One bachelorette party. One stag do. One double-booked villa and only one way to decide who gets a competition.
Workaholic Molly is buzzing when her best friend tells her she’s getting married. As maid of honour Molly can’t wait for the perfect bachelorette party in Spain. What could be better than a week in a stunning villa? Sun, sea, cocktails and gossiping – and best of all, no boys allowed. But when the hens arrive they discover that they are not alone. The villa has been accidentally double booked by a group of stags who make it very clear they’re not leaving!
It’s a disaster, and no one wants to give up their place in paradise. Attempts at compromising fail instantly, so their only option is to have a winner takes all competition. Battle lines are drawn and it is girls v boys - but will the competition be too hot to handle?
As their rivalry heats up, and Molly finds herself gravitating towards stag Travis, it’s clear that he’s enjoying the attention - but Molly can’t let herself get distracted, and under no circumstances can she fall for the enemy.
Portia MacIntosh is the bestselling author of over 30 romantic comedy novels.
From disastrous dates to destination weddings, Portia’s romcoms are the perfect way to escape from day to day life, visiting sunny beaches in the summer and snowy villages at Christmas time. Whether it’s southern Italy or the Yorkshire coast, Portia’s stories are the holiday you’re craving, conveniently packed in between the pages.
Formerly a journalist, Portia has left the city, swapping the music biz for the moors, to live the (not so) quiet life with her husband and her dog in Yorkshire.
Molly’s best friend is getting married, and the hen party is a two-week trip to a fancy villa in Spain. However, as it turns out, the villa has been double-booked, and now they have to share it with four men. Four very hot men. 😏👀
This was so much fun! I loved the rivalry, the pranks were funny but in good taste (mostly 😈), and the group dynamic was absolutely perfect.
Travis was one of those quiet types who make a good impression and turn out to be even better when you get to know them. And he brought her food! 😍 (and a romantic note that made me cackle).
The other boys were great too, and I’d really love to read more about this group—such a shame it’s a standalone!
This was a fun, lighthearted romcom. Not very romance heavy but I did enjoy the friendship aspect and vacation vibes.
I struggled with the pacing of this book; the beginning felt slow but the ending was rushed. There were things that happened in the beginning that just felt unnecessary to the plot. Also, the chemistry between the FMC and MMC felt surface level and a little instalove.
While this wasn't a perfect book by any means, I still enjoyed it!
Thank you to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was such a fun read! The beginning was a funny set-up with how it was one character getting ready to propose, but not to the person he was with. And then it was obvious how Molly’s boyfriend was going to behave later that night. Then the whole trip and the debacle with the booking turned into so much fun!
Of course there had to be a bunch of competitions to see who got to stay the second week, and I loved how all those winners ended up coming about. The surprises by both women and men when the other group thought they had them. The men were a lot of fun, as were the women. It was easy to see why Travis was going to be perfect for Molly. Molly had several thoughts that I totally vibed with in the book. Early on she mentioned how she wanted to get to the old lady stage of eating early and staying home, yeah, I’m in that stage, lol. And then later when she talked about how wearing make up wasn’t her thing, and how people – both men and women – judge a woman based on if she is wearing makeup or not. Unlike Molly though, I just live with the judging because I’m too lazy to mess with it.
There was one bit of the men kind of getting something over on the women with the terms of their agreement that ended up with the men using one of the woman’s expensive shampoo. That whole scene and what we found out happened with the others during the same scene had me giggling! There was a bit of drama at the end that had even me going with Molly’s misunderstanding and hoping it was actually that. And in the end, it all came together so perfectly!
This was another winner by MacIntosh for me, and I’m so glad I got the chance to read it!
A quick and easy romcom in which a mix up causes a bachelorette party & bachelor party having to split a villa in Spain for the week before each of the weddings. I enjoyed the friendships throughout the book as well as the cheesy banter between both parties. The book was repetitive in some parts, and I think there could have been more substance to the overall plot with the main character’s story. Thank you to Boldwood Books & NetGalley for an advanced readers copy.
My 2nd Portia MacIntosh novel but not my favourite thankfully it is a short book. The story is simple. Best friend getting married, main character is maid of honour, wedding is abroad, girl gang go abroad for wedding hire a villa which has been double booked by a group of guys also here for their own wedding and end up sharing the villa. Competition and shenanigans arise and eventually romance. The end. I felt like the writing style, plot and execution was written by a teenage girl. In fact it very very much felt to me like something I definitely would have written when I was 16. That's not to say it was bad, but it did feel very imature and I just didn't buy it completely. I unfortunately didn't find myself reaching for this book and it took me a lot longer to get through it than it should have. The last 30% of the book is a little better but the ending was 100% rushed. I had really liked this author's previous book so was a little disappointed in this one.
I'd like to thank Boldworld books for providing me with a copy of the book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley, BoldBooks, and Portia MacIntosh for the chance to read this ARC of Too Hot To Handle!
What happens when two groups have been double booked at the same villa. Attraction and a friendly competition of course!
This one started off on the slow side but once I got to the halfway point I really started to enjoy it. It was funny and cute! This would be a great summer read.
This was so fun!! The first of Portia’s books that I’ve read and definitely not the last! This was the perfect poolside read full of fun friendships and a little summer romance ☀️
My favorite part about this book were definitely all the different personalities of the characters coming meshing together in a hilarious and entertaining way. The concept of bachelorette/bachelor parties ending up in the same villa and having to figure out how to coexist?! I loved it! This was the perfect lighthearted read to really get into the summer mood!
The book had a slow start, but once I reached the halfway point, I couldn’t put it down. It’s fun, charming and would be an ideal summer read! This was my first book by the author, and I really liked it. The writing was clever, and the characters were engaging and relatable.
If you’re a Love Island fan, you’ll definitely enjoy this one! I’m excited to read more from this author.
Too Hot to Handle is a perfect romcom to read when seeking lighthearted fun! The setting is beautiful if a bit problematic and the large cast of characters makes for fun banter throughout!
Too Hot to Handle is a light, contemporary romance set in a sunny Spanish villa. Molly is the maid of honor for her best friend’s wedding and books a villa for the bachelorette party. But when the group arrives, they find the place has been double-booked with a group of men. Neither side wants to give it up, so they agree to a series of competitions to decide who gets to stay. Of course, there’s a classic enemies-to-lovers dynamic... cue Travis, one of the guys from the other group, who clashes with Molly from the start. Their banter and chemistry add a fun spark to the story.
It was entertaining ! I would say at some point i would have like a bit more action, it got intense for like 2 chapters before the « happy ever after » But it was a cute read !
Super quick and fun romcom in which two groups of friends encounter when a booking mixup at a villa in Spain causes both a bachelorette and bachelor party to be booked at the same time and they have to forgive out how to share the space. Soon, the groups are having competitions for various parts of the villa and then attractions between members of the parties ensues. There's loads of witty banter and back and forth pranks between the two groups in typical Portia style and all the characters, and in particular, the FMC, Molly, all grew throughout the story. This leans heavily into the friendships and into the comedy over the romance which was refreshing and the forced proximity of the shared space leads to some interesting situations. This will be a fun and entertaining beach read or for anyone who likes reality tv romances, forced proximity and strong female friendships Thanks to Boldwood books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review
“Too Hot to Handle” is exactly what I craved for a silly little romance and the perfect poolside holiday read. Whilst the story is a little unrealistic and slightly over the top at times, when you manage to just look past that (as is often needed in romance novels), it really is just a fun time!
Whilst there isn’t a whole lot happening in terms of plot and/or character development, it is a fast-paced fun story with the perfect summer holiday vibes that had me giggling and kicking my feet. 🌞
Would highly recommend, especially for fans of Ali Hazelwood (although, I found Portia Macintosh’s writing style a lot less cringe and also more fun in comparison)!
Will definitely be picking up more from this author 🙂↔️
I received this arc through netgalley and I am so glad that I did. This was the perfect summer time romance. It had everything I love in romance books, forbidden romance, slow burn, close encounters and kind of enemies to lovers. I did feel like it was a little bit slow in the beginning and took a minute to get into but once I got into it I loved it! I was on the edge of my seat the last couple of chapters because I didn’t know what was going to happen next but I am happy with how it turned out. Molly and Travis and their cute little moments on the side when all the chaos was happening, was perfect. I highly recommend this cute little summer time light spice romance!!
At this point, if Portia wrote it, I will read it. Her books are fun and flirty and full of laughs and I just love them so much.
Plus Karen Cass, the narrator is phenomenal. Maybe it's her voice, inflections, accent... I don't know but I love listening to her.
Too Hot To Handle was super cute and fun. The stakes are silly in this one, let the games begin! I loved Molly our main character, just your average girl. Everyone can relate to her in one way or another. And Travis! Oh Dear! Well, yes Travis! Loved him so much!
Can't wait for my next Portia book because she never fails!
Thank you to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this! A lighthearted rom-com which gives love island kind of vibes. Was a bit slow starting in my opinion but overall I enjoyed this easy ready. Definitely worth the read if you want something that’s not too taxing on the brain and after a little bit of a lighthearted romance!
Lucky enough to get a copy on NetGalley of this book! It’s my first book by the author, and I really enjoyed it. A really fun, quick read with very witty writing and the characters were relatable and clever, even the ones you hate to love.
As someone who loves reality tv, I enjoyed the references to it throughout. So silly and so much entertaining. If you enjoy Love Island like myself, you’ll enjoy this book :) I’m looking forward to reading more of her books.
this was one of those rare books that had absolutely nothing to say. it felt childish and inane and entirely unrealistic, with no overarching character development or real plot. real shame, because it sounded like such a fun title and concept.
Too Hot To Handle by Portia McIntosh, after Molly‘s best friend Lou gets engaged she sadly, on that very same night gets broken up with by longtime boyfriend Dean. She does her best to keep a stiff upper lip and is pretty much over it when they head to Spain on lose Hindu. they’re so excited to be there Willow Anita and the bride Lou strip their clothes off and run to jump in their private villa pool. It’s too bad they didn’t see the three lads having a hold your breath contest under the pools surface. Molly thankfully was dressed when Travis walked out of her bathroom in the bedroom she had picked for her own. This is when they realize both the guys and the girls have a problem. They rented the villa out to both of them and so one of them had to go but who? they decide to pick territories and unfortunately none of the ladies thought to pick the kitchen or to ask for the use of it. So at first they’re stuck up in their room eating chips and cookies with lukewarm coffee and drinks but then they decide with agreement from the guys that they’ll play games and at the end of week one the loser had to leave. Molly finds all of this childish but wants her friend to have the Hindu in the place she wanted and it doesn’t help matters when Molly starts falling for one of them. when they first meet the guys in the villa I absolutely didn’t like them at all except for Travis but as the book goes on their attitude changed and they seemed likable but you should always go with the worst part of someone, once they show you because it lets you know that is always a possibility. Having said that this book totally reminded me of the silly laugh out loud books in the beginning of my love affair with Portia McIntosh’s romance novels. She really seems like the type of person I would love to hang out with I laugh so much during the truth and dare game my back hurt when that chapter was over. I loved this book and definitely recommended if you love Porsches early books then you should definitely read this one it is so funny and the ending is sweet and so many ways. It totally reminded me of the way stories ended in the 80s and I couldn’t love it more.#NetGalley, #BoldWoodBooks, #TheBlondeReviewer, #MyHonestReview, #PorscheMcIntosh, #TooHotToHandle,
This was such a fun read! 🤩 I absolutely loved the premise of this book, a really great idea!
Molly’s best friend Lou is getting married to one of the greatest men on earth 🥰 unfortunately for Molly, her boyfriend turned out to be a bit of a dud so she is newly single. When disaster strikes with Lou’s wedding plans which then coincides with a mishap at work, Molly finds herself spending two weeks in Spain with Lou, and friends Nita and Willow, in the run up to Lou’s wedding. Two weeks of sunshine with your best friends, it sounds like bliss. Except when the girls arrive at the glorious villa, they find a group of boys already holidaying there - with both groups determined that they are not leaving, they are in for a bumpy ride!
This was laugh out loud funny. Sooooo many moments had me giggling! I loved the competition element between the two groups, and how determined they were to get on each other’s nerves! Such childish antics but they made me laugh so much 😂
The chemistry between Molly and Travis was sizzling! I loved their scenes together, from the flirty banter to the deeper conversations, they just worked so well together. All of the characters (apart from Dean obvs) were just so great - a really funny, warm, down to earth and relatable bunch.
I now desperately want to be in a Spanish villa lying by the pool and I think it’s very unfair that this is not my current situation!! 🥲
This author always delivers a really great fun easy read so of course I had to grab this one. I was not disappointed at all! This book had me laughing out loud and I read it with a big smile on my face.
🩷 Forced Proximity 🩷 Rivals to lovers 🩷 Friend group 🩷 Wedding trip 🩷 Sweet and Spicy
This book is about a group of friends heading off on a bachelorette party as one of them is getting married. The original plans get cancelled so with a crazy reshuffle a new plan is made and off they go. Let’s just say the plans are not what they planned though, throw in an unplanned stag do and we are in for some fun.
This book was such a breath of fresh air, I really enjoyed the storyline and enjoyed all the banter between the characters. I loved the setting of the book, even if it was primarily set around a swimming pool, you forgot you were in one area as so much happened there.
I loved both friend groups, each person was so different and brought their own unique antics to the groups.
I thought the ending was brilliant, it was the perfect ending after Mollys horrible start to the storyline.
I absolutely recommend you pick this book up when it comes out.
“I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”
I swear, even when I'm trying to avoid Love Island (it's friggin' everywhere this summer, help!) I end up reading the show in book form, totally on a whim. Because, in a nutshell, that's sort of what this book is. Hell the characters even make references to LI from time to time.
2 different groups of people - 4 boys and 4 girls end up double booking a Spanish villa for a couple weeks surrounding the weddings of one of the boys and one of the girls (not to each other, of course). What ensues is a fight for dominance over who has the right to the space for themselves - and a friendly competition to determine who claims victory in the end.
The pranks they play on each other were hilarious, the competitions fun if somewhat brief.
But the friendships that develop were undoubtedly the best part of all of it. Seeing the antagonizing turn into grudging friendship, then genuine feelings was really cute actually.
I think that's what Macintosh does best. This is yet again a clean, closed door romance - but what PM's books lack in spice they make up for in humor and character bonding. If only I could get this level of charm in spicier novels!
This is yet another quick, fun, lighthearted summer read to boost the serotonin!