This book is absolutely perfect for summer! Having never watched Love Island, I was very intrigued by the setting and details the author provided. It really made me feel like I was a fellow contestant right alongside the main characters. The story follows Cas and her journey through a frustrating work life and agreeing to be on the reality show Hot Summer in the hopes of getting a promotion. Along the way she finds herself gravitating towards Ada, who is smoking hot, sweet, smart, and charismatic. Unfortunately for Cas, mixing feelings/emotions and work obligations do not work out the way she was hoping.

While Cas and Ada had the perfect amount of chemistry, unfortunately we only got a small taste of their backstories, which made me feel like I didn’t get to fully know them or their personalities as much as I would have liked. We hardly hear anything about their families, friends, or what makes them who they are outside from their past relationships and jobs.

Where the book really excelled though was in the theme of friendship. A lot of people take friendship for granted and think that love is the end all goal in life, but I think the power of friendship is so strong, that it should be represented more often. That was why I absolutely fell for Femi, Freddie, and Sienna because despite being on a reality show to find love, they were more invested in each other as people and friends, rather than focussing on the end money prize. You could feel the true love and support of friends, especially when they back each other up and comfort one another multiple times throughout the story. And omg who wouldn’t love to be greeted every morning with a fresh cup of coffee by a handsome and kind gentleman?

Honestly, it seemed like Sienna and Fami, and Cas and Ada were the only ones interested in finding love and exploring a relationship, everyone else it felt like wasn’t as invested and only there to have a good time. Since I haven't ever seen Love Island, I don’t know if a lot of what was portrayed comes from the actual show but I did not like how the women were expected to wear such ridiculous skimpy outfits, share beds with random strangers, and were ranked based on… what? I don't actually know… likeability, hotness, their relationship? It was never really explained so that part felt artificial and rubbed me the wrong way, especially considering how the show basically revolves around sex appeal rather than personality. Let's not even mention the outrageousness of the challenges…

As for the conflict… we all knew what was coming but, we didn’t know how it was going to unravel. Which was definitely majorly blown out of proportion and resolved WAY too easily. It would have been nice to have an added chapter from Ada’s point of view in order to understand her process for forgiving Cas. The ending was completely unsatisfying to me, you are just left with so many questions rather than answers. I want to know what happened behind the scenes when Cas left her job and the NDA, what happened after Cas and Ada left the set, and more details about their life and hopefully continued friendship with Sienna, Fami, and Freddie.

Overall, I loved the storyline, fun and dynamic group of contestants, portrayal of friendship, Queer representation, reality of toxic work environments (especially surrounding women), and slow burn romance between Cas and Ada, who both had unique past relationship challenges that they needed to work through in order to fall for each other. Again, perfect summer read, and would definitely recommend to the sapphic romance community!

For me this really has been the year of queer dating show romances and so far this has been the most successful one. The Charm Offensive will always be my fave in this niche little genre but this book was also a wonderful read. I think choosing a Love Island style show was definitely the right move because it allows for more exploration of queerness in the way that couples pair up. The only thing I wish was expanded on more was Cas’s relationship with the other housemates. We were told in text that Cas and Femi were really close friends, but I think the audience needed more on page banter between them. Developing their relationship further would make the betrayal hit even harder. I would def recommend picking this up though because it’s a super quick read. It also seems pretty likely this is the Afterlight book for July so if you want a special edition be on the look out!

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the perfect lil summer sapphic novel! As a reality show lover, I enjoyed being teleported to the set of what I imagine to be Too Hot to Handle. The characters were fun to hang out with and the setting was gorgeous.

This is described as a "Love Island-inspired queer romance," so I was immediately sold, and thankfully, this book did not disappoint.

Cas Morgan is stuck in her current position as an event host for a dating app, so when her boss offers her a promotion contingent on her participation in the reality show Hot Summer, she jumps at the chance (just go with it; it's a romance novel). Determined to do well on the show and win over the public, love is the last thing on Cas's mind, so what on earth could happen?

I loved this. It incorporates all of the drama and fun of Love Island/reality dating shows and has a great cast of characters. The slow-burn romance between Cas and Ada is well-developed and makes it hard to put this book down. My only small quibble is that there's a little bit of nonsense towards the end that was inevitable but felt a little overblown. I still can't recommend this one enough and can only hope that the upcoming seasons of Love Island are as entertaining as this is.

*4.5

I have to say it, I HATE reality shows irl, BUT I’m in love with reality shows in fiction. In queer romances especially. It’s like something switch on and I can stop reading it. It’s like my favorite setting, except for Hollywood setting (my absolute favorite).
However, this book. This book is EVERYTHING. I love every single pages of it. I fell in love with Ada, so lovely e full of life, but I vibes with Cas. I felt a strong connection with her.
The romance make me believe in love stories. Oh my God, the two of them… And the grand gesture… My God, I want that in my life.
I also enjoyed the side characters. Every one of them, even the villain ones. And I liked the side romances too.
Really, now I want to go to this reality show for real, I mean.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the Arc.

Hot Summer
There’s sometimes a rhythm to subjects that get portrayed in popular media. Movies famously get released in pairs (The Prestige and The Illusionist, Finding Nemo and A Shark’s Tale), and books are no different (in 2023 the “professional bridesmaid” / “paid fake date” trope swept through the fields of lesbians fiction like a horde of locusts).
Maybe it’s intentional, but more often it’s just that an idea is out there in the culture, and multiple people run with it.
On the one hand, I’m psyched, because this is the second queer reality show book I’ve read and I loved both of them. But it can be a bit irksome, as a freak who inhales romance novels, to find plots hinging on the exact same contrivances.
So a few points off of Hot Summer for (unintentionally) rhyming its plot with an absolute gem of a book, but there are so many already on the board it really doesn’t matter.
Our protagonist, Cas, has closed herself off to love owing to some bad experiences in her life. She’s just in this for the job she’s been promised afterward. Ada, by contrast, is all about the love. She longs to find someone to connect with … and the eye-banging that starts the minutes these two see each other bodes well for that.
Honestly, sometimes I feel like I’m on a reality show when I read fictionalized versions of them. All the emotions feel heightened, like the added layer of seeing behind the artifice of television shrinks the remove from the characters provided by the framing of a novel. I’m trapped with the book just as they are on location, and I found myself unable to stop until I’ve finished - just my little commitment to honoring their (voluntary) predicament.
Cas feels so real, probably because I identified with her a lot (not sure I’m supposed to, to be clear!). I think I doubly identified with how she did - guarded, but wishing she were more like Ada, open and free. Ada, of course, was an absolute delight - everything a girl could want or want to be.
I also thoroughly enjoyed all the other contestants as well - whether they were important plot-important friends or throwaway villains, each rise to the occasion perfectly and left me with an impression. I’d even be willing to read the Rashomon-esque take on Femi and Sienna, they were so well-written.
Hot Summer is a perfect Sapphic beach read, sure, but it’ll also keep you warm the rest of year, too.

This review is for an advanced reader copy of the book, provided by the publisher.

LOVES:
- This book starts out very focused on the entire cast of characters and it’s done in a very engaging way. I genuinely wanted to get to know every character, not just those who seemed like a romantic interest. The friendships and side romances that form feel just as important.
- This honestly feels like watching a reality TV show, but getting all the behind the scenes info. Super fun!
- I was absolutely here for the real, vulnerable moments. When Cas started facing her feelings and trying to be brave 💜
- The grand gesture and the epilogue 💖

This was unlike any book I’ve read before. It’s an unusual premise and one that I really ended up enjoying. The characters handled any shady behavior eloquently and realistically. I couldn’t find any fault with this book; super cute!

Cas is tired of spending her nights in bars surrounded by sweaty singles, so she jumps chance to move up the ranks by going on a reality dating show but she never expected to find love. While I don't enjoy watching Reality Tv, reading about it is much more enjoyable. I was honestly hoping for more drama, and I called the 3rd act conflict about halfway. I never felt like I got to know Ada because their relationship developed largely off page. I get that this is an ensemble cast because of the show, but there were way too many pointless characters. Overall, this was a decent read if you're look for a bi4bi reality TV romance.

I don't like watching reality shows. However, reading about one was a lot of fun! The dates, the challenges and the drama made for a fast-paced read. I loved being able to see into Cas’ head as she navigated her time on Hot Summer. Of course, that's something you don't get with a show. I loved all of the romantic and platonic relationship arcs in this book. I think the characters were all well developed and the book was well written.
This is a perfect, summer read!

This was so cute! I’ve seen about 8 episodes of Love Island, the British reality show that inspired this book, and that was enough to be able to visualize the setting and clock the many resemblances. The main differences between the book show and the real show are 1) the book show is nominally queer-friendly (just guessing here, this may or may not be true in real life) and 2) that so many of the contestants are lovable. There’s one asshat meathead and one kind-of bitchy girl, but the majority of the characters were just delightful and I loved Femi, Sienna, and Freddie just as much as Cas and Ada.

And the romance itself was so sweet. Cas has ulterior motives for being on the show and resists her attraction to Ada, who she knows is looking for love, but just can’t help herself. The will-they-or-won’t-they tension, amplified by their castmates rooting for them, results in a really sweet slow burn romance.

Finally, most of the story is set in Cyprus, which makes this an especially perfect beach read.

This was a really fun sapphic summer read. Books about reality shows are always entertaining. I liked all the characters (except the ones I wasn't supposed to like). Femi was the best. Definitely one of my favorite rom com side characters. The main relationship was also very sweet.

All in all, I'd say this is a pleasant, quick read. Perfect for the beach/pool.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

I loved Wanderlust last year by this author which I definitely recommend if you like a bi heroine. I was excited for her sophomore novel, especially since it was sapphic.

I can't believe I've read two dating show books in one month. I usually don't love them, but both, especially this one is a quite unique set up. It gave me Love Island and Bachelor in Paradise vibes.

This was a light, fluffy summer read. I was able to read it pretty quickly.

The main trope I adored in this book was Found Family. This is a trope I've grown to appreciate recently. Especially with more queer reads. A good group of side characters can really make or break a book.

I will continue to read this author! Can't wait to see what they come up with next!

If you love reality dating shows or reality TV this is the sapphic summer read for you. This book is so well written it was like watching a movie. Cas is a great main character and I also love a book with a little bit of smut and this one delivers.

When Cas first enters the reality TV show Hot Summer she’s just there as part of a confidential plan to gain a promotion and secure a partnership between the dating app she works for and the show. She doesn’t have any plans to fall for anyone… until she meets Ada. Could real feelings be growing between the two women? And what about the big secret that Cas is keeping from everyone?

I really enjoyed aspects of this book. Cas and Ada had great chemistry together, it was fun watching their friendship and relationship develop over the course of the story. I also thought that Cas’ hesitance about getting into a serious relationship was well explained and made sense given her history. There were also some entertaining side characters like Sienna, Femi, and Freddie who rounded out the cast nicely. I also loved getting to see bits of the fan reactions from social media in between some of the chapters.

However, I never found myself fully loving the book. I think that aspects of the reality TV show weren’t explained enough or just felt a bit glossed over. I kept feeling confused or not totally engaged with that part of the plot. Perhaps it’s because I’ve never watched Love Island, but I’ve also never watched The Bachelor and haven’t felt myself getting this confused in other reality dating show romance novels. Also, there were just so many side characters that it was overwhelming. A couple were defined, but for the most part they didn’t seem like they were relevant outside of being cannon fodder for elimination from the show. And I thought that the conflict was a bit too easily resolved in the end. Because the book is single POV, I felt like I didn’t get to see enough of Ada’s internal process towards forgiveness.

I know that sounds like a lot of complaints. But I did still like the book even though it didn’t become a new favorite. Perhaps it will work better for readers who are already fans of the Love Island format.

Thank you author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!!

This was wild! I loved the lighthearted summer vibes. I feel like it was just as fun to read this as it would be to watch it all unfold on tv. Also the ending was perfect! Ugh! I also liked all the friendships and side characters so much!

This was my first Elle Everhart read and I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I also didn’t know what it was about—I saw it was gay and a hot summer read (quite literally) and ran to request it. I’m so glad that I did! I hadn’t realized it was about a dating show and I was hesitant as I started out. Not the biggest fan of reality television, especially dating-based shows and I was scared about the very cis/hetero boys vs. girls setup of the show, but Everhart does a good job of making Cas that character who enters the system, shows you what’s wrong with it, and works to break it down a bit. I knew Cas and Ada were who we’d be rooting for from the start, but the premise of the book also made some sort of third act breakup/show drop inevitable which took away from the twist a bit. I really appreciated the friendships made and the genuine let’s be friends and root for each other rather than forcing partnerships and hookups. And yay for tearing down a true Chad aka Brad and showing that toxic masculinity has got to go. Would recommend as a great beach read for the summer and especially for anyone who likes reality tv or dating shows like Are You The One or Love Island (I think😂)

This was SO good! I seriously loved the setting of a reality TV show, the people Cas befriends during her stay at the villa were so amazing and I could read a book about each of them too. But Cas and Ada?????? Oh my god I was eating them up. The tension, the flirting, the spice, it was delicious. Even though the show takes place over one summer, I think that Cas' personal growth and the way her relationship with Ada developed made so much sense. I mean, they're cut off from the outside world, on a sexy dating show all about finding love, the feelings will definitely be messy and intense. I read this in one sitting because I was addicted to the drama of them being on reality TV.

This is hands down an amazing read for summer. Reading this outside, in the sun, by the pool, was a whole mood and really set the vibes of being at the villa with them.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, & the publishers who sent me this ARC to read & review! <3

Thank you to NetGalley, author Elle Everhart, and Penguin Group Putnam for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Literally was just talking about how I desperately wanted to watch Love Island this season but didn't think I could commit to that again, so this book was EVERYTHING to me!! Felt JUST like watching the show, which was so perfect and fun, and made even better by the fact that it was SAPPHIC!!!! I adored Cas and Ada and loved seeing how their relationship developed. Femi and Freddie's friendship with Cas was so great too, which has always been one of my favorite parts of Love Island (the fact that people actually get to know each other and hang out and form multiple bonds). The only thing that could have made this book even better for me is if it would have been multiple POV because I would have loved to see a bit more of Ada and some of the side characters. Overall though, definitely such a fun time if you are queer and a fan of the show!!

I liked Everhart's debut novel, Wanderlust (July 2023). But Hot Summer reaches a whole level higher in my reading enjoyment. Cas Morgan works for a dating app promoting and event planning for them in London. They want her to go on to reality tv along the lines of Love Island. She has to place high enough to ensure the promotion levels her company wants. And of course she can’t reveal the reason she is there. She didn’t expect to make real new friends nor meet someone like Ada.

I’ve read a few similar type books as far as being part of a reality romance show. The premise and workings of the show seem realistic. I enjoyed the fellow contestants and didn’t feel I was wasting time on getting to know people who weren’t going to be her love match. The story is told only from the POV of Cas but Ada is open and caring so I felt I was getting the real her. The show includes silly activities and there are quiet moments for conversations. Both women are Bi and I like that the show doesn’t shut down showing their attraction.

I thought this was fun and breezy to read. They get their passion moments and even a small grand gesture. The cover of the book looks cheesy but it cleverly reflects the story and pretend glitz of tv romance. I love the few British words that slip easily into the story but this really could take place anywhere. Very enjoyable, fun, forced proximity, summer read. (4.5 Stars)

LOVED this one! I'm a huge Love Island fan and I can tell the author is, too. What a fun, delightful summer read! The saphhic romance of it all? Swoon!