REVIEW: Running Hott by Serena Bell

Running Hott by Serena Bell: Rhys is all buttoned up perfection in a suit, as a grumpy divorce lawyer he has absolutely no business changing professions to become a wedding planner of all things! But when his grandfathers will stipulates that Rhys needs to trade in his courtroom cut throat for flowers and frills if he wants to be able to help save his family’s land, he has little to no choice but to knuckle down and help his siblings. To bad his very first client is none other than sunshiny bride Eden, whose ex husband he represented in court for their divorce… talk about a bit awkward. If this wasn’t strange enough, some how Rhys finds himself in an unexpected road trip with the newly jilted Eden as they try to recover a set of handmade quilts from her ex-fiancé. Somewhere between the cramped motel, a stray kitty and some unresolved tension, the dynamic between Rhys and Eden shifts… can these two put aside their snark and accept that there is a real connection between the two of them…

I love everything that Serena Bell writes and Running Hott is no exception! The Hott Springs Eternal series has fast become one of my all time favorites and finally getting my hands on grumpy Rhys book was so worth the wait! Rhys and Eden pulled me in right from the very first chapter with the slow burn tension and funny, sassy banter. These two deliver a heartfelt connection that slowly builds as they lower their walls showing their tender and honest connection. That and I just loved getting to see the rest of the Hott gang, this family is just adorably nosey and I can not get enough of them!

Rhys and Eden couldn’t be more different on paper but that’s exactly what makes them work so perfectly as their story unfolds. Rhys is guarded, rigid and emotionally unavailable in the most infuriating way, but we also know that he has a lot more going on beneath the surface. While he has built his life on control and order and keeping feelings strictly locked up in a neat box, it was just perfection getting to see Eden walk into his life and mess up all of this order with her sunshiny quirky personality. I have to say I really liked that while we get to see Rhys grow, its gradual and not this overnight change, we get to see him slowly unclench his tight hold on control and simply live in the moment thanks to Eden. I just adored Eden, she was a warm chaotic ball of love and life. While she might have been a bit of a mess, she had such a sweet and optimistic heart. She was the kind of character that was simply so easy to root on, even when her heart was broken she never gave up on love or a happily ever after. The thing I loved the most about Eden wasn’t that she needed to learn to love, but that she had to learn to trust herself in this journey and that was so beautiful to see unfold.

I love a good opposites attract and that is definitely the case in this book. There was such a perfect push and pull between Eden and Rhys, where we have someone who believes too much and someone who’s afraid to believe at all. I really liked the fact that they don’t save each other but rather help each other grow and expand their views and embrace change. We get to see them gradually help each other become their best versions, while Rhys helps ground Eden when she begins to spiral, we see Eden soften Rhys when he wants to shut down his feelings. Their journey truly is one of growth and simmering passion. I loved each moment with these two, their banter, the slow burn in their connection and ultimately getting to see them fall in love.

I can not complete my review without mentioning the Hott siblings. Gosh I just love this wacky family and getting to see each one of them slowly fall face first into love has been just incredible! I loved the close knit vibe that comes with being welcomed into the Hott crew and all the silly banter that they bring to the book.

There was not a single thing that I did not love about reading Running Hott, this book is filled with heart and a few messy moments that build into a beautiful ending. If you are looking for a slow burn romance that is equal parts spicy and sweet then this is most definitely the book for you!

Book Info:

Publication: July 7, 2025 | Serena Bell Books | Hott Springs Eternal #4

A jilted bride. A jaded divorce lawyer. A full tank of gas. What could go wrong?

As a cutthroat New York City divorce lawyer, it’s my job to end marriages. Lifetime commitment? It’s for the birds. I do everything in my power to avoid it…until my grandfather’s will says that to save our family’s land, I have to become a wedding planner.

Worse, my first client is Eden Becker. She’s the sunshine-y disaster whose ex-husband I represented a few years ago in their divorce. Eden’s first marriage was a nightmare, so why does she think another one is a good idea?

Turns out, I’m not wrong. Her jerkwad fiancé jilts her, and as her wedding planner, I’m also her getaway vehicle. Now we’re on the road together—and all my complicated feelings about this beautiful, naive optimist are in the car, too. Along with a wild attraction I’ve been fighting since we first faced off across a conference table.

If this road trip goes on too much longer, I’m going to do something I’ll regret forever.

Like fall in love.