Author: Josie Silver
Published: June 10, 2025 by Dell
Format: Kindle, Paperback, 352 pages
Genre: Romance
Source: My thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.
Blurb: Talent agent Charlie Francisco has three problems: a divorce that ended his screenwriting career, a business he never planned to inherit, and a take-your-breath-away romance novel whose author wants nothing to do with its publication. The book is a surefire hit, if only his agency can find someone to “play” author on its summer book tour.
Enter Kate Elliott, a former soap actress who’s miraculously right for the part at the very moment her life seems to be going all wrong. Kate is still recovering from her own divorce and Charlie’s job offer is a lifeline. She agrees to the pretense for all interviews, signings, and appearances surrounding the novel’s publication. But she can’t know who really wrote the remarkable story—the one so beautiful it’s made her believe in love again.
When Kate and Charlie meet they’re all friction and sparks—the one thing they have in common is they’re determined to play their respective parts. But as the summer heat ups and the lies get bigger and bigger, can they stick to their lines . . . or will they go off-script?
My Opinion: I don’t typically reach for romance novels, but I learned a while ago that when Josie Silver is writing, it’s my kind of romance, full of warmth, wit, and just the right amount of swoon.
Kate doesn’t just speak, she meanders, tangents, and spirals in the most delightful way. Her panicked, spiraling is pure gold, and when they ricochet off her sister Liv’s grounded pragmatism, it’s laugh-out-loud funny. Their dynamic is worth the read all on its own.
By chapter ten, you might think you’ve cracked the mystery of the ghostwritten book Kate’s been hired to promote. And you might be right… or maybe not. Silver plays with reader expectation just enough to keep you guessing, layering in small twists that tug at the rug beneath your feet right when you think you have it all figured out.
Then there’s Charlie. Ah, Charlie, with his “whiskey and cola” eyes and that simmering, buttoned-up demeanor that all good slow burns require. The professional boundaries are there. The spark is undeniable. And yes, eventually we get that scene, the one that hits just right and earns every wistful sigh. True to the slow burn promise, nothing comes easy. Even that scene is treated like a “deleted scene” tucked between complicated decisions and emotional restraint. Still, the embers linger... and maybe, just maybe, they get a second chance.
Just when you think the story’s comfortably coasting toward resolution, a reveal shakes everything loose. It’s not what you were expecting. It’s substantial. Kate has to decide what she’s willing to risk for the sake of someone else’s happy ending. And she does it with a kind of quiet courage that sneaks up on you.
Silver sprinkles in pop culture nods and literary Easter eggs give the book extra sparkle, making it a breezy summer read with heart and humor. This isn’t a story of fantasy spice levels, it’s a story of chemistry, conviction, and the little moments that matter most.
Enter Kate Elliott, a former soap actress who’s miraculously right for the part at the very moment her life seems to be going all wrong. Kate is still recovering from her own divorce and Charlie’s job offer is a lifeline. She agrees to the pretense for all interviews, signings, and appearances surrounding the novel’s publication. But she can’t know who really wrote the remarkable story—the one so beautiful it’s made her believe in love again.
When Kate and Charlie meet they’re all friction and sparks—the one thing they have in common is they’re determined to play their respective parts. But as the summer heat ups and the lies get bigger and bigger, can they stick to their lines . . . or will they go off-script?
My Opinion: I don’t typically reach for romance novels, but I learned a while ago that when Josie Silver is writing, it’s my kind of romance, full of warmth, wit, and just the right amount of swoon.
Kate doesn’t just speak, she meanders, tangents, and spirals in the most delightful way. Her panicked, spiraling is pure gold, and when they ricochet off her sister Liv’s grounded pragmatism, it’s laugh-out-loud funny. Their dynamic is worth the read all on its own.
By chapter ten, you might think you’ve cracked the mystery of the ghostwritten book Kate’s been hired to promote. And you might be right… or maybe not. Silver plays with reader expectation just enough to keep you guessing, layering in small twists that tug at the rug beneath your feet right when you think you have it all figured out.
Then there’s Charlie. Ah, Charlie, with his “whiskey and cola” eyes and that simmering, buttoned-up demeanor that all good slow burns require. The professional boundaries are there. The spark is undeniable. And yes, eventually we get that scene, the one that hits just right and earns every wistful sigh. True to the slow burn promise, nothing comes easy. Even that scene is treated like a “deleted scene” tucked between complicated decisions and emotional restraint. Still, the embers linger... and maybe, just maybe, they get a second chance.
Just when you think the story’s comfortably coasting toward resolution, a reveal shakes everything loose. It’s not what you were expecting. It’s substantial. Kate has to decide what she’s willing to risk for the sake of someone else’s happy ending. And she does it with a kind of quiet courage that sneaks up on you.
Silver sprinkles in pop culture nods and literary Easter eggs give the book extra sparkle, making it a breezy summer read with heart and humor. This isn’t a story of fantasy spice levels, it’s a story of chemistry, conviction, and the little moments that matter most.
No comments:
Post a Comment