Thank you William Morrow & NetGalley for the ARC!

Summer in the City instantly caught my attention and interest, and I was so excited whenever I had the chance to sit down and read this one. I love a classic trope in a romance, and this one was no different. I definitely enjoyed the ride of this story.

However, I definitely had some issues with the characters. In reading other reviews, I noticed there was a lot of anger towards the FMC, while I found her to be completely rational. I did take issue with Parker, the male lead, as he seemed to love bomb her the entire time even when she asked him not to. It seemed to be exactly what she was trying to avoid. I did like the ending, but I found some of his behaviors problematic.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. Thank you again for the ARC!

Summer in the City was the first book I’ve read by Alex Aster. By the end of reading this story, I immediately cued up Alex’s previous books to be on my TBR.

This was such a spectacular love story about successful screenwriter Elle and a previous encounter with the billionaire bachelor, Parker, years prior, finds her next door to him when she housesits for her sister in an expensive NYC apartment.

There was so much to love about this book, but what tops them all were the character developments and how each layer was removed as the story went on. The depth and backstories that at first were unknown, began to be revealed and the true beauty of each of the characters shone through; flaws and all.

Elle’s and Parker’s chemistry was superb and as they journeyed throughout the city, it made me want to go back to visit the Big Apple.

If you want to be swept away by a love story and the magic that New York City delivers, Summer in the City perfectly delivers on this.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

What a fun summer read! It’s about the magic of NYC in the summer and the chance for new possibilities, overcoming obstacles, going outside your comfort zone and learning sometimes love and money is not enough you have to create your own happiness.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Elle met Parker at a party in NYC and they shared a passionate moment in the stairwell. But it all came crashing down when they both misjudged each other. For Elle is turned into insta hate and it inspired her to write a screenplay that would launch her career.

Two years later Elle finds herself headed back to NYC for the summer and she just moved into the apartment across from non other than Parker. She is back in the city as it is the location of the current screen play she’s working on, but she’s not feeling creative and has writers block.

Parker is a techno CEO and has come to NYC for the summer to escape his life. He’s in the process of of selling his company and for the first time has time to date. So when Elle moved in across from him he comes up with the idea of the “Rom-Com Agreement” They will fake date for the summer. He will take Elle to the locations for her script to help inspire her writing and in return Elle will be his date for events and help distract the media when needed.

The only issue is the chemistry between these two is off the charts. Elle hates everything Parker stands for and the more he tries to win her over the further he pushes her away. Come spend the summer in NYC: I promise pizza, tourist activities, charity events and diamonds!

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝐬:

“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.”

“Someone close to me once told me that, at the end of the day, the only important thing in life is who you love—and who loves you.”

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

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Enemies to Neighbors to Lovers
* Billionaire Tech CEO MMC
* Successful Screen Writer FMC (Secret Identity)
* She’s on a Deadline - Writers Block
* He’s Her Twisted Muse but She Can’t Stand Him
* Fake Dating “Rom-Com Agreement”
* Night Club Meet Cute - 2 Years Prior
* Grand Gestures - But She Hates Money
* Summer in NYC - Forced Proximity
* Single POV - Slow Burn w/ Mild Spice

🍎🗽🚕🍎🗽🚕🍎🗽🚕🍎🗽🚕🍎

This is the type of story that readers are supposed to find cute as the characters overcome conflict and find their way together. To make it even better, it's the male MC who is so sure in this book and the female MC who is uncertain and fearful of relationships. Some people will dive into this and love it, but I was not one of those people. I found the female MC, Elle, to be prideful to the detriment of her own happiness, and I have a hard time believing she wouldn't have someone in her life, Penelope or Cali perhaps, who wouldn't have talked her through the roadblocks in her mind.

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if You’ve Got Mail had a baby with The Hating Game and raised it in a Tribeca loft with stunning skyline views, this book is your answer.

Twenty-seven-year-old Elle is charmingly chaotic, heartbreakingly relatable, and exactly the kind of hot mess you want to root for. A screenwriter stuck in a creative rut, she returns to NYC—the city she loves to hate—for one last shot at saving her career. But the Big Apple has other plans. Like reuniting her with Parker Warren, the tech billionaire who is both her worst enemy and the best one-night stand she can’t forget.

What follows is a crackling slow burn that’s equal parts sharp banter, forced proximity, and emotional gut-punch. Elle and Parker’s chemistry leaps off the page, but what makes this story truly special is the way it captures the nuance of ambition, burnout, and the complicated dance of rediscovering yourself in the city that never sleeps.

The NYC setting isn’t just a backdrop-it’s a character in its own right, full of bagel-fueled brainstorms, awkward elevator run-ins, and late-night skyline confessions. You’ll finish the book wanting to wander cobblestone streets with a slice of dollar pizza in hand, just in case your worst enemy turns out to be your next great love.

Funny, heartfelt, and addictively readable, this is the kind of summer romance that lingers like the last light over the Hudson. Highly recommend for fans of witty dialogue, emotional depth, and stories that know the best things in life might just be a wall away

Millionaire romance.
Forced proximity.
Fake dating.
Some spice…


And a man that just makes you smile and melts your heart. His dedication and passion not about money but about HER. Not like he is just obsessed with her but about how she opens his eyes and makes him a better person. She makes him happy and able to be able to just enjoy life instead of it being just filled with business or people only wanting him for his money. She makes him see a whole new world and the journey they take is so amazing as a reader. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Then the whole house thing. And the photos. He is a keeper! Love him. Definitely add to your TBR

This book was a great 1st time for Author Alex Aster in Adult Romance.
It was cute, funny, full of great moments and totally captured New York City on the pages!

Thank you Net galley, Alex Aster, and William Morrow Publishing for an EARC of Summer in the City.

This was a sweet book about two characters finding their way in life and they happen upon each other at a night club and then again two years later in New York City in this slow burn read. throughout the story, both of these characters help each other see life in a different light while also learning to better see themselves.

Ms. Alex Aster has entered her Rom Com era and I am here for it!

I rate this story a 3.75 ⭐️ 1 🌶️

If your like: billionaire romance, enemies to lovers (more one sided), fake dating, forced proximity and summer romance rom com then you may like this story.

What I loved:
This book was cute summer romance that takes place in NYC. I loved how this story incorporated NYC and it makes me want to visit soon.

-I definitely loved Parker- he was the perfect MMC. Elle on the hand grew on me- of course she has her faults.

My only thing I did not love was the infamous 3rd act breakup which is most romance books- just did not like how long it took for the two to come back together.

Would I recommend it- It was cute story and I loved the depiction of the NYC-- so if you are looking for a cute story give it a try.

Loved this book! It is a fresh take on the romcom category and early 2000s rom com movies. It is adorable while being realistic. I think the ending was very rushed even though it didn't need to be and kind of gave me whiplash. I think the ending did tie up neatly even though it seemed rushed compared to the pacing of the rest of the book. I look forward to reading more adult fiction produced by Alex Aster.

I loved this book. No notes. It's perfect, It's the perfect rom com story. I hope Alex Aster writes another because it's so good.

this is such a sweet, fun, spicy good time! I don’t really love billionaire romances bc of the ethical & moral dilemma with being a billionaire, but I thoroughly loved the characters here! I love Elle and think she’s a well developed, fully loveable character!! I wish I’d had Parker’s pov bc I couldn’t really reconcile the first meeting with him and the way we get to know him throughout the book. by the end tho it’s clear he’s head over heals in love with Elle it was so sweet to read! I also enjoyed the time spans of the story, and how the plot stayed pretty consistent in filling in the in-between times, again tho I would’ve liked Parker’s pov for those moments too.

thank you for the arc!!!

This book had so much potential and it just ended up annoying me greatly. I haven't read her previous fantasy work so I went in pretty blind here, but the female main character just drove me crazy. This is not enemies to lovers as marketed and I am begging contemporary romance authors to stop with that trope unless they are actual enemies, there's just not enough here. Final thought, please for the love of all that is holy stop with female characters pushing back/ refusing the spoiling of a generous & wealthy hero, I AM SICK OF IT.

This was such a cute book! I loved Alex Aster's Lightlark series so I was so ecstatic to see she was writing a romance book (my first love). She hooked me from their first, we're gonna call it meet cute, and I couldn't wait to see how they would run into each other in the future. I loved seeing how their relationship developed and I'm obsessed with Parker. He is the dreamiest billionaire, swoon worthy MMC! Their little adventures together around the city will have you swooning too! I loved that I felt like we were taken along on their journey or love and self discovery.
I would def recommend this book!

Thank you to William Morrow for the eARC!

This book had such an amazing premise that I had a feeling that it would be a fun, flirty summer read - pun intended. However, I had a hard time connecting with the FMC and didn’t like how she treated the MMC. Perhaps it’s some of my own baggage about being strung along, but it wasn’t fun reading it. Great concept, just wished it was ironed out a bit more!

This is my first book of Alex's and I loved it. I went to NYC for the first time last month and this brought back so many memories. It was the light romance I needed with a little substance and all the NYC landmarks.

I will definitely pick up one of Alex's books again.

Summer in the city is a short and fun read that I would consider a pallet cleanser for my reading queue. It was a very addicting book that I had trouble putting down.

This book almost seemed like a giant ad for New York and tourist spots with the characters visiting several touristspots throughout the book on the premise that the FMC needed to visit these locations for movie inspiration. The FMC did get annoying towards the end of the book with how much she was fighting the love story that was occurring because of her own inner demons. I feel like this went on a tad bit too long. I also think that Aster’s writing is immature/inexperienced when it comes to spicy scenes. Almost like she’s holding back. The spicy scenes were slightly glossed over and over before it started.

I was excited to read Aster’s first book into adult romance and see how it compares to her ya fantasy novels. They are completely different, however, I find that Aster has a lot of room to improve on her writing skills.

I really enjoyed Summer in the City! Parker and Elle were perfectly imperfect together and they are one of my favorite book couples! I loved how down bad Parker was for Elle. He may have showed her how he felt in ways she didn’t understand but it truly had me kicking my feet. I loved seeing the city through their eyes and I think Alex did a phenomenal job detailing the city! The breakup and time jump wasn’t what I was expecting but I know it had to be done! Elle had to learn she was capable of being loved and being able to be on her own! I’m so glad it all tied together in the end. This was my first book by Alex but it definitely won’t be the last.

Summer in the City is a fun and steamy ode to New York City and life in your twenties! This is one of those delightful little rom-coms that is so utterly unrealistic, you have so much fun disappearing right into it! Despite unrealistic circumstances, the characters and story are told in such a relatable manner, that the reader will find themselves laughing, cringing, and falling in love along with the two protagonists.

Whenever an author who is primarily known for one genre decides to dip their toes into another, I know I’m in for either a treat or a disaster. Fortunately, with Alex Aster’s writing, it was an absolute joy to read her latest work! I can’t tell if I prefer her fantasy or romance writing more—here’s to hoping she keeps up with both!

Thank you to Alex Aster, William Morrow, & NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

The cover for this is so cute! However, this was just okay for me. It is so much about money? And these people complain about money so much which is odd because everyone in this book is rich. Even the protagonist who we think scraped for her success (and i suppose she did, through her own choices) has a billionaire dad!! I am okay with the occasional billionaire romance but this honestly just read as strange, the continuous fixation on money. It wasn’t “fun” and it overshadowed the romance for me