Title: Hott Shot
Author: Serena Bell
Series: Hott Springs Eternal #1
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Contemporary, Contemporary romance, Small town romance
Pace: Medium
Format: eBook, Novel
Year: 2023

Hot Under the Collar introduced me to Quinn and Sonya as a couple. Then I realised that I had their story on my shelves. And wow, was I excited! I mean, they seemed like fun secondary characters, but finding out about their romance and falling for one another… this was so damn cute and fun. It’s also a fun start to a whole new series, one that I’m itching for the next one to come out!

The idea of a guy who is tied completely into his scientific endeavours having to work at a beauty salon was a great premise to begin with. Then, there was the actual reality of this – it shows that a lot of our misconceptions about who and what we are are often wrong. It also showed that Quinn didn’t need to conform to Sonya’s idea of kindness and welcoming – he was able to fumble his way to his own style and confidence. One that worked beautifully and highlighted that we are all kind in our own ways. Plus, it was a nice way to dispel that whole stereotypical myth that nerds can’t socialise. We can! But I’m an introvert, and sometimes I just don’t want to.

Sonya only contrasts Quinn superficially. I mean, on the outside, a scientist and a beautician don’t necessarily work, but like with many people, that difference is only skin deep. They are both fiercely independent individuals who strive to make their own way in life. However, I particularly loved how Sonya’s independence acted to her own detriment – she is incredibly strong, but we all need help sometimes. And I loved that the moment when she finally realises that she can ask for help was kind of hilarious. It was definitely one of the most memorable scenes of the book.

The catalyst for this series is the fact that Quinn’s grandfather dies, and, being a bit of an asshole, decides to leave his grandchildren with a challenge each. I absolutely loved this premise. Yeah, it doesn’t reflect nicely upon the old man, but I also like to think that he’s actually doing it to benefit his grandchildren. And, it sets up the rest of this series brilliantly, so now I’m excited to see what happens with the next brother in line for a not-so-grandfatherly challenge.

Image source: Amazon