This was a nice change from the usual romance I read. I liked the enemies to lovers trope! My favorite was our main character at the end when she realized that she is worth more that what her previous PR team thought. The ending also made me a little sad because I wanted that perfect happy ending.

The romance itself is steamy and complicated, with Aly providing a sharp contrast to Lola’s chaos. This enemies-to-lovers story never quite lands with the emotional payoff I wanted. The supporting cast like Lola’s ex, her gay best friend, the Hamptons party crowd mostly fade into the background, and the glitzy setting feels underused, more backdrop than character in its own right.

I wanted to like this book, but ultimately, Hotter in the Hamptons was more surface than substance for me. If you’re in the mood for a fast-paced, character-driven, drama-filled summer read with a modern edge, you might find something to enjoy here. For me, though, Lola’s redemption came too late, and I never quite warmed up to her or her story.

Overall, this was a decent little beach read. It wasn't too long and the plot (mostly spice and bi-curious exploration) somehow kept me turning the pages.
However, I found the book and characters as a whole to be overly stereotyped and surface-level (which I think was also kind of the point).
There were a couple things I didn't really love (we're getting into spoiler territory now, so beware!) - the urgency to make Lola declare herself as bisexual from Aly and her friends was a bit much, but so was Lola's insistence that she was straight (after spending how much of the book talking about her fantasies about women and the whole fling with Aly?!). The characters were also overly stereotyped versions of themselves and could have been done so much better.

A fashion influencer is canceled for saying an outfit is “lesbian chic.” A journalist writes a scathing article about her, resulting in her losing her following. She tries to escape reality to the Hamptons with her best friend, just to find out that her next-door neighbor is the journalist that she blames for ruining her life. I really wanted to like this book more than I did. The plot was an interesting concept, but it just fell flat. It seemed like there were more pop culture references and sex scenes than real substance to the story and character development. The end was lacking, and I was overall underwhelmed with this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Thought this was just a splashy beach read? Think again given the drama the book and author are currently embroiled in; this book is about a queer coming of age story, but is being published under a straight woman’s name (Tinx) yet written by a gay ghost writer (Gabrielle Korn). If it wasn’t for that under lying issue, this would probably go by largely unknown because the book is fine, but not great given the lack of fully flushed out supporting characters and love interests.

Lola, a fashion influencer living in NYC, gets cancelled a few months prior to her 30’s and unwillingly finds herself at a crossroad after her boyfriend drops a marriage and bicoastal move ultimatum on her. In order to cope she finds escape by spending her summer with her friend in the Hamptons. It’s here she befriends a woman she cannot deny an attraction to and much to her confusion begins to pursue romantically. The book does a great job of glamming up the life of influencers and the rich, dropping 2-4 brand names every page to anchor the story in our 2025 reality. That will probably age poorly, but makes for an easy read. I finished this in 3 days for reference. But where the book falters is the queer identity of Lola because her internalized homophobia is so prevalent it’s offensive to any actual queer readers. Lola defends her straightness and slyly villainizes other queer characters (issues with ex-girlfriends, gay best friend drama, and general commentary on LGBT+) throughout the book despite being with a woman romantically and sexually. It’s degrading to have confusion on sexual orientation be interpreted negatively and without any true resolution- and to also never address that Lola’s motives in her negative thoughts were internalized homophobia. Instead the blame gets placed on the LGBT+ community for wanting her to claim a label, and honestly that’s not really a thing especially in NYC, where the spectrum is so fluid it flows better than water in the pipes.

But let’s set aside the issues with the actual writing and construction of this plot. After all, the elephant in this room remains to be that it’s pandering LGBT+ stereotypes to a broad audience of largely cis-women who make up Tinx’s following. This might be their first encounter with LGBT+ relationships or sexual awakening stories, and it’s ultimately opening the door to a novel they might not have picked up if it was penned under Gabrielle Korn (who has written other lesbian books to middling success and reception). If it get’s people who haven’t read LGBT+ literature into the category then that’s great! But it doesn’t outweigh the harm of the homophobia, poorly executed narrative on labels (which can be really empowering to some people to feel apart of a community), and leveraging an author’s audience over representation in writing.

PUBLISHERS- people will buy GREAT queer stories, written by actual queer authors. Stop providing these whitewashed fictional narratives of the gay best friend, ice hearted lesbians, and denying the socio-political reality of being queer. Being queer in itself is an act of love, and this book missed the entire point of that by the whole of Long Island.

This really was not a story I enjoyed. The writing felt a little juvenile and disjointed to me, which took me out of the story. I am often one who likes an annoying MC; but this one took the cake - she wasn’t someone I felt like I could root for or get behind. The synopsis of the book sounded like something I would like but unfortunately it just did not hit for me.

Hotter in the Hamptons by Tinx follows disgraced influencer Lola Fine as she retreats to the Hamptons, only to fall into a tense, surprising relationship with the journalist who ruined her career. A sharp, stylish story about fame, identity, and second chances.

This was a light and entertaining read that definitely pulled me in. I found Lola, the main character, pretty irritating at times, especially with how long it took her to grow. I was frustrated by Lola’s constant insistence that she was straight, even as her actions suggested otherwise, and I was disappointed that the story did not end in a full romance. Still, it was a fast and absorbing read.

Hotter in the Hamptons is quite a ride! A queer love/lust story (and a spicy one at that!) set against the glamorous backdrop of the Hamptons, it feels like Magnolia Parks meets Gossip Girl, with brand name drops, lavish parties, and plenty of drama. This is not a serious book by any means (with the writing quality to match), but it’s a fun, glitzy, fast-paced read nonetheless, perfect for the summer.

The main character, an influencer named Lola, is complicated — and not always easy to root for. After being “canceled,” she resists the opportunity for real growth pretty much right up until the very end, which was frustrating. Still, I found myself flying through the pages.

I can’t fully speak to some of the critiques others have raised, especially from LGBTQ+ readers, regarding the stereotypical portrayal of queer characters and Lola’s hesitance to truly explore/come to terms with her bisexuality — especially coming from a straight author — although I definitely agree there were moments that felt problematic. Tinx did say she worked with a queer collaborator/ghost writer on this book (who is thanked first in her acknowledgements), but still, there are a lot of questions still surrounding this issue, so I would keep that in mind going in to this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book has the perfect back drop for a summer beach read and now I'm dying to go to the Hampton's, but the story fell a little flat for me. I didn't find the main character likeable and I wasn't really rooting for her. The spice also seemed a bit cringy for my personal preference. I love Tinx and will continue to read anything she puts out, but this was a kind of like, not a love for me.
2.5/5 rounding up to 3

Yikes.

I decided to DNF this early on. I tried to keep going but it felt incredibly vapid and ugly and then because it was oddly homophobic, made worse by the author/MC feeling like it was progressive? It wasn't; it was offensive. The writing was full of stereotypes and the characters had no development - they felt immature and unbelievable. The FMC is narrcissitic and yet can't seem to understand why no one likes her? There is so much slang and fashion thrown around that I also don't think this one will age well.

Listen, this is a straight white woman writing a sapphic romance(ish) that happens in the Hamptons, which is problematic on so many levels, but especially because the FMC keeps insisting that she is NOT bisexual, that she is straight despite being in a romance with another woman?

Although the first chapter pulled me in - it is an easy read - this is a skip for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early look.

Very quick-paced and fun read. The story explores the fenomen of social "influencers", media sweethearts that are today's muse - yesterday's old news. It's very actual and up-to-date topic, so I enjoyed this interesting highlights.

I adore books that have the setting in Hamptons, it's so inspiring and summery every time! So absolutely must as a summer reading.

I did not like this book, everhthing felt so forced and homophonic, not to mention that the fmc was basically narcissistic and irritating. I just couldnt connect to this book, it felt like a big insult being disguised as a cover with pages.

1 star

I had to DNF this pretty early because it just felt...very homophobic while thinking it was progressive. Full of stereotypes and just felt overall immature. Learning this was ghost written was also annoying, I get having a ghost writer for a memoir but why give an influencer a book deal if they can't write it?

Also, I read a review that this doesn't have a happy ending?? I refuse to put myself through this whole book without getting a happy ending, that's a CORE NECESSITY for a romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC.

This book was a major miss. She literally wrote an elementary version of herself. All of the characters were dull and seemed stereotypical. I didn't know about this person on socials prior to reading this but I can now see why she was cancelled. She is a problem and this transferred directly to the pages of this book.

Thanks to Bloom for sending me this book. I’ve never heard of Tinx before. This book was not good. The writing itself wasn’t bad-it was fine, but the story and the characters were bad. In a time where most of us are struggling to afford groceries, this story fell so flat. I didn’t want to read about a girl whining about losing followers on insta and not being able to get free clothes. The main character Lola was so vapid, selfish, naive, and just plain insufferable. All her friends were also insufferable. I haven’t heard of half of the brands she mentioned in the book. Plus, the storyline involving whether or not Lola was queer or straight was not needed and it was frankly never resolved either. Maybe I wasn’t the target audience for this book. If you want to read about insufferable rich people whining about internet followers than read this book.

I really did not like this book for a few reasons. 1. it felt like a book of Spon Con. I don't care about all the brands, it felt overdone and as a person who isn't obsessed with fashion, the brands did not nothing to set the scene for me. Perhaps someone who is interested in fashion would appreciate the details but I was annoyed with it in the first chapter of the book.
Speaking of brands/ labels, the authors choice to continue to talk about her sexuality not having a label felt forced and overdone. I felt like there was limited growth for the characters and I was happy to be done with the book.

This essentially felt like Tinx wrote a book about herself through a lesbian lens, but like if the lesbian lens was being held by a man.

I mean, there was absolutely nothing redeeming about the FMC; she’s a narcissist who, the entire time, struggles to understand how ANYONE could dislike her. The central love interest is manipulative, love-bomby, and shady as hell. The token best friend was the weirdest, almost offensive (?) textbook definition of a gay best friend, and honestly, should’ve left Lola out in the dust.

I hated every character so profoundly that I found myself wishing there was a POV of the ex-boyfriend in medical residency, as that seemed like an exponentially more interesting story (ignoring, of course, all the inaccurate information about wtf a medical residency even is lol)

The strangest part of this perhaps is the fact that this is being promoted as a fun steamy summer romance?? If I bought this to read at the beach, I would spend my entire time in the water and avoid this mess.

I’m not even gonna get into the terrible optics of a white straight woman writing about a sapphic awakening in the HAMPTONS during a recession year. Still, I’m sure we can all connect those very problematic dots.

The most impressive part is that this has been picked up for a television series before the book has even been released & perceived by the public. A bold move on literally every single person involved, but I guess that’s the power of being a rich white influencer baby!

Hotter in the Hamptons by Tinx
Writing: B
Story: C-
Characters: C-
Setting: B
Best Aspect: The first chapter was the best of the whole book, it did suck me in.
Worst Aspect: I was not enjoying myself while reading this, just so far over the top and I did not enjoy the characters.
Recommend: Maybe.

First off, let's be real. I only requested this book from Netgalley (thank you publisher/Netgalley for free advanced review copy) to see if it was a shit show. I vaguely remember hearing the name Tinx mentioned on the Who? Weekly podcast, so I only sort of knew her as an influencer. But, you know, people contain multitudes and of course she had a "collaborator" (ghostwriter perhaps?), so I kept an open mind.

At its best, a lot of this book was kind of light, fun fluff. Hot rich people hanging out in the sun, wearing designer clothes, having sex, and causing scandals is pretty easy fodder for a summer beach read. Lola Fine is an influencer who gets canceled for calling an outfit that doesn't fit her vibe "lesbian chic," and then tries to redeem herself with interview with cultural critic Aly Ray Carter. Except in her story, Aly calls out Lola for being a bland shill. Lola's team and sponsors drop her, and her boyfriend Justin breaks up with her because she doesn't want to get married and move back to LA. Lola escapes to the Hamptons with her best friend Ryan, only to find out that her next door neighbor is Aly Ray Carter, who Lola finds unbearably hot. This premise could have resulted in a fun or interesting book.

Instead, what you get is an exercise in seeing how much more vapid Lola could possibly get. That girl does not have two brain cells running in that pretty little head of hers. Truly, Lola is doing her absolute best to not think about anything. The decisions she made in her career that led her here? What she could do to rehab her image? If she even wants to still be an influencer? Does she want to be with Justin? Does she want to be in a relationship with Aly? Is she straight, like she's always thought she was? No, Lola is very intentionally not thinking about any of these things. Actually, there is no evidence of Lola thinking about literally anything except how hot Aly is, how much she needs to be with Aly right at this instant, and, like, what she's going to be eating (not in a diet way, but in an appreciation of food).

The big discourse online around this book so far has been about how Tinx identifies as a straight woman and this is a book about two women in a sexual relationship. Having personally read a good amount of M/M stories by cis women, I don't think that's automatically bad. However (and we're getting a bit into spoilers here FYI), I do think it's a legitimate discussion to have when Lola spends the book adamantly defending her straightness. She keeps reiterating that she is not bisexual, she is straight, despite having sleeping with a woman every single day for months. It is, in fact, the biggest tension between Lola and Aly. You can give Lola (and Tinx) the benefit of the doubt here, because it takes a long time for many people to come to terms with their sexuality. But the way Lola goes about it... you kind of don't want to? For context, there is no implication that literally anyone in Lola's life will be hateful or dismissive if she is not straight. Further, Lola sees that her defense of her straightness is hurting Aly and irritating the queer women she meets, and she doesn't try to reassure Aly that she does have genuine feelings for her. Even if she'd just said something like "I'm mostly straight" or "Aly is the only woman I've had feelings for" or "I'm not sure how I identify" or "I'm not really into labels" (I could come up with a dozen more of these), it would have been less invalidating to Aly, who wants to be in a real relationship with Lola.

Finally, I found the ending to be very lackluster. (I would say more but I don't want to spoil)

Some last random thoughts:
-There is so much slang in here that you know this book could not stand the test of time for that alone.
-There is a publicist who mentions maybe Lola could get on the Tinx podcast. That is SO embarrassing for Tinx to include.
-I think I put more thought into writing this review than Lola did into anything that she did in the course of this book.

I am a die-hard reality tv watcher, and enjoy celebrity "gossip" and drama as much as the next person, but I just really didn't like this. I feel like there's a lot of things the MC says and does that aren't really appropriate or handled well, and the writing also left quite a bit to be desired as well.