Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the copy of Slow Burn Summer. Josie Silver just writes such emotional romance books and they all seem to stick with me. This one was no exception!

Read: August 29th - September 4th
Format: E-book
Rating: 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The title for this book is soooo misleading. Where was the summer vibes? And the romance felt like 40% of the book rather than a huge part. All this to say, if you're going into the book expecting what the title says, you're not going to enjoy it.

Thankfully, that didn't end up being a problem for me. I did struggle to get into the book at first, but once I was in, I found myself greatly enjoying it. As always, I'm a sucker for bookish and authorish stories, and this one didn't disappoint. Even if Kate herself isn't the author, her love for the story itself shone through as if she were. It was really fun to watch her go through an author's life, even if she had to wrestle with guilt the entire time. Charlie and his journey of wrestling with his father's shadow as well as the shadow of his LA life was also very compelling to watch play out.

There were moments in this book that made me just so happy and have so much fun, and it just really proved to be a good time overall. However, I will admit, there were some bumpy things. A long section of hard life stuff that felt like it dragged/repeated a bit too much, the romance not feeling as organic/authentic as it could have, stuff like that. But nothing major enough to take away my overall enjoyment of the book in the end.

This book was… not a romance.

Kate, almost forty and desperate for work, agrees to pose as the author of a romance novel. The setup was so odd I couldn’t take it seriously, and her ease with lying made her hard to like.

The “romance” with her agent, Charlie, had zero spark. Their chemistry was nonexistent, the one spicy scene fell flat, and the love story felt tacked on.

The writing itself flowed fine, but the story was weird, lifeless, and didn’t deliver the summer-romance magic I was hoping for.

I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. Josies 's writing it hasn't been connecting with me since One Day in December and The Two Lives of Lydia Bird. That maybe due to my changes in reading preferences. I did enjoy this story, I just didn't love it like I wanted too

A cute idea for a book!…an woman down on her luck getting to be a ghost writer for a book.
I really liked the sisters connection and the love interest but never really felt that spark.
I did keep reading though, curious who this mystery author was and their reasoning to why it had to be so secretive.

This book was so cute! I loved the anon author. I loved the publisher. I loved the plot line! I LOVED the romance! Definitely one of my favorites from this author! Written so well!

This book wasn’t really for me unfortunately but I still enjoyed the writing and thought the characters were well written! I just didn’t connect with the FMC so it took me a while to get into this book. The trope was intriguing, agent and actress. The characters are witty and it is slow burn. Josie Silver is a great writer and I will continue to read every book she gives us. I just wish I had connected more with this book. Overall I’m giving it 3 starts, it was well written and the story was interesting, I just didn’t connect with the book. Thank you Josie Silvers team for sending me an eARC of this book!

RTC didn’t really hit for me. I’ve had it sitting on my for a little while and just couldn’t get into it. I had trouble relating to the main characters

Josie Silver's books always hit different. And Slow Burn Summer was no different!! I adored every second of this book and it was exactly what I needed going into the summer months!!

I loved this rom com. The main focus was comedy, and I enjoyed the humor greatly. I enjoy this author's other book and this one did not disappoint.

I loved the love for books in this novel, but I ultimately couldn't get past my issue with the premise, in which an actress plays the part of an author and develops elaborate, extensive lies about inspiration, writing process, back story, and more, then feels wronged when the situation blows up.

In Josie Silver's newest rom-com, Charlie Francisco is a divorced, cynical, harried talent agent who desperately needs to hire an actress to play the part of a novelist--and tour in place of the reticent (the writer is famous in literary circles) author of a new blockbuster romance.

Kate Elliott was once a soap opera actress, and now she's reeling from a divorce and thankful for a new job. She's ready to take on the persona of a romance novelist at readings and signings, but she also becomes entranced by the romantic story she's pretending to have authored.

Over the course of an extended book tour, Charlie and Kate are repeatedly thrown together. Can the romantic story that brought them together help them rethink their recent heartbreak?

I couldn't get comfortable with the compounding lies that were key to Kate's playing the role of an author out in the world, explaining (fake) inspiration, (made-up) personal experiences, and (invented) relevant life details. I also questioned the morals of the actual author, who continues to feel badly about the complications and yet for far too long doesn't insist on stepping forward (I know, I know, this person was experiencing highly personal feelings around the story--but still). When the situation began to crash down and there was backlash from readers who felt duped (and who were told outright lies by Kate herself, after all), this felt justified and was not shocking.

I didn't really believe in the Charlie-Kate romance; we are told that this relationship and its tensions are building, but I didn't feel able to buy in.

There are some truly zany moments in the novel (a T. rex costume and others, literal pies in faces). For me, the title Slow Burn Summer didn't capture either the feeling of Silver's novel or the book within this book.

I was most intrigued by the Kate-Liv sister relationship as well as Charlie's new beginning and his complex past. (Side note and request: Can we please have books about Liv and Charlie?) And I loved the intense love for books that is evident throughout Slow Burn Summer.

I received a prepublication edition of this title courtesy of NetGalley and Ballantine Books.

To see my full review on Bossy Bookworm, for my Bossy reviews of other Josie Silver books, for the link to the Greedy Reading List Six Second-Chance, Do-Over, Reliving-Life Stories, or to find out about Bossy reviews and Greedy Reading Lists as soon as they're posted, please see Slow Burn Summer.

As with every other Josie Silver book that I've read, I thoroughly enjoyed this witty, heartwarming rom-com. Her books have depth past the will-they-or-won't-they surface plot, characters who are struggling to find their purpose in life, and reroute their future. This was a clever premise, and Kate and her sister had a relationship I envied (no sister here!) Two thumbs up from me on this heartfelt, easy, hopeful read.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an early copy, and thank you to Josie Silver for continuing to entertain us with her wit and wisdom!

Another fun rom com by Josie Silver. Charlie needs someone to play the part of an author who wants. Enter down on her luck actress Kate. She & Charlie have instant chemistry.

Slow Burn Summer is a sweet, contemporary romance with a charming, summery vibe. Josie Silver creates relatable characters and engaging interactions, and the story has a warm, easygoing feel that makes it a pleasant, breezy read. The romantic tension and heartfelt moments keep the narrative enjoyable and accessible.

That said, the plot can feel predictable at times, and some emotional beats and character arcs lack depth, which keeps the story from being fully memorable. While entertaining, the novel relies on familiar romance tropes and doesn’t offer many surprises.

Overall, Slow Burn Summer is a light, feel-good romance—perfect for fans of contemporary summer reads, though it doesn’t leave a lasting impression.

Another cute romcom from Josie Silver!

Kate and Charlie are both likeable characters with recent relationship troubles in their lives. Kate is coming out of a divorce and looking to dip her toe back into a long abandoned acting career and Charlie is the new talent agent taking over for his father who was Kate’s prior agent.
When a not so typical acting job takes a turn for the worse these 2 connect in a way that surprises them both!
Not a lot of the usual romance in a book like this but it was an enjoyable read to round out my summer reading list!
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC!

Overall, not a bad storyline but not great. I had to review my notes and honestly couldn't recall the plot. Must not have been as memorable as I had originally thought it would be.

As always, Josie Silver did such a good job with this summer romance! I really appreciated Kate as a character, along with her vulnerability and support of the book in this one. While I feel like the romance between Kate and Charlie probably could've used a bit more tending to, Kate as a character really stood up in this one. I appreciate that this plot wasn't the sort you see time and time again, so it felt fresh. Definitely a good summer reading vibe! A bit more surface level compared to some of Silver's other books, but it still hit the mark I was hoping for it to hit. Looking forward to reading her next one soon!!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

So good! Very relatable and I thoroughly enjoyed the journey. I always love reading a Josie Silver novel.

Slow Burn Summer was such an enjoyable read! Josie Silver has a way of crafting stories that feel both cozy and emotionally real, and this one was no exception. The chemistry between the characters was heartfelt and believable, and I loved watching their connection slowly unfold—it really lived up to the title in the best way.

One of my absolute favorite moments? The T-Rex scene! I genuinely laughed out loud—it was unexpected, hilarious, and perfectly timed. It added a fun, lighthearted energy to the story that I really appreciated.

While it wasn’t a perfect five for me (a little slow in parts), it was still a beautifully written story with characters I was rooting for the whole way through. A perfect read for fans of tender romances and second chances.

Looking forward to reading more from Josie Silver!

Thank you NetGalley and Dell Publishing for my DRC!

I devoured this book in 24 hrs.

It felt like a fresh take on ghost writers. From the first chapter I fell in love with Kate’s personality and I knew I was going to love this book and have a lot of laughs.

Kate’s journey of finding herself again after her divorce was a tug at my heartstrings. Her insecurities and not being enough and feeling like you’re failing as a mother too were so raw.

One of the things I loved most about the book was that as a reader I got to see two people fall in love in the little everyday things of life, Showing up for someone, being there for them when they need a shoulder to lean on and knowing what they need even before they do.

The best surprise was the deleted scene! It was the perfect way to wrap up the book.

A must read!!!