This was a billionaire romance done right!

First of all, the setting and season were a delight. They traipsed all over some iconic NYC neighborhoods and sites for Elle’s script. The imagery was excellent and even though I’ve been there several times this just made me want to go back!

Parker was so sweet and actually listened to Elle and her concerns. We He was patient, romantic and was actually a good person. Elle was only okay in comparison haha. She got on my nerves with how she was treating Parker. She had so many internal issues and guilt over money due to her history with her parents and she took it all out on him. The way she hated on him for doing grand gestures, but they were always so thoughtful! But she did eventually do some serious reflection and grew up a ton!

The ending worried me, especially with the pretty significant time jump but they made it work and they got the HEA!

This was my first read by Alex Aster and I loved it! I want to go and try her other fantasy novels now since I enjoyed her writing style.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher/author for an ARC of this in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a sweet and simple love story—though it definitely packed in more than a few breakup moments along the way!

I absolutely loved that it was set in the heart of New York City. The backdrop was gorgeous, and every little adventure our couple took felt like a scene straight out of a romantic movie. Speaking of movies, the story itself read more like a screenplay than a novel, which actually made sense given the FMC’s love for screenwriting. But I did miss some of that extra fluff and depth you usually get in books versus films. Also, there were a few spots where time jumped suddenly—one sentence would end, and the next would start with, Three weeks have passed. A well-placed page break would’ve helped the flow a lot!

Now, let’s talk about the FMC. She drove me absolutely insane with her obsessive hatred of the MMC and his money. It felt so unhealthy—girl, therapy exists! And while we’re at it, her mom could use a few sessions too. Meanwhile, the MMC just stood there, unfazed, like he wasn’t constantly getting hit with a wave of resentment. Sir, blink twice if you need help.

Despite my frustrations, there were plenty of moments that had me giggling, kicking my feet, and swooning like any good romance should. Overall, this was a sweet, easy read. I could tell the author was trying out a new style, and while there’s room for growth, it was definitely worth the read!

“𝑰 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕,” 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔, 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒚, 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝒕𝒐𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒎𝒆. 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒂 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒆. “𝑨 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓.”

Alex Aster sooo hiii just passing by to say to please keep writing contemporary romance because you killed it with this book!!! 😭❤️ I not only fell in love with your characters, but also fell HARD in love with New York City all over again. 🏙️✨ The entire time I was reading this, I was laughing, kicking my feet, and basically screaming at the pages with everything that was happening. 😂💖 I enjoyed it so freaking much!!

This story is about Parker, a billionaire who doesn’t have a care in the world 💸 and Elle, a successful screenwriter who has writer's block 😅 and is shipped off to the city she escaped from, a city that also contains the person she loathes the most... Parker 😭 HAHAHA and life being the funny thing that it is, her new place just so happens to have him as a neighbor. AAAAAAH 😆 The worst part of it all? He doesn’t even remember her!!! 😭🤣 Gotta love those rom-com vibes.

The emotional turmoil that the author created for the reader throughout this relationship was honestly delicious 👏🥲 The slow burn, the whole "I hate you but you're helping me so I guess i'll help you too" to turning into something more had me kicking my feet SO MANY TIMES 💕 The little gestures (and the big ones too 😭) had me melting and swooning. This was a billionaire romance and boy did it deliver. 🥵

“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙄’𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡,” 𝙄 𝙨𝙖𝙮. 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙨, “𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚,” 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚’𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙚. 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙘𝙠. 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬.

𝙄 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧. “𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙡 𝙏𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧.” 𝙃𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. “𝙎𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙡 𝙏𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧.” “𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩.”

Elle ➸
She was so freaking relatable. There were so many times I was like "yup... been there, done that" 😅 and it made me connect with her instantly. She had her flaws, sure, but honestly, it was those flaws that made the book feel so raw and real. I love when romance books aren't just falalala happily ever after, but actually show the struggles and emotions that come with love. 💔❤️‍🔥

𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙮, 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠, 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝙏𝙤 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧.

Parker ➸
Now PARKER??? OMG. This man was like an onion.. he had layers upon layers. He was charming, loving, and honestly hilarious, but you could tell he was also carrying a lot 😭 He knows he has money and isn't afraid to spend it 💸, but the way he slowly learns that money can't fix everything was so beautiful to read. Seeing his growth and his heart throughout the story made me fall for him so hard 🥹❤️

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

If you love a happily ever after but with bumps along the way, where those bumps are HUGE miscommunication moments 🙃 and you also love falling in love not only with the characters but the setting, THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU 🥰📖 I’m seriously obsessed and will be thinking about it for a long time. 🥹✨

tropes
💖 billionaire romance
💖 fake dating
💖 miscommunication
💖 single POV
💖 hate to love
💖 neighbors for the summer

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 & 𝘞𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘢𝘮 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘈𝘙𝘊 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸

This book was delightful, charming, playful, and absolutely hilarious. The main character, Elle, had me laughing out loud with her witty inner monologue. She was a strong, independent, and self-aware protagonist, which I adore. The male lead was irresistibly swoon-worthy, and I found him utterly adorable! I just wish we could have explored his character a bit more. Their chemistry was fantastic, and the development of their relationship was spot on! Given the book's shorter length, I was concerned it might feel like instant love, but it didn't come across that way at all. There was a lovely slow burn that was just perfect. The pacing was excellent, and I found it hard to put down. It was such a fun read!

Thank you William Morrow for the advanced copy of Summer in the City by Alex Aster.

In this book, we follow Elle and Parker- the two strike up a dually beneficial deal to fake date, but only for the summer. Parker needs someone to spend his last free summer with and Elle needs a muse for her upcoming screenplay, whether the muse is a guy she met for a heated moment in a crowded club and then proceeded to insult her or not. Through their reluctant bargain, the two get into sweet adventures and comical situations throughout NYC. I really loved that this romance was fun and set in New York!

My favorite thing about this book was Parker's banter to Elle. And the commentary on being an out of touch billionaire. Parker made the book interesting for me since my biggest issue from the book was Elle's character. She seemed to be a jumble of quirks the author randomly thought of, which made her come off as a plain Jane character for me. I didn't feel Elle's character elicited emotion or care from me as a lot of her backstory just read like brain dump.

Overall, this was a easy and cute romance perfect for light reading.

I loved reading Summer in the City! At first, Elle made me frustrated when she and Parker were clearly in love, but she pushed him away time and time again because of her hangups about money/privilege. Some of that is definitely understandable due to her family situation and upbringing, but it was hard to watch Parker try so hard to make her happy, learn from his mistakes and try to do better, only to get shoved away and shut out by Elle. But I will say that the last 10% of the book redeemed itself for me in this regard, Elle was finally able to face her past trauma and build a lasting relationship with Parker. I would love to read another contemporary romance from Alex Aster, hopefully she will continue writing in this genre!

This is an enemies to lovers tale between a billionaire MMC and a black cat FMC who has a secret identity as a screenwriter. He can’t trust women want him for anything other than his money and she hates him, so of course they agree to fake date for the summer. There’s a bit of tension when feelings rise and the way his feelings for her are displayed is beautiful.

I had big expectations for Alex’s first contemporary romance and this did not disappoint! The characters are lovable and the plot was interesting. I could see it all playing out in my head like a movie.

Loved it!

Elle and Parker were a great couple to read about. The fake dating turned friendship angle was really well done, and I was swooning when they were in Paris!!

Thank you so much, William Marrow, for gifting me an ARC of Alex Aster's debut romance novel, *Summer in the City*! This book absolutely hooked me from the start, and I devoured it!

*Summer in the City* follows Elle, a screenwriter battling severe writer's block who reluctantly returns to New York City for inspiration. Her return is complicated by the discovery that her neighbor is none other than Parker Warren, the 'Billionaire Playboy' she despises. Their history is a delicious mix of failed stairwell hookup and simmering animosity, which Elle has cleverly channeled into her writing. Parker, now her 'twisted muse,' needs a fake girlfriend for PR purposes, and Elle needs inspiration. A classic fake-dating setup ensues, and the sparks fly! Aster's writing is engaging and descriptive, painting a vivid picture of New York City. As a native, the setting felt nostalgic and familiar. The pacing was excellent for the majority of the book, keeping me invested in Elle and Parker's complicated relationship.

Both Elle and Parker are well-developed characters with depth and layers. You genuinely understand their motivations and the reasons behind their actions. The tension between them is palpable, and their witty banter is the highlight. However, the final few chapters felt rushed. A plot twist towards the end derailed the momentum, leading to a hurried resolution. Despite these minor drawbacks, I thoroughly enjoyed *Summer in the City*. It's a charming and entertaining romance with plenty of tension, humor, and heart. If you love fake-dating tropes, billionaire romances, and stories set in the vibrant backdrop of NYC, this book is for you. While it started as a potential 4.5-star read, the ending brought it down slightly for me. Still, a solid and enjoyable read overall! I'd recommend it for those who love a cute romance book.

This was a fun and enjoyable summer rom com with a true enemies to lovers trope. The relationship had natural pacing; it wasn't instant or dragged on, The female main character was a little too whiny and immature for my liking. Besides that, the author's writing style drew me in.

Thank you William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review,

I’m not even sure where to begin with my rating and review of this book. The first 25% of this book made me want to die, but once we got into the fake dating I was vibing with it and the book had redeemed itself for me. There were Kelsey’s that felt very trope-ish and cliche but I loved the dialogue and the tension and because of that I was willing to overlook the fact that they continued to have the same fight throughout the book over money. But then chapter 30… Chapter 30 ruined everything. I was so mad because I knew it was coming from a mile away and it just felt so unnecessary and brought what would have been a 4 star read down to a 3 star read.

Thank you NetGalley and Publishers for this ARC.

I was not sure what to expect since this is her first non-fantasy book, but I was pleasantly surprised. Although it's not spectacular, I do feel like it's a cute quick romance read, therefore I am rating it 3.5/5. Now the screenwriter/tech concept was cute and different. We start with Elle and Parker having a funny/flirty encounter on a stairwell but thinks go south, and she ends up despising him for the next couple years, because of his assumptions he had of her at first. Elle ends up coming back to New York a couple years later to house sits, and guess who's her neighbor? Yup Parker.

Pros: I really liked Parkers character Mr Billonaire tech isn't what the media portrays him to really be. He's got a soft heart. I want to say this is a (he fell first) type of thing. I loved that he listens to her attentively and pretty much does anything/buys anything that he notices makes her smile. You can tell his love language is gift giving haha.

Cons: Elles character becomes slightly annoying. I get she has an issue with money and being independent but sometimes I felt like she was harsh with Parker, idk that's just me. When the world found out who she was, after keeping herself secret she forgave it pretty easily, but couldn't give the same grace to Parker which was annoying.

Other than that I enjoyed the story, it was cute, it had some rom com moments in there as well and i'd recommend others to give it a read.

holy cow - this is an AMAZING time! if you told me this was alex aster’s first contemporary romance i wouldn’t believe you because of how well written this is. it is a true enemies (they HATE each other) to lovers book. there is fake dating, over the top shows of love, some mental health representation with the FMC, and a sweet ending. the ONE fault i have is the ending felt the tiniest bit rushed but other than that the timing was amazing.

also if you are reading this alex,
PLEASE give us more!!!!

I was literally on route to giving this a smooth 3 stars, maybe even 3.5 but then Chapter 30 just made me laugh aloud and I had to remove at least one star off rip…

I hate when fmcs test my love for “insufferable main characters” because i genuinely just felt like if i was friends with Parker, I would not think Elle was good enough for him and I hate that I was ever forced to think that about a protagonist 😔

Idk I got her whole relationship to money, it just also made her kinda evil and I am certain she only says thank you to Parker once this entire book after being like “huh I don’t think I’ve said thank you this whole time lol” like girl yeah we know…


Parker on the other hand, gave such nothing when he wasn’t giving pathetic (and not in a good way…) like I genuinely felt awful for him for most of the book after their initial meeting and yet he felt so distant from the plot and was given not much room to have like any personality (or backstory really) when juxtaposed with Elle and all her clunky nonsensical chaos


disclaimer: this was my first Alex Aster read and I know it’s her first contemporary romance book (As opposed to Romantasy) and I fear it does show in ways I didn’t expect, though it was very easy to read and that made it more painless.

thank you so much to netgalley & william morrow for this ARC to review!

I knew I would like Summer In The City, I just wasn't prepared for how much I was going to fall in love with it!!
Summer In The City is the story of Elle and Parker, two people who live in the city and have a chance encounter the night before Elle moves out west to follow her dreams. Cut to a few years later ... They haven't seen one another since that night,but Elle has used her extreme dislike for Parker as fuel for her screenwriting career. With a looming deadline for a screenplay set in the city, Elle heads back to the place she never thought she'd go again to visit locations the studio has chosen for the movie. She just wasn't expecting to be staying in the apartment right next to Parker.
Much to her chagrin, he suggests they help one another out over the summer: he'll take her around to all the locations for the script if she'll agree to be his fake girlfriend to distract the press while the details of his company's acquisition are finalized.
I was expecting a fantastically funny rom com with a ton of banter and some swoony moments with the amazing background of New York City driving the story. What I wasn't expecting was the depth, struggle, and extreme happiness that these two found with each other within the city. I laughed out loud, giggled, kicked my feet, cried, and fell in love with not only Parker and Elle, but also The City itself. I don't know how Alex Aster did it, but I could see myself walking through the city in the summer and experiencing all the things that she put down on the page, completely immersed in each moment. I already miss Parker and Elle and the city so much, I want to go back and read it again. For sure this will be one of my top reads this year (most likely for a long time to come).

This book follows a screenwriter who kisses a man on the stairways and hopes to never see him again but she ends up being his next door neighbor. I haven’t read Aster’s big fantasy series but was glad to have the chance to read her adult romance. I have to say for the most part I really enjoyed the book. The pacing was fast and the writing truly captured my edition. However, certain scenes became repeitive and there were just moments overdone. I loved the NYC setting and being able to explore the city through the FMC’s mind. This book is told from Elle’s pov.

Elle is the big screenwriter but never shows herself to the public. In some ways I could relate to her character but throughout the book she became an unlikeable character. Some of the decisions she made just made me what to shake her. She did develop which I liked. Our main side character is Parker who is a billionaire. I loved him as he just was heads over heels for Elle. There are many other side characters and I loved all the girls who supported Elle. Now I would not say that this book is a lovers to enemies to lovers book. The enemies was more one sided but it is a fake dating, forced proximity and friends to lovers. There are some steamy scenes but just about two.

The ending was where it caught me off guard and not in the best way. I just couldn’t believe what happened and I was done. I truly enjoyed the book but I think the way it led to the ending was uncalled for. Overall, this was still a great book and I can see it being a summer read. Also the edges are just absolutely gorgeous for the book.

*this arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

4.25⭐️!

HEHEHEHE!!! AHHHH!!!

I have never giggled the way I giggled when PARKER FREAKING WARREN was on page! UM. I am OBSESSED! This book was so, so, sooo good! I LOVED it!

As this was Alex Aster's first non-fantasy book, I had no idea what to expect, but WOW, am I glad she wrote this book! I loved Elle and Parker (but especially Parker) very, very much.

The set-up of this book felt so unique. I truly felt like I was experiencing New York right there with Elle and Parker, as they went on their adventures! I loved the milestone/location-based plot, it makes me even more excited to get a physical copy—that has a map—in my hands!

The only reason this book wasn't a five stars for me, was that I got a little lost from the story towards the ending. I felt like there were too many conflicts, and then the resolution felt paced faster than the rest of the novel.

Otherwise, this book has convinced me that I simply do not have enough billionaire romance books in my life, something I will certainly be remedying ASAP!

I hope Alex continues to write more contemporary romance!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow Books for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

4/5⭐️ 2/5🌶️ 0.5/5😢

I really enjoyed this adult romcom debut from Alex Aster! It was so fun and felt like a love letter to NYC.

tropes & themes:
→ tech billionaire x LA screenwriter
→ NYC setting
→ second chance(ish)
→ fake dating
→ found family
→ “can’t buy my love”

fave quote:
”It’s a shame, that summers always end.”
“Maybe this one can be endless,” Parker says.
“Nothing in life is endless.”
“Love is, Elle,” he says.
I laugh. “And what do you know about love?”
“Now?” he says. “Everything.”

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

I really liked this book, the characters were cute and well developed, there was good chemistry, and it wasn't cringey.

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 It’s the perfect place to write her screenplay, until she realizes her new neighbor is tech Parker Warren, her stairwell hookup from two years ago. 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 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.


Thoughts
Normally when there’s no trigger/trauma warnings I think a book will be too hallmark-y. Even though Elle has her own issues to overcome, this one isn’t super deep, but it’s fun! Maybe it’s that I just came back from an NY trip but I loved following their dates around the city. Elle has great sarcasm and banter and Parker was trying so hard to let go of control and be a sweet cinnamon roll character.