Listened to this cutie while I painted and adored the characters. YA can be hit or miss for me these days but this was a total hit. It was a sweet story of finding yourself, confidence and letting yourself be who you want to be. It's a quick romance that shows you that you are allowed to change your mind and sometimes what you wanted a few months ago isn't what you want now.

I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I am not sure what I was expecting from this book, but I loved most of it. I am not a devote of Demi Lovato, so I didn’t know that “Cool for The Summer” was a song about sexually experimenting in summer. I also did know Demi changed a lyric from “don’t go” to “no go”. Hopefully, I didn’t just give the book away.

Lara has had the biggest crush on Chase Harding for as long as she can remember. Her senior year, he finally has a crush right back. Everything should be prefect, but there is a nagging that things are just not right. You see, over the summer, Lara hooked up with a girl. Her mom’s boss’s daughter to be exact.

This story is told in two time periods consecutively. The “now” is when Lara is with Chase, and the “then” is how Lara and Jasmine went from acquaintances to much more. Both parts of these stories are interesting, but the “now” timeline gets a kink when Lara walks into school and finds out that Jasmine has moved in with her dad, and now goes to her school too. Chase is her dream. Jasmine was just her summer. But why does she fell so awful.

I loved this book. It is heavy on tropes such as mis communication, but it’s the ride of the story that makes it worth it. It does have some dry points, and one does get a bit tired of the two ladies trying to upstage, ignore, but also make each other jealous. But it’s teenage love. That is the drama for which one picks up this book. Now is this the best sapphic teen romance there is, no, but it was well done, a bit sappy, and just fun. It left this reader with a smile on their face at the end, like a good romance should.

I read a lot of YA romance novels, but I not nearly enough of them have bi representation. This was such a wonderfully inclusive novel that explores bisexuality in a realistic way. I am excited to have this book to recommend to readers.

I requested this in hopes of being able to suggest this as a summer read to my viewers/followers but sadly I ended up not being able to get through the book. Cutesy YA contemporaries don't seem to be for me anymore.

Cool for the Summer is a story about sefl-discovery we are following Lara as she finally has caught the eye of the guy she has been crushing on for the last three years of high school. But she can't help but think of Jasmine, the girl she had a perfect summer with. Then Jasmine shows up at her school. Now Lara's feels are confusing, she has finally got the guy she wants so why can she stop thinking about the girl from summer?
Lara as a lead character has so much to teach us. That we can change our minds about who we are or who we want. That a person is not lock in place with your sexuality that it will and can change at any stage in life. I loved the bisexual rep in this book, it felt real and not use as a plot point. This book is a more character-driven book, romantic, friends, family, and oneself.
I enjoyed this read as it shows how people can change and grow when meeting people and who we are as people aren't set in stone that we do change. I do have to say that this felt like this book waved in the way that at times it felt younger YA, to jumped to older YA. I know I'm not the target age group but I do review a lot of YA and it felt like to different age groups of YA mashed together. Dahlia Adler writing is a gem! My favorite part of this book was the alternating timelines of the “Then” and “Now” parts. I am someone who loves having flashbacks in books that are character-driven because I like to see how, when, where these feelings start from and how things unfold from there.
This book is summer, it's warm, dramatic, fun, going on a journal with Lara will help lose yourself and take your mind off of everything, and relax. This has powerful bi rep, learning to accept yourself and follow your heart.

This was a fun and quick YA read with great LGBTQ+ rep. I read this earlier this year for pride month and it was the perfect read. I loved the characters and the love triangle!

4.5 bumped up to 5/5⭐ for Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler. Thank you so much to Wednesday Books and MacMillan Audio for audio & digital egalleys for review. I am going to preface this review by saying that this was a total emotional/heart read for me that lived up to my eager anticipation. Thus, I may not have read this book with the most critical of eyes and recommend checking out other reviews as well! Overall, I freaking loved this book!! Our main character Lara wormed her way into my heart immediately and I was thrilled to have a bi(curious) MC!! The romance definitely had me shipping characters so hard, and is based around a love triangle that I thought was pretty good. The way this was told in a dual storyline was a fantastic choice and very effective! I could tell pretty early on which character Lara would end up choosing, but that in no way took away from the story experience for me. I thought it was quite valuable in the overall experience of Lara falling for a girl and questioning her sexuality. Her relationship with Jasmine had its messiness, miscommunication, and angst, but I do feel it represents the complexity and reality of teen relationships between two people who are still figuring out themselves and growing up. Mind you, it is dramatized for effect in the book but it didn't personally take me out of the story. In terms of diversity, there are a variety of characters representing different sexualities, genders, ethnicities, and experiences on-page. However, reading other people's reviews, there are varying opinions as to the depth and nuance of these representations. Definitely check out own-voices reviews if you would like to learn more. If you're looking for something fun to read next summer (or even now if you're wanting an escape from the cooler weather) I'd highly recommend checking out this Grease inspired story!

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for allowing me to read this!

This book instantly drew me in, I really enjoyed this book and the plot. This author did amazing. I loved the writing style. I highly recommend picking this up! This audiobook was so cute!

Cool for the Summer is the perfect summer read, and the audiobook takes that perfection to the next level. It ticks all the boxes for the kind of fluffy YA contemporary read that are perfect for escaping the world by sinking into someone else's life, with romance, light but resolved angst, and all the hallmarks of this particular type of book.

This book isn't so much a Grease retelling as Grease inspired, with a summer fling who shows up at school. I've not actually seen Grease in its entirety, but from what I know this definitely encapsulates the sort of teen romance/light comedy genre that Grease falls into. It ticks all the boxes for that sort of genre

I'm not usually a huge fan of love triangles, but Dahlia Adler did a really good job of showing how both love interests were good fits for Lara and keeping the suspense of who she would pick feeling realistic. Her position was a really tricky one because either of the choices had the chance of being good for different reasons, but also lead to regret. I can't say that I was rooting for both of them equally, because I definitely had a favourite, but I think if the outcome had been different, it wouldn't have felt out of place.

Natalie Naudus' narration was just so incredible in this. I love the distinction between different characters and how she brought them and their emotions to life in such a vibrant way, and I thought this added so much to the story. On a more technical note, the narration sped up and slowed down well, so if you listen to audiobooks on something other than 1x speed it will still sound good. If audiobooks are your jam, this is definitely one to keep an eye out for, especially if you're looking for a summer read to listen to while relaxing or doing things.

I'm really glad that I got the chance to read this one early, and especially that I got to listen to the audiobook. This is definitely one that I would recommend for if you're looking for a lighthearted and hooking contemporary, and if there are any younger teens you know who are looking for the same, my sister also wholeheartedly recommends it from that perspective.

DID I LIKE IT?
heLLO YES I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!

FAVORITE CHARACTER?
Kiki!!!!!!

WILL I RE-READ IT?
almost definitely!

THREE WORDS TO DESCRIBE THE BOOK
BI BI BI

okay but also: identity, relationships, love

I received an advanced copy of the audiobook from the publisher through Netgalley for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. The narrator did such a great job reading this book. I cant wait to listen to more books read by this narrator. The pacing of this story is fast paced. The story is set in New York City and in The Outer Banks North Carolina. It is a LGBTQIA+ book. You guys have got to read this book. It will keep your attention from the first page. The characters are relatable. It shows how teenagers are feeling throughout their senior year of high school. All of the characters in this book is fantastic. So if you guys have not read this book yet go get it and read it you will not regret it. It is a five star read in my book. I highly highly recommend it. It is in stores now for CA$26.99 (CAD).

Cool for the Summer is one of the YA titles I picked as my top 21 most anticipated reads for 2021. With it’s present + flashback timeline and LGBTQ positive vibes mixed with an incredible (as always) cover design from Wednesday Books I just KNEW I was going to get a great read from this book, and it did not disappoint.

IMO any book that is largely centered around a song like this one, that I just KNOW I’m going to fall for the WHY the book is named after it, is just a must read, instant YA favorite for me. In my own life I remember the best moments from the songs that were playing during them, like the soundtracks of the highlights of my adolescence.

Adler writes her protagonist Lara in a way I’ve never read before, that had me SO excited, especially for the teens that will pick this book & have it as they go through high school in real time. The concept of this book - that sometimes you finally get everything you ever wanted, just to realize you want something else MORE is a book I didn’t know I needed to read. It has me shouting from the rooftops that we all need to read it, and the characters and overall vibe this book has are exactly why I find it so easy to fall in love with YA.

“I don’t know exactly what I want to do with my life, but I do know I feel the closest to figuring it out when I’m here.”

SWOON, add this one to your TBR, right now! Thank you to Wednesday Books + yallfest for my physical copy & to NetGalley for the audiocopy in exchange for my personal review - I thought the voices were perfect for the story, and I just kept waiting for this one to bust out into song with a playlist in the background, all 90's movie style!

My virtual ARC based book club, loveARCtually read this one as a club in March, and getting to chat with Dahlia herself about the book was an absolute treat, this book is sure to be one of my most requested books for summer!

I knew from the title (one of my absolute fave Demi Lovato songs) that I was going to enjoy this book, and I really did. This is kind of like a modern twist on Grease since Larissa has a hot summer fling with a girl who ends up going to her high school come fall.

This turns into a messy love triangle and focuses a lot on Larissa trying to figure out her sexuality, and I was so here for it. The pacing and length of the book was perfect as well. Definitely recommend for a fun yet sometimes emotional YA contemporary romance with summer vibes!

The narrator did a great job bringing this story and all of the characters’ voices to life, though I do think she sounded a bit too old to be voicing a novel that’s from a teen’s POV.

P.S. this was also very sexy positive and was pretty steamy for a YA novel!

**thank you NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review**

WHAT AN AMAZING BOOK!The bisexual rep was the best I’ve seen so far in a YA novel. Lara was relatable with figuring out her sexuality and by showing all the complex feelings and confusion that comes along with being bisexual. Lara’s relationships with Jasmine and Chase, along with her relationships with her Mom and friends were well established and had great layers. It was the first bisexual representation that clearly showcased the main character having relationships with two different genders, which was awesome to see! This book is perfect for the summer, super fun and a lot can be taken away from it. The audiobook was wonderful, highly recommend! Thank you NetGallery for my ARC, one of my favorites I’ve read this summer.

Lara and Jasmine spent the summer together and forms a bond and a relationship that they were both not expecting. But Lara also has a huge crush on famous Chase back at school too. After the summer love has ended, Lara goes back to familiar territory: her friends, school and the boy she's alway wanted.

But then someone unexpected shows up on the first day of senior year and stirs up Lara's feelings all over again. She is definitely confused about her emotions and feelings for the two people who seem to set her blood on fire.

I thought this book was a great insight on teenagers and how they handle situations. This book explores sexuality, friendships, and summer love. I really wished there was more communication between our love interests. While they both know communication is key, they don't use their knowledge of that until the end. That was kind of an annoying element of this story.

I really enjoyed learning about Lara's relationship with her mom. I think that was one of my favorite things about this book. She was present and only wanted to best for Lara. Honestly, all of the parent-child relationships in this book were great. Even the seperated parents made it work for their kids. That is something I really appreciated while reading this book.

I really enjoyed this fun, light read. The narrator was great and kept my attention. I liked how the main character had a good balance of sassy and honesty.

3.5/5 stars

This YA rom-com is on the cusp of being adult with “spicy” scenes that young teens’ parents are likely to not want their kids to read. That said, the questioning that Larissa does concerning her sexuality is very realistic, and that it all hinges on a Demi Lovato song makes it very relevant right now, but will likely make it dated sooner than other LGBTQIA+ coming-of-age stories.

(3.5)I thought that this was a fun read. I think that this thought that the amount of representation in the book was absolutely amazing. I also love the fact that the main character was so clearly on this journey of self discovery, and the fact that she was on this journey and confident enough to explore herself and her identity/sexuality in high school was also amazing. I think that this book would make others (especially those who are younger and in high school who might be questioning if they are normal/what normal is/ their sexuality) just feel less alone and that what they are going through is something others experience. I feel like Bisexuals especially are given a negative connotation so it is refreshing to see a book that I think accurately portrays what its like without acting like this type of sexuality is a phase. I thought the book was a fun read, but I do feel like I hoped for a bit more. Overall I think that this is a great read especially for a younger audience, and I will be reading more from this author.

I listened to this on audio and it was a wonderful experience!! The narrator did an amazing job. I defiantly would recommend it.

I felt like this book perfectly capsulated the experience and voice of a teenager. I related to Lara's journey in finding herself. There was this particular scene where she becomes deeply aware that she is a different person than she was a couple of years ago and that maybe her friends don’t know her and perhaps she doesn’t know herself yet because she is still growing. That sounds confusing but I deeply related to that sentiment of understanding that you’re growing but still knowing that you have a long way to go!

I love Lara’s relationship with Jasmine. Their relationship is unfolded through flashbacks to the summer where they spent together. The "then" chapters were some of my FAVORITES. I could really sense and feel their deep connection. It was really beautiful to see how Jasmine helped Lara to shine. Her school friends are borderline between awful and endearing.

There is a love triangle going on between Lara, Chase, and Jasmine. I wanted there to be more communication between Jasmine and Lara. Lara and Jasmine's relationship was more told in the past and I wanted more of them in the present. There was no REAL conversation till the end. I would have loved to read some chapters from Jasmine's perspective. But, I loved Chase's character. H is legit a golden retriever.

*Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this book.