Slow Burn Summer was a witty, warm, and delightfully meta rom-com that brought a fresh spin to the fake identity trope. The author crafted a summery story full of heart, with a premise that felt both whimsical and grounded: an actress pretending to be a reclusive author on a book tour while unknowingly falling for the man who brought the whole scheme together.
Kate and Charlie’s chemistry simmered from the start, and their banter gave the story a great spark. Both were flawed and reeling from their respective divorces, which added depth and tenderness to their connection. The slow-burn romance was satisfying, even if it took its time getting there. And the behind-the-scenes look at the publishing world added a fun twist for book lovers.
Some plot points felt a touch predictable, and the pacing dipped in the middle, but the payoff was worth it. Full of humor, healing, and just the right dose of romantic drama, this book was perfect for fans of second chances and stories about finding love where you least expect it.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The book that's such a slow burn, I pretty much forgot the whole thing.

Kate (I think, I honestly forgot the FMC's name) is abandoned by her crap husband, and left with next to nothing thanks to a prenup. She had a brief role on a soap years ago, and reaches out to her former agent asking for work. He's since died, and his son took over the company. He has a different sort of role for her: Interviewing and publicizing a book written by an author who wishes to remain in the shadows.

It took me a lot longer than I anticipated to get through this one. While it was good, I had higher hopes for a Josie Silver book.

Thanks, NetGalley!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Paperback for this eARC.

This was a really light and easy read and perfect for summer! I always enjoy a book with older main characters and this one did not disappoint. However, the story was a bit predictable and I don’t really enjoy the miscommunication trope that much. I did have alot of fun reading this book. It was quick and is perfect for a vacation read! It was very funny and very sweet and definitely a slow burn!

3.5 stars rounded up

This was an perfect summer rom-com. Yes, it was a bit predictable but that's one thing I love about rom-coms. I love the feel-good feeling. This is titled Slow Burn Summer and this was a slow burn but I love slow burns.
Kate and Charlie were very relatable characters. I love how Kate was a former actress acting as a ghost writer for Charlie, who is extremely introverted. The best way I can describe third book would just be "a fun, warm, cozy, easy summer read"


A big thanks to Random House Publishing Ballantine and Netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
Expected publication August 10, 2025

Imagine writing a romance novel, but wishing to remain anonymous as its author. The real author does not write romance and his readers would question him if it were his name on the cover. Former teen soap opera actress, Kate Elliott is recently divorced and because of an iron clad prenup, has no money. One night she sends her former talent agent a handwritten letter asking for consideration in any possible job that will ease her situation. Meet Charlie Francisco, her former agents son who has inherited the company. Charlie receives the letter and thinks Kate would be perfect as the debut "author" of the book. She is hired and is there for all of the pub day festivities, morning shows, pod casts and social media promotions. This comes with plenty of exciting moments with her fans as well as the unfortunate moments when the turn on her.

This story is centered around the passing of a life once lived for both Kate and Charlie. They were both relatable characters, but their romance did not seem to sizzle like other rom-coms. I loved Liz, Kate's sister. She would stop at nothing to protect her little sister.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. It is my second Josie Silver book and it will not be my last.

I read A Winter in New York a few years ago and had some mixed feelings about the premise of the lie that the entire story was built around. It felt so unnecessary. Same author writes another book where there is a made up story that is basis for the entire plot. I understand that it sets up the inevitable conflict once the lie has been revealed but it was honestly frustrating to read about a slow moving cars crash. The slow burn romance was so slow I missed it. I wanted to hope this story would pick a lane and stay in it but it couldn’t quite figure out if it wanted to be a love story or a woman finding her own way after a devastating experience. Unfortunately, I grew very tired of the plot. Not a story that I would recommend.

I was intrigued by the storyline of a writer wanting to not take credit for their work. I felt like the romance portion of the book was not a slow burn. It seemed to come out of nowhere and there was not much substance to the romance portion of the book

This book was certainly interesting, and not at all what I expected.

Kate becomes the ghost author for a romance novel has to deal with the consequences of that decision all while falling for her agent. That alone got me interested.

As a romance reader, there was a lot about this story I loved. The idea of everything was really fun and exciting. However, 3rd person pov is admittedly a little harder for me to get into, so while I did really enjoy the book it took a little bit of time for me to get into the groove with it.

It has a little bit of a slow pacing and the romance definitely is secondary to the rest of the story. This is my first Josie Silver book but I plan on reading her other books. The writing was great and I’m sure if you like a women’s fiction with a romance subplot you’ll love this book.

This novel is billed as a slow burn romance but it's more about Kate and the many challenges she faces in her role acting as the author of a romance novel. Throughout, she receives support from her sister, Liv, and from her agent, Charlie. While there is an attraction between Kate and Charlie, it takes a back seat to how Kate responds to the vitriol she is subjected to when it becomes known that she is not actually the author of the romance. I found myself rooting for Kate and I was eager to learn how things would ultimately be resolved. An enjoyable read.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
It was super slow in the beginning and kind of in the middle too but finally picked up towards the end. There were a bunch of plots that felt forced to tie in to everything. The title is a bit deceiving considering there was little to no romance between Charlie and Kate. I did love that it was a male author who wrote the next great romance novel and the fact that he wanted to help Kate write her own great novel too.

Thanks to Dell for the ARC of this book! I was excited to read this one when it came to my email, because I have read and love quite a few Josie Silver books. This book follows Kate, a divorcee, who is a former actress. She hasn't acted in many years, but the end of her marriage has her struggling to find meaning in her life. She sends a letter to her former talent agent and ends up meeting his son Charlie instead. She accepts a rather unorthodox job to be the "author" and public face of a book. The actual author wishes to remain anonymous. She throws herself into the job and in the process finds herself connecting with Charlie.
The concept of this one was definitely original and different and there were parts of it I really enjoyed, but it felt very slow in parts and I wished there was more romance in the book. It was a 3.5 star read for me, but I like Josie Silver, so I'll be looking forward to more books from her in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Paperback for an ARC of Josie Silver’s Slow Burn Summer. Unfortunately, I had to put the book down after reading 30% of the book. I have made a promise to myself that if I could get into a story by 20% way into a book, I would put it down and walk away from it since there are so many great books to read. Since this was an ARC, I went to 30% I just couldn't get into the story. I didn't care about the characters or what put them into the predicaments they were in. I wasn't even interested to see where the story would go. I usually like books by Josie Silver and was disappointed by this one.

I love romance novels with “older” MCs! Kate and Charlie were both so relatable with their relationship and career woes. This story was a perfect encapsulation of what it’s like to redefine your life in your late thirties/early forties!

One of the unique things about this romance novel, is that the actual romance plot line seemed to take a backseat in lieu of other, more focal narratives. There’s something fresh about this approach, that, for me anyways, didn’t detract from the story, but instead enhanced it. Don’t get me wrong, there was still tension, and yearning, and banter, but the “slowburn romance” allowed Kate’s other relationships to take center stage.

For a woman almost in her 40s, this seemed like a more accurate portrayal of her life. The focus on career, and what comes next after your world crumbles, and what are those relationships you hold onto regardless of your intimate relationship status. And yet the whole entire book focused on those enduring loves, the ones that are so part of your being, they rip your soul out when they end. I loved all of the different relationships in this story, but Kate’s relationships with her sister and the one she had with “H” were easily my favorites.

If you’re looking for your next romance read, I highly recommend picking up Slow Burn Summer! It’s got a second chance romance, sibling relationships, parenting woes, career struggles, and tons of humor.

Thank you to NetGalley, Dell Romance, and Random House for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

A fun, light romantic comedy from Josie Silver. I loved the slow burn romance between Kate and Charlie, but it was a bit lacking at times. 5/5 on the comedy.

Josie Silver writes deep, emotional, beautiful romance stories. It’s always a story within a story. It has depth and meaning and this is no different. The characters are charming and the storyline unfolds in a way that you didn’t imagine possible. I wasn’t sure about the plot when I started the book, but it rolled out beautifully and it really gave all the characters personality. This is a story that could be made into a big screen movie and I’d definitely pay to watch it. Great book. Highly recommend.

This was another great Josie Silver book! I thought the plot was very unique and not something I had read a hundred times before. Kate is an actor, albeit long removed from her trade, who gets hired to pretend to be the author of an amazing romance book. Shenanigans ensue, of course. I loved all of the characters in this book. The plot held my attention n the whole time. I think Josie Silver fans will love this book, along with other readers who just love to escape into a fun romantic story.

3.5 Stars- Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver follows Kate Elliot, a former child star, navigating life after a recent divorce. Hoping for a fresh start, she reconnects with her old agent in search of work—and instead crosses paths with Charlie Francisco, the agent’s son. Also recently divorced and still finding his footing in the family business, Charlie is on the hunt for someone to pose as the face of a soon-to-be bestselling book by an anonymous author. Kate and Charlie don’t exactly hit it off at first, but they quickly realize they'll have to rely on each other if they’re going to pull off this unusual arrangement.

This book definitely lives up to its title—Slow Burn Summer unfolds at a gentle, thoughtful pace, allowing the chemistry between Kate and Charlie to simmer in a way that feels both believable and sweet. Their interactions are heartfelt and genuine, making it easy to root for them. That said, I did find myself wishing for more character development; there were moments in the story that felt like they had room to grow or deepen. Still, Josie Silver’s signature warmth shines through, and fans of her previous novels will likely enjoy this one just as much. As a former rower, I especially appreciated the setting in Henley-on-Thames—it added a personal connection and a charming backdrop to the story.

The concept of this book was so fun and definitely not something I’ve ever seen done before! I loved all of the characters and really thought Kate stood out a lot. I loved her wit and found her super entertaining. I was rooting for her the entire book and really loved how everything developed throughout the story. I do think people who go into this expecting a romance or romcom will be a bit disappointed, I’d classify this as more fiction than romance although there is a subplot of romance it just isn’t the main picture. However that being said the romance in it is very well done it’s just not the biggest focus. Would definitely recommend!

This felt like a slow start and as I kept reading more I started enjoying it more. Overall it was a nice enjoyable read. Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book!