I really enjoyed this story - the writing, the layers & depth, and the ending! I enjoyed some of the commentary (e.g., on influencers, on being queer and self-identification). Finally, I liked the embedded contrast of NYC vs. the Hamptons. Pressure, the work-centric lifestyle, feeling stifled vs. freedom, the ability to let go and recover.

And while I don’t want to give any spoilers, I loved the ending, Lola figuring out what was right for her and picking it.

There were two main reasons I didn’t give this five stars. First and foremost, I wish Lola finding herself had been a broader portion of the book. I think that was the best (and most important) part but instead felt a bit sudden and quick. Secondly, while most of the characters had flaws, I loved Ryan and watching Lola completely and repeatedly deprioritize him was painful.

Thank you to Christina Najjar aka Tinx, Bloom books, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Major bummer on this one. The writing in this book was super basic, and honestly, I just didn’t vibe with the story. I couldn’t get lost in the world the author was trying to create, even though I have been to NYC several times and know the Hamptons from TV very well. The luxury stuff mentioned was mostly just labeled as “high-end,” with no real details about what it looked or felt like, which could’ve helped bring the characters and setting to life. The whole fashion subplot felt pretty flat, too.

Lola, the main character who’s an influencer, was a total snob. Her “personal growth” got lost because she was so focused on getting validation from social media. I would’ve connected with her more if she had any actual girlfriends. It made sense she didn’t, given how self-absorbed she was, but it left the side characters feeling underdeveloped. I don’t know any women who don’t have close female friends and only one gay (male) best friend. That kind of thing feels more like a trope from pop culture than real life. And last but not least, I just don't think a sapphic romance is my cup of tea.

I read a book once called "Girls Who Lie Together" that involves a teen girl who is sent to a home for troubled girls in a different town. In this town, she meets another girl, and they begin a relationship. That was very much a young adult book. This feels like the adult version of that book but with characters that still feel closer to kids than adults (aside from the spice).

While the other book I mentioned and this one have similar themes, they are vastly different, so I just want to clarify that they are not being compared in this review.

Hotter in the Hamptons is absolutely a summer read that I have a feeling will be read on beaches everywhere this year. If you are looking for an LGBTQIA romance with adult characters, this is the book for you. It felt very sweet, and yet not. Very fresh, and yet still impactful. Very summery, and yet absolutely perfect for any time of the year. It is full of drama, and the influencers in this book do a good job of making you not like them.

I am going to keep this review short and sweet: read this book if you want, but I definitely recommend it if you are a fan of influencer books, drama, and toxic relationships in fiction.

Thank you very much to Sourebooks BLOOM Books, NetGalley, and Tinx for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own and in no way are influenced by the manner in which I received this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloom Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I did not enjoy this book. I found the characters to be quite unlikeable and harmful lesbian/bisexual stereotypes within it to be homophobic/biphobic at times.

The setting was neat. A sapphic beach romance is always a good idea. I gave an extra star for the spice because it was spicing!

This book is likely a great representation of a bicurious woman discovering her identity later in life. Her conflict of who she loved felt real. However, I was not here for Justin. I really liked Aly and her development through the first half of the book, so I hated to see how her character developed towards the end. But that is how plot and character development work. I thoroughly enjoyed the storyline of how they met (very original). My issues with the book are strictly personal in the fact that it did not end how I would have liked. I was waiting for a 5 years later epilogue. That is not to say that the ending was bad- I do believe this book is a great "finding yourself" story, but that's just not what I was looking for in the moment.

HOTTER IN THE HAMPTONS is a fun and easy read that will for sure make your summer hotter. It centers around soon-to-be thirty Lola as she is hit with a crisis in career and a breakup that causes her to take some time to discover new and old parts of herself. I was worried I wouldn’t like the ending since it’s not a romance, but Lola does indeed get her own “happily ever after.”

Thank you to Sourcebooks Bloom Books and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

““See, that’s exactly it! Why do you have to be gay to have a relationship with another woman?” “Is that not the definition of the word?””

“Besides, Lola didn’t need another person. She [just] needed herself”

I’m a big fan of stories about women finding their identity. Lola was really relatable to me. She was charming and self-absorbed at the same time, and her struggles with finding her purpose and who she loved were something I could totally connect with. It made me feel a little emotional, and I think it’s a great book for anyone who’s feeling lost or uncertain about their future. It’s a normal part of life, and this book can help you feel a little bit understood. Thank you to Netgallery for providing me this arc.

“She hoped the rest of her life would be full of such opportunities for change and growth. She had a feeling it would be- as long as she was open to it. And she was”

Lola’s professional and personal life fell apart after the release of a scorching exposé, written by a well-known critic, Aly Ray Carter. Lola takes off to the Hamptons with her best friend, Ryan, to escape the mess that is her life in New York City. Unfortunately for her, she can’t escape Aly because she lives in the house next door. 


The situation with her boyfriend was frustrating and problematic for me. I didn't find some of the characters likable, even Lola herself. In part, I sympathized with Lola because it did feel like she was being pressured by everyone. It wasn’t my cup of tea, but in a way, I understand why it ended the way it did. 


I’d like to thank NetGalley for giving me a free ARC.

Hotter in the Hamptons follows the fmc Lola through incredible highs and the lowest of lows on a journey of self discovery and embracing her true self without the influence of anyone else. I could not put this book down! I found Lola to be mostly relatable and understood her struggles of losing herself in others and not being able to see her own flaws or the chaos that followed her. I find myself already recommending this book and I just finished it!

Thank you NetGalley and Blood Books for this ARC!

This book is about Lola who is an almost 30 year old who is struggling with finding her identity in terms of her sexuality but also just as to who she is as a person as well.

This book and the authors writing style just were not for me - that’s not to say it’s a bad book - just personally did not land with me. I had no idea who Tinx was before reading this book but now knowing she is an influencer it is cool to see how she took what she knows and was able to incorporate it into this book. Some things did feel over explained, like when writing an essay for school and you’re trying to hit a word count. For example when talking about how the main character took an everything shower in my opinion saying that is enough but then she went on to say exactly all the steps she took to have that everything shower. As a queer person i can say that the relationship between Lola and Aly did feel really pretty spot on to how a lot of wlw relationships go. I did go to the authors TikTok and saw she mentioned how it was a spicy book and i can confirm that the spice scenes were great. I was also really proud of Lola’s development and growth at the end of the book,

Also being a local to Long Island and being someone who has spent a lot of time out in the Hamptons it was fun to see a lot of places I know be mentioned.

Hotter in the Hamptons was a fast-paced, easy to read book despite the unlikable main character. Lola's emotions felt very realistic and relatable even though her actions were questionable throughout almost all of the book.

My main issue with the book is that it felt as if Aly was purposely being made into an unlikable lesbian stereotype just so that Lola could find herself and be more rightfully angry at her. The portrayal of lesbian culture in her friend group didn't seem realistic (a traditional butch/femme couple is not going to have the butch wearing a dress, for example). Lola annoyed me by all her wishy-washiness about her sexuality and I do not feel as if the novel provided good or realistic sapphic representation. I have noticed a trend of lesbians, especially dominant lesbians, being fetishized while still being treated as suspect simply because they are lesbians, and on a meta level it feels to me as if the novel did this. It's hard to give specifics without giving spoilers.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75/5

Spicy, spicy, spicy! This book dives deep into the struggles of popularity, fitting in, and the cost of losing yourself in the process. ARC’s article does a great job of capturing today’s influencer and cancel culture—especially timely given the recent NYC influencer drama. I also loved the mention of box theory!

That said, Lola was tough to root for at times, especially with how she treated Ryan—it was honestly painful to read. But the last two chapters? Perfection. Watching Lola truly discover herself was so satisfying, and I wish more of the book had that energy.

Overall, an entertaining read with some frustrating moments, but a perfect poolside read!

I really enjoyed getting lost in this book. It feels so real - an influencer who is faced with the reality that she doesn’t enjoy her life anymore. The passion that she first had, the life she thought she was living, went astray and she never even noticed.

This book really drew me in. It felt like I was there, experiencing all the ups and downs with Lola. It was a ride because she generally felt unlikable. Bland, self absorbed, just like the article that takes her down says. The book from her perspective feels fast - the summer melting away. And yet I found myself cheering her on as she explored her sexuality and grew into a new person with renewed hopes and dreams. I loved the slap of reality she got, and I wanted to just squeeze Ryan for being the absolute best friend. And at the end… the hope I felt for her. For fresh starts and new beginnings and joy.

Hotter in the Hamptons follows a rising influencer whose picture-perfect life begins to unravel under the spotlight of social media scrutiny. When a scandal threatens her carefully curated image, she escapes to the Hamptons in hopes of reclaiming control—but instead, she’s forced to confront her identity, her relationships, and the harsh realities of fame in the digital age.

I loved this book so much. It’s incredibly fast-paced—I literally binged it in a day—and packed with complex, real characters that felt layered and authentic. The story frustrated me in the best way. I found myself emotionally wrapped up in the characters’ decisions, sometimes wanting to shake them, which just shows how deeply invested I became.

One of my favorite aspects was the portrayal of social media—how one day you can be adored, and the next you’re vilified or canceled. It felt so relevant and honest, especially in today’s culture.

The setting was another standout. I loved the contrast between New York and the Hamptons—New York representing home, structure, and pressure, while the Hamptons served as a space of escape and introspection. That duality added so much depth to the overall narrative.

And the thing that surprised me most—something I wasn’t expecting at all—was that in the end, she chose herself. That choice felt powerful and earned, and it made the story resonate even more.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Tinx's first fiction novel! I loved this and really enjoy her writing. thanks netgalley & the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review

This was a very accurate portrayal of a sapphic situationship. Most of the main characters were unlikable and a mess. I was entertained to see where it was going but it was also very frustrating trying to root for any of them to make a good choice. It was very realistic but I wish there was a little more whimsy or romance.