I thought this was going to be a cutsie summertime romance but I found it super frustrating. I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, it wasn’t romantic or swoony or summery.

I absolutely adored *One Day in December*, so I came into this read with high expectations. While I adored the Cornwall scenes (Silver's descriptions of the cottages and the atmosphere truly transported me) unfortunately, the novel itself didn’t quite deliver. The pacing was slow, and the central romance didn’t really take off until around 80% of the way through, which made it hard to stay invested. Even once the MMC and FMC finally connected, their chemistry didn’t feel fully convincing. I also found the "public's" reaction to things overblown and unrealistic, which pulled me out of the story. Overall, while the setting shone, the rest felt a bit half-baked—missing the emotional depth and spark I’ve come to expect from Josie Silver.

Why do publishers keep marketing books as romance books when they are not? This definitely lives up to the title of slow burn because the MMC isn’t on page for 80% of the book.

Kate was annoying and the plot was boring and then so OTT it was unbelievable. The only actual enjoyable part was Liv and her relationship with Kate. But even then why did she need a surprise pregnancy? And why was her ex built up to be this huge asshole that dragged her to the press and then fully disappeared and there wasn’t really any resolution with her daughter either.

Thank you net galley and publisher for this ARC. This is my first Josie Silver book. I had a hard time getting into this book and found the writing style a little hard to read. Others really enjoyed this book though!

A feel-good novel filled with lovable characters and chaotic fun.

Kate gave up her acting career to marry a total Richard, but after his cliched affair, she reaches out to her old agency asking for work. They have an unusual role that’s perfect for an unknown actress, play author for the next romance bestseller so the real author can remain anonymous. How hard can it be?

I found myself really enjoying this book, it’s slow and warm and leaves you with a sense of calm joy. I was rooting for every character, but it didn’t feel so cheery as to be unrealistic -think more rose tinted glasses than blinkers on. It’s a perfect pick for anyone craving a pick-me-up read!
I appreciated the quietness of the romance plot, it was subtler than the blurbing had led me to believe, but lovely. I also want to note that the lovers are more mature than your average book couple (read: not in their twenties), as we all know how underrepresented that is.

If you like this one, and want to check out a backlist title by Silver, I loved<i> ‘One Night on the Island’.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Kate is officially an empty nester so she decides to do something for herself again and pick up acting. Her old agent had passed so her letter reached Charlie his son who recommended her for a unique gig, acting as the author of a new romance novel. The original author is known for writing detective books so this love story inspired by his late wife doesn’t work with his image. The book is an immediate success but as their lies start to unravel Kate finds herself in quite the pickle. How do you move on from something like this?

The title is spot on because this book is very slow burn. In fact the romance comes second to everything else going on with the Kate navigating her new life and everything that comes with publishing a book. On top of dealing with her daughter and ex husband. I’m not mad about it, Kate is the moment and one of those characters you can’t help but root for.

I have to highlight Liv (Kates sister), she’s comedic gold! There are a few emotional scenes so it was nice to mix it up with some fun banter. Honorable mention to the T-Rex scene, another giggle worthy moment. Love the cover and bonus content at the end.

This book is incredibly well written, love the structure, characters and the ending is just spectacular. Every loose end is tied up and of course theres a HEA. I highly recommend it.

Read this if you like
🩷Agent x actress
✨Hilarious banter
🔥Slow burn
📖Contemporary romance

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for this arc.

This was a cute romcom; perfect for summer!

Charlie Francisco has three problems: a divorce that ended his screenwriting career, a business he never planned to inherit, and a take-your-breath-away romance novel whose author wants nothing to do with its publication while Kate Elliott is a soap opera star who is recovering from her own divorce. What happens is fun and romantic.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read this eARC.

3 Stars

The title got one thing right, this book is slow.

Kate is a nearing-40, recently divorced woman who lives above her sister's fancy dress shop. She misses being an actress and reaches out to her former agent, Jojo, in hopes that there's an opportunity for her to pursue. She ends up working with her former talent agent's son, Charlie. She accepts the job of a "ghost author" and her job is to act like she wrote a heartbreaking romance book in hopes of keeping the real author a secret. She goes on a press tour, does sit down interviews on TV, and holds a booth at book conference. Kate gets really emotionally invested in the book.

This book is labeled as a romance, but I'm not sure I would call it that. Definitely leans more towards Women's Fiction. There really doesn't appear to be that much chemistry between Kate and Charlie at all and I don't really feel like the story did them justice in showing a true relationship really develop. There is one minor spicy scene, but other than that I feel like these two are so off/on, hot/cold the whole book. I did like their working relationship - Charlie was always honest with Kate and provided a lot of support to her during the whole publishing process, which is exactly what Kate needed while being thrust in the spotlight in a very unconventional way.

The other characters seemed like an afterthought as well. Alice, her daughter, was away at college most of the time and was primarily kept in the background. Minus a very very unfortunate event that occurs with Alice's Aussie BF, you don't' really hear much from/about her. Her ex husband was a real prick (IDK how she didn't go kick his butt after his little "no comment" interview), and her sister Liv seemed pretty overbearing most of the time (she did get a lot better towards the end). Nish was quiet and Fiona was a real ballbuster.

I also felt like some of the plot was very unbelievable. There's no way readers in this day in age with all of our technology and social media wouldn't be able to track down who she really was, given all the details about her life she so freely discusses during interviews. Also, the whole trifle-throwing, balaclava-wearing villain storyline was so dumb.

I do enjoy Josie Silver's writing, so no way will this book hinder my interest in reading more of her books in the future. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to review this. This one was an OK read for me and I know other's will really enjoy the story of Kate and Charlie.

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver is one of those books that sneaks up on you with its charm. Kate, newly divorced and ready to step back into the spotlight—just not in the way she imagined—ends up ghostwriting a romance novel for a mysterious author. What follows is a quirky, sometimes chaotic ride through literary fame, family loyalty, and an unexpected slow-burn romance with her (handsome, obviously) agent, Charlie. Kate is funny, awkward, and incredibly relatable, especially if you've ever felt like you're trying to start over and still figuring it all out. Her sister Liv is also a total scene-stealer—fierce, loyal, and the kind of sibling everyone wishes they had.

The romance is definitely more of a simmer than a sizzle, which might leave some readers wanting more heat, but I personally didn’t mind—it fits the mood of the story. There are moments that could’ve been more dramatic or emotionally intense (especially the big author reveal), and the pacing felt a little odd in places, but overall this was a cozy, enjoyable read. It’s light on spice but full of heart, and perfect if you’re in the mood for something uplifting with a touch of chaos, a dose of sisterly love, and a book-within-a-book twist that keeps things interesting.

***I received an ARC from Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for my honest review.***

Who turns down an opportunity to read anything by Josie Silver? As a long time fan, I can say that it definitely wouldn’t be me!

In “Slow Burn Summer” we meet Kate, who shows up at a talent agency after performing a disappearing act several years earlier needing a job. Kate is then swept up into a wild and unexpected journey as a ghostwriter for a well-known author who doesn’t normally write romance novels. In order to protect his identity, and her family, Kate deals with the aftermath of the media storm that follows after someone leaks that Katie is not the author. The book does well but Kate isn’t enjoying the fame like she thought she might, although it’s not as bad as it would have been had it not been for her dreamy agent by her side.

Overall, this is a great, light-hearted read. There is minimal 🌶️, but enough to see how drawn to each other Kate and Charlie are. Kate’s sister was also a fun character in the story - she’s a small business owner and a fierce and loyal sister snd friend to those around her. Weakness-wise, I do think the author’s revelation could have been done in a bigger way. I also thought the day of the big event at Liv’s store was odd which Charlie suddenly leaving and then texting Kate to meet up with him later. The Kate in the story might have wanted more information before dropping everything to meet someone who was acting a little “off”; however the ending was still satisfying and what you look for when a romance novel falls into your lap.

If you’re a Silver fan, keep your eyes out for this one - out in June!

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver is a charming, heartwarming story about second chances and rediscovering your identity after heartbreak. Kate, newly divorced and with her daughter off at college, reaches out to her old agent in hopes of returning to her first love—acting. But instead of the screen, she finds herself pretending to be the face of a romance novel written by a reclusive author who wants nothing to do with the genre.

As the story unfolds, Kate navigates the complexities of reinvention, family ties, and the strange but entertaining world of literary fame. With strong themes of starting over and self-discovery, this book is light, funny in places, and ultimately uplifting. The sister-sister dynamic adds emotional depth, and you can’t help but root for Kate as she takes this unexpected journey.

Along the way, Kate also finds herself falling into a new kind of love- quiet and surprising- while representing the love story of her new book. It adds a soft, satisfying layer to the story and ties beautifully into the book-within-a-book plotline.

It’s a true slow burn in pacing and plot, which may not be for everyone, but it delivers a satisfying, cozy read. I’d give this one 3.5 stars but rounded up for review.

Read if you like:
- Second chance stories
- Forced proximity (with a professional twist)
- Bookish plots with a book-within-a-book element
- Stories of women starting over and stepping into their power

I’m a huge Josie Silver fan and was beyond excited to read this one. I really enjoyed the concept of this book - an author hired to be the “author” of a romance book. It was fun seeing all the bookish events and tidbits.

Though this wasn’t my favorite of Josie’s books, it was a fun, easy read and a cute summer read.

I was excited for the premise but it lost something in the execution of it. It isn't going to be a particularly memorable book for me, but the writing was pretty good and I was able to get through it quickly. 2.75 stars.

This author is always a delight to read from. I was duper excited to get to this one. Unfortunately, I was expecting a bit more though. The pacing was a bit off and the story lagged in the plot. I still give it a solid 3 stats, but it definitely needed more to it.

This was a really cute read about a woman in her 40’s recently divorced and finally coming back into her own after losing herself during those years married. She attempts to reach out to her old agent she had in her early twenties to get back into acting to find that he’s dead and his son, Charlie has taken over his business.
Charlie extends an offer to “ghost author” a book for a famous writer that does not want to reveal who they are in their new romance book, a genre they’ve never written.
So Kate accepts the role of author to The Power of Love novel, and of course chaos, hilarity, and romance ensues.

Kate is the quintessential quirky and unhinged FMC that word vomits when she’s nervous. At first it was a little cringey but soon became endearing

There was intermittent and a little underwhelming tension between Kate and Charlie. I wanted there to be more!
I felt their interactions were short throughout the book so we didn’t get to see their relationship develop as much as I would have liked. But when they were interacting, the banter was good and funny.
The romance definitely took a backseat to the plot in this, which wasn’t a bad thing, but I still wanted more out of the romance part of it.
Overally it was really cute and a quick and easy read that had me hooked waiting for the world to find out that Kate didn’t actually write the book and see all the fallout from that!

I really enjoyed this one by Josie Silver! She's very much an auto-buy author for me and this one did not disappoint. I loved the idea of it and the premise of it — such a unique concept! There were a lot of details, but it overall it was so, so good and kept me engaged the entire time.

When a literary agent stumbles across a manuscript written by one of her clients, she is hell-bent on having it published. However, the author has no desire to share this particular story. So she comes up with the idea to hire an actor to portray the writer of the book. After reading the story, Kate is totally on board to be that actor, as she fell in love with the book instantly. In the midst of promoting the book, it is discovered that she is not the actual author of the book and is on the end of terrible social media criticism. While the hoopla is good for the book, it is causing a lot of damage for Kate. But in the end, she finds her true supporters and is overwhelmed by all of the positive support she receives. This is a story about finding oneself after losing oneself before life even gets started, getting married at a young age and devoting your life to your spouse's career, having kids & raising them, and then having your spouse cheat on you, and then find yourself wondering how you are going to support yourself for the remainder of your life. I found myself cheering Kate on & hoping for her happily ever after.

Many thanks to NetGalley & Random House/Ballantine for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

This was an perfect summer rom-com. The only minor thing in this book to me was the fact that I didn’t really feel the chemistry between the two main characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the advance copy. This story offers a fresh, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the world of publishing with a unique and creative premise. While the romantic storyline between Kate and Charlie has potential, it doesn’t quite land with the emotional depth I was hoping for. That said, the real charm lies in the vibrant supporting characters—Kate’s sharp-tongued sister and Charlie’s savvy business partner steal every scene they’re in.

With its steady pacing and lighthearted tone, this makes for an enjoyable, easy read—perfect for lounging by the pool or curling up indoors on a rainy day.