3.75 ⭐️ 2🌶️

A fun and light summer 00s romcom that will have you kicking and giggling. If you go into this hoping for a cute and cringey and ridiculous billionaire romance, you’ll have the best of times and that’s exactly what I did!

The writing (& therefore the audio) felt a bit choppy for me and I had some frustrations with the 3rd act of the book, but overall had a really fun time and I’m excited to see what’s in store for Alex Aster next!

This was the best rom com I’ve read in a long time! I absolutely loved Elle and Parker. I could not put this down… the chemistry was A+!

Summer in the City was a super cute and trope-y story with a bit of a slow start. I wasn't convinced initially, but after learning more and more about our MMC Parker Warren. MFC Elle is initially pretty self-involved, but after spending some real time with Parker, he starts to peel back her layers and she's giving him a real chance.

I got SUPER nervous for a big when things were all good and there was still 10+% left in the book, but then I was glad because honestly the marriage proposal was SUPER sudden and WAY too soon!! Parker is honestly just so unbelievably thoughtful and well-intentioned, and I fell in love with him myself throughout this story. The HEA absolutely paid off in the end.

Summer in the City is OUT NOW! Thank you to the author Alex Aster, publisher William Morrow, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

(social review post will be up on @bostonkatreads via instagram within a day)

A delightful romantic comedy that is like a love letter to the City. I had some problems with how the female main character functioned at times and the choices she made (I literally said, "Why??" out loud a few times) but overall it is a fun, lighthearted read.

Ah, I am struggling with how to review this book.

Pros:
great pacing, witty banter, and fun premise (Elle, independent woman meets Parker, aloof but lovable tech billionaire years after a bad first impression, while trying to fight writers block in NYC)

Cons:
I have read too many books lately with really challenging FMC. I am all for multi-dimensional, imperfect characters, but when taken too far, it takes away from the book. Especially in juxtaposition with an all-star, easy to like MCM.

I found Elle really hard to like; she puts Parker through the wringer time and time again when he is trying to show his love. There is way too much miscommunication and issues Elle needs to work through and the timing of all of it felt off?

Maybe if this was the first book I read recently with this type of FMC, I would feel differently, but after several in a row, I am less and less into it!

3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Alex Aster should write more Romance. Summer in the City was an absolute good time to read. Following quirky, stubborn Elle be pulled through NYC by enigmatic Parker, slowly falling for him before she even realizes. Elle struggles to accept love from Parker because of unhealed grief and trauma. As she lets her walls down, she can’t help but let Parker into her heart. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and am grateful for the opportunity to do so with an arc from HarperCollins and NetGalley.

I was supposed to read this as an ARC, but life happened, and I didn't get to it before it was published🫣 However I did get the audiobook, and I finished it in less than 24 hours!

This was my first Alex Aster book, and I loved it! Elle annoyed me at first, but I think it's because she's so relatable with having her walls up so high and not wanting to let anyone in. She eventually come out of her shell, and the walls came down, and I ended up loving her!
Parker is officially one of my favorite book boyfriends. I really didn't want to like him at first, but it was almost impossible not to like him. He was so caring and thoughtful and sweet. He was almost too perfect, it seemed. He was so devoted to Elle. The man literally bought a chain of coffee shops so she could have her favorite scone🥺

The third act break up made me so mad and honestly that what took this from a 5 star read to a 4.5 read because in the end they did fox things and they have a HEA so it worked out.

4.5 stars

“I didn’t fall in love with a version of you, Elle,” he says. “I fell in love with every you.”

This was such an enjoyable story! It had so many of my favorite tropes—forced proximity, enemies to lovers, fake dating, billionaire romance, and more. With all these elements combined, it was impossible not to have fun reading it. That said, the story was a little cliché and predictable, but honestly, that didn’t take away from the enjoyment.

Now, let’s talk about the characters. The MMC was perfect boyfriend material—funny, attentive, caring, and unbelievably patient. I mean, the man literally donated all his money for her and waited so long for her to accept him. I don’t know if anyone could be that patient.

On the other hand, the FMC got on my nerves. Yes, I understand her issues with money, but he was trying—constantly—and she still kept pushing him away. By the last few chapters, her endless rejections became exhausting, and it felt like the story was dragging just to add unnecessary conflict. They could have had their happily ever after right there, but no, we had to go through more pain first.

Honestly, if I had a billionaire boyfriend who would buy an entire coffee shop chain just because they stopped making my favorite scones, I’d be saying yes to the wedding immediately. (Yeah, I know I’m married, but let’s not tell my husband about my fictional boyfriends, okay?)

Overall, this was a super fun and addictive read—you’ll devour it just like I did.

Thank you, William Morrow, for the early copy!

Rating-
4.5/5 stars
(Rounded up!)

Genre-
Contemporary Romance

Tropes-
Enemies To Lovers
Billionaire Romance
Fake Dating
Forced Proximity

Thoughts/Would I Recommend This?-
I honestly thought this was a great book, and I was happy it was because I was really worried that it may not be since the author is a fantasy author, but I was presently surprised by how much I liked it. I liked how the fmc was a movie writer because I hadn’t read a book with anyone in it having a job like that, so I thought it was fun to have and unique. I overall just really enjoyed the book and thought it was great. The only real reason it’s not a 5-star book is because I just felt that something was kind of off and I don’t know why, but it just wasn’t a 5-star and I don’t know why…but nonetheless an amazing book that I totally recommend you read if you want a good contemporary romance.

I rated this one 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed the descriptions of Paris, NYC, and surroundings, but I felt kind of detached from the FMC. Loved the MMC, though. The scenes felt somewhat choppy... almost like working through a checklist. I think some additional editing could've really helped. I liked the story and the messaging, and the cover is beautiful. I look forward to reading more of Alex's work, as I'm sure her future books will be a success.

Despite Lightlark being easily available to me (lol), I have been eager to read an Alex Aster book since having had the opportunity to hear her talk in several panels at the last two YALLFests in South Carolina. She is sweet, hilarious, and seems like not only a good time, but a genuinely nice person. Since I have obviously failed at reading her YA Fantasy series, Summer in the City—being a stand-alone contemporary romance—was the perfect introduction to Aster.

There were elements of this novel that worked better than they normally would for me solely because it was told in first-person from the single POV of the protagonist, Elle. Soooo, for instance, regarding the pace of the romance: an “ooo la laaa” moment WOULD happen but then something WOULD NOT happen, if ya get what I mean. This is mainly because Elle is at a continuous struggle with her love/hate relationship with Parker. There was a constant back and forth that kept me, for the most part, invested as a reader—though towards the end, it did become a little tedious to the point where I spoke “girl, come on now” out loud. Several times. Though, luckily, her flaws are recognized by herself and her supporting friends so it is, I guess (hehe), essential to the plot.

Here are some qualities of the novel that you can look out for and/or that I liked!

-Grumpy female protagonist
-Female lead can be a bit of a hater
-Overall, imo, A Golden Retriever Male protagonist
-This is NOT an enemies-to-lovers story—only the mc views male lead as an “enemy”
-Lots of mentions of coffee, i.e., one of the best things on this planet
-Adventures in the great city that is NY

There were def qualities of the book that frustrated me, but overall, I had a really fun time with it!

Thank you to NetGalley & William Morrow for this ARC!

The HYPE for this summer romcom set in New York City is 100% justified!! The way I gobbled this book up in mere hours is a testament to just how much I became OBSESSED with the billionaire MMC, Parker who falls first and hard for his jaded, anonymous screenwriter neighbor, Elle.

The two agree to a fake dating arrangement for the summer that has them sightseeing around the city and slowly falling in love. Parker is the literal KING of swoony grand gestures but Parker has issues around men trying to buy love with money and it does not bode well for the couple.

Told from Elle's perspective as she tries to work on her latest script, she had the best black cat energy, relatable anxiety and was just the all around perfect foil for Parker. She definitely made him work for her affections and I was HERE FOR IT!!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review. I also listened to this on audio and highly recommend that format. It is perfect for fans of books like Summer fridays, In a New York Minute or Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne.

The PERFECT Spring Break read!

An enemies to lovers rom-com. Elle is an anonymous, successful screenwriter with a history of not letting money control her. Parker is a billionaire CEO of his own tech company. They have one night they briefly meet at a club and now Elle hates Parker.

A couple years later they find themselves as next door neighbors. He needs a PR boost and she needs to get out of her writers block, so they make a deal to fake date for the summer. Even though they’re still enemies.

I found it hard to put this book down. The writers and characters captivated me from the start. I felt Elle’s obsession with money was a little too obsessive at times, but I get why it’s there. Such a cute love story!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the digital reviewer’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this. A nice change of pace from Alex's other books. I really loved Parker. I really hope to see more adult books from Alex in the future.

Thank you NetGalley & William Marrow For the ARC opportunity. :)

Seriously, I need a latte and a trip around New York City after reading this. As someone who is not from NYC I definitely felt transported to the city and locations. This book gave off all the nice vibes of a Rom Com and has so many quotable moments. I definitely recommend if you’re in the mood for a easy, middle paced, spicy, slow burn, fake dating romance.

“I didn’t fall in love with a version of you, Elle,” he says. “I fell in love with every you.” Also, it’s always ever been you gets me everytime!

Alex has a way of writing her MMCs so swoon worthy and the tension always delivers. I love and enjoyed Elle’s progression and her tenacity to make a name for herself. While some actions were frustrating, I felt it was necessary for the growth that transpired in the end. We get to see a glimpse into her cultural background too which I would have loved more of. Parker was everything I adored in an MMC as he was very attentive towards Elle. Although there were times where the plot jumped quickly, I felt like some things were not revisited in later parts of the book. The time jump in the end was definitely something I would have liked to be explained more. I would have loved to have seen more character development during the time jump, which is understood happened off page.

The marketing for this book and the attention to details is simply stunning. I absolutely adored the map (in the physical book) and references to each location, which only attributed to the experience of reading it. Overall, I enjoyed this read! Perfect for the summer.

Rating: 4.25

4.5 ⭐️

Parker and Elle are the couple of the summer. Almost two years after an awkward encounter in a stair well at a club, they bump into each other again. They are neighbors for the summer. 😅 Parker proposes fake dating to help him with PR and her with writers block. Elle promises to show up to events and gatherings as Parker’s girlfriend. Parker runs around NYC with Elle to all the places on her list.

They go on the sweetest dates. I was over here kicking my feet and smiling like a fool. I had so much fun reading this book. I finished most of it in one day 🫣 It was giving early 2000s rom-com vibes and who does love a sweet, fun NYC romance. 🥰

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC!

Oh my goodness, I am absolutely obsessed with "Summer in the City"! As a fan of Alex Aster's fantasy series, I was already excited to see her tackle adult romance, and let me tell you - she did not disappoint! This book is everything I didn't know I needed.

Elle is such a strong female lead with incredible character development. And Parker? Talk about swoon-worthy! I was literally shook by how much money this billionaire has, but the moment he bought that cafe for Elle just so she could have her favorite scone? I would have fallen head over heels immediately. How Elle resisted is beyond me!

The side characters are just as amazing - Penelope had me laughing out loud. She's hilarious and so down to earth. The book feels like you're actually exploring New York with the characters, and I couldn't put it down. I found myself shaking my kindle during some of the more infuriating moments, totally invested in their story.

If you're looking for a cute, funny billionaire romance that'll make your summer reading absolutely perfect, this is THE book. I'm already hoping Alex Aster continues to write romance because she is seriously talented. Highly recommend!

DNF @ 15%

This book is not written well enough for me to read a billionaire tech romance in the year of 2025. I will not be reviewing this anywhere due to not getting to the 50% mark

This was such a fun, summer romcom! The billionaire romance usually isn’t my vibe, but this was very cute. It was predictable, but that didn’t bother me at all.

i was so surprised to know this was alex aster’s first romance book! i loved everything about this -- i really fell in love with both elle and parker and enjoyed their story together through each chapter. im really excited to see any future stories from this author!!