An easy read. Not quite a romance - more of a "woman finds herself" book but with some romantic, potential love story elements. Recently divorced and desperate for work, former actress Kate Elliot agrees to "act" as the author of a soon-to-be-published novel whose actual writer does not want to be attached to the book. No one can know that Kate isn't actually the author, as she embarks on a pre-publish day publicity tour. With some fun secondary characters, including Kate's sister Liv, her new acting agent Charlie (son of her former agent), and Charlie's colleague - the scary and intimidating Fiona, among others, as well as some trip out of London to the scenic sea side, this is a quick and fun one for the summer.

NOTE: Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great summer vacation read! It starts off slow then picks up by the second half. I wished there was more character development and a little more organization to the actual story but overall it was a decent book that I would read by the pool in July.

Slow Burn Summer is an absolute delight! With sizzling chemistry, witty banter, and an irresistible slow-burn romance, this book had
me hooked from page one. Kate and Charlie's journey--from reluctant partners to something more--was filled with heart, humor, and just the right amount of drama. The fake author premise was fresh and fun, and the emotional depth made it even better. If you love charming rom-coms with a touch of mystery and plenty of sparks, this is a must-read!

Slow Burn Summer is a charming and refreshing story about Kate, a 39-year-old navigating life after divorce and embarking on an unexpected adventure. When she lands a one-of-a-kind acting job, chaos and hilarity ensue. It’s clear from the start that things could go awry in many ways, but the journey is filled with heartwarming and laugh-out-loud moments—one involving a T-Rex costume that had me grinning.

The book is packed with unique and memorable characters, and I especially loved Liv and Fiona. While it didn’t fully feel like a romance novel until the final stretch, I found it thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I went into this with really high expectations since the premise sounded so fun. Kate, fresh off a divorce, wants to restart her acting career and gets hired by Charlie, a talent agent, to be the "author" of a new romance novel. While this was cute, I just didn't feel the connection between Kate and Charlie, and there were a few scenes where I was rolling my eyes (i.e., meeting Hugh in the dinosaur costume, every time she started a letter with "Dear H," and the final confrontation of the trifle bandit).

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for sending me this book!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

Kate is a middle-aged woman starting over, and she decides to go back to acting. Unbeknownst to her, the son of her agent is now in charge and he has an interesting role: be the public 'author' of a new romance book as the author wants to stay hidden. Of course there is fallout and of course there is romance. I liked the last third of the book the best and felt that the beginning was a bit slow. Kate and Charlie's relationship was fun to follow. overall so I'd say this is 3.5 stars.

I HAVE to thank NetGalley and Dell for the eARC, because this book was impossibly cute! I loved it so much.

Kate is down on her luck. Her husband cheated, her marriage ended, her daughter is away at school, and she’s living above her sister’s dress shop. In a desperate attempt to reclaim something, she writes to her old acting agent looking for work, not knowing he has passed away and his son is now running his agency.

Enter Charlie, who is dreamy and slightly aloof and also going through a lot of life changes. He left LA after his marriage ended to return to London. Then his dad dies unexpectedly. He returns Kate’s hand-written letter, feeling like he has the job for her: being the stand-in face for an author who wishes to remain completely anonymous,

Kate is funny and charming and has a tendency for word vomit. She is vulnerable and heartbroken, but she and Charlie initially butt heads. She takes the job, but can someone really help stitch themselves back together when they’re pretending to be someone else?

This story is for readers. It’s for people who have felt broken and alone and have found friendship and love when they weren’t looking for it. It’s about grief and finding somewhere to belong again when you feel adrift. It’s funny and sad and you will find yourself rooting for Kate, for Charlie, and for the 2 of them together. I LOVED it.

If there’s one thing Josie Silver does well, it’s crafting a romance that simmers with tension before it finally—finally—boils over. Slow Burn Summer delivers exactly what the title promises: a gradual, deliciously torturous build-up of chemistry between two reluctant hearts, all wrapped up in a unique, slightly theatrical premise.

A Role She Never Expected to Play

Kate Elliott, a former soap opera actress, is at a crossroads. Fresh off a divorce and struggling to figure out her next move, she finds herself accepting an unusual job—pretending to be a reclusive author on a summer book tour. Enter Charlie Francisco, a talent agent with a lot on his plate, including an ex-wife, a struggling agency, and an actual author who refuses to show their face. The solution? Hire Kate to play the part.

A Slow Burn Worth the Wait

Kate and Charlie’s relationship starts off on shaky ground, full of witty banter and a fair amount of skepticism. Their interactions are filled with push-and-pull moments, making it impossible not to root for them. Silver’s writing makes the tension between them feel authentic, with just the right mix of miscommunication, undeniable attraction, and emotional baggage. The “fake persona” trope is always a fun one, but what makes Slow Burn Summer stand out is how it intertwines personal growth with romance.

What Worked

✔️ Unique Premise: A fake author on a book tour? That’s fresh and fun, and Silver uses it well to create tension and humor.
✔️ Emotional Depth: This isn’t just about romance—it’s about rediscovering passion, whether in work, love, or life itself. Both characters have real, relatable struggles.
✔️ The Slow Burn: Silver knows how to make the reader wait for the payoff, and when it finally happens, it’s oh-so-satisfying.

What Could Have Been Stronger

❌ Pacing in the Middle: While the slow burn is a strength, there were moments when the story dragged a bit, particularly in the second act.
❌ More Development for the “Real” Author: The mystery of the true author was intriguing but could have been explored a little deeper.

Final Thoughts

Slow Burn Summer is the perfect beach read—witty, romantic, and full of longing. Josie Silver proves once again that she knows how to write a love story that lingers long after the final page. If you love fake dating (or in this case, fake author-ing), forced proximity, and characters who challenge each other in all the best ways, this one’s for you.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Just be prepared for the slow burn to drive you a little crazy—in the best way possible.

This book should have been called Slow Burn Bummer. I was so not invested in the characters, plot, and the romance was nonexistent. This felt messy and all over the place, which is a bummer because I've enjoyed this authors books.

I am a Josie Silver stan. I’ve loved all her books, and this wasn’t an exception.

Every character was likeable, plot was interesting and refreshingly different. The quirky characters and sweet scenarios sprinkled throughout made kept me entertained.

The only missed mark in my opinion was the two main characters relationship was kind of all over the place. I was questioning whether I missed something as I was reading… also, why is this book called Slow Burn Summer?

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this book prior to release! I went in blindly and I’m glad I did. The storyline was charming, easy to follow, and unique. I feel like the title doesn’t necessarily go with the story and that there were some details that could be omitted but I’m a sucker for a romance and this one did not disappoint.

Kate needs a job after a big life change and finds herself in the same office she was in decades earlier interviewing for an acting position after decades of not acting. She agrees to a very unique job that ends up being a lot of drama she didn’t sign up for.. but she also comes away with something pretty great that she also didn’t sign up for!

The premise for this one was good however at least for me the story fell flat. And I think that's because I loved the MMC but FMC got on my nerves for entire book to the point.

A very sweet, heartfelt story about love stories (one of the best kind of stories!). I loved the premise of this. But don't expect this to be much of a romance.

With this type of cover, this title, and the marketing behind the book, I expected a LOT more romance in it. The connection between Kate and Charlie was minimal; it honestly felt thrown in to try to make this marketable as a romance. There wasn't any real build to it, and very few scenes between them existed. Actually, few Charlie scenes existed; so little of his POV was shown, it felt kind of pointless to have it at all.

Such is life. It was still a nice read. And if it does turn out that Josie Silver is actually someone like Stephen King, I won't be too mad about it :)

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

While not my favorite by Josie Silver, I still really enjoyed. I felt like it lacked Silver's typically ability to evoke deep emotions while reading. This one was more fun and light. While it's a romance, the main plot is more about the main character becoming a ghost writer and her journey to self-discovery. I felt the romance portion was a bit rushed and was hoping the letters to "H" would end differently. This is a fun light-hearted read with a unique plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Slow Burn Summer is the third of Silver's books that I've read, and I've enjoyed them all. The concept of Kate being a "ghost author" was completely unique, and the result was a super delightful read. Kate's character was utterly relatable and likeable (her relationship with her big sister and protector even more so!), and she felt like a good friend. Romance is certainly a big part of the story, and Charlie is a wonderful love interest, but at the heart of it, Slow Burn Summer is really about Kate herself and her self-discovery and growth. I loved it!

While I enjoyed the book, I feel like the characters didn’t have enough chemistry and the romance was just not there for me. It did not get me feeling the deep emotions I usually have

Slow Burn Summer was yet another endearing read from Josie Silver. I love a book with a cast of quirky, fun characters, and this fit the bill.

The book's highlight was not the romance but the delightful relationship between Kate and her sister.

The “slow burn” in the title was a bit of a miss, as the romance felt rather abrupt and undeveloped. I would’ve loved more of a slow burn.

Overall, the storyline was fresh, and it was a fun read! A solid four stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book comes with love, sweetness and a splash of humor! While I enjoyed the book, I feel like the characters didn’t have enough chemistry and the romance was just not there for me. It did not get me feeling the deep emotions I usually have while reading a romance. Furthermore, I was not fully immersed into the book while reading it. The setting fit the storyline and it was beautifully written. I do feel that it is an overall good book for the Summer! I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars rating.

Slow Burn Summer is about a thirty-nine year old divorcee woman named Kate who is seeking a job and a guy named Charlie who is a talent agent. Charlie is also a divorcee and is seeking out someone to play the author of a book. Kate ends up being the novelist who plays the romance author. Does this story end up as a happily ever after between the two of them or do they go their separate ways?

Thank you to NetGalley, author Josie Silver, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Forgive me if this review makes no sense- I'm operating on almost no sleep. Darn book kept me up most of the night!

Books in this category have a formula- this did not past the predictable HEA. But even if there had been no HEA or even romantic male lead, there would have been a really good book (but he's a good addition so happy he's there!). It's so unpredictable and went to crazy unexpected places- I mean a man in a t-rex costume driving on a motorway is so unexpected. I kept trying to guess what was going to happen but the book goes to such better places. And the writing is fun and some truly laugh outloud comments. And it sticks with you- I kept putting it down last night to go to sleep and would lie there thinking about it and deciding "one more chapter won't hurt." But the chapters are really short, so why not one more? I finally went to sleep with 30 minutes left and sat at a restaurant finishing it during dinner. trying not to be seen crying.

Also- this book is glorious is the logistics of publishing! I love logistics! 10 stars!

There are some handwritten notes in the book which are pretty important to the plot. They could not be seen on the kindle. That was annoying. Not as annoying as books with lots of texts which also can't be seen on kindle, but annoying still. You would think by now publishers would know their way around that.

My only gripe is the title. Has little to do with the book. She threw "slow burn" into the last couple chapters a bunch of time as if her editor had the same note and they decided to slip it in. I worry the title will discourage people---- ignore it and focus on the description. If you love books, you'll really love this one.

I loved this book and could not put it down. There is definitely a slow burn romance that I adored along with hilarious banter between the love interests. However, I laughed out loud at the banter between the female main character and her sister, along with the hilarious emails between the FMC and a reclusive author.

The premise is that newly divorced and broke former actress Kate takes a job posing as the author of a romance written by a popular writer in another genre who does not want to be connected to the romance book. Kate’s musings, observations, and views are hilarious and kept me reading.

However, the book also has emotional resonance in discussing grief and surviving, all with an upbeat resolution. At the risk of being trite, this was my ultimate feel good book, and I am going to reread it.