Alex Aster explores a new genre with her upcoming novel "Summer in the City".

Alexandra Pierson, more popularly known by her pseudonym Alex Aster, is an adult fantasy author. This spring, she is switching lanes and exploring a new world of writing. Alex Aster is extremely popular on BookTok, Bookstagram, and BookTube for her fantasy series Lightlark. She has also published a middle-grade fantasy series called Emblem Island.

While the Lightlark series explores themes of romance and magic, it also has dystopian elements. Emblem Island follows a similar theme of magic, mythology, folklore, and fantasy.

For her latest work, Alex Aster has tried her hand at something completely different from what she usually writes. Summer in the City is a contemporary romance novel set in New York. It contains elements of forced proximity and an enemies-to-lovers trope.

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What is Alex Aster's new book Summer in the City about?

Summer in the City is a contemporary romance novel that follows the love story between screenwriter Elle and "Billionaire Bachelor" Parker Warren. If you're curious about a short description of Alex Aster's most recent book, read the synopsis below.

"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."

It continues, introducing the dreamy MMC,

"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."

The blurb of Summer in the City closes with,

"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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What are some of the reviews on Summer in the City?

The reviews for Summer in the City are taken from Goodreads comments. Scroll through to see what readers think of Alex Aster's latest book.

Here are some comments from 5-star reviews:

"This literally read as though you were watching a rom com movie" - Kaitlin wrote.

An ARC reader also commented,

"I’m really picky when it comes to contemporary romance books, but I loved this one! Was it perfect? No, but I loved it so much that I could overlook the things that bothered me. Can’t wait for this to come out!" - Karin said.

Readers expressed what they liked and didn’t like in the book. The following are comments from 3-star reviews of Summer in the City:

"3.75!!! Such a fun fake dating enemies to lovers that gave 2000s romcom energy. I didn’t love the FMC, Elle, but the MMC, Parker is everything! 🥹" - Lauren Daugherty commented.

One user simply wrote,

"Meh. 🤷🏽‍♀️" - Brie Gittens noted.

Not everyone enjoyed the book. Here are a few comments from 1-star reviews.

One reader said,

"I can’t tell whether Elle is insufferable or if it’s just the authors writing style" - Dayra commented

Another wrote,

"I can’t believe I wasted time reading this book.. the conflict for the main character was that a hot billionaire loved her and bought her nice things with his money. And they fought like 10 times about this. Some funny dialogue and NY nostalgia but like BFFR…" - Ankita said.

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Alex Aster's new venture into the contemporary romance world has been met with mixed reviews from readers. While some loved her new book, others could not get behind the writing and the personalities of the characters.