*Off the Record* is a charming and engaging romance that delivers a fun mix of literary intrigue, slow-burn chemistry, and self-discovery. Charlie and Kate’s unconventional partnership—built on secrets and staged appearances—makes for an entertaining journey, full of witty banter and emotional moments. While some plot points are predictable and the depth of character development could be stronger, the novel’s heartwarming themes and behind-the-scenes look at the publishing world keep the pages turning. A delightful read for fans of romantic comedies, especially those who enjoy stories about second chances and finding love in unexpected places.

So good! I have read other novels by this author and really enjoyed them. This novel did not disappoint. I love a slow burn novel and this novel just checked so many boxes for me. I was excited to jump into this novel. From the first chapter this novel captured my attention and held on tight for the entire novel. I loved Kate. I loved watching her journey thru her grief and moving thru to her next chapter. I loved Kate and Charlie together. I loved their quiet chemistry. So good! I loved Kate's sister Liv. I loved how she was there to help Kate move thru all she was going thru. Once I started reading I didn't want to put this novel down. I needed to know what was coming next for Kate. Loved it! I can hardly wait to see what this author has coming next.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to read Slow Burn Summer early, because I was DYING for another Josie Silver book in my life. While this wasn't my favorite of her's, I did still enjoy it so much – particularly Kate's story throughout. The only miss for me was that I actually wasn't feeling a ton of chemistry between Kate and the MMC – I really felt she more deeply connected with Hugh over their email exchanges, and I thought for certain that once they had met face to face, some sort of romantic relationship would develop between them. I appreciated the ~journey~ between Kate and Charlie, but their I love you at the end was still like... huh. I didn't anticipate that given that they had sort of danced around their relationship for so long.

This was a super heartwarming read, and really celebrated authors and books (which is what we're all here doing!!!). While not my favorite of Josie's books, I will undoubtedly be purchasing this for friends as well as for my shelf.

If you're a fan of Silver's previous work you'll enjoy this one too! Close proximity, grumpy/sunshine, work place romance, all then troupes- but it works!

Kate is almost 40, recently divorced and her daughter just left for college. Now, with nothing to do and not much money... she really needs a job.
Enter in, Charlie, he has taken over his dad's talent agency and he in search of an actress to 'play' an author who doesn't want their real name associated with their first ever romance book. Kate was thinking more along the lines of a theatre job or a commercial. But okay. She can play an author for a bit. She loves books and seeing her hot new agent more often won't hurt much either. This is a great romance that gives us exactly what it promises: an amazing Slow Burn Summer!

Not a "Wow" book for me. It was fine, I enjoyed it, but I don't see myself returning to it again and again. The romantic tension between Kate and Charlie just wasn't there- it was almost a surprise when they got together.

The romance part of this book seemed so secondary. Barely there.

Kate’s character is both relatable and endearing, capturing the essence of someone striving to find purpose amidst life’s upheavals and just really being lost and plugging away at that. And I love her ride or die extreme af sister Liv, whose unwavering support borders on unhinged.

Slow Burn Summer is a testament to Silver’s ability to craft stories that resonate with readers, blending humor, romance, and personal growth into a satisfying read. It’s a perfect choice for those seeking a feel-good novel that celebrates second chances and the unexpected paths life can take.

I really enjoyed seeing the characters progress in this story. The story was well paced and well written. I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it in just a few sittings.

A heartfelt, uplifting read with O’Leary’s signature charm and warmth. The romance is tender, the emotions are real, and the journey is unforgettable!

I went into this story expecting love to be at the forefront given the title, and in a way, it was, except not in the way that I anticipated. Slow Burn Summer focused primarily on a woman’s journey to finding and loving herself again. Because of that, I would say this is predominantly a women’s fiction story with a subtle, and very slow-burn, romantic relationship built into the background alongside a separate friendship with a platonic kind of love. The core trio involved in the main plot, the FMC (Kate), MMC (Charlie), and side character (H), are all attempting to process and navigate recent upheavals in their lives, with love and grief in various forms at the center.

Although I went into this thinking it was something slightly different, Josie did what Josie does by delivering a soft and tender yet emotional and real story with flawed characters that captured me. This book is an ode to love stories of all kinds, to beginning again, and to the friendships and community we build along the way that keep us moving forward.

Things I Loved:
• Kate - Likes: magical cottages and soliloquies. Dislikes: hummus and bad apples. Kate’s journey hasn’t been an easy one, especially as of late, and she’s suddenly found herself asking WWKDD. We do get some build up to her Miley Cyrus “Flowers” moment, and despite the shit show she was thrown into, I’m glad she eventually found her joy.
• Charlie - Likes: aviators and having his eyes compared to mixed drinks. Dislikes: people questioning his authorship and Kate in distress. Ever the thoughtful and reliable supporter, Charlie may have a hero complex that can manifest as camping in a cramped sports car. His character surprised me and grew on me.
• Liv - The kind of sibling we all need who delivered some memorable banter and one-liners. She’s fierce, devoted, and certainly not one to be trifled with (IYKYK).
• H - The funny and heartfelt emails, the genuine care and concern, the Jurassic fury… I wanted more of him, but what I did get was lovely. His backstory tugged at my heart.
• The Seamless Humor - Some of these tidbits caught me pleasantly off guard, and I audibly “ha”ed.
• The Relationships - We’re given plenty of dynamics here including mother/daughter, agent/author, writer/reader, friends (old and new), pen pals, sisters, lovers, and exes, and each was realistic, relatable, and/or endearing in some way.
• The Minor Characters - From the cabbie to the football fans, they all reminded me of people I’ve met before and have interacted with. I could picture them perfectly, which made their scenes that much more entertaining.

Things I Struggled With:
• Wanting a Little More - Despite the truths Charlie shared, I still felt like I was missing some significant pieces of his story. This made it difficult to connect to, and empathize with, him at times.
• The Ending - This was a bit too cheesy for my liking (similar to my feelings on the ending of Josie’s A Winter in New York). It was cute but corny with a touch after-school special. The epilogue, however, made up for some of it.

** Thank you to Dell/Random House and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. **

⭐⭐⭐.5/🌶️ Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver is about Kate, who takes a job as an actress posing as a ghost writer of an amazing romance novel. The true author wants zero recognition from the book, but agrees to speak anonymously with Kate so she can get to know the author for the role. Over a series of emails, she gets to know the author and she falls even more in love with the story. Meanwhile, her moody talent agent, Charlie, is constantly butting heads with her, but she finds her own way to be herself and make the most of this opportunity to start over.

The strong female relationships and real life showing up for Kate make her so relatable, and I found myself rooting for the Kate every step of the way.

💗Slow burn
💗Rom-com
💗Starting over
💗Summer romance
💗Mature FMC
💗Moody MMC

This book was charming and the premise was unique to me. What I liked most about this book was the quick chapters, the heartfelt relationship between Kate and Liv, and the glimpse into the publishing industry. However, I unfortunately did not feel the connection between Kate and Charlie. Despite being called “Slow Burn Summer”, this did not feel like a true slow burn romance. I wish that Kate and Charlie had more yearning for each other…their relationship was missing something. I also feel like I did not know Charlie well enough as a character, which could have been why I was not invested in their relationship. Overall, I did enjoy the reading experience and would give this 3⭐️

Josie Silver does it again- another heart-warming romance full of personal growth. I absolutely loved the characters, and this book will appeal to a lot of audiences as there is something for everyone to gain from this story- Parents, adult-children, siblings, friends, everyone.

This book missed the mark for me. I wasn’t that interested in the love story. I really loved the interaction with Kate and H and found myself wanting them to get together.

If you’re a fan of heartfelt, well-crafted love stories, this book is a must-read. Josie Silver proves once again that she has a remarkable talent for creating compelling romances that linger long after the last page is turned.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, and Dell for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read Josie Silver before. Her books were always a fun and cute read and this is no different. The name of the book speaks for itself. It's a very slow burn book. Kate was an actress and is currently a divorced mom, living in her sister's apartment trying to adjust to new life. After contacting her agent, she gets the role of a face for an author who has no desire for people to know who she is/what she looks like so people don't tie this person to the storyline of the book. She later finds out that the agent she was working with is now his son, enter Charlie (MMC). He's a super dependable human who's had Kate's back and stood by her through all of the ups and downs. He brought a level of calmness to the book and Kate with his strength and their undeniable chemistry. The only issue I had was that since this book was a big slow burn, the ending just felt rushed as if Silver just wanted to end the book immediately. It felt sudden and I wasn't 100% prepared for that abrupt ending.


Read if you like:
- Single mom
- Slow burn
- Workplace romance
- Close proximity
- 3rd person POV

Once again, Josie Silver has written a romance novel that feels both familiar and fresh and the same time. The character development was one of the strongest parts of the book for me. I will always pick up a new book by Silver and I have not been disappointed yet!

This one was such a fun ride, and I can’t recommend it enough!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had to DNF this book at 19%. I absolutely hate that the quirk of the female main character is that she goes out long monologue. I find this so unreliable and at 19% I was just like I cannot take this anymore.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group Ballantine and Dell for providing this book, with my honest review below.

Slow Burn Summer had me hooked from page one (baby throw up and all). Kate is freshly divorced from her cheating ex and in need of a job, preferably one that takes advantage of her acting talent which she had abandoned in her youth in order to build a life with the cheating ex. Charlie may just be her answer, trying to fill his recently passed Agent father’s shoes after a rather hard divorce of his own. But the job is less traditional than what Kate, or the book world, is used to - posing as the author for the greatest love story penned in recent history.

Kate was a wonderful protagonist, with a loving sister and daughter, earnest motivations, and an absolutely indomitable spirit when supported. Add to that that she’s hilarious (the whole book has its moments) and I only wanted the best for her. Charlie is equally a great match for her though I loved the slow revealing of his backstory to better understand him if he was actually friend or possible (surely it couldn’t be) foe. When the worst case scenario emerges for Kate (never trust a hot Australian surfer, and make sure your kids learn that lesson early) this story ramps up the stakes and comes together in the most fulfilling way possible.

An intriguing premise that absolutely delivers, this is an unconventional story we need more of.