Problematic Summer Romance

Maya and Conor’s romantic arc in Problematic Summer Romance explores the factors that define age and how these factors influence relationships. At the corps of this exploration is physical age and the literal 15 years between the two characters. However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear these 15 years are only the surface of Maya and Conor’s age gap and that other factors, including lived experiences, trauma, and background, play a large role in how far apart in age the two actually feel. 

When she went to live with Eli as a child, Maya thought Conor seemed ancient. However, when Maya sees Conor for the first time during the flashback chapters, several years have passed, and she realizes that “now that I am an adult, too, Conor Harkness just feels like a peer” (87). This quote signals a rebalancing of power—Maya no longer sees Conor as distant or untouchable, but as someone operating on the same emotional plane. Dealing with the trauma of her parents’ deaths and the poor choices she made as a result of that trauma have given Maya an adult-level understanding of the world. 

In contrast, Conor’s emotional development has been shaped by insulation: His wealth has shielded him from survival-based decisions, complicating the very concept of “maturity.