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!".

“You are my greatest adventure.”

From their first messy meet-cute, I was smitten with Declan and Nicole. This age-gap, grumpy/sunshine, single parent romance was lovely. Declan is a single father, grumpy, small-town fisherman. When the big city, beguiling, writer divorcee tumbles into his life, he finds the fun in life again. A once-in-a-lifetime friendship changes both of their lives forever. I loved these adventure buddies! Hot Mess Summer explores real life issues in a swoony setting. Nicole impulse buys a coastal Massachusetts cottage. After years of suffering emotional and mental abuse by her ex, Nicole is free to find her self again and pave a new path. With lots of fun side characters to add humor and wisdom to the story, Hot Mess Summer has a little bit of everything. Writer Girl and Dimple Dude were complex, endearing characters. From workaholic to adventure-seeker, Nicole’s journey of self-discovery was a blast! As Declan lets Nicole in, she helps him work through lifelong grief and regrets. Through her friendship, he’s finally able to let go of self-imposed pressures and open his heart to a caring healthy relationship. A lot of this book reads more like a buddy romcom than a romance, and I was here for all of it. I want to drink sophisticates with the girls and chat by the bonfire all night! I can always count on Melissa Foster to deliver when I’m in the mood for a delightful story with complex, relatable characters, and lighthearted fun! If you’re looking for a sweet, low-angst, heartwarming slow-burn, add Hot Mess Summer to your TBR today!

Nicole's taking back her life - bought a house in a small East Coast village, and is determined to spend the summer there rejuvenating her writing muse, which has seemed to have deserted her lately. She isn't looking for a man, a relationship or anything in that realm. Her friends who have come with her to spend awhile, though, keep urging her to put herself out there. She seems to have attracted more than one attractive man, but it's a rough around the edges fish peddler named Declan who is sticking in her mind. He doesn't want an entanglement any more than she does, so the two will just have to agree to adventures with no strings. Until more is inevitable, until they can no longer resist. But can they truly maintain a no strings relationship? What will Nicole do when it's clear that Declan's ex-wife is far more a priority than she is?

Declan's always been the savior. He saves his dad from the consequences of his drinking. He saves his ex-wife from, well, everything, so when does he do for himself? When a gorgeous newcomer appears in town, just maybe he can do something for himself by letting himself have something with the most interesting adventure he's ever laid eyes on. But to do so, he'll need to make sure his priority list is in order or he'll lose her.

Hot Mess may be a romantic comedy, but it has more heart and emotional depth than the average humorous piece of fiction. Declan, oh Declan, that man is just such a sweet lug with so many issues and has his head buried in the sand until this equally sweet "hot mess" comes along and gently brings his head out of the fog. The fact that the both of them aren't in their 20s is actually something I really enjoyed - they act like mature adults rather than whiny, entitled brats that 20 somethings can many times come across as, and this speaks to my heart *ahem 40 something here*. Melissa never fails to bring the heat, the feels, and the love - it's why she's one of my absolute favorite writers!

A fantastic, slowburn romance where, for once, the hero and heroine weren’t in the first flush of youth. Nicole was a twice divorced author in her late thirties who had just bought a summer cottage in the slightly whimsical small fishing town of Chatemup. She was done with love except in her books and was happily finding her newly single feet while the hero divorced Declan was a forty something businessman, a definite dilf who felt exactly the same way as Nicole, so they began a friendship with adventures that soon graduated to included benefits before love snuck up on them.

I loved the development of Declan and Nicole’s relationship. Their friendship was believable. They were a pair who had fun with no expectations from each other which meant no major drama. With fabulous secondary characters albeit extremely nosy ones who gave off distinct swinger vibes and some hilarious escapades, namely the Girl Scout cookie raid that had me snorting back laughter and a fabulous epilogue that didn’t take the easy out and give this couple the conventional ending, Hot Mess Summer was a great read for a rainy afternoon.

This was not your normal Melissa Foster read in that it was an older in life couple with little angst and no suspense. This was just a fun and enjoyable read. Melissa Foster writes stories I love. Well written with characters to love and a romance story to warm your heart.

Hot Mess Summer by Melissa Foster is a fantastic read. This book is a little more subdued than previous Melissa Foster stories, but I found this one to have a more comprehensive story.

Nicole is has has a couple of bad marriages from one when she was very young, to one where her husband was a narcissist and could not support in her writing endeavours. She is having a writers block and is hoping by changing her environment, she can get going again. Nicole buys a small cottage in Chatemup and soon discovers, she loves it there. Her neighbours pull her into their ranks and provide all the support she was missing.

Declan has a lot on his plate as he tries to protect and help everyone. His time is pulled so many different directions, but mainly from the situations his father gets himself in, and from constant help requirements from his ex wife. While Nicole and Declan become friends and then closer, I was wondering which of them would snap first as none of the demands on Declan get lighter.

I always love Melissa Foster books, but this one felt like a warm hug as it seems this book focussed more on moving the story of Nicole and Declan along rather than the hot, spicy moments (of which there were spicy scenes as one might expect). I loved this one! Read it today!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely.

Even though Nicole writes about love and happy ever after her life hasn’t played out that way based on her two divorces. She needs a fresh start to recapture some creativity when it comes to her writing and her life so she purchases a cottage in a small New England town. One of the friendships she makes is with Declan but it isn’t long before he feels like so much more.

Declan is a single father who always puts the needs of those he cares about in front of his own. With Nicole he experiences a sense of fun and freedom that he has never felt before but he finds himself conflicted between the demands of the life he was living and the life he could have with Nicole.

Even though their reasons are different neither Nicole nor Declan were looking for a relationship but sometimes the best things happen when you least expect it. He appreciates her for the woman she is and she shows him that there is more to life than the way he is living it and together they find the happiness they both deserve.

This is a fun read, with a great mix of sweet, spice, fun, and some heartfelt conversations and revelations as the story progresses. I was pulled in to Nicole and Declan, that spark was intense from the start. One of my favorite things is that they become friends. True, down to the soul, friends. The story flows well, with the amazing characters, the fun that they have, and that pull that just gets stronger. It's a perfect read to get lost in! A definite must read.

What an incredible read by Melissa Foster. Nicole needed to find herself. She was living but really only existing. Especially living in the shadow of her ex. She wasn’t enjoying life in Virginia so she decides to purchase a cottage in Chatemup. A place in the woods far away from her current life and around no one she knows while trying to find herself. Her writing is also suffering. Maybe somewhere new would help with that. She wasn’t looking for love or a relationship. She needed to get know herself again.
When she bought the cottage for the summer season and she never thought she would not find herself but the most amazing neighbors. A community of people her own age, some older, but a community she soon became a part of.
One in particular, Declan, she wasn’t looking for anything with him. They started as friends, eventually became adventure buddies. She loved spending time with him. Little by little she started to find herself. Her writing started again, with the help of her friends and even Declan. But most of all she started to enjoy life. Gone were the says of sitting in her home office and writing for hours.
Hot Mess Summer is a story of rebirth. Finding out who you are, making friendships that will last a lifetime and enjoying life and living life and “learning what life and love should be.”

Nic is twice divorced with a young adult daughter and is ready to do something different so buys a cottage in New England with the plan to spend her summers there. She is three years from her most recent divorce and it has left her feeling burned out and uninspired. There she meets a whole cast of characters in this small town village and finds she has chemistry with Declan, a "fish peddler" who is also divorced with adult children of his own.

Many times while reading Hot Mess Summer I found myself with a huge grin on my face. This book had me laughing out loud a few times, and smiling a lot in between those laughs. It's different from some of the previous books I've read by this author. Hot Mess Summer is a slow burn, small town romance where the focus isn't just on the romance, but on her life in general and how no matter what age we are, or our situation, we can always start anew and find strength within ourselves to move forward.

‘Hot Mess Summer’ was very different than the last books I read by Melissa Foster. And it took me a little while to really get into this story. In the beginning the story seemed to surround the friendship between these three ladies. Not a bad thing, but I admit that I didn’t really care for them as much as I’d hoped. What was really fun and new for me.. These characters where a bit older, in their late thirties and early forties. Which was very fun to read after a lot of books about characters in their twenties and being in my thirties myself. LOL!

The chemistry between Nicole and Declan was very fun to read, which made up for my struggles in the beginning. I loved how they both had their own lives and troubles, but they seemed to make each other better right from the start. I loved their banters when they where working on Nicole’s writing to most. It really made me laugh.

The setting of the small fishing town in New England was really fun as well. I loved reading about all those different characters with their funny characteristics.

Overall I enjoyed ‘Hot Mess Summer’. It wasn’t my favorite by this author but I definitely enjoyed the new characters and the setting in a new town.

I absolutely loved reading this book.
Nicole has bought a cottage in Chatemup and only saw in by video. She's a romance writer and after her second divorce decided that she needed a new place to write. She's only going to be there over the summer and hopefully will get through her writers block.
On her first day there she bumps into a gorgeous man Declan) and literally dumps coffee on him.
It isn't long before she is making friends and enjoying her time at he coast and Declan always seems to be around.
They soon get close and become adventure buddies. But Declan also helps her get through her writers block.
Declan is always helping his friends and family and has no time for anything else but he can't seem to stay away from Nicole.
I loved how they were together and soon friendship turns to more and they are perfect together but she is only supposed to be there for the summer.
This is a must read full of friendship, love and so much more and the ending is perfect.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this summer romance. Foster always does a great job with characters and banter and this one was no exception. Nicole buys a summer house in small beach town and is instantly charmed by townspeople. Everyone is friendly and a bit noisy and welcomes her in. She meets Declan and they have major attraction to each other and resists the attraction and develops a friendship. I enjoyed seeing their friendship develop and the adventures they went together.