This was a very slow read and the romance was hard for me to get on board with. I was left wanting more chemistry from the couple. I didnt feel the main character was ever apologized to in the way she deserved.

I will always devour everything Josie Silver writes, and this was no exception. This one had a hint of You've Got Mail, which I loved.

Plot:
Kate Elliott, a former teenage soap actress, has recently been divorced and reached out to her agent about the possibility of work. Her agent has since passed away, but his son, Charlie Francisco, is now handling the business, and they indeed have work for her: to act as a ghost author for a love story.

What I loved about the story:
*The sister relationship between Kate and Liv - losing their mom early on has made Liv fiercely protective of Kate.
*Without spoilers, the romance in the novel.
*H's story for their late spouse and the inscription written to Kate. The inscription brought me to tears.
*The T-Rex costume and book community - absolute hilarity.
*FIONA - she might need her own novel.
*The playlist at the end - so poignant. I love a good book playlist.

What I didn't like:
*The novel itself was a slow burn and at times felt a little slow-moving.
*I would have enjoyed more interviews with Kate Darrowby before the "outing" - her radio and television interviews were so wonderfully unhinged.

Thank you, Random House-Ballantine, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Slow Burn Summer was a delightful read, the perfect escape for a rainy summer day. Kate is navigating a tough chapter in her life after a difficult divorce, and she’s ready to dive back into acting. To her surprise, she lands a gig she never expected: becoming the face of a book penned by a secret author.
However, the journey isn’t as smooth as she imagined. As she tries to focus on her new role, she can’t help but get lost in thoughts of Charlie Francisco, her charming agent with those whiskey cola eyes.
I truly enjoyed Kate's character; she was relatable and had a kind of strength that drew me in. The chemistry between Kate and Charlie was electric; he was simply wonderful. Liv, too, stood out as an amazing character and added so much to the story. The book struck a delightful balance between romance and drama, making me laugh and feel giddy as I read.
That said, there were a few elements that felt unnecessary. For instance, the subplot involving the husky-eyed guy didn’t quite lead anywhere for me. Additionally, Kate’s stubbornness sometimes got in the way, but despite that, I still found her incredibly likable. I just wish there were more romantic moments; I would have loved to see Kate and Charlie spend more time together to deepen their connection.
Overall, I really enjoyed Slow Burn Summer, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Josie Silver.
*English is not my native language, this review has been revised using Grammarly

Slow Burn Summer, by Josie Silver, is an enjoyable, if not compelling, read. The characters are well-developed and likable. You are rooting for life to treat them well. Nonetheless, I had a major issue with the premise of the book -- that a good idea is to hire an actor to pretend to be the author of a book with full intent of deceiving the public and the press. In the real world, there would be a herd of lawyers that would put an end to an idea so silly and fraught with danger. There would be really smart people that would suggest far better ways to protect the identity of the true author. Once I got past that issue, I could enjoy the book. Each of the main characters has a sympathetic background, complex relationships, and issues to overcome. I rate it a 3.5, rounded up to 4. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read a digital ARC.

I'm terribly disheartened to leave a review short of 4 stars (at the least) for my girl, Josie Silver. However, this was not a very enjoyable read for me. I didn't understand how the plot was really supposed to work out; but, moreover, I didn't understand how Kate and Charlie were supposed to work out. It's quite possible that, had the characters been stronger, more consistent in their convictions and personality traits, AND had there been more of a push-pull build up to Kate and Charlie's relationship, the plot would have just been silly but cute.
That said, Josie Silver is and will always be one of my all-time favorite rom-com authors, and this story does not shadow her talent!

I always enjoy Josie Silver’s writing and liked Kate and Charlie as characters, but the romance didn’t feel like much of a slow burn as the title might suggest. The story focused more on the book drama than the relationship and I would have loved more investment in the latter. An easy,enjoyable read but not a new favorite.

I’m a sucker for a British romcom, a book set in the publishing world, and a slow burn, and this book delivered on all fronts!

The plot of this book was such a fun concept: using a paid actress as the face of the author of the newest bestseller. While filled with hijinks, it also explores how much the public is “owed” of a book - we shouldn’t be owed anything in my opinion - and if it’s “wrong” to use pen names, a fake author, etc.

I was expecting a cute little romance, but this book delivered so much more!

Thank you to the author and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for my advance copy!

Overall, I enjoyed the story of Slow Burn Summer. I found the characters to be enjoyable and overall really like Josie Silver’s writing.

There were parts that I had a hard time with though!

I enjoyed Kate and Charlie’s characters but was expecting so much more from their love story. With a title of Slow Burn Summer, I expected more romance and tension but it was lacking for a good portion of the story. The story was more about Kate’s job with the book than it was about any slow burn relationship and it didn’t feel like a “summer” read.

I also had a hard time with how invested Kate became as the author’s name on the book. Her feelings about what was happening surrounding the book felt too personal when she was simply supposed to be acting. It felt over the top at times.

Overall, I’m glad I read the book but it wasn’t a favorite, unfortunately.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my opinion about this book.

Kate signs up to pretend that she wrote a book, but things go sideways pretty quickly. She handles it all with humor and more grace than I would. I felt like this one was all about possibilities and the promise that you never know what tomorrow can bring.

Josie Silver is one of my favorite authors! Her stories are always fun, funny, and full of heart.

Not my favorite of Josie Silver's, but still a fun "slow burn" summer romance read. It had a lot of my favorite tropes, great secondary characters that enhanced the book, and a sweet love story between Charlie & Kate.

The concept of this book was really cute. I enjoyed the narrators in the audiobook. I just don’t think the book was for me. It could totally be a mood thing. I did really enjoy the train/radio show scene. Obviously as the title suggests, it is a slow burn romance. I feel like the book as a whole was pretty slow and didn’t pick up until about 60%. Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Slow Burn Summer delivers a heartfelt blend of grief, family, and unexpected romance. The premise—an actress taking on the role of a ghost author —is immediately compelling. Kate’s messy, impulsive personality brings a refreshing sense of realism, and her dynamic with her sister felt honest and deeply affecting. Silver does a beautiful job weaving together themes of loss, identity, and how life rarely follows the plan we set.


That said, the romantic arc between Kate and Charlie felt undercooked. Their connection seemed to leap too quickly from distant to intense without enough emotional groundwork. Additionally, Charlie’s own past love story was referenced often but never fully fleshed out, leaving it feeling more like a distraction than a meaningful subplot.


Overall, this is a tender, emotionally resonant novel with some standout moments—but the romance could have used more depth to truly land.

Thank you NetGalley and random house for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver.

This is a second chance author for me and I was looking forward to reading this book. Summer, and Romance, a perfect combo for the mood I was in. Unfortunately, this was boring and uninteresting. I think it’s this author’s style of writing. It just doesn’t work with me. I did not feel a connection with our main character nor could I get into the flow of this story. It felt a bit all over the place for me.

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver is an engaging, entertaining and thought-provoking story that has depth, while still being a light-hearted summer read. This plot follows a former actress who steps in as a pseudo-ghost writer, a reluctant publisher who has stepped into his father’s very big shoes, the pressure of the publishing industry, and precarious nature of publicity.

Our story has a slow-burn romance, a bit of a mystery, and insights into the publishing world. It addresses the negative impact of social media and struggles of grief, loss and divorce, while highlighting the special bonds of family. I really appreciate how this book discusses the ramifications of our cancel culture and the sometimes oppressive power that social media has on people’s lives that the masses often don’t consider. I do think the main female character was a bit clueless at times, but other than that, this was an enjoyable, worthwhile read.

I thought this was a very cute read! There were plenty of times where I laughed and smiled. I wish there were more moments of "chemistry" between Kate and Charlie. Overall, a cute romcom read!

*Thank you partner @dellromance and @prhaudio for the #gifted e-galley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

This was cute, but not a huge standout!

Definitely a women’s fiction book, romance second. I liked the idea of an actor pretending to be the author! I wonder if that ever actually happens.

I liked that it was a sweet romance between an “older” couple (re; not in their 20’s lol). We need more romances like that!

I had so many high hopes for this book after loving other Josie Silver books (I still reread “One Day in December” from time to time), but this story just fell so flat for me.

I love me a good romance book, a story with amazing chemistry between the couple that gives me all the feels. For that to happen though, I need a good meet cute, a couple of interactions that build up a relationship…I don’t know, a little somethin somethin behind the couple that makes it believable that they’d be into each other beyond a physical attraction. I need a building chemistry that makes you not want to wait to see them together. I got none of that from Kate and Charlie. Like, when Kate started talking fondly about Charlie, I had no clue where it came from. It never got better as the book went on, and by the end, I really didn’t care what happened to them.

Speaking of Kate…I think she was meant to be quirky and funny. She wasn’t. She was a hot mess who found ways to make her life even messier.

I think the storyline was also meant to be quirky and funny at times. It wasn’t. It was weird and took away from the romance portion. I think the premise was actually an interesting one if the attempts at comic relief weren’t added in.

So why 2 stars? I didn’t hate Charlie at all, I just don’t think he was given a chance to shine in this story. I also liked the sibling relationship. Unfortunately there weren’t many other parts that worked for me.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I appreciate the opportunity.**

This was a cute romcom. It hit all the typical romances on the head. Very sweet and not that corny. It was a little predictable but that's okay!

There are things Josie Silver does so well here: grief, regret, and second chances are written with real tenderness. The sister relationship is a highlight—sharp, funny, and emotionally grounded—and the Cornwall scenes felt like classic Josie Silver escapism. And while I didn’t totally buy the premise (would this elaborate fake-author scheme ever really fly?), I was mostly happy to suspend disbelief because the setup is fun and weirdly thoughtful.

That said, the pacing felt uneven, and the romance between Kate and Charlie never fully clicked for me. It goes from “he’s cute” to “we’re a couple now” without the tension or build I crave. I found myself more invested in Kate’s relationship with the real author, Hugh—a grieving mystery writer whose secret love story sets everything in motion—than I was in the actual central romance.

Some plot threads also fizzle out (the lie about her “train romance” didn’t go anywhere??) while the conflict surrounding the big reveal spirals into near-slapstick territory (someone is throwing trifle at a shop, and that’s somehow the climax?). Still, there’s enough heart and humor to make this a pleasant read. Not everything’s a banger—and that’s okay.

Beach readin'

I love beach reading, now that my kids are a little older AND thanks to audio (I can keep my eyes on them while they play) I was able to listen to a few books last week while we were at the RI shore.

However, this one was just ok. I probably would have DNFd if I wasn't away from my shelves but the second half was much better than the first so I was glad I continued.

Summary
Former actress Kate is desperate to restart her life after a messy divorce. After a semi-pleading letter to her former talent agent, she finds herself hired by his son to play the part of a “novelist” for a romance hit.

Looking at the Josie Silver books I've read (this was my third), they usually fall under the 3 star category - so enjoyable but nothing to write home about.

Do you have a favorite by Silver?
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