Mid-Summer Dating Daze: Is It the Heat or Just the Red Flags?

Ah, mid-summer. That sweet spot when everything feels sticky—your sunscreen, your margarita glass, and maybe even your situationship.

This season always seems to come with high expectations: rooftop romance, flirty texts, steamy nights, and maybe—just maybe—someone who doesn’t flake after three good dates and a shared Spotify playlist. A girl or boy can dream, right?

But here we are. July. And depending on your dating app mileage, you're either:

• Burned out by bad bios,

• Clinging to a maybe,

• In a no-strings situationship that has way too many strings, or

• Thoroughly enjoying the peace of not being emotionally available to anyone except your dog and your favorite coffee shop barista.—not a sampler platter.

So here’s your check-in, straight from the dish:

Are You Hot… or Just Ignoring Red Flags?

It’s easy to mistake butterflies for intuition and good chemistry for a green light. But remember: just because someone is cute in a baseball cap doesn’t mean they’re emotionally available.

If you’re hearing things like:“I’m not looking for anything serious,”“I just got out of something,” or“I don’t believe in labels,”

Then, congrats—you're not dating, you're babysitting emotional baggage. And no one has time for that. You’re not a life coach. You’re a whole meal.

The “It’s-Complicated” Summer Scenarios

Mid-summer often brings the weird middle ground in new relationships: not quite exclusive, not quite casual. Suddenly, someone’s inviting you to a wedding as a plus-one, but also forgetting to text back for three days. What?!

Here’s the truth: if someone makes you feel like you’re on the back burner, light your damn fire and roast marshmallows by yourself. You’re not here for confusion. You’re here for connection. There’s a difference.

Single and Thriving: A Mid-Summer Flex

Let’s be real. Some of us are not dating at all right now—and it’s the best thing we’ve ever done.

You know what I’ve found joy in this summer?

• Solo walks with my favorite playlist

• Reading on my porch with a cold drink and zero drama

• Booking trips without consulting anyone

• Saying “no” without guilt

• Not shaving. Not once.

You don’t have to be in a relationship to be in love with life. Some of the most satisfying love stories start with the person staring back in the mirror. (Even if she still eats popcorn for dinner and cancels plans to stay home.)

Mid-summer dating can feel like a confusing cocktail—equal parts sweet, sour, and occasionally too pungent. But if you remember who you are, stay grounded in what you want, and refuse to settle for anything less than genuine love, you’ll be just fine.

Whether you’re swiping, healing, flirting, or thriving solo, your summer story doesn’t need a co-star to be worth telling.

So turn up the music. Reapply that SPF. And if you’re gonna text someone first, make sure they’re worth your sparkle.

You’re not just surviving summer, love. You’re slaying it.

Keep dishing, Divorcee Dish