Problematic Summer Romance
The Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller!
What is wrong meets what feels right in this romance set in Italy by the New York Times bestselling author of Deep End.
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.
- Pages
- 374
- First published
- May 27, 2025
- Language
- English
- Edition
- Ebook
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Shelved by 19 Litcadians
Reviews
Finished June 9, 2025
Started June 28, 2025 · Finished July 15, 2025
The perfect vacation read—funny, light, spicy, and easy to get into. I’m still a little on the fence about the age gap dynamic, the FMC’s maturity felt inconsistent at times, which pulled me out of the story here and there. That said, I enjoyed it overall! 🌶️ Spice: 4/5 – Definitely one of Ali’s spicier books. A few lines made me cringe, but the audio narration was excellent and really elevated the experience. 📚 Reading Between the Vines: 📚 Click Here to Join a Fun Discord Book Club
Started June 9, 2026 · Finished June 10, 2026
I really love the play of the "problematic" romance in this book. It forces a new perspective on what may seem problematic from the outside with no context, might drastically change for when you truly get to know the situation and the people. My favorite part of this book is definitely Conor and the characters we get to see through Maya's eyes. Conor knows his age and position of power is not something to be taken lightly, and while at times it was frustrating that Maya was a grown adult who can choose what she wants and he refused to see that, I deeply respect that he had the morals to think about that perspective.
Started June 9, 2026 · Finished June 15, 2026
I love messy rich people, destination weddings, and heavy foreshadowing with “explosive” results. I love the way this book is structured, simultaneously leading up to her brother’s wedding and also giving us glimpses into her past. It made me hopeful for our MCs and even more frustrated during the angsty moments. But the thing I love most is Ali Hazelwood’s ability to write a strong female protagonist. These women do not need a man, but the men they choose are good ones. And the yearning is chefs kiss! Age gap romances are something that’s definitely tricky to navigate, and not something I usually go for in reading. And the slow-burn was reallyyyy slow. In the end, I still feel there’s work to be done for our MMC, but I do think there’s hope for them yet.
Finished December 5, 2025
Finished July 11, 2025
Started December 28, 2025 · Finished December 28, 2025
Finished October 14, 2025
- emotionalfunnylightheartedMedium-paced
Finished August 1, 2025
Ali Hazelwood did it again. What can I say? I do love emotionally constipated male leads who are obsessed with their women, trying way too hard to pretend they aren't. And this did that in spades.
Finished June 4, 2025
