Love love love this! I adore all of Kristen’s books - they are funny and clever and a little bit cringey as Kristen shines a light on the ordinariness of everyday love - as she creates a heartwarming romance between two of the most lovely people.

Told in dual POV, in five parts, this is a romance between two language teachers working at a London high school. They meet in Mallorca, but before we get to that, we start with some excruciating sex between Suzie and her soon-to-be ex husband on a hot hot summer afternoon. This sets the scene, showing (vividly) the shortcomings of her relationship. When Paul is caught out cheating, that's the end of that.

On a family holiday to get away, Suzie meets Charlie (‘Carlos’). They have a strong spark and connection and quickly fall into bed. It’s holidays though, so after some lies and a no-show, they leave it in Mallorca. Once back in London, they find themselves teaching at the same school, and from there it's them navigating their histories and responsibilities, getting to know one another, settling into their new jobs and dealing with all the tricky things that happen around them. It’s funny and vivid and clever and I loved every word. Kirsten describes the ice-cream van on a sticky hot day, the shenanigans of teenagers on a school trip, and best of all the strong connection between Suzie and Charlie, genuinely liking each other, as they fall in love. Adorable!

Content warning though - it's very British humour – untidy and awkward, and much steamier than Kristen's early books - so delicious!

Thank you Storm Publishing and Kristen Bailey for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

I love everything Kirsten Bailey writes and as usual I loooooved this. A very endearing story and likeable characters with a couple of twists that you don’t often find in romance novels! I also love the subtle weaving in of past characters and very much want this to continue in Bailey’s books 🙃🙂

What to expect:
- holiday romance gone wrong
- mistaken identity
- workplace romance
- lil spicy

Hot To Go is a quick and breezy rom com with plenty of laughs and just the right amount of steam. Suzie’s misadventures, from a disastrous skinny dip to an awkward reunion with her not so Spanish fling, make for a fun ride. The mistaken identity twist adds drama without getting too heavy, and the school trip to Seville brings the heat back in all the right ways. Light, cheeky, and perfect for a weekend read.

I enjoyed Hot to Go! It was funny and a little romantic. I enjoyed the banter between Susie and Charlie, along with all the other characters. I found myself dreaming of vacations in Spain, France, and England, It was a little spicy, but mostly a lot of penis talk. Hot to Go is definitely worth a quick easy read!

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review! Hot to Go will hit the shelves soon, on July 18th.

Hot to Go is the story of Aurelie and Carlos- no, no, Suzie and Charlie. She teaches French and he teaches Spanish, but in Mallorca they're Aurelie and Carlos, the epitome of a holiday fling. Back in London, they find out they have started teaching at the same school and the book follows their sweet story of rediscovering each other.

The beginning is quite something to get through. It took me a while to get used to the britishisms, some of the wording and references a bit too niche even for someone who's survived A-Levels. It does get easier to read as the story progresses, but this is not a criticism, it's my own skill issues.

What I didn't like was the side cast of characters, with the exception of Max and a couple of the cousins. Even Max is slightly on thin ice for still being friends with someone like Andy. My biggest issue however was the sheer amount of sex jokes, which isn't only in the beginning, but filters through the rest of the book as well. Kinda takes the romance out of a romance novel if you ask me.

Suzie and Charlie however feel very real, very human, quite charming each in their own way. I'm a bit disappointed to miss out on the big romantic speech that brings them back together, the epilogue going straight into their relationship. It's nice to keep the mystery, but I feel like they deserved to have an on-page resolution.

Quite middle of the road, definitely didn't dislike it, nothing too special that moved me. Bonus points for the realism: a loud and annoying group of British people bothering you on your holiday is a rite of passage for European travelers.

Oh my god, Kristen Bailey does it again!! Carlos and Aurelie (or should we say Suzie and Charlie!) are top characters and are absolutely made for each other. Both had awful partners and they both needed reminding who they were and what life could be like.

This book is ridiculously funny. The dual POV adds to the humour as both characters are so likeable. I loved the hidden identity/ulterior identity - who wouldn’t love to just escape real life for a bit! Then suddenly, it all comes crashing down at a new school - absolute GOLD. As a fellow teacher I love how accurate everything was and down to the tiny details like staff meeting - so clever. A brilliant read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC
This was promising, however I was not as hooked as i thought i would be
The beginning was quite fun, and the banter was cute.
Suzie’s cousins were lovely, and the multilingualism and the school setting made the story interesting
However, this was a bit hard and long to read. I had to re read some sentences a few times to actually understand the story.
I didn’t feel the tension and the connexion. It almost felt like I didn’t know the two of them by the end of the story as they were not very developed. I didn’t have time to get attached to the characters, it lacked depth, unfortunately.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me an early copy to review.

I would rate this 3.5 stars as it was enjoyable and is a great summer holiday read for those who love a romance.

Suzie and Charlie find themselves in a bit of a predicament when they both find out they’re teaching at the same school after a summer fling and it’s s trial to see if they could make it work or not…

I have to say the start of this book felt quite slow and didn’t necessarily make me invested in either of Suzie or Charlie’s lives as I didn’t feel the connection to them as I have done with Kristen’s previous characters, however it was a fun plot to follow.

I think if you’re looking for a fun romance to read on holiday or in your garden then this is such a good one to pick up!

⭐⭐⭐ 3/5 stars

A sunny escape with laughs, heart—and a few missed opportunities

Hot to Go by Kristen Bailey delivers exactly what the title promises: a light, summery rom-com that whisks you off to Mallorca with cocktails, cousin chaos, and emotional recovery. It’s breezy, funny, and easy to digest—perfect for a beach read or a mental getaway.

What I liked:
• Suzie is a relatable lead—raw, self-deprecating, and genuinely trying to find her feet after a brutal breakup.
• The setting is vibrant and well-drawn: sun-drenched villas, market strolls, and late-night heart-to-hearts gave the book its pulse.
• Bailey’s humor shines throughout. The dynamic between Suzie and her cousins adds some great moments of banter and warmth.

What didn’t work as well for me:
• The romantic thread felt underdeveloped. The chemistry was mild, and the love interest didn’t stand out in a way that made me root for the relationship.
• Some plot points felt predictable or rushed, especially toward the end. There were emotional beats that could’ve hit harder with more buildup.
• While the humor mostly landed, there were moments where it tipped into over-the-top or repetitive, slightly diluting the emotional impact.

Overall:
If you’re in the mood for a quick, heartfelt holiday escape with lovable chaos and second chances, Hot to Go ticks the box. It didn’t blow me away, but I enjoyed the ride—and wouldn’t mind seeing Suzie again, perhaps in a slightly more grounded sequel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My first Kristen Bailey and I reaaaally liked a lot of parts of this! Laughed out loud multiple times, and some of the smut was such a turn on (the bunk bed scene in Sevilla 👀). What makes it 3 stars is part 1 felt quite chaotic and needed more fleshing out, and I also personally HATE third act break ups and it felt like there was multiple here! But I will be reading more of this author starting with Sex Ed! Thank u netgalley for the arc 💜

This was a fun summer read with good humor and chemistry but overall the writing itself wasn't great. The dialogue and overall tone when switching POVs were hard to follow at times and the characters weren't super relatable to me.

Thank you so much for this arc!

Hot To Go was a great, fun, and quick summer read. I enjoyed the books plot a lot and the main characters definitely had great chemistry. Part of me wishes I got more attached to the characters. Nonetheless definitely recommend!

Hot To Go by Kristen Bailey is a vibrant rom-com that takes readers on a scenic trip through Spain and Paris — a definite highlight of the book! The vivid descriptions and summery atmosphere made me feel like I was on a spontaneous European getaway, which was fun and refreshing. There are also moments of charm and humor that I really appreciate.

However, I found myself struggling with a few things. The writing tone felt inconsistent, particularly with the shifts between first and second person in the main character’s internal monologues — it pulled me out of the story more than once. There were also a lot of characters introduced, making it hard to keep track and stay invested in all of them. While some pop culture references were fun, they became overwhelming and repetitive after a while.

Another challenge was the use of untranslated phrases in other languages (French and Spanish). While I understand this adds cultural flavor, not providing any context or explanation left me either confused or constantly pausing to translate.

As for the romance, the chemistry between the leads was there, but it felt like a constant cycle of ups and downs. Just when it started to build, it would stall again — making the emotional pacing a bit uneven.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Kristen Bailey for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book. It is my second from Kristen Bailey. I love a good romance where I am laughing out loud and this book had me cracking up a bunch. I also really enjoyed the descriptive writing in the cities they traveled to; it helped me really paint a picture of the locations and vacation vibes. I did get a little confused with the inner dialogue portions of the story because it shifted so quickly and I had to re-read to see if something was being said out loud or just in the character's head.

A huge thanks to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading this one, but sadly I am not sure I LOVED it. It had everything you could want from a book, smutty scenes, summer sun and some suspense thrown into the mix too. It was good and I will honestly admit I laughed out loud several times with some of the scenarios both Charlie and Susie found themselves in.

So, why did it not hit the mark, now not sure if it's because I was reading on Kindle but I found myself getting confused to whose section it was (the book was told in both Suzie's/Charlie's POV) from time to time. I also wanted more from the ending, it felt like the story dragged at times and I wanted more from the end, but if you read my last review I wanted that from that book too. All personal preference I know! :)

This is a solid book and if you like easy to read books with humour and smutt then give it a whirl!

3 stars from me for this one.

This is the perfect summer vacation read.I was transported along with the characters to Europe.
It was a light hearted, and easy read.The dual POV was very enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

This was an arc that I was looking forward to and wasn't worried about at all because I've consistently enjoyed the author's last four books, full of humor, and layered characters, and innuendo (and increasingly spicy). I still liked the characters and their story. Charlie and Suzie met on summer holiday and had one sweet impromptu date and one hot day together. But due to a misunderstanding during their hilarious meet cute, they both weren't honest about who they were, which comes back to bite them when they both start working at the same school back in London. They try to rekindle but it's not the same and the entire book after is the back and forth as time goes by and they figure out whether they can have something real in real life (with multiple issues that crop up). Still got the humor, the innuendo and light spice, and characters with interesting back stories. But there was something different about the writing style in this one that may be because it's an arc and not the final version, but both characters in their inner monologues would address people like "you" and it felt out of place with the rest of their thoughts and dialogue. I've seen that happen before but usually in italics so you know it's a thought they would say out loud but aren't. So maybe that's a formatting thing that will be fixed for the final version and not feel as odd? This was also the second book I've read lately where the characters both thought and said some slang from younger generations than me, which I found odd in real life to begin with but that I am fairly certain is out of date already, so that always makes me cringe. Regardless, it all wasn't enough for me not to like the story well enough overall, even if not my fave of hers. Also, the recurrence of so many of her other characters (including a bunch I didn't realize were from her older series I've not read) made me want to read more from her, which I definitely will in the future. Thank you to Storm for the arc; the book is out July 18/25.

This was such a fun, breezy read that had me hooked from the first chapter. I loved Suzie as a character - she’s funny, relatable, and her journey from heartbreak to rediscovering herself felt so natural. The chemistry between her and Charlie was fantastic, with the perfect balance of flirty banter and emotional depth. The holiday romance setting in Mallorca gave it such a summery vibe, and I couldn’t help but root for them even when things got complicated back in London. It’s lighthearted but still has some heartfelt moments, making it perfect for when you want something uplifting and romantic.

This was so cute! It had me giggling on one page and blushing on the next. Loved it! Will definitely be reading more by Kristen Bailey.

This takes us from London to Spain and it was such a trip! I felt like I was on vacation with Suzie and Charlie. She’s a French teacher and he’s a Spanish teacher.

This has second chance romance, forced proximity and just all the good feels.

Thank you Netgalley for the eArc!

5 hearts for me!

Hilarious, fast paced, juicy vacation-y read. The perfect mix of cliche romcom and unexpected twists and turns. The banter between the characters was really lovely. The trips across Europe fun, and the British sayings made it even better. The only downside was the characters sometimes internally-monologues in the middle of their dialogue which made it a bit confusing to follow what was actually said.