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Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver was like a cozy hug on a rainy day—warm, charming, and a little bit chaotic in the best way possible.

Kate’s trying to rebuild her life post-divorce and ends up in the last place she expected—playing the face of a mysterious author’s book. Acting gig? Check. Secret identity drama? Check. Unexpected feelings for her ridiculously charming agent with those whiskey cola eyes? BIG check. 👀💘

This was my first book by Josie Silver, and I totally get the hype now. The slow-burn tension between Kate and Charlie had me grinning like a fool, and Liv absolutely stole every scene she was in (someone give her a spin-off!).

Sure, a couple side plots didn’t fully land for me (lookin’ at you, husky-eyed mystery man 👀), and I occasionally wanted to shake some sense into Kate—but honestly? I loved her resilience and the emotional layers she brought to the story.

A heartfelt thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts 💛

If you’re looking for a glam, feel-good romance with a splash of drama and a simmering spark? This one’s calling your name.

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This book was very very slow. It felt like it dragged on forever. Not a favorite from Josie Silver.

Thanks for the ARC.

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Slow Burn summer was a slow slow slow burn.K ate, a former tv star gets hired to impersonate a very reclusive romance author on a book tour. I feel like this was more women's fiction that straight romance. But i enjoyed it.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc. all opinons are mine

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Josie Silver's "Slow Burn Summer" presents a fascinating premise that blurs the lines between authenticity and performance. The novel follows Kate, a former soap actress who finds herself in an unusual predicament: she's hired to pose as the author of a hit memoir. The actual writer, finding the book too personal to claim publicly, agreed to publication only on the condition of complete anonymity.
The story's strength lies in its complex character dynamics. Kate emerges as a compelling protagonist—likable and relatable, yet making choices that leave readers questioning her judgment. Taking a job that requires her to assume someone else's identity feels like a recipe for disaster, and Silver skillfully maintains the tension of waiting for the inevitable fallout.
Charlie proves equally intriguing as as Kate's agent and love interest who walks the line between charming and potentially untrustworthy. His ambiguous nature keeps both Kate and readers guessing about his true intentions. Meanwhile, the mysterious real author adds an entertaining layer of intrigue as a supporting character who remains tantalizingly out of reach.
As Kate's book tour gains momentum, so does her attraction to Charlie. Both characters are navigating the aftermath of recent divorces, raising questions about their emotional readiness for new romance. Silver expertly weaves together these personal vulnerabilities with the professional deception at the story's heart.
The novel builds toward the inevitable moment when Kate's true identity will be revealed, and Silver maintains excellent suspense about whether this revelation will destroy both her budding relationship with Charlie and her successful tour. The dual stakes—personal and professional—create engaging tension that drives the narrative forward.
"Slow Burn Summer" delivers a unique take on identity, authenticity, and second chances, wrapped in an entertaining package that examines what happens when we become someone we're not.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for providing an advance copy of the novel in exchange for my honest review.

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I enjoyed this! I got Younger vibes from the MMC; he was very "Charles". I also liked the FMC, especially in the beginning scenes/the interview!

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This was a really slow burn book for me. I felt like it dragged on a little bit. Not my favorite from Josie Silvwr that is for sure.

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"Slow Burn Summer" was a little slow for me. I loved the overall plot and the story between Kate & Charlie. It just felt a little long/slow at times.

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I DNF‘d this at 20%.

The premise sounded great, nut the story wasn’t holding (or even grabbing) my attention.

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Okay, so I usually gravitate toward thrillers … but this charming, slow-burn romance was 💛 and made for the perfect beach read.

Kate, a former tv star fresh off a messy divorce, gets hired to impersonate a famous (and very reclusive) romance author on a book tour. What starts as a wild publicity stunt quickly turns into a heartfelt journey of rediscovery—with a broody, bookish love interest (hi Charlie 👋🖤) and just the right amount of romantic tension. 🔥👀

I loved the fake identity twist and how the story gently explores healing, reinvention, and finding joy in unexpected places. The pacing is cozy and deliberate—like a summer afternoon you never want to end. 🍹📚🌸

Highly recommend for your vacation TBR if you’re looking for something heartfelt, unique, and full of summer soul. ☀️💕

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own!

Review posted on Goodreads and IG!

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I think I was expecting a story more centered around romance. This felt like women’s fiction to me as the romance was basically non existent. I did love the FMC though and the story was fun, and funny at times, just not what I was expecting.

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Following a terrible divorce, Kate Elliot, a former soap actress, reaches out to her old agent in hopes of finding work. She’s shocked when she’s contacted by her late agent’s son, Charlie, with a unique opportunity—to play the role of the author for a new novel “The Power of Love”, which was written by someone who wishes to remain anonymous. She falls in love with the story and agrees to the job, becoming debut author “Kate Darrowby”. As time goes on and the lies grow, things get more complicated, both for Kate’s job and love life.

This was such a cute story, and of course I love a book about books! When briefly described at the beginning of the story, the plot of the fictional novel “The Power of Love” gave me Moulin Rouge vibes, and I loved that! I really enjoyed Kate’s character and think the author did an excellent job developing her, and watching her story play out as she assumes this role of ghost author. The focus was more of Kate’s life over the romance, making it more of a women’s fiction read, which I prefer! Overall I really enjoyed this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Romance for my gifted digital copy!

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This was a very slow read and the romance was hard for me to get on board with. I was left wanting more chemistry from the couple. I didnt feel the main character was ever apologized to in the way she deserved.

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I will always devour everything Josie Silver writes, and this was no exception. This one had a hint of You've Got Mail, which I loved.

Plot:
Kate Elliott, a former teenage soap actress, has recently been divorced and reached out to her agent about the possibility of work. Her agent has since passed away, but his son, Charlie Francisco, is now handling the business, and they indeed have work for her: to act as a ghost author for a love story.

What I loved about the story:
*The sister relationship between Kate and Liv - losing their mom early on has made Liv fiercely protective of Kate.
*Without spoilers, the romance in the novel.
*H's story for their late spouse and the inscription written to Kate. The inscription brought me to tears.
*The T-Rex costume and book community - absolute hilarity.
*FIONA - she might need her own novel.
*The playlist at the end - so poignant. I love a good book playlist.

What I didn't like:
*The novel itself was a slow burn and at times felt a little slow-moving.
*I would have enjoyed more interviews with Kate Darrowby before the "outing" - her radio and television interviews were so wonderfully unhinged.

Thank you, Random House-Ballantine, for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

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Slow Burn Summer was a delightful read, the perfect escape for a rainy summer day. Kate is navigating a tough chapter in her life after a difficult divorce, and she’s ready to dive back into acting. To her surprise, she lands a gig she never expected: becoming the face of a book penned by a secret author.
However, the journey isn’t as smooth as she imagined. As she tries to focus on her new role, she can’t help but get lost in thoughts of Charlie Francisco, her charming agent with those whiskey cola eyes.
I truly enjoyed Kate's character; she was relatable and had a kind of strength that drew me in. The chemistry between Kate and Charlie was electric; he was simply wonderful. Liv, too, stood out as an amazing character and added so much to the story. The book struck a delightful balance between romance and drama, making me laugh and feel giddy as I read.
That said, there were a few elements that felt unnecessary. For instance, the subplot involving the husky-eyed guy didn’t quite lead anywhere for me. Additionally, Kate’s stubbornness sometimes got in the way, but despite that, I still found her incredibly likable. I just wish there were more romantic moments; I would have loved to see Kate and Charlie spend more time together to deepen their connection.
Overall, I really enjoyed Slow Burn Summer, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Josie Silver.
*English is not my native language, this review has been revised using Grammarly

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Slow Burn Summer, by Josie Silver, is an enjoyable, if not compelling, read. The characters are well-developed and likable. You are rooting for life to treat them well. Nonetheless, I had a major issue with the premise of the book -- that a good idea is to hire an actor to pretend to be the author of a book with full intent of deceiving the public and the press. In the real world, there would be a herd of lawyers that would put an end to an idea so silly and fraught with danger. There would be really smart people that would suggest far better ways to protect the identity of the true author. Once I got past that issue, I could enjoy the book. Each of the main characters has a sympathetic background, complex relationships, and issues to overcome. I rate it a 3.5, rounded up to 4. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read a digital ARC.

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I'm terribly disheartened to leave a review short of 4 stars (at the least) for my girl, Josie Silver. However, this was not a very enjoyable read for me. I didn't understand how the plot was really supposed to work out; but, moreover, I didn't understand how Kate and Charlie were supposed to work out. It's quite possible that, had the characters been stronger, more consistent in their convictions and personality traits, AND had there been more of a push-pull build up to Kate and Charlie's relationship, the plot would have just been silly but cute.
That said, Josie Silver is and will always be one of my all-time favorite rom-com authors, and this story does not shadow her talent!

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I always enjoy Josie Silver’s writing and liked Kate and Charlie as characters, but the romance didn’t feel like much of a slow burn as the title might suggest. The story focused more on the book drama than the relationship and I would have loved more investment in the latter. An easy,enjoyable read but not a new favorite.

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I’m a sucker for a British romcom, a book set in the publishing world, and a slow burn, and this book delivered on all fronts!

The plot of this book was such a fun concept: using a paid actress as the face of the author of the newest bestseller. While filled with hijinks, it also explores how much the public is “owed” of a book - we shouldn’t be owed anything in my opinion - and if it’s “wrong” to use pen names, a fake author, etc.

I was expecting a cute little romance, but this book delivered so much more!

Thank you to the author and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for my advance copy!

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Overall, I enjoyed the story of Slow Burn Summer. I found the characters to be enjoyable and overall really like Josie Silver’s writing.

There were parts that I had a hard time with though!

I enjoyed Kate and Charlie’s characters but was expecting so much more from their love story. With a title of Slow Burn Summer, I expected more romance and tension but it was lacking for a good portion of the story. The story was more about Kate’s job with the book than it was about any slow burn relationship and it didn’t feel like a “summer” read.

I also had a hard time with how invested Kate became as the author’s name on the book. Her feelings about what was happening surrounding the book felt too personal when she was simply supposed to be acting. It felt over the top at times.

Overall, I’m glad I read the book but it wasn’t a favorite, unfortunately.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my opinion about this book.

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Kate signs up to pretend that she wrote a book, but things go sideways pretty quickly. She handles it all with humor and more grace than I would. I felt like this one was all about possibilities and the promise that you never know what tomorrow can bring.

Josie Silver is one of my favorite authors! Her stories are always fun, funny, and full of heart.

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