4.5 stars.

"Ms. V's Hot Girl Summer" by A.H. Cunningham is SIZZLING! SCORCHING! WONDERFUL! I had a blast reading this spicy age-gap (she's older!) Latinx romance that is equal parts dramatic, compelling, fun, and funny. This story is well-developed, and the characters feel realistic and lived-in. Trinidad is a 35-year-old mother of two twin boys looking for a stable adult relationship. Unfortunately, she thinks she's going to find that with Milton, who doesn't seem to be on the same page as her. After her sons meddle in her affairs and book her a vacation she wasn't expecting but definitely needed, she ends up spending time with Orlando, the 25-year-old mentor of her two boys, who is also in town for Carnival. I loved the chemistry between Trinidad and Orlando! Their vibing goes well beyond the physical (though that is reeeeeeal good, too). There is also a healthy dose of well-earned yearning and tension between the two of them, which I loved. They come to respect each other for many reasons, which are divulged through mature conversations and explorations of and with one another. They both make huge strides as characters, both together and separately. Their character arcs are great! The age gap is handled with respect and a slight cautiousness, but once Trinidad and Orlando let down their walls and loosen up, all bets are off as they begin to enjoy their vacation at its fullest. This book is vibrant and steeped with Caribbean culture. I loved learning about Carnival! The pacing is a little bit slow in the middle, but the beginning and ending moved quickly, so it didn't bother me too much. I highly recommend this book! I also recommend it on audiobook. Jesus E. Martinez and Esme Ramos provide a terrific dual narration for this story. They have perfect pacing, diction, and characterizations. I love how they both combine English and Spanish wonderfully and with natural flow and ease. You can always count on A.H. Cunningham to write a fantastic spice-filled romp!

Thank you to NetGalley, A.H. Cunningham, and Harlequin Audio for the complimentary ALC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it! Lovedd it!

Short, spicy, and cute … chef’s kiss. This was the perfect little palate cleanser, and the Caribbean vibes? Loved. It totally gave How Stella Got Her Groove Back energy, and I was here for it. Trinidad, our FMC, was fun but definitely had that boy mom energy…if you get it, you get it. Epilogue 1? Had me side-eyeing my phone for a sec. And Orlando? That man was yearning for Trinidad, age gap be damned. Overall, it’s a fun, flirty read I’d throw in your beach bag without a second thought.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for the advance listener copy of Ms. V’s Hot Girl Summer!

Trinidad, who works hard and raises her twin sons, ends up on a vacation attending Carnival. Her companion ends up being none other than the attractive mentor to her children, Orlando, who is a decade younger than her.

I enjoyed this book so much!!! I was so excited to read it and was overjoyed when I got the approval for the ALC! This story has a great pace and is so fun and engaging. I love the attraction that Trinidad and Orlando have for each other. I was delighted when the forced proximity came up in the story. I loved the setting of Carnival and these two have such a lovely and steamy romance that develops in this book. Jesus E. Martinez and Esme Ramos both do an incredible job bringing the main characters and the rest of the story to life!

If you love a forced proximity, age gap romance, I highly recommend checking this one out!

I had so much fun reading Ms. V's Hot Girl Summer! This book is like a summer getaway packed with laughter, vibrant Caribbean vibes, and a spicy romance that sets your heart racing. Trinidad Velasquez, a strong single mom in her 30s, is hyper-independent and can't rely on anyone. She’s just been doing her best, raising her twin sons and trying to find her place in the world, and I loved following her journey of rediscovery.
When her sons surprise her with a trip to Carnival, thinking she was going on a trip to support her son's sport—I could practically hear the music and feel the energy of the festival. The chemistry between Trinidad and Orlando, who is a decade younger, is so real and hot AF. I appreciated how their conversations flowed effortlessly and how Orlando, despite being younger, exudes a maturity that makes you believe in their connection.
What struck me most is how the book embraces Trinidad's sexuality. She's confident and expressive, and I loved seeing her assert herself instead of feeling like she had to downplay her desires because of her age. The spicy moments between her and Orlando were fun and playful, and I couldn't help but cheer for them both as they navigated their feelings amid the festivities.
Cunningham's vivid descriptions made me feel like I was right there in the story, experiencing everything alongside Trinidad. It's a perfect summer read, and I finished it ready for my first trip to the beach this summer. The exploration of love and what it means to find happiness at different stages of life will really resonate with a lot of readers. If you're looking for a book that celebrates love, family, and the thrill of a hot girl summer, I’d highly recommend giving this one a try!

This book was short, sweet and spicy. I loved the reverse age gap aspect and the main characters had a lot of fun with each other. The instalove aspect was definitely not my favorite and felt very rushed but the setting was beautiful and definitely set the scene. It was overall a quick and fun read.
I listened to the audiobook and loved the female narrator voice but I had a hard time with the male narrators voice during the spicy scenes.

Picante 🌶️🌶️🌶️
AFRO-LATINE Dominican MCs
Reverse age gap
Single parent/s
Dual POV
Audio read

Fun, fast paced romance. I don’t know how I would react if my teens set me up like they did Trinidad y Orlando. 😳
I loved the representation, the culture, the Spanglish!
AND the Marvel (and other superhero) references.
Enjoyed the audio. The narrators were good. Though I wished we’d gotten Trinidad’s POV in a spicy scene or two.

This was my first book by this author, just added Out Of Office to my TBR.

I love how open considerate and vulnerable the main characters were with each other it was really refreshing to read! While I’m not a fan of age gap romances. I felt this one was really well written and thought out. They both had a lot of baggage and it took a minute for them both to realize that they were what each one was looking for. If age gaps don’t bother you this cozy sweet romance is a great pick!

I read a digital arc of this book before receiving the audiobook and fell in love with the story.

With this audiobook, the voices of the narrators didn't quite match the vibe of the characters for me. I still enjoyed the story just as much though.

I went in with pretty low expectations because, honestly, age gap romances usually give me the ick—most of the time, they feel unbalanced or borderline predatory. But this one was so well done that the gap didn’t even matter. I was glued to my Kindle from start to finish!

The characters completely won me over. Brandon and Brian were such sweet, thoughtful boys. Miranda was the kind of friend everyone needs—funny, supportive, and brutally honest. Trinidad was incredibly selfless and dedicated, while Orlando was wise beyond his years in every way—maturity, emotional intelligence, and just everything.

The connection between the main characters was undeniable. Despite their differences, their compatibility and shared values shone through. I loved how they influenced each other in ways that fostered self-awareness, self-love, and real personal growth.

I absolutely loved the direct communication and appreciated that the romance wasn’t bogged down by immature misunderstandings or unnecessary back-and-forth drama.

I honestly can’t recommend this book enough!


Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook early!

I really enjoyed this spicy, age gap romance. The Caribbean culture is wonderfully woven into the story. The author does a great job balancing humor, spice, and conflicts between the two main characters. And the cover is gorgeous!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley/Publisher for the ARC!

muy caliente 🌶️

Spicy, cute, brimming with cultural. This is a quick + fun romp that will be sure to get your blood pumping!

What’s to love…
- reverse age gap 35F/25M
- single mom
- Carnival setting
- Caribbean/Afro-Latine/DR rep - tons of culture infused in the narrative
- steamy AF
- Sex positive
- Grade A tension + banter

What’s not to love…
- pacing wasn’t my favorite, at times the narrative felt rushed
- There were quite a few areas where thoughts/feelings/justifications were overexploited. It almost felt like the author didnt trust her readers to draw the correct conclusions and instead spelled out exactly how the reader should feel or interpret a certain situation
- I could have done without the constant talk about painting the shower 👀

Audio Narration: I enjoyed both the female and male narrator, although I found their pacing to be slightly different so I had to change my speed each time the narrator changed.

🌶️ - I'm sorry, I forgot to bookmark the spicy chapters - that tends to happen with audiobooks, but this is very spicy, most chapters have some mention of smex or self-play.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Books for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

A.H. Cunningham always writes a cute and spicy love story that makes you want to go on vacation. This story was really cute and quick. Bother Trinidad and Orlando were endearing characters. They honestly both seems like they needed to let loose so I think they served each other well while finding love with each other. I also think it’s funny how Trinidad’s sons are essentially the reason for this set. They knew their mama needed something different. Lol

I really enjoyed the narrators for this book as well! They did a great job making the characters come to life.

4.25/5. Releases 4/29/25.

—responsible single mom having her hot girl summer

—if the alternative is a guy named "Milton"...

—Carnival! fetes! getting away from it all truly AWAY FROM IT ALL

Heat Index: 7/10

The Basics:

Trinidad Velasquez is a 35-year-old single mom who puts her boys first at every moment; Orlando is her sons' 25-year-old mentor, and he can't possibly be appropriate for her. Milton, the man who's thisclose to committing to her, is—not that he's very exciting. When Trinidad unexpedctedly finds herself in a resort town, in the midst of Carnival, with Orlando... She can't possibly access her old self with this man. Can she?

The Review:

I have a soft spot for a girl How Stella Got Her Groove Back moment, which I feel is kind of hard to NOT think about when you're enjoying the story of a responsible woman rediscovering herself with a younger man. Unlike Stella, however, this is a true romance novel—and Orlando is a fully-realized character who exists as more than Trinidad's "reawakening trigger". Which makes him all the more likable!

To be honest, I don't think you need to be a mother, or even in your mid-thirties, to understand where Trinidad is. She's warm and gentle with those she loves and trusts... but that circle is small, and Orlando (understandably) isn't part of it. She wants the best for herself; she just isn't exactly sure what the best is, or how she can get it.

Which actually puts her in a similar place to Orlando—while he openly pursues her, he's also stuck between what he thinks he should do and what he actually wants.

One of the things you often run into with age gap romances is this idea that it's just not right because he's yoooung! And she'd oooold! Occasionally, there's also the idea that the hero might want kids and the heroine won't (or can't) provide them. I get it—but it can get kind of stale, which sucks as I generally enjoy books wherein the heroine is older than the hero.

Which is why I loved that, while Trinidad has her initial hangups about hers and Orlando's age difference (the novel deals with the kid question in a way I loved), that's really not the issue. The issue is that Orlando is in a different point in life, and the book actually illustrates what that means in terms of how he handles his emotions, how he sees the world, what he's facing.

Though this is by no means a heavy novel—it's so much fun—that sense of reality ups the stakes and makes you invest even more in these deeply likable people who just deserve love, okay? They deserve love and I wanted to see them get it.

Ms. V's Hot Girl Summer is indeed a great summer romance. I fell in love with the setting—not just the Carnival fete vibes, but the town itself. The locals! The vacation of it all! I don't want to live in a tiny vacation town, but sweeping into it in a romance novel is just! So! Good!

The Sex:

This is a hugely sex positive novel. Trinidad is an unabashedly horny heroine—you get sex toy usage on the page, and while the sex itself takes some building up to... It's both romance novel-y and tangibly real, if that makes sense. Also. Loved seeing a Specific Type of Content on the page...

Conclusion:

You want a summer romance? You've got a summer romance. This is the kind of respite we need right now. It's hot and sweet and fabulous, just like Orlando and Ms. V.

Thanks to Harper Audio and NetGalley for providing me with a copy. of this audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin audio for the free alc. I have not read a book by a.h. Cunningham that I haven't loved and obsessed with. He books are high heat and some of the best latinx books. I live her character developments, how open and honest they are. It's refreshing.

Highly recommend

5/5☆

This was a quick and spicy time about an older woman and a young get man and how they get together during a festival.