Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
Spice: 🌶️
Tropes: billionaire romance; faking dating

Did I keep finding reasons to bring this book up with my friends? Yes. Was it because it was an entirely unrealistic romance, even for a billionaire romance? Sadly, yes. Did I still gobble it up? Yes!

I felt that all of the moments of romance in this book were extremely over the top by the male main character, and they were never well received by the female main character. And yet, he continues to purchase exceedingly extravagant things for her until the third act breakup. Therefore, it seemed like their breakup was inevitable, and the reconciliation felt rushed.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC! The book is for lovers of forced proximity, lovers to enemies to lovers, fake dating, billionaire romance, single first person POV, and the NYC setting. While I am marking it a 5 star read, my true rating is 4.75 stars and that's only because the time jumps were a tad confusing to me at times. Overall though, I DEVOURED this book. I love that Elle stood her ground on wanting to reach her own goals, while also eventually giving into the power of LOVE. Parker was definitely over the top and flashed his money at any given moment, but that was what I expected going into this book. I was so glad he had some growth and important revelations by the end of the book. Summer in the City is fast-paced and easy... I questioned whether I *really* needed sleep once I was hooked. I am connected with Alex Aster on social media and I love how she sprinkled herself through the book as well -- I caught all those fun facts popping up! I want to see this book turn into a movie!!

Elle finds herself in New York City for the summer on a mission to write her next screen play. She is shocked to see her next door neighbor for the summer is none other than famous tech billionaire Parker Warren (oh yeah, and Elle happened to hook up with him in a stairwell a few years back. . ) He needs a fake relationship to sell to the press and she needs inspiration for her screenplay ==surely this is all a recipe for the perfect NYC summer?!

A great summer romance read! The chemistry was palpable from the very first scene and held on the entire way through!!

3.5 - ⭐⭐⭐ 💫

“Sometimes I pretend too…I pretend you’re mine.”
“You don’t have to pretend, Elle…You have me.”

Summer in the City is an adult romcom following an anonymous screenwriters desperately trying to beat her writer's block but travelling to the setting of her upcoming film and the gorgeous tech billionaire, who she previously hooked up with two years ago, that is in desperate need of a fake date for some PR. They strike a deal - she pretends to be his date while he comes to her various sets for inspiration. It is only meant to be a summer...but what happens when they realize they want more?

This book is cute!

Elle is a woman looking to prove herself despite all the success she has made for herself. She hides behind anonymity and her family backstory really hits home why she struggles so hard. You really get to explore this internal struggle within her as she blossoms under Parker's care and attention while also seeking to push him away.

Parker is a man used to everyone wanting something for him and he uses his money to handle a lot of things. I admired his tenacity and his focus on trying to give Elle what she needs. He truly cares for her and he wants so much more than she realizes. He does make a few mistakes when it comes to using his money on Elle but I admired how he took that responsibility and moved forward.

“Are you trying to convince me not to love you.”
“Yes..yes, exactly.”
“Too late…”

This book does contain spice. I would place it at 2 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. This book is a slow burn because, while there is a lot of connection and tension between these characters, Elle holds firm to their agreement throughout the novel. They have so much banter and connection that allows the romance to build because these two work so well together even when they’re in denial. We don't see spice until around the 70% mark and then around the 90%. The spice is detailed and passionate. There is a focus on pleasing a woman in all the right ways and I had fun reading it.

The story itself is fairly straightforward. I liked seeing the characters explore various New York landmarks to gain inspiration. I liked how to unravel the relationship through each encounter. The various backstories made sense and we had the right amount of tension coming from family drama and celebrity status to force our characters to confront themselves. I will say I did find Elle yoyo'd back and forth on things a few times that made the smoothness of the story stutter and Parker seemed to make similar mistakes again and again. I wasn't a fan of the time jump either in the book. That said I felt this was such an easy book to get into with a smoothness to the writing, the balance of engaging side characters and this thoughtful commentary on family. I would definitely read another by Alex when she released again.

Overall, a sweet summer read!

Thank you William Morrow for this arc!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Summer in the City by Alex Aster!

I tore through this book- honestly, the best way to describe it is a <i>tasty little bite</i>. Just over 300 pages, it’s a whirlwind of a read: fast paced, full of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments, and easy to devour in one or two sittings.

I really resonated with Elle’s ambition and her determination to succeed on her own terms, without being overshadowed by the powerful men around her. Her voice was sharp, witty, and relatable, and honestly? I found myself wishing I could watch the movies she was writing.

That said, I did wish we got a bit more from Parker’s side, especially when it came to his work in tech. (My husband’s in tech, and even though I don’t totally get what he does, I appreciate when books at least <i> try </i> to explain it) Still, Parker made a great book boyfriend (especially his willingness to apologize and right his wrongs). If you're a fan of the “he fell first, he fell harder” trope, you’ll be into this.

All in all, this was a fun summer romcom with some movie worthy swoony moments. A quick, satisfying read. I look forward to picking up some of Alex Asters other works and hope that she will be adding more adult romance or contemporary fiction to her catalogue in the future!

Need more romances from Alex STAT!!! This is how I want a romance book to be paced! Hook you from the start without being “insta-love” but also doesn’t drag on! The banter and humor were so good and this was such a fun read! Can’t wait to see what comes next from her

I loved everything about this book. The writing had me hooked and I couldn’t put it down. I love when books are set in a city and they make the city almost a character. It was fun how they explored NYC and made you want to book a trip there. If you are in a reading slump this will pull you out of it!

There's just something about Parker and Elle that I can't help but love. I loved the feel Alex Aster captured of being in New York City. This book had the tension, the banter and the romance.

Parker's character development is amazing to see. We all want to hate him after our initial meeting of him, you just can't. Parker is the definition of a green flag, doing everything he can think of for Elle.

As much as I loved the first meeting of these two mcs, one of my only problems is how long Elle held on to her hatred for Parkers actions that night and his money.

Overall this was an incredibly fun and fast read. As her first contemporary romance, Summer in The City did not disappoint, and I can't wait to see what comes next

*thank you netgalley for this arc*

Overall: 3.5⭐️

Parker and Elle meet once at a club and their meeting went from kissing to her hating him. After that she went on to become a well know screen writer until she hit writers block. While Parker’s reputation grew because of his tech company. They unexpectedly became neighbors after years of not seeing each other. Elle continued to hate him while Parker tried to win her over.

The roller coaster this book took me on. One minute I was awing at everything Parker was doing and then next I was screaming “what are you doing” to Elle.Once she opened up more about her parents I came to understand her a bit more. But I still couldn’t stand some of the things she did. However, I did like how Parker just accepted her for who she was and always reminded her she wasn’t alone. All in all it had the cute rom feel that I love.

I absolutely adored Summer In The City! As a huge fan of Lightlark, I was intrigued by Alex Aster’s venture into Adult Romance, and WOW, this book exceeded all expectations. The chemistry between Elle and Parker was chef’s kiss, and I loved the pacing of their relationship—felt like it was perfectly realistic for this world! And the best part? A gorgeous love letter to New York City. Having lived there for seven years, this book made me want to pack my bags and move back immediately. The humor in this book had me laughing out loud multiple times, and I couldn't get enough of Elle’s quirky personality (3+ drinks in hand at all times? Iconic).

The only thing I wished for was a little more spice between the couple, but honestly, that’s just me loving smut hehe! This book is perfect for summer reading, and if you’re a fan of swoony romance, amazing female friendships, and strong, inspiring women, you’ll fall in love with Elle, Parker, and NYC just like I did. Highly recommend!

5⭐️s - I devoured this one! This was so fun and the perfect mix of sweet and spicy. I just loved Parker, yes please. And Elle was entertaining, loved her character too. Enjoyed all the references in NYC and also Paris! Highly recommend this rom com and will be out Tuesday! I pre-ordered the sprayed edged sign edition on B&N and can’t wait to add this beauty to my shelf.

Expected release: 3/25/25

✨Special thanks to NetGalley & William Morrow for this complimentary digital advanced copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Thank you William Morrow Books and Net Galley for this ARC.

✨ REVIEW ✨
I absolutely loved exploring New York City through Elle's eyes. I've never been and it's a bucket list trip, but this book allowed me to truly see it, like if I closed my eyes, I could picture everytbing. The imagery was written so well it was almost illustrated.

Normally, I don't like a billionaire romance, but Parker wasn't flashy with the money, he treated her so well, even if it was Fake Dating! Everything he did for her was absolutely amazing. Except for one thing, but I don't want to spoil too much!

However, Elle, being Miss. Independent, said some things that would hurt Parker, and while he thinks it's right, she was just worried about spending too much money. I kind of wish the book didn't focus so heavily on money and made it about money because that's not what I was expecting going in. In real life, it's understandable to be weary about that stuff, but this was something that truly didn't need to be brought up in a book and create the issues it created.

Also, Elle is constantly concerned with a small make out session at a Club YEARS ago, that she literally doesn't move on from and I truly have no clue why it bothered her so much.

Regardless, I enjoyed the book and it was so fun to read about adventures as someone adventurous herself (me)! While I will never do the extravagant dates Parker and Elle had ever in my life, I think it was a fun little escape from reality.

This book is released on March 25th.

💕 trope list 💕
•Fake Dating
•Grumpy x Sunshine
•He Falls First
•Billionaire Romance

When hate turns into the best kind of romance. Alex wrote a steamy summer romance that we all secretly want. I am just glad this one gave the best kind of HEA.

Elle, the FMC, is fighting the worst kind of writer’s block and returns to the city to map put her next screen play. Unfortunately, her new neighbor happens to the man who insinuated she was nothing but a gold digger years earlier he happens to be the key to unlocking her mind and after spending time with Parker, she realizes he might just be everything she needs to complete the job.
Full of stops around NYC, we got to watch both characters grow and fall for one another, which includes a steamy trip to Paris. IYKYK! Some miscommunications and a stress filled few chapters, we finally get a beautiful happily ever after 💕

This was my first read by Alex Aster and I really enjoyed it! I couldn't put it down and it'll be so sweet to read this summer. I loved their dynamic for about the first 2/3 of the book. In the last 1/3, I felt like Elle was a bit too hard on Parker. He didn't quite get it, but she also didn't quite communicate well either. That was my only complaint as I still couldn't wait to see them together and living their happily ever after. I hope she continues to write in this genre!

Thank you to Netgalley, Alex Aster and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Alex Aster’s contemporary romance debut absolutely did not disappointment. From the first chapter, I was completely hooked. It hit all of my must-haves for a contemporary romance, between the banter, to the drama, to the reconciliation. The story that unfolds surrounding Park & Elle is one of self discovery, healing, growth, trust, and confidence. With each story that was shared of their past, I found myself falling more and more in love. It didn’t stop me from screaming in frustration at Elle more times than I can count, but that’s how I know I’m really engrossed in a good romance story. An absolutely amazing debut story and I can’t wait to see what’s next!

This was rather fun if you buy the idea of the main male character, billionaire Parker Warren, falling instantly for the heroine and then working hard to win her every chance he gets. Unfortunately for him, our heroine, successful screenwriter, Elle, detested Parker the first time she met him and then fixated on her hatred for the next two years.

Now she’s in New York City and finds herself living in the next-door apartment to the man her imagination had built into a terrible villain. Parker is even more attracted to her rude attempts to dismiss him. Of course, they end up spending the summer together and Elle finds out that he’s not at all the baddie that her imagination had built him into being.

I enjoyed the enemies to lovers aspect of the book, but there were too many elements that didn’t seem fully developed. She’s supposed to be this super successful screenwriter, but we never get much hint at all about what she’s written or is writing. We finally find out her secret background and why she dislikes men with money, but it seemed rather unbelievable that she was so messed up that she’d reject someone just because he’s rich. The woman needed some therapy. And I would have liked a bit more explanation of the sister and her boyfriend’s ability to travel around on a permanent vacation for the wealthy while also redecorating a ritzy New York apartment. Parker is this tech billionaire who is negotiating the sale of his company, but we never get much insight into what sort of company he was making his billions from. I could ignore some of these holes in the story, but I would hope that the author works on filling holes in her future stories.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was a very good Summer Rom-Com and the cover is EXCELLENT. I didn't love the third act break, they don't usually bother me but at a certain point Elle's hang up on the money just kinda became too much for me. Like do or don't. I really enjoyed the MMC and how all he really wanted was to make her happy. Overall, I would recommend this book.

4.3 ⭐️s. What a fun read! Honestly wish I would’ve read this in the summer. I don’t typically like the billionaire trope, but Parker was a dream. This is how you do it. I understood all of Elle’s traumas, but I think the way she treated Parker for that last third of the book was just too much. He honestly was such a sweetheart, did he fuck it up? Sure! But the guy could not read her mind. At least apologize to him! This is probably why it wasn’t a 5 ⭐️ read for me.

I say this in almost every book with some childhood drama, but she should’ve gone to therapy to process her grief and upbringing 😅. Would I recommend this book? Absolutely!! The vibes were there and so fun, and Parker was written beautifully.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was a cute and fun read. I loved that it was set in the summer in NYC - following a screenwriter looking for inspiration. A fake relationship with her billionaire neighbor, who has been her enemy for years. I thought that although incredibly predictable, the book moved quickly, the characters were quirky, their banter and chemistry were great. They each had their own issues, but we watched them work through highs and lows. An overall fun enemies to lovers, fake dating romance. There will be laughter, tears and frustration for the characters, but you will overall enjoy reading their story. If you are looking for a fun, quick contemporary romance for the summer, this is a good one.
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Alex Aster’s debut is a fun rom-com and love letter to NYC. Elle is the up and coming screenwriter and Parker is the genius tech billionaire.

Really enjoyed the meet cute and their time visiting the city. Parker is definitely one of the sweetest billionaires out there. But the ending disappoints a little, so I knocked off a star. We get our HEA but one of the characters makes it so difficult.

Thanks to Alex Aster, William Morrow, and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.