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Book Review: Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
- Taylor
- Jun 24
- 2 min read
I just got back from Italy, and what better way to reminisce than an Italian summer romance! Here is my full review of Problematic Summer Romance.
Overview:
5/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3/5 spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Age gap, brother's best friend, and forced proximity.
Summary:
Maya is fresh out of grad school and has the world at her feet. With two significant job offers, she needs to decide between a corporate and academic career. On top of that, she is about to spend a week in Sicily for her brother’s destination wedding with none other than Conor Harkness. Conor is her brother’s friend, business partner, and (as he constantly reminds her) 15 years older. The two have a past and undeniable chemistry, and the only thing keeping them apart is themselves.
Spoiler Free Review:
This is my book of the summer! Ali Hazelwood has encapsulated everything I needed in a summer romance and placed it into 400 pages of perfection. From Maya and Conor’s banter to the wedding gone sideways, I loved everything about this book!
*** Spoilers ahead! Read at your own risk :)***
Setting:
You just can’t beat the setting of this book. A destination wedding in Sicily?? I mean, from the very beginning, I was sold. The Italian summer vibes are ever present, and I could easily picture the scenery. I thought that there was a lot of description, without bogging down the plot. It was so easy to read!
I also enjoyed that there were actual places that the characters were visiting. They were not just in Italy to be in Italy. Maya explores the area on several occasions and eats foods specific to the region!
Dual Timeline:
The book features a dual timeline, allowing us to gain insight into Maya and Conor’s backstory while watching them at the wedding. I LOVE a good flashback, but they can sometimes mess up the flow of the book. I am happy to report that this was not the case! The transitions were seamless and only added to the plot.
I was shocked when I read their argument. The fact that Maya confessed her love for Conor and he is the one who rejected her was insane to me! I knew that they were going to have a falling out of some kind, but I didn’t see an angry love confession coming at all.
Age gap:
I love an age gap romance, and this might be my favorite yet! The chemistry between Maya and Conor was incredible. My one critique would be that there were A LOT of jokes about Conor’s age, and it was sometimes just a bit too much for me. While the jokes were funny, there were many of them. I thought that, aside from the jokes, you could still tell Maya was younger based on their mannerisms.
Overall:
Overall, this book is the perfect way to kick off the summer. If you are a fan of books like Happy Place or What If I Never Get Over You, then this one is for you!!
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