I enjoyed reading about an older heroine that was dealing with issues that are common among my age group.

The wonderful writing has me visualizing the events taking place and it felt like a REAL story. The author made Chatemup, Massachusetts sounds like the perfect community for me and my husband to retire to!

I’ve been a fan of Melissa Foster’s for several years and couldn’t help imagining her as the inspiration for the main character, Nicole.

This is a Romantic Comedy and it is Nicole and Declan’s story and omg it is definitely a must read. Nicole is a twice divorced, single mom and a romance writer with a serious case of writer’s block and she ends up buying a cottage by the sea in a fishing village in New England which she hasn’t seen in person and only took a twelve minute video tour and now she doesn’t feel very confident about what she will find when she gets there but with a deadline approaching she needs to get her brain in gear and men are definitely not on the menu for a long time but thank goodness she has her two best friends with her to stop her from going into complete meltdown. Declan is always thinking and helping others before himself and is always rescuing people and that is why he is called the white night but when he meets Nicole it seems like his whole life is changing but because of all his baggage and trust issues and the people that he constantly takes care of along with his workload he doesn’t have time for anything else especially a relationship because he can’t and won’t bring anyone else into his mixed up life. The more time that Nicole and Declan spend together as friends the stronger and more intense there attraction and chemistry grows and there connection is so special and unique that they are unable to stay away from each other but Nicole is only there for the summer and Declan has a lot on his plate so how will they be able to navigate and move forward together when there are so many obstacles and problems in the way. Nicole and Declan are so close and perfect together and I love how they can talk about anything and everything and also understand what the other needs and wants and I am so glad that they eventually worked everything out and got the happiness and future that they both wanted and deserved. Wow I absolutely loved this book and I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting until the early hours of the morning after all who needs sleep when you have such an amazing and addictive book to read definitely not me. Melissa Foster is an amazing author and writer and I definitely recommend you read this book and all her others and you will not be disappointed and I hope that Nicole’s crazy friends get there own story’s because when you put these ladies together they are absolutely hilarious.

This is a lovely friends-to-lovers romance about two divorced people discovering that even when you aren't looking for love, love might just find you anyway.

A twice divorced romance writer moves to a seaside New England cottage looking for inspiration and meets a business owner with a savior complex. Both of them insist that they aren't looking for anything more than friendship, but as they spend time together, they cannot help but be attracted more and more. I appreciated how they called each other out on their respective bad habits and were willing to be apart rather than settle for less than the best. The complications of dating with adult children, elder parents, and exes seemed realistic and I enjoyed reading about middle aged people finding a new place in their lives.

Thank you to Montlake via Netgalley for my eARC.

I have loved all of Melissa Foster’s books and this was no different! I appreciated that the characters were older and i the mature phase of their lives.

Nicole is in trouble. She’s a twice divorced burnt out romance writer with a bad case of writers block. Needing something different, she buys a beach house in Chatemup and intends to spend the whole summer there trying to regain her muse. Throwing coffee over a stranger (Declan) in the local coffee shop was not the fresh start she intended but what a way to make an impact. Neither one is looking for an attachment. Although Declan has his own issues that doesn’t stop them becoming friends and having fun. Is Declan the muse she never knew she needed.? As Nicole settles into the community and gains even more new friends she will begin to enjoy life once again. Will she be able to leave it all behind at the end of the summer? A charming, sometimes witty story of fresh starts, new friends and everyday life. I loved the nicknames Nicole and Declan had for each other and it was great to see them grow as their relationship blossomed. Overall this is a sweet, heartfelt, entertaining read.

4.5*s

I am always so happy to get my hands on a new book by Melissa Foster. Her characters are invariably engaging and her writing can turn something simple into a story that draws you in & won’t let go. The fact that this one focuses on an older hero and heroine, a couple that are grown but not done growing, is refreshing. And I was delighted by their journey from being new friends into more.

Both Declan and Nicole are moving into a new phase of their lives – figuring out where they fit with their friends and family, and learning what they want for themselves going forward. The way they do this together, going on delightful adventures, getting closer, and growing as people is just a fun read.

There’s very little drama and angst here, instead it’s a story about self discovery filled with delightful characters, humor, and small town charm. Oh, and a good amount of heat, of course.

Hot Mess Summer by Melissa Foster is the story of Nicole Ross. Nicole is a twice divorced single parent who also writes romance books. So she wanting a fresh start along with getting better at her writing. So when she buys a summer cottage in Chatemup, Massachusetts she ends up with more than she bargained for then she meets Declan. This was a wonderful later in life romance. It was just a dream to read. Enjoyed it!!

Melissa Foster is one of my favorite romance authors. She brings us unique stories with well written and developed characters, and Hot Mess Summer was no exception.

Hot Mess Summer gave us a tiny peek into Melissa's "life", and I loved it.

Nicole is a twice divorced single mom, who moves to a small fishing village looking for an escape, from everything. What ends up happening though is she attracts every hot mess in the area, including Declan. Wooooweee. Declan. These two start out as just friends, but we all know that life has a way of laughing right in our faces.

Melissa covered many important topics in this book, and I have to say I was not disappointed from start to finish. 5 stars for Hot Mess Summer!

I loved the dedication in this book. It spoke to me. This cover pulled me right in. It's just so pretty. I stayed because the story was so good. I laughed so hard while reading this one. Girl Scout cookies! IYKYK! It was super spicy and so fun. I just loved Nicole and Declan. They just felt so real. All the side characters are so great too. I am always a fan of found family. I cannot wait to read more by this author. Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

Hot Mess Summer by Melissa Foster is a hilarious story of real-life scenarios on what life is like after a divorce. Nicole and Declan meet shortly after Nicole arrives in Chatemupa for her girls' trip. Both Nicole and Declan are divorced, and Ms. Foster is able to write about very relatable and fabulous hot mess situations that they encounter. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all of the characters!

I really loved this story. The characters felt very real and so did the challenges they had in their lives. I loved the quick banter between Nic and Declan. The friendships were fantastic, and I hope everyone has a set of friends they can rely on like Nic does. There were many LOL moments and I enjoyed them all. I know this is a standalone, but I kind of hope we see these characters again. I have read a lot of Melissa Foster's books and this one is a little different in that the main characters are older and further in their lives than a lot of the other books. I found the writing to be just as wonderful as all her others. The story pulled me in immediately and I felt like I was there. I received an advance copy of book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

3.75stars-HOT MESS SUMMER by Melissa Foster is a contemporary, adult, romance stand alone focusing on thirty-eight year old, divorcee and author Nicole Ross, and forty-eight year old, divorced father of three, fisherman Declan Miller.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Nicole and Declan) HOT MESS SUMMER follows the building romance and relationship between our story line couple. Nicole Ross is a romance writer who bought herself a summer vacation home in New England. Hoping to make new friends and forget about the mess back home, the twice divorced Nicole will come face to face with her future in the guise of fisherman Declan Miller. Declan doesn’t want anything permanent, and Nicole is quick to agree but as the summer slowly turns into fall, our couple will discover the heart wants something more than the brain is willing to accept. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Declan and Nicole, and the potential fall-out as the reality of their own lives may be too much to handle.

The world building focuses on family and friendships, new friendships that accept our story line heroine without a thought but Nicole and Declan will both struggle with issues of family and doubt, and in this, their relationship may not last the course of a summer affair.

The relationship between Declan and Nicole is one of mutual attraction. Nicole’s ‘accidental’ first meeting with Declan becomes fodder for her friends but a welcome party set into motion a summer love that ends all too soon. The $ex scenes are passionate and intimate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and fun secondary and supporting characters including many of the locals, both Nicole and Declan’s family and extended families, as well as Nicole’s daughter Kenzie, and Declan’s embattled father Rick.

HOT MESS SUMMER is a story loosely based on the author’s own summer affair; a story of fun and adventure, happiness and acceptance. The premise is entertaining and inviting; the characters are animated, quirky and charming; the romance is spirited and moving.




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4.5 stars

This book reminds me of the Melissa Foster writing back to the Seaside series—a quirky, fun read. Nicole is setting out to find herself again after the divorce. She buys a cabin in Chatemup, MA, and takes her two best friends for a summer adventure. A stranger in this very small community who is embraced quickly and shows her what she is missing in her life.

Declan is a local in Chatemup; neither he nor Nicole are looking for anything other than friendship. Can they just be friends?

The banter, the nicknames, the friendships formed, building trust, and enjoying life all rolled up in a wonderful story that was hard to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake; this is my voluntary review.

What does a romance writer due when she has lost her ability to write? Twice divorced writer Nichole Ross takes off on a trip with her gal pals to check out the cottage she bought in Chatemup, Massachusetts. Although she and her friends, Rachel and Dana, are off on their adventure, Nichole leaves behind her daughter Mackenzie who is still finding her way in life. She has no plans to get involved with any man, but she does find Declan Miller interesting, even after accidentally spilling her coffee on him. A divorced father of two sons, Declan is not looking for a hookup, even with “writer girl”, but sometimes fate has other plans. As they become adventure buddies, can they remain just friends or will they have a chance at love, again? A bit different from her other books that I have read, but still an entertaining romance. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

This was my first book from Melissa Foster and I am sure now it will not be my last.

Nicole Ross impulsively buys a cottage in New England, she is a romance writer who has been divorced twice and a single mother. She is having difficulty keeping her attention to her writing, hoping different scenery will help.

Her girlfriends Dani and Rachel come with her for the first week, their annual girls’ trip. Their first stop at the local coffee shop finds Nicole spilling her coffee onto a rugged man with black hair and salt and pepper scruff!! Great “Meet Cute”

Later in the day the girls meet all of Nicole’s neighbors, one thing leads to another and they decide to have a party. Guess who shows up at the party…you guessed it Declan Miller...let the fun begin!! Declan is a large part of the community knows everyone, he is a fisherman and has a sizable business. Nicole and Declan's banter and chemistry create sparks.

Declan and Nicole become adventure buddies! The girl scout cookie adventure was the funniest thing I’ve ever read!!! They nicknamed each other Writer Girl and Dimple Dude!! One giant fun filled adventure from start to finish.

I fell in love with all of the quirky characters and hilarious dialogue that that had me laughing out loud!! This romantic comedy was a slow burn, but believe me, it was so worth the wait!!

This is my first Melissa Foster read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the writing style. The story itself is so good. Funny with banter. A tale of starting over and growth. The characters were so well written. Being over forty myself, it is so refreshing to find love stories with characters near my age who find what they are looking for, even when they aren't looking.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I’ve been reading Melissa’s books for nearly a decade now and she’s always been one of my go-to, instaclick, must-read. Her books do exactly what I want – whisk me away to some place fun, full of laughter, love, and characters you would love to have as best friends. Hot Mess Summer is definitely different from her other reads – but I think exactly what we all needed from Melissa!

Knowing that Declan was based on Jeffrey Dean Morgan, I could hear his voice all throughout his parts in the story – especially during the more intimate moments *wink wink*! Nicole is trying to take some time to rediscover who she is underneath everything (and everyone) she built around her to keep her in a safe, comfortable place. To say that her summer is a hot mess — well, it’s precisely the perfect title for this book.

I love how Melissa loosely based this book on her own personal adventure through a summer. Being such a big fan and a part of her Facebook group, I got to hear pieces of her personal stories and love how she added some fun twists to make them uniquely Nic’s for this book. Personally, I have been divorced and can understand a lot of what both Nic and Dec went through in regard to their exes. There were times that I was a bit frustrated with them both, but knowing how messy divorces with children are, I knew they were doing what they often thought was right and things that would keep the peace.

In addition to the fun story, can we talk about this cover? How gorgeous is it??!!

HOT MESS SUMMER starts as a typical tale with interesting potential, but trust me, it quickly becomes so much more. It doesn’t take long before you find yourself so enamored with the characters and so deeply invested in Nicole and Declan’s lives that you hardly want to take time away from their story. Their first encounter is truly by accident but that’s where the initial spark is set. From there, it steadily grows until their whole summer is ignited with fun adventures and sexy times. The banter between Nicole and Declan and the humor from their friends will bring plenty of smiles and a few laugh-out-loud moments. However, what captures your heart is watching their relationship develop, and how the bumps they encounter along the way result in their personal growth. This is such a truly amazing story, and you will enjoy reading it so much that you are not going to want it to end. It will stay with you long after you’ve finished.

I have really enjoyed this book, with so many moments of friendship, both old and new friendships, and so many laugh out moments! I feel in love with Chatemup and the all the characters! And oh my Daddy Declan is so charming! Nic is the kind of woman I want to be friends with! This book will be added to my read again list!

Hot Mess Summer is a departure from Melissa Foster’s beloved Love in Bloom series and absolutely nothing is missed. This is a slow-burn romance with both Nicole and Declan coming into this new friendship/adventure buddy relationship with an “I’m-single-and-staying-that-way” attitude.
As they spend more time together, their feelings for each other morph into more and they bring you along for the ride. But they both have a lot of baggage and hang-ups to get rid of if this hot mess summer romance will survive. A fun, beach read to be enjoyed…