What do you do when the whole world has seen you getting down and dirty in a broom closet?I, Elle Evans, am on the run.Not from the fuzz—although that would be more exciting.No, I’m on the run from the four-year-old private tape that, thanks to my vengeful ex, has probably already ruined my vlogging career.There’s nothing like the entire world knowing what you look like mid-O.Creek Keys, Florida, … mid-O.
Creek Keys, Florida, is a million miles away from NYC and the perfect place for me to hide for the rest of summer until I can figure out what I’m going to do.
Something that’s easier said than done since my new landlord’s daughter thinks you’re God’s greatest gift. Even better? Their beach house is right next to the one I’m renting, so there’s no getting away from her—or her hot, British dad.
Who most definitely does not think I’m role model material.
He might be right.
The problem is that neither of us can say no to her.
Or each other.
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Successful lifestyle vlogger Elle Evans is on the run. She needs a spot to hide out after her ex released an adult video of her, turning her world and career upside down. She finds herself in a quirky small town in the Florida Keys. With nowhere to stay, she ends up leasing a beach house undergoing renovations, renting from a hot British single dad, who obviously does not want to rent to her, who also happens to have a nine year old who is one of Elle’s biggest fans. Honestly, this was a super amazing setup for one heck of a story!
These characters were really something special. Elle is a bit klutzy and not nearly as put together as she appears on her Youtube videos . . . which made me love her! I loved that she isn’t perfect. And, Theo is a dad first and foremost. It took Elle’s presence to help him remember that he is also a man with his own needs and wants that he hasn’t put first since his daughter was born and I love their slow burn. Young Ari is also completely adorable and so understanding for a nine year old trying to be grown up. I really appreciated how Elle was with her, especially that things on the internet are not always real life. There were so many good life lessons in this book!
There were some very funny moments throughout Hot Mess, but it really had some serious as well as super sweet tones as well, which made it feel special and unique as a story. 4.5 stars!
I do not know how this author does this book after book but she has away of drawing me into each book and making love every character in them. Oh, and this book had an extra special guest appearance by my favorite character ever and it made me so excited and giddy!!
Elle is trying to escape her current reality and find a place that she can hide out until she figures out how to take back control of her life. Her world as she knows it has been knocked on its axis by something she never saw coming. Even in the midst of the chaos surrounding her Elle was sweet, kind, patient and strong so very strong. I love when fate has a way of putting you exactly where you are meant to be when you are meant to be there.
In walks Theo and Ari, two people who are living their best life and loving it. They have family, although completely crazy, friends and a great community. What they don’t need is a complication but again fate has another idea.
Not only are the main characters ones you want to be with or be friends with but this author writes the most amazing secondary characters, The Creek Keys Conspiracy Crew, which you just have to read to understand, Blaire and Charity. They all make this book what it is, fantastic.
Emma Hart is an instant buy author for me. Not only does she write amazing romance stories but they are always funny as well. This time the funny comes in the form of 3 old ladies who are members of the Creek Keys’ Conspiracy Krew that feel the need to get naked on the beach in order for the aliens to probe them. The thing I really loved about Hot Mess though is it addresses a topic that is rampant in our world today, revenge porn. Whether you are a film star, a youtube star or an everyday girl revenge porn is a huge deal. So many people face this today especially when they talk about breaking up with someone. In turn because they hurt they feel it gives them the right to hurt you back in a way that no one deserves. Thank you Emma for addressing this topic and giving it a place in the world of books.
Now to Theo and Elle. I loved the growth we see in Elle and how she goes from being a huge star to someone who is faced with a scandal. She has to escape New York and finds herself in a small town in the Florida Keys. Theo is a single dad living in Creek Key’s just trying to raise his daughter the best he can. The best part of of Theo is the fact that he is English. An English man is always drool worthy in my book.
Thank you Emma Hart for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book was such a fun rom-com. Like with all of this author’s books, I was laughing and swooning while reading. Had life not gotten in my way, I could have, and I definitely wanted to, read this in one sitting.
Elle is on the run after her evil ex-boyfriend let the world see a private video that she knew nothing about. When she ends up in the little town where Theo lives, she’s forced to stay in his beach house as everywhere else for miles is booked up during the summer. I loved watching them all interact, especially Theo’s little girl, Arielle.
While there were some serious topics in this book, they were handled extremely well and connected it to things that are happening in the world today with technology and I appreciated that.
Grateful to have received a complimentary ARC copy to honestly review.
Hot Mess is a great fun read. In the beginning of this story Elle is really a hot mess. She is a successful vlogger but now is trying to escape for a bit after her ex leaked a sex tape. I liked her. she’s a down to earth character. She’s clumsy, sassy and quirky, which make her character seem real. She flees to a small town in FL were she meets Theo. Theo is a sexy single dad. He doesn’t think Elle is a good role model for his daughter but he’s convinced to let her rent his beach house. Theo’s ides about Elle change to more he gets to know her. This one is a cute sweet read with some laughs too.
4.5 Hot Mess Stars
I loved this one from Emma Hart. She had me hooked from beginning to end. She brought us our trademark wit, banter and sassy family members and mixed it with great chemistry and swoon-worthy characters that we fall in love with.
I loved Ellie, she is a down to earth Vlogger who is running from her life after her ex released a sex tape she never knew existed. She seeks solace in a small seaside island where she finds her strength and saviour in the residents that welcome her into their fold.
Theo, is the typically hot Brit, add in that hes a single dad and SWOON!! I honestly loved him and his daughter! he never denied that he was completely wrapped around her finger! made it that much hotter.
I loved that this one had a underlying message with it. That you should never judge a person by what you see online, they are normal people too.
Well done Emma on another read I absolutely loved!
Like all of Emma Hart’s books this book was a fun read!
Elle is on the run because of a video that was posted. She ends up in Creek Keys, Florida and wants to remain hidden to work through everything. While in Creek Keys Elle starts to realize that a slower pace of life maybe what she really needs. Plus it doesn’t help that her neighbor/landlord is a hot, British, single father named Leo.
Theo is a single father, running beach houses in Creek Keys. He is allowing Elle to rent the home next door, even though he really didn’t want to (because he knows about her past). Theo eventually realizes that you can’t judge a person before you get to know them. Knowing that his daughter Ari loves and watches Elle’s vlogs he is trying to protect her.
However, will Elle and Theo get past everything that happened in their first meeting? Will Elle be able to survive the scandal that was thrown at her?
Overall this book was a great read and it showed how even if something bad happens you can get past it. Emma Hart did keep this book more on the clean side, with a slight build up between her characters. I will say that this was a nice change in pace.
Once again Emma Hart’s writing had me giggling at times, and laughing out loud, loudly, at other times. The characters in this were her usual fun people that you want to hang out with, be friends with. And of course, a sexy British guy for a love interest? Who can say no to that? It was definitely fun having the female main character, Elle, as a famous YouTube/Vlogger personality. So famous that even across the country from her home of New York, she was easily recognized by those who either watched the videos for their own enjoyment, or watched them to be involved in their children’s interests. It was also great to read about how she made sure to explain to some of her younger fans about how what they saw wasn’t the whole picture of the person behind the shows.
There was of course the crazy elderly relative as this author really knows how to add to a story in a way that I look forward to. This time a great aunt. I also think the single dad romantic lead is very well done by Hart as well. One thing I always wonder as I read her books is if any of the side characters that are already coupled up possibly were from books before I discovered the author, or if they aren’t coupled up, could we see it in the future?
Two moments that had me laughing so loud that I disturbed my dogs who were snuggling with me on the couch while I read were a fun pop culture reference about insulting Voldemort when talking about her ex, and then a hilarious debate about courgettes vs. zucchinis. Which I immediately had to text my sister who is living in Scotland about that when I read it.
You can’t go wrong with a book by Emma Hart if you’re looking for funny, romantic, steamy, and sweet.
I devoured Hot Mess like a reading addict.
Elle Evans is a hot mess and I loved her story. I expected this to be a comedy from the start but I was mistaken. It has its moments but this is the story of an ordinary person who found fame. Elle is a normal girl who made her fortune video blogging. She’s become a favourite of pre-teen girls and a New York sweetheart. Unfortunately, her ex is about to put a spanner in the works. A video of them in a compromising position is leaked to the public. Now Elle is on the run from her fame. She finds herself on a small seaside island, Creek Keys. The locals turn out to be her saviour.
Meet Theo. The hot British guy with a cute kid. He owns a few holiday homes and isn’t interested in dating. Never mind entertaining the scandal Elle is living. As he gets to know her he realises she’s not who he thought she was.
There is an important underlying message to this book. People get carried away with thinking about the image others portray of their perfect lives. Underneath we are all just living our lives.
Don’t worry we still get the quirky family members, great chemistry romance and a leading lady with sass.
Loved it.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This will be available on KU.
Emma Hart never fails to give me a story that makes me laugh out loud, fall in love with the characters, and still feel all the This story was no different. Elle and Theo didn’t exactly start off on the best of terms – Elle’s situation + Theo being a single dad, well that just didn’t equal instant romance. One thing they couldn’t control, though, was their attraction, which just might lead them straight to each other.
One thing I really loved about this story was that no person seemed flat. Each character had their own personality and could truly be felt as a part of the story. I loved getting to know every single person I encountered and they really created a world.
If you love laughing, bold characters, and single dads — this one is for you!
I loved this story so much! It’s funny and sweet and has plenty of feels!
Elle is hiding out after a scandal and finds herself in a small town with plenty of interesting characters. Here she meets Theo and his daughter. She gets to live in one of his houses and as his neighbout.
These two didn’t start out on the right foot but the more time passes the closer they get.
I totally loved his crazy family and best friend
Run, that would be anyone’s first instinct when a very, very private moment is videoed and sold, both without your knowledge. When you run out of space and finally stop, you then slowly have to realize it’s time to start dealing with the fall out. As you decide to deal, you then start to truly feel a place of comfort and true friendships. This is such a unique story and really good read. The characters are great and hysterical. And what a whirlwind of a life lesson.
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This was a lovely read from Emma, fun, quick, heartwarming with some wonderful and memorable characters.
Elle Evans is a famous Vlogger, on the run from her life after a sex tape of her was dropped onto the internet and went viral, one she knew nothing about. She runs away from New York to the Florida Keys in an attempt to escape the scandal and get a grip on her life that was spiraling out of her control.
Theo is the British single dad with a very cute daughter who owns several holiday homes in the town. He ends us letting Elle stay in one, just for a few days. His daughter is his whole world, dating is not a thing, and he doesn’t particularly like Elle, judging her before he knows her. Of course his daughter knows who Elle is, and is very excited to be around her internet idol, but Theo is not too keen on letting her near Elle with the scandal going on.
Of course, as he gets to know her better, he realises he has misjudged Elle badly, she is nothing like her internet persona, and they start to get on really well.
Of course there are the mandatory Emma crazy characters in her, Theo’s Auntie and her Krew!!
A lovely read, pointing out you just can’t believe in everything you see on the internet, its not real life!!
Such a fun, light read! Emma is so great at making you love all her characters! Elle and Theo are great!!
It seems like each one of Emma Hart’s books is better than the one that came before. I absolutely loved “Hot Mess,” her latest funny, sweet, and heartwarming story. I highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy.
The main characters of “Hot Mess,” Theo and Elle, were both very likeable and well-developed. Elle in particular was amazing: funny, smart, hardworking, and so much stronger than she believed herself to be. Without a doubt, she handled the fallout from her ex-boyfriend’s revenge scheme much better than I would have if I were in her shoes! As for Theo, I loved how caring and protective he was, and he was a great dad to his tween daughter, Arielle.
Elle and Theo’s relationship development was nicely paced. The attraction between them was obvious right from the start, but they both tried to resist their feelings because neither of them was in a good place to start a new relationship. Theo wasn’t sure if he could trust Elle because of the scandal created by her ex-boyfriend’s actions, among other reasons, plus Elle was only planning to stay in Theo’s hometown of Creek Keys for a short time. However, Theo quickly came to realize that there was much more to Elle than her online persona, and the friendship she struck up with his daughter was adorable. The three of them truly became a family by the end of the book, and the events of the epilogue brought happy tears to my eyes.
The secondary characters in this story were a tremendous amount of fun and added lots of warmth and laughter to the story. I particularly enjoyed the ladies of the Creek Keys Conspiracy Krew as well as Theo’s friend Blaire. I felt bad for Theo because of the headaches the Conspiracy Krew sometimes caused him, but at the same time I couldn’t help but laugh at their antics.
Overall, “Hot Mess” was yet another wonderful story from Emma Hart, and I very much look forward to her next one!
*ARC provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
What a cute, quick read.
Famous vlogger, Elle Evans is on the run. A sex tape dropped; that Elle hadn’t even known existed, mos. She left everything behind in New York, cell phone included and found herself in the Florida Keys with no place to stay. A meddling daughter and waitress intervene and find Elle some place to stay.
Theo is quick to judge, granted he is only trying to protect his daughter, Ari, from meeting her vlogging idol and find out that perhaps she isn’t who she portrays.
Over the course of her stay at Theo’s rental property, Theo realizes that he may have jumped to conclusions too harshly and quickly. Elle is everything she portrays and more, granted her site shows everything in a positive light.
So will Elle go back to New York or will she find a reason to stay in Florida? Definitely one-click this read.
Boy did these two start off on the wrong foot. Elle was running from a scandal when she met single dad Theo. He immediately disliked her because he knew about her scandal. But his daughter was a huge fan of Elle. Theo started seeing different sides of Elle and realized how wrong he was. Elle was awesome and so down to earth that everyone in the little town where she escaped to loved her. The banters were hilarious and Theo’s aunt and her friends banters were priceless!!!! I like how Theo then became Elle’s shoulder to cry on. These two were amazing together and of course his daughter was beside herself. The epilogue was just all them lol. Loved it!!
*3-3.5 Stars*
ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
This was a very easy read from Emma Hart. Elle and Theo were both great characters, even though they don’t get off to the best start. I could totally understand Theo’s reluctance though. Ari was a great character and huge part of this book too, which was wonderful.
Some fun secondary characters, but some of the themes are getting a bit repetitive at the same time from this author. That’s just a personal opinion though.
I liked that this book, whilst very easy to read, still dealt with some really serious and adult issues, and they were explained and handled in a really great way. Big props for that.
This was a very easy read and had some great characters, so if you’re looking for something positive, this is a good choice.
You know what I really like about Emma Hart’s books? I know that every time I read one of her books I’m going to get a break my daily life if juggling work, teaching, packing, and wifing. I get a chance to laugh hard at purely entertainment. I take a little trip to the outlandish and I just love it there!! There’s always something special about the characters Hart creates and i don’t just mean those amazing main characters. Her secondary characters are some of my all-time favorites. They are side-splitting hilarious. It was just what the quarantine ordered after 2.5 months of lock down!!
Hot Mess was no different. I found myself delighted to be lost in an Emma Hart story where the characters are slightly insane and way over the top hilarious!! Elle is trapped in a crappy situation by an even crappies ex. Theo finds himself helping her out way more than expects. Ari is Theo’s daughter and she seriously idolizes Elle. Ari reminds me of me own little 11-year old daughter that’s obsessed with YouTubers and anything social mediaish that I allow her on. It’s refreshing to know it isn’t just my daughter obsessed with YouTube and the vlogs on it!
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
This book was so relevant to the times now with the revenge video posted by an ex. And the popularity of a blogger – or vlogger as I guess Elle is.
Besides the usual hilarity of an Emma Hart novel – there’s a peek of one of my FAVORITE past Emma Hart characters – not telling who, just that I loved said character. And little scheming Ari and the Krazy Krazy Krew. I’ve never met any such Krew but I’m sure there are people like them who exist. And then there’s Theo, who went from growly, grump to a great friend (and more) to Elle.
This had such a positive, underlying message and I’m so glad that Elle’s situation turned out the way it did. Definitely wish some vloggers were like that rather than the drama