Kate, recently divorced and her daughter away at uni, needs a job and writes a hand written letter to her old agent, Jojo, essentially crawling back for work. The job opportunity is being a ghost author, a sit in author for a romance novel written by an author that wishes to remain anonymous. Charlie, Kate's agent in this new gig as Jojo has passed on, is having trouble with this arrangement but promises to be by Kate's side every step of the way. Will Kate be able to persuade the public that she wrote the bestselling romance novel of the year or will their secret get leaked to the media and cause utter chaos?

I finished this book in two days, I couldn't put it down. I needed to know how it played out. While the ending was semi predictable, it was a great beach read.

Thank you to the Netgalley and publisher for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver has a rather unusual premise. We've all heard of ghost writers, but what about a ghost author? Former actress Kate is hired to play the part of an author for a book that promises to be a bestseller; the actual author doesn't want to be associated with the book because it is so unlike their normal genre. Charlie is the agent who hires Kate, and although Kate and Charlie initially don't get along, they begin to get closer as the book becomes a runaway hit...then the ruse of Kate's authorship is exposed.

I very much enjoyed the writing, as I have in all of Josie Silver's books. What starts out as a fairly flimsy premise leads to lots of questions of morality in the publishing industry, the ugly side of social media, and how we view reality today through the lens of social media. This is a great tale of second chances, friendship, and loyalty. I found this Josie Silver novel to be slightly less sad than her others; there is usually a certain level of heartbreak in her books and this one was somewhat lighter. Overall, this is a very thought-provoking book.

3.5 stars

I did really enjoy the premise of the book. There was a certain element of mystery in the real author of the book that kept me turning the pages. I loved the emails between Kate and the author. However, the romance part of this book felt a little flat to me. I couldn't totally see the chemistry between Kate and Charlie. And whatever romance they did have didn't quite feel front and certain for a romance book. I'd probably say this one skews more towards women's fiction with a romance subplot. But still was a quick read and generally a good time while reading!

When Kate got married, she gave up her dream of acting. Now newly divorced, she reaches out to her old talent agent only to connect with his son, Charlie, who has inherited the business and is looking for someone to act as a stand-in for the author of a new romance novel.

Josie Silver’s writing is always delightful. She creates characters and situations that are funny and quirky and believable and altogether a joy to read about. I loved getting to know Kate and watching the public instantly adore her as she steps out on the job. I could so easily see why she attracted such attention.

The first part of the book focuses on Kate’s acting job and it takes a bit of a turn later on. I definitely preferred the first half of the book, but Kate and the side characters – like her sister and daughter, kept the book fun.

Romance was not a big focus of the story. When the title says slow burn, it means it. That said, I liked seeing the banter and sparks between Charlie as they each navigate life and love post-divorce.

Overall I thought this was a sweet story. I enjoyed the last 25% the most. And I am really glad the deleted scene was included in the back. I kinda wish that had been given at the beginning because I think that would have helped me to connect more.
This book felt like it was too slow and took too long to develop. It also felt a little bit outlandish and hard to really believe some aspects of the plot line. I also wish we had more time with Charlie + Katie. Their love story was again, hard to connect with, because of all the other many many things going on with this story, it didn't feel like we got enough time to see their love story take shape. It was an enjoyable way to pass the time, but not a story that is going to stick with me over the long haul, unfortunately.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was a slow slow book. I couldn’t keep interested and kept wanting to read other books. This was a unique concept but I do feel like it could have been executed better.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this sweet book! It was a quick, fun, engaging read and I enjoyed it. The main character was lovable and smart and the love story was refreshing and honest. The plot was original and I found myself wanting the story not to end. I have really enjoyed every Josie Silver book and this is no different. 3.5 stars rounded up!

Josie Silver! You did it again. You drew me in through your captivating characters, and incredible storytelling. I adored the plot, its uniqueness while still maintaining a romantic tale for the ages.

What I LOVED 💚 I love the characters. I loved the plot. I loved the nostalgic letter that fortuitously brings Kate and Charlie together for the inevitable romcom meet cute. A letter that was meant for Charlie’s late father, a wild business proposal that inevitably went awry. And my absolute FAV? “For our deleted scenes.” 😭😭 Best line!

I also loved the scene when she had to get to the initial interview…I still see it in my mind and totally feel like it’s something I could see in the newest romcom movie 🎥 🍿

What I wanted more of 💚 I felt what caused everything in the first place was brushed over. I wanted it to be bigger, and it actually bothered my mind that it wasn’t. Why?!? Because I CRAVED justice for Kate! Craved it!!! (Why yes, yes I did want to see that boyfriend’s start up slow burn itself 🫣🔥)

Oh, and I LOVED the deleted scene at the end! (#iykyk 😉)

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

Secrets, secrets, secrets. Do you think that the truth will get out? Do you think that someone that you are close to could spill the beans? Follow Kate and find out how she can turn her life upside down. Sweet read that proves that your decisions in life can upset the lives of others.

This was ADORABLE. Not a concept I've seen before--Em Hen does a lot of 'writer' books, but this felt very different. Loved the pacing and the gentle pressure of falling in love with our characters. <3

Thank you so much for this one--this will be a huge hit at the library.

3.75⭐️ Definitely a cute read. Loved the concept of a fake author promoting a book. It’s always an interesting concept to see play out. It goes as one would expect. I also enjoyed that it focused on a more mature FMC who needed a bit more purpose in life after her bad divorce and her daughter goes to college.

Kate hasn’t acted in years, but she has an opportunity. Play the part of a romance author. She pose as the author for book tours and anything else to promote a book she didn’t write. Kate does even know the author that did write the novel. Charlie is her talent agent that helps her through the ins and outs of what to do. Over time the book gets bigger and bigger but so do the lies. What will happen if the truth comes out. Who is this mysterious author that is messaging Kate.

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House(Dell), and the author for the advanced reader copy.

The characters are charming, and the bookish aspect will of course be catnip to readers, and carries the book. I think there were some parts that needed a little more exposition, but I don't think that the book needed to be any longer, which is a conundrum.

Unfortunately, I don’t have much to say about SLOW BURN SUMMER. It did fall a little flat for me leaning more towards women’s fiction than romance. I just wasn't invested in the characters or their relationships, tbh.

This one was light and enjoyable, but not the kind of story that sticks with you. If you’re looking for a romance-driven plot, you may be disappointed—the love story barely registers and feels rushed when it finally shows up. The chemistry just wasn’t there, so the big “I love you” moment didn’t hit the way it should have.

What did work for me were the heartfelt touches outside the romance. The exploration of grief and self-discovery gave the book its emotional weight, and Kate’s sister stole the show for me—loyal, steady, and full of warmth. Plus, the T-Rex costume scene? Pure gold. 🤣

At the end of the day, this reads more like women’s fiction with romantic elements sprinkled in. Not a new favorite, but still an enjoyable read—and I’ll happily pick up more from Josie Silver in the future.

This was a cute slow burn romance with believable characters and some really touching moments. It’s a good pick if you like heartfelt stories about second chances and starting over. Definitely worth a read if you want something warm and thoughtful. Plus I always love a book about books.

The connection and romance were lacking for me as the story seems to be more focused on the book/author, but the next day after finishing, I am curious what the couple is up to.

Slow Burn Summer is a pleasant and witty read. Not my favorite of Silver’s, but still an easy read that would be a nice addition to a beach/pool bag for the summer

Josie Silver's latest leans heavily on women's fiction. Even though the book is marketed as a romcom I found the romance lacking. I wanted more chemistry between Kate and Charlie. I adored Kate's relationship with her protective, fierce sister Liv.

I am ready for another emotional banger like Lydia Bird from Josie Silver.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

This cover is absolutely adorable; the pink and blue combo is bright and happy and just plain fun.

I love Josie Silver's books but this one wasn't as good as I was expecting. I found this book being fun and lighthearted with some good funny moments, but what was missing for me was chemistry. I didn't feel anything and the romance just didn't work for me. I loved the older ages of the character - Kate and Charlie are both divorced and well, there are fun moments, but it just didn't really pull me in or make me believe.

It's still a fine story, just wasn't what I was hoping for.

I enjoy slow burn romances so I was looking forward to a Slow Burn Summer. Unfortunately, it was missing that tension & yearning I usually get from this trope. I didn't feel the connection or chemistry between the two characters. The story seemed to focus more on who the real author of the book was & the controversy surrounding the reveal of Kate's role in the book.

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver centers around thirty-nine year old divorcee (and former soap star), Kate, who is looking for a new job. Talent agent, Charlie is searching for someone to pretend to be a romance novelist for all press events and book signings revolving around a new romance novel where the real author wants nothing to do with the books release. Kate agrees to be the stand-in, while also trying to find out who really wrote this beautiful romance novel that may have just changed her life.

While this book looks like a sweet and fun rom-com, it did not come across as a romance. I didn't feel like the main characters had a ton of chemistry together. It definitely has sweet and funny moments and was well written, I just found that I wasn't fully invested in the characters stories.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.