Alex Aster what genre of book can’t you write?! I didn’t know what to expect but this was so amazing! Definitely in the top of my rom-com lists. It was the perfect amount of love, drama, finding oneself and more!

A 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for Alex Aster’s rom-com debut!! I really enjoyed the first half of this, and found it so breezy to get through, initially eating up the former enemy meets “I’ll help you if you help me” fake dating trope. I felt like I, too, was spending the summer in NYC through Elle and Parker’s eyes.

The second half sadly felt so underdeveloped!! The pacing of their relationship, Elle’s resolution of inner conflicts, the ending - it was too rushed. While that took away from the star quality for me, it was still an enjoyable read and I think we’ll see more of Aster in this genre.

Thank you so much to the William Morrow Team & NetGalley for letting me enjoy this + share my honest review.

This was shaping up to be a 5+ star read up until the 75% mark. I totally understand Elle’s financial insecurity however it just became her ENTIRE personality at one point and it got frustrating. It felt like Elle pick and chose what she didn’t want Parker to do/buy for her and it wasn’t consistent.

The third act “conflict” of the proposal, the harry winston rings, the townhouse was extremely rushed and I actually said out loud “wait what?” I thought I had skipped a bunch of pages.

3 stars is too low but I feel like 4 is too high which makes me sad because it was so so so good up until that point.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for my ARC!

I was so excited to receive this arc because I have read this author before and was excited about her writing a contemporary romance!

I loved the MMC even tho billionaires are not my usual genre of choice. He fell fast and he fell hard.

Elle was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I was frustrated because she seemed so set in her ways. Otherwise, I loved the setting and it was a fun and fast read!

This was adorable! So cute and charming banter and you can feel the romantic tension between the two characters! Definitely written as a love letter to NYC and book lovers!

I enjoyed this book, a fun rom-com truly set in NYC through the lens of endless money; exclusive events, clothes and dinners, etc.

3.75 stars!

Elle, a screenwriter, heads back to NYC for inspiration on her new movie, living in the city that never sleeps righttttttt next door to Parker Warren, CEO of a big shot tech company and a former hookup-turned rival. These two strike a mutually beneficial deal for the summer to fake date for appearances and experiences.

While Elle and Parker’s fake dating arrangement is certainly filled with charm and swoon worthy moments, their guards go down and deeper topics come up. One summer. One wall apart. Literally. What could go wrong?

For what maybe missed the mark with me is the ridiculousness of it all, of course that comes along with a billionaire romance story but I couldn’t help but cringe at some parts.

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the e-ARC! 🍎🗽☕️🌳🌃

..I wanted to love this book- the concept seemed so cute, but this was just too much. It was straight up so outlandish, this has to be a fantasy book, because I have no idea what world Elle and Parker were living in.

You're really telling me that this chick can't run down two flights of stairs without needing help from a man? And then says she's just out of shape. No- this is just a reach for a plot. So is him buying her 92 diamond rings, and a 50 million dollar necklace, and a house, and a freaking coffee chain.

Sigh, this had potential... but was just ruined by the absurdity. If I was Parker, I never would have taken her back. Elle is toxic as all heck. *eyeroll

But thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy! I was excited...

I was so stoked to get this from NetGalley! I love her books and was very excited to read her first rom com. The MMC in this is yummy and sweet and overall very likable. The FMC was not as likable to me but she wasn’t my favorite. She’s a very deep grudge holder, which is similar to me BUT her grudge from the beginning of the book seemed like such a stretch.
This whole story was very comfy for me to read, it’s exactly like every other billionaire rom com I’ve ever read which could be a negative but I liked that I knew what I was getting. Chapter 30 annoyed me to no end though. Both characters actually really bugged me during that scene. It’s a fun and easy read though when you want something like that!

Thank you sooo much for this ARC. I was so excited to receive it.

I enjoyed this book. I binged read this. I’ve been reading LightLark and was definitely curious about this being Alex Aster 1st non fantasy. I personally couldn’t put it down. I can see me reading this again in between fantasy reads.

A fun rom com with some of my favorite guilty pleasure tropes, fake dating, grumpy x sunshine, he falls first and who wouldn’t love a billionaire mmc.

Elle may have been a bit annoying and stuck in her ways, but I loved her growth and understood her.

A fun Rom-Com. I’m obsessed with Parker, he may have understood her but with the best intentions.

I’d love if she did a continuation and we get a look into Penelope’s life.

I wanted to get into this but I just couldn’t. I found Elle to be annoying and I couldn’t finish this book.

4.75 🌟

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for my ARC!

This book was so incredibly close to being PERFECT. The romance is incredibly swoony — what’s not to love about an enemies-to-lovers + rich billionaire storyline? The FMC is hilarious (as is most of this book) and I loved being transported to New York. There was one too many hills on this roller coaster for me, but it didn’t dim my love for this story. I can’t wait to see what else Alex Aster has and will write!

I loved this book!

I love a good romance set in NYC that doesn’t feel like a tourist wrote it. The banter was great, the strong FMC was so relatable and the plot was believable. (Mostly… but stories about billionaires are supposed to be a little over the top… right?)

I think this book may end up in my list of comfort reads. I absolutely loved these characters!

Thanks to Alex Aster, William Morrow and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this early!!

3/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️
((ARC))

Thank you for the ARC!

This is Alex Asters first romcom and it was definitely sweet, but a little shaky in the beginning.
Elle is a screenwriter who prefers to spend her days alone, in sweats, existing on caffeine and true crime.
She gets the chance of a lifetime to write a movie set in NYC. The only issue is she hates New York and she’s got a huge writers block.
Then she meets her neighbor… billionaire tech god Parker Warren. Parker is also the man she loves to hate, who she hooked up with in a dingy stairwell 2 years ago and he accused her of being a gold digger. Luckily she doesn’t think he remembers her.
But then he asks her to fake date him to improve his image and in turn, he’ll help her with her writers block. But soon it doesn’t feel very fake at all 🍎

Elle had me laughing out loud. She is SO AWKWARD. But the conflict honestly didn’t make sense. It was messy just to be messy?

Summer in the City by Alex Aster is a delightful rom-com that offers a refreshing break from her usual fantasy works (I love you Lightlark )The story revolves around Elle, a character whose romantic journey feels both heartwarming and full of surprises. What makes this book stand out is its well-crafted characters, particularly Parker, whose chemistry with Elle drives the plot forward. Their dynamic is a highlight of the novel, and readers will enjoy the way Parker leads Elle on an emotional and personal journey, exploring not just love, but self-discovery. I mean honestly if my husband randomly took me to a baseball game behind home plate I’d marry him all over again.

Aster does a fantastic job balancing humor, romance, and charm, making it a perfect summer read and honestly making me want to explore New York. The pacing is spot on, and the witty dialogue keeps things light while still exploring deeper emotional moments. If you’re a fan of rom-coms or looking for a fun, engaging read, Summer in the City is definitely a standout breakout in the genre.

Thank you to Alex Aster and team for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Troupes

🖤 Fake dating
🖤Forced Proximity
🖤He falls first
🖤grumpy X sunshine
🖤Billionaire Romance

This is basically an early 2000s rom-com wrapped in book form, and 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐭. ☀️🗽✨ Sharp banter, undeniable tension, and just the right amount of 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑜𝑡𝑖𝑐 romance.

We’ve got:
💋 Lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers (hello, drama)

🏙 NYC magic (think rooftop views & late-night pizza)

🖊 Writer heroine & tech CEO hero (messy, electric, and SO fun)

🎭 Fake dating & forced proximity (aka the BEST tropes)

Elle is quirky, awkward, and 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 relatable—basically, if you’ve ever had a mental breakdown at a coffee shop, she’s your girl. ☕💀 And Parker? Swoon city. The banter? 🔥 Perfectly unhinged. The tension? Off the charts. The spice? I skipped through it, but if you love a good slow burn, 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔.

The only reason this isn’t a 5-star read? The ending felt a little rushed, and some moments veered into 𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑠𝑦 territory (𝑏𝑢𝑡 ℎ𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑙𝑦, 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠𝑛’𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑚－𝑐𝑜𝑚 𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑠𝑒?). 🧀 🤭

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬, 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬. 🏙💫

I can’t wait to buy the Target Exclusive Special Edition 💖

Thank you Harper Collins, Alex Aster, & NetGalley for my advanced reader copy 🥰

I found Alex Aster, years ago, through Lightlark. And knowing how she writes romance in fantasy, I knew that I wanted to read her adult romcom debut. I could not be more in love with this story!

This love story was EVERYTHING. Elle and Parker have one of the most chemistry filled, yet awful first impressions, that leads to Elle holding a grudge for YEARS. Skip forward, and they just so happen to be neighbors in NYC for the summer. This book explores their personal growth and growth together on a canvas of New York staples. One of my favorite lines in the book says, “the city is full of our memories…. I painted it over. But now, it’s all in his shade.” At the beginning, NYC is Elle’s least favorite place in the world, but as she discovers it with Parker she falls in love with the city as well.

Some impactful themes of this book that amplified my experience were:
•Slowly improving mental/ physical health
•Discovering self worth and positive outlook
•When you stop and notice all the good around you
Change is gradual, but when it happens it can make all the difference in your quality of life.

Read if you like:
•lovers to enemies to lovers
•forced proximity
•billionaire romance
•fake dating
•found family
•SLOW burn (but worth it)

Summer in the City releases on March 25, 2025. And has SO MANY gorgeous editions!

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow (Harper Collins) for gifting me with an eARC, all thoughts expressed are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a refreshing and captivating experience, and I found the writing to be both engaging and accessible. The story flowed smoothly, making it easy to stay connected to the plot and characters without feeling lost or overwhelmed. The author struck a perfect balance, keeping things interesting while still making the content feel approachable. Overall, it was a wonderful read, and I would definitely recommend it to others who are looking for an enjoyable and easy-to-digest book.

If you say a book is set in New York City.........sign me UP!!

This is my first book by Alex Aster, and it was such a blast - it's also my first billionaire romance (but def not my last)!

It was such a fun read, definitely one I'll be recommending to friends over the summer. My only wish is that we had gotten Parker's POV! I appreciated that this wasn't "all spice no plot" as well. The fake dating and enemies-to-lovers tropes were really well done, which definitely isn't easy!

For me, though, the ending felt a little unrealistic. I didn't love the big time jumps, and the conclusion felt rushed compared to the pacing and style of the rest of the book. But still, I’ll be recommending!

Tropes/Vibes:
Billionaire Romance
Forced Proximity
Fake Dating
Enemies-to-Lovers (lite)


Quick Review

Summer in the City hit it out of the park for me! It was a cute, laugh-out-loud RomCom that I finished so quickly! I have never been to NYC, but this book made me want to hit certain spots when I make my way there! It had a good balance of plot and spice. 

While at times Elle was a little annoying in her constant repetition of why she can’t be into this guy who very obviously starts caring for her. It is explained through her backstory and plot, but I felt like it was a little much. I thought seeing her grow as a person separate, but because of Parker, was a really delightful addition to her arc - as well as the relationship’s arc. Parker felt realistic (for a billionaire tech guy.) Honestly, the things he did for her were cute, and showed he was trying.

I am really excited that I have the B&N deluxe edition preordered, and will be recommending this to my friends when they want a fun summer inspired read!

Thank you Alex Aster, William Morrow, and NetGalley for the ARC!

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I've thought about it when I wasn't reading which is something hard to find in my books. The story of Elle is complicated but Parker is in it for the long haul. I loved the character development and seeing the growth Elle went through. Her friend Penelope was a fun side character as well!