Summer in the City by Alex Aster
Rating: 4/5
Spice: 1.5/5
Plot: 3/5
Primary Genre: Contemporary Romance
Blurb: 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.
The Good:
* Parker is perfect, I mean what else could you ask for in a billionaire? 6’4”, abs and gives you quite literally everything that you want. Coffee shops, houses, keys to exclusive parks. Like ok, sign me up. If Elle doesn’t want to marry him, I will. Sorry hubby. J/K obviously but I adored Parker’s character. Incredibly patient and sweet.
* The FMC seems to be a bit autobiographical. If you know anything about Alex Aster, you’ll see some similarities between her and Elle. They’re both of Columbian descent, they’re both writers. Idk why but I love a book from the POV of a writer. I know that some people hate it and I don’t understand why. I always love the insight into the inner workings of the writer’s brain.
* This book was giving Sex and the City, which I have seen every single episode of. Multiple times. I will not be accepting criticism on this tv show preference. Alex’s writing creates the atmosphere of Carrie Bradshaw typing away in her apartment. I’m obsessed with the vibe.
The Meh:
* In all fairness, I’ve probably just been reading a ton of dark romance spice lately but the smutty scenes fell a little flat for me. However, the book wasn’t devoid of smut so it passes.
* The financial gap paranoia that seems to plague the FMC just seems to come off as odd to me. I don’t get why it keeps coming up after getting over the initial hump and it just makes her seem annoying and petty when it comes to this detail.
Bottom Line:
Alex Aster’s first foray into adult romance is a success. Think Elizabeth Bennet meets Mr. Darcy/Carrie Bradshaw meets Aidan Shaw in the pouring rain in New York City. It’s a lovely little mashup of Pride and Prejudice and Sex and the City with some fake dating and snarky humor thrown in. The romance is super slow burn and quite the emotional roller coaster. This is a cannot miss for fans of Alex Aster, Sex and the City and Pride and Prejudice.
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