Bravo couple Kyle Cooke and Amanda Batula, of the series Summer House, may spend most of their time between Manhattan and the Hamptons, but Batula has Jersey in her blood.
The pair said “I do” last year in her parents’ backyard in Hillsborough, and when visiting her hometown, Batula sees it as “an escape from the city and the concrete jungle of NYC.” In the upcoming Season 6 finale of Summer House, which revolves around a group of pals who live (and party in) a house in the Hamptons each summer, viewers can finally see the pair tie the knot at their wedding. The episode airs at 9 pm on Monday, April 25, on Bravo.
In addition to their TV gig, the reality stars have been running Loverboy, a hard iced tea brand, since 2019; their Summer House co-star Carl Radke is also a member of the sales team.
“It’s a ‘better-for-you’ option with all-natural flavors and no sugars,” says Cooke. Since launching, Loverboy has expanded with a high-end Spritz collection ($69/12-pack), Espresso Martinis ($50/eight-pack) and a canned Cosmopolitan ($50/eight-pack)—plus Strawberry Lemonade Teas being released in time for this summer.
In New Jersey, Loverboy is sold in over 800 retail locations. Cooke and Batula also do pop-up tastings at Total Wine shops, which is one of Loverboy’s biggest vendors in the state.
The pair chatted with us over email about their show and brand.
Amanda, Being that you’re from New Jersey, what is your favorite thing about returning home?
Amanda Batula: I love going back home to Jersey. My favorite parts are honestly the fresh air, the open fields and space—trees, greenery, being back in nature—and the beautiful sunsets.
What sparked the idea for Loverboy, and what makes it different from other hard seltzers, teas, etc. on the market?
Kyle Cooke: While filming Summer House, I realized how many sugary alcoholic drinks we were all drinking and decided to create a higher-quality product that wasn’t just another hard seltzer. Then came Loverboy—we created these products to act as a premium alternative to the countless, mass-produced hard seltzers that are so easy to find on the market.
Cooke and Batula’s “Summer House” co-star Carl Radke (center) is a member of their brand Loverboy’s sales team. Photo courtesy of Loverboy
What’s your favorite Loverboy drink?
AB: For the past few years, mine has been Hibiscus Lime, but now mine is definitely the new Strawberry Lemonade.
KC: If I had to pick, I think it would be the Lemon Iced Tea. It’s a classic and you can’t go wrong.
How did you decide on a name?
AB: The name Loverboy came after a long process of bouncing ideas off each other, about over 100. When we came up with Loverboy, it was the first name that actually stuck and made sense for the fun and playful direction we were going in.
KC: It was a fun play on words. Loverboy is also the name of a band we’re all familiar with, who of course sings the song “Workin’ for the Weekend.” Seemed like a no-brainer for us.
Loverboy is sold in more than 800 New Jersey shops. Photo courtesy of Loverboy
Congrats on your wedding. What is it like growing a company with your spouse?
KC + AB: Thanks so much! We’ve been lucky throughout this process because early on we established that we’ll never truly be able to keep work-life and our relationship separate. Since we’re OK with that, we make the most of it and approach it in a positive way. Instead of not allowing each other to talk about Loverboy outside of ‘work hours,’ we embrace it because it’s who we are and a huge part of our relationship.
How has married life been? Are you both still living in NYC?
KC + AB: Yes! Both still living in NYC and will probably be here for the next few years (but will eventually move out with a yard for the dogs)! Married life has been wonderful. We’re having a great time and having fun with it. We are excited for the future as it relates to life and to Loverboy.
Let’s talk Summer House. What can we expect in the Season 6 finale?
KC: You finally see us get married at Amanda’s house in New Jersey.
Is Season 7 in the future?
KC + AB: Given the opportunity, we would love to keep spending the summer in the Hamptons with our friends (and of course hope there’s another season)!