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Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood, book cover

Problematic Summer Romance

by Ali Hazelwood

Spice 4 out of 5, Spicy4/5 · Spicy: Explicit

Maya Killgore is twenty-three and still in the process of figuring out her life.

Conor Harkness is thirty-eight, and Maya cannot stop thinking about him.

It’s such a cliché, it almost makes her heart implode: older man and younger woman; successful biotech guy and struggling grad student; brother’s best friend and the girl he never even knew existed. As Conor loves to remind her, the power dynamic is too imbalanced. Any relationship between them would be problematic in too many ways to count, and Maya should just get over him. After all, he has made it clear that he wants her gone from his life.

But not everything is as it seems—and clichés sometimes become plot twists.

When Maya’s brother decides to get married in Taormina, she and Conor end up stuck together in a romantic Sicilian villa for over a week. There, on the beautiful Ionian coast, between ancient ruins, delicious foods, and natural caves, Maya realizes that Conor might be hiding something from her. And as the destination wedding begins to erupt out of control, she decides that a summer fling might be just what she needs—even if it’s a problematic one.

Spice
4/5
Burn
Medium
Pages
~402
Ending
HEA

KU Is it on Kindle Unlimited? Check on Amazon

How spicy is Problematic Summer Romance?

Problematic Summer Romance is a 4 out of 5 on our spice scale: spicy (explicit). Explicit, detailed scenes and several of them. The famous "perfect 4": real plot, real smut. Spice starts around the middle.

  • Steam: Explicit open door
  • Burn: Medium burn
  • When: Spice starts around the middle
  • Pairing: One man, one woman
  • POV: Heroine's POV only
  • Ending: Happily ever after

Content warnings

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Show 2 content warnings
  • Death of a loved one
  • Addiction / substance abuse

Our editorial notes, which may be incomplete. If something is a hard limit for you, check the author's own content notes too.

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    Problematic Summer Romance: quick answers

    How spicy is Problematic Summer Romance?

    Problematic Summer Romance is a 4 out of 5 on our spice scale: spicy (explicit). Explicit, detailed scenes and several of them. The famous "perfect 4": real plot, real smut. Spice starts around the middle.

    Is Problematic Summer Romance a standalone?

    Yes, Problematic Summer Romance is a standalone. You can read it on its own.

    What tropes are in Problematic Summer Romance?

    Problematic Summer Romance features brother's best friend, age gap, forbidden love, road trip / vacation. It is a medium burn M/F romance that ends with a happily ever after.

    Does Problematic Summer Romance have content warnings?

    Our notes for Problematic Summer Romance include: death of a loved one, addiction / substance abuse. This list may not be complete; check the author's own content notes if anything is a hard limit for you.

    What should I read after Problematic Summer Romance?

    If you loved Problematic Summer Romance, try The Perfect Find by Tia Williams, 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne, Funny Feelings by Tarah DeWitt. They share its brother's best friend and age gap energy at a similar spice level.