Summer in the City (Deluxe Limited Edition): A Novel

Order now to receive the stunning DELUXE LIMITED EDITION—only available on the first printing while supplies last! This collector’s hardcover features gorgeous sprayed edges with stenciled artwork, illustrated color endpapers, and special design features on the case.

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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Published Mar 25, 2025

304 pages

Average rating: 6.41

116 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Breannalf
Jul 13, 2025
8/10 stars
Very cute. I enjoyed the story. A legit ROM COM . I feel like people forget that these are how romcoms are written. Alex Aster is my fav
Dhruti
Oct 30, 2025
9/10 stars
4.25 rounded down
Kathryn.warring
Oct 16, 2025
3/10 stars
She wanted a pastry so he buys the restaurant chain. A necklace made her smile so he bought it for her ($50 million, mind you) She never gave him her phone number so he bought every billboard in L.A. But who gives a fuck cuz she “can’t be bought.” This girl holds a grudge like no other and it annoyed tf out of me fr!! I liked everything else about this book and I loved him as a love interest but she makes me want to jump into oncoming traffic 🤦🏼‍♀️
bdicicco
Sep 28, 2025
1/10 star
insufferable lead
Alina
Sep 24, 2025
2/10 stars
the fmc was insufferable and the writing fell flat the whole book. I wanted to dnf this book by like 20% but decided to push through. Definitely would not recommend

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