Dahlia Adler

"Witty, wise, and disarmingly tender. I am hopelessly devoted to this summer dream of a book."--Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Dahlia Adler's Cool for the Summer is a story of self-discovery and new love. It’s about the things we want and the things we need. And it’s about the people who will let us be who we are. Lara's had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He's tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he's talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe...flirting, even? No, wait, he's definitely flirting, which is pretty much the sum of everything Lara's wanted out of life. Except she’s haunted by a memory. A memory of a confusing, romantic, strangely perfect summer spent with a girl named Jasmine. A memory that becomes a confusing, disorienting present when Jasmine herself walks through the front doors of the school to see Lara and Chase chatting it up in front of the lockers. Lara has everything she ever wanted: a tight-knit group of friends, a job that borders on cool, and Chase, the boy of her literal dreams. But if she's finally got the guy, why can't she stop thinking about the girl?

Cool for the Summer

natalka

Bria

lara and chase didn’t make any sense. like what lead chase there all of sudden? and lara doesn’t have good friends

kitty 

this was a really sweet read, great summery vibes and really cute romance throughout the entire story. the love interests were both really great, although i felt more of a connection to jasmine overall. this probably has to do with the dual time perspective in the book, which showcased a lot of moments between larissa, our MC, and jasmine. the development of our protag throughout the story and her journey of finding out who her true feelings lay with was also nice to see, as someone who is still in the midst of discovering the full extent of their sexuality. discovering who you are and what your sexuality is, or if you even want labels, isn’t easy for most people, and we can see that struggle within our MC. the story line was very entertaining and threw me back to the kinds of books i loved to read years ago, the ones that fulfilled my need for lighthearted romance. this was super nice to indulge in, but i do have my qualms with how some of the characters and plot fell flat for me, and a few things were a little questionable within the writing but nothing that wouldn’t have me recommend this to friends looking for something quick and fluffy! 3 stars (:

elle

my kind of book (making the the other one jealous)!!! love love love the homecoming confrontation scene that i had to skip two chapters to continue reading the “now”

Hershelle Villanueva

vvvvv cute!! was just rooting for them the whole time but the book was too short :(( still enjoyed the story tho <3

🦇 Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler Book Review 🦇

❝ "Just because you're telling a good story doesn't mean it's the right story. And I think it's really important to tell the right story. ❞

❓ #QOTD What song is your summer anthem this year? ❓

🦇 For three years of high school, Larissa had extreme heart-eyes for Chase Harding; the sweet, popular, football star any girl would die to date. After returning from summer break, Chase finally seems to notice her, but it's not Lara's stylish blonde bob that catches his attention: it's the newfound confidence she gained over the summer. A summer spent with an enigmatic, too-cool photographer, Jasmine, whom Lara spent all summer beside...and, on more than one occasion, kissing. The girl Lara can't stop thinking about. The first time Chase flirts with her, Jasmine walks through the doors, only to reveal they're completing their senior year together--and that she has no interest in picking up where they left off last summer. Everything about Lara's senior year appears perfect—supportive friends, the most popular boy in school at her arm...so why can't she get Jasmine and their summer together off her mind?

💜 Cool for the Summer is a light-hearted, quick summer read with definite queer Grease vibes. The story's sweet, relatable sapphic spin is bound to hook you from the get-go. Lara is a first-generation Russian Ashkenazi Jew who thought she'd spend the summer working at an indie bookstore, only to travel to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with her mother instead. While staying at her mother's boss's beach house, she bonds with seemingly stand-offish Jasmine. The two bond in little moments we see through flashbacks; snippets that demonstrate even a summer is enough to discover real, life-changing love. Larissa's character development, especially as she steps out from behind the shadows her friends have cast, is a beautiful example of how one moment can trigger metaphoric self-discovery and growth. Though her time with Larissa triggered that development, we see the continuous ripple effect it causes. 

💜 Adler doesn't shy away from topics rarely explored in YA, including positivity regarding masturbation and sex. However, I do wish she'd explored some of the emotions behind those moments. Since Lara internalizes a lot of what she's thinking and feeling, there was no real discussion that would have added depth to those scenes. However, I do wish I'd had this story growing up; it possibly could have changed everything. 

💜 I can't stress quite how relatable this story was for me. Everything from the three-year-long unreciprocated crush to one summer of stolen moments and unexpected feelings that ultimately led to newfound self-awareness and -discovery were all pieces of my own bisexual coming-out story. Sometimes, the ever-after we write in our heads isn't the ever-after we end up wanting; a realization Lara almost has too late. 

🦇 This story was an opportunity to shatter a great number of bisexual stereotypes, especially since Lara is in a relationship when she realizes her feelings for Jasmine. There's a brief comment, made by Chase, that almost delves into and defies those stereotypes of bisexuals "not being able to choose," but Lara bites back her anger and brushes by it too quickly. While I'm beyond grateful that we're getting more bisexual and overall queer stories, I do wish we could have opened that discussion. At the very least, it should have been a conversation Lara had with herself— her constant internalizing provided the perfect opportunity for it. 

🦇 Anyone who's read one of my previous reviews knows my biggest rom-com trope pet peeve is miscommunication. The entirety of this story feeds off the miscommunication between Lara and Jasmine. While that fear and confusion are real and relatable (I've lived through it myself), I do wish there was at least ONE attempt from either of them to try, long before that miscommunication escalates the conflict between them. 

🦇 With how short this story is, there's definitely room to explore the emotions behind certain scenes in-depth. Again, Lara internalizes almost everything instead of using a friend as a sounding board, leaving this story with more "telling" than "showing."

💜 This quintessential summer read is ideal for lovers of YA, happily-ever-afters, and stories of self-discovery. It's also perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Alice Oseman. Happy reading!

💜 Bisexual (Questioning) and Aroace Rep

✡️ Jewish (Ashkenazi and Sephardi) Rep

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Brief Biphobia, Underage Alcohol Consumption, Parental Divorce

Jazelle H

🦇 Cool for the Summer by Dahlia Adler Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

❝ "Just because you're telling a good story doesn't mean it's the right story. And I think it's really important to tell the right story. ❞

❓ #QOTD What song is your summer anthem this year? ❓
 
🦇 For three years of high school, Larissa had extreme heart-eyes for Chase Harding; the sweet, popular, football star any girl would die to date. After returning from summer break, Chase finally seems to notice her, but it's not Lara's stylish blonde bob that catches his attention: it's the newfound confidence she gained over the summer. A summer spent with an enigmatic, too-cool photographer, Jasmine, whom Lara spent all summer beside...and, on more than one occasion, kissing. The girl Lara can't stop thinking about. The first time Chase flirts with her, Jasmine walks through the doors, only to reveal they're completing their senior year together--and that she has no interest in picking up where they left off last summer. Everything about Lara's senior year appears perfect—supportive friends, the most popular boy in school at her arm...so why can't she get Jasmine and their summer together off her mind?

⚠️ Spoilers Ahead! ⚠️

💜 Cool for the Summer is a light-hearted, quick summer read with definite queer Grease vibes. The story's sweet, relatable sapphic spin is bound to hook you from the get-go. Lara is a first-generation Russian Ashkenazi Jew who thought she'd spend the summer working at an indie bookstore, only to travel to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with her mother instead. While staying at her mother's boss's beach house, she bonds with seemingly stand-offish Jasmine. The two bond in little moments we see through flashbacks; snippets that demonstrate even a summer is enough to discover real, life-changing love. Larissa's character development, especially as she steps out from behind the shadows her friends have cast, is a beautiful example of how one moment can trigger metaphoric self-discovery and growth. Though her time with Larissa triggered that development, we see the continuous ripple effect it causes. 

💜 Adler doesn't shy away from topics rarely explored in YA, including positivity regarding masturbation and sex. However, I do wish she'd explored some of the emotions behind those moments. Since Lara internalizes a lot of what she's thinking and feeling, there was no real discussion that would have added depth to those scenes. However, I do wish I'd had this story growing up; it possibly could have changed everything. 

💜 I can't stress quite how relatable this story was for me. Everything from the three-year-long unreciprocated crush to one summer of stolen moments and unexpected feelings that ultimately led to newfound self-awareness and -discovery were all pieces of my own bisexual coming-out story. Sometimes, the ever-after we write in our heads isn't the ever-after we end up wanting; a realization Lara almost has too late. 

🦇 This story was an opportunity to shatter a great number of bisexual stereotypes, especially since Lara is in a relationship when she realizes her feelings for Jasmine. There's a brief comment, made by Chase, that almost delves into and defies those stereotypes of bisexuals "not being able to choose," but Lara bites back her anger and brushes by it too quickly. While I'm beyond grateful that we're getting more bisexual and overall queer stories, I do wish we could have opened that discussion. At the very least, it should have been a conversation Lara had with herself— her constant internalizing provided the perfect opportunity for it. 

🦇 Anyone who's read one of my previous reviews knows my biggest rom-com trope pet peeve is miscommunication. The entirety of this story feeds off the miscommunication between Lara and Jasmine. While that fear and confusion are real and relatable (I've lived through it myself), I do wish there was at least ONE attempt from either of them to try, long before that miscommunication escalates the conflict between them. 

🦇 With how short this story is, there's definitely room to explore the emotions behind certain scenes in-depth. Again, Lara internalizes almost everything instead of using a friend as a sounding board, leaving this story with more "telling" than "showing."

💜 This quintessential summer read is ideal for lovers of YA, happily-ever-afters, and stories of self-discovery. It's also perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Alice Oseman. Happy reading!

✨ The Vibes ✨
☀️ Summer Love
💜 Bisexual (Questioning) and Aroace Rep
✡️ Jewish (Ashkenazi and Sephardi) Rep
🔎 Self-Discovery
⌛ Past/Present Timeline
🩷 Happily Ever After
💕 Love Triangle

⚠️ Trigger Warning: Brief Biphobia, Underage Alcohol Consumption, Parental Divorce

victoria

I don't really know how to feel about this book, it has very positive points like having tons of representation and characters with different ethnicities, being set in outer banks (where my favorite tv show is placed so it earns some points with me), it's a sapphic story with bi representation so I really liked that, besides the summer vibes. However, some negative points discouraged me a little about the story, it's nice to have passed between present and past but it would be a lot better if we also had Jasmine's perspective, another thing is that the reading was often kind of boring and the chapters were so long that made me want to dnf.
Anyways, I kinda liked it gets better as the book went on to the last part, I took a very nice lesson from reading it and although it didn't impress me so much I think I would read again!

Shareca

I truly loved this one -- I thought it was a perfect execution for what it was going for: a queer romance or coming-of-age novel. It took me a while to come back to it, I started it a while back and then kind of faltered from it for some reason. When I came back to it, I was glad I did. This book is cute, I enjoyed the ending as well. A cute queer romance that I think works for all ages.

Yunna Ducharme

3.5 - fun read but not sure I like the love triangle trope

ingrid

i don’t know how to feel about this book, to be honest. i like the concept and the plot sounded good but i feel like this never reached its full potential? i feel like if it was a few chapters longer it could’ve helped more. aside from that, there weren’t enough moments between larissa and jasmine in the present. another thing that really annoyed me were larissa’s friends, they were just terrible people and i don’t understand why she didn’t drop them. overall, it was an okay book

Eliana Mor

Shan

I flew through Cool for the Summer! I adored the characters and enjoyed going along the journey of them trying to understand their sexuality. The diversity and way the characters were written was absolutely beautiful

Another adorable romance novel to add to your list!

Cool for the Summer follows Lara's "then" and "now," taking the reader along as she faces her burgeoning love for the girl she met last summer and the feelings she holds for a longtime high school crush.

 coming-out story, this novel is it. I'd say the cruelest people in this book are her imperfect friends. But there was still depth to this story as Lara unpacks her own understanding of romance, relationships, and sexuality without relying on trauma.

Lara's character can be difficult to get behind sometimes because of the teenage propensity to over-analyzing every interaction (unfortunately something I would've related to). However, I think this was a great take on how personal growth doesn't happen 

 of others, but rather, that others can be a catalyst for self-reflection. A lot of young adults struggling with understanding themselves and their feelings will appreciate the way Lara sorts out her problems even if it's imperfect.

, I would not recommend the audiobook. It felt really invasive to actually hear this teenager talk about her sexual exploration. I think I would have been able to separate myself from that discomfort if I had gone with the text version instead. But to each their own!

Camryn Lang

Another adorable romance novel to add to your list!

Cool for the Summer follows Lara's "then" and "now," taking the reader along as she faces her burgeoning love for the girl she met last summer and the feelings she holds for a longtime high school crush.

If you want a wholesome coming-of-age and coming-out story, this novel is it. I'd say the cruelest people in this book are her imperfect friends. But there was still depth to this story as Lara unpacks her own understanding of romance, relationships, and sexuality without relying on trauma.

Lara's character can be difficult to get behind sometimes because of the teenage propensity to over-analyzing every interaction (unfortunately something I would've related to). However, I think this was a great take on how personal growth doesn't happen because of others, but rather, that others can be a catalyst for self-reflection. A lot of young adults struggling with understanding themselves and their feelings will appreciate the way Lara sorts out her problems even if it's imperfect.

However, if you're an adult, I would not recommend the audiobook. It felt really invasive to actually hear this teenager talk about her sexual exploration. I think I would have been able to separate myself from that discomfort if I had gone with the text version instead. But to each their own!

Rachel Estep

A gorgeously written coming of age journey through first love, self love, amd sexual identity. Finding stories with jewish queer rep is so rare, this was a beautiful gem of reprrse tation with a soft but sweet story.

Jana Jenkinns 

I do so love a messy queer love triangle. The Grease vibes are real with this summer-rom-com and I am so here for it. I picked this up thanks to some bookstagram friends who had suggested it and I am so glad I did. This book was SO MUCH FUN. It is full of pining, teen angst, sass, self-understanding and discovery, and questioning the rules, and so many teen FEELINGS. It was a super quick, fun, cute YA-rom-com that I would highly recommend checking out as a cute summer-time read.

"Witty, wise, and disarmingly tender. I am hopelessly devoted to this summer dream of a book." —Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda Dahlia Adler's Cool for the Summer is a story of self-discovery and new love. It’s about the things we want and the things we need. And it’s about the people who will let us be who we are. Lara's had eyes for exactly one person throughout her three years of high school: Chase Harding. He's tall, strong, sweet, a football star, and frankly, stupid hot. Oh, and he's talking to her now. On purpose and everything. Maybe...flirting, even? No, wait, he's definitely flirting, which is pretty much the sum of everything Lara's wanted out of life. Except she’s haunted by a memory. A memory of a confusing, romantic, strangely perfect summer spent with a girl named Jasmine. A memory that becomes a confusing, disorienting present when Jasmine herself walks through the front doors of the school to see Lara and Chase chatting it up in front of the lockers. Lara has everything she ever wanted: a tight-knit group of friends, a job that borders on cool, and Chase, the boy of her literal dreams. But if she's finally got the guy, why can't she stop thinking about the girl?

Flavia Louise

I think this would have been much more impactful for me had I read it when I was younger. :(

anderson elizabeth

Okay, so I absolutely love this book and blew through the audiobook in less than 24 hours. This book was a super fun read while also covering some of the complexities of coming to terms with your sexuality as a teenager. Well for some people their sexuality is something that goes without question or is very easy for them to come to terms with not everyone has that experience. I think that especially people who are bisexual tend to have a harder time figuring out if they have compulsive heterosexuality and are just outright or if it's just that they find people of the same gender or somewhere on the spectrum of gender to be people that they find attractive but don't necessarily want to date. I think that this book dealt with this in a very authentic and careful way. There was a scene between Lara and her mom towards the end that had me tearing up while I was driving. I love the way that in a relatively short book the author built romance while dealing with two different timelines simultaneously. I felt like the side characters were decently fleshed out in a way that made me care about them.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for giving me access to an ARC of the audiobook. I enjoyed the narrator that was selected for this novel.

Erin

Cool for the Summer - Dahlia Adler

Synopsis:
Larissa Bogdan spent her summer making new friends and new memories on an unexpected trip to the Outer Banks. Now she’s back for her senior year of high school with her best friends, and where the guy she’s been crushing on forever, Chase Harding, is finally paying attention to her. It seems like a dream come true...until Lara’s world is flipped upside down when Jasmine Killary shows up at her school too. At first, Larissa is shocked but over the moon; after all, Jasmine is the reason her summer was so incredible. Then, it seems like Jasmine isn’t even interested in giving her the time of day, confusing Larissa to no end, and causing her to question everything that happened during those three months.
Larissa starts going out with Chase while she struggles with her feelings for Jasmine (that Jasmine may or may not reciprocate). Lara also feels like she can’t tell her best friends about it, which makes this conflict that much harder for her. Ultimately, she has to make a choice between the guy she’s been after or the girl who changed everything.

What I Liked:
Larissa and Jasmine’s slow friendship to something more over the course of one summer was really sweet
The Demi Lovato song plays a role in the story!
I loved all of Lara’s old and new friends. They were all really fun
I’m not a huge fan of YA contemporary books, but I could not put this one down. It was a perfect summer read

What I Disliked:
Miscommunication is one of my least favorite tropes and there was quite a bit of that in this book, but it was kinda necessary for the plot so

Rating: 5/5 stars

Lauren Sullivan

Content warnings: (view spoiler)[mean girl stuff (gaslighting), underage drinking, biphobia, minor reference to antisemitism, MC has an absent dad, MC’s parents are divorced (mostly amicably) (hide spoiler)]

I was drawn in by the absolutely perfect cover (sidetone: it actually looks like the MCs, plus I love the super bi color scheme) and stayed for the summer lovin’. This book is a mish-mash of the eponymous Demi Lovato song and Grease, so basically the perfect summer read.

“What am I?
It’s one summer.
You can’t change into a different person over a summer.”

Spending the summer on the Outer Banks tagging along with her mom’s job as an assistant to a rich executive seems like it might be a bit boring – until Lara meets Jasmine, the boss’s daughter. Jasmine’s nothing like Lara’s friends back home, but over the course of the summer, they become closer than they expected. But after her summer with Jasmine, things are… different. For one thing, the guy she’s had a crush on forever, Chase, has finally noticed her. It’s even more unexpected when Lara catches a glimpse of Jasmine on the first day of senior year, but she’s suddenly aloof. Lara has everything she’s ever dreamed of. So why isn’t she happy?

“How do you tell your closest friends, when you only have one year left before you all head off in new directions, that they don’t know you as well as they think?
How do you have that conversation when it means facing that you didn’t know yourself as well as you thought you did?”

The book is told from Lara’s first person POV, which flips back and forth between “now” – starting at the first day of senior year – and “then” – starting with Lara’s arrival in the Outer Banks. Lara has had a crush a Chase, quarterback on the football team and shoo-in for Homecoming King, for as long as she can remember. The fact that he wants to spend time with her is exciting but she can’t stop thinking about why Jasmine’s being so cold to her. Lara’s confusion is so visceral – and reminded me so much of myself – that parts of the book were tough reading. It’s not that she doesn’t know that people can be queer, as she has queer and nonbinary frie nds, but that for those people they’ve always known they weren’t straight. How she comes to grips with her own sexuality is really the core of the book. It’s messy and hard and real, and I loved it.

“Jasmine was the one who inspired my haircut, who gave me the bravery for my piercing. Jasmine is the one who took me all over the Outer Banks, showed me how to find beauty in places I didn’t see it, including—cheesy as it was—myself. Jasmine was the one who showed me the real fun was never in following the crowd, and that sometimes the best things were the scary and the unexpected.”

I was a little worried at first that Jasmine would be too “poor little rich girl.” Sure, she’s privileged and flush with cash, but she understands that Lara’s not and does her best to discreetly include her. What I loved most about the two of them was how they push each other to try new things, to realize how freeing it is to be themselves instead of following along with the crowd. Sure, Jasmine’s the catalyst for the change in Lara, but she’s also the reason why Lara has the confidence to follow through.

“But there’s more to being friends than being needed. You don’t need to, like, provide a service, okay? Well, other than eyeliner application. I’m really reliant on that.”

Of course, there’s also all of the usual teenage drama, including some popular girl clique stuff. Shannon’s the queen bee of their social circle, and Lara has always gone along in her wake. The other girls – Kiki and Gia – have their own things, whether it’s investigating crimes for their podcast or cheerleading, but besides Lara’s job at a bookstore, she’s content to tag along with whatever they’re doing. She’s used to looking to her friends for their approval of everything, from hair style to clothes to makeup, so the thought that they might treat her differently because she’s bi is terrifying. Even worse, she’s worried about how her Russian mother will react. They’re super close, and her mother has always been supportive of her, but she’s worried it’s a step too far.

I’m not a big fan of love triangles – I hate it when characters string two folks along because they can’t make up their minds – but I was OK with this one. For one thing, Lara spends a long time being oblivious that she’s even in a love triangle, but once she gets it, she understands the emotional damage she’s caused and can cause to the other people and does the best to own up to it. I don’t think it’s much of any kind of spoiler, honestly, to say that the book makes it clear from the beginning who she’s going to end up with.

Overall, if you like queer messy characters and quite a bit of summer lovin’, I think you’ll have a blast with this book!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

KADY BURNS

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

OMG, this book was everything my little bi heart could have asked for. I have not read any of the author's works but will be remedying that shortly. I loved the two timelines and the journey Lara takes along the way. Watching her grown into herself in the short time we are together is a chef's kiss. I will be buying a physical copy to add to my library so I can read it over and over again like Lara reads her favorite author.

Dawy

A bisexual Grease love triangle!! The story is told in alternating chunks between Larissa's summer in the Outer Banks (where she's hooking up with Jasmine), and the present in her senior year (where Jasmine has mysteriously moved to her school in New York and is giving her the cold shoulder). Meanwhile, the guy Larissa has been crushing on since middle school is finally interested in her, so she goes for it.

It's a messy love triangle, which could be enjoyable, but I wish it had been better developed. There is almost no communication between Larissa and Jasmine in the present day (which is a frustrating, overdone conflict for me), and it's also unconvincing how quickly Chase suddenly falls for Larissa just because she shows up to senior year with a new "glow" and personality. The summer scenes also happen kind of quickly, like it's this secretive hooking up without talking about it situation between Larissa and Jasmine, and they have fun together and they talk and all that, but there's not quite the buildup you expect from a romance. It just didn't feel all that romantic, which I guess is okay since it's more of a coming of age story about discovering your bisexuality than anything.

Lastly, there was a line about a nonbinary character that I didn't like--it didn't seem like there was ill intent, and maybe it was meant to be perceived from Larissa's immature teenage voice, but it didn't sit right with me. Overall, it's a very cute breezy read but could have been better.

Tatyana

Cool for the Summer is a good read. Light and fun read. I enjoyed seeing Lara trying to figure out who her true self is and what she wants.

Jennifer

A fun and summery read about queer love and self-discovery. I thought the past / now timelines connects nicely, but I felt that the side characters lack depth so I didn't feel very invested reading this book. Qualms aside, this is nevertheless a pretty cute and sweet summer story suitable for younger readers.

(2.5 stars out of 5)

dawn

the second half of the book was significantly better than the first half. the first half felt awkward and uncomfortable, but as the love triangle progressed, the writing felt more natural and readable. in fact, i actually really liked the ending and it genuinely made me Feel Things :") 

however, i didn't like the comment about the non-binary character (Taylor) made at the start as it was just unnecessary ((view spoiler)[“what do you call it when someone’s neither a girlfriend nor boyfriend? Non-binary-friend?” (hide spoiler)]), and the listing of races when introducing Jasmine's friends at the start of the book felt very awkward. also, i really really disliked Shannon's character at the start of the book, though i guess that was kind of the point? and another thing is that i felt that the "past" and "present" storylines could have been carried out more smoothly.

so overall, this review is kind of a mess which accurately portrays my thoughts on this book! i'm pretty conflicted on whether i would recommend this book or not. on one hand, the first half of the book was eh..... but on the other hand, i did enjoy reading about the the love triangle, (view spoiler)[Jasmine + Larissa's relationship, and the happy ending (hide spoiler)] :-)

Cool for the Summer

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