
Member Reviews

Not my favorite of Josie Silver's, but still a fun "slow burn" summer romance read. It had a lot of my favorite tropes, great secondary characters that enhanced the book, and a sweet love story between Charlie & Kate.

The concept of this book was really cute. I enjoyed the narrators in the audiobook. I just don’t think the book was for me. It could totally be a mood thing. I did really enjoy the train/radio show scene. Obviously as the title suggests, it is a slow burn romance. I feel like the book as a whole was pretty slow and didn’t pick up until about 60%. Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Slow Burn Summer delivers a heartfelt blend of grief, family, and unexpected romance. The premise—an actress taking on the role of a ghost author —is immediately compelling. Kate’s messy, impulsive personality brings a refreshing sense of realism, and her dynamic with her sister felt honest and deeply affecting. Silver does a beautiful job weaving together themes of loss, identity, and how life rarely follows the plan we set.
That said, the romantic arc between Kate and Charlie felt undercooked. Their connection seemed to leap too quickly from distant to intense without enough emotional groundwork. Additionally, Charlie’s own past love story was referenced often but never fully fleshed out, leaving it feeling more like a distraction than a meaningful subplot.
Overall, this is a tender, emotionally resonant novel with some standout moments—but the romance could have used more depth to truly land.
Thank you NetGalley and random house for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver.
This is a second chance author for me and I was looking forward to reading this book. Summer, and Romance, a perfect combo for the mood I was in. Unfortunately, this was boring and uninteresting. I think it’s this author’s style of writing. It just doesn’t work with me. I did not feel a connection with our main character nor could I get into the flow of this story. It felt a bit all over the place for me.

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver is an engaging, entertaining and thought-provoking story that has depth, while still being a light-hearted summer read. This plot follows a former actress who steps in as a pseudo-ghost writer, a reluctant publisher who has stepped into his father’s very big shoes, the pressure of the publishing industry, and precarious nature of publicity.
Our story has a slow-burn romance, a bit of a mystery, and insights into the publishing world. It addresses the negative impact of social media and struggles of grief, loss and divorce, while highlighting the special bonds of family. I really appreciate how this book discusses the ramifications of our cancel culture and the sometimes oppressive power that social media has on people’s lives that the masses often don’t consider. I do think the main female character was a bit clueless at times, but other than that, this was an enjoyable, worthwhile read.

I thought this was a very cute read! There were plenty of times where I laughed and smiled. I wish there were more moments of "chemistry" between Kate and Charlie. Overall, a cute romcom read!
*Thank you partner @dellromance and @prhaudio for the #gifted e-galley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

This was cute, but not a huge standout!
Definitely a women’s fiction book, romance second. I liked the idea of an actor pretending to be the author! I wonder if that ever actually happens.
I liked that it was a sweet romance between an “older” couple (re; not in their 20’s lol). We need more romances like that!

I had so many high hopes for this book after loving other Josie Silver books (I still reread “One Day in December” from time to time), but this story just fell so flat for me.
I love me a good romance book, a story with amazing chemistry between the couple that gives me all the feels. For that to happen though, I need a good meet cute, a couple of interactions that build up a relationship…I don’t know, a little somethin somethin behind the couple that makes it believable that they’d be into each other beyond a physical attraction. I need a building chemistry that makes you not want to wait to see them together. I got none of that from Kate and Charlie. Like, when Kate started talking fondly about Charlie, I had no clue where it came from. It never got better as the book went on, and by the end, I really didn’t care what happened to them.
Speaking of Kate…I think she was meant to be quirky and funny. She wasn’t. She was a hot mess who found ways to make her life even messier.
I think the storyline was also meant to be quirky and funny at times. It wasn’t. It was weird and took away from the romance portion. I think the premise was actually an interesting one if the attempts at comic relief weren’t added in.
So why 2 stars? I didn’t hate Charlie at all, I just don’t think he was given a chance to shine in this story. I also liked the sibling relationship. Unfortunately there weren’t many other parts that worked for me.
**Thank you to NetGalley and Random House-Ballantine for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I appreciate the opportunity.**

This was a cute romcom. It hit all the typical romances on the head. Very sweet and not that corny. It was a little predictable but that's okay!

There are things Josie Silver does so well here: grief, regret, and second chances are written with real tenderness. The sister relationship is a highlight—sharp, funny, and emotionally grounded—and the Cornwall scenes felt like classic Josie Silver escapism. And while I didn’t totally buy the premise (would this elaborate fake-author scheme ever really fly?), I was mostly happy to suspend disbelief because the setup is fun and weirdly thoughtful.
That said, the pacing felt uneven, and the romance between Kate and Charlie never fully clicked for me. It goes from “he’s cute” to “we’re a couple now” without the tension or build I crave. I found myself more invested in Kate’s relationship with the real author, Hugh—a grieving mystery writer whose secret love story sets everything in motion—than I was in the actual central romance.
Some plot threads also fizzle out (the lie about her “train romance” didn’t go anywhere??) while the conflict surrounding the big reveal spirals into near-slapstick territory (someone is throwing trifle at a shop, and that’s somehow the climax?). Still, there’s enough heart and humor to make this a pleasant read. Not everything’s a banger—and that’s okay.

Beach readin'
I love beach reading, now that my kids are a little older AND thanks to audio (I can keep my eyes on them while they play) I was able to listen to a few books last week while we were at the RI shore.
However, this one was just ok. I probably would have DNFd if I wasn't away from my shelves but the second half was much better than the first so I was glad I continued.
Summary
Former actress Kate is desperate to restart her life after a messy divorce. After a semi-pleading letter to her former talent agent, she finds herself hired by his son to play the part of a “novelist” for a romance hit.
Looking at the Josie Silver books I've read (this was my third), they usually fall under the 3 star category - so enjoyable but nothing to write home about.
Do you have a favorite by Silver?
.
.
.
.

this was so different for josie silver and i loved it. i always love her writing, it's like a warm hug. characters were well developed and had great chemistry.

Thank you @netgalley for a copy of the book!
This was one of those books that I started out as a four star, thought about it more, and dropped to a three. Here's why:
There's a lot to like here. There's cute chemistry between our two MCs, lots of adorable rom-com moments, and a lovable sister side character.
However, so many elements of the story just didn't seem to fit together. I'm wondering if this book went though some gut edits, and then certain pieces just never fit together the same way? IDK. If you've read it, let me know what you think about the true author reveal. It let me down a bit, and I'm not certain about the decision to put the prologue at the end?
Bottom line: This is my third Josie Silver book, and I generally love them, but this was a bit of a miss for me.

An actress playing the part of the author on a book tour seems like it's been somehow done before, and yet this version was a new twist for me. Kate is at a juncture in her life - newly divorced, unemployed, and trying to scramble back to her last profession - actress. She writes to her (recently deceased) agent and ends up getting roped into a strange job for his son, Charlie. All that to be said, there are some denied feelings between the two and it's quite nice, really. I think one of the things I really enjoyed about this book was that they are both older - late 30's early 40's - and they manage to find a swoony yet restrained chemistry between them. As far as the storyline goes, everything goes 'tits up' fairly quickly and Kate is thrown under the bus. So how will things be resolved for our tragic heroine? There are quite bold side characters - a quirky protective sister, an old wizened literary agent - as well as dear Charlie, who is a little unexpected. A nice holiday read with that British style that I personally enjoy - so great for fans of Josie Silver, of course, as well as Mhairi McFarlane and Sofie Cousins.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

This was very slow moving for me. I feel like it took me a while to get into it and just wasn't my favorite overall romance story.

I love a Josie Silver summer romance. I really enjoyed Kate's character and her love and devotion for her family and herself. But the romance between Kate and Charlie fell flat for me. I didn't have an emotional connection to the two together.
It was still a great read.

I want to start by thanking the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read an early release/advanced release copy of this book. While the book started slow, it picked up as I went along.

This book was so cute! The characters were fun and well developed. I would definitely recommend this book.

DNF @ 13%. I couldn’t get into this book despite trying multiple times. I appreciate the publisher providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

This is the review that will be posted on all social media platforms. Links posted below
Kate is starting over again in her late 30’s. On a whim she writes a note to her old talent agent begging for a chance to get back into acting. Charlie has taken over his father’s talent agency after his sudden passing. He is looking for an actress for an unconventional role when he comes across a letter from his father’s former client. When Kate accepts the role of ghost author for a romance novel she had no idea that her world was about to flip over and change forever.
I really enjoyed this book. It’s the perfect definition of a slow burn summer read. I loved the relationship between the characters. I loved the complexity of being a ghost author for a world wide bestseller. Definitely add this to your summer TBR!