Page 17 - AUG2025

August 2025
NEWFOUNDLAKELIFE.COM Page 17
By BRittany amalfi
August is the perfect time to crack open a good book when you’re sitting lakeside, hear- ing the boats go by and the kids splashing in the water. For me, summer is always ideal for reading a copious amount of romance books, especially those set during the months when the sun is blazing and the couples are steamier than ever.
Luckily, Ali Hazelwood's Problematic Summer Romance delivers in those aspects. Set in Taormina, a hilltop town on
Sicily’s east coast, two unlikely individuals struggle to resist their growing feelings for each other — but the charm of a romantic European villa makes it nearly impossible. Maya Kill- gore is a twenty-three-year-old with a brilliant mind who is still figuring out her life. Connor Harkness is a thirty-eight-year- old successful biotech guy, and Maya has never wanted any- thing as much as him. Not only is Connor Maya’s brother’s best friend, but he will never stop reminding her about the power imbalance that would come if they pursued a romantic rela- tionship. But now, as they’re at Maya’s brother’s wedding, lines will be blurred, as Maya has al- ways been one to work for what she wants.
As the hot European days siz- zle, so does Maya and Connor, and she soon learns that Con- nor might be hiding something from her, and she’s determined
to figure out what makes this man tick.
Ya’ll, I loved this book. It was so fun, filled with humor and romance, and I’ll always appreciate a book that has me audibly laughing. Maya Kill- gore is a funny main character, and learning about the inner workings of her brilliant physics brain was incredible. Yes, she’s twenty-three, and her age defi- nitely shows because you don't
have everything figured out when you’re in your early twen- ties! But let’s not forget that no one ever has it all figured out, and we learn that thirty-eight- year-old Connor doesn’t either. You could have all the money in the world, but you still have no idea what tomorrow will look like. Age is just a number, and feelings have no expiration date.
The banter between Maya and Connor was captivating be- cause they’re both just so dang funny. Maya, a witty, sarcastic light beam, and Connor, a dead- pan, stoic statue, complement each other to the highest de- gree. It was fun to see how they dealt with the tribulations of the messy buildup
of the wedding, because with everything happening in that luxury villa, you would think that this whole wedding was cursed.
Hazelwood always does an excellent job of writing an en-
semble of characters who bring depth to the story. Of course, I’ve already raved about Maya and Connor, but the secondary characters also made this story what it was. Nyota, Maya’s good friend and sharp-tongued sup- porter, was someone I wanted to be best friends with. Seeing Maya’s relationship with her big brother, Eli, was also something that added a lot of emotional depth to this story, as they had quite a rocky relationship grow- ing up. And of course, Tiny, Eli’s massive, mischievous dog, who gets to experience the Italian countryside before I ever get to.
So, yes, if you’re looking for a fun, steamy, lighthearted, lake- side read, Problematic Summer Romance is exactly what you need. I do NOT take any re- sponsibility for the emotional roller coaster that Tiny will take you on!
Book of the Month:
Community
Problematic Summer Romance By Ali Hazelwood
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