Really sweet story. As someone who has covered Love Island I really enjoyed seeing parts of that real-life TV show be portrayed in the book.

Okay I loved the premise of this book! It was cute and gave of Bachelor/Love Island vibes big time. Fell a little flat at times but overall still a decent book.

Thank you publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this in exchange for my honest review!

this was such a fun summer read. loved Cas and Ada's relationship, and I feel like I was watching Love Island.

while the start of this book felt like a carbon copy of a love island episode i wasnt mad about it because that's what i'd gladly signed up for but once we got past the 40% mark everything truly heated up and this was a great summer romance to lose yourself in. I love all the characters besides Brad that man can choke, but I'd gladly read more books about cas and ada

Hot Summer is a charming, smart, and sexy read that will leave you smiling and craving a summer romance.

Elle Everhart’s Hot Summer is the kind of flirty, fast-paced rom-com that feels tailor-made for poolside reading. With sparkling dialogue, sizzling chemistry, and a premise that delivers both emotional stakes and fun-in-the-sun escapism, this book lives up to its title.

The leads are immediately engaging—witty, flawed, and irresistibly drawn to each other despite their differences. Everhart excels at crafting banter that’s both clever and emotionally revealing, and the romance develops with just the right balance of tension and payoff. The summer setting adds a touch of wanderlust and warmth, making each scene feel vivid and sun-soaked.

Some beats are a bit predictable, and the pacing occasionally leans too heavily on tropes—but they’re the kind of tropes that fans of contemporary romance will likely welcome with open arms. There’s real heart beneath the heat, with well-handled themes of vulnerability, ambition, and learning to let go of fear.

I’ve enjoyed other reality dating show books (though actual shows do not even remotely appeal) so I thought this would be fun, but it turns out my interests and tastes have shifted enough that I wasn’t able to get into and enjoy this one.

I wanted to like this more than I did! I liked Cas but I also felt that she didn’t have enough of a journey. I also just didn’t think I knew Ada super well. Overall, I ended up not being super invested in their love story.

Think Too hot to handle but you can see behind the scenes. Loved this story so much! It was cute, funny, and spicy. 💜💜

This one just didn’t do it for me. While I have loved other romances that take place on reality shows in the past I think this one felt too focused on the reality show and other characters on it to keep my focus well.

Overall 3
Whitney, a travel writer, unexpectedly ends up on a summer road trip with her ex, forcing them to face their complicated past. If you love rom coms with strong character growth and plenty of sass, Hot Summer is the perfect summer escape.

A genuinely fun sapphic romance set in the backdrop of Love Island-esque dating show. he main character, Cass, was so goddamn annoying.

Another pre-summer read!
Hot Summer was a fun, Love Island-inspired love story. Cas is your classic joins for the wrong reasons contestant who eventually finds love. It was lighthearted and cute. Great for anyone who loves seeing couples find real love on a trashy "Hot Summer" romance show.
While the side characters are all fabulous, my biggest qualm is that we miss out on all the drama that doesn't involve Cass. Bless her heart, but that girl was in a love bubble. I love dumb "Love Island esc" shows, but I love them for the drama. Unfortunately, I just did not care much about Cas's there for the wrong reasons drama. I still had so much fun! Elle Everheart still captured the "Hot summer" energy that I was craving.

I received an advanced copy of Hot Summer by Elle Everhart from the publisher GP Putnam via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Cas has spent years trying to earn a promotion at her job in a public relations firm, when her company secures a promotion gig with the UK’s favorite reality data show, Hot Summer; her opportunity might just have arrived. Cas’s boss wants to place her as a contestant, and while she won’t get help, if she makes it to the finals, she will secure the promotion that she has long since earned. Cas agrees and is ready to spend her summer trying to make herself likable to the winning public, to stay in the game. But when she arrives though, her plans get complicated when she is smitten with fellow contestant Ada, who is shockingly actually looking for love and not an influencer gig. Cas knows she’s not there for the right reasons, but she also knows that she likes the Cas that comes out when Ada is around. Is love worth the risk?

My Thoughts: I think that if you love island you may like this book more than me, because I think it’s supposed to be set in that world with similar rules (I don’t know, but it seems that way?), therefore you won’t need the extra world building. Isn’t that strange to use the term with regards to reality TV? I think that if I was familiar with the concept of the show, less of my time would have been spent orienting and I would have enjoyed this more and maybe gotten less annoyed by some plot devices. Overall, once I found my footing, I thought it was a solid book. I grew to really like Cas and totally bought into her chemistry with Ava and their relationship. I also liked the friendship, but for me the last third of the book just did not work for me. I didn’t like the conflict and I think partially that was because I thought it was exaggerated but also I don’t think I ever really understood what Cas was supposed to do for her job?

Who Should Read It: People who are Love Island fans. People who like reality TV based romances.

Summary: Cas goes on a reality show to seemingly find love, but is she there for the right reasons?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review of Hot Summer by Elle Everhart. Unfortunately, I was unable to view it before it was archived. I look forward to finding it at my local library, online, or independent bookstore.

This book was so fun! I was excited to read an adult romance set on a reality show, since so many books with that premise are for teens which makes no sense to me. Hot Summer was a fun time, exactly what I was looking for.

For fans of Love Island but make it gay! It worked and the tension was great, the problems were problems and you wanted that HEA!

These characters just didn't really connect for me. I was excited by the premise of the story with the dating show and the marketing aspects but the characters were just lacking. I found myself not really caring where the story was going because there was no connection and no chemistry between the characters. I also do tend to dislike the whole "I'm not looking to date because I don't want that for myself" queue the falling in love and going for happily ever after. It just seems like it was really forced.

I really enjoyed Wanderlust, but Hot Summer turned out not to be for me. It took me a few tries to really get into this book, and I just couldn't get myself to stick with it. First, the premise of the main character's company sending her to the dating show felt far-fetched. The characters and dialogues once she was in the house felt a little flat to me, and I ended up just DNFing this one. It sucks because I was really looking forward to it. This one wasn't for me, but hopefully the next one is.

Hot Summer was a quick and easy read, which I finished in about a day. Despite this, I didn't enjoy it much, primarily due to its reality show setting. Although I haven't watched Love Island, I am familiar with similar shows. I struggled to immerse myself in the story because I kept thinking about how manipulative the production of Hot Summer was and how it exploited the contestants. This isn't as apparent when watching reality shows, but experiencing it from the perspective of a contestant felt disheartening. While the characters showed good growth and there was a strong sense of found family among the side characters, it's not a book I would choose to read again." Thank you so much to Putnam Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Elle Everhart's Hot Summer offers a refreshing take on the contemporary romance genre, blending the allure of reality television with a heartfelt queer love story. The narrative centers on Cas Morgan, a longtime fan of the hit dating show "Hot Summer." When her company partners with the show's producers, Cas seizes the unexpected opportunity to become a contestant, aiming to secure a promotion by making it to the finals. However, her strategic plans are upended upon meeting Ada, a fellow contestant who seeks genuine connection. As their chemistry intensifies, Cas grapples with the dilemma of following her heart or sticking to her game plan. Expect juicy gossip, hot hookups, and drama, drama, drama," highlighting the palpable chemistry between Cas and Ada. The review emphasizes that the book is a "can't-miss" for fans of reality TV theatrics and heartfelt queer romance. In summary, Hot Summer is a delightful and steamy romance that captures the excitement of reality TV while delivering a sincere and compelling love story. Elle Everhart's storytelling offers both entertainment and depth, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary queer romance.