THOUGHTS:
This was a great read and will definitely make for a good "summer romance" for anyone looking for a beach read! The characters were lovable and relatable, and this book had me falling in love with NYC. I do wish the ending was less rushed, but this is something I think often with books. I'd prefer a fleshed-out resolution instead of a quick "the end".

SYNOPSIS:
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.

Thank you to William Morrow publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

5 ⭐️
2.5 🌶

Wow, did I LOVE this book!!!! Alex Aster, you are a queen!

Our story starts where we meet Elle and Parker, who meet each other in a night club- not the best first meeting and assumptions made by both parties end up leaving Elle fuming. Two years later, Elle moves to NYC for the summer in order to find inspiration for the next big script she is writing and lo and behold, guess who her neighbor for the summer is- Parker!!!!!! Enemies to lovers, here we gooooooo!!!!

Elle is fiercely independent and running from some major scars in her past that really shape her into a prickly (but still lovable) FMC. Parker is a billionaire bachelor who is just a cinnamon roll. The things he does just to make Elle happy are (positively) insane, even when he misses the mark with her. Parker is the definition of a MMC who is yearning and so down bad for his girl. The two of them formed such a genuine connection and I really was rooting for them the entire story. In the end, I cried the last three chapters, but especially the last chapter. So much growth from both sides that allows them to end up happy- it was so wonderful to read.

Thanks NetGalley and William Morrow for an ARC! Everyone- put this on your TBR!!!!

This was such a fun read, and would definitely make a good "beach read" for the summer. As we learned more about Elle she became entirely relatable in her writing journey and in her relationship with Parker, especially as the two begin to intertwine.
Never having been to New York this book had me falling in love with the city, even more so I fell in love with falling in love in the city. It almost felt like a third main character as the book progresses.
I do feel like the ending was a bit rushed and could have used a few more chapters to be resolved in a more thought out manner but other than that felt the book was very cohesive.

I really want to rate this higher because I truly enjoyed it, but there were so many moments of super flowery language or intense hyperbole that jarred me out of the story. It happened so many times that I can’t overlook it. Maybe it’s just the writer’s style and that’s fine.

I really liked the main characters (even though, like girl, figure your ish out), and of course the New York setting is so dreamy.

As someone who has lived just outside NYC for most of my life, this book was such a fun read! The city itself felt like a character, setting the perfect backdrop for this light and breezy summer story.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Elle and Parker. Their chemistry was great, and Parker? Top-tier book boyfriend material. I loved seeing their relationship grow alongside their personal development. That said, Elle could be frustrating at times, but in the end, their journey felt fulfilling.

One of my favorite parts was Elle’s screenwriting process—it gave me such a wave of nostalgia since I studied screenwriting in college. I do wish we got to see more of the movie she was writing, though. The idea is introduced, but then it kind of fades into the background.

Overall, this was such a fun read, and I’d definitely recommend it! It’s exciting to see Alex Aster branch into adult contemporary romance, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

Elle is a screenwriter who’s struggling with writers block. Parker is a tech billionaire CEO whose company is in the process of being acquired. But they have met before, and she can’t let that first meeting go. After a few chance run ins and making her reminding him how much she can’t stand him, Parker proposes a fake relationship for the summer that benefits them both. He gets the press to focus on something other than his company’s acquisition, and she gets someone to take to the filming spots in the City to help her writers block. But this was just for the summer, and when summer comes to an end, neither are ready for it to end. Will Elle be able to get past her past insecurities and turn this into something that could last longer than the summer?

Review:
This book was so fun, I devoured this book in 2 days. This felt like an early 2000s rom-com in the best way. I loved the way their relationship developed throughout the book. It does have a third act breakup with only 2 chapters after, which aren’t my favorite and the end felt a little rushed, but it doesn’t diminish the rest of the book for me. It still gave me all the warm and fuzzy feelings that I want a romance book to give. I think Parker is a great MMC and isn’t the usually grumpy billionaire CEO type. I think this was a great book and I couldn’t recommend it enough!

Summer in the City by Alex Aster is more than a charming romance; it’s a thoughtful look at the writing process, creativity, and the struggles of being a writer. The story follows Elle, a screenwriter dealing with writer’s block while working on a big-budget movie in New York City. As she battles a tight deadline, her struggles feel authentic, and Aster skillfully shows how pressure can sometimes stifle creativity rather than ignite it.

Aster taps into the frustration and self-doubt many writers face, especially when deadlines and expectations weigh heavy. Elle’s journey is about rediscovering the joy of writing despite these obstacles. Her relationship with Parker, a tense yet magnetic dynamic, becomes a key source of inspiration for Elle’s creativity. Their friction mirrors the push-pull of the creative process, showing that sometimes creativity arises from conflict, not calm.

Elle’s experience also highlights the insecurity many writers face, torn between passion and doubt about their worth. Her story isn’t just about finishing her screenplay, but reclaiming her confidence as a writer. It’s a reminder that doubt is part of the process, even for the most successful.

In the end, Summer in the City is a love letter to the messy, unpredictable journey of writing. It captures how unexpected sources of inspiration can spark creativity, making it a refreshing read for anyone who’s ever struggled with self-doubt in the creative process.

This won’t be perfect to everyone, but this was perfect for me. I saw so much of myself in Elle and so much of my husband in Parker. This book feels like my life in an alternate reality. There were some parts that felt a bit rushed, but the settings were perfect and the dialogue was out of a movie. It is a perfect summer read.

this was my first book i’ve read by alex aster and i think it was such a good introduction to her. this story was fun, it was sweet, it was funny. i had a good time all around.

i enjoyed how this story played out. it was almost like a one sided enemies to lovers, which i really enjoyed (love a man who’s been in love the entire time). and i will foreverrrrrr love a fake dating trope.

as for the characters, i really liked parker. even though, according to elle, he was so called “buying” her love, i found him to super sweet. he would literally do anything for her. overall, i liked elle. as an introvert, i found her to be relatable at times, but there were some instances where she just irritated me. i just wanted to smack some sense into her.

Summer in the City was a cute romcom! It was a "can't put it down, stay up till 2 in the morning reading" book! I loved most aspects of it. It was lighthearted and cute while also covering some hefty topics. It felt like a love story to the big apple itself.

That being said, I felt like the FMC lacked character growth through the majority of the story. I felt like she was stubbornly stuck in her mindset with minimal wiggle room or a willingness to look from any other perspectives. To say the ending was rushed is an understatement. The third to last chapter made me so mad and the resolution was way too swift and too many details were left out I felt like. I feel like we needed another 60-100 pages to give the book the conclusion it deserves.

I love lightlark by this author and thought this was a cute little story! Very different than the YA lightlark series and I enjoyed the more adult themes.

Unfortunately, this book did not meet the mark for me. I am generally a big fan of Alex Aster and her writing style and was excited for her Adult Romance debut. The biggest problem for me is that both of the MC's are just not likeable. The FMC tries too hard to be different. I hate when authors try and make their main characters seem unnaturally quirky. "I like to stay at home in my sweatpants and eat cupcakes, I'm not like other girls" And this was a turn off for me. For me, the MMC's view of women is so toxic and offputting. After their initial meeting, I could already tell I wasn't going to like him. This unfortunately was a miss for me and was hopeful for more from Alex Aster.

"I didn't fall in love with a version of you, Elle," he says. "I fell in love with every you." AHHHHH
Like most people I was skeptical how someone who writes fantasy love triangles was going to do writing a strictly romance plot line. I was however pleasantly surprised with this one, and it was a good time. Considering I finished it within only a few hours (a long car ride), it definitely helped the time go by. I am excited to get my hands on the physical copy soon enough, and I hope this is her first of many romance books!

I was thrilled to receive an ARC of Summer in the City from NetGalley, and I couldn’t wait to see how Alex Aster would bring her vibrant storytelling to the romance genre. The novel follows Elle, a determined screenplay writer who reluctantly returns to New York—scarred by a humiliating memory tied to Parker Warren, the suave billionaire who once accused her of being a gold digger. With an offer of a “fake girlfriend” arrangement to give him a break from the social scene, Parker promises to help spark Elle’s creativity for her next script in return. Inevitably, this forced proximity and shared goal re-ignite old wounds, and watching Elle’s protective walls slowly crumble was both heart-wrenching and utterly compelling.

Despite Parker’s seemingly arrogant façade, he’s much more than a handsome face and a hefty bank account. The novel peels back the layers of his public persona, revealing a man hurt by false friendships and craving genuine connection. As Elle and Parker find themselves scouting filming locations and hashing out story ideas, their guarded banter blossoms into a bond neither can ignore. The chemistry crackles with tension built upon unresolved history and an unspoken understanding of one another’s vulnerabilities.

Overall, I’m giving Summer in the City a 4 out of 5 stars. Alex Aster transports readers right into the heart of bustling New York, capturing the city’s pulse and making the setting feel like a character in its own right. The romance is light yet emotionally charged, with a mix of humor and depth that kept me turning the pages. If you’re in the mood for a breezy read filled with witty banter, slow-burn tension, and vibrant city life, this is the perfect addition to your TBR list.

If you love a rom-com packed with tension, humor, and a dash of fate, this one’s for you! Parker, a carefree billionaire, and Elle, a frustrated screenwriter, are thrown together in the most inconvenient way—thanks to a not-so-coincidental neighborly setup. The catch? Elle despises Parker, and he doesn’t even remember her! The banter is top-tier, the chemistry is undeniable, and the slow-burn frustration is oh-so-satisfying. With laugh-out-loud moments and heart-tugging emotions, this book is a delightful mix of second chances and unexpected sparks. A fun, binge-worthy read! 💕📖✨ This is def for those who are the mood readers that need a breather from an intense fantasy read!

Much love to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book because I loved Alex Aster’s fantasy series, Lightlark. However, if you’re looking to read this book for that particular reason, don’t do it.

This book felt like it was written entirely by someone else. The style was different, the writing felt stiff, the MMC felt like he had no actual purpose other than to support the FMC. His personality didn’t really exist other than the fact that he’s rich.

I struggled through this book, if I’m being honest. And then the third act break up? The rushing back together last minute? I would’ve thrown my kindle if I wasn’t worried about breaking it…

I knew going into this that I wasn’t a huge fan of contemporary romance or billionaire romance. But I thought that since Alex Aster wrote it, and I really enjoyed her writing style and flare of her other books, that I’d be able to enjoy it…. I was incorrect.

However, someone who likes those things may very well like the book. I’ve seen many positive reviews, many people think it’s a light, airy romance novel. So if you think you may be interested because of the actual storyline and not because you like the author’s previous work, then maybe it’s for you!

The ending of this book ruined the entire thing for me. Theres basically 2 third act break ups. THE FINAL CHAPTER IS 18 MONTHS LATER!! The fmc was insufferable. She said the break up was needed because they had to work on themselves neither of them did work on themselves. The.n they were rushed back together in one chapter. This had so much potential but was awful. It felt so forced. Ive never been so mad at the end of a “romcom” book. And no epilogue !!!

I was absolutely thrilled to receive an ARC of Summer in the City from NetGalley! Ever since the Lightlark series swept me off my feet, Alex Aster has been an auto-buy author for me. Now that she’s dipping her toes into the YA genre for the first time, I couldn’t wait to see how she would shake things up. The anticipation had me on the edge of my seat, and I was beyond excited to dive into this fresh new chapter of her writing journey!

Elle, a screenplay writer, reluctantly moves back to New York—a city that holds nothing but bad memories for her. She's in a creative slump, struggling to come up with a new script idea. But the real thorn in her side? A humiliating incident from two years ago, when a guy she had fallen for turned around and accused her of being a gold digger. As fate would have it—because the universe has a twisted sense of humor—Elle unexpectedly crosses paths with him again. This time, not only is he still in New York, but he also happens to be her new neighbor, living on the same floor of her apartment building. His name? Parker Warren.
Ever since she was a child, Elle’s mother had instilled in her the importance of being an independent woman—someone who could stand on her own two feet without relying on anyone else. So when Parker humiliated her with his cruel accusation, she threw herself into her work with even more determination, determined to prove him wrong. Now, every time their paths cross in New York, she either avoids him like the plague or meets him with sharp words and an icy glare. But as fate keeps pushing them together—through scouting locations and shared activities—Elle slowly begins to let her guard down. Bit by bit, Parker chips away at the walls she’s built, making her question whether he’s really the villain she’s made him out to be.

Parker Warren—the billionaire bachelor with an air of arrogance. He’s the kind of man who always seems to have the upper hand, exuding confidence that borders on condescension. One day, he makes Elle an offer she can’t ignore: pretend to be his fake girlfriend for the summer to give him a break from the social scene. In return, he’ll accompany her to every location she needs for inspiration, brainstorm ideas with her, and even help act out scenes she’s struggling with. But the more I read, the more I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. Behind the flashy magazine covers and the effortless charm lies a man trapped in a life that isn’t as perfect as it seems. Beneath the wealth and status, he’s someone who’s been used and taken advantage of by so-called friends who only see him for his name and fortune.

I’ve never been to New York, but while reading Summer in the City by Alex Aster, I felt like I was right there, walking the bustling streets alongside the characters. The way Aster paints the city with such vivid, detailed descriptions made it come alive, and now I can’t help but wish I could visit all the places Elle and Parker explored. Their romance completely melted my heart—their witty banter, the slow-burn tension, and the weight of their past encounter made their connection feel so real. The humor woven into their conversations had me grinning, giggling and their history added just the right touch of depth.

Overall, I highly recommend this book! If you’re looking for something light yet captivating, with that unmistakable New York charm, this is definitely one to add to your list.

No, just no.

A shallow contemporary romance that is underdeveloped and presents unrealistic characters. It seems like the author is writing about her writing process through a character that is a screenwriter. The screenwriter is writing a love story, which makes the entire reading experience weird. It felt like self-insertion from the author. The “lovers to enemies” is just 5 minutes of a steamy make-out session in the stairway of an elite New York City dance club with a tech billionaire. He offends her with the assumption that she only cares about his wealth. So, she obsessively forms a hatred for the guy and writes off the city. Several years later, she needs to return for a film that will use various locations in the city. And the condo she agrees to house-sit happens to be next door to the tech billionaire (queue the “enemies to lovers” trope).

Every cliche moment that I’ve seen contemporary authors nail with emotion and struggle was lined up too perfect and left me disturbed. And I love a good billionaire romance novel. My favorite rom-com series is a billionaire romance. Alex Aster did not include the process of peeling back the layers of the main characters to show vulnerability and intimacy. The male lead seemed like he was only there to serve the female lead. He did not want to be used for his money, but he would give up everything for her. The conflicts were dull and few moments showed genuine romantic connection. I am unamused and will stick to emotional love stories for the foreseeable future.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Summer in the City follows Elle, a screenwriter, who is house sitting in NYC for the summer. Honestly, she doesn't love the city, but everything is relatively fine, until Elle realizes her new neighbor, Parker, is the same tech billionaire 'bro' she had a not so cute meet with two years prior. And...she absolutely hates him. But not enough to deny a fake dating scheme that should be a win-win for them both, just for the summer.

Summer in the City takes us all over NYC, in such vivid color, it made me want to partake in all the coffee, pizza, books and plants Elle and Parker were enjoying too. The adventures were page turners. The characters were adorable. Frankly, it all seemed perfect until a proverbial match was lit in the third act that left me feeling a bit burned. But, I can forgive that because the rest of it was so much fun! Summer in the City is a juicy, full bite read that I would happily read again and again.

Thank you to Willam Morrow, and NetGalley for an early book review copy of this book!

Summer in the City is being released March 25th, 2025-mark your calendar!