Does love find you when you stop looking for it? Follow Nic on her journey to find herself after her second divorce. Set in small town Chatemup, this romance novel will have you rooting for Nic to find happiness. Sometimes steamy, the storyline is somewhat predictable, but still engaging. The story development is great and you feel like you've been transported to Chatemup and want to be neighbors with Nic and all her friends. Overall a fun novel about finding your happiness.

This book takes you on an adventure—one where you find yourself, the strength you thought you’d lost, and love (including self-love) when you thought you never would again.

Nicole is a 38-year-old woman and twice divorced. She’s also a romance writer, but she thinks she’ll leave the love stories and great sex to her characters.
Declan is protective and loving, but laid-back. Someone who doesn’t care about having a trophy woman on his arm or big, fancy stuff.

Both characters are incredibly real, and flawed. Nothing’s perfect here, and that makes it a perfect story. Does that make sense? It does in my head.

Nicole needs to get out of the town where she was with her ex and let go of the memories of that toxic relationship. She decides to buy a seaside cottage in a small town. Bold move for an introvert who keeps to herself and her writing.
However, a chance meeting with a guy—and his dimples—at a local coffee shop changes all that. 

Turns out the guy is pretty amazing. He even helps her plan out her novel—one she’s been struggling with. In doing so, he keeps coming closer, just like a romance hero.

The chemistry they have is undeniable. He says all the right things. He loves her for her.
Until they know they're ready for more than friendship.

I’m so happy this book has older characters because I don’t see a lot of those. It’s like love and smexy times are exclusive to twenty-year-olds with six-pack abs and perky everything. Guess what? It’s not. And there’s something to be said about Declan’s experience and what he shows Nic.

All her insecurities are washed away because he loves all of her. And my single, battered, and bruised heart, and "natural" body couldn’t be happier.

The small town is amazing. The story has minimal angst, but there’s a lot of learning involved—about themselves and others.

It only takes one summer, even if it's a hot mess one and filled with hot mess people, to change everything. To show you you're worth it, to show you you always have been.

Nicole is looking to change things up and get away from her life and move on her ex, so she buys a beach cottage and plans to spend the summer there and try to work through her writer's block. There are new friends to be made and plenty of men that she grabs the attention of. But she's not looking for a relationship, she's enjoying doing what she wants, when she wants. There's one guy she meets that occupies her thoughts and that's Declan. Seems like his life is more of a mess than Nicole's. They enjoy spending time together; Declan is her adventure partner and they even brainstorm idea for her book. Definitely an attraction between them but with all the baggage they both have can they be more than friends?? Ms. Foster's writing style is different in this book than her others and it does take some getting used to, but story is good, and we get some laughs along the way. I received an ARC from Grey's Promotion and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This was my first Melissa Foster book and certainly won't be my last.

Romance writer Nicole buys a summer house in a little fishing village after a turbulent few years and 2 ex husbands!, there she is embraced by the town folk and all their little quirks. She meets Declan, the local fish peddler and the towns white knight in the coffee shop when she throws coffee on him.

He is a hot mess and is determined to have a new adventure buddy in Nicole.

This book it was light-hearted, but also included some tough topics but also some laugh out loud moments

I really enjoyed Hot Mess Summer by Melissa Foster! It is totally different than what Melissa normally writes. The characters are older and have young adult children to deal with. It felt like an adult coming of age book, with two divorces for Nic and one for Declan, and how they move on from them and come together. The banter between them is hilarious, and they are there for each other and understand what each other is going through in their personal lives. It makes you want to get away to a small town and flirt over a bonfire!

4.5*

I had high hopes for this book. I mean the author said a few times that her inspo was Jeffrey Dean Morgan for Declan and boy oh boy did this book deliver with the hotness. I mean the slow burn at the beginning was eating me alive. Declan should come with a warning. That man has a mouth on him. I swear my fingers were burning while I was turning the pages to get to the first kiss.

I'm not sure just how to describe Nic. She was feisty, funny and I absolutely loved her easy nature. Despite wanting to stay man-free, something draws her toward Declan. Despite all his warnings and sorta kinda red flags, they fall fast and hard for each other. But their lives are a mess and they'll have to put just a little more effort before they can simply be happy.

This book was a great way to forget about my problems and simply enjoy reading about all the mess our MCs needed to work through before they ended up happy and together.

Hot Mess Summer was a funny and bittersweet look into a summer when Nicole, twice- divorced, moved to the beach house intended to be her writing cave and getaway she purchased and carefully had decorated over the past months until she could move in for the summer.
While she's struggling to coax her muse into talking to her again, she's also discovered that having found herself, she's apparently a magnet for single men.(Ironic, since she's finally made peace with who she is and her independence and isn't looking for anything more than friendship. )
She finds friendship with Declan, a local silver fox, also single, and is greatly relieved when he lets her know he's single, not looking, and that he's the hot mess with family demands and work pulling him in every direction, but as they vow to remain friends, they also become 'adventure buddies', and thus begins the slippery slope into romance.
I liked Nicole's steadfast responsibility without sacrificing her ability to have fun and meet the folks who slowly form her new, found, family. I also enjoyed the honesty, sometimes painful, she and Declan share.
Declan is charming as can be, a delicious man who is romantic, thoughtful, funny, and while imperfect, willing to look in the mirror to see his own flaws, not just those of folks around him.
I couldn't see how these two would get their happy ending, but the magic of Melissa Foster did it in style!
Laugh a little, cry a little, but most of all love a lot when you pick this book up.
Five stars for sure!

Struggling to come up with the words for this one.

I love everything I’ve read by Foster so I knew going in I would like this one. What I didn’t know is just how all of the emotions and feelings would grab me. The way Declan & Nic are so open with their feelings is a beautiful thing.

This is not a part of any of the Foster series, but it’s written just as well as all of those. There’s plenty of laugh out loud moments and plenty of spicy moments.

Such a great story!!

I had a little difficulty getting into this as I felt the beginning was full of the minutia of Nicole finding her new life as a divorced single parent in a new town. I was also overwhelmed with the introduction of all her new neighbours. But once Declan’s voice was aired, I became more interested as the focus became more about the budding relationship between Nicole and Declan. I loved that the MC’s were both older. I even liked that their kids were older. While this is a steamy romance story, this book reads more like a chick lit since there is a lot of personal growth for both Nicole and Declan.

>>> A huge thank you to Melissa Foster and NetGalley for my eARC of this incredible friends-to-lovers romance. Of course, all thoughts included in this review are entirely my own!

Friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes and I loved how things progressed with twice-divorced, Nicole and her adventure buddy, Declan.

The banter between these two is INSANELY hilarious (and spicy, from time to time). I loved the welcoming, small town community that Nic becomes a part of. I would move to Chatemup in a heartbeat!

Declan is a sexy, self-proclaimed hot mess and white knight to all in need. Even though both he and Nic say they aren't looking for a relationship, the chemistry between them is undeniable.

I loved the inside look at a writer's lifestyle, too. As a wannabe author, I could picture myself writing in a cozy little coffeeshop in a quaint beach town.

The main reason I picked this book up was how Melissa described it on Instagram. Loosely based on her summer of 2021? Yes, please! But then I fell in love with Nic and Declan, and they won me over like any other hero/heroine she's written.

I love love LOVED this book and highly recommend it to all Melissa Foster fans (and all romance fans, as well!). Go out and get a copy NOW! You won't regret it 😘

It’s not often I get to read a story with characters in their late 30s and 40s, but this was one of those stories and it was such a fun read.⁣
⁣
Both, divorced with children, trying to find who they are again later in life. One a writer, one owning a fishing business. Neither looking for love, only wanting friendship; but being so drawn to one another they can’t fathom the other on a date with anyone else.⁣
⁣
So they become summer friends, to Seggsy time friends to lovers; weaving through all the other dynamic relationships in their lives with ex’s, parents, friends and their own children.⁣
⁣
Still always finding each other, time and time again.⁣
The Girl Scout cookie moment had me dying.⁣
I adored this story. ⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dès le début de ma lecture, j'ai été captivée par l'histoire. Une histoire de cendrillon revisiter mais malheureusement le prince Unseelie n'a rien d'un prince charmant.

J'aime beaucoup le personnage d'Ella. Elle ne se laisse pas faire, elle a énormément de courage et de caractère.

Mon avis est mitigé concernant Thorn Ardmore. Je l'ai adoré à certains moments mais déteste à la fin de ce premier tome.

Leur relation est très compliquée, Ella qui essaie de fuir ou de le tuer, lui qui cache bien son jeu. Leur "relation" prend un tournant auquel je ne m'attendais pas du tout à la fin de ce premier tome.

J'ai vraiment hâte de connaître la suite de l'histoire et de savoir et de leur relation.

J'ai adoré ce premier tome. 😍😍

Thirty eight yeear old Nicole has decided to move to a cottage after three years of her divorce. Her reason behind her move was to get inspired again and continue with her writing.

I liked how the relationship developed for Nicole and Declan. They both had gone through some tough times and regardless of their age, they still wanted to be happy and try for each other. They create balance and chemistry where they build a relationship. They got along well.

I enjoyed reading this story. There were some parts that were funny and some parts where it got more serious. It balanced out. The whole setting was to perfection. I loved everything about this story.

I loved this book so much! I want to go live in their beach community and be part of the gang. I could just see me there with all the friends while I was reading the book. It gave me such a peace while I was reading it even though there were some hot messes! I loved Nicole and Declan together and enjoyed their banter. This was one of those stories where I was always rooting for Declan and Nicole to see how good they were together, even if they both thought they never wanted to fall in love again. They both had their family troubles that had to be worked through, but they were good with helping each other. I strongly encourage you to read the book. I was given a copy and voluntarily wrote a review.

4.5 Stars

Hot Mess Summer was such a fun, refreshing read. The way Melissa writes so descriptively, I felt like I was right there in Chatemup. I could feel the breeze, smell the fish, hear the seagulls. Every single character was well written, and I enjoyed the dynamic of the friend group and how they immediately brought Nicole into the fold.

Nicole is a romance writer who is looking for a fresh start and buys a cottage in New England on a whim. She is twice-divorced struggling with a daughter who won’t grow up and writer’s block that won’t go away. She quickly becomes friends with her neighbors who bring her the sense of community that she’s been looking for. And despite her claims that she is not looking for a man, Declan Miller, local fish peddler, quickly becomes someone important in her life.

The characters in the book were older than the characters in the books I normally read, but that made their antics that much more fun. Nicole and Declan as adventure buddies was the best thing ever. These two had me laughing out loud. I loved that connection they immediately found and despite being the responsible adults/parents they both were, it was exciting to see them reliving some of that youthfulness that they had lost. Both had to grow up too fast for different reasons, so when they were together it was a breath of fresh air.

I was rooting for Nicole and Declan to bring down their walls and just give in to each other. They weren’t fooling anyone. I loved how their relationship evolved so organically. I loved how they quickly gave each other nicknames: Writer Girl and Dimple Dude. Nicole with her feistiness and Declan with his sexy smirk were bound to be magical together. That slow burn had me flying through pages just to get that one epic moment.

Hot Mess Summer is a fun and entertaining romantic comedy. I’ve enjoyed Melissa’s humor and wit in the past and this book did not disappoint.

Hot Summer Mess by Melissa Foster is a standalone and such an amazing read!

After her 2nd divorce Nicole decides she needs a change and moves to a tiny costal town away from her past. She a writer and needs to find her muse again, doesn’t want the attention of the single men, but ends up becoming friends with another divorced man who takes her on adventures to get her creative juices flowing again but there’s an element of attraction…will they remain just friends or could it be more? Read on to see where it all ends…

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.25 STARS

This an interesting romance, there’s much more going on in the story than the romance and I found that I enjoyed the friendships and daily life experiences more than I expected. I admit at first so many characters were introduced I was a bit overwhelmed, I thought I wouldn’t be able to keep track or that the story in general would be too wordy. It wasn’t the case for me, I ended up enjoying this story quite a bit.
Nicole is a writer who’s a new empty nester, on a bit of a whim she buys a New England summer house. Her two besties go with her for the first week. They meet quite a few of the neighbors most of whom have lived there since birth. It’s a tight knit community, this is one of my favorite parts of the story. They’re all ages over 40 and that was refreshing as well.
Nicole and Declan meet and have an immediate attraction, both are not open to dating at this point in their lives for various reasons. They spend casual time together with their little community and alone and they mesh really well. So, obviously things are going to heat up and happen.
I like the main and secondary characters, they all have wisdom to offer and fun.
I love the evolution of the found/chosen family. It’s such an idyllic place and community. It was like taking a vacation myself as i read this book.
Nicole’s besties are fabulous as well.
The romance was a fantastic friendship first and I really loved the way that evolved. Personal boundaries, responsibility and figuring out how you want to enjoy your life are major themes.
It’s a really satisfying story with characters I adore.

Writer Girl and Dimple Dude

Small town romance ... yes please
Melissa Foster ... yes please
Humour and Romance ... again, yes please

I always know when I pick up a Melissa Foster book it's going to be a fun read. HOT MESS SUMMER was humourous, romantic, had wonderful characters, and was an addictive read from beginning to end.

Nicole Ross, a twice divorced romance author, has just bought a little cottage in Chatemup, MA. She plans on spending her summer writing and having some fun. She's definitely not looking for a relationship, but somehow that thought is about to be thrown out the door when she literally bumps into Declan Miller. Declan is also divorced, a local to Chatemup, a man who is snowed under by the responsibilities he has taken on. The idea of a relationship is the furthest thing from Declan's mind, well he thought it was.

I adored Nicole and Declan, the nicknames they gave each other were cute, and often made me laugh. They developed an easy-going friendship which blossomed and grew with each "adventure" they enjoyed together. I loved the banter between them, it was witty and sarcastic, with a humour that appealed to me. The chemistry between them sizzled, but it was the way they healed each other of their past heartaches, and learned to love again that was really special. When the heat between them finally happened, well let's just say Summer definitely got hotter!!

Once again Melissa Foster's words were captivating and addictive, I couldn't get enough of them. The chaos, the adventures, the friendship, the Chatemup community, the characters, the love, everything combined to ensure Nicole and Declan's story was a fantastic, unforgettable read.

Read and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction

✨✨✨✨✨ FIVE FANTASTIC STARS ✨✨✨✨✨

Set in the small town of Chatemup, Massachusetts, Hot Mess Summer tells a light-hearted and heart-warming story about love finding you when and where you least expect it.

The story introduces Nicole, a twice divorced bestselling author. At the start of the story, readers learn of her split moment decision to purchase a cottage in Chatemup where she plans to spend the summer. She hopes to regain her writing mojo while making new friends. Now, Nicole declares she is not interested in a relationship, and neither is she looking for love. However, fate laughed in the face of her declaration by placing Declan, who also was not looking for a relationship, in her path.

I had so much fun reading this one. Foster did a wonderful job in creating the perfect balance of humour and serious moments. Nicole and Declan’s chemistry leapt from the pages. I had a wonderful time watching their relationship move from friends to lovers. Despite their issues and insecurities, all could see they were perfect for each other. While they may not want a relationship, they could not deny their connection. Their interactions were fun and intense. Prepare for some laugh out loud moments. These two will have you rolling with laughter in no time. I especially loved how he helped with her brainstorming sessions.

Hot Mess Summer delivered a different vibe from what I have come to expect from Foster. First, the main characters are older (the heroine is 38’and the hero 48): and the romance is a slow burn. Yes! You read right, slow burn, which is not the norm for Foster. Despite her deviation from the norm, she did not disappoint. In true Foster style, she gives her readers a story filled with small town charm, delightful characters and a sweet and passionate romance.

Hot Mess Summer is a story of self-discovery, healing and the creation of one’s own happiness.


Ava Erickson and Aaron Shedlock narrated. This was my second experience with Aaron’s narration and my third for Ava. They did a good job portraying Nicole and Declan. Their tones were pleasant, their pacing blended well with the flow of the story, and they gave the characters life. Although one could differentiate between the male and female voices, their tone sounded the same for both narrators.

Pour une fois, Melissa Foster a choisi d'écrire une romance un peu différente puisqu'elle propose un one-shot (espérons que non car elle a le don de nous faire aimer et la petite ville où se passe l'histoire, et les personnages secondaires en quelques pages) avec des personnages plus matures que d'habitude : en effet, nos héros ont été mariés (deux fois pour l'héroïne, une fois pour lui) ont des enfants et ils sont entre 40 et 50 ans. Cela n'empêche pas une romance hot pour autant ^^ : ils n'ont juste pas les mêmes priorités et le même regard sur la vie que les héros habituels de Melissa.
De plus, l'héroïne, Nicole, est une autrice de romance à succès (tiens, tiens, comme Melissa) qui lui ressemble beaucoup dans les descriptions et divorcée (là encore, il y a un aspect autobiographique même si je ne sais pas si elle est divorcée deux fois) et forcément, son histoire et les choix de son héroïne sont forcément impactés par ce qu'elle connaît. Bien sûr, il y a de l'invention, ce n'est pas sa vie à elle qu'elle raconte, mais forcément, on voit qu'elle maîtrise parfaitement son sujet.
Le héros est juste parfait (ou quasi) : Declan est un homme qui a du vécu, a des responsabilités (bien trop) et qui est une sorte de chevalier servant qui vole au secours de ceux qui l'appellent que ce soit son père (qui a des problèmes) ou son ex qui a souvent (bien trop souvent) besoin de lui. Mais lorsqu'il rencontre Nicole, sa vie va changer et prendre un nouveau tournant : la jeune femme qui est venue s'installer dans la petite ville de Chatemup dans le Massachusetts, a besoin d'un break estival et de sa vie en général : elle a donc acheté une maison pour s'éloigner à la fois de son ex qui l'a trompée et de sa vie, pleine de dramas. De plus, comme elle a un livre à terminer, quoi de mieux que de se sortir de cette ambiance lourde, le temps d'un été. Elle arrive en compagnie de ses meilleures amies qui passent une semaine avec elle et très vite, elle va trouver sa place dans cette communauté, pleine de gens ouverts et adorables et au final, une nouvelle famille et surtout une nouvelle vie. Or, elle qui en avait assez des hommes, va se retrouver être le point de mire de la ville et va attirer tous les hommes sexy du coin. Mais le seul qui l'intéresse est celui qui est, comme elle, puisqu'il veut une vie sans relation amoureuse (tant sa vie est compliquée : au moins, il est honnête avec elle). En revanche, il va lui suggérer une amitié où tous deux se retrouveront pour des aventures (où ils retrouvent l'insouciance de leur jeunesse (attention, ils ne sont pas vieux, hein? ) mais même si tous deux veulent rester simplement amis, l'attirance est très forte entre eux : vont-ils résister et ne pas succomber à leur alchimie? Nicole n'est là que pour l'été et repartira près de sa fille et sa mère ensuite, tandis que Declan a des tas de responsabilités et n'est pas toujours disponibles, tout comme Nicole qui a une deadline à respecter et un livre à finir d'écrire alors que les mots semblent lui échapper. Comment ne pas gâcher cette amitié tout en voulant plus intimement? Comment vivre une histoire alors que le temps leur est compté et que chacun a une vie à des milliers de kilomètres l'un de l'autre? eh bien vous le saurez en lisant cet excellent mais différent roman de Melissa Foster.

Premièrement, je veux aller habiter à Chatemup ^^ La façon dont Melissa décrit le cadre, ses habitants et la manière dont ils enveloppent la jeune femme et ses amies, comme si elle avait toujours habité avec eux, donne vraiment envie de faire partie de cette communauté et de participer aux discussions, balades, fous-rires avec Maggie, Marcus, Marlo, Aspen et tous les autres et même d'apporter des gâteaux à Claude ^^

Et bien évidemment, je veux découvrir un Declan : cet homme est un amour : "Dimple Dude""le pote à fossettes" ou "Mr Fossettes" en français ne pouvait que faire craquer Nicole aka "Writer Girl" ou Bootsy (car elle met souvent des bottines ou boots) : ils ont à la fois la maturité que leur a donné la vie, des responsabilités mais ils se rejoignent dans un brin de folie lorsque celle-ci se fait trop lourde et tous deux vont vivre des aventures inattendues : il est drôle, sexy, responsable, intelligent et même quand elle bloque, il l'aide à échanger sur son histoire, lui donne son point de vue et respecte sa vie extra-dense d'écrivaine. Sans doute parce que lui aussi a des responsabilités qui font qu'il doit parfois la quitter immédiatement et sans explication. Même si aucun ne veut avoir d'histoire, l'attirance va être plus forte que tout mais ces fameuses responsabilités pourraient venir gâcher un bonheur récent et leurs transformations à tous les deux. Nicole en a terminé avec sa vie d'avant et elle se cherche : malgré deux mariages, elle ne sait plus qui elle est réellement et a besoin de se reconstruire, de ne plus être seulement l'auteure à succès, mère d'une fille qui se cherche aussi mais simplement une femme épanouie, qui sait ce qu'elle veut.

J'ai adoré, outre ses amies aussi fofolle qu'elle (et j'espère qu'elles auront leurs histoires), cette communauté, son soutien, le fait qu'ils l'incluent dans leur vie et ne la jugent jamais.
J'ai aussi aimé les nombreuses référence au métier d'écrivain et aux nombreux sacrifices que doit faire Nicole ou Melissa pour proposer toujours de nouvelles histoires, être au sommet de son art et bien sûr, les sacrifices que cela impose.

Bien évidemment, même si cette histoire est un peu à part et se veut un one-shot, on retrouve la marque et la plume de Melissa Foster, ses valeurs, l'amitié, l'amour, le soutien inconditionnel aux proches et à la famille, la vie dans une petite ville, la reconstruction et bien sûr, le grand amour qui laisse espérer qu'on peut le trouver à n'importe quel âge, quelque soit la vie qu'on ait eu avant. Enfin, on n'oublie pas les scène sexy, toujours là au bon moment et qui sont hot sans être vulgaires.

Bref, un Melissa Foster un peu différent mais au final avec tout ce que l'on aime chez cette auteure. Comme toujours, on tombe amoureuse (encore ^^ ) une nouvelle fois du héros et on ne peut que conclure (égoïstement vu les sacrifices que cela impose) "vivement le prochain!".