Once upon a time, Kate Elliott was a hot young actress on the verge of becoming a star. She was represented by talent agent Jojo Francisco, she had just landed a juicy role on a hit soap opera --- and then she chucked it all away to get married, move abroad and have a baby. Fast forward 20 years, and Kate is the mum of an increasingly distant 19-year-old daughter. She’s recently divorced, and thanks to the iron-clad prenup her ex-husband had her sign, she’s basically desperate to find a job. But the only career she’s ever pursued is that long-ago acting dream.

Kate decides to take a leap and reach back out to Jojo to see if he’d be willing to take his chances on her again the way he did decades earlier. Sadly, Jojo has died. His son, Charlie, a hotshot screenwriter who has spent most of the last few years living and working in Los Angeles, has returned to London to take over his late father’s clients. Ordinarily, Kate’s somewhat pathetic letter wouldn’t pique his interest, but an acting opportunity that she might be perfect for has just landed in his lap.

"While a bit of a departure for Josie Silver, [SLOW BURN SUMMER] is sure to satisfy her many fans and likely will attract new ones."

Francisco & Fox is not just a talent agency. It's also a literary agency, and one of their most revered, bestselling authors has written The Power of Love. It’s a heartwarming novel about finding a second chance at love, and although the author has agreed to have it published, they’re worried that releasing a romance under their own name will tarnish their highly respected literary career.

But the author’s publisher and agent know that it’s not enough to just publish the book under a pen name; they need to have the “author” out in public, granting interviews, attending book signings, and generally just putting a face with a story. Enter Kate, a well-trained but completely unknown actress who is a passionate believer in the novel's merits. Can she play the role of a lifetime?

At first, pretending that she’s a published author and talking with the media is a bit of a lark. But as time rolls on, Kate finds herself more and more enmeshed in the lies she’s created. And when a scandal threatens to unmask everything, it’s clear that Francisco & Fox won’t really have her back. What’s more, Charlie is nothing like his famous agent father. He’s aloof and maddening, but unfortunately very attractive.

SLOW BURN SUMMER is ostensibly a romance novel, and it’s certainly about a romance novel. But in many ways the romance plot takes a backseat to Kate’s story of reclaiming her self-confidence, rediscovering her identity outside of motherhood and marriage, and being honest with herself and others about who she is and what she wants. While a bit of a departure for Josie Silver, it is sure to satisfy her many fans and likely will attract new ones.