Do not stop, do not pass go, drop everything and read this book immediately! This is the Queer summer romance novel you deserve!

An incredible fun and sexy romance based loosely on Love Island - Cas is living in London working for a dating app when she gets selected by her boss to be a contestant on a dating game show. She has a lot on the line, as her long awaited promotion out of an events planning job she’s begun to dislike is tied to winning the game show.

She has big plans to win it all but things go off the rails when she meets Ada, a gorgeous, and earnest fellow contestant.

Sparks start flying, with Cas immediately gravitating toward the beautiful red head, all the while calculating how to increase her chances of winning by putting on an agreeable act. Cas is just trying to get through the competition unscathed but Ada disarms and charms her as they spend more time together. Their relationship is the star of the show (literally) - their chemistry sizzles of the page. Ada brings out the more vulnerable side of Cas, getting her to open up about past heartbreak and begin to accept that she may be able to love again after all.

I won’t spoil it, but there is a particularly excellent sexy dance scene. This is one I think I will be reading again by the pool with a drink in hand. Elle Everhart should be proud to add this book to the growing pantheon of Queer Romance Lit - I know I’ll be recommending it all summer long!

Thanks to Penguin group and Net Galley for the ARC.

I adored Elle Everhart’s debut novel, Wanderlust, so was thrilled to be offered an ARC of her next book, Hot Summer. While her first book was for travel-lovers, this one is for reality TV lovers.

Cas is stuck in a dead-end job in marketing when she’s offered a way out: take part in the reality show Hot Summer, make it to the finals, and she’ll be promoted to management. Cas isn’t looking for romance on this Love Island-inspired fictional show, but she’s drawn to Ada from the moment they meet. So she may just find love along the way, as long as her secrets don’t catch up to her.

I will admit that I haven’t actually watched Love Island, and I think I might have enjoyed the book a bit more if I had. But what I did enjoy is Cas’ character growth as she goes from being closed off and afraid to trust to slowly opening up to the relationships around her. This book celebrates friendship as well as romantic love, with Cas learning and growing through both kinds of relationships that she forms while on the show.

While I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much as Wanderlust because of the setting, I do recommend Hot Summer to readers looking for a queer spicy love story full of endearing characters and the right amount of tension/angst.

There is no world in which I can personally relate to a personality that would ever be on a show like this, but I absolutely loved seeing their story unfold. It was highly entertaining.
The pacing worked well for me. There were a few overused phrases but overall the writing was well done.
The chemistry between our mains was off the charts. I thoroughly enjoyed the spicy bits as well. I have never read a story about contestants on a reality show, so it was a new idea for me, and I liked learning a little about the behind-the-scenes planning.
Bi/pan rep and bonus points for a ginger MC.
There was a third-act breakup and a HEA.
Hot Summer was a fun and unique read. I recommend!

This was SUCH an escapist, warm, refreshing take on a dating show! I loved that the central romance was between two bi women, and the twists kept me turning pages, cheering on my favorite contestants. A perfect summer read!

This book captured the love island inspiration amazingly. Theres a part of me that would've loved to read more on the relationships between Cas and the other house members. But the story was still very fulfilling, reading the walls of Cas' heart break down for Ada, and seeing Cas figuring out her worth was all chefs kiss. Not to mention Ada, her character just can't help but make your heart feel light, in the best way possible. The chemistry between them, sexually, emotionally and physically was hot, magical, and heartwarming. I will definitely be adding the physical copy to my collection once its released.

4.5 ⭐️

“getting to know you has been the highlight of my time here. it was unexpected, for sure, but in you, i feel like i’ve found someone that i can be myself with. you make me want to be brave, make it okay for me to be vulnerable. we walked in together, and now, i’m really hoping that, in a few weeks’ time, we’ll be able to walk out together.”

the one thing cas morgan really wants is a job promotion. she works at friday, a dating app, where she’s an event planner but she wants more from her job. then one day cas is told that her job is working with ‘hot summer’, a tv show very similar to love island and if cas makes it to the finale she will get the promotion she’s been yearning for.

but despite working for a dating app cas isn’t interested in a long term relationship or any sort of commitment. then walks in ada hall.

and cas’ plan on just getting by until the finale is thrown for a loop.

—

i was obsessed while reading this book. it truly felt like i was watching an episode of love island and i was on the edge of my seat waiting for the ranking reveals and the coupling ceremonies.

cas and ada had so much chemistry with each other and the wait for them to get together was entirely worth it. and their first kiss? it happened in such an unexpected way but i loved that scene so much.

the supporting characters are just as lovable as cas and ada and i loved seeing them thrive throughout the book. well, besides brad lol.

i’m such a femi and sienna supporter!!

if you’re a fan of alexandria bellefleur, meryl wilsner, or ashley herring blake you are to going to love this book and it’s writing style!

it was so easy to get into it and i read it just in a couple days, so if you’re looking for a quick read this summer and a sapphic love story with a little bit of spice this book is one you should definitely read :)

huge thanks to penguin group putnam and netgalley for providing this arc in exchange for my honest review.

If you're looking for a fun, flirty read about finding love unexpectedly while on a reality TV dating game show, this is the book for you! Everhart infuses great humor and Cas' character has a great back story that drives that plot. In the book, Cas goes on a dating show that she's been obsessed with. If she makes it to the final round, her boss is offering her a promotion. She has no intentions, however, of actually finding anyone she likes while on the show. That changes when she meets Ada. They fall in love, and the sweet and slow way they come to that is really cozy. There's there perfect amount of spice, too. I was a little concerned while reading that the game show was too heterosexually framed to a lot for those bisexual on the show to choose the same sex. As the book went on, the author slowly adjusted the framework so there was more freedom with choice, which I was happy about!

Great, fast read. Good character development and Everhart does a nice job of wrapping up the conflict at the end!

Hot Summer was probably up there for my favorite ARC I read this round. I loved this in a different way than I loved Jacquotte Delahaye, but with the same intensity! I read this one voraciously, I could not put it down. It’s basically sapphic love island. I think reality tv romances are a trope I actively love, as some of my other favorites have been Never Getting Back Together and One To Watch. I was fully giggling, twirling my hair, kicking my feet.

A romance that’ll get you kicking your feet and twirling your hair, Hot Summer is the sapphic Love Island story of your dreams. Perfect for fans of The Charm Offensive and Never Getting Back Together.

4.5 stars

I had such a good time with this book! Clearly I need to read more romance books that are sapphic twists on reality dating shows.

The story is set in a Love Island-style dating show. It's narrated from the POV of Cas, a total cynic when it comes to love. Cas is on the show to gain popularity and get a promotion at work, and luckily she's watched enough seasons of Hot Summer to know how to play the game. What she doesn't anticipate is having her head turned by another contestant, Ada.

There's a great cast of characters with a fun, supportive dynamic. Cas and Ada have great chemistry, and I was totally rooting for them the whole way through. There is a spot of predictable conflict, and some readers might get frustrated with the choices Cas makes. But I was happy with how everything ultimately resolved.

Would recommend this fun and flirty read, especially for fans of reality dating!

** I received an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

If you are a reality tv lover, this is the book for you!

This is my first Elle Everhart book & I have been completely blown away! She did an amazing job keeping me engaged as a reader from the very beginning. Elle does an amazing job bringing light to the toxic workplaces women experience & how often they are expected to sacrifice themselves for "the good of the company" and how easily women are taken advantage of. I also what to mention the amazing LGBTQ representation which I feel like we need more of in the romance space.

The book follows Cas who works for a dating app, Cas is asked to go undercover and participate in a Love Island like dating show competition in order to promote the company she works for in order to secure a promotion. Not only does Cas find the love of her life, but the story also explores amazing friendships that blossomed.

I couldnt recommend this book enough especially with summer approaching! It is the perfect summer/beach read.

4 Stars! Publication Date: 6/25/2024

Cas is growing tired of her job as an Events Coordinator at the dating app, Friday. She’s craving a more steady job where she doesn’t have to deal with drunk and horny people. The opportunity she’s been waiting for finally arrives, but in order to land this promotion her boss is sending her to be on the hit reality dating show “Hot Summer.” If Cas can make it to the finale the promotion is hers. Cas has a plan to make it to the end without falling in love, but then she meets Ada.

Alexa, play “Can’t Help Falling in Love.”

If you know me, then you know I absolutely love the reality TV show subgenre of books. I devour them, then demand more, more, MORE! It’s just so good! And this was no exception.

I do think it’s weird and doesn’t make the best of sense to me why sending Cas to compete on a dating show would be the basis of her earning a promotion or not at work. Like, I get it in the sense that the show and the app are business partners and trying to open this new marketing branch or something like that, but I just don’t see how sending Cas on the show and having her be a finalist is contingent on this partnership working out. Especially because Cas has to sign an NDA and be super secretive about her job. She can’t even say she works at Friday or anything. It does create juicy drama when the truth gets revealed eventually, but yeah it was just a little random for me.

But that was basically my only issue with this book. Everything else was so fun! I love this side cast of characters. I mean, Femi??? By far the best character in this entire book. In fact, if the author wrote this exact same book but from Femi’s perspective I would buy five copies.

The antics that these characters would get up to in the summer villa, both in front of and away from the cameras, was also an aspect of this book that would bring so much life and fun to the page. I was sad when the filming part of the show was over, but happy to report that the majority of the book does take place at the villa. The aftermath was satisfying for me and I was happy to see some sapphic smut! I feel like most LGBT books have low spice to them. This one had a low-medium spice, but I did appreciate showing the unsexy parts of sex, like cleaning toys and what not.

This is the perfect summer read for anyone who watches reality dating shows as a guilty pleasure. You are guaranteed a good time with big laughs, heart-warming moments, and loveable characters that you will miss after finishing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the PERFECT book for anyone who is gay and loves watching dating shows <3 So fun!! I’m usually not into books like this, but it definitely caught my attention and held it the entire time!

If you're a fan of the show LOVE ISLAND and also love LGBTQ books then you need to read this one! It's the perfect summer read and kept me engaged the whole way through.

Hot Summer is a reality dating show that pairs singles, Cas watches it every season and loves the contestants and all the bickering that goes on. When her company makes a deal with the production team for the show, she is picked as a contestant. Once on the island that the show is being filmed on, she finds the ones she wants to be aligned with. She particularly is drawn towards Ava. Ava seems to be drawn towards her as well.
With all the goings on during the show, the two women become more interested in each other than anyone else in the show.
I would recommend.

A very cute summery romance! I loved the dynamic between Cas and Ada and how their romance developed. The work promotion aspect was a little fuzzy to me and didn't feel entirely believable, but not so much that it massively detracted from the story. I loved the cast of characters and felt like they were pretty easy to keep track of even though there were a lot of them. Overall an enjoyable read!

I ate this shit up breakfast lunch and dinner. Cannot wait to put the book on my shelf as a trophy and make my condo read it for bookclub.

This book was such a quick fun read! A perfect read it for anyone who loves stories centered around reality TV especially if you are a fan of love island.

One thing I really appreciated about this book was how much I came to care about not only are two main characters but all the side characters as well. I was rooting for Cas and Ada to get together just as much as I was rooting for Femi and Siena to get together!

The build up between Cas and Ada was so well done. The initial connection between the two, the blossoming friendship, and eventually a very spicy romance was fantastic! Although third act break up was pretty predictable from the beginning it was no less heartbreaking to watch it all unfold.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I really feel like I need to watch Love Island now 😅

Thank you to Netgalley the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion! Cas and Ada MADE this a 5 star review! I have been so into Queer media lately and this novel did not disappoint. Every interaction between them was so adorable and made me literally giggle. Watching them fall for each other was a wonderful experience, the eventual happy ending was worth the intense heartache the author made me suffer through. I wasn't expecting the book to have any spicy scenes at all, I loved that it did and that they weren't cringey like some WLW media can be. Even the interactions Cas and Ada had with the supporting characters made me so happy, it was like reading a genuine friendship connection that was made over the course of a summer. And props to the author for making Cas "unlikeable" as a main character, it made her growth journey that much more enjoyable to watch. I can't wait to buy a physical copy of this novel and eventually read more by this author!

An extremely entertaining Sapphic beach read for the reality TV lover! This was such an easy read and I felt like I was literally just watching TV (I love it when it feels like that). All the characters were so well fleshed out and I really liked Femi and Cas's relationship. I think both the MCs, Ada and Cas, were just so swoon-worthy! It was so delightful, I just couldn't stop reading it!

As a former reality TV lover and avid Love Island watcher, I was so excited to read Hot Summer!

Cas Morgan works for the dating app, Friday, and gets picked by her job to go on Hot Summer! Well not all plans go the way you think they will….

Cas and her “lover” castmates were such relatable characters! Also, I really felt like Elle painted a good picture of what the villa was really like. It was just like watching it on TV, only in my head instead.

As soon as they introduced Ada, I knew Cas’ heart was in trouble. How could you not love Ada?

This book is great if you like - LGBTQIA+, reality TV, a little bit of *spice*, and friendship building.