Review: Ali Hazelwood’s ...

There’s just one particular person on this planet whose productiveness rivals Taylor Swift’s. Ali Hazelwood, best-selling writer of The Love Speculation, Deep End, and extra, launched her second of three (!!!) books in 2025, Problematic Summer time Romance. Recognized for her collection of STEM novels, Hazelwood’s Problematic Summer time Romance drew consideration after its announcement unceremoniously leaked earlier this 12 months. Many of the fanfare from readers centered round the truth that we have been getting one more romance from Ali this 12 months, however different discourse swirled because it grew to become clear this novel would heart a love story with a 15-year age gap.

That age gap and its particulars are prominently listed among the many guide’s content material warnings (together with a “males in finance” disclaimer). Hazelwood makes it clear in each the warning and all through the story that whereas the principle characters knew of one another previous to when the principle feminine character, who’s 23 initially of the guide, turned 18, their significant relationship started solely once they reconnected when she was 20. Nonetheless, when the characters finally start their relationship, she is 23, and he’s 38, main readers to wonder if Hazelwood went too far with this one.

I’ve by no means met an Ali Hazelwood book I didn’t love, however I additionally side-eye just about any age-gap relationship I come throughout. With this in thoughts, I dove headfirst into Problematic Summer time Romance to sus out simply how problematic it truly is. My evaluate forward:

Ali Hazelwood

Maya Killgore is twenty-three and nonetheless within the technique of determining her life. Conor Harkness is thirty-eight, and Maya can’t cease interested by him. As Conor likes to remind her, the facility dynamic is simply too imbalanced. Any relationship between them can be problematic in too some ways to depend, and Maya ought to simply recover from him. In any case, he has made it clear that he needs her gone from his life. However not every little thing is because it appears—and clichés generally turn into plot twists.

What Problematic Summer time Romance is about

When you’re not new to the world of Ali Hazelwood, you may bear in mind Maya Killgore from Not in Love. In that guide, she’s the principle male character Eli Killgore’s spunky youthful sister. We don’t get to know her an excessive amount of, however we do be taught that she likes to get underneath her older brother’s greatest pal’s pores and skin by obnoxiously flirting with him. From these little interactions, readers had a sense that one thing was brewing between the 2.

Quick-forward a number of years, and Eli and Rue, the principle characters from Not in Love, are getting married on the coast of Sicily. Hark and Maya have orbited one another for years however will lastly be in the identical place, face-to-face, after months of no contact. Maya, at 23, has developed actual emotions for Hark and is planning to make use of this journey to get her reply as soon as and for all: does Hark really feel the identical approach? Or does he actually suppose their age hole is as insurmountable because it appears from the surface wanting in? Informed by way of a collection of flashbacks and within the week counting right down to the marriage, there’s much more to Hark and Maya’s problematic relationship than simply their age distinction. Observe: you don’t must learn Not in Love earlier than leaping into Problematic Summer time Romance, however I did love that guide and wholeheartedly suggest it.

My evaluate of Problematic Summer time Romance

There’s a very nuanced dialogue available about age-gap relationships. Whether or not they can work and underneath what circumstances they’re applicable. However on the subject of romance tropes in media, age-gap relationships are a fairly widespread one. Typically, they expose the facility imbalance that may include them (all of us bear in mind Babygirl), and different occasions, they’re an impediment the couple can overcome. Problematic Summer time Romance isn’t the primary age hole romance guide, and positively gained’t be the final, so when folks began having opinions about Hark and Maya earlier than the guide even got here out, I used to be completely confused. This isn’t even Ali Hazelwood’s first age hole. In The Love Speculation, the principle characters have an 8-year age distinction, and the male fundamental character is ready of direct energy over the feminine fundamental character. Possibly this raised just a few eyebrows again when that guide initially got here out, however that is removed from new territory for Hazelwood to discover.

Listed below are the details: Maya is 15 years youthful than her older brother, Eli, and Eli’s greatest pal, Hark. When Maya was nonetheless younger, Eli took full custody of Maya. That’s when Hark first got here into her orbit. Nevertheless, they hardly interacted and had no significant relationship till Maya turned 20. Once they reconnected, Maya pursued Hark. For his half, Hark, having been uncovered to relationships with energy imbalances, tries desperately to not cross that line. Sure, Hark is 15 years older than Maya. Sure, Hark has buttloads of cash. However Maya is an grownup in her personal proper, and he or she objects to the fixed infantilization Hark, Eli, and his buddies topic her to. She doesn’t work for Hark and, in reality, has a number of prestigious gives of her personal lined up after the marriage. Briefly, she doesn’t want Hark or his cash, she needs him in her life.

“Really, the one problematic factor I discovered in Problematic Summer time Romance is that it ended earlier than I used to be finished spending time in Sicily at Eli and Rue’s marriage ceremony.”

After spending a lot of the guide preventing for her company and dealing by way of Hark’s very cheap and legitimate considerations, the 2 see previous their age hole and understand {that a} relationship between them may truly work. This isn’t dealt with in a frivolous “age is only a quantity” approach. All through the guide, we’re consistently reminded of the connection’s “problematic” nature, however I might argue the true discourse we needs to be having is how we frequently rob younger ladies of their voice just because we deem them too younger or too inexperienced or too something.

That’s the place the true magic of this guide lies. In true Ali Hazelwood trend, Problematic Summer time Romance is enjoyable, stuffed with ardour and craving, and has a number of laugh-out-loud moments. However it additionally options an essential message, one which weaves by way of all of Hazelwood’s STEM novels. Ladies, regardless of their age, the sphere they work in, their expertise, or no matter, needs to be taken critically. Our phrases, needs, wants, and emotions matter, and if folks gained’t pay attention, we are able to make them.

This wasn’t my favourite of Ali Hazelwood’s books (that honor goes to Deep End), however I nonetheless enormously loved it and appreciated the commentary on age and company it offered. The setting was gloriously stunning (I can’t go to Sicily this summer season, however this guide actually is the subsequent neatest thing), I liked the complete forged of characters (particular shoutout to Kaede and Tiny), and the romance was nicely finished and offered all the guffawing, kicking-your-feet moments I’ve come to anticipate from Ali. Really, the one problematic factor I discovered in Problematic Summer time Romance is that it ended earlier than I used to be finished spending time in Sicily at Eli and Rue’s marriage ceremony.

Must you learn Problematic Summer time Romance?

That relies upon. Do you would like you might go to the Italian coast this summer season, however your checking account at present stares daggers at you everytime you pull out your card? Have you ever beforehand learn and liked any of Ali Hazelwood’s books? Are you merely searching for one thing enjoyable to learn in your subsequent lengthy weekend? If the reply to any of these questions is sure, then I positively suggest Problematic Summer time Romance. For followers of the rom-com style, this exploration of the age hole trope isn’t new, however it’s dealt with, in my view, responsibly (and even in humorous methods all through the story). For newcomers who aren’t positive if they will see previous the 15 years that separate the characters, do not forget that it is a fictional story made up of fictional characters who’re by no means in any actual hazard. It’s OK for books, films, and exhibits to discover taboo matters we wouldn’t essentially endorse in actual life. When you’re in a position to shed that skepticism, then I like to recommend this guide for you, too.

The one folks I wouldn’t suggest this guide to are those that have private triggers that seem within the content warnings. In any other case, seize a Negroni, discover a lounge chair, and luxuriate in this romantic jaunt right down to the southern coast of Italy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Garri Chaverst, Senior Managing Editor

As Senior Managing Editor of The Everygirl, Garri oversees the pitching, planning, and creation of all content material. You may also discover her title pop up as a contributor all through the positioning, although she principally works behind the scenes, main the crew of their artistic efforts and making certain they’ve every little thing they should create top-quality content material for our viewers.