Not in Love is probably my favourite of Ali Hazelwood’s so far, so I wanted to read the follow-up with some of the same characters, Problematic Summer Romance. Set during Eli and Rue’s (from Not in Love) wedding in Italy, Eli’s little sister and his best friend deal with their feelings for each other, despite the wide difference in their age.
Like all of Hazelwood’s books that I’ve read so far, it’s well-written, there’s some moments that are genuinely funny, and I liked the side characters (as well as the cameos from people from previous books) but overall, this was mostly a miss for me. I recognize this is a “me” problem and not the book’s fault (it was up front in the description what the reader was getting themselves into), but the age gap aspect of the central relationship really gave me the ick. I’m 36 and the idea of dating someone with a 15-year age gap (either older or younger) is nauseating to me. It might have been okay with me if it wasn’t the central issue of the book and I wasn’t constantly reminded of it, but almost every conversation between Maya and Conor refers somehow to their ages and on multiple occasions, people mistakenly believe that Conor could be Maya’s father. I’m not trying to yuck anyone’s yum, and I recognize that this might not be as big of an issue for some people (they’re both legally consenting adults when they begin interacting, although they are aware that the other person exists at a time when Maya is still a teenager), but it was enough of a plot point that it detracted from my enjoyment of the story.
I’ll likely read more of Hazelwood’s books in future (I’m still excited for the Bride sequel coming out later this year), but this is definitely not my favourite of hers.