SUMMER HEAT by Rachel Van Dyken Review

The first book in this addictive new series is a twisted fairy tale. When rich girl Ray wins the scholarship her nanny’s son, Marlon, desperately needs, he vows to never forgive her. Years later, he gets his chance to make Ray pay for her selfishness when she starts working for him. But Marlon’s plan to break Ray’s heart just might break his too. Nothing in Rachel Van Dyken’s new adult revenge-romance is quite what it seems—surprising reveals about Ray’s past left us craving the next installment. ~ iBooks review

Summer Heat by Rachel Van Dyken

Release Date: August 2, 2018

Series: Book 1, CRUEL SUMMER

Spoiled Princess is what he used to call me.
We were an inferno of hate and passion wound up with a dash of chaos.

For four years I watched him mow my lawn.
For four years I watched my friends make fun of him.
For four years I hated myself for wanting him, but even more for the way I treated him.

And then I had him.
For one night, we put all labels away and I spent the best night of my life in his arms.
Then the next day, with my secret night under lock and key, I looked the other way while my friends shamed him.

But now the jokes on me, because the scrawny lawn boy who I secretly loved from afar is now the director of Hollywoods most exclusive summer camp.

And I’m on his staff.
Now it’s his turn to punish me.
His turn to make me pay.
His turn to take his revenge after years of humiliation.

He’s no longer a boy you can ridicule.
But a college graduate who can have any woman he wants.
I want him to look at me the way he did that one night we had together, but right now
the look in his eyes tells me he’s going to enjoy having me under him for two straight months.
I don’t know where his hatred ends, his passion begins.
All I know is he wants revenge.
And I’m his lucky target.

My Review

This is only part one of the new Cruel Summer Series by Rachel Van Dyken, but it gave me all the emotional feels. I just finished the book and have to get my thoughts out because this book is exactly what we need for Summer. It’s smoking – I’m talking sexy hot like you can feel the steaminess reach off the page. Can we say sexual tension? Oh, my word.

Marlo and Ray are like fire and ice and they have so much history. There is just so much history between these two and some questions are brought to light that still need answers (it’s a cliffhanger!) but we do get a look into the past of both characters through the weaving of past memories with the present storyline. The way RVD wrote this story it doesn’t feel like a young adult story even though it is set in a drama camp and they’ve graduated college – it feels deeper, stronger and it’s firmly settled in the contemporary romance genre. I was hooked from the first page and have to say I adore the peripheral characters, especially Jackson.

A must-read on the top of my Summer list. I can honestly say that I can’t wait to see what happens between Marlo and Ray in the next installment.

There are three books in this series, Summer Heat (out today!), Summer Seduction releases on August 30th, and Summer Nights releases September 27th. That makes for a wicked Summer of RVD awesomeness.

5 Stars