Middle of the road book for me; 3 solid stars. Kate Elliott, former soap star and middle aged woman going through a divorce, takes a leap of faith and accepts a non- traditional ghost writing role. Although the book is successful, the arrangement goes awry, including a new romance.

I received an advanced copy of this book thanks to NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! It felt like a slow burn summer romance exactly like the title with lovable characters! I enjoyed both the audio and physical version! I’ll always read by this author :)

Quick enjoyable read with a very misleading title. The plot of this book is nothing that hasn’t been done before but it’s handled well. There isn’t really a romance here, just the start of something new. Mostly about personal growth, family and found tribes. Made for an easy read to curl up with.

This was such a fun read about an actress hired to play the role of author of a book, in place of a very famous author who is publishing something that feels too personal to put their own name on. The talent agent who is the go between is also in a tricky spot: trying to carve his own path and fill his father’s shoes. It was quite funny and poignant and I really enjoyed it. Would recommend!

This was a quick read, but lacking in a few areas. I didn’t understand Kate and Charlie’s relationship at all…it started off strange and they didn’t have much chemistry. The ending was a bit of a let down and I don’t think the title of this book at all matches what it is about! The part I loved most was Kate and H’s emails back and forth.

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have loved Josie Silver since I read One Day in December. This was the perfect summer romance and just like the title said it was a Slow Burn Romance- not even getting to a romance until the very end. Kate is navigating a divorce when she lands a dream job. The job she has to keep a major secret Expecting things to go wrong but was full of chaos and hilarious moments! All the characters were fun and memorable. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver
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After changes in her life Kate is looking to get back into acting. Her new talent agent is Charlie and he offers her a job right away, pretending to be the author for a new book.
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What I liked:
-The mystery of who actually wrote this book. I had a couple theories but loved how that story played out.
-Kate and Charlie. I really really like how this is not an insta-love story. It takes awhile for Kate and Charlie to open up and learn to trust each other in both a professional aspect and later in a romantic way.
-Josie’s books always have these emotional pulls to the story and this one was no exception.
-Still a good amount of humor in the story as well.
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4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 I really enjoyed Slow Burn Summer! Lydia Bird is still my fave, but this one was excellent still.

First off, thank you to NetGalley for the copy of Slow Burn Summer! As far as the book goes, I loved the idea of this book but it missed the mark a bit in my opinion.
While the romance does eventually show up, it didn’t quite feel like a true slow burn to me. It was more like a suggestion in the background, rather than a steady build I could feeling coming. If you hadn’t told me it was a romance novel, I really wouldn’t have figured it out.
The ending and epilogue were easily my favorite parts. I found myself wishing more of that tone and energy had been part of the rest of the story.

I’m going to try and get my point across here without giving any spoilers or giving too much away. There’s a mystery element of the book that I really wanted to work, but for me, it missed the mark. With a good twist, I expect to feel like the clues were there all along but in this book it just wasn’t there. In this case, the reveal felt more random than anything I could have seen coming.

I wouldn’t call it a bad read and it had moments that genuinely moved me but overall, it left me a little conflicted. I’m going with 3.75 stars for this one.

This was a great quick read. I love Josie Silver and this book wasn’t my absolute favorite of hers but I did enjoy it! The romance while it was a slow burn felt a little like an after thought like all the sudden they are in love. I think I would call this more like chick-lit than romance but again I did enjoy it and the plot was fun!! Something new 💖

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC copy of this book!!

This book was categorized as a romance but there was very little romance throughout. This was a cute quick read dealing with Kate's journey of self-discovery and complicated relationships.

If you are looking for a more of a womens fiction that deals with a somewhat heavy topics (i.e. divorce, finding yourself, grief) then this is a good book to pick up. If you are looking for a true romance, there are much better options.

This was my first non-holiday Josie Silver book and I was so excited to read it!

The good: it has Silver’s signature wit and tone, and I found myself really immersed in the characters and their stories.

The “meh”: although I enjoyed the characters, the love story felt a little forced and less believable than I’ve experienced in this author’s previous work.

All in all, I enjoyed it as a fun read, but I can’t see it sticking with me long term.

Slow Burn Summer is the perfect summer romance with a slow building connection that feels authentic and deeply satisfying. The characters are relatable and layered, and the chemistry simmers throughout the story until it finally ignites in the most rewarding way.

The setting adds a cozy, sun-soaked vibe that makes you want to grab a cold drink and get lost in their world. This isn’t just a quick romance, it’s about real feelings, second chances, and taking the time to get it right.

I really wanted to like this story but it felt very contrived, unrealistic, and surface level.

Kate Elliot takes a suspiciously easy role as ghost-not-the-actual-author but all common sense eludes her. Somehow she makes basic mistakes that make you cringe. She forms deep relationships with the mystery author, and agent Charlie, based on incidental engagements.

It's hard to find her endearing and connect. It felt contrived.

Thank you to Random House Ballantine and Netgalley for an ARC.

Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @prhaudio for a free download of the audiobook.

★★★☆☆

I really wanted to love Slow Burn Summer, especially given Josie Silver’s reputation for heartfelt storytelling. Unfortunately, this one didn’t quite resonate with me. While the premise had promise and the setting was charming, I struggled to connect with the characters. Their emotions and motivations felt distant, making it hard to invest in their journey.

That said, the audiobook narration by Anna Acton was a bright spot. Her delivery was warm and expressive, and she brought a gentle elegance to the story that made it easier to stay engaged. Even when the plot felt slow, her voice carried it with grace.

Silver’s writing is undeniably polished, and I can see how others might find comfort in the slow unfolding of this summer tale—it just wasn’t the right fit for me.

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #berkleypub #prhaudio #prhaudiopartner #sponsored #slowburnsummer

Another great Josie Silver read. This was such a cute book and also a sweet love letter to book lovers everywhere!

I love everything Josie Silver writes, and was so excited to learn she had a new romance coming out this year!

While Slow Burn Summer was an enjoyable read, I admit that I didn't love it as much as Silver's other books. The concept was fun, and I enjoyed Kate's journey as she navigated life in the public eye, and then the fallout that came later. But the book felt unbalanced to me--too much time was spent on that storyline, which made her budding romance with Charlie feel like an afterthought. While I liked both Kate and Charlie as characters, I didn't feel the chemistry between them.

Kate thought her acting career was over until she landed the role of a lifetime.

When failed actress Kate teams up with Charlie, a newly minted talent agent trying to salvage his father’s company, she agrees to pose as the face of a romantic novel written by a reclusive author. What starts as a simple photo op spirals into a full-blown book tour, complete with interviews, viral fame, and mounting pressure. Kate and Charlie have baggage, banter, and undeniable chemistry, and as the line between fiction and reality blurs until the truth behind the book threatens everything they’ve built.

Josie Silver delivers another feel-good romcom with charm, heart, and her signature slow burn. While One Day in December and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird remain my top favorites, Slow Burn Summer is light, heartfelt, and sweet.

This was a quick summer read book from Josie, which I appreciated. This was not my favorite Josie Silver book. The ending with the author seemed like such a far reach and slightly bizarre.

I enjoyed my time with it but wouldn't recommend it.

What a refreshing romcom! I’ve gotten so tired of the internal drama so many romcoms rely on. This was a new idea and so fun.
The feminist in me got annoyed by Charlie acting the hero, but I guess that was his job. Kate stepped up to it in the end. :) I love how she was able to resolve the conflict.
Josie Silver has such great character development and dialogue that I always feel like I’m witnessing actual events.

I received a DIGITAL Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book should not be categorized as a romance. It's not even a slow burn romance as the title suggests. It's a women's fiction book with a sprinkle of a romance, one that's fine but it didn't really do much for me.

I absolutely loved the relationship between Kate and her sister Liz. It was hysterical and such a loving relationship.