This is a fun romantic, steamy read. Perfect for the summer months but really anytime. I loved the mcs and the deluxe limited edition is amazing. Highly recommend!

I'm in the 4-4.5 range on this one. As someone who lived in NYC for a while, the city felt like its own character, and I loved that! While Elle did grate on me at times, her chemistry with Parker was fantastic and the build-up was so smooth. Some of the spice was a bit repetitive and a little impractical for my tastes (the paint....everywhere....), but I can't deny their fire. Alex Aster's narrative voice is strong and I hope she stays in the romcom game!

Act Three with Elle started to get rough, and Chapter 30 almost lost me completely. I appreciate the break from the "love fixes everything" trope and letting her resolve things her way, but it was definitely an abrupt shift way too close to the end. Parker and Elle are in the wrong in a way that takes me out of their happy ending. Ch 30 onward felt like an unsteady and sudden acceleration that didn't click with the rest of the book's pacing. I wish there was more development of their messy parts as a couple. I feel like Parker adjusted (or tried to adjust) so much for Elle and we didn't see her doing much of the same.

Regardless, I had an incredible time with this book and definitely will recommend Alex Aster's books to others. Very cue and charming book. Thank you for the ARC!

I throughly enjoyed reading Summer in the City. Personally I wasn’t a fan of their “meet cute” but the relationship between Parker and Elle blossomed once they started to get to know each other. I related to Elle a good bit throughout the book in the way that she was raised to be fiercely independent. If she wanted something, it was on her to do it not someone she was dating or friends with. By the end she works on herself to be able to settle into a role that lets her be independent while having support from loved ones.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Ms. Aster for the opportunity to read an ARC of this title. An honest review was requested but not required.

Positives:
-the writing style was AMAZING. I flew through this book at top speed. I really liked the way the author did the dialogue; it was very realistic and I could actually imagine the characters speaking that way. There was really good flow and the situations the characters found themselves in seemed genuine enough.
-Tiny miracle, Ms. Aster actually managed to make NYC, a place I have less than zero interest in EVER going to again, seem ... sort of fun. This is a pretty big accomplishment, even more so when I've read enough NYC-set books lately to be completely tired of it as a setting.
-I loooooooooooooooooooooooooved Parker. Honestly he made the book for me. What a thoughtful guy who just wants to be loved and seen for himself and not his wallet.

Not-so-positives:
-At first, I liked Elle, and I supported her dislike of Parker as a jerk who propositioned her and tried to buy his way into her pants. But her attitude towards his money and money in general was super toxic and extremely tiresome. I wanted to shake her. GIRL! Just like you're more than your dad and *his* money, Parker is more too! He never tried to do anything but please her, and she couldn't appreciate anything without turning around and trashing it. I mean: so you don't want all the rings in the store? JUST SAY SO, don't throw a temper tantrum, break up with him, and leave. Pick the one you want and move on. Her streak of uber-independence was exhausting. Frankly, she OUGHT to have ended up alone just like she wanted to be, and focused on her personal growth.

-The third act breakup was excruciating. I thought we actually already had the breakup and lo and behold here's another one. Elle's behavior thereafter was so off-putting that frankly I couldn't get behind her anymore whatsoever.

Overall: I really liked the writing, and almost everything about this book, except for the FMC. Elle dragged it down a full star in the rating for me. But otherwise I enjoyed this enough that I would definitely seek out Ms. Aster's Larklight series and any other books she's got. ⭐⭐⭐1/2

This was a very light, relatively fluffy romance that very much felt like a love letter to NYC. The highlight of the story for me was the way it used to city to let the love story between Elle and Parker unfold. The two of them had really enjoyable banter and there were some exceedingly lovely moments and lines that made me pause and appreciate them. This book felt very cinematic in a way which also highlights the way one of the characters is a screenwriter so it tracks that the book felt like an old school romantic comedy that Hollywood makes so rarely now.

My mileage on a billionaire character especially in this current climate is pretty low, but Parker is very tolerable and I appreciate the way that he needed to grow beyond just using his money to handle problems in his life. Him being a billionaire is something the novel uses more as a device and although some moments were a little purposefully grating, it’s never not going to be romantic if a character buys out a restaurant so they can be alone with the other character.

Some of this book does strain credibility. There are lines in the book like how a diamond is “the biggest found ever” or a character is the “biggest ceo ever” where I was just like WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? And the character of Elle herself is very “not like other girls” coded which is not really something I like. Elle doesn’t dress up or wear makeup like other girls, has a Pilates ready body while never exercising and is randomly good at basketball. She also has never tried beer? Despite going to you know, Columbia?

The book itself could use another edit but by the end I did enjoy the characters together and found that Aster’s voice really lent itself to contemporary romance.

Thank you very much to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

ARC, thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy!

This was such a cute read! I’m a sucker for fake dating, and this one didn’t disappoint. I’ve always said that Alex is made to write a pining man, and this book just confirmed it for me. She somehow made this book insta love/lust while also making it a slow burn, but I’m here for it. Congrats on your adult debut, I can’t wait for the next Alex Aster romcom!

This book is so cute! A fun, fast-paced, summer romcom. There are time jumps, fun enemies to lovers moments, and a beautiful setting in New York City. This will be a great summer read.

I adored this book. It’s a love letter to New York, movies, and falling in love, and I devoured it. Elle is a prickly, unapproachable, independent screenwriter who has to return to New York City to write her newest screenplay. Her neighbor just so happens to be Parker, the gorgeous, arrogant tech CEO that she kissed two years ago. She hates him, and he would do ANYTHING for her. Parker gave me butterflies. He pays attention to everything Elle says and does and notices the smallest details. He’s charming, attentive, sweet, and so in love with Elle that he can barely function. Their chemistry was off the charts. There was so much longing, angst, and pining that I could hardly stand it. If you want a swoony billionaire romcom that will make you fall in love with NYC, you need to read this immediately!
🍕
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
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Read if you like:
▫️billionaire tech CEO and screenwriter
▫️almost hookup to enemies to lovers
▫️fake dating
▫️neighbors
▫️angsty slow burn
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Thank you to William Morrow, Harper Collins, Alex Aster, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

It was fun! Definitely had those breezy rom-com vibes, and I flew through it in a day. The setting was cute, the love interest was charming, and there were some genuinely sweet moments that had me grinning.

That said, it wasn’t a full 5 stars for me. Here’s why:

It leaned very heavily on the classic rom-com formula. Predictable? Yeah.

There was one twist toward the end that I knew was coming—and I was really hoping she wouldn’t go there. But she did.

The FMC had her moments, but sometimes her internal monologue made me want to shake her. Like girl… get it together.

This was a fun, light, summery, romcom book.

I felt it was a bit slow to start though but once you get pass the grumpiness of the FMC it really took off.

I really began to enjoy the dynamic between the FMC and MMC about 35% into the book and the tension…..okaaaaaaay 🩵

Overall I really enjoyed the book once I got into it. I would recommend as a good enjoyable palette cleanser in between reads!!

I absolutely adorned this book! It was so good and I loved how the covers were all different and the maps! I love that this is a new genre for her to work and she nailed it!!!

*full review will be updated tomorrow. Written review will be posted on good reads and Amazon. Book will also be reviewed on TikTok later in the week.

Rating:4.25 stars
Spice 🌶️: 3/5

🔥Slow Burn
🖤 Enemies to Lovers
✨Witty and Fun

Summer in the City was such a fun read. Did I cry? Yes 🥹 this was an absolute tear jerker in some parts. The character development in this book was unreal. I felt everything they did. Which speaks a lot to the writing. Towards the end I will say the FMC did start to annoy me, but she redeemed herself by the end.

This one was SO GOOD. Wow Alex Aster really did that after being mostly in the fantasy genre. This book really is that girl!!!

Thank you so much to Net Galley and William Marrow Publishing for this ARC, I kept hearing amazing things about this book and was stoked when I got accepted!

Parker YERNS. That could be the whole review! This one felt cinematic, like I was in a movie watching this play out on screen. It is the best rom com vibes and had me giggling at multiple parts. I also love the internal struggle that Elle goes through, it felt so realistic to me, and I enjoyed watching her grow.

This book is definitely high on my romance recommendation list!

I love Alex Aster! And I was honered to read her adult debut novel Summer in the City. Which did not disappoint!
A swoony, fast-paced rom-com that was just beyond perfect.
The story was fun and lighthearted and I had a good time reading it.
This was a wonderfully written romantic comedy.
I absolutely loved these characters and really enjoyed getting to know them.
A sweet, funny and heartwarming read!

This was cute! It was definitely a very typical romcom with a very predictable plot. But I still enjoyed it and found myself laughing and blushing through the whole thing!

An atmospheric New York based romcom. You’ll be transported to NYC and fall in love with these 3 dimensional characters. Elle is a grumpy, introverted, screen writing homebody. Parker is her tech billionaire neighbor who needs someone to fake date for the summer. Parker might be my favorite golden retriever book boyfriend. This was a perfect read for summer.

I love Alex Aster's fantasy series and had high hopes for her rom-com romance. She didn't disappoint. Elle and Parker have an amazing story with witty banter. This book makes me want to visit New York and see all the same places they did.

I really hope this becomes one of this summer’s big romances. I loved this book! It may be March (which may as well be deep winter in Illinois), but Summer in the City transported me to the warmer months. Elle and Parker’s physical connection is instant - you can feel the heat between them upon first meeting. But sometimes sparks lead to a fiery inferno and Elle knows she will hate Parker Warren until the day she dies.

Except now it’s months later, she’s moved to New York to write her screenplay, and Parker just happens to be her neighbor. Elle hates to admit it, but nobody helps her escape her writer’s block like Parker does. And Parker could use a fake girlfriend to take the pressure off his upcoming business deal. One summer together could change everything for them both.

This book made me feel everything the romcoms of the late 90s/early aughts did. It was just so fun. Elle and Parker both deal with some serious problems in their lives, but there is never any doubt that this is a romance. Parker is so over the top, but I just fell in love with how much he loved Elle.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for a review copy.

Rating: 4/5

Spice: 1.5/5

Plot: 3/5

Primary Genre: Contemporary Romance

Blurb: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Aster comes her adult debut novel Summer in the City—a swoony, fast-paced rom-com set in New York City in which a screenwriter and a sexy tech CEO go from lovers to enemies and back to lovers again… Twenty-seven-year-old screenwriter Elle has the chance of a lifetime to write a big-budget movie set in New York City. The only problem? She’s had writer’s block for months, and her screenplay is due at the end of the summer. In a desperate attempt at inspiration, Elle ends up back in the city she swore she would never return to, in an apartment she could never afford (floor-to-ceiling windows, skyline views, and a new coffee shop to haunt included). It’s the perfect place to write her screenplay…until she realizes her new neighbor is tech “Billionaire Bachelor” Parker Warren, her stairwell hookup from two years ago. It’s been a lovers-to-enemies situation ever since. When seeing him again turns into a full night of hate-fueled writing, Elle realizes her enemy/twisted muse might just be the key to finishing her screenplay... if she can stand being around her polar opposite. She writes anonymously, and he’s on the cover of every business magazine. He frequents fancy red carpeted events, and she doesn’t like leaving her emotional support five block radius. One summer. One wall apart. He needs to fake a buzzy relationship during his company’s precarious acquisition. She needs to write a movie around a list of NYC locations. Both need a break from their unrelenting schedules, and a chance to rediscover the skyscraper glimmering, pizza crusted, sunlit charms of the city. Summers always end, and so will this agreement. It’s all pretend. Promise. Until it isn’t.

The Good:
* Parker is perfect, I mean what else could you ask for in a billionaire? 6’4”, abs and gives you quite literally everything that you want. Coffee shops, houses, keys to exclusive parks. Like ok, sign me up. If Elle doesn’t want to marry him, I will. Sorry hubby. J/K obviously but I adored Parker’s character. Incredibly patient and sweet.

* The FMC seems to be a bit autobiographical. If you know anything about Alex Aster, you’ll see some similarities between her and Elle. They’re both of Columbian descent, they’re both writers. Idk why but I love a book from the POV of a writer. I know that some people hate it and I don’t understand why. I always love the insight into the inner workings of the writer’s brain.

* This book was giving Sex and the City, which I have seen every single episode of. Multiple times. I will not be accepting criticism on this tv show preference. Alex’s writing creates the atmosphere of Carrie Bradshaw typing away in her apartment. I’m obsessed with the vibe.

The Meh:

* In all fairness, I’ve probably just been reading a ton of dark romance spice lately but the smutty scenes fell a little flat for me. However, the book wasn’t devoid of smut so it passes.

* The financial gap paranoia that seems to plague the FMC just seems to come off as odd to me. I don’t get why it keeps coming up after getting over the initial hump and it just makes her seem annoying and petty when it comes to this detail.

Bottom Line:

Alex Aster’s first foray into adult romance is a success. Think Elizabeth Bennet meets Mr. Darcy/Carrie Bradshaw meets Aidan Shaw in the pouring rain in New York City. It’s a lovely little mashup of Pride and Prejudice and Sex and the City with some fake dating and snarky humor thrown in. The romance is super slow burn and quite the emotional roller coaster. This is a cannot miss for fans of Alex Aster, Sex and the City and Pride and Prejudice.

This book felt like a love letter to the city. A journey embarked on that left you with a feeling that was hard to describe. Being originally from New York myself, this story felt like coming home.

Elle struggled, a lot, with who she was inside and out. She wanted to forge her own path, never having to rely on others to create a future she felt she deserved. She wanted to be the one responsible for her successes and her failures and doing so, she tend to alienate people around her.

Parker is a tech genius billionaire who falls head over heels for Elle from the moment they meet. He loved how she despised his money and fame, her snarky comments and her fiery personality. But sometimes he showed his love in a way that was just what Elle needed but not what she wanted.

Their summer love was perfection. The city dates, pizza tours, coffee breaks, and morning runs were just the icing on the top. Throw in a gala event and a private dinner in Paris, their love story was just like an NYC fairytale.

I enjoyed this book so much. I loved the writing style, the detail, the characters, the friendships made. It was such a great read and I am so thankful to have been able to read it.