I always know I’m going to love a book if Melissa Foster is the author. There is just something about her writing style that speaks to me and it always makes me feel like I’m right there with the characters. And Hot Mess Summer was no different! I loved this book so much and it will be one that I will reread and is a feel good book. I loved that it had an older hero and heroine (30s and 40s). I loved both Nicole and Declan and felt that their story was believable and could happen in real life. Their story is proof that you’re never too old to find true love. This book had me laughing so much but also had moments that made me teary eyed along with swoon worthy moments. This was all around a heartwarming story that had me in all my feels and I will be recommending to everyone!

This storyline about a twice-divorced, nearly 40-year old woman moving into a cottage at the beach for the summer was so fun to read. I loved Nicole’s best friends Rachel and Dani, but really enjoyed seeing her become a part of the Chatemup community.

New friends, a sexy dimpled hottie asking her to be his adventure buddy made this book engaging and an entertaining. I totally related to the feelings Nicole had about not wanting to encounter old friends she knew because of her ex-husband.

Experiencing Nicole’s growth and adventures was such a nice change of pace. The storyline included romance, but Nicole stayed true to herself and respected her own boundaries.

Declan definitely was eye candy and such a tempting part of the story. Even though things weren’t always smooth sailing between them, he was respectful and an adult! Dimple Dude was definitely a catch!

There were so many characters to get to know, but anyone moving to a new town experiences the wave of so many new names and faces it was like us readers were adapting to the new town and learning all these new people alongside Nicole.

I received a free ARC from the author and Grey’s PR; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

I love small town romance and I love Melissa Foster so I was excited for Hot Mess Summer and all I need to say is this book was well written, entertaining and very enjoyable. This is Declan aka Dimple Dude and Nicole aka Writer Girls story set in the wonderful town of Chatemup, Massachusetts.
This is a story about finding love when you least expect it, taking chances, learning to trust again and putting the past behind you. I loved that is a journey about an older couple and I was captivated from the moment I picked Hot Mess Summer up. If you are looking for a read that will make you smile, leave you with a giggle with characters you can’t help bonding with look no further than this entertaining read.
I was given a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley.

New beginnings... So many feelings

This book brought about so many feelings. I loved, loved Declan and I knew there was more to him underneath the adventurous and hot mess man. Nicole is so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. She came so far in her ‘Hot Mess Summer’, I was proud of her. Getting back to who you want to be after a divorce is not an easy feat. Dealing with young adult children who are on the cusp of independence is a tightrope walk, and I identified with her. I enjoyed the meet-cute between Nicole and Declan, and their growing slow-burn relationship. But that slow burn ignited into an inferno when they opened themselves to the possibilities.

Melissa Foster is a master at creating characters and gifting them to us in artistic and fun ways. How we see each person and who they are underneath the mask is endearing and emotional. Nicole has some wonderful and quirky characters who are willing to help her. Including her lifelong friends, Dani, and Rachel, and I hope we get to see their stories at some point. Her beach family is a wonderful mix of personalities and epitomizes what found family is all about. All in all this was a beautiful story of personal growth at any age, adventurous fun in doing anything as long as your with the right people, and finding love when you’re not looking for it. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and this is my honest review.

Absolutely a cute summer read. I loved all the characters and the plot line.

- Slow Burn
- Small Town
- Mature MCs

Nicole is a writer and double divorcee, who bought a cottage in New England to try and beat her writers block. She finds a cute small town with many interesting individuals and multiple men making passes at her even though she has no desire to date again. She finds it hard to continue to be the workaholic she once was now that she has a community to be a part of.

Delcan is ex-military divorcee with a troubled background. With a messy family life, family business, and his own business to run, he has no time for romantic relations. He finds a piece of himself, as he goes on adventures with the new girl in town.

I was rooting for Nicole & Delcan from the start. I really enjoyed the character
Development and banner. The Girl Scout cookie scene had me laughing out loud.

This review is my own opinions from reading my ARC copy from NetGalley.

First let me say I love all things Melissa Foster. She is an auto download for kindle, or audiobooks for me. And getting an early copy of this was awesome. I loved these characters, and their fun friend Rachel. She does a great job when it comes to being the steam to her characters lives. Definitely pick up a copy of this one !!

Nicole is a romance author who purchased a summer home in Massachusetts and it’s a place she can escape to and maybe find some inspiration for her writing. Declan is a part of the community she is in and the two of them strike up a friendship and became adventure buddies.
There is chemistry between these two and I loved seeing their entire relationship develop. It was fun to see them grown and learn from each other as the story went on.
This book is rare in the fact that both characters are older and mature compared to reading a romance about some twenty somethings. Personally, I found it hard to connect with the characters, but it was still an enjoyable story.
If you’re looking for a friends to lovers, slow burn, age gap romance check this one out.

So I have been a long time reader of Ms Foster's and I have to say that this was just a flat okay read for me.

In this read we get a small town feel book with A LOT of characters that could have been left out as well as their dialog since much of it did not contribute to the plot. We get Nicole's story - a writer's blocked author who purchases a cabin in hopes of inspiring her writing again while she gets over her divorce and navigates being a single mother.

Declan, a single father, former military and fish seller becomes a friend to Nicole as the pair go on adventures. As their friendship grows the pair share some entertaining banter while they both find a connection in the hard cards that life has dealt them.

I think that while this is a great summer read it would have been better being released closer to summer. I also was not thrilled with the best friends of Nicole as they were hard to relate to especially since they were older than what they were portrayed as. I thought that the plot where it was a slow burn romance could have lost a lot of the extras that were in it and made it hard for me to soldier on when reading it.

Overall this was just an okay read for me that in the end may not have been a great pick for me.

4 star Review Hot Mess Summer by Melissa Foster

I know when I pick up a book by Melissa Foster I am in for an entertaining read. I was intrigued when I read the blurb for Hot Mess and couldn’t wait to dive in.

Set in Chatemup, Massachusetts this Declan aka Dimple Dude and Nicole (Nic) aka Writer Girl’s story and it ticked numerous boxes for me. We all know that love can be hard to find. Particularly as you get older. This is a story of moving on in life, of finding love when you least expect it. It’s a story of looking deep within and finding the courage to confront the past and taking a leap of faith.

This was a story that I enjoyed, I loved that the characters were older so perhaps that’s why it resonated with me. Well written, with characters who are easy to relate to I found myself smiling and laughing whilst reading.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Hot Mess was such an entertaining read. From the moment I picked up the book I was drawn into Nicole and Declan's story. I love how they became friends. There interaction in the book always put a smile on my face. Reading their story was like watching a movie. Their journey was such a natural progression. I loved the story and all the side characters just added to the book. I am definitely going to be rereading this one! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Twice-divorced, single mother, romance writer Nicole has just pressed "Control+Alt+Del" on her life. She needed a change, a fresh start. So, on a whim, she buys a raspberry-colored cottage in the small town of Chatemup, Massachusetts. She wants to spend her summer there, free of drama and the hot mess of her life back in Virginia. She wants a community to belong to. But like attracts like it seems, and all of a sudden, she's a magnet to all the hot mess men in the town, including Declan Miller. Self-proclaimed hot mess himself, he's a 47-year-old hunk of a man, with dimples that make Nicole swoon. Neither one is looking for romance. He's stretched thin as someone can be with his messy life that includes a widower dad that's not dealing with the loss of the love of his life, an ex-wife who keeps him on a leash with all the favors she needs from him, two sons, a successful "fish peddling" business... Nicole has sworn off men anyway, but they soon become fast friends and "adventure buddies" and all of a sudden the heart wants what the heart wants, right?
Loosely based on Melissa's own "summer of change"  this is a lovely story of finding what makes you happy, no matter when it happens in life. I love that the main characters are "older" and embracing change and new beginnings. 
It's Melissa's first foray into 1st person POV and I really liked that she choose to write that way  for this story. It makes you feel closer to the Nicole and Declan. 
In true Melissa fashion, she touches some heavy subjects, such as divorce, grief, gambling, PTSD, but all with the Melissa touch we all know and love. 
It's funny, sweet, steamy and the best "hot mess" ever! I want to move to Chatemup!  LOVED IT!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
I am a huge fan of Foster and all her interlinked books; this was just as good as ever. In fact, I think it was possibly one of the hottest from the get go! This is probably because Nicole and Declan are older and very clear that they are both not interested in a relationship, but strongly attracted to each other. It works really well as a holiday romance which turns serious, I loved it.

Nicole is an author with a deadline and writer's block, so her impulsive purchase of a beach house to get her back in the mood is where she plans to spend the summer. Her friends come out to see she is settled and find it hard to leave, given the fun that is to be had in the community where her house is set.

As she gets to party with the oldies and spend time at the beach, Declan is often around and keeping the chemistry bubbling between them. It is fun watching them let their passion fly free, but only really half believing their ‘It is just a fling.’ statements.

I can see myself rereading this one just because it is so great to see these two people give themselves a chance to be happy!


Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
Nicole and Declan are friends with a simmering flame between them. Neither of them is ready to take things further, so they are content as friends.

Being twice divorced, Nicole is not in any hurry to rush into a relationship, but her friends think she needs a man. She is a romance writer with writer's block and her friends are trying to get her block removed by hooking her up with Declan. Can Declan help remove her writer's block?

This group of friends is the best, they can laugh, laugh at each other, and cry together. I love the way their relationship evolves, and they finally give in to their passion. This story has the main characters in their late 30s and 40s and is more relatable.

I am a diehard Melissa Foster follower and try not to miss her books and this one is great. I highly recommend it.

Melissa writers the most beautiful stories I ever had the pleasure of reading. She puts the strongest, most courageous Heroines face an equally brave and bighearted Hero. But out of all of them, Nicole and Declan are my favorite!
Nicole is on a journey to find herself and her writing muse and stumbled(and spilled coffee all over) the Dimple Dude(aka panty melting Declan).
These two are insane together! Their friendship, their chemistry, their connection, everything was flawless.
I always had a crush on Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and knowing that Melissa used him as her muse, it only made me love Declan more. And with those dimples and playful personality and dirty dirty mouth, I now have a Daddy Declan fetish 🤭🤭🤭
As for Nicole, I loved her journey and her weaknesses, and her strength, and her heart. She was so relatable that I felt connected with her from the first pages.
I more than recommend this book! I will reread it and talk the ear off of every book lover i meet and talk to. This book was perfect 💕 Melissa is a brilliant writer! Thank you for giving us Nicole and Declan 💕

Wow. Okay, I was really excited to get this review copy, and this book just.., wow. It was a great read for sure! It left me speechless which doesn’t happen often lol.

“Hot Mess Summer” is a beautiful lesson in self-discovery. The story starts out with Nicole and her two best friends traveling to Chatemup, Massachusetts where Nicole has purchased a cottage. The “girl gang” vibes are strong, and I found myself immediately pulled into the story.

Nicole discovers another found family with her neighbors at the cottage. She is there to write but finds herself drawn in by the community and an attractive fish peddler named Declan. Neither one is looking for a relationship, so they decide to be friends. They are at similar points in their lives after divorce with adult children and immediately feel drawn to each other. Their relationship is more of a slow burn while still managing to pack some heat. It makes sense for these characters, and I really enjoyed their dynamic.

This book is mainly about Nicole’s journey to find out what fills her cup at this stage in her life. This hot mess of a summer helps her realize that success looks much different than previously thought. I really enjoyed how complex these characters managed to be with very little angst. This book is a great place to start if you are new to Melissa Foster because it truly stands alone in her extensive backlist.

Hot Mess Summer takes you on an adventure of love, friendship, and family that ends with you packing up to move to fictional Chatemup, MA.

Nicole Ross and Declan Miller are convinced they aren’t looking for a relationship, but these adventure buddies don’t stand a chance fighting their attraction. This book beautifully portrays finding oneself and letting go of heavy burdens.

Hot Mess Summer is for friendships, family, community, adventure, and romance. With a curmudgeon neighbor who loves his lawn and has a penchant for bakery treats, a rambunctious group of friends, and a cookie heist, this book will not disappoint!

Dual POV (mostly Nicole)
Small town romance
Friends to lovers
Both divorced
Ex-Military
Single parents
Standalone romcom

I love Melissa Foster romances and I love that the hero and heroine are closer to my age! Nic bought a cottage on a whim as a summer getaway and falls in love with Chatemup. Declan is a hot mess and yet can’t help but make Nic his adventure buddy. They try to stay just friends, but end up failing miserably.

Great story and great romance! The only weird piece not explained to me was Jacob and his attitude toward Nic. Hopefully that gets explained in a future story maybe?

Thanks to the publisher for a review copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have been a fan of Melissa Fosters for over a year and have read multiple of her books, and this one by far is one of my favorites. It’s a new world with new characters. I think she did an amazing job of planting seeds though out the book, and the way they sprouted and came together in the end I wasn’t fully expecting at all, and made it all make sense. This is a more mature couple which isn’t as common in the romance world and I loved it. It got to show the struggles of young adult children, brings about the divorced club, and the love a found family can give. The age gap is 38 and 47. If your looking for instant spice this isn't it it is closer to the middle end of the book. This book is a love story and it also beings about the struggles of alcoholism and gambling as well as the need to put yourself first sometimes. I loved the laughs and trials the characters endured, and how it brought them together in the end. I’d love to see more from these characters as I loved Daddy Dimples and Writer Girl soo much!

A beautiful messy, steamy romantic love story over one summer that changed two peoples lives!! Nicole who is divorced, wanted to run from life and write on the beach for the summer and Declan is a fisherman that can't help but try to save and help everyone even his ex wife!! When this couple meet sparks flew and only got stronger as the summer rolled on!! So many obstacles that needed to be crossed before this couple could enjoy their adventures together!! Sometimes people take many years to get their life in order but hopefully this will show to follow your heart and make yourself number one once in a while!! Life is to short but to go and enjoy while your here!! Hopefully you have your adventure buddy beside you for all your adventures!! Go grab this book and enjoy!!

4.5 stars

Nicole is 38, a single mom to a ‘in college’ daughter, a romance writer and was married twice already. Now it’s 3 years after her divorce from Tim and on a whim she bought a cottage in a small fishing town in New England to escape for the summer.

At the start of the summer, the annual girls trip with Rachel & Dani is to that cottage in Chatemup.
This is the start of Nic’s journey to finding her new place of peace, new friends and most importantly herself since she kinda lost herself in the relationship with Tim.

Upon her arrival at Chatemup, Nic smacks into a firm chest at the coffee shop, spilling most of her tray of coffees on Declan’s shirt. This was a really fun meet-cute moment between Nic and the witty & charming ‘dimple dude’.


From the start Bootsy and Dimple Dude gave sparkling chemistry, quick-witted banter and fun adventures. They played of each other so well as friends at the start, making me root for this duo from the very start.
I really enjoyed the adventure buddies link, and the cookie wars had me laughing so hard.

Melissa’s writing style makes this a very fluent reading experience. The relatable characters and cozy community vibe made for a story that felt very real and believable.
I also enjoyed that it was 1st person narrative with a double POV where relevant for this rom-com.


Thank you to Montlake and NetGalley for the chance to read a free advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review