I am a sucker for trashy reality shows, and an even bigger sucker for queer romances based around them, and I absolutely devoured this. The balance of two bisexual leads taking a very heteronormative show and spinning it on its head with their relationship as well as the wider cast was really well done, and while the challenges were a little weak and some of the production choices were odd (what was the reason for making so many drastic changes and bringing up that they were changing things? we never learn), I really enjoyed reading about all of the aspects of Cas and Ada's time on the show.

It was also really nice to see two bisexual women who were really secure in their bisexuality and none of the drama came from their sexuality or relationship choices (there's already PLENTY of drama given the reality show setting) and nice to see them in kind of a forced proximity setting getting to fall in love. Femi and Sienna absolutely melted my heart, and I wish we'd gotten to see more of Freddie and some of the others once a sort of "core cast" was established.

My issue comes with most of the setup of the show - the contract between Cas' company and the production team never quite made sense, and who was it who leaked the contract? Also everyone keeps saying Cas has never used a dating app, but she only actually says she hasn't had a successful date off of one and doesn't like them, and on top of that, there's no way the production team could have expected a show based around social media followings to not uncover someone's workplace, so expecting Cas to keep quiet felt really stupid. I almost think it would've been better if the production team hadn't been in on it? But by the point that it all comes crashing down, I was fully invested in Cas and Ada, so it's a minor bump in the end.

HOT SUMMER is a sizzling reality show romance set on a love island-esque show about cas, an event planner whose job places her on the show as a new partnership between her company and the production team. cas only goes on the show to further her career, strategically planning how she's going to act while on camera, but her plans quickly go awry when she meets ada, a fellow contestant who she shares an undeniable connection with. as cas's feelings for ada grow, and as she forms friendships with the other contestants, cas isn't sure whether she should follow her heart or stick with her strategy.

i've said this before and i'll say it again: i'm not someone who watches reality shows, but i will always eat up a reality show romance and this was no exception. especially when queer love story taking place on a show that's predominantly straight. i loved cas and ada's relationship, how it slowly grew over time until it was obvious to everyone but them that they were so in love. i also really loved the other contestants (for the most part) and the friendships that cas formed with them.

read if you like:
- love island
- reality romances
- open door spice

thanks to netgalley and putnam for the advanced copy! HOT SUMMER comes out june 25th.

If you love reality tv this book is for you ! I would have liked more POV’s from different characters. I did find the book predictable but still enjoyed it.
Thank you Peinguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

Hot Summer takes a close copy of Love Island and explores what might happen when two of the "girls" fall in love with each other, rather than the "boys" living in the villa with them and competing to win the reality tv show. I found the main character of Cas and her love interest Ada to be a good match, and be unique enough protagonists to feel fresh. I appreciated the author's intent to build out a strong cast of close friends, though it worked better for some than others (Femi and Cas' friendship jumps off the page, while we learn nothing about Sierra aside from her falling for Femi)

I have to imagine that someone who's never watched Love Island might find this to be a newer, fresher concept. Having seen a few seasons, I was a little surprised by just how closely the author stuck to the formula of the show. It made it much more predictable. I also found the premise of Cas' casting on the show to be flimsy, but necessary to have a conflict at the climax of the story. Overall I would grade the creativity of Hot Summer a 2/5, but putting that aside, think it's a 3/5 beach read for the summer.

What a fun summer read! Event planner Cas agrees to go on Hot Summer, a reality show aiming to match up hot people, for the promise of a much desired and deserved promotion. Things get complicated when she starts to develop real feelings for housemate Ava.

Ava, as well as several of the other Lovers, were well fleshed out characters that I was really rooting for. I wish we could have gotten a better feeling for Cas's personality since we were in her head. I believed the chemistry with her and Ada, and there were a couple great spicy scenes.

All in all, a lovely beach (or wish-I-was -on-a-beach) read!

* Digital ARC provided by NetGalley & Penguin Group Putnam*

Have you ever watched Love Island and wished it was more queer (like I have)? Then this is the perfect book for you!!

As a big fan of Love Island, this book had me HOOKED! I literally could not put it down and finished it in two days. The two main characters, Cas and Ada, were so lovable and I was rooting for them the whole time. The side characters/ensemble were so well done and really added to the whole story. I feel like in books with larger ensembles sometimes they can get lost in the story and not be fully-fledged characters, but the author did a great job of making them standout and feel like real people.

The story was paced really well and kept me wanting more until the end. My one issue with the story is I think that the catalyst for Cas going on the show was just a bit too unrealistic. But, it really did not take away from the story so I don't think it's a huge deal.

Overall, I think this is a wonderful and fun queer summer read, and I would suggest it to anyone who loves reality TV dating shows, queer/sapphic romances, or that is just looking for a fun beach read!

first of all, thank you to putnam books via netgalley for the arc!

this is the perfect sapphic summer romance centered around a love island-esque reality tv show. the main twist here is that cas, the main protagonist, actually went on the show in an agreement with her job to secure a promotion. although cas initially enters the hot summer villa with all feelings detached, her agreement with her employer becomes much more complicated when she meets ada, another single girl on the show, and quickly finds out that it might not be so simple to keep her heart out of the mix.

while it was very predictable from the beginning that cas’ reasons for going on the show were eventually going to blow up in her face, i was still left satisfied at the end of the book with how everything fell into place. along with this, the pacing of cas’ and ada’s relationship was delightful to watch unravel, and i was even invested in several of the side characters by the time i flipped the last page (except for brad— he can rot).

if you’re looking for a light read for the beach or the pool, look no further!

Enough to keep me entertained, but I’m not sure I needed to read Love Island. As a Love Island fan though, it did keep me interested.

Looking for a cute friends-to-lovers sapphic rom-com to read on the beach? Hot summer is the perfect choice! I really enjoyed how the attraction kind of sneaked up on Cas but the connection was always there.

I found the reality TV aspect really fun here! I don't watch a lot of reality TV but I get the sense that while American reality TV is very intense, British reality TV is more laid back. This show certainly seemed to fit with that. It was fun to imagine getting to relax by the pool all day and I really liked the sense of found family created as a result of it.

This isn't exactly a downside but I will say as an introvert some of the rules gave me secondhand anxiety. Sharing a room with a bunch of strangers? I'd have a nervous breakdown. However, the characters were written in a way that I could connect with them despite their willingness to go on reality TV.

If you like a sapphic romcom or found family this is a must-read! It's great for summer and pride month!

4.5 ⭐️
🌶🌶
Another great addition to the queer reality TV books!

Cas goes on a dating show called Hot Summer for a chance at a promotion at work, but she didn't expect to build close friendships. Will she open up and let herself love?

I really enjoyed Cas's story and would absolutely read more books featuring this show. The challenges were interesting, and I liked the Sapphic buildup between Cas and Ada. The surrounding characters were all really great, and I actually enjoyed that no one tried to sabotage each other. Read this if you liked The Charm Offensive or Here For the Wrong Reasons.

I enjoyed the pacing of this one, I loved that we got in to the story right away. I also really liked Cas, but I had a hard time connecting to Ada, and I wish there had been a dual POV.
I also wish there had been more spice in this one. Overall, tho, a fun read!

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was really enjoyable book. As a fan of the show Love Island I really enjoyed how to played up some of the same aspects of the show. I also found how Cas to be extremely relatable in the way that she slowly got more comfortable being herself as she got to know the people around her.
Ada was also so much to read about!

I also loved all the side pairings and characters! They were all so likeable!

I wish there were more to this series! I would 100% read them all like I was watching all the seasons of a tv show!

As a queer Love Island fan, this ticked all the boxes that my little sapphic heart could want. What a fun read for Pride - and a perfect time for this novel to debut, as a new season of Love Island is airing. (If only it was as queer!)

The plot is a slow burn - not terribly so, but in that way where you're dancing around each other because are we best friends or are we into each other? Obviously, the format of the dating show, as very heteronormative, helps keep the drama building. (If you watch Love Island, there will be absolutely no surprises with the typical plot lines - almost everything plays out exactly how it does in the show. It's kind of fun to see some of the stereotypical "high drama" points used for the plotline.)

The plot is never unexpected - it pretty much progresses exactly as you think it will, even down to the third act conflict - but it's still executed so well that it's a fun and giddy ride. I read it in a matter of hours, and greatly enjoyed it.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

⭐️ Rating: 4/5
🌶️ Spice: 2/5

Genre: LGBTQIA+
Tropes:
Forced Proximity
Friends to Lovers
Secret Keeping
Slow Burn

Sapphic Romance + Reality TV = Amazing Summer Read

Hot Summer by Elle Everhart was so much fun. It incorporates all the fun aspects of Hot Summer(aka Love Island) and that crushworthy, will they/won't they feelings. This is the perfect summer read, it’s a fast paced book that keeps the reader hooked. Cass, one of our female leads, feels stagnant in her marketing and events position at the dating app she works for. With a promotion being held over her head, she goes on Hot Summer to use her vast knowledge of the game and to cross promote the dating service without telling or even hinting at it, thanks to an ironclad NDA. The show progresses and personalities come to show themselves. Cass struggles to stay in the game and to keep her feelings about Ada at bay.

This book is a slowwwww burn. We’re talking small touches and holding eye contact kind of slow. Being held in captivity and with cameras on you 24/7 really accelerates relationships. Strangers become best friends and crushes turn into love connections. This couple is so cute and I loved seeing what their HEA looked like in the epilogue.

I’m not a huge fan of the 3rd party narration, I’m much more of a dual POV gal, but it worked in this instance. The emotions/reactions of the characters were still evident even if you weren’t getting it from their first hand point of view. I think the vehicle of producing a reality television show helps this, as shocking things happen to these characters it’s a surprise to 1. The character, 2. The rest of the cast, and 3. You, the audience.

Cas Morgan works events at a dating app company called Friday. They offer Cas a promotion if she joins the reality show, Hot Summer. They make her sign an NDA. She's hoping to make friends and make it to the end. She's not looking for anything serious. That changes when she meets Ada, another contestant on the show. 😉

I really loved this book. It kept me entertained the whole time. I loved the relationships with all the contestants. A perfect read for Summer and pride 🏳️‍🌈.

A must read for any reality TV fan! Hot Summer is the perfect bingeable summertime read - it’s sweet and steamy with a fantastic found family and delicious made for television drama.

These characters (except for Brad… he’s the actual worst and can get lost) were so much fun to meet and get to know! Even though they were competing for a prize and there were some scandalous (gasp!) twists, I loved how friendship won the day and these characters rallied around each other. Watching the friendship and then romance between Cas and Ada blossom was tender and sweet and you couldn’t help but cheer when they finally acknowledged their feelings - it was a full on squealing in delight and kicking your feet moment!

You could see the third act conflict and subsequent break up coming from page one, BUT I appreciated the quick and mature resolution from Cas and Ada to a situation was thrust upon them by the manipulative tv executives.

If you love a reality tv dating show and are looking for a bingeable read with swoon and spice, make sure this sapphic summer romance is in your beach bag!

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. “Hot Summer” is a fun sapphic romance that takes place on a Love Island-type show. I was fortunate to receive an ARC from Netgalley. I was completely invested in this book and felt like I was actually watching a reality show. I was obsessed with the main characters, Cas & Ada, as well as the side characters and side plots. Sienna, Femi, and Freddie brought so much depth to the story. I adored the friendship between Cas and Femi, the definition of platonic soulmates. I loved Cas' journey from thinking she was done with love to finding something unexpected in Ada. Every interaction between them was so adorable and made me literally giggle. Watching them fall for each other was a wonderful experience. The romance was very, very slow burn, but Cas and Ada had so much chemistry that it didn’t even matter. The spice was very good! There were only a couple spicy scenes, but I feel like they really paid off and worked well with the story. I do wish that the book was a dual POV. I really wanted some chapters from Ada’s perspective. I think that it would have made it so much better to be able to see how Ada was feeling and watch her fall in love with Cas. The author really captured the setting and plot and didn't stop running till the end. The writing made you feel like you’re actually watching it, the details are incredible. Also, I can't get over the cover, it’s so gorgeous and really drew me in. 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! I would definitely recommend this book if you enjoy watching Love Island or Bachelor in Paradise and reading sapphic romance with spice. Thanks to Elle Everhart, Netgalley, and Penguin Group Putnam for an e-arc in exchange for my thoughts. I am looking forward to reading Elle’s next book!

as a gay woman first and reality tv lover second, i immediately knew i was going to love Hot Summer when i received the arc, but i truly had no idea just how much i was going to love this book. the writing is beautiful, the characters are filled with interpersonal growth, and the love between ada and cas is downright adorable. i continually felt like i was watching an episode of love island throughout the book which will always result in a good time. thank you so much to the publisher for this early release!

Thank you Putnam Books via NetGalley for the ARC!

I started this book while on a beach vacation and it had me gasping and kicking my feet, giggling. Each chapter felt like I was waiting to see what was after a commercial break of a reality TV show and the perfect companion to inevitably get a sunburn while reading.

I highly recommend to those who desperately wish that queer folx got more time in the reality dating tv sphere.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc. i thought this was entertaining enough to keep me reading. cas was a well-written character with a conscious. i dont' know why i thought this but i thought cas and ada would end up together because they were the closest in age/oldest contestants in the book. i like that the sex scenes were open door and mature in the way that they were believable, its hard to do. it was difficult keeping the characters listed, and to keep track of when a new one arrives or an old one leaves.