Just know that if it’s one thing A.H is going to do and that is bring the spice to every book she writes and this is no exception 🥵. I loved the growth that was displayed between the fmc and mmc they really showed you that you don’t have to do everything alone and that it’s okay to ask for help. Definitely a good summer carnival read.

4.25⭐️ *ARC REVIEW* The book cover reeled me all the way in! And, I loved it! There was the right amount of spice and the 10 yr age difference made the story much more interesting. It kinda reminded me of "How Stella got her groove back" the carribean version lol except Stella was much older. Orlando was such a sweetheart 💕. He was my favorite in the story.

Dios mio, this was good y’all!! Now let me just start by saying that I never thought I would be a fan of an age gap romance because in my mind I imagined like Draya or some super wild age difference butttttt this was one I could get with! Lol.

There’s so many (spoiler free) things to love about this story.

One: it takes place during Carnival. I’ve only ever been to one fete in my life BUT the description of Carnival was so rich that I felt like I was there. Carnival + forced proximity? Yes pls!!!

Two: it wasn’t just steamy, it was hot!!! The chemistry and tension between Orlando and Trinidad seeped through the pages so bad I had to clutch my pearls a little bit! Lol.

Three: The characters were layered and believable. I loved how unapologetically Afro-Caribbean Trinidad was and learning more about her experience as a single mother craving stability. I also had to brush up on my Spanish a little bit and truly enjoyed the discussion of cultural norms and experiences interwoven in her narrative.

And four: there were conflicts between the characters of course, but overall it was just a funny and sexy read. I suggest not thinking too hard about it and just enjoy!

Ｅｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ
3 ☆
For the last sixteen years, Trinidad Velasquez has done everything right. She raised her twin sons on her own, worked hard, and created a stable life. But Trinidad is done waiting for a happy ending to show up at her door. Orlando Wiggins has never been able to take his eyes off Ms. V. He’s mentored her boys for two years, and she’s never suggested there could be more. But at Carnival, between the sensual dancing, heated looks, and electric touches, whatever he’s been feeling for her is definitely reciprocated.

Now, I have to say this cover is gorgeous and very eye-catching. I love that the theme is Carnival. I have always wanted to attend and see what Carnival is like in real life. The storyline and plot were good, but the pacing was very slow for me, and unfortunately, I DNF'd at 60%. That doesn't mean that once this book is published I will not pick it back up and continue reading, because more than likely I will. But it just fell flat for me. The romance was good, and the subplot of found family was very well done. But I'm a mood reader, and it just wasn't holding my attention.

Thank you, Netgellay, and Harlequin for the Ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I adored this book! Trinidad and Orlando's relationship was a nice change of pace to the typical age gap romance. The use of Carnival as the backdrop to their budding romance was a great choice as they both were able to let go of their inhibitions. I loved how supportive Trinidad was of Orlando almost instantaneously. Both were able to transform to more than just someone who is completely selfless for their families. Trinidad was more than the twins mom and Orlando became more than his mother's caretaker. This book was a heartwarming reminder that new beginnings don't have an age limit.

This cover is so fun and gorgeous and perfectly reflects the book!

Trinidad is a single mom who is looking for the stability to give her twin teenagers the best life possible. She has put her needs, sexuality, and fun aside to be a responsible adult and mother. That is until her sons take matters into their own hands and surpise/force her to go on a holiday weekend to go to a Carnival, where their mentor also happens to be. 😉 I love how this painted Trinity as a mom and a woman!!

This was just such a fun read. Cunningham's descriptions of the place and the festivities brought it all to life and made me want to be there!! This was spicy, funny, and yet still included topics around growing up, relationships, communication, and mental health.

Tropes:
- Single mom
- Age gap
- Forced proximity
- Found family

As a Caribbean woman, I was super excited for this book to come out by A.H. Cunningham. As a long time fan, I was even more excited for the spice. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations and ended up DNF'ing the book. Ideally, the story was too slow and a bit predictable to continue reading. However, I did love the age gap and how much he loved her and her twin boys. If ever there was a man I wanted to love on me post divorce this would be amazing.

First I muuust point out that lovely cover. I loved it on sight! As a Trini and us literally being in the middle of Carnival season right now, this was the perfect read for the season. It didn't disappoint!

This felt so familiar to me with the Caribbean-ness of it all. Mentions of fetes, and soca had me grinning as someone who loves soca and a good fete (and has also playing mas in a pretty costume). Then we add in the two different characters of Trinidad and Orlando. Ms. Trinidad being a 35 year old mom of teens an Orlando being 25 years old, of course I wondered how they'd work this out but A.H did a great job balancing their chemistry, the steam, the conflicts. It was really well done, showing how these two were able to come together and create a beautiful thing.

This is why I am a fan of A.H. Cunningham. This has spice, love, and I loved the cultural elements. To find love in the most unconventional ways. And while finding that ❤️ you find a reason to just BE...Orlando, and Trinidad found what they needed and more within each other. I received a copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

I found this story to be charming and engaging; it's the first work by A. H. Cunningham that I've read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The narrative flowed well, the characters were believable and relatable, and I connected with the storyline. I appreciated the September-December relationship dynamic; it was humorous, passionate, and heartwarming.

This was such a blast! Admittedly I am much more of a fan of age gap romances when the woman is older, but this was such a good time! I love this! It was funny, it made you feel all the emotions all the time, it was great!

This was my first A.H. Cunningham book, but it definitely won’t be my last! This story was such a fun and sexy take on growth, adulthood, and the reality of navigating life at different stages. We have Trinidad, a grown and sexy single mom in her 30s, raising twin boys and thinking her hot girl days are behind her in favor of a more “stable” future. Then there’s Orlando, younger but mature beyond his years after stepping up to take care of his mother and younger brothers following his father’s passing only to find himself facing a whole new surprise in his life.

This book beautifully explores how love, relationships, and adulthood aren’t linear but constantly evolving. And let’s talk about the chemistry because whew Trinidad and Orlando were straight 🔥 from start to finish! The amount of spice in this book caught me off guard in the best way. I also loved the rich Caribbean and Afro-Latine vibes woven throughout the story. Highly recommend this one for my grown and sexy friends looking for a hot age-gap romance!

V and Orlando bring magic to the island of Trinidad set against the backdrop of Carnival. This was an amazing trad follow up for AH Cunningham's Out of Office and I really enjoyed it.

I read Ms. V’s Hot Girl Summer and I really enjoyed it. This book follows Trinidad aka Ms. V who is a single mother to two teenage boys who is tired of being strung along by her current situationship. She is looking to just leave her responsibilities behind and have some fun where she decides to go to the Caribbean for Carnival. She meets Orlando who is a 25 year old man who had to grow up fast to take care of his family. He helps Ms. V with her boys in the sports department and has always kept his interactions with her respectful. Ms.V and Orlando go to the Carnival for some fun and sparks fly. I loved the Caribbean representation. I give this book a 3.5 but I had to round it up on here. I just didn’t like how Ms.V kept referencing Orlando as a little boy. I get that he was younger but he was very much grown.

Really enjoying this book so far. Coming back to update review. Ms. V is living up to being a hot girl.

Carnival is fast approaching in Trinidad (also coincidentally the name of a character in this book) so reading this book right now was just perfect timing. In Guyana it’s known as Mashramani and in Toronto there’s the classic Caribana during the summer months. It’s a celebration of culture, music, and the joy of the Caribbean. It’s the heat, the food, the dancing, time with friends, and the costumes - it’s effervescent.

I’ve been longing for a book to be set during Carnival because it offers such a great backdrop of fun and is often filled with budding romance. A.H. Cunningham takes advantage of that fully in this book. Hoping an Indo-Caribbean author takes a crack at it soon!

Giving this 3.5 but rounding up to 4 stars as there were some pacing issues for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC.

Reading an A.H Cunningham book always feels like coming home to me.

I absolutely loved Trinidad & Orlando’s story. A.H gave us grown and spicy — of course I’m here for it. This was a story of self discovery and second chances. Trinidad believed she needed to go down a certain path to lead a happy life for herself and her boys. But with the help of some meddling kids, a mini vacation and the younger man she couldn’t stop thinking about, Orlando, she was able to see a clearer path.

Orlando being a child that had to grow up too soon deeply resonated with me. I admired his dedication to do what was right and protect his family despite it being a heavy weight to carry on his own. I love the dynamic between him and Trinidad and that they were able to both teach and learn from one another.

I love how A.H Cunningham represents our Caribbean culture. It’s so rare to see characters with these origins. It’s truly a treat to read about food from home or see patois in traditional print.

Another phenomenal book!

I’ve been eager to get my (virtual) hands on this book ever since I first saw the cover—a stunning illustration of a beautiful Black woman with a blissful expression, dressed in a gorgeous carnival costume. The description hooked me even more because I’m a sucker for stories about dedicated single moms finding their groove again.
I dove into the book fully expecting to fall head over heels for the story, but that didn’t quite happen. Things started off strong, but when I reached the part about the “trick” Trinidad’s sons pulled to get her to connect with Orlando, the love train derailed. I can usually suspend disbelief enough to enjoy slightly far-fetched forced-proximity setups, but this one actually made me frown in real life. Thankfully, things got back on track, but in the end, I liked the book rather than loved it.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable story that just fell a little short of my (admittedly very high) expectations.

#MsVsHotGirlSummer
#NetGalley

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.