Such a witty read. I didn't really get adult 'the summer I turned pretty vibes" but I did enjoy reading it

Lots of fantastic romance tropes rolled into one to make this a proper page turner of a read!
A luxury villa for two weeks in Spain, a destination wedding at a much sought after hotel, four girls (bride included) excited about a hen week, before a glam wedding... what could go wrong?
Finding that the villa was double booked. And there are four rather hunky male specimens already there, and not willing to give up their spot in paradise without a fight!
Molly, one of the ladies group, and a bridesmaid, is here after a break-up, which has left her doubting the male species. And she has a whole heap of work stress to deal with, too.
However, she keeps getting drawn to one lad, Travis, despite a girl pact that they would not get involved with any of the 'enemies' and concentrate their efforts on winning the villa for the second week.
This is 100% a romantic comedy with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. It also has the added spice of forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and that underlying spice throughout the trip.
I finished it in a day and thoroughly enjoyed it!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for an ARC.

What a fun and flirty five-star read. This was a great story and Molly just made me smile, even as her life was falling apart, she still managed to pull it all together to give her friend the best hen week and wedding possible and that just shows the great strength of character she has. When they realise the villa has been double booked, the madness they get up to and the deviousness just made me smile so much, you know that they would just be having so much fun. This author always brings the joy to the stories, but this one brought more than just joy and sunshine, it brought the sparkle as well.

Okay - wow! I was not expecting this. I LOVED THIS BOOK. It pulled me in from the beginning. So cute, and perfect for a summer day!

Thanks to @netgalley, the author & the publishers for the ARC.

You can't beat Portia Macintosh when you need a light, funny, and charming book to read, and this was no exception! It had plenty of humour, spice, and overall lighthearted fun! It was a bit of a slow burn to get going, but that was the only negative!
It should definitely be on your summer list to read!

Thank you to NetGalley, BoldBooks, and Portia MacIntosh for the chance to read this ARC of Too Hot To Handle!

What happens when two groups have been double booked at the same villa. Attraction and a friendly competition of course!

This one started off on the slow side but once I got to the halfway point I really started to enjoy it. It was funny and cute! This would be a great summer read.

Thank you Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Portia MacIntosh for this ARC in return for an honest review!

This book was literally Too Hot to Handle in novel form—except with an extra twist. A double-booked villa, two groups competing to see who gets to stay? That’s such a fun concept, and I was hooked on the idea right away! It had all the summer vibes, reality show drama, and laugh-out-loud moments that make for a perfect beach read.

While this leans more into comedy than romance (I definitely wanted more of the romance!), it was still such an entertaining read. One of my favorite parts was the friendships between the girls—they had such a fun, supportive dynamic, and it made the story even more enjoyable. The forced proximity added to the chaos in the best way, leading to some really funny and unpredictable moments!

I will say the pacing felt a bit slow at the beginning and then rushed toward the end. And while the romance had plenty of attraction and tension, I wished there were more emotional moments or deeper conversations between the main couple. I get it—it’s a villa full of ridiculously good-looking people—but I would’ve loved to see their connection build beyond just the physical attraction.

That said, this was still a super fun, lighthearted read! I found myself cheering for the characters (especially the girls) throughout the competition, and it had just the right amount of chaos to keep me entertained. If you're looking for a short, fun summer romance that feels like watching a reality show, this one is definitely worth picking up!☀️🏝

What a funny and entertaining escape this novel was! This novel had such a great girl vibe as a Bachelorette Party in Spain, where they find out the villa they’re supposed to stay in was double booked by group of hilarious and adorable men. What ensues is a week of them competing to see who will stay. I found myself laughing out loud numerous times! Perfect summer beach read.

This was my first novel by Portia MacIntosh, but will definitely not be my last!

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

This author always delivers a really great fun easy read so of course I had to grab this one. I was not disappointed at all! This book had me laughing out loud and I read it with a big smile on my face.

🩷 Forced Proximity
🩷 Rivals to lovers
🩷 Friend group
🩷 Wedding trip
🩷 Sweet and Spicy

This book is about a group of friends heading off on a bachelorette party as one of them is getting married. The original plans get cancelled so with a crazy reshuffle a new plan is made and off they go. Let’s just say the plans are not what they planned though, throw in an unplanned stag do and we are in for some fun.

This book was such a breath of fresh air, I really enjoyed the storyline and enjoyed all the banter between the characters. I loved the setting of the book, even if it was primarily set around a swimming pool, you forgot you were in one area as so much happened there.

I loved both friend groups, each person was so different and brought their own unique antics to the groups.

I thought the ending was brilliant, it was the perfect ending after Mollys horrible start to the storyline.

I absolutely recommend you pick this book up when it comes out.

“I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.”

Another enjoyable beach read from Portia MacIntosh.

When Molly and her three friends arrive at a villa in Spain for a hen do, they discover that there has been a mix up and Travis and his three friends have also booked the villa. With neither party wanting to leave, they resort to competing for the right to stay. The resulting chaos causes sparks to fly between Molly and Travis.

Unlike others, I didn’t think the pre-holiday part of the story was too long, and I’m someone who likes a story to start right in the action.
The female characters were different enough to be interesting. I liked the premise and the setting, though I would have preferred a bit more in different locations like the town. In terms of language and humour, one of the best I’ve read from this author. Sharp, sometimes subtle, some genuinely funny moments rather than just amusing.

My main sticking point was that I did not like the boys. And that kind of affected me caring about the outcome. They’re really unpleasant. And whilst they become less hostile, I wouldn’t want anything to do with someone who had behaved like that. Even if it’s the lad on the periphery who’s not really joining in with the others, he’s not trying to stop his friends' behaviour, and you can judge a person from the company they keep.

A light-hearted read with plenty of humour.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

(3.5/5) I think this would make the perfect summer read! I loved the comparison to Love Island and the villa setting—it added such a fun, entertaining vibe to the story. The book had me laughing out loud, especially during the shampoo scene. This was my first book by this author, and I can’t wait to read more from them. That said, the pacing did feel a bit rushed at times, and I wasn’t a fan of the fade-to-black scene (just a personal preference). A huge thank you to NetGalley for providing the early ARC!

I love Portia Macintosh’s books and this one is no exception. Molly is the narrator. She’s the maid of honour for her best friend, dealing with a break up and worried about her job. A pre wedding hen holiday in Spain sounds just what she needs until their villa is double booked and they end up having to share with a stag party. A competition to see who gets to stay in the villa is the obvious thing to do. For the hens and stags it is hate at first sight or is it?
This is the perfect beach read with laughs and romance and a great heroine. Loved it!

Another brilliant 5 star read from Portia Macintosh.
Mollys best friend is getting married in Spain and the hens decide to go over early to relax in style in a luxurious villa. It all sounds perfect until they arrive and find it’s been double booked by a group of stags.
What follows is a hilarious battle of the sexes, involving lots of crazy games and quizzes.
The characters were excellently written and I absolutely loved Travis. The setting was just perfect and I could just picture them all sitting under a palm tree by the pool.
Thanks to NetGalley, Portia Macintosh and Boldwood Books for an advance copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

This was my first book to read by Portia Macintosh, it's a delightful and entertaining romantic comedy that will keep you hooked from start to finish. With a perfect blend of humor and romance, this is such a fresh and fun story. I would recommend this book!

I had no idea what to expect when I started this book, but it pulled me in right away. The main character is dealing with a breakup, so a bachelorette trip to Spain with her friends seems like the perfect escape. But things take a turn when they arrive at their villa—only to find out it's been double-booked with a group of men.

From that moment, everything is unpredictable in the best way. The tension between the two groups is sharp, full of quick comebacks, unexpected moments, and the kind of energy that keeps you hooked. Nothing feels forced—it’s messy, funny, and chaotic, just like real life when personalities clash in a situation no one planned for.

Beyond the villa’s madness, there’s something deeper happening. Between all the fun and rivalry, the main character is finding her way through the mess, not just of the trip but of her own emotions. It’s not a simple story about moving on—it’s about embracing the unexpected and realizing that sometimes, the best moments come from situations we never saw coming.

I have read most of Portias books, and they are always guaranteed to be a fun read.
I really enjoyed the sexy villa, Love Islandesque vibes. Molly and Travis were attracted to each from the start and it was great to watch their storyline develop. A perfect story to enjoy by the pool!

This book was so cute! It's seriously the perfect beach read. I wish it were a little longer because I wanted more at the end. But it's a perfect mix of a romcom and a reality competition show. Four friends go on vacation to Spain for a bachelorette trip. The villa they booked ended up being double booked with a group of four men who were also there for a bachelor trip. Both trips were booked for two weeks with a wedding at the end of the first week. They decide to have a competition to see who gets to stay in the villa for the second week.

This book was hilarious, heartwarming and sweet. It's a great read and I will definitely be recommending this one as a summer beach read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This is not my first book by this author so I knew what to expect an it didn’t disappoint!

This book was cute, funny with a bit of surprises at the end. I loved pop culture references and emotional moments were really cute.
The only thing I would add is how the second week looked like.

I haven't read any books by Portia Macintosh before, though she seems to have written loads. But I'm apparently in my romcom era, so thought I'd give her a go.

Our protagonist here is Molly, soon to be chief bridesmaid for best friend Louise, and recently dumped by her own boyfriend for having the nerve to imagine they too might get engaged. The wedding is in Spain and the girls - Molly, Lou, Nita and Willow - have booked a gorgeous villa for them all to stay in pre-wedding.

But - yikes! - there's been an admin blunder of monstrous proportions and the villa has been double-booked with a bunch of guys. Lucky they're all hot. But the villa ain't big enough for all of them.... let battle commence.

There are a lot of references to Love Island, which I've never watched, so these would probably have been more meaningful if I had. Nonetheless it was a fun read and I liked the characters, even if I didn't really get invested in Molly's love life. (Harry and Nita were probably a more interesting pairing.)

An enjoyable read and I definitely wouldn't be put off reading more of Portia's books.

A great book with a mix of sweet and spicy storytelling. I enjoyed this one and think it will be a great summer read! The cover is gorgeous and the characters were well-developed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.