Cool for the Summer was exactly the queer summer romance I was hoping it would be! While I can't comment too much on the queer rep as I'm not sapphic (except by saying that I personally found it to be really cute and soft!) I would definitely say that I believe it was done in a very realistic way. Fans of Sophie Gonzales and Demi Lovato are sure to fall in love with this sweet treat of a book!

As a bisexual who didn’t realize she wasn’t straight until she was seventeen, and a fan of Dahlia Adler and all the work she did/does to showcase LGBTQIA+ literature, I was so incredibly excited to pick this book up. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to my (admittedly) high expectations.

The book told is alternating chapters, between the present day, the fall school year, and the past summer, which Lara spent with the daughter of her mother’s coworker.

I adored the summer chapters. They were so well written, with that balmy air you expect from a summer romance, and I found myself flying through the pages. The setting, the atmosphere, the friendships, the developing relationship between Lara and Jasmine. Everything was perfect. I truly thought this was going to be a new favorite book. But once the sun went down and we returned back to the school setting, that excitement started to dwindle. It wasn’t long before I was dreading the current day school chapters and counting down the pages until the summer ones. If the entire book had been written in the same manner as the summer chapters, I probably would have given this book five stars.

But sadly that isn’t the case. The school chapters felt so…juvenile? And I know this is YA, but there were certain instances, like one scene where Jasmine actually sings Cool for the Summer at a party and I just found it cringey and embarrassing. As the story progressed, these chapters also felt more and more pointless? Lara is supposedly caught between the boy of her dreams but Chase felt like a cardboard cutout of a character. I read this book in one day, mainly in one sitting, and after finishing it, I don’t think I could tell you a single thing about him.

I know Dahlia Adler was making a point about heterosexuality being the default assumption and the weight that expectation carries, especially on questioning young girls. And I realize it’s likely that Dahlia Adler chose to portray Chase this way to show that the rose-colored glasses Lara wears around Chase are slowly starting to clear but he could’ve at least had some semblance of a personality. Otherwise, the entire plot of the book seems pointless. Why would Lara choose to date this this boy who seemingly zero redeeming qualities, who barely has any qualities at all, when she could be exploring a relationship with a girl she already knows she has a genuine connection with? Again, I’m fully aware that compulsory heterosexuality is a thing and that at certain points Lara likely felt she had to date Chase. But again, it would’ve made for a much more interesting and well-rounded story if Chase was a well-rounded character and Lara, and the audience, actually felt torn between him and Jasmine.

My other main issue with the book is that towards the end, you find out that Jasmine asked to move in with her dad so that she could go to Lara’s school and they could be together. I can suspend my disbelief for a lot of things but this was completely preposterous to me. Especially considering Jasmine and Lara only knew each other for one summer. I expect romances to be unrealistic but I just could not wrap my head around this.

One thing Dahlia Adler is an expert at is crafting romantic and sexual tension. The tension between Lara and Jasmine was palpable, especially during the summer months, and it was so refreshing to see. So many wlw books shy away from being sexy and lean into the cute side of things. There’s obviously nothing wrong with that, but impressionable young girls questioning their sexuality desperately need books that tell them that it’s okay for them to feel sexual attraction to other girls. It’s perfectly normal. You are perfectly normal. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

None of this is to say I dislike Dahlia Adler as an author. I loved the writing in this, for the most part, and I’ve since read an older Dahlia Adler book and loved it enough to give it 4.5 stars. I’m definitely going to be picking up anything she writes in the future and continue perusing her backlist. I think this was just a case of this particular plot being executed in a way that wasn’t for me.

I want to end by saying I am so glad this book exists. I would have killed for a book like this when I was younger. So many of the gay people I knew had always known they were gay or had at known it for years at that point. I felt like I was miles behind everyone and a book like this would’ve been such a comfort. I hope Dahlia Adler (and other authors!) continue to publish and champion books in this vein. They are desperately needed.

Such a fun retelling of Grease with an LGBTQ+ twist!!! The characters were so relatable to teens these days and it was such a fun spring read!

Lara has always had a crush on Chase. Of course she would, he’s the star quarterback for the football team, popular, smart, and smoking hot. She has always wanted to be his girlfriend. And then……. it happens.

Suddenly Chase IS interested in her and they begin dating. They are crowned Homecoming King and Queen, and are the perfect high school couple. The problem? Lara can’t stop thinking about Jasmine, and the summer that they just shared.

This book was so many things high school; dances, jealousies, football games, and more. A cute light read.

Couldn’t say enough good things about this amazing book! The cover, the Jewish rep… everything you could ever want and more! Love love love

I was not expecting to love this- I honestly thought it was not going to be something I was as interested in, but I was in a YA contemporary mood and decided to try and I am so glad I did.

This book is about Lara and told from her perspective of then and now. The now being the school year where things are going her way and the then being the summer before where she met someone who changed her life.

I felt like this book had so much heart and I loved how it explored sexuality and societal constructs and how we love. I think it was perfectly nuanced and I loved how it was more about Lara learning who she is but also that it’s okay to grow and learn moving forward. This is not a catty or overly dramatic books which I think is unique with its high school setting.

I highly recommend this and while it can seem cliche and it is YA I think it can be a beacon of hope because even as an adult you can still be figuring it out.

Cool for the Summer was maybe the best book I read this summer and definitely one of my favourite ya contemporaries I read this year.

It is coming of age story done well, with lead character discovering who she is and what she wants and doesn't want in her life, and how dreams coming true don't guarantee happiness.

With wild cast of lgbtq+ characters that are, from my point of view, ,represented right, Adler deserves to be a new voice of ya contemporaries.

The story was good and easy to read.
I read in other readers reviews how they didn't like that the main character was naive and didn't ask questions she should have had.
I do agree that there was miscommunication that could have easily been resolved with just talking, and the characters acted little immature when it comes to them, but if I'm being honest, I didn't mind them, because I feel like without them there wouldn't be a story.
At least not this one.

I also want to mention how I really liked Jasmine and if I was younger, she would probably be my book crush.
I 100% understand why everyone wanted to be near her, and the way Lara talked about her really described the love she had for her. The chemistry was also written well.

The book has two parts:
"THEN" that talk about summer (which were my favourite) and
"NOW" set during school year.
I wish we got more of THEN.

The novel is written in first person, following Lara's POV.

Overall, really good coming of age novel with diverse cast.
I highly recommend it to ya contemporary lovers.

This book was such a ride. I was instantly hooked onto the story and really wanted to read it. I loved the love triangle in this, it’s become one of my favorite tropes. The characters were also great, I just wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending. I also find it slow at times

Whew! That was a roller coaster! Cool for the Summer is a story about a soon-to-be high school senior both the summer before her senior year and the start of it.

In alternating timelines we watch as Larissa tries to figure herself out. During the summer Larissa's mom threw a wrench in her book-store job plans and they end up spending the summer in the Outer Banks. The plus is that they're staying at Larissa's mom's boss's house... let's be real, mansion. But she's still away from all of her friends and the comforts of home. Lucky for Larissa her summer plans take a turn for the better when the boss's daughter, Jasmine, takes her under her wing. From parties and photo shoots to reading graphic novels and hanging out in the hot tub, Larissa's summer is more than she would have ever expected. After a surprise kiss with Jasmine, a whirlwind... something relationship adjacent totally throws her off.

And then it's back to reality and high school as Larissa starts her senior year. And in an almost surreal scenario the boy she's crushed on for actual years is finally seeing her in a new light. Chase Harding is her dream guy. And now he's asking her out. She's in a chain of events she can't seem to stop, but she shouldn't want to.

While Larissa is already struggling with her identity and sexuality, a new student shows up that totally throws her off: Jasmine.

I felt Larissa's turmoil over her confusion - feelings can be so complicated, especially when you're introduced to a new side of yourself. I'm not generally a fan of a love triangle, but this wasn't quite that. It's hard to watch Larissa date Chase, who is obviously smitten, while being privy to her inner doubts about her feelings and their relationship. Ultimately, Adler handles the situation with as much tact as possible and her character shows more maturity than many adults.

I really enjoyed this read, it went by fast especially with the alternating timelines. I felt connected to Larissa through her love of books and writing and fangirling over an author she loves. It was a relatable look into someone struggling a bit with something they didn't know about themselves. I think especially over this pandemic many people have learned more about themselves and specifically their sexuality with all the extra time for self-reflection. So Larissa's own journey seemed particularly timely.

A great and authentic story about a young bisexual coming into her own, while also having a very cute romance.

This was just...boring? I didn't finish it. Not enough conflict? I mean, there was conflict. But I didn't care. This just didn't work for me. Might try again at some point but I found it difficult to invest in what was going on.

DNF - Did not finish. I decided not to keep reading this title because I did not connect with the writing or plot. Thank you, NetGalley and publisher for the early copy!

I loved this book. As an educator, I will be getting it for my bookshelf and I think it was so much fun to read. The protagonist, Lara, was flawed and interesting, but my favorite thing about her was that she was questioning. She wasn't a character who had it all figured out; she was a character who, even at the end, didn't know exactly what her feelings meant or where they would lead her, she just knew she felt what she felt. I also love that she was a character who had her dream come true only to find out it wasn't what she wanted. I felt like that was so relatable for teens.

First off, the cover of this book is absolutely stunning (5/5 for the lovely art). I feel like this book got a lot of hype before it was released, and I’m not sure it totally earned all that. Cool for the Summer is a YA lgbtq+ contemporary and I appreciated how this was a journey of self-discover, about finally finding not only their truths but also the best of support groups, as well as welcoming for the acceptance that you long for. Besides it being a quick read, I was hoping I'd like this more than I did but the characters were just too frustrating for me.
Full review to come on my YouTube channel

I thought this was wonderful bi rep. While the plot was a little slow for me in some places, I thought the characters were all well done and believable. This is a really sweet contemporary about conflicting feelings and identity and I think it really captured the experiences and emotions of that age.

This is a lovely, fun novel following a bisexual protagonist as she juggles multiple love interests with school and life. It is great to have more representation in media.

I really enjoyed seeing bisexual representation in YA as it's still remarkably underrepresented. The storytelling device of dual timelines was really effective, and the main character's journey of coming to terms with both sides of herself and who she is sexually attracted to was beautifully written. Sometimes the characters felt a little more like college students or young adults rather than teens, but more the most perfect, I thought it was a great YA. I hope this is a book that will spur more publication of YA books with bisexual representation.

I enjoyed it well enough for what it is, but it did feel like it was trying a bit hard. I saw some reviews mention it felt like reading a diversity checklist and that is exactly how I felt as well! I did enjoy that these featured possibly two bi girls (one never labels themselves) but some parts were a bit cringe or the thought process made no sense. Maybe I am just too old for this book now. I am sure a younger audience would appreciate it more! I got rounded up to a 3 because I love bisexual representation and I hope this opens doors for some more.

A super fun, queer take on the love triangle trope! I really love how Adler took a very common YA trope and brought this fun twist to it.

I also really enjoyed that the communication breakdown seemed believable.

Would love a spin off about Kiki about her podcast and detective skills.

A very cute and summery romance of a book! I liked that this book was short and a fairly fast read. I managed to read it in one day. There was a part of me that really liked Larissa story about finding her sexuality and navigating her feelings for Jasmine, but at times her behavior struck me as confusing. I think some of this is intentional since she is confused herself by her feeling and everything that happened over the summer, but I couldn't get over the miscommunication trope of her and Jasmine misreading each other's signals. All in all, it was a good read and I would definitely recommend it as a beach read!