Summer of Love is absolutely delightful. Especially for a debut novel. The writing style was flowy and I liked the characters a lot. While listening to the audio book I sometimes had trouble keeping everyone apart simply due to the fact that you get to meet so many characters at once. But hey - when I watch a dating show, I always need a couple of episodes to keep the names straight so this was very on point!

I really liked Declan and Oliver and surprisingly, I really really liked that this was so slow burny and feels only. No smut in sight! Somehow I didn't expect it and yet it was such a lovely read I didn't miss it either. The forced proximity of the dating show made for some delicious tension. On the downside, I felt like the fact that there were cameras on them at all times and there wasn't really a moment where they could speak privately and openly, didn't really help me feel the connection between those two. I wish there were a couple more moments where we could've seen them by themselves. Somehow I ended up feeling like their feelings and especially Oliver's bi-awakening seemed a little out of thin air and abrupt because they only knew the performing versions of each other.

Honestly, I am still unsure what to think of the plot point with the forced outing... I am infinitely greatful it didn't happen but ho boy did it give me some uncomfortable feelings. Mainly because I strongly suspect that producers would go this far irl as well...

All in all I had a really good time reading this. It felt like watching a dating show only with characters I really enjoyed all around! Great debut, can't wait to see what else is coming by Lily Easton :)

Such a cute heartwarming audiobook!

The story was beautifully written and very believable I loved the chemistry the characters had and the plot kept me interested it’s a fantastic debut novel

Thank you NetGalley, Lily Easton and Bolinda Audio for this ARC copy of the audiobook.
This was such a well written slow burn LGBTQIAP+ story. The situation is a believable one for 2 people to find each other (isn’t that the whole point of a dating show anyway?) and I’m shocked I haven’t actually heard of something like this occurring on reality tv. The story has many heartwarming moments as well as so many funny lines.
The audiobook narrator Ciaran Saward was the perfect voice for these characters getting so many different accents and inflections in. The pacing was fantastic and made this a very easy commute listen.

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in return for an honest review.

Closeted Boxer, Declan King, and recently dumped Ballet Dancer, Oliver Wright, are both about to become contestants on British reality dating TV show “Summer Of Love” . While each man needs to win for their own reasons they soon realise they may actually find love.

The narrator, Ciaran Saward, did an amazing job bringing this vast cast of characters to life. I haven’t come across any of his previous work, but I will certainly be keen to hear him again.

What I liked: I enjoyed the plot immensely, it felt more than just a fluffy romance. I’m not a fan of reality tv but I’ve seen enough to know what to expect. This debut novel was a sweet satirical piece on what goes on behind the scenes of a reality tv show. The two main characters and supporting cast were well rounded and I found myself routing for many of the other couples on the show.

What didn’t work for me: I did occasionally lose track of who was who, which is always a risk with a large amount of characters interacting so frequently, especially with an audiobook as you can’t easily flick back to double check a plot point.

Final thoughts: A brilliant debut contemporary romance.

Who would enjoy this: Fans of contemporary romance.