Once-upon-a-time actress Kate Elliott is hired as the face (and body and mouth) for an author who very much likes to stay anonymous. Kate has a habit of stumbling through life.

I loved the first half of the book. So much so, that I could imagine myself turning back to page one as soon as I had read the last page.

Sadly, the second half failed to hold me tethered to the story. Kate is outed as not the author and I couldn’t believe the backlash she got over it. The public outrage was overdone for me. But then, I tend not to care about the author’s backstory, So I never experience the disappointment that they weren’t who I thought/wanted them to be.

The rating is an overall average.

Slow Burn Summer follows Kate, a recently divorced actress who is asked to pretend she is a reclusive romance novelist on tour. Cue fake personas, awkward moments, and a very slow-building romance with Charlie, the author’s agent.

The story leans more into self-discovery and second chances than steamy romance. Kate’s journey is relatable and sometimes funny, but honestly, the pacing dragged and the chemistry barely simmered. The spice was very minimal, with the sex scene basically summed up as "she made space for him between her thighs." I was waiting for some spark or tension, and it mostly stayed lukewarm.

There were moments that felt a bit forced, like that dinosaur costume scene and the train scene, which didn't quite land for me. Overall, it felt slower and softer than I expected, with some parts I skimmed through.

If you want a gentle, character-driven summer read with more heart and less heat, this might do the trick. But if you are after a swoony, fast-paced romance, this one is probably not what you're looking for.

There's nothing WRONG with it, it just isn't what I was expecting. That could be a good thing for those of you who are fed up of very explicit Summer romances - this one is definitely gentler, and focuses more on Kate as a person than any actual romance. What I *would* recommend is Silver's earlier book, "One Day in December". With the darker evenings (thankfully) on the way, that one's a really sweet Christmas romance that hooked me from the beginning. This one was just ok for me.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but it sadly failed to deliver. I found this really disappointing, as I have loved some of her previous book, but this really didn't feel like one of her books or her writing style.
The premise of the story seemed interesting to start with, but I just felt like it failed to deliver. The sense of mystery throughout the story as to who the real author was kept me guessing, but the reveal for this left me confused and felt a little flat.
Having said this, I am glad I persevered with the story, as it did get better and I found myself laughing along in places. The characters were varied and I did like the development shown, as well as the relationship between Kate and her sister.
The writing style was good and I liked the use of emails, which added to the mystery and broke up the prose throughout. It was overall a good read and would not put me off reading more from this author again.

I just finished Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver, and wow—what a delightful read! This romantic comedy had me hooked from the start.

Story:
The plot follows Charlie Francisco, a talent agent who hires Kate Elliott, a former soap actress, to pose as the author of a bestselling romance novel during its book tour. As they travel together, sparks fly between them, leading to a slow-burn romance that’s both sweet and steamy.

What I loved:
• Authentic characters: Kate’s vulnerability and realness made her incredibly relatable. She’s not just a love interest; she’s a woman rediscovering herself after a tough divorce.
• Chemistry: The slow-building tension between Kate and Charlie was palpable. Their interactions were filled with witty banter and genuine moments of connection.
• Love for books: The novel beautifully captures the magic of reading and the book community. It’s a love letter to literature and the stories that bring us together.

What I didn’t love:
While the premise was intriguing, I did have some reservations about the ethics of the situation. The idea of someone pretending to be an author felt a bit uncomfortable at times, especially when the real author remained in the background for so long.

Conclusion:
Overall, Slow Burn Summer is a charming and heartfelt romance that I couldn’t put down. If you’re a fan of slow-burn love stories with a literary twist, this one’s for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited by the beginning — it felt fun, fresh, and amusing, and I thought I was in for a light, summery rom-com with a unique premise. Unfortunately, the more I read, the more my enjoyment faded.

Kate, the FMC, was difficult to root for. Her decisions were baffling at times — especially how quickly she began breaking the NDA she’d signed. The contradiction of wanting help from others but simultaneously refusing it to avoid “inconveniencing” them was frustrating to read.

The setup had a lot of potential, but the execution left me irritated more often than entertained. While the premise was intriguing, the story didn’t work for me in the end.

Thank you NetGalley for my advance copy of this book. I really enjoy this authors books, especially One Day in December so was thrilled to have an advance copy of this book. It was an enjoyable read which I read quickly as I was quite invested in the story. What I enjoyed the most about this book is that it’s theme of books and reading; the importance of reading and how reading can make you feel and that it champions romance novels. Lovely message in the story which really resonated with me.

I LOVED this book. I saw so many negative reviews and I just cannot understand why! 😅

Kate is a recently divorced mum who is looking for something to bring back her sparkle. Her ex husband cheated on her, her daughter has recently gone away to university, she is living in a studio flat above her sister’s shop, and she just needs something to change. After writing to her old talent agent, and discovering that he has passed away, Kate meets his son, Charlie, who has taken over the reins.

Charlie presents Kate with an unusual opportunity. A well known author has written a book that is so far away from their usual genre, they don’t want their name attached to it at all. Kate’s job would be to be the ‘ghost author’ - put her name and face to the book and attend all of the face to face events. This all seems straight forward enough but of course, it never is. When her world implodes around her, can Kate count on Charlie to support her?

I really, really, really loved Kate and Charlie. Both as separate characters and as a pair. They bounced off each other so well and I enjoyed their interactions. Their dialogue always felt so believable. I bought into their chemistry and it felt very real. I liked that the plot was quite unique. I felt so bad for Kate when things went awry, I don’t know how she didn’t just combust!!! I absolutely LOVED Liv, she was utterly hilarious but in a fierce, girl boss way!! The scene towards the end with the people who showed up for Kate at her time of need re:triflegate, brought actual tears to my eyes!!

I just had a huge smile on my face whilst reading this. I felt like it really warmed my heart and I genuinely did not want it to end!

I have previously read and thoroughly enjoyed some of Josie Silver’s books and was looking forward to reading this one after being intrigued by its synopsis. This proved to be one of those stories which had me pulled in after just a few pages and kept me captivated right to the end.

The story concerns Kate Elliott, who, as she approaches her fortieth birthday, finds herself in need of a job. She has recently parted from her husband and is living alone and practically penniless in a studio apartment, her daughter having left for university. Having been an actor earlier in her life, she writes to her old agent in case he can get her any work. Her letter is answered by her agent’s son, Charlie Francisco, who has unwillingly taken over his late father’s business. Charlie is in an unusual position and thinks that Kate may be just the person he is looking for. He is in possession of an amazing book written by a well-known crime writer who doesn’t want his identity as the author of this romance revealed. Could Kate be willing to act as author of this book for the purposes of cover photos, interviews, book signings etc.? Even she wouldn’t be aware of the author’s identity. After consideration and with a few misgivings, Kate agrees and begins the process of becoming the book’s author. Everything becomes more and more complicated as the book is released to great acclaim, Kate is expected to play her part more widely and at the same time Kate and Charlie become closer. As the lies build up, is there a disaster waiting to happen?

I loved this book from start to finish, with its drama, real-life situations and big doses of humour. Its storyline and characters stayed with me long after I had finished reading. The idea that somebody could play the part of an author, with the accompanying complications intrigued me. I couldn’t decide whether Kate was very brave or very foolish to agree. All the way through the story, the tension was built up very skilfully. I was on the edge of my seat waiting for the whole scheme to explode and wondering what the ramifications would be. The relationship developing between Kate and Charlie was certainly a slow burn romance. There was so much else going on in the story that it almost happened without being noticed. I was certainly drawn into this book and would recommend it to other readers; I hope they enjoy it as much as I did.

The title of this book is a bit of a misnomer — but we’ll get to that.

Let’s start with this: the real slow burn in this book isn’t between the love interests. It’s Kate slowly remembering who the hell she is after a disappointing marriage and a career that derailed somewhere back in the early 2010s.

The premise? Delightfully unhinged in the best way: recently divorced and at a loose end, Kate stumbles into a job impersonating the anonymous author of a bestselling novel thanks to Charlie, the hot-but-grumpy new literary agent in charge after his eccentric father’s death. Fake identity? Publishing world chaos? A dash of awkward flirting? I was in.

This book is a breezy read, in the best sense. It’s sharp, warm, and effortlessly funny, with publishing world vibes that book lovers will eat up. Kate’s voice is relatable and dry, her family is chaotic but endearing (shoutout to her sister Liv, a walking serotonin boost), and Charlie is that perfect brand of emotionally constipated but secretly thoughtful.

Now, about that title — Slow Burn Summer suggests something steamy, smouldering, and possibly requiring a fan. This is not that. It’s romantic, yes, but not spicy. The heat comes more from awkward press interviews and the pressure of pretending to be someone else on live television. Not a complaint (okay, maybe a tiny one), but expectations matter — and this one read more like a charming identity-crisis rom-com with heart than a steamy summer fling.

Still, it delivered: an enjoyable, fast-paced read with quirky humour, some well-earned emotional depth, and the perfect balance of bookish escapism and grounded self-discovery.

Not quite a slow burn, but a very enjoyable ride. Come for the fake author plot, stay for the publishing chaos, dry humour, and a heroine you’ll root for. Bonus points for a T-Rex costume and the best literary agent side character I’ve read in ages.

An entertaining summer romance. Easy to read with a story set against a backdrop of the acting and publishing world.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin General UK for the advance copy of this book.

A beautiful book. Once upon a time Kate Elliott was an actor in a soap. She gave it all up 20 years previously to marry and have a child. Now her marriage is over and she's back, contacting her agent looking for work. The job she's offered is completely different to anything she could have imagines and a rollercoaster of a life begins. Beautiful. funny, emotional, family oriented - a true cracker of a read. #netgalley #slowburnsummer

I really enjoyed this book! The depth of the story as well as of the characters took me by surprise and roped me into the book.

Would highly recommend this read to anyone.

I was gifted this book by NetGalley in exchange for this review however all thoughts and feelings are my own.

Reading this book you cannot not love the main character Kate.

Kate’s journey throughout the book made you really feel for her but also showed her personality as someone who would do anything to protect those she loves.

This book had plenty of what’s going to happen next moments that had you hooked.

The romance is definitely slow burn, but I felt the main storyline was less about the romance and more about Kate and her handling the acting job.

An easy, light hearted read. A hint of romance and lots of laughs. Definitely an interesting concept of a ghost author rather than ghost writer, I was intrigued as to where this story would go and it didn’t disappoint.

Yet again Ms Silver did not disappoint. Whilst she writes lovely romances – and you’re rooting for Kate and Charlie to get it together throughout the book – it’s the supporting cast, the humour and the storyline that all wraps it up into a perfect summer escapist read.

I loved Katie’s relationship with her brother and sister in law, and Charlie’s with his new business partner – who’d previously worked with his Dad for many years. And Katie has a 19 year old daughter – so very similar in age to some of my children – and the interactions between them was written brilliantly too. I even enjoyed the sports fans on the train! The sexual tension builds brilliantly along the way as well – so I can definitely see where the title came from.

Overall a fabulous easy read (and I don’t say that in a derogatory way, and I’m not implying an easy read is an easy write) it’s just perfect when reading for fun on holiday after drinking a cocktail or two!

A big thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for my ARC.

Kate Elliott is hired to pretend to be an author (because why NOT lie to the entire publishing industry?). Cue forced proximity, secret identities, and sexual tension 🌶️

• Fake-it-till-you-make-it romance ✅
• Awkward meet-cutes ✅
• Witty banter and sisterly sass ✅

The book is funny, heartfelt, and relatable rom‑com. Basically, if Notting Hill and The Parent Trap had a bookish baby, it would be this.

One of my most anticipated releases for this year and I loved it !!! 🥹🩵🩷

I found the story of this book very original! I mean, an actress who just got divorced and lost her job is hired to ghostwrite a novel that becomes a bestseller? It was incredible to see the whole world of book publishing, from interviews to book signings!!! It's a truly gripping book for any reader!!! 🥹🥰

I loved the characters, it was extremely cute and kept me entertained!!! I loved the story and I want to read all the books by this author! 🫶🏼

This book was simply extraordinary.

It was a wonderfully directed drama in the world of book publishing. I enjoyed the whole story.

I can imagine how difficult it must have been to write the story from an actress/author POV about the publishing and PR representatives.

I liked the banter between the two main characters, an actress who was hired as an author and her agent. Their feelings grew stronger, but the situation was quite difficult because of their working relationship.
However, my favourite character in the whole book was LIV, the main character's sister. She was fierce, and nothing would stop her from protecting her sister.
I really loved it and highly recommend it to anyone who loves books and their world.

A lovely read, definitely a slow burner, and a bit rushed in places, but it didn't deter from the story. Great characters and romantic story.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Josie Silver is one of my favourite authors, and Slow Burn Summer reminded me why. Her writing has that warm, immersive quality that pulls you straight into the story. The characters felt real and relatable, and I truly enjoyed watching their slow-building connection unfold.
Thoughtful, romantic, and just the right amount of bittersweet. A perfect book to take on holiday or to enjoy during a quiet weekend.
Looking forward to whatever she writes next!