3.5 stars

Slow Burn Summer staring Kate Elliot a former teen actress, wanna-be-author at the age of 39 is divorced from her cheating husband and now an empty nester has the chance to restart her acting career. So, what does she do, she contacts her former talent agent, Jojo Francisco.

Charlie Francisco, who has inherited his father talent agent business is in a dilemma. He needs an actress to “pretend” to be the author for a new an upcoming romance novel .. you see the author of said book does not even want it published never mind go on book tour.

Charlie offers Katie an interesting job .. make believe you are the author. Katie is a little hesitant at first until she reads the novel and believes this would be a perfect opportunity for Katie to earn some much needed cash and practice her acting skills. She has one request; she need her family to know the truth. What could go possibly wrong?

Josie Silver has written some of my favorite rom-com books, One Day in December and One Night on the Island being my two favorites. I love the concept of this book it just did not completely work for me. The whole romance piece of this novel seemed be something that was more of an afterthought – there was no fun bantering that lead you on that romantic chemistry journey that had you cheering for a HEA ending.

Thank you, Josie Silver, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Usually I really enjoy Josie Silvers books but this one was a bit too slow with the male love interest being so boring I just wasn’t invested in the romance. This book follows Kate an actress looking for work who gets an interesting offer, to pretend to be a romance author for someone who doesn’t want their identity known as a romance writer. Kate is hired by Charlie from the writers talent agency. Charlie helps Kate as she navigates this new world, will sparks begin to fly? In this book the romance felt like an afterthought and really felt like a story more focused on our female main character Kate but that story did not seem like quite enough to drive the story leaving the pacing really slow. While this was not my favorite Josie Silver book the writing was still good it just seemed to be missing the spark of romance to keep the book moving forward. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

Oh man. I tried, but this one just did notttt hit for me. I was super interested after reading the premise, but mannnnnn, I did not connect with the characters or story at all. And the chemistry btwn the MCs felt nonexistent to me.

I appreciate the opportunity to ARC read this from NetGalley. This one was just not for me 🤷🏻‍♀️

Kate and Charlie were such strong characters. I really enjoyed reading about them throughout the story. There were some moments that I could feel my eyes starting to glaze over. But the romance was *chef’s kiss*. Solid read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Dell, and Ballantine for sending me an arc!

After having liked another one of the author’s books a while ago, I was looking forward to reading Slow Burn Summer. To my disappointment, I found the story completely forgettable. I didn’t feel invested at all and didn’t even care about the romance. I suspect that was a me-problem though and that other readers will find the book very entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley I was able to read this super cute book that I couldn't put down. It's perfect for summer and while the relationship might be a slow burn, this one definitely wasn't slow. I love any book that has to do with books and Josie Silver is always a sure fire read in my opinion. I love the characters, the tension, the apprehension, and felt like I was living all the feels along with the characters. It felt real for me and I enjoyed every moment.

4.5 ⭐️

Truthfully this was such a whimsical and fun read. Another absolute delight from Josie Silver.

I loved Kate, and found her relatable and charming. Both Charlie and Kate are trying to navigate life after divorce. I loved how we saw the MC’s carry such real, messy emotions.

I will say I expected the theme to be more romance heavy given the title. The romance took on less of the plot than the comedy of it. For me it didn’t take away from how enjoyable it was, but just something to note.

Thank you so much to Random House - Ballentine and NetGalley for the e-copy!

I've read all of Josie Silver's books and her last one, A Winter in New York, is one of my top fave rom coms. I was really excited to read this one but I feel like it was missing some of the magic of her previous books. I didn't feel very connected to the characters and the romance felt rushed.

The whole premise of this book is so interesting and not something I've thought of. I've read so many books about ghost writers that the idea of a ghost author was fascinating. It did make me anxious with so much lying and there were some things that Kate did that made me want to shake some sense in to her. I didn't feel like I really got to know Charlie very well -- he didn't feel particularly swoony or romantic to me.

Since I've loved Josie Silver's previous books so much I will definitely read more by her in the future, but sadly this one isn't a fave.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

A slow burn indeed, we get to know Kate and Charlie a former soap actress and a screenwriter turned talent agent as their big lie turns into chaos and they end up slowly falling for the other. It was an entertaining read, a bit slow paced but I enjoyed it.

I've been sitting on this ARC for months waiting for the right time for a slow burn summer romance, and I was finally in the mood. It really delivered for me! I thought it was super cute, fast paced, and I always enjoy Josie's writing. If you're looking for a light summer read that's quick and keeps you engaged, this is for you!

This book was an absolute gem to get to read early. I loved all the characters the and the plot was one that I could not put down literally. I read this in one sitting and the ending was so heart warming. Josie Silver has become an auto purchase for me and an author that I will non-stop recommend to all my friends and fellow readers. 5 star review incredible story thank you to both Random House Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this early.

I was really excited to read this book, both based on the premise and based on how much I've loved Josie Silver's previous titles! An actress is hired to be the face of a ghost written book - I often wonder how many times this has happened in real life!

Unfortunately, while I loved almost everything else about this book, the romance fell very flat for me. I did not sense a spark between Kate and Charlie - just a little bit more at the beginning of the story would have made the romance not feel so rushed. The sister relationship between Kate & Viv was amazing and I bet Fiona could have her own book of her fabulous life adventures.

Josie Silver is a really incredible author, though, and I'd still give it 4/5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was sweet and a love letter to the book community but especially the romance book community! I thought Charlie was sweet and patient with Kate who had this silly a quirky personality. Kate got yanked around a little and the end was a little far fetched but still very sweet!

I really enjoyed reading and listening to this one! Josie Silver is such a talented storyteller and romance writer! I was hooked in from the very beginning.

Slow Burn Summer follows Kate Elliott, an actress, as she accepts a job to pretend to be the author of a romance book for a private author. Charlie Francisco, the book's editor, helps guide her throughout the process.

Overall, I really enjoyed Slow Burn Summer! However, I do feel that there wasn't enough buildup to the romance. I actually flipped back to earlier chapters to see if I missed an initial spark, but I didn't find any evidence of one. If there was a little more chemistry at the beginning, I think it would have helped the romance feel more genuine. I did like this book, but it felt more like a book that should be categorized in women's fiction than romance, as the focus was on Kate and not her romantic life.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Ballentine for an advanced copy of the novel.

My heart almost wants to explode after finishing this beautifully written romance. Creative and character driven. Loved it.

I really liked the concept of this book, but I feel like the romance aspect fell a little short. It was still enjoyable as a women's fiction book, and I enjoyed Kate's journey. I wish there had been a little more of a slow burn; I didn't feel the chemistry that much between the 2 main characters. If you're not looking for a romance, though, this is a great read!

Slow Burn Summer is a charming, cleverly layered rom-com that delivers everything its title promises—achingly slow romantic tension, sizzling chemistry, and a summer full of second chances. Josie Silver masterfully blends wit and heart in this story of two people pretending to play parts while slowly discovering the truth of who they are—and what they mean to each other. This is a love letter to reinvention, romance, and the stories that change us.

Slow Burn Summer follows Kate Elliot, a recently divorced empty nester who decides to reach out to her former agent in hopes of reigniting her acting career after two decades dedicated to family life. To her surprise, she lands a role as a romance novelist, stepping into the shoes of an author who wishes to remain anonymous.

As Kate navigates the complexities of book signings, interviews, and the social media frenzy surrounding the book’s release, she crosses paths with Charlie, her agent’s son and the new head of the agency. Their budding romance is central to the story, but I found their connection somewhat lacking. The chemistry between them felt subdued, which left me wanting more depth in their relationship.

While some moments in the book had me chuckling, others seemed a bit drawn out, causing the pacing to lag. Overall, this wasn’t my favorite work by Josie Silver, but it does offer an interesting exploration of second chances and self-discovery.

I have adored all Josie Silver books- rating them all of them 4-5 stars and was excited to see her have a summer release! Josie Silver has never let me down…. Until this latest release.

I am honestly not even sure this book was from the same author. The writing was nothing like her previous works at all. I’m not sure if she just had to pump it out too quickly or what but this one was not it.

The MCs had absolutely no chemistry and no build up to their relationship and that was the main flaw for me. I also kept thinking Kate was in her 20’s but she was 40- she just felt super young. I honestly found her annoying. She signed up to pretend to author the book and then is upset when it all blows up due to her own actions. It was really hard to get behind.

I wanted to DNF around 70% but I had come too far. So I skimmed some to make it go faster.

I honestly am so disappointed with this one. Do yourself a favor and skip it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.