📖 The Summer We Lie — Erica Jade

Based on the book itself and the reader reception available so far, this is a very strong pick for readers who want forbidden romance, a significant age gap, dominant/possessive energy, and high spice—but still want the relationship to develop emotionally. Goodreads currently has it at about 4.8/5, with most reviews landing at 4.5–5 stars.

❤️ What I liked

• The chemistry is the biggest strength. Skye and Dominic have tension almost from the beginning, but their connection isn’t portrayed as purely physical.
• The forbidden aspect actually matters. The best-friend’s-dad setup creates genuine stakes because Skye’s relationship with Harper is important to the story.
• Skye has more depth than the premise initially suggests. Her financial situation, family responsibilities, and personal ambitions give her motivations beyond simply falling for Dominic.
• Dominic’s character works well for the trope. He’s controlling and dominant, but his feelings for Skye gradually challenge that controlled exterior.
• The spice doesn’t completely replace the plot. Several readers specifically praised the balance between romance/story and the explicit scenes.
• The side characters add something. Harper and Dominic’s friends provide humor, insight into their friendship dynamics, and hints at future stories.

😕 What didn’t work

The biggest weaknesses are pacing and the ending.

• Some plot developments can feel convenient or rushed.
• There is some repetition around the attraction between Skye and Dominic.
• The latter portion moves through certain developments quickly.
• Some readers felt the ending used time jumps instead of giving certain emotional moments enough room to breathe.

So if you’re looking for an extremely slow-burn romance with a meticulously developed plot, this probably won’t completely satisfy you.

👩‍❤️‍👨 Characters

Skye — ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

Skye is vulnerable without being helpless. She’s dealing with serious family and financial pressure, yet she still has ambition and a developing sense of independence.

One particularly interesting part of her arc is discovering what she actually wants, rather than simply doing what circumstances demand of her.

Dominic — ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dominic is very much the fantasy-romance dominant older man: wealthy, confident, controlling, possessive, and intimidating—but noticeably softer around Skye.

What makes him work is the contrast between his controlled personality and how much Skye disrupts that control.

Harper & the supporting cast

Harper’s friendship with Skye is surprisingly important. Their relationship gives the forbidden romance genuine consequences rather than making the “best friend’s dad” trope feel like a label pasted onto the story.

Readers have also highlighted the secondary characters and their chemistry as one of the things that makes the book feel like the beginning of a larger interconnected series.

🔥 Romance & Chemistry Analysis

Chemistry: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is where the book really shines.

The attraction between Skye and Dominic is immediate, but the romance doesn’t jump straight from attraction to relationship. A lot of the appeal comes from the fact that they repeatedly have reasons not to act on what they’re feeling.

Their dynamic combines:

forbidden attraction → forced proximity → temptation → power exchange → emotional attachment

The age gap and Dominic’s authority create a strong power imbalance, which is deliberately part of the fantasy. The story also explores Skye discovering her submissive side and Dominic’s dominant nature.

What I particularly like about the dynamic is that the emotional connection exists outside the bedroom too. Readers have noted that they share interests and develop a genuine connection rather than functioning solely as a spicy pairing.

🔥 Tropes

Major tropes include:

• Age-gap romance
• Best friend’s dad
• Forbidden romance
• Forced proximity
• Older man / younger woman
• Dominant MMC
• Possessive MMC
• Virgin heroine
• First-time sexual exploration
• BDSM / Dom-sub dynamics
• Secret relationship
• Summer romance
• He falls hard
• Protective/possessive hero
• Interconnected-series setup

The combination of best friend’s dad + age gap + forced proximity + Dom/sub is really the book’s selling point.

🌶️ Spice & Content Guide

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This is very spicy.

Expect:

• Explicit sexual content
• BDSM/Dom-sub elements
• Commands/control
• Power exchange
• Sexual exploration
• Virginity/first-time themes
• Possessive sexual dynamics
• Secret encounters
• Strong sexual tension throughout

The book’s own premise centers on Skye auctioning her virginity, so sexual/transactional themes are central to the setup, rather than being a minor subplot.

Content note: The story also involves family financial hardship, parental abandonment, and a heroine carrying significant responsibility for her family.

If you don’t enjoy large age gaps or dominant/submissive dynamics, this probably isn’t the right romance for you.

⏱️ Pacing & Writing

Pacing: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

The book is generally easy to binge. The forbidden attraction and constant tension make it difficult to put down.

The downside is that the story sometimes prioritizes romantic momentum over slower plot development.

Some readers loved that fast, addictive quality; one negative review specifically criticized the feeling of a rushed plot and repetition.

So I’d describe the pacing as:

Fast, addictive, occasionally rushed.

The writing itself is accessible and very romance-focused, with plenty of dialogue, banter, emotional scenes, and explicit tension.

🔚 Ending — Spoiler-Free

The ending works, but it’s probably the weakest part of the book.

Without giving anything away: some developments toward the end happen faster than they ideally should, including time jumps that move the story forward without always giving the reader the emotional payoff they might expect.

That doesn’t make the ending bad—it just makes it feel less satisfying than the excellent chemistry leading up to it.

The upside is that this is the beginning of an interconnected series, so the supporting characters clearly leave room for more stories.

Ending score: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

💕 Who should read it?

Read it if you enjoy:

• 🌶️ Very spicy romance
• 🚩 Possessive/dominant heroes
• 🔥 Age-gap romance
• 😈 Best friend’s dad
• 💋 Forbidden relationships
• 🏠 Forced proximity
• BDSM/Dom-sub dynamics
• Emotional romance underneath the spice
• Fast, addictive reads
• Strong couple chemistry
• Interconnected romance series

Especially recommended if you like Nicole Fox-style dark/possessive romance but want something that leans more heavily into the forbidden-romance fantasy than outright dark romance.

🚫 Who might not enjoy it?

You may want to skip it if you dislike:

• Large age gaps
• Best-friend’s-parent romances
• BDSM/submission dynamics
• Virgin heroine tropes
• Explicit sex
• Possessive or controlling MMCs
• Financial desperation as a plot device
• Romance that moves relatively quickly
• Endings that wrap up some developments quickly

And if you’re primarily a plot-first reader, the heavy emphasis on chemistry and spice may not work for you.

📚 Books similar to it

If what you loved was forbidden + age gap + dominant MMC + high spice, I’d look toward:

• Birthday Girl — Penelope Douglas — age gap + best friend’s dad; considerably more slow-burn.
• Praise — Sara Cate — age gap, forbidden/taboo dynamics and very high spice.
• Good Time — Jana Aston — age-gap/forbidden romantic comedy with a lighter tone.
• Credence — Penelope Douglas — much darker and more taboo; definitely check content warnings.
• The Doctor — Nikki Sloane — forbidden age-gap romance with very high spice.
• Your Dad Will Do — Katee Robert — extremely explicit taboo/best-friend’s-dad territory; much more erotica-forward.

Closest match for the specific trope combination: Birthday Girl.

Closest match for the spice: Praise or Your Dad Will Do.

❓ FAQ

Is The Summer We Lie a dark romance?

Not exactly. It has taboo/forbidden and possessive elements, but it’s better described as a very spicy contemporary forbidden romance than a genuinely dark romance.

Is Dominic possessive?

Very. Possessiveness and control are major parts of his character and the romantic fantasy.

Is it a slow burn?

Moderately. There’s plenty of buildup and tension, but the overall book isn’t an ultra-slow-burn romance.

Is there a lot of spice?

Yes. Very much so. 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Is the romance more than just sex?

Yes. The relationship develops an emotional component, and multiple readers specifically praised the connection between Skye and Dominic outside the bedroom.

Is it a standalone?

It’s presented as the first book in an interconnected series, with supporting characters setting up future stories.

How long is it?

The paperback edition is listed at 436 pages; a digital edition is listed at 352 pages, so length varies by edition.

🏆 Final Verdict

⭐ 4.5/5

The bottom line: The Summer We Lie succeeds because Skye and Dominic’s chemistry is ridiculously strong, and the forbidden setup gives their romance genuine tension. It’s emotional, extremely spicy, addictive, and character-driven enough to be more than just an excuse for steamy scenes.

Its main weakness is that the final stretch feels a little rushed, preventing it from reaching a full 5 stars.

If your favorite ingredients are “older possessive man + best friend’s dad + forbidden romance + forced proximity + insane chemistry + lots of spice,” put this one on your TBR. 🔥📖