Either I am in my hater era or this was poorly written - and I LOVE a cringey self-insert romcom, but this was too cringy for me. I hated the writing and the characters and unfortunately it was a big miss for me.

i think alex aster’s writing was made for romcoms. if you’re like me and have struggled with aster’s fantasy— both her YA and her MG were simply not my style— i think you’ll be pleasantly surprised when reading this! this is a fun romcom & truly made for the summer— if you’ve ever spent any time in NYC you know the city is a beast unto itself, and i think this book did a great job of showing that (positively). i love NYC & so does this book and it shows. i adore fake dating & i think this book did the trope so well! definitely, aster is one to watch out for in the romcom space.

Look, a billionaire romance is no fun if you don’t get to enjoy the billionaire being, well, a billionaire.

I enjoyed the plot of the book, but less so the characters themselves. The root of the conflict really took away from the joy of reading about people falling in love. I felt on edge during their interactions, waiting for the criticism, rather than kicking my feet and giggling over the cute moments.

Ultimately, I just couldn’t get on board. I wouldn’t discourage the read, but it wouldn’t be one I strongly suggest either.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC

4.5 stars

Most of this story was delightful. I lived the characters and the fun tourist-esque trip through NYC.

I won't go into my reasons, because they are spoiler territory, but there is one point where I just wanted to shake the FMC. The HEA brings me back into charity with her, so I will forgive her this once.

Recommended.

Thank you Alex and harper Collins for the e-arc
I absolutely devoured this book
This is Alex’s first adult novel and it’s already this good!!!
The tropes and everything detail about this book are pure perfection
Anyone who decide not to pick this one up is totally missing out

Read this if you like
💕 fake dating
💕billionaire trope
💕secret identity
💕love at first sight
💕 summer fling

Huge thank you to netgalley, williammorrowbooks and Alex Aster for giving me an arc of Summer in the City in exchange for my honest review!

Pub date: 3/25/25
⭐️⭐️⭐️.25/5
After experiencing writer’s block for her next big budget film script, screenwriter Elle heads back to New York City (the setting for her next script) for some inspiration. Little does she know, her new neighbor is none other than billionaire bachelor Parker Warren, her hookup from 2 years ago that went awry. After realizing Parker is her hate-fueled muse for her writing, the two team up: she will be his fake date for press during his acquisition, and he will tag along with her to various places in New York for her screenplay. With this arrangement being just for the summer, what will happen when feelings arise and the summer comes to an end?

I loved the premise for this book! I have never read a book before where a main character was a screenwriter and I thought that was really fun. I really enjoyed the different excursions around NYC the two did throughout the summer as well as the forced proximity with the two being next door neighbors.

I really really loved Parker as an MMC. He was fun and I enjoyed his banter. I liked parts of Elle as well, but I was unable to get behind some of her motivations.

While I thought this was a fun read and wanted to originally rate this book 4 stars, the last 3 chapters really lost me. I felt that chapter 30 was really unexpected and ruined some of the character development for Elle in this book. So much happened and I really didn’t agree with or understand her motivations. I really felt horrible for Parker. With the way things went down, the ending felt super rushed in the last 2 chapters which is what brought this book from a 4 star down to 3.25 for me. Overall I did enjoy this book and would recommend it, but there are definitely things I would do differently!

I’ve read and loved Alex Aster’s Lightlark series so when I heard she was releasing a contemporary romance book, I was sooo excited!!

First of all, this book looks beautiful. I read the ebook version but the sprayed edges of the actual book are so beautiful that I feel like I need to get that as well to put on my bookshelf!!

I loved the chemistry between the two characters and how the author incorporated New York City into the setting in such an organic way. A very fun read!

I was so excited to read this since I absolutely love the author’s Lightlark series, but unfortunately I really disliked the main female character in this book :/ There was some cute banter but if it hard for me to get immersed in a story when I find the fmc to be insufferable. The cover is so cute though and I really appreciate the author, publisher and netgalley gor the arc of this book!

I spent a summer interning in the city as part of my master’s program, and this story transported me back to my days of nutella lattes, scavenger hunts through Central Park, trying all the food, walking everywhere, and the demonic HEAT. Aster’s writing perfectly captures the sites and sounds of New York.

I honestly had no expectations going into this book. While I enjoy Aster’s Lightlark series, it doesn’t add anything new to the genre, but I am always game for a love triangle. I felt the same way about Summer in the City, and was pleasantly surprised by how invested I became in the characters. I thought this was a mature romance - both characters well-developed in terms of their ages, back stories, and motivations. I loved the exploration of parental relationships and the impact they have on our own choices. I was in need of a romance I could root for and a story I could binge, and this filled every item in my brief.

Summer in the City has all my favorite romance tropes - enemies to lovers, close proximity, fake dating, he falls first, and more. The perfect story to lose yourself in!

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

TROPES
☀️ Fake dating
☀️ Third act breakup😭
☀️ He fell HARD
☀️ 1st Person

This book is so cute!!! It takes place over one summer in New York! A young writer is house sitting for her sister while it gets remodeled. Little does she know that her once upon a time steamy kiss lives right next door! He needs a date for the summer to all his big extravagant parties and events and she needs someone to go with her to all the locations for her new movie. It’s a happy ending book that will have you giddy!🩷

This book is a steamy romcom that will have you laughing and kicking your feet, giddy! I can’t thank NetGalley and Alex Aster enough for allowing me to read an advance copy!

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Alex Aster for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This is a gorgeous cover and that, combined with how much I love the author, immediately made me want to read it. I’m also a big fan of NYC, even though I’ve only been twice, but I loved it both times. I really enjoyed this one and it felt like both a heartfelt love letter to the city and a really fun romance.

This one follows screenwriter Elle and tech “Billionaire Bachelor” Parker. They’ve met before, but the situation wasn’t ideal, turning it into a lovers-to-enemies situation. The banter was so fun to read and I really loved the adventures that the two characters got up to in the city. I also really liked learning about her career because I haven’t read many books about screenwriters before.

My one complaint about this one is that I didn’t love the last part of the book and I didn’t really think it was necessary. It seemed like things went a little backwards and the growth that the characters had was ignored. But, I’m known to not like third-act breakups, so it may just be a personal issue.

Thank you again for an early copy! I recommend this one for romance fans and I’m really happy to see Aster exploring different genres. I love her fantasy books, but I’m excited to see what else she does as well.

This took a while for me to get into because I didn't understand why Elle was so offended in the opening scene. I guess maybe billionaire romances just aren't my thing. I did enjoy the story once I got into the meat of it. However, I agree with the other reviewers about the last 20% of the book. It felt like all the progress Elle had made went out the window. The spicy scenes were good and I did genuinely enjoy reading their love story. I just wish Elle had been nicer!

3 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, William Morrow, and Alex Aster for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to be approved for this book and couldn't wait to start it. I read through this in a day and truly enjoyed it up until the last three chapters. There were a few lines throughout the book that took me out of the story but not enough to dissuade me from liking it and rating it pretty high up until the final chapters. The last three chapters are what took this rating from a 3.75 to a 3 as the final conflict really annoyed me.

I wish there was some better character development and that the final conflict was set up differently. The over the top proposal not being the main thing that made her mad in regard to money but the home purchase was wild. Additionally, the time it took for them to get back together according to the timeline was quite a while but only fleshed out over 2 chapters. Overall, this book gets a 3 rating as I enjoyed it and it had a good plot set up but there was room for improvement.

Unfortunately, I was only in 10% of the book when I encountered a line that made me want to put this book down immediately: "'Are you afraid I'll hate you for having a daily intake of saltine crackers, ice cream, bagels, and lattes and somehow still having a Pilates body?' My face scrunched. 'Pilates body?'"

Elle, an aggressively careless and supposedly unassuming FMC, feels like a relic of the 2000s or 2010s. In a bad way. There's nothing romantic about a woman who is so devoid of physical health that she can't walk down stairs without needing a man to carry her laptop. It's disingenuous when someone wears only sweatpants but also can namedrop California Closets in almost the same breath.

Despite this, Aster's writing style is engaging, but the traits that were supposed to make Elle likable and relatable weren't working for me to the point that I didn't even want to learn about her traumatic past to sympathize with her. The male love interest also was not intriguing enough for me to want to see the progression of their relationship. Unfortunately, I think Aster's writing stuck too within the confines of the tropes (enemies to lovers, fake dating) without being fresh.

Personally, this book did not work for me, but transparently, I did not not make it more than 35%.

I love love love this book! It was such a a fun book about an enemies-to-lovers summer romance between a screenwriter and a tech billionaire. The main characters, Elle and Parker, had witty banter and great chemistry. Elle had wonderful, supportive female friendships. And I found myself constantly rooting for them, even when they were getting in their own way. Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with an ARC!

I've seen Alex Aster and her books everywhere, but have never read anything by hers before. This book convinced me to take the plunge into reading her back log! If I could describe it in one word, it'd be 'fun'. I loved the FMC Elle, and all the banter between her and the MMC, Parker. Fake dating isn't my go to trope, but it was done in this book in such an adorable fashion. Huge romcom vibes, set against a NYC setting - this book is a great lighthearted romantic read!

I loved this book! It has all of the best tropes, and the banter made it such a quick read! It’s a great summer day, sitting on the porch and relaxing book. Perfect romcom with some spice. The FMC was written incredibly well!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.


I literally ate up every word in this book. I wish I hadn't read it so quickly because I'd give anything to read it again for the first time. I cannot believe this was a debut novel the way the author hooked me from the very beginning. She wrote a realistic love story, including all tropes from neighbors to lovers and fake dating. Reading it made me miss living in the city when I was in grad school, and the writing made me feel like I was back in the city. The characters had significant chemistry, and the grand gestures were certainly gesturing; the ending wasn't my favorite, but it wasn't a distraction.

Read if you like:
- Neighbors to lovers
- Fake dating
- Billionaire Romance
- Slow burn
- Single POV

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK! I haven’t read anything by this author yet, and I know it was her first romance- I hope she writes more! I loved the FMC and MMC- their love story and personal growth was perfection! NY setting, and exploring the city, just gave me all the feels that I need to visit and do my own exploring. I cried a few times, and the sense of family, and also new friendships was beautiful. I do highly recommend this book!

I really loved this romcom! Elle was so resistant to love and Parker was so sweet. 5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!