Definitely a slow burn romance with two very relatable and likable characters. The interaction between Kate and the true author of the story that she is “ghost authoring” are a great addition to the story. Minor characters are not as memorable, but Charlie makes up for what is missing. A cute story that will attract fans of Silver with an awesome premise, but minor characters that are really underdeveloped as well as areas where editing was needed (Kate’s description of Charlie’s eyes as whiskey-cola) and lack of strong setting may turn some readers away.

As my first foray into Josie Silver's writing, I was immediately drawn into the clever premise and her witty prose. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Kate's journey as a former actress and Charlie's insights into the publishing world; their individual backgrounds added significant depth, making their evolving connection feel incredibly authentic.

If you're looking for your next romance, particularly one with heartfelt characters, a compelling plot, and a delightful blend of humor and emotion, Slow Burn Summer is an absolute must-read.

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

Publication date: June 10, 2025

Josie Silver’s Slow Burn Summer is a heartfelt and charming story that lives up to its title—slow to start but ultimately rewarding. This contemporary romance follows Kate, a recently divorced former actress who’s quietly rebuilding her life above her sister’s clothing shop. A chance letter to her former agent sets in motion a series of unexpected events when it reaches not him—but his son, Charlie, who is trying to navigate the world of literary representation in the wake of his father’s passing.

Kate is offered a curious opportunity: to pose as the pseudonymous author of a stunning new romance novel whose real writer, a well-known thriller author, prefers to remain anonymous. Initially hesitant, Kate is drawn in by the manuscript and agrees to take on the role, throwing herself into the whirlwind of book publicity. As she steps into this new version of herself, the chemistry between Kate and Charlie begins to simmer, adding romantic tension to the mix.

While the pacing may feel slow at times—true to the “slow burn” theme—the novel offers a satisfying emotional arc with a few well-placed surprises. Silver’s signature emotional depth and character development shine through, making it easy to root for Kate and Charlie as they navigate grief, reinvention, and love.

This is a book that rewards patience. Readers who enjoy stories of second chances, literary-themed romances, and character-driven plots will find much to love in Slow Burn Summer.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group -Ballentine - Dell, and Josie Silver for the opportunity to read an advanced digital copy of this book.

I’m a huge Josie Silver fan and this books just solidifies me again why I love her writing! I liked how the story unfolded gradually and it didn’t feel like it dragged on. The classic slow-burn tension that made me eager to keep reading. Katie and Charlie felt honest. It was neat to read about the ins and outs of how the publishing world works.

Kate has an unexpected gig as a ghost author. What does that mean? I'm glad you asked. It means she's going to pretend she's the author of a book that she did not write. The actual author wants to stay anonymous, but the book is just too, too good to not share with the world. So, the ruse is on. Charlie is Kate's agent throughout and guides her through the process. All the while, Kate and everyone else have no idea who the real author is. I will say that the twist in the story came earlier than I expected. With that, there were some layers to the story that added a different kind of depth and emotion. Not a critique, but rather I really liked how this added something different to the story! The unexpected nature twist drew me in differently. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the look at this recent June 2025 release!

A light, fun read with a clever premise and just enough emotional weight to keep it grounded. The fake author angle adds a fresh twist, and while the romance takes its time, the chemistry builds nicely.

With a title like Slow Burn Summer, I went in expecting a dreamy, sun-drenched slow burn romance. What I got was…well, neither. The book doesn’t take place in the summer, and it certainly isn’t a slow burn; in fact, it’s not really a romance at all.

The story is more about a woman finding herself after a divorce, which could have been compelling if not for the odd plotting and the fact that the male main character often felt like a secondary character. The connections between the characters lacked depth, and any hint of chemistry quickly fizzled out.

If you’re hoping for a sizzling summer romance, this one will miss the mark. But if you’re looking for a quiet story about a woman rediscovering herself (and don’t mind a misleading title), it might be worth checking out.

This was adorable! I really really enjoyed it and tore through it in less than a day. It’s a great beach read.

Nothing makes me happier than a new Josie Silver book and Slow Burn Summer was a fantastic read! A famous mystery author has lost his wife and is dealing with profound grief. He misses his wife so much that it's hard to do anything, including write his next mystery novel. He does write a story about he and his wife and the love they shared. It's a love story for the ages. When his agent is visiting him to help him with his loneliness and grief, she sees the book on his computer and stays up all night reading it. When he wakes up he's angry that she read it without him knowing it. Fiona, his agent, tells him how great it is and that it must be published. Hugh is afraid of letting it out into the world because he's only written detective books and this is a romance novel. He thinks it could ruin him with his mystery readers. Fiona comes up with the idea of using a different name than his on the book and going so far as to say they'll hire an actress to play the part of the author. When Hugh agrees to this, the search is on for the right person.

Kate Elliott is recently divorced from her cheating husband and they share a college aged daughter. Kate has struggled to find herself this last year and is living above her sister's dress shop in a small apartment. Kate used to be an actress on a soap opera before she got married young and moved away to start a family. Kate liked acting and writes a letter to her old agent hoping he'll give her another chance. They were always close and JoJo believed in her like no other. Charlie Francisco works with Fiona having taken over for his father, JoJo. Charlie's father died unexpectedly at dinner one night and Charlie is still missing him. When Charlie reads Kate's letter, he calls her to come in for an interview. Charlie offers Kate the job and she knows she'll be responsible for all signings, interviews, and appearances related to the book. She is now the author as far as the public will know and she must play the part in every way. Kate loves the book and can't believe the author doesn't want credit for it. She believes it will resonate with everyone and become a best seller. Kate has to study for questions she might be asked about her life and the details of the book. She's treating this job like any acting role.

As the book comes out and things get real, Kate isn't prepared for everything she must endure. Why does Charlie have to be so wonderful and good looking? She knows it's wrong to have feelings for him, but she does. Will Kate be able to pull it off and convince everyone that the book is hers? Will her family understand what she's doing and why? How will she tell her daughter that she really didn't write the book? Will Kate crack under the pressure as the publisher now wants her to do shows and meet the fans? Charlie feels for Kate and is attracted to her as well. He is new to the position of agent and knows he shouldn't get involved with a client. Kate needs a lot of help though and Charlie is more than willing to provide it. Will love spark between them and what will happen if it does? Slow Burn Summer is a fantastic romcom that you'll thoroughly enjoy! I rate Slow Burn Summer 4 stars with a high recommendation. It's a perfect beach read and it is summer, so get to the beach with Slow Burn Summer! I'd like to thank NetGalley and Random Houses Publishing Group/Ballantine for an advanced copy of Slow Burn Summer in exchange for a fair review. #SlowBurnSummer

I love a slow burn but felt like there was a distance between the characters maybe as a product of the writing style that was hard for me to get past or connect with.

I’ve loved Josie Silver ever since One Day in December and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird, so I was really excited to dive into Slow Burn Summer—and it honestly gave me exactly what I needed.

This was such a warm, feel-good story with a fun, bookish twist that made my little reader heart happy. Kate and Charlie felt so real and down-to-earth, like people you’d actually want to hang out with. I loved how their relationship unfolded slowly—it felt natural, genuine, and totally worth the wait. And yes, there were moments that had me full-on laughing.

It’s the kind of book that makes you smile for no reason, and just leaves you feeling lighter. A perfect cozy, easy summer read that I’ll be recommending to everyone who loves a bit of heart with their romance.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the eARC!

Talk about a slow burn, beautiful burn is more like it! Josie has the most amazing way of bringing the characters to life and drawing you into their life and stories!

Perfect book to read while relaxing at the pool and will make you smile!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Genre: Women’s Fiction / Romance
Rating: 3.8 / 5

Josie Silver's books have been a mixed bag for me—The Two Lives of Lydia Bird was a hit, while A Winter in New York didn’t quite land. Slow Burn Summer sits somewhere in between, and I genuinely enjoyed it.

The story follows Kate, newly divorced and trying to restart the acting career she once gave up for marriage. She’s handed a bizarre opportunity—pretending to be the anonymous author of a bestselling book. What follows is a tangled web of lies: fake interviews, book tours, and public appearances where she poses as someone she’s not.

It raises an intriguing premise—imagine falling in love with a book, raving about its debut author, and then finding out months later that the face behind it all was a lie. The book explores this idea well, especially how it all unravels for Kate when the truth comes out.

What worked:

~ The premise was fresh and compelling—perfect for book lovers who enjoy stories about books and ghostwriting.
~ The sibling bond was the emotional heart of the story. Kate’s sister was loving, fierce, and protective in the most realistic and heartwarming way.
~ The exploration of online harassment and how public scrutiny may affect one's mental health (which as we all know happened very recently to an author we love). )
~ The epilogue neatly tied things back to the beginning and provided a satisfying sense of closure.

What didn’t quite work:

~ The romance between Kate and Charlie felt flat. It lacked chemistry, buildup, and emotional depth. It seemed more platonic which I'm all for but I wish the romance wasn't forced.
~ The cover is misleading—it screams light summer rom-com, but this is more reflective women’s fiction with a romantic subplot.
~ I wanted more depth in certain areas—there really wasn't anything about the daughter except that she's in Australia and has a boyfriend, even though they contributed to a big plot point of the story.

Overall, it’s a thoughtful, emotionally grounded story about identity, reinvention, and the cost of pretending.

Read if you like:
📚 Books about books & ghostwriting
💔 Women’s fiction with emotional depth
🔥 Slow burn romance
👩‍👧 Strong sibling dynamics

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the gifted ARC.

#SlowBurnSummer #JosieSilver #BooksAboutBooks #WomensFiction #2025Releases #NetGalleyARC

I loved One Day in December by Silver and was excited for her new book Slow Burn Summer. Kate, in desperation, gets a job posing as a author, to save the writer from being outted. Charlie casts her and helps her navigate the waters of book stardom. This book would be a good pick for folks who enjoyed The perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson or Love Story by Lindsey Kelk. Both Kate and Charlie were interesting characters working to heal from their past. They had attraction and the relationship was slow burn to instalove. I appreciate this is a romance with mid-aged characters. The disappointment was in the last third of the book when they didn’t act up to their maturity. The title of this book does it no justice. The best parts of the novel have nothing to do with romance, but about healing from grief, Kate’s relationship with her awesome sister, and Kate’s correspondence with the mysterious author. I feel like maybe the publishing company wanted to sell this as a simple romance, when it isn’t at all. Thanks to Net Galley and Ballatine Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review of this book. 3.25 stars.

It takes something special to hold my attention, and although I’m a fan of Silver’s previous books, I struggled to get through this one. Yes, the title is Slow Burn Summer, but it seemed more about lack of forward momentum that would keep me engaged than about the buildup of a tepid romance. The chemistry between Kate and Charlie was the opposite of explosive, so much so that I didn’t remember the one s#x scene between them that came late in the book. I also didn’t care for Silver’s choice of third person narration because it created a sense of unnecessary distance between this reader and the main characters. There are other aspects of the story that disappointed me, but are hard to describe without spoilers. So, I’ll just leave it that it wasn’t the book for me, but I think it’ll find its audience.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Dell through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for the “readers united” scene.

This story is about Kate Elliot, a former soap actress, recently divorced and looking to restart her acting career. Talent agent, Charlie Francisco, asks Kate to play the part of a novelist on a book tour for his agency’s client who wants nothing to do with the novel’s publication.

This was a really interesting story but definitely a slow burn. The romance doesn’t pick up until well past the 50% mark but the plot and side characters were so good that I didn’t even mind it that much.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Josie Silver for an eARC of this book!


* this review was posted on GoodReads Jun 20

I can always count on Josie Silver to bring her characters to life. The growth in this book was phenomenal. Watching Katy get back on her feet and Charlie come into his own was wonderful. Not sure if there was a lot of romance in this for me but I did appreciate the take on the sisterly relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine for the e-ARC of this book. This review is my own opinion.

Thank you so much for this eARC. I really enjoyed the premise of this book and also the layers that were brought to the characters, especially Charlie. Divorce is sometimes a taboo topic in romance novels but I liked that Charlie was a divorcee and had a different perspective because of it. Charlie and Kate also had chemistry and I liked their romance. This is a good book with just the right amount of humor.

Really enjoyed this romance, particularly since it had an older protagonist. My favorite scenes were in the bookish world, felt very authentic. The romance was more of a side note as I loved the sisterly relationship more. I am a fan of the author’s and will always read her latest release!

First I want to start off with thanking Penguin Random House and NetGalley for receiving and ARC for this book.

When I first read the premise for this book I was so excited because I never read anything by this author but I thought it had such an interesting take. I really do enjoy the storyline, the character and the setting. Everything just meshed so real and felt very realistic. Unfortunately I just felt the pacing to be slower than I would have like and some of the drama a little more overdone then I prefer. I definitely will read more by this author!!