Problematic Summer Romance
Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS
9/11/20251 min read
I absolutely loved the dynamic between Conor and Maya. While I don't always enjoy reading about age gaps when it's a romance set in our world, this one totally worked for me. Conor is 15 years older than Maya and is constantly trying to do the responsible thing and sees the age gap as a problem, not to mention she's his best friend's baby sister. He spends so much time trying to convince himself to stay away.
Meanwhile, she spends the entire book making that nearly impossible 😏 And yes, I ate every second of it.
The tension is fantastic because so much of it comes from him trying to resist something that feels inevitable from page one. The banter is sharp, the chemistry is excellent, and the emotional payoff is so satisfying.
I also adored the European setting (and yes, I read this on a beach in Greece which definitely added to the magic) ✈️🌍 But what really elevated this one for me was the surrounding cast. Family members, friends, shared history—they're constantly there, creating complications, awkward moments, and opportunities for drama.
5⭐️ | 2🌶️
Quick Summary
A STEM heroine. A chaotic summer love interest. Emotional depth. Banter. Europe. And a fifteen-year age gap standing firmly in the way of what both characters want.
Basically: pure Hazelwood magic. ✨
My thoughts
This was my perfect beach read. ☀️🌊
Confession time: I didn't realize this was a sequel (in a series of standalones) and actually read this before reading Not in Love 😂
I had both books packed for the same trip and started this one without realizing they were connected. Luckily, it worked perfectly fine, and Problematic Summer Romance is now one of my favorite Ali Hazelwood books.
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