I received an advanced copy of Hot Summer by Elle Everhart from the publisher GP Putnam via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Cas has spent years trying to earn a promotion at her job in a public relations firm, when her company secures a promotion gig with the UK’s favorite reality data show, Hot Summer; her opportunity might just have arrived. Cas’s boss wants to place her as a contestant, and while she won’t get help, if she makes it to the finals, she will secure the promotion that she has long since earned. Cas agrees and is ready to spend her summer trying to make herself likable to the winning public, to stay in the game. But when she arrives though, her plans get complicated when she is smitten with fellow contestant Ada, who is shockingly actually looking for love and not an influencer gig. Cas knows she’s not there for the right reasons, but she also knows that she likes the Cas that comes out when Ada is around. Is love worth the risk?

My Thoughts: I think that if you love island you may like this book more than me, because I think it’s supposed to be set in that world with similar rules (I don’t know, but it seems that way?), therefore you won’t need the extra world building. Isn’t that strange to use the term with regards to reality TV? I think that if I was familiar with the concept of the show, less of my time would have been spent orienting and I would have enjoyed this more and maybe gotten less annoyed by some plot devices. Overall, once I found my footing, I thought it was a solid book. I grew to really like Cas and totally bought into her chemistry with Ava and their relationship. I also liked the friendship, but for me the last third of the book just did not work for me. I didn’t like the conflict and I think partially that was because I thought it was exaggerated but also I don’t think I ever really understood what Cas was supposed to do for her job?

Who Should Read It: People who are Love Island fans. People who like reality TV based romances.

Summary: Cas goes on a reality show to seemingly find love, but is she there for the right reasons?

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review of Hot Summer by Elle Everhart. Unfortunately, I was unable to view it before it was archived. I look forward to finding it at my local library, online, or independent bookstore.

This book was so fun! I was excited to read an adult romance set on a reality show, since so many books with that premise are for teens which makes no sense to me. Hot Summer was a fun time, exactly what I was looking for.

For fans of Love Island but make it gay! It worked and the tension was great, the problems were problems and you wanted that HEA!

These characters just didn't really connect for me. I was excited by the premise of the story with the dating show and the marketing aspects but the characters were just lacking. I found myself not really caring where the story was going because there was no connection and no chemistry between the characters. I also do tend to dislike the whole "I'm not looking to date because I don't want that for myself" queue the falling in love and going for happily ever after. It just seems like it was really forced.

I really enjoyed Wanderlust, but Hot Summer turned out not to be for me. It took me a few tries to really get into this book, and I just couldn't get myself to stick with it. First, the premise of the main character's company sending her to the dating show felt far-fetched. The characters and dialogues once she was in the house felt a little flat to me, and I ended up just DNFing this one. It sucks because I was really looking forward to it. This one wasn't for me, but hopefully the next one is.

Hot Summer was a quick and easy read, which I finished in about a day. Despite this, I didn't enjoy it much, primarily due to its reality show setting. Although I haven't watched Love Island, I am familiar with similar shows. I struggled to immerse myself in the story because I kept thinking about how manipulative the production of Hot Summer was and how it exploited the contestants. This isn't as apparent when watching reality shows, but experiencing it from the perspective of a contestant felt disheartening. While the characters showed good growth and there was a strong sense of found family among the side characters, it's not a book I would choose to read again." Thank you so much to Putnam Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Elle Everhart's Hot Summer offers a refreshing take on the contemporary romance genre, blending the allure of reality television with a heartfelt queer love story. The narrative centers on Cas Morgan, a longtime fan of the hit dating show "Hot Summer." When her company partners with the show's producers, Cas seizes the unexpected opportunity to become a contestant, aiming to secure a promotion by making it to the finals. However, her strategic plans are upended upon meeting Ada, a fellow contestant who seeks genuine connection. As their chemistry intensifies, Cas grapples with the dilemma of following her heart or sticking to her game plan. Expect juicy gossip, hot hookups, and drama, drama, drama," highlighting the palpable chemistry between Cas and Ada. The review emphasizes that the book is a "can't-miss" for fans of reality TV theatrics and heartfelt queer romance. In summary, Hot Summer is a delightful and steamy romance that captures the excitement of reality TV while delivering a sincere and compelling love story. Elle Everhart's storytelling offers both entertainment and depth, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary queer romance.

⭐️: 4.25/5
🌶️: 2/5

Okay I thought I would like this, and I was RIGHT. I regret to inform you that I’m an avid Love Island watcher (despite not being able to explain why it’s so addicting??), so I ate this up. I ALWAYS root for the queer couples, and this book finally scratched the itch for me. Now, the conflict toward the end was a little non-sequitur. It needed some more development. But the things I enjoyed far outweighed that.

I thought Cas was super relatable, very real, and it made me think that the author definitely interviewed people who were on the show. The setting was SPOT ON. I could easily picture absolutely everything happening inside my head, and that really helped me get into the story. I loved the side characters, and wanted to see them succeed!

I just really liked this. It was a fast read, I knew it’d be my jam, and I’m so happy it was just the sapphic story I needed.

This was a fun one, dramatics and all.

Hot Summer follows Cas Morgan, who suddenly finds herself planted into a dating show as one of the contestants, with the promise of a promotion if she makes it to the end. But all her carefully laid plans fly out the window when she finds herself drawn to another contestant, Ada. As sparks fly between them, it becomes harder and harder for Cas to stick to her original strategy…and it might just all blow up in her face.

Plot-wise, this book is a little hard to hammer down because I feel like it oscillates between being down-to-earth and very dramatic. The set-up is a little convenient and required me to suppress my disbelief a bit, but once I got past that it was interesting and refreshing to see how the characters have time to breathe in between the craziness of what the show asks for. Ada and Cas have some really great, more quiet moments, and the bits of friendship we see with the side characters are really great, though it took me a while to warm up to them. Still, there are a few parts of the book that are a little overdramatic and soapy for my liking, like a cartoonishly mean side character. It’s not a huge part of the story, but it still feels a little jarring.

I have mixed feelings on the main conflict of the story. It’s exactly what you’d expect from the beginning; this isn’t bad by any means, but the way it plays out is another way that sometimes feels very over-the-top and contrary to the good communication the characters had before. While I think there’s still a genre and an audience for this more drama-filled type of rom-com, I think going the other way — delving deeper into Cas’s brain and why she wanted the promotion so much, or just giving Ada a deeper backstory — would’ve pushed my rating higher.

Even if this book doesn’t do that, it’s still a solid contemporary romance, and a solid 3 stars.

This book was such a fun ride! Inspired by Love Island—one of my all-time favorite shows—it was light, hilarious, and felt like watching the drama unfold on screen. Cas, the main character, was so relatable, and her personal growth throughout the story was so satisfying to see. Her connection with Ada was a highlight, with their steamy moments adding just the right spark. The supporting cast was hilarious, and their antics made the story even better. If you’re looking for a quick, charming romcom, this one’s a must-read!

Hot Summer by Elle Everhart is about a reality show just like Love Island but called Hot Summer. The show, just like Love Island, is very heteronormative in setup. Show participants play games, often separated between men and women, and pair up into couples. Though it's not technically against the rules to pair up with the same sex, it almost never happens. I am a big fan of Love Island, which is why I requested Hot Summer, and every season I hope to see a queer couple. This book was cute, and I did like the side characters and the friendships and even the romance, but I think my expectations were high. The show in the book was lacking in drama, which is the main focus of Love Island or really any similar reality show (aside from sex appeal). Also, the NDA made sense, but it was kind of frustrating and almost seemed like Cas was doomed from the start. I'm glad the ending was happy though. Overall, I just wanted more from this book.

You will like this book if you like: Love Island (to a tee), the phrase “here for the right reasons”, bisexual panic, and less banter more vibes ❤️‍🔥🇨🇾

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This is book was literally written for me!! Queer people in love island!!! Sign me up!!! I enjoyed every second of this book because it read like real love island episodes and I ate it up!!!! So I’m so glad I was able to get an early copy of this fun book!!!

I love a reality TV show setting! I don't watch them much IRL, but something about being behind the scenes is always fun to read. I haven't even watched Love Island, but liked this book nonetheless. Maybe I'll have to give it a try? This was the perfect summer poolside read (and not just because of the gorgeous cover). While Wanderlust matched my personal interests more than Hot Summer, I thoroughly enjoyed both books by Elle Everhart and look forward to more.

This was a DNF for me but not far bad reasons at all! I just realized while reading this that the dating show aspect isn't really for me so it was a gentle DNF. Just a personal preference! Please don't let this put you off in any way from reading this book.

Thank you to the publisher for my arc!

If you're looking for a perfect queer, sapphic, hot romance for the summertime - well, LOOK NO FURTHER.
PArticularly if you love watching dating shows and reality shows such as Love is Blind or Too Hot to Handle or Perfect Match, BUT, here the characters have brains and are multi-faceted and sweet and will make pine alongside them and you will absolutely fall in love.

Side effects: you'll get to see the ins and outs of how a reality show works, so if you think that what you're watching when you're watching reality shows is real and natural and not scripted at all and you don't want that bubble to be burst... maaaybe skip this one. Except don't, it's too good to be skipped. Just accept reality and enjoy this awesome romance!

**Rating: ★★★☆☆**

I was drawn to *Hot Summer* by Elle Everheart because of its Love Island-inspired plot and was excited to dive into a queer romance. I really enjoyed the concept and the representation, and I definitely felt a connection with the characters. The romance was sweet and engaging, which kept me hooked.

However, I did have a few issues with the book. It felt like some major plot points were skipped over, making the story feel rushed at times. Additionally, if someone were to read this without being familiar with the Love Island format, they might feel lost. There wasn't enough explanation of how the show works or what the dynamics of the competition are, which could confuse readers unfamiliar with the concept.

Overall, *Hot Summer* was cute and had potential, but it could have benefited from a bit more depth and context.

This is an adorable sapphic beach read. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review. Thanks to net galley I have another to favorite author.

absolutely love this story it was very refreshing and great to read even in the fall lol ! Great book to go read on the beach during a hot summer vacation day. I absolutely can not wait until it is released so I can add it to ,y shelf!! Thank you Neutrally for the opportunity to read and review this anticipated summer read..