‘Problematic Summer Romance’ by Ali Hazelwood – Review

• Published: May 27, 2025
• Pages: 390 (Kindle Edition)
• Genre: Contemporary Romance
• Series: Not in Love #2

As I mentioned in my Five Star Reads of 2025, I did not expect to love Problematic Summer Romance as much I did. Although it is a sequel, the tone in which this book is written feels almost entirely different to Not in Love. Problematic Summer Romance matches its setting of the warm, sunny backdrop of Sicily in that it’s much more upbeat and almost ‘joyful’ than its previous counterpart; I believe, this is why I ended up enjoying this book a lot more. Hazelwood has a talent in immersing the reader into the world within her novels, allowing you to escape the ‘real world’ – something I believe entices many readers toward the romance genre as a whole.

Characters, Tropes, and more …

• One thing I really enjoyed in this book, and all of Ali’s other novels for that matter, is her characterisation. The characters have always been the most important part of a book, for me personally, and I do think this in particular is something that really sets Hazelwood apart in the romance genre. I always end up really loving the female protagonist in her books, they always feel so relatable and well written – and Maya is no different.
• The humour that Hazelwood displays, through Maya in particular, made it a five star read for me; the banter that Maya and Conor share makes their attraction toward one another really believable. This friendship that they develop has a depth that I rarely see within the romance genre, and I really enjoyed that element.
• As much as I absolutely adored the relationship development between Maya and Conor, I think that the other relationships/ friendships within the novel were just as interesting. I loved getting to know the characters through their interactions with one another. The sibling relationship between Maya and Eli was particularly heart-warming, especially since we got to see them develop more individually since Not in Love.
• The reason why I originally thought this book would not be a favourite of mine, is the age gap element that is the central ‘trope’ within the book. I sometimes feel that the age gap trope can be quite hit or, perhaps more often that not, miss. However, I believe this book handled this element really well. Both Maya and Conor are very aware of the potential problems that could arise within a relationship and vocalise this multiple times throughout the book. I think this is why the age gap never felt uncomfortable or ‘icky’ for me as a reader.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood. I thought that it incorporated all of the aspects of Hazelwood’s books that I usually enjoy – the joyful feel of the ‘world’ within the book, the fleshed out and beautifully flawed characters, and the humour that is abound within every page. I rated it a five out of five stars and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to have an enjoyable reading experience, regardless of genre.