I received this ARC from Harper Collins Publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 ⭐️

This book was so fun! I loved accompanying Parker and Elle on their adventures all over the city.

Our mmc, Parker, is absolutely the sweetest man who just wants his girl to be happy. Elle is a strong fmc who thinks that she needs to do it all on her own. Together, they fall in love on adventures in the city, but she’s only staying for the summer.

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a nice escape from the real world and I loved that the fmc had an interesting career that you don’t hear about too often. This is such a fun summer read and I would definitely recommend checking it out! I can’t wait to see what Ms. Aster writes next!

Parker might be the most romantic fictional person ever written. This was such a cute romcom.

This story follows Elle, an up and coming screenwriter. On her last night in NYC, she goes to a club and has a make out session with a tech billionaire. When he attempts to buy her affection, she immediately hates him and he becomes her enemy (trauma). Two years later, she has to move back to the city to house sit and her neighbor is none other than the tech billionaire she hates.

This book had its ups and downs for me but overall it was fantastic! Parker stole the show for me, he was so unrealistically romantic and over the top and I loved every second he was on the page. I enjoyed seeing Elle grow throughout the novel, seeing her develop true friendships, and unpack her family trauma.

Like many other reviewers, there was a certain chapter that didn’t feel right to me and had me rolling my eyes but the ending was wrapped up nicely enough.

If you like Alex’s other works, I think you’ll love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow books, and Alex Aster for an eARC of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy on exchange for an honest review!

This was my first Alex Aster book and omg!! This is me officially pleading to the publishing gods that she writes more contemporary romance!

Summer in the City was an absolute blast. It reminded me so much of a 2010s rom-com in the best possible way. I absolutely adored Elle and found her relatable which is always a great thing for a reader! The writer was so quick and witty, I laughed so many times! Every scene had a point and it just flowed so nicely and was so quick but satisfying!

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Elle and Parker. I found their reason for being enemies kind of funny actually and the way it came up throughout the story was done really well! Everything about the book was honestly so good, I don’t have any complaints (except Luke was kind of off buttt maybe she could be alluding to a book about him??)

I say this often in reviews, but you can honestly tell when an author loves what they’re doing and what they’re writing and Alex Aster is no exception. The passion she put into this and the love you could feel for the characters and story really just made this book feel so alive and it’s what keeps me coming back to specific authors!

Definitely recommend this book! It was such a fantastic rom-com that made me believe a bit more in love!

I would like to thank NetGalley and William Morrow for providing me with an ARC of Summer in the City.

I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book. At first, I thought it was silly how much Elle hated Parker for what happened the night they met (her reasons do make more sense later in the story, but I still think she was dramatic). I’m so glad that I kept reading because I fell completely in love with Parker. I really enjoyed watching Parker and Elle fall for each other. They were funny, they made me laugh out loud. But, I think my favorite parts were where they let down their walls and allowed themselves to be vulnerable with each other.

I don’t think I would necessarily call this book enemies-to-lovers since the “enemies” part was one-sided. I do like the fake-dating-to-real-dating though. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fake dating and/or billionaire romances.

The New York lover in me wanted to like this so much more than I did. Unfortunately I just didn’t care for Parker, right from the beginning, and that didn’t change. I’m not big on the billionaire trope in general, but hoped the NYC setting would just win me over, but it didn’t. I think not liking this specific billionaire was probably the issue.

Summer in the City by Alex Aster
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much Alex and William Marrow for the early copy of this book!

Summer in the City is Alex Aster’s first adult contemporary romance novel and she absolutely nailed it!! Summer in the City is an enemies to lovers, fake dating, billionaire romance and it is so full of funny moments. I felt so many different emotions while reading this book. The dynamics between Parker and Elle would have me dying of laughter one moment, then absolutely sobbing at my desk as work the next moment. It was the perfect blend of funny and emotional, sweet and spicy. This book has given me a rejuvenated love of billionaire romance. The plot of this book moved at a pace that will keep you constantly engaged and wanting to know what happens next. Thank you again for the early copy of this absolutely phenomenal book!

Summer in the City by Alex Aster 4⭐️

First thank you so much NetGalley, Alex Aster, and the William Morrow team for this ARC! I’ve read Aster’s Lightlark series so I was so excited when I found out I was getting an advanced copy of her debut adult novel.

This book is an amazing summer rom com with great banter and it was full of sexual tension. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes so I knew I would be a fan of this right from the jump. I enjoyed Elle and Parker’s relationship from the start and loved to see them grow together. Both characters could be frustrating at times though. Elle was way too concerned about money and I wanted to shake her multiple times during the story. But Parker also needed to learn to just stop buying things 😂 Their overall chemistry was great and I think there was an appropriate amount of smut.

I loved the setting of NYC! I loved all the glimpses we got of the different areas they visited and I’ve always wanted to walk the length of Manhattan like they did.

Points deducted for a third act breakup (one my least favorite tropes) but I do think they both needed time to work through their own issues. Getting engaged in just one summer is a bit fast but it is a billionaire romance after all.

I wish there could have been a bit more resolution between Elle and her dad but I liked that she was able to mend her relationship with her sister and understand her mom a little better.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend. I will definitely be reading more Alex Aster books in the future!

Read if you like:
🩷 Enemies to lovers
🩷 Fake dating
🩷 Billionaire romance
🩷 NYC setting

“Nothing in life is endless.”
“Love is, Elle.”
“What do you know about love?”
“Now? Everything.” 🩷

Summer in the City is going to hold a special place in my heart for a very long time (and possibly even forever)! NYC is my city and reading about a love story set here that fits the vibes perfectly and is so true to the nature of NYC is something I won’t ever forget.

I was hooked from the very first chapter, and loved reading the banter between Parker and Elle. The fire drill scene really made me laugh out loud! He was so good toward Elle, and I think being together helped them both grow as individuals!

The fake dating trope never lets me down, and I always knew those two love birds would eventually give in to their true feelings! I loved that Parker really listened to everything Elle said and you could tell he paid attention. He took care of her when she needed help and also opened her eyes to what she was truly missing in her life. He was so much more than his net worth!

I probably cried more times reading this than I expected to, but that’s how you know it was truly amazing! While this book included one of my least favorite tropes, it surprisingly did not affect how much I ended up loving the book! If you love enemies to lovers, fake dating, and a billionaire romance set in the greatest city, then please make sure you check this one out!

Thank you so much to William Morrow / HarperCollins and Netgalley for an advanced copy! Summer in the City releases on March 25! 💗

————————————————————————————
adding in another one of my favorite quotes here (and not publicly because of potential spoilers)!

“I bought the coffee shop because you love it. I bought it so you can have your favorite scone every morning, with your favorite latte, at your favorite table.” “I bought it because it makes you happy, and that, to me, Elle, is priceless.” 🥹

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book was amazing!

Alex Aster delivers the ultimate summer read with Summer in the City! 🌇🔥 If you love glitzy NYC adventures, romance, and drama, this book is everything!

💃 The Vibes: Think Gossip Girl meets The Summer I Turned Pretty—but with even more secrets, tension, and swoon-worthy moments. 💖✨

🎭 The Drama: The characters? So well-written. Their relationships? Chef’s kiss 😘.

💌 The Romance: Perfect mix of sweet, steamy, and complicated. 😍💔

📚 Final Verdict: If you want a book that feels like a dreamy, dramatic NYC summer, this is it. 100% worth reading.

I have no words for what this book made me feel. I started it late last night and was fighting sleep just so I could continue to read more. I do think wanting to get married after a summer is absolutely insane but their love story was really cute. When Parker said “I didn’t fall in love with a version of you, Elle,” he says. “I fell in love with every you.” I literally fell to my knees. For this being the Authors first contemporary adult romance book, I applaud her and can’t wait to read more by her.

I loved this book and didn’t want it to end! I loved the storyline and how everything unfolded. The story was beautiful and real. I especially liked how realistic that characters were, both coming from backgrounds they spend their life working to build up from. I will definitely be recommending this book to others!

4.5/5 ⭐️ This was such a fun read, exploring New York City and reading about all the different places. I was instantly captivated by the story from the very start.

There are just a couple of things that made me downgrade to a 4.5. The smut in it felt a little unnecessary - especially with the amount of it towards the end of the book. It felt like it was just added because it was an adult story rather than to show growth of the two characters. Elle had moments that drove me nuts when I think she could have communicated better.

Overall, it was a lovely read, and will be recommending it! Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and Alex Aster for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

Actual rating: 4.25/5 stars

Summer in the City follows Elle, a highly independent and successful screenwriter, traveling to the city she loathes the most to write a script that’s due at the end of the summer. The only problem is that she’s had writer’s block for months on end until a hate-filled writing session after she runs into her old hookup from the past.

Elle and Parker have so much chemistry—I enjoyed the tension, the build up and the friendship that develops between them. Elle is fiercely independent, which sometimes gets in her own way and can feel repetitive at times. Parker is such a golden retriever, but his default attempts at fixing things is his downfall at times.

I am surprised at how I devoured this book in less than one day. The story is addictive, fast-pace and Elle and Parker are adorable together. There were moments that genuinely surprised me, made my heart ache, and threw me for a loop. It felt absolutely refreshing and Alex Aster hits it out of the park! 10/10 recommend!

Thank you again to NetGalley and William Morrow for a chance to read an advanced copy and give an honest review of this book!

5/5. This book was everything I could have hoped for in a rom-com. Parker Warren was 👌 loved the banter between him and Elle. This was a book that I could not put down and read it in one sitting. I hope to see more contemporary romances from Alex Aster in the future. Thank you William Morrow for the ARC via NetGalley.

3.5 stars! This was my first read by Alex Aster and it was such a fun summer romance! I really did love Parker’s character. His character is the definition of “down bad”. He is one of the sweetest and thoughtful billionaires I’ve ever read about😭 Now for Elle... I was a fan of her in the beginning but towards the middle/end I felt disconnected from her and she was honestly making me crazy. I do understand she has some trauma though but girl, THIS MAN IS ALL ABOUT YOU. So while some parts felt difficult for me to connect to, I did still have a good time with this read!!

I’m truly grateful for this arc copy. I enjoyed this book very much, but I fear the conflict on the story soecially towards the end is what brought my rating to 3 stars. I’m not a fan of miscommunication and this book had that in a not very onvious way but still there! I will still pick up a copy to read after it releases and I hope there’s more romance books from Alex to come.

This book is LAUGH OUT LOUD funny!!! The banter? The tension??? Chef's kiss!

Seriously, I had so so much fun reading this. I could not put it down as I witch cackled and kicked my little feet. It's enemies to lovers, it's billionaire romance, it's a strong female lead, AND it takes place in New York City.

Elle was a very relatable character in many ways for me and her experiences with handling life after her mom passed were heartbreaking. I loved the character development of both Elle and Parker along the way.

This is solo POV too and I think that it works so perfectly within the narrative of the story. I loved it, so fun but had some lovely poignant moments along the way.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️ 3.75/5!! thank you Net Galley for an ARC of “Summer in the City” in return for my honest review! 💘

I’ve been SO excited for this book since it was announced!!! Lightlark wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, but I did love the romance and had a feeling she would write rom-coms SO WELL! spoiler alert, she does.

I was giggling through the entirety of this book!!!!! it’s so cheesy and fun, but exactly what I wanted with a billionaire, fake dating rom-com. this was so easy to get through, swoony & entertaining!!!!! I also loved the NYC setting!

my only issue: the conflict & miscommunication around 89-94% through the book!!!!!! I understood where she was coming from, but was pulling my hair out while it was happening. killed the end for me a little bit!!!!

would still definitely recommend!

This book was just ok for me. I really didn’t connect with the writing style. It was too much telling me things and not enough reading to find out. It was way too info dumping for my personal tastes. Overall the story was cute, and I definitely think this has a target audience, it it’s not me.

**Read If You Like:**
- Enemies-to-lovers romances
- Stories set in bustling urban environments
- Narratives featuring creative professionals
- Romantic comedies with witty banter
- Themes of personal growth and second chances

A 27-year-old screenwriter, facing a looming deadline and persistent writer's block, reluctantly returns to New York City to find inspiration for her big-budget movie script.

Settling into a luxurious apartment, she discovers her new neighbor is a tech CEO known as the "Billionaire Bachelor," with whom she shares a complicated history.

Their initial animosity evolves as they navigate their intertwined pasts and present challenges, leading to unexpected collaboration and personal revelations.

This novel offers a fresh take on the enemies-to-lovers trope, set against the vibrant backdrop of New York City, and delves into the complexities of creative pursuits and personal relationships.

Thanks so much for my ARC!