Hot Summer

by Elle Everhart

This summer, things are about to heat up. Cas Morgan has spent years of her life watching Hot Summer, the hit dating show that pairs together a bunch of sexy singles in an exotic island location. But she never quite thought she’d be a part of it, until her company secures a partnership with the show and Cas is handpicked as a contestant. If she does well and makes it to the finals, her long-awaited promotion will be secure. Cas is ready to spend the summer trying to win over the voting public. But just as she steps into the villa, her entire plan goes off course. She’s instantly smitten with fellow contestant, Ada. Ada is gorgeous and charming. As Cas’s feelings for Ada become undeniable, she’s torn between listening to her heart or sticking to her strategy.

Genres: Romance, Lesbian, LGBT, Queer, Contemporary, Adult, Fiction

385 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 27, 2024

About the author

Elle Everhart (she/her) writes romantic comedies featuring the internet, sarcasm, and lots of queer characters (especially bisexual characters because she, too, cuffs her jeans and can’t properly sit in chairs).

She lives in east London, UK where she works as a secondary English teacher. When she's not writing, you’ll find her watching a whole lot of YouTube, obsessing over the worst shows Netflix has to offer, and hanging around with her son.

Reviews

[Lesbereading · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book took me by surprise in the best way possible. I was expecting a light-hearted, cute romcom but found myself completely invested in the MCs and even some of the side characters. The humor, the feelings, the steam, it was perfection. Truly loved the story too with the reality show, and the writing made you feel like you’re actually watching it, the details are incredible. Highly recommend this and already know it will be one of the top 2024 sapphic summer reads.

Thank you to the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Jessica Gregory · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love the following:

- Love Island
- Drama
- Any reality tv
- Queer romance
- Romance
- sexxiiiii romance
- SUMMER READ
- a LIGHT and EASY summer read

Then this book is for you. I loved all the characters and I felt like I was reading a reality tv show instead of usually just watching it lol

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

[Melany · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this! LGBTQ+ romance with some smut in it! I loved the main character Cas as well as Ada! This had some great moments! I laughed and was shocked and smiled happily to several parts. I think I also enjoyed it as the Hot Summer show is like Love Island in so many aspects, which i truly enjoyed the book probably because I'm obsessed with that show! Fun little summer read about someone being on a reality show not seeking love but finding it anyway!

I received this ARC from Penguin Group Putnam to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

[emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

i had SUCH a blast with this one. for whatever ungodly reason (probably enjoying watching the straights be messy) i enjoy watching love island (the reality tv show this is VERY obvs based on/taking from) and to have it be SAPPHIC and GENUINE with the friendships, is just the sweetest icing on the cake. it was so much fun. i loved ada (what a goddamn dreamy love interest, i only wish we got a little of her pov, but that's bc i'm greedy) and i adored being in cas's pov. femy (or however you spell his name, i listend on audio) was so adorable and such a good friend to cas. i loved watching cas and ada fall in love, and it was just such a fun summer read. i'm really glad that i listened to audio on this one, as marisa calin was a fantastic performer. she had great accents, really interesting distinctive character voices, and a lovely voice to listen to tell the story.

this is gonna become a regular summer read for me, i think.

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

I don't watch a lot of reality television, but I have read enough books to know that "Hot Summer" by Elle Everhart is one of the good ones! I found myself devouring this queer rom-com in virtually one sitting. This book is a lot of fun, especially if you're a reality TV junkie. There is a lot of drama in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Some readers will not like the main character, Cas, because her intentions start as deceitful, but the longer the book goes on, you'll start to understand that she's being manipulated by other forces as well. The main romance between Cas and Ada might read a little too insta-love-y, but I think that comes with the reality TV show territory. Unlike other insta-love books that I have disliked, I actually believed in Cas and Ada's romance beyond surface-level attraction. That's mostly because of Everhart's excellent writing. She gets you to care about these characters as if they were real people. They feel fully fleshed out and have great chemistry with one another. The secondary character also feels realistic, too, and some in villainous ways. Just well-written all around. You can see the third act coming from a mile away, but other than that, this is a fun, steamy, sapphic summertime beach read. Pick this one up before you head to the pool!

Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Everhart, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[Aleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

if someone held a gun to my head and asked me what happened in this book tell my family I love them

[jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

Many thanks to Penguin Group Putnam and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kayleigh (Kayimreading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

This was such a delight to read! I am NOT a fan of reality TV or dating show at all but I know those who are are going to LOVE this! It felt like I was watching the show play out in front of me!

Perfect if you love:
-Reality TV/Dating Shows
-Sapphic romance done right!
-Drama
-Summertime reading
-Found family
-Great side characters

I loved Elle Everhart's book Wanderlust so when this title popped up, I had to have it! Sapphic love stories can be hit or miss but this was done so so well!

Our girl Cas has been working nonstop for popular a dating app hosting event after event and avoiding falling in love. Given the chance to jump up the ladder and propel her career forward, she's told her company is partnering with a popular dating TV show for brand awareness and she is to be a contestant on the show to get viewers pumped for the collaboration. Cas is a huge fan of the show and goes in hoping she can make it through towards the end to get her career move secured and get recognition but is definitely not looking for love. That is until she meets other contestant Ada on day one and can't stop thinking about her.

This was such a fun ride from start to finish. We get all the POVs from behind the scenes of a dating show to the actual shooting. It's all fast paced and the events that happen keep you wanting to read more. It incorporated the drama of a tv show and the slow burn aspect while Cas and Ada became close friends and then lovers. Every character including the side characters are so well developed and stole the show at moments with how well they played into the story. My only issue with this book was how Cas's job and TV world collided. Things seemed blown out of proportion and the reunion part didn't sit right with me either.

I cannot recommend this book enough for a quick fun, easy summer read full of sweet moments and some delicious spice! Thank you Netgalley & G.P. Putnam for this incredible ARC!

[LaceyBanana Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hot Summer is a reality tv dating show set on an island with hot single people ready to have some fun and Cas has been selected as a contestant!

She always watched from afar but snatched the opportunity up from her employer when offered the position from the show. The deal is that if she makes it to the finals, she’ll receive her dream promotion! She needs the public’s vote week after week to secure her spot on the show. I started off really enjoying the behind the scenes aspect since I’ve watched shows like this but it got old very quickly and at some point became very mechanical sounding when aspects of the show were being explained to the reader. It made it extremely difficult for me to connect to the characters and I had zero investment in their lives once the middle hit and I never returned by the end. It sounded like a fun idea in the description but it was not a concept I would ever read again.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Elle Everhart, and Penguin Group Putnam for providing this free ARC. This is my honest review! This published on June 25th!

[Cláudia Oliveira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Como uma devoradora de reality shows de encontros da Netflix , eu amei este livro!!! Foi diversão autêntica e tem tudo o que se pode pedir num reality show: câmaras, jogos/desafios, as opiniões do público ao longo do programa, escolha de parceiros nas galas e até a reunião no final !!!! 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75⭐️

This was a 4 star the whole way through until the 3rd act conflict. It's literally the dumbest thing ever.

I actually really liked this book. It felt like watching a real reality TV show, and I liked the pacing, the characters, and the romance. It felt a little shallow at times, there wasnt really much space to get close to any of the characters besides the main couple and I think that naming the app she worked for "Friday" caused for some confusing sentences.
However, it was very fun and was looking like a good book all around up until they had to go and pull that shit on me in Act 3. Def recommend the read if you want something fun and summery!


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SPOILER WARNING ⚠️SPOILER WARNING OH MY GOD PLEASE ⚠️ IF YOU SCROLL DOWN AND GET SPOILED ITS YOUR OWN FAULT AT THIS POINT!!!!!
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SHE SIGNED AN NDA LIKE OBVI SHE COULDN'T TELL YALL. I'm actually so annoyed. Like this was the most dramatic overreaction to her reveal. I get it she lied, okay. But like it's an NDA?? I wouldn't be mad about that, I'd definitely need to have a little talk but God these people acted like nobody's ever gone on a dating show for anything other than true love ever in the history of the world?!?!?


Also, her besties just straight up gaslighting her??? Telling her she was running away for respecting Adas boundery of NOT WANTING TO HEAR FROM HER. Girl, I was getting ANGRY.

Even at the end, when they make up, Adas like fully understanding that it wasn't actually a huge betrayal (also wild that all her friends suddenly fully forgave her, with no explanation?? Like okay?) and that she had fucked up too, like why couldn't they have that convo right there at the bonfire when everything went down!??! what was the point of dragging it out and making everyone seem super unreasonable ?!?!?!(I get that authors write a third act conflic to avoid having a boring story, but it doesn't need to be super explosive and dramatic, it couldve been just them having an adult conversation and then throw in some side character couple drama or something to spice it up.) Im so irritated. I KNEW from the first chapter that this was the direction everything was going into but I HELD OUT HOPE, I held out hope that there would be a reasonable response to this news or that theyd at least add SOMETHING else onto it to make it seem like an actual bad thing for her to have done!!! But no, I am disappointed once more.

[lauraღ · Rating 3 out of 5]

When their eyes met, it felt like it was the only thing tethering her to the earth.

 
Maybe 3.25 stars, which is something of a disappointment, because I really did think I would like this more. I'm not exactly the perfect audience for a reality show dating romance, because I don't really watch reality TV, or any dating shows like this, and from what I've seen, I think they wouldn't be for me anyway. But this was the epitome of fun and light-hearted and fresh, just a little bit messy. I was having a pretty good time with it until the end, when the third act conflict let me down. As they usually do.

Cas works for a popular dating app company, though her role (organising events and singles meet-ups and so on) hasn't been fulfilling for a while. Her company ends up clandestinely partnering with Hot Summer, a reality dating show, and Cas is slated to be a contestant. Once she makes it to the finale, she'll get a promotion, and then show and the app will work together... somehow? TBH the details of the deal went over my head. I didn't really get how they were supposed to benefit each other. In any case, Cas figures she's perfect for a fun flirty dating show, because she's single, and has no desire to get into a committed relationship, so she won't be putting her heart on the line. That all goes out the window from the moment she meets one of the other women she'll be sharing the villa with: Ava.

We follow them through the next few weeks, with a series and challenges and games and mingling with the other contestants. They have to be part of a pair, and while the show doesn't discourage same sex dating, it's pretty heteronormative. So even though Cas and Ava are both bi and have immediate chemistry, they each pair up with guys. Most of the contestants acknowledge that the show is kinda shallow, but some people are actually looking for love, including Ava. Besides the silly games and dramatic pairing and switching and do on, there are also rankings, based on votes from the public. Cas is at first motivated to do and say whatever it takes to make it to the finale, but as the weeks go by, and she gets closer and closer to Ava, she starts caring less about the ranking, and more about forming genuine bonds.

It's all very light and airy and fun. It's set on a sunny island, and they all sleep in one huge room for maximum forced proximity. (I have no idea if this was supposed to emulate an existing show.) Cas is a really fun main character. She's our only POV, and I liked her immediately: a bit of a mess, but kind, ambitious, and really confident. There's a moment near the beginning where she's thinking about how she's so hot, she's even turning herself on, and honestly, that was hilarious and refreshing. Main female characters aren't often allowed to be so unapologetically self-assured, bordering on boastful, and in a positive way too. Even though there's an obvious immediate physical attraction between her and Ava, most of their early interactions are just warm and friendly. They give each other advice, and Cas helps Ada with the odious guy she ends up paired with. It definitely helped the relationship feel a lot less superficial than the others. So it's really sweet, and really sexy, when they start acting on their romantic feelings.

(Cas also makes friends with the other contestants, and they're supposed to be a significant part of the story, and we're meant to feel like Femi, in particular, is her best friend on the island. I like him a lot, but the book was simply too short for there to be more than one meaningful connection here. When Cas described him as her best friend, I was just like... huh?? And the secondary romance is really cute, but again, the book isn't long enough to adequately support a B-plot romance, IMO.)

So this was shaping up to be a light and fun read, with lots of great chemistry and humour, and would have probably been 4 stars if not for the third act conflict. I just really didn't like it. It's not the worst example of this kind of conflict, but it still irritated me. It's just always really frustrating to see a character say, "Please listen, I can explain this to you," and the love interest is like, "No! I will not listen! I will instead walk away, and the conversation that we COULD have had to clear things up will have to wait for the denouement!" Ada did annoy me. And I honestly didn't buy it that everyone would feel ~so betrayed~ at Cas working at a dating company and "using the show to get ahead" and not disclosing it. I couldn't take it seriously. Didn't it occur to any of them that the show was stirring up drama? They just took it as gospel? And that fact that Cas couldn't say anything because of the NDA was so frustrating.

And the actual ending annoyed me too. I'm not really the biggest fan of super public or televised grand gestures or PDA, but with the nature of this book, I figured I'd have to put up with it. Even so, I was extra disappointed that Cas was the only one to make a super public declaration. Maybe I'm just on her side because we were in her head the whole time, but I didn't think that Cas was so much in the wrong. And the fact that there was no reciprocal grand gesture from Ada kinda pissed me off. Ada was the one who walked away when Cas was begging her to leave with her, so I really thought that Ada would be the one to grovel. But nope. Cas accepts Ada's apology a little too easily, and that felt so unsatisfying. Like, there's a moment where Cas says "I'm going to stop running away" and I was like, what? Ada ran away from YOU. And especially after we learn that Cas's fiancée left her and moved back to Ireland, it would have been nice to see Cas's love interest put in some work for her. Ada needed to be the one proving herself. IMO.

And as an aside, the Hot Summer producers made no sense to me. What was the point of outing Cas as being on the show for a promotion, (as part of a deal YOU GUYS made) then forcing her to leave, then forcing her to pretend she wants to leave? I know the producer explained her evil corporate reasons when she talked to Cas, but it still didn't make sense to me. IDK.

So yeah. Opposite of sticking the landing, unfortunately. I listened to the audiobook as read by Marisa Calin, and at least that was an unqualified success. I adore her voice, and she was lovely as Cas. I really wish I had loved this more, but ah well. I still really liked the beginning, and I'm sure other people won't be as annoyed with the third act as I was.

[Brianna - Four Paws and a Book · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the afterlight selection this summer, and I wanted to read it before the end of summer, but this was a big let down. Honestly I was just so bored? This was a dating reality tv show. It should've had so much drama and could've been a really interesting, but the characters felt flat, and the plot was uninteresting.

[khi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this!

[whatkelseysreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up💫 this was honestly much better than I was expecting!!👏

✨sapphic romance (bi rep!)
✨reality tv romance
✨only 2 (that I can recall) on-page spicy scenes🌶️
✨a fun cast of characters
✨single POV, good narration!🎧 I love an accent🤭
✨a third act breakup that makes sense (and thankfully isn’t overly dramatic😜)

Admittedly I’ve never seen a single episode of Love Island, or hardly any reality tv dating shows, so I might’ve liked it more if I were a true fan girly because the setting + references were fun! So if you’re a fan this will definitely be for you!!

I was a big fan of the relationship and the friendships but am just not sure it’s gonna make a lasting impression!

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Hot Summer by Elle Everhart completely blew me away! You never know what you’re going to get with an author you haven’t read before but this book thoroughly impressed me, both in the quality of the writing and the palpable feelings and chemistry between the mc’s. Even though my household’s reality tv tastes lean more 90 Day Fiancé than Love Island/The Bachelor, the premise of how Hot Summer is structured seemed believable and like something that would happen on reality tv (and a self-serving producer would push).

It starts a little slow, but once Cas arrives at the house and filming begins the story really takes off. I loved her relationship with Femi and all the other contestants felt very fleshed out and real. Where this book really shines though is the building relationship between Cas and Ada. Their romance was both sweet and sappy and sizzling hot once they finally got together.

I completely recommend this book if you’re looking for a fun romance with a unique story that’s both sweet and spicy. Bonus points for being British but not too British and for making me want to watch Love Island for like 2 seconds before I came to my senses. 4.5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Monica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay this can have 2.5 stars but honestly I was bored. Like utterly and completely.

I have a love hate relationship with reality tv, especially dating shows. And this was kinda a hate relationship? The drama was so unnecessary (although I guess reflective of real dating show drama 🙄). The “here for the right reasons” thing is overdone and I just didn’t need it.

The relationships felt so shallow. Cas and Femi have one conversation and suddenly they are ride or die best friends? How? It all happened off page and felt so surface level it was painful. And Cas and Ada were cute together, but so much of the actual connection was either off page or purely physical attraction. I wanted more depth.

The ending was irritating. The show drama, no thanks. And the resolution was so quick it almost felt like “what was the point?”

I wanted to love this because the afterlight edition is stunninggggg but this did not work for me.

[blissful.brii · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute light-hearted read. Definitely full of drama and lots of parallels to modern day dating reality shows, especially “Love Island” being the main premise of its theme. There were lovable moments as well as moments where you could see the flaws in each of the characters, but overall it was entertaining. The main focus was on the MC Cass and Ada as a paired and bonding relationship but I was also happy to see Sienna and Femi have a happy ending in the end as well.

[Sarah Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t like reality tv but I do like reality tv books!!!

[X]

DNF @ 28%. This was good, this was fine, if I were in a different mood I probably wouldn’t have DNFed. The writing is standard/good, the MC is interesting. The Love Island-ness is “serial numbers not even entirely filed off” which i found funny, not in a bad way.

The story conflict(s) are pretty paint-by-numbers for this type of book. I have two complaints, although that kind of overstates what they are - first, too many of these reality dating show romance novels see that the shows they’re basing their book on have “archetypal” contestants (the fun blonde, the conniving one, the jokester/lad, the mama’s boy) and go too hard in that direction, missing the fact that those shows are compelling only when there’s specificity. The fun of reality tv like Love Island is getting to see a wide variety of personalities interact in a closed environment. You root for contestants because you see enough to at least feel as though you understand their quirks and get to see and relate to their vulnerabilities. Even the villains can easily be villains without being straight up rapists/racists/etc.

And especially with a show like Love Island (as opposed to eg The Bachelor), it doesn’t make sense to paint the side characters as token obstacles in the way of the couple you’re invested in. You go into it wanting to root for everyone!

I don’t know if it’s the Bachelor influence or just the difficulty of writing well-rounded side characters but it seems to be difficult for authors of dating reality tv romance novels to grasp and execute this.

And second, and maybe this is sort of an extension of the first - too many reality tv romance novels totally miss (imo) why people watch reality tv, and end up focusing on behind-the-scenes asshole behavior instead of human connection and wish fulfillment. Obviously I’m not saying, like, believe reality shows are real or something. But - does anyone watch a dating competition reality tv and think “gee I wish I got to see how terrible everyone is treating each other behind the scenes, that’s what I really like to spend my time on”?

I guess it’s a ymmv situation. And I can see how there’s a sort of easy dramatic irony to it - like “on screen they’re making dreams come true, but behind the scenes it’s a nightmare!” - but I just think it totally misinterprets why people watch this kind of reality tv. (By which I mean - reality dating shows, GBBO, etc. there are ofc some reality shows where it literally is about watching a hellscape. I can’t speak to those bc I don’t watch them!)

Idk like - is it just me? I’m not watching reality tv to be depressed about the world! I can read the news for that! I watch reality tv for the escapism, and “actually let’s go behind the scenes and see how it’s all fixed and no one wants to be there” is not escapism.

Apologies to that book, I know I’ve written a lot and like I said at the beginning of this, I think this book is decently written. Based on what I read of it, I would recommend if you’re looking for a standard reality dating rom com! But - yeah, it’s not what I’m looking for.

[Holly | Raise Your Words · Rating 4 out of 5]

| 4/5 Stars | ★★★★☆​

Trigger Warnings for Hot Summer​: Deception, Explicit Sexual Scenes, Sexism, Homophobia.

Hot Summer is Elle Everhart's second romance novel, but her first sapphic one. Cas Morgan loves reality television, especially those like Hot Summer. When she's given the opportunity to go on the show for a major promotion (that, sure, she has to sign an NDA for, but whatever), she jumps at the opportunity. There's no way she's going to meet someone she's actually interested in, right? Of course not, her heart is totally closed off to anything except casual hook-ups! Enter: Ada.

Holly's Initial Strikes Against Hot Summer: 1) Contemporary Romance 2) .... Okay so I don't have a second one, but Hot Summer being contemporary romance is actually a big strike against it for me wanting to pick this one up. I'm soooo not a contemporary romance girly, but I AM a fan of the reality tv genre hot humans in limited clothing (TM). I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) over a year ago and didn't read it because I genuinely thought I wouldn't do it justice. I just simply was not interested in reading contemporary romance, so I put it on the back-burner (I'm so sorry Elle Everhart, that's on me, I've never done that and will never do that again), but I'm actually glad I waited because I was SO READY for Cass and Ada!

As a big fan of reality TV and a pansexual gremlin myself, I adored Cass and Ada. There are points that just don't quite make sense to me (i.e. having Hot Summer edited and released like immediately after filming so that the audience has all seen and reacted to it?? How??), but I really just loved the vibe. These characters are hot, wholesome, and hilarious; which are the three things I would look for in any reality tv star. Thank you to Elle Everhart and Goodreads for an e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

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[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love a good Bachelor/Bachelorette reality dating romance but sadly this one fell a little flat for me. I liked that there was a Sapphic love interest but the chemistry between the main character just fell flat for me and I struggled to really get sucked into this story despite the GORGEOUS cover! Recommended for fans of books like Here for the wrong reasons or Not here to make friends. Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I had such a good time with this book! Clearly I need to read more romance books that are sapphic twists on reality dating shows.

The story is set in a Love Island-style dating show. It's narrated from the POV of Cas, a total cynic when it comes to love. Cas is on the show to gain popularity and get a promotion at work, and luckily she's watched enough seasons of Hot Summer to know how to play the game. What she doesn't anticipate is having her head turned by another contestant, Ada.

There's a great cast of characters with a fun, supportive dynamic. Cas and Ada have great chemistry, and I was totally rooting for them the whole way through. There is a spot of predictable conflict, and some readers might get frustrated with the choices Cas makes. But I was happy with how everything ultimately resolved.

Would recommend this fun and flirty read, especially for fans of reality dating!

** I received an ARC via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Nadieh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt like watching a reality tv show, but make it queer. I absolutely loved it.

[Samantha Denman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sapphic Love Island??? Yes, please 😍😍

[Nienke Aal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ik zou niemand hun tijd hieraan laten verspillen

[Lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoy a dramatic Netflix-esque dating show from time to time, and this book filled that guilty pleasure for me. I loved the setting, the drama that being in a reality show brings, some of the over-the-top characters and the twists in the show. That alone makes it a 4⭐ for me. I sometimes did have a little bit of trouble with reading quickly because of the writing style, but it also wasn't a big problem.

Hot Summer was just what I wanted with a great execution of the plot!

[Suus · Rating 5 out of 5]

if only the real love island was gay

[Jente · Rating 5 out of 5]

heerlijk! reality tv maar dan een boek en queer :)

[Star · Rating 4 out of 5]

Content warnings: alcohol consumption, slut shaming, sexism.

Rep: Cas (MC) is cis, white, and bisexual. Ada (LI) is cis, white, and bisexual. Side POC characters, side queer characters.


Let's get this out the road first - if you have tagged/shelved this book as lesbian, please remove that tag and use bisexual. Stop the bisexual erasure FFS.


I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

I don't watch reality TV shows, but I tend to enjoy reading about them, which is always fun for me. This one was a concept I hadn't seen before, and while there was a lot of comphet stuff (pairing men and women at the villa without any thought for the fact that people are queer (which is true to form for reality TV)), it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story.

Also, fuck Brad, am I right? What a tosser he is. I felt so bad for Ada - that she was forced to keep partnering with him despite the fact that he was a massive jerk off.

I adored the romance between Cas and Ada - their chemistry was off the charts. I loved their interactions, and the sex scenes were *chef's kiss* absolutely wonderful.

This was a fun, easy read, and I enjoyed every moment of it.