Hot Mess Summer by Melissa Foster

Not sure how to review and rate this book. When I saw it up for review and saw the author’s name I was eager to read it no matter what…I postponed starting till the book was about to disappear from my feed of books to read, and though in an accident a week or so ago…tackled it today…and…it was not the Melissa Foster I have read and grown to love in the past. Melissa Foster has always been a writer of steamy stories that drew me in quickly made me care about the characters and think about how the main characters would find their way to their personal happily ever after. This did not feel the same and I wasn’t sure why so…Google being my friend and not wanting to read a whole lot more after reading the beginning, the end, a bit in the middle, and some online reviews…I realized, after reading a bit on Google, that this is probably a cathartic writing by the author to deal with her own recent life issues that may have included a divorce, a move, and a whole lot of personal insight.

Big breath…this author is a skilled writer and her personal journey with insights shared through fiction is a generous gift but perhaps not for everyone – especially as this is not included in the book description. I am still on the fence and a bit stumped because I am not sure if this is a romance or an autobiographical fictional look at the author’s life and a summer spent in a recently purchased home, perhaps with female friends while exploring the area and people she meets BUT am glad that it seems, from blog posts, that she has settled into where she now lives and has the potential for a wonderful future.\

And, with all of that said, I chose NOT to read the book but am hopeful that in writing this book the author will soon find her way to writing the books that I grew to love and look forward to BUT should she have found a new vision for her writing, I will give her next book a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3 Stars

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was great! The characters are so lovable and easy to connect with. I loved how this book was heartwarming!

This was such a great book. I really wanted to be Nicole. I would love to be able to just move somewhere that everyone is friendly and kind. This book really tells the true meaning of finding yourself and healing from things that you can't control. I loved it!! I really would love to find a Chatemup town.

Wow wow wow I just loved this book and I highly recommend Melissa Foster books in general. This is such a cute story that had a little bit of spice and everything nice 4 1/2 stars!

This is a fun new book from this author! I loved the vibe in this little coastal town and the community created. She found more than just an adventure!

I found Hot Mess Summer to be a very slow starter and for the first half of the book it felt like barely anything happened.

I appreciate that this was intended to set up the story and introduce characters but it felt a little laboured and made me consider DNF’ing a few times.

However I stuck with it and it did pick up a bit making the second half much easier to read.

Unfortunately this one just wasn’t for me!

Melissa writes such amazing books ! I love that the FMC is called Nicole! Her story with Declan was just so heart warming! I haven’t read many single mum books but this was so beautiful! Declan just fit into her family perfectly! I will definitely be picking up Melissa’s next release

After her second failed marriage, author Nicole Ross spontaneously decides to buy a cottage - sight unseen - in a cute coastal town. When she gets there, she meets all sorts of lovely and interesting people, and a new adventure buddy, Declan, whom she just can't seem to stop thinking about.

Nicole and Declan's story was a really great one. I am not usually a huge fan of romance, but the character development and the storyline were great. I can't wait to read more of Melissa Foster's books :)

Nicole and Declan aren’t looking to start a relationship. Nicole is trying to focus on being herself and her writing and not a relationship. Declan is a single father who is not on the market. The two form a friendship slowly start to feel there could be more for them together. Lots of fun to read. I truly enjoyed this story.

"We should open a single ladies' service station. Think about it. A guy shows up for a lube job and leaves an hour later. No fuss, no muss, no strings or emotional attachments."
"I love how her brain works. "I think that's called Tinder."
"I was thinking Jiffy Dude," Maggie says, and we call crack up.

This was the vibe of Hot Mess Summer. I cracked up for most of the book. The banter had me!

The book was about Nic (Writer Girl or Boots), an author who needed a getaway so she bought a cottage on a whim in the small town of Chatemup. It's also about Declan (Dimple Dude), a local to Chatemup, and a fish peddler. Both of our MC have adult children, they've both been divorced and neither one is looking for anything other than friendship. They build their relationship by being adventure buddies.

Hot Mess Summer was my first romance with established adult characters, I feel like most of my books are early 20's, in college type of trope. It was refreshing to read a story about someone my own age, going through life and still learning and growing. As I said before, the banter was amazing and I loved all of the friendships that were made in this book. There was a hiccup in the road but there wasn't what I would consider a third act break up which was also a relief, it was nice to see adults work through their differences and stand up for themselves while still working together for each other. And just because they're older doesn't mean there was any lack of spice, not to mention on a boat spice!

Content/Tropes: M/F, dual POV, age gap, divorce, adult children, gambling/substance abuse of a parent, death of a parent in the past, friends to lovers, author, small town romance, found family, death of a sibling in the past, life after divorce, love after divorce, stand alone.

Thank you Melissa Foster, Grey's Promotions and NetGalley for this ARC!

Hot Mess Summer was another wonderful read by Melissa Foster, it involves two characters who have been through divorce and how they navigate the hot mess of their lives. The characters are in their forties and trying to figure out if they can be with someone else again after everything that has gone on for them.
This was a slow burn romance but a sweet read, especially to while away sometime during the summer holidays. There's a lot of banter and chemistry in this book and whether you’re new to Ms. Foster or a regular, it’s a book that you are going to enjoy!
ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review. All opinions are my own. 😊

"For anyone coming out of a relationship and wondering if you're enough. Don't wonder. Believe. Take time to heal, rediscover yourself, and create your happiness. Your vibe really will attract your tribe."

This book fits the author’s opening comment so perfectly! Hot Mess Summer is the perfect “later-in-life” and “life after” tropes. It’s the story of Nicole, a writer of romance, who is taking a leap to do something for herself after 2 divorces.

When our heroine, Nicole, has her “meet-cute” with our hero, Declan, there is definite chemistry. Also divorced, Declan is a born and raised resident of this small New England town where Nicole has just purchased her cabin. A very busy man with many irons in the fire.

This romance has a lot of banter, wonderful characters, chemistry, and a very enjoyable storyline. Super fun beach read with a more rare older character age range.

This one was a slow start for me but by forty percent in I was a hot mess too. As a person who is going through a similar situation as Nicole. Twice divorced, single and not looking, and having problems concentrating in the afternoons I was happy to see the HEA! This book was heartwarming and I adored the small town camaraderie! Five stars!

I absolutely fell in love with all the strange characters from this book. The story was so heartwarming and once I got into it I couldn’t stop reading. There were moments that made me upset and moments that made me laugh. I loved the introduction of all the quirky friends she met in the new town. Would read again

4.5 stars

I loved Nic and Declan's hot mess of a summer. From Nic's besties that encourage her to get some D in her V to her beach family and all her adventures in between.

Both Nicole and Declan have baggage that often weighs heavy but, they manage to show that making time for each other can make all the difference when it comes to building and maintaining relationships.

I especially loved the dialogue between Nicole and Claude in chapter 32 when he talks so beautifully about Evelyn, his wife of 51 years...building and maintaining relationships! It brought a few errant tears to this reader's old eyes.

Our adventure buddies, their families and friends are just so warm and welcoming that I hope we are able to return to Chatemup, Massachusetts to visit old friends.

I loved that the characters where believable in this book and it made my heart so happy and it was a roller coaster with my feelings

I absolutely loved this book by Melissa Foster. I truly hope there will be a series made of this one. I connected well with Nicole and loved Declan. They were awesome together.

Thank you to Net Galley, Melissa Foster & Montlake for allowing me to read this book!

This is my first Melissa Foster read and Hot Mess Summer is a fun and interesting adventure. The characters are loveable and a little quirky.

I definitely plan on checking out some of her other books.

Hot Mess Summer is a fun and interesting read. The characters are loveable and a little quirky. There were several laugh out loud moments in this book. Nicole and Declan have immediate chemistry but for their own reasons both hold back and decide to be adventure buddies. This was a nice, sweet and hot read.

I have to admit, I’m a huge fan of Melissa Foster, reading her books all in one sitting and swooning nonstop. This book though, didn’t really keep me as entranced as usual. It was good- wonderful characters, a beautiful setting as usual, but the romance felt a little more stilted and the main characters’ family were quite annoying but more so was the fact that the main couple were enablers for poor behavior which made the book drag a little. That said, as I noted, a sweet romance, wonderful setting and overall, good read.