together because they mirror each other. Josephine is just as devoted to Wells as he is to her. And Wells is just as compelled to make sure Josephine lives out her dreams instead of giving them up to make sure that he will fulfil his own. They believe in the other so much that eventually, they find the strength to believe in themselves again. Can you say healthy, supportive partnership?
Of course there’s drama and there are moments where you just want to shake them and knock their heads together like coconuts (third-act fights are the worst) but their love transcends all the little squabbles and minor…okay major obstacles that you can’t help but know that these are meant to be together.
Anyways, thanks for coming to my TED Talk about just how perfect this romance book is. Safe to say that this is now my favourite book by Tessa Bailey. It’ll be hard to top Josephine and Wells’ story. Do yourselves a favour and pre-order this.
Steamy, saucy and incredibly witty, Fangirl Down is the spellbinding grumpy/sunshine sports romance you didn’t know you needed in your life. If you’re a fan of the he falls first and he falls harder, then this is a must-read.
Fangirl Down is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of February 13th 2024. A copy was provided by the publisher for coverage consideration.
Will you be picking up Fangirl Down? Tell us in the comments below!
Synopsis | Goodreads
#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey launches a super sexy sports romance duology with a rom-com about a bad boy professional athlete who falls for his biggest fan…
Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.
Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she begins to wonder if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash…
As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?
