I have never read a book where you could feel that hatred from two characters but this book made me feel as if I was right there watching them. You could feel Marlo and Ray's hated, sexual tension, and so much more. This book was written beautifully and I'm so ready for the next book in the series

I do love this love/hate genre and Summer Heat had all the things needed to fit into this genre! Rachel Van Dyken
This was a short read, or at least it felt that way. Plus I wish there was some sort of warning to readers that it was going to be a cliff hanger. I will definitely read the next book in the series, since I am curious what will happen next.

This story broke my heart from the very first page. What Marlon (or Marlo) went through as a kid was so horrible.

A poor boy that was bullied for just existing, Marlo's one dream was to leave everything behind and go to college on a drama scholarship, but the rich girl of his dreams, Ray, took his future from him. Now years later, Ray is at the summer camp he is now running and he has the power to take her dream away from her.

I love when a book makes me hate then absolutely love a character by the next page. Ray is closed off from not only others but herself. Her home life looks like it's ten times worse than Marlo could ever dream of. Marlo, on the other hand, has every reason to be resentful towards Ray, but his inner goodness slowly starts to come through. That ending had me mentally screaming that this story was a cliffhanger. Ugh! Now I'm going to be impatiently waiting to read the next book.

Another great start for a new series by Rachel Van Dyken. She seems to never let me know down with her stories, she always give us something new and refreshing and thats is why she will always be one of my favorite authors! This is an enemies to lovers story and it is set at summer camp and take make it better it has the "bully" that you cant help but love. It gives you plenty of angst and the story is short and sweet!

This is the first book in the Cruel Summer series. It’s a super quick easy read. This story hooked me from the first few chapters, the plot, the characters, and the dialogue were really well written and I couldn’t stop reading.
I loved the characters and the story. I just wish it was longer!! Despite it being so short, I thought the pacing was great!
That ending though!!!
It gave me all the feels. I can’t wait for the next book!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher**

This is the first book in Rachel Van Dyken's Cruel Summer series. This is an enemies to lovers story and it is set at summer camp. How could anything possibly go wrong?!

Ray and Marlon have known one another since they were kids. He used to mow her parent's lawn and he always saw her as a spoiled princess and someone who always got her way. In Ray's eyes, Marlon was always a nerd, but there were times when she softened toward him.

Now four years later, they are both working at a summer camp and in a twist, Marlon is the boss and Ray is working for him. Marlon is dead set on revenge against Ray for things that she did to him in the past, but it is impossible to ignore the sparks that are flying between them. The sexual tension was SO thick!

This was an enjoyable start to this series and I look forward to reading the other two books in the series!

Thanks to NetGalley for this read now ebook. I love love love bullies to lovers stories and this is what I consider to be. During their high school years she was the bully while now after college in an acting camp he is the one to turn the tables! I loved that it didn't drag out, we got to the point quite quickly and efficiently. Hate cliffhangers so I am very happy all 3 books are out.

This was a very slow burn summer romance.

We get to see the perspective of both Ray and Marlon who are enemies who also really care for each other. They knew of each other in highschool and after a one night stand they also still think about that other person. They never expected to meet each other again though at a summer camp where they are both working after college. Ray is very lonely and has been all her life but Marlon just sees her as the rich girl he’s always known her as.
While Ray sees Marlon as the person she was never able to get over and the one that she wishes she had made different decisions about.

Overall this was a good read for me. Most of the book wasn’t too steamy and was a slow burn enemies to friends to maybe possibly being more than friends eventually read. The side characters were interesting as well and I really liked the majority of them. This is a fairly quick read as I was able to read it in one sitting and I’m hoping we get to see more of these characters in the future after that cliffhanger ending.

* I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley & the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

I'm a HUGE fan of the author. So I was so excited to get approved for this book. I read this in one sitting (which isn't hard to do because it's a rather short one). I don't know how she is able to do it but I'm always hopelessly hooked on her books. Withing the first 2 minutes of reading one of her stories I can't out it down.

I found myself all mixed up in the love/hate relationship of Marlon & Ray. I felt so much angst and I LOVED it.

My only complaint is that this book is part of a Trilogy. If all the books are as short as this one...it (maybe?) could be 1 or 2 books. It leaves you wanting.......the next book!!

MAJOR CLIFFHANGER!

I really enjoyed this story, it was a good and interesting read. I connected with the characters and I felt that their development was well written.

Well hello campers. This was just getting good and then it ended on a cliffy. I like the whole idea of theater camp and then throw Dirty Dancing in there as the musical...sold! I’m going to need to check out the other two books to see how everything goes down.

OMG! 5 star without a doubt! Hot and steamy! That cliffhanger is torture! I can’t not buy the rest of the series! Wasnt expecting to like a new adult book as much as I did. Would definitely recommend-but make sure to get all 3 books at the same time.

Hmmm, I am not quite sure about this one. It is a sort of enemies to lovers story, but ends in a cliffhanger so not a whole lot really happens overall. This book enlightens the reader as to why the main characters are in fact enemies and then introduces some drama when they begin working together years later. Unfortunately for me I couldn't really connect with either of these characters, and although I enjoy a good enemies to lovers story line, this one fell kind of flat and I found myself skimming a lot instead of being fully invested in the story.

Oh my! Once I started this book I couldn't put it down. This story goes to show you that things are not always how they seem from outside appearances. At times this was a bit heartbreaking. Feelings of all kinds run rampant between these two. Ray and Marlon seem to always take one step forward and two steps back when they are together. By the end of the book I was dyeing for more of these two, and can't wait for the next book.

Wonderful Storyline about the angst of teenage years bullying and how they turned out as adults. Sometimes it's not what it seems.
Marlon was the maid's Foster son he was ridiculed and bullied all through high school and the one person he looked to, to offer a hand didn't say a word. So hate blossomed. Ray grew up feeling alone and unloved but the one person who made her feel is the person who hates her the most.
As adults can they both wonder if they can get past what happened in youth, it seems that both totally misunderstood the other.
I can't wait to read the next book in this Series.

Summer Heat by Rachel Van Dyken a five-star read that will have you on the edge of your seat. This is the first novel in the Cruel Summer series and wow, I am so excited for number two!! What an ending on this story, I can’t wait. Never have I wanted to go to summer camp so much, my heart broke at times for Ray but then it also broke a little for Marlon it was such a compelling story. This is one of those stories that you would be sad to miss, and an author I am fast falling for.

Rachel Van Dyken brings us the first book in the Cruel Summer series. We are introduced to spoiled princess Ray and Marlon, the boy everyone picked on at school. After one night together, she rejects him which sets the tone for the rest of their high school years. Years later, the roles are reversed where Marlon is the successful director of a camp and Ray works for him.

Rachel gives us two characters who seem to be what they are on the surface, but then they start showing that things are not always the way it looks from the outside. Working together at the camp, they start to show parts of themselves they have kept hidden while they ignore the attraction and try to hold on to the hate. Since this is only the first installment, it has laid out the foundation of their initial relationship and how it has affected them when they meet again four years later. It will be interesting to see if they can get past the hurt and humiliations of the past to be able to forge a future together.

I enjoyed meeting Marlon and Ray and look forward to seeing where their story takes them. I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I would like to thank NetGalley and Social Butterfly PR for this privilege.

Even though I generally read my books through the Kindle apps on my iPad, I often forget that I have actual iBooks to read too. This was one of those stories that I was quick to purchase but forgot I owned because I was waiting for all the stories to come out and that this was exclusive to iBooks. I have just now finally sat down to read them all after getting an ARC from NetGalley and then realizing that I already owned the series.

I am a little disappointed in myself because this was a very cute story. This first part was filled with all the angst of Ray and Marlon hating each other because of the past even though they really loved each other. two former high school kids who were definitely opposite in every way. My heart hurt for them both.

This book ended on a cliffhanger. Talk about ending at the climax (pun intended). I was missing some of the usual humor that RVD is known for because the friendships that were forming were very reminiscent of the Consequences series which is one of my favorites of this author. Looking forward to how this continues in the next book.

I'm such a huge fan of Rachel and I'm so glad I got to read this. It was a really good book. I loved the writing and the characters. I wish it wasn't a cliffhanger though cause I really needed the next book. But it's definitely worth the read.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a good enemies to lovers story. But it does end on a cliffhanger, so if those aren’t for you, you have been warned. I truly loved the story, and need the second book ASAP!