Summer in the City
Books | Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy
3.8
Alex Aster
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Alex Aster comes her adult debut novel Summer in the City—a swoony, fast-paced rom-com set in New York City in which a screenwriter and a sexy tech CEO go from lovers to enemies and back to lovers again…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 (floor-to-ceiling windows, skyline views, and a new coffee shop to haunt included). It’s the perfect place to write her screenplay…until she realizes her new neighbor is tech “Billionaire Bachelor” Parker Warren, her stairwell hookup from two years ago. It’s been a lovers-to-enemies situation ever since. 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 frequents fancy red carpeted events, and she doesn’t like leaving her emotional support five block radius. One summer. One wall apart. 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.
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More Details:
Author
Alex Aster
Pages
304
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published Date
2025-03-25
ISBN
0063411687 9780063411685
Community ReviewsSee all
"Summer in the City was an okay read for me, nothing groundbreaking or unexpected, but definitely entertaining. The story was quite predictable, following familiar rom-com beats, but I still found myself enjoying it, mostly thanks to the main characters. Alex Aster did a great job developing Elle and Parker’s backgrounds and personalities, which made their connection feel genuine and engaging.
The setup, a fake dating situation between a struggling screenwriter and a tech CEO with a past fling has been done before, but it was executed well here. I liked how the story used New York City not just as a setting, but almost like a character of its own. Elle and Parker’s dynamic, with their witty banter and emotional growth, added some charm to the narrative. Their slow-burn romance was sweet and fun to follow, even if a little predictable.
It’s definitely a fast and easy read, with fun moments sprinkled throughout that kept the story moving. While it didn’t blow me away, it was still worth the read and a good pick for anyone looking for a light, summery rom-com."
"This book was absolutely adorable, and it’s going to be such a perfect summer read after the official release.
If you love cheesy romance books, this one’s for you. I’m more of a dark romance girl myself, but I still absolutely loved this book. It’s one of those books that will absolutely become a comfort read when you just need something cute to take your mind off things.
A few times I even found myself giggling and smiling down at the page.
Spoiler-Free Tropes:
💋fake dating
💋billionaire MMC
💋next door neighbor
💋grumpy x sunshine
💋second chance romance
The characters are cute and feel very realistic. The FMC is loosely based on the author, which makes the character feel all the more real.
NYC really serves as a character all on its own, and the setting is so beautifully mapped out and described.
The MMC is misunderstood and just deep down wants to matter. He’s such a sweetie and deserves only good things.
This book is single POV from the FMC. The majority of the chapters are relatively short and have breaks throughout.
Thank you so very much to Alex Aster, the William Morrow team, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own and were not influenced by the manner in which I received this book."