Summer in the City - The instant Sunday Times bestseller and your newest enemies-to-lovers obsession for 2026

'A book that truly encapsulates the warmth and joy of summer' Stylist

'Hotter than the rest of your TBR' Cosmo

'Pure, steamy fun, and the perfect summer read' Ali Hazelwood, author of The Love Hypothesis

'A fun, stay-up-late-to-finish read!' Abby Jimenez, author of Just for the Summer

Readers love Summer in the City...
'All I have to say is WOW' *****
'I absolutely adored this book' *****
'I'm in love with Parker Warren' *****
'This will surely be a favourite of 2025' *****
'I cannot recommend this book enough' *****

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Lightlark Saga, this is Alex Aster's debut romance novel.

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 by the end of the summer.

Desperate for inspiration, Elle returns to NYC – the city she hates – and tries to throw herself into her writing. But then she meets her new neighbour: Parker Warren. He’s the city’s favourite handsome tech billionaire and he’s also the guy Elle hooked up with in a stairwell two years ago. When seeing him again turns into a night of hate-fuelled writing, Elle realises Parker might just be her twisted muse.

So, when Parker needs to fake a steady relationship during his company’s precarious acquisition and Elle needs to research a list of classic date spots in the city for her screenplay, they suddenly find they might just be exactly what each other needs.

Summers always end, and so will this agreement.
It’s all pretend.
Until it isn’t.

If you like...
Billionaire
Forced proximity
Neighbours
Fake dating
Enemies-to-lovers
Slow burn
Spice
...you'll love Summer in the City


Summer in the City ranked no. 10 on the Sunday Times bestseller chart and no. 2 on the New York Times bestseller chart week ending 29/03/25.