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City People
Not yet published
Expected 6 Apr 27A woman desperate to hold onto her Brooklyn brownstone can't ignore her chemistry with the one man standing in her way, in this poignant enemies-to-lovers rom-com by the author of Passion Project
Teddi Cooper, third-generation New Yorker, has breathed city air since the day she was born. Her life is perfectly syncopated with the beautiful, chaotic tempo of Brooklyn, from the moment she steps out the door of the brownstone she shares with her grandmother, to the moment she falls asleep with taxi horns blaring into the frenetic night.
So when Gram announces that she’s selling the brownstone and moving to Florida, the rhythm of Teddi’s life descends into cacophony. How could Gram not see that leaving NYC would be a betrayal of their very identities? If Gram needs a reminder of who she is, Teddi will do anything to show her—including coordinating a reunion show of the Broadway musical that made Gram famous before she gave up life in the spotlight. And to lay the pressure on thick, Teddi even gets Gram’s former co-star Hal Harrison on board.
The show is barely off the ground before Teddi comes head-to-head with Hal’s talent agent Reid Fletcher, who refuses to let Hal partake. Reid is charming, smart-mouthed, and absolutely infuriating, but Teddi knows a thing or two about digging her heels in. As Teddi squares off against Reid over email, in the theater, and even through a heated game of tennis, she’s prompted to wonder if her dogged stubbornness is holding her back. Who would she be if she wasn’t determined to control Gram’s next move, to be a New Yorker at any cost? Is it possible that her identity is larger than the city she’s built her life around? And, most frightening of all, could her new life have room in it for someone else?
Teddi Cooper, third-generation New Yorker, has breathed city air since the day she was born. Her life is perfectly syncopated with the beautiful, chaotic tempo of Brooklyn, from the moment she steps out the door of the brownstone she shares with her grandmother, to the moment she falls asleep with taxi horns blaring into the frenetic night.
So when Gram announces that she’s selling the brownstone and moving to Florida, the rhythm of Teddi’s life descends into cacophony. How could Gram not see that leaving NYC would be a betrayal of their very identities? If Gram needs a reminder of who she is, Teddi will do anything to show her—including coordinating a reunion show of the Broadway musical that made Gram famous before she gave up life in the spotlight. And to lay the pressure on thick, Teddi even gets Gram’s former co-star Hal Harrison on board.
The show is barely off the ground before Teddi comes head-to-head with Hal’s talent agent Reid Fletcher, who refuses to let Hal partake. Reid is charming, smart-mouthed, and absolutely infuriating, but Teddi knows a thing or two about digging her heels in. As Teddi squares off against Reid over email, in the theater, and even through a heated game of tennis, she’s prompted to wonder if her dogged stubbornness is holding her back. Who would she be if she wasn’t determined to control Gram’s next move, to be a New Yorker at any cost? Is it possible that her identity is larger than the city she’s built her life around? And, most frightening of all, could her new life have room in it for someone else?
Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 6, 2027
About the author
London Sperry
2 books861 followersLondon Sperry is a New York based author of sad-girl romances with happy endings, including her debut novel, Passion Project. When not writing, London can be found exploring areas of New York, reading on park benches, and discovering passion in everyday life. Her second novel, City People, will release in 2027.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 15, 2026
i write this review whilst SOBBING. i am not someone who cries easily at books (maybe maximum 2 a year?) and this one GOT me. not even in a sad way, but in an ‘oh my god i love these people so much aren’t they the cutest i wish them the best’ kinda way.
this was so, so beautiful at the same time as being incredibly frustrating (in the best way possible). i adored the characters in this, and the chemistry is some of the best i’ve ever seen. our characters slotted together so perfectly, and they connected on a deeper emotional level before we moved onto the romance, which was really refreshing to see. their banter was AMAZING, and our mmc was absolutely besotted (which is my fave brand of mmc). we have a lot of tough conversations in this, and i will confidently say that some of the decisions of our fmc irked me SO BADLY, but they came across as very natural and realistic and understandable. i think this is why it worked so well for me - it didn’t feel like she was making poor decisions for the sake of the plot, but more so because that’s what a person with her history and her mindset would naturally do.
if you have similar taste in romance to me at all (lots of witty banter, kinda being rude to each other in an endearing way, boy obsessed, MUSICAL THEATRE!!!!) you will love this. it almost felt like london sperry created this for me with all my lil obsessions in one gorgeous package.
i fear this review will never do my feelings justice, but please, please read this when you can.
this was so, so beautiful at the same time as being incredibly frustrating (in the best way possible). i adored the characters in this, and the chemistry is some of the best i’ve ever seen. our characters slotted together so perfectly, and they connected on a deeper emotional level before we moved onto the romance, which was really refreshing to see. their banter was AMAZING, and our mmc was absolutely besotted (which is my fave brand of mmc). we have a lot of tough conversations in this, and i will confidently say that some of the decisions of our fmc irked me SO BADLY, but they came across as very natural and realistic and understandable. i think this is why it worked so well for me - it didn’t feel like she was making poor decisions for the sake of the plot, but more so because that’s what a person with her history and her mindset would naturally do.
if you have similar taste in romance to me at all (lots of witty banter, kinda being rude to each other in an endearing way, boy obsessed, MUSICAL THEATRE!!!!) you will love this. it almost felt like london sperry created this for me with all my lil obsessions in one gorgeous package.
i fear this review will never do my feelings justice, but please, please read this when you can.
arcs-to-read
September 10, 2026OMG YAYYY!! I got the arc! I enjoyed the author's debut, so I'm hoping this one will be a winner too. 🤭🩷
Want to Read
July 24, 2026heard the best way to store an early copy of this is to send it to me for safe keeping !!!! don’t know who started that rumour tho !!!! seems super legit so viking if you can hear me please grant my wish on netgalley xxx
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Last year, I absolutely loved the author’s debut, Passion Project, and I was really looking forward to her second book. And now that I’ve read City People, I can say without a doubt that London Sperry has become one of my favorite authors!
Teddi lives in New York in the house she shares with the grandmother who raised her. But one day, her grandmother announces that she wants to sell the house and move to Florida, and FMC does everything she can to change her mind.
The main characters are people who had difficult childhoods, who long for love but are afraid of getting their hearts broken. I absolutely fell in love with them!
Teddi loves New York, her house, and the life she’s built around herself, and she likes to be in control of everything. Then Reid comes along and turns her whole worldview upside down, while at the same time understanding her like no one else does. I absolutely loved their banter and the way they supported each other! There were also so many moments that broke my heart. I felt like I was experiencing Teddi’s conversation with her mom right alongside them, and when Reid talked about his childhood, I had tears in my eyes!
This is such an atmospheric and cozy book about loving New York, but at the same time, the author shows that a place doesn’t define you and that home is wherever the person you love is. And honestly, this book gives you a lot to think about!
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin (Penguin Books) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Teddi lives in New York in the house she shares with the grandmother who raised her. But one day, her grandmother announces that she wants to sell the house and move to Florida, and FMC does everything she can to change her mind.
The main characters are people who had difficult childhoods, who long for love but are afraid of getting their hearts broken. I absolutely fell in love with them!
Teddi loves New York, her house, and the life she’s built around herself, and she likes to be in control of everything. Then Reid comes along and turns her whole worldview upside down, while at the same time understanding her like no one else does. I absolutely loved their banter and the way they supported each other! There were also so many moments that broke my heart. I felt like I was experiencing Teddi’s conversation with her mom right alongside them, and when Reid talked about his childhood, I had tears in my eyes!
This is such an atmospheric and cozy book about loving New York, but at the same time, the author shows that a place doesn’t define you and that home is wherever the person you love is. And honestly, this book gives you a lot to think about!
Thank you to NetGalley and Viking Penguin (Penguin Books) for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The first 80% of this book is perfect to me - so much so that I thought it'd be a five star read and new favourite. But the last 20% was so frustrating that it left a slightly sour taste in my mouth.
Our FMC is such a delight. She is unapologetically in love with NYC (both the good and the bad) and with her Grandmother who is a Broadway legend. She has the rug completely swept out from under her feet when her grandmother is revealed to be selling her childhood home and moving to Florida. Teddi is obviously distressed and this sets into motion a really excellent arc from her. She is also hilarious both in her inner monologue and also her dialogue.
The chemistry between Teddi and Reid is electric. It jumps off the page. They share a really intense emotional intimacy before giving into their sexual chemistry that leaves it very satisfying for us when they do finally get together. Reid provides a stability in a really turbulent time that Teddi desperately needs when the women in her family are constantly pulling the rug out from under her.
It's when we get to the love confessions at the end where this started to get frustrating to me. The dialogue during these scenes felt so forced and overwritten it was distracting. They were almost over explaining the way they felt, not in order to communicate it to each other but to the audience instead. The lines themselves were incredibly cheesy. Not to mention, I cannot express the rage I felt as the epilogue - rushed, out of place, and again very cheesy.
This book is very much like marmite. A lot of people will find Teddi's family and the situation they put her in to be unforgivable and frustrating to the point where they cannot finish it the book. Some people won't be able to overlook the dialogue. But I also think that these things will be part of the charm of the novel for some and it will absolutely find its way into the hands of readers who will adore it. 3.75 stars from me.
Our FMC is such a delight. She is unapologetically in love with NYC (both the good and the bad) and with her Grandmother who is a Broadway legend. She has the rug completely swept out from under her feet when her grandmother is revealed to be selling her childhood home and moving to Florida. Teddi is obviously distressed and this sets into motion a really excellent arc from her. She is also hilarious both in her inner monologue and also her dialogue.
The chemistry between Teddi and Reid is electric. It jumps off the page. They share a really intense emotional intimacy before giving into their sexual chemistry that leaves it very satisfying for us when they do finally get together. Reid provides a stability in a really turbulent time that Teddi desperately needs when the women in her family are constantly pulling the rug out from under her.
It's when we get to the love confessions at the end where this started to get frustrating to me. The dialogue during these scenes felt so forced and overwritten it was distracting. They were almost over explaining the way they felt, not in order to communicate it to each other but to the audience instead. The lines themselves were incredibly cheesy. Not to mention, I cannot express the rage I felt as the epilogue - rushed, out of place, and again very cheesy.
This book is very much like marmite. A lot of people will find Teddi's family and the situation they put her in to be unforgivable and frustrating to the point where they cannot finish it the book. Some people won't be able to overlook the dialogue. But I also think that these things will be part of the charm of the novel for some and it will absolutely find its way into the hands of readers who will adore it. 3.75 stars from me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
❀࿔ 5 stars
guys. this is going to be the next biggest thing in romance. there is simply NO WAY this book comes out and people aren’t losing their minds over it. i genuinely cannot stop thinking about it. the romance, the new york city setting, the grandparents, the history connecting everyone, the CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT??? i’m so happy i found this book early because this is exactly the feeling i’m constantly chasing when i pick up a romance.
────୨ৎ────
the vibes ~ new york city • workplace-ish romance • slow burn • rivals / antagonistic beginnings • forced proximity • old hollywood / broadway nostalgia • family history + generational connections • two people who understand each other a little too well • grandparents who are basically characters in their own right • chemistry that actually gets TIME to build
if you loved the emotional family element of our perfect storm, the grandparent connection in you, with a view, or even parts of great big beautiful life, i genuinely think you need this on your radar. and the initial dynamic between teddie and reid gave me little flashes of the hating game too, except instead of being the employees themselves, they’re essentially looking after/managing these two older people with this huge shared history.
teddie. i loved her. i think what made teddie work so well for me was that there are things holding her back that actually feel ingrained in who she is rather than being thrown in purely to create conflict. her relationship with her mum, her attachment to new york, her grandmother edith, and the things she believes about herself all feed into the decisions she makes. and watching those things slowly change throughout the book??? perfection. her relationship with edith was one of my favourite parts of the entire story. there is so much love there, but also so much history that teddie doesn’t completely understand at first, and watching pieces of that past reveal themselves made their relationship feel even more significant.
reid. reid fletcher. REID FLETCHER. the man starts as “this douchebag. king of the douchebags. his royal doucheousness” and somehow ends up being one of those warmhearted, wounded men that i apparently have absolutely zero defence against.
his relationship with hal was SO important too. hal is his grandfather, and through teddie and edith’s history, reid is able to understand parts of hal’s life that he hadn’t fully known before. i thought that intergenerational connection was beautiful because the older characters never felt like they were simply there to facilitate the romance. they had their own histories, regrets, relationships and choices that directly shaped teddie and reid.
edith + hal / the history. THIS. this was what elevated the entire book for me. edith and hal coming back together through this nostalgic broadway connection while teddie and reid are simultaneously being pulled together was just gorgeous. there’s this feeling throughout the book that new york is holding all of these different versions of their lives at once — who edith and hal were, who teddie and reid currently are, and who all four of them still have the possibility of becoming.
it reminded me so much of why i loved the grandparent element of you, with a view. there is something about discovering someone you love as a whole person outside of simply being your grandparent that absolutely GETS ME.
teddie + reid. THE CHEMISTRY. this is how you build a romance. it grows. you watch the walls come down. you watch their opinions of one another change. there’s humour, attraction, irritation, vulnerability, and eventually that feeling of oh. these two people actually see each other. so when the physical side of their relationship finally happens, it feels earned. it never felt like the author suddenly decided, okay, they’re attracted to each other now! the groundwork had already been laid through every conversation and every tiny shift in their relationship.
and they both have their own things that make commitment and vulnerability difficult, which meant that when conflict eventually came, i UNDERSTOOD IT. nothing felt manufactured purely because a romance novel apparently needs its third-act moment. the whole idea of them almost coming from the same carton of slightly cracked eggs — yes, this is apparently my metaphor now — was what made them work. their circumstances aren’t identical, but there are parts of themselves they recognise in the other person.
────୨ৎ────
and NEW YORK. i’ve only been once, but this book made me feel like i had lived there. the city wasn’t just somewhere the characters happened to exist; it felt woven into teddie herself. and when the title city people finally clicked for me towards the end i had one of those ridiculous little reading epiphanies where i was just sitting there like OH. OH MY GOD. everything suddenly made sense. i could genuinely write an essay about this book. i’m already looking at the author’s other work because there is absolutely no chance this is the last thing i read from her. and when this publishes? paperback. immediately. i need this sitting on my shelf.
please put this on your tbr. i am practically BEGGING.
────୨ৎ────
favourite quotes - these are also poetic and just beautiful so I have included a lot.
♡ “This douchebag. King of the douchebags. His royal doucheousness, Reid Fletcher.”
♡ “Well, contrary to popular belief, I don’t actually bite.”
“But I like when you bite.”
♡ “He’s scary and intense and sensitive and funny and he won’t tell me all of who he is. But he’s a whole person staring back at me.”
♡ “His body feels like an extension of mine, like a part of my soul that has been up walking the planet, wandering around and around, orbiting me until it came home at last. My pain recognizes your pain.”
♡ “When you can’t, I can. And one day when I need it, you’ll do the same. I know it.”
♡ “Because it’s him. It’s Reid. It’s the exception to all my rules. The destabilizing force that jolted my life into a different plane. The warmhearted, wounded man under a stiff exterior. I want to keep him so badly I might give him up forever just to preserve this.”
♡ “I love Reid Fletcher. Every part of me that matters, even the parts I have yet to understand, they choose him.”
♡ “You are my favorite movie. My favorite song. My favorite book. My favorite story. And I’m not ready for it to be over. I want it to go on for a lifetime.”
────୨ৎ────
thank you so much to NetGalley and Viking / Penguin for the eARC.
guys. this is going to be the next biggest thing in romance. there is simply NO WAY this book comes out and people aren’t losing their minds over it. i genuinely cannot stop thinking about it. the romance, the new york city setting, the grandparents, the history connecting everyone, the CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT??? i’m so happy i found this book early because this is exactly the feeling i’m constantly chasing when i pick up a romance.
────୨ৎ────
the vibes ~ new york city • workplace-ish romance • slow burn • rivals / antagonistic beginnings • forced proximity • old hollywood / broadway nostalgia • family history + generational connections • two people who understand each other a little too well • grandparents who are basically characters in their own right • chemistry that actually gets TIME to build
if you loved the emotional family element of our perfect storm, the grandparent connection in you, with a view, or even parts of great big beautiful life, i genuinely think you need this on your radar. and the initial dynamic between teddie and reid gave me little flashes of the hating game too, except instead of being the employees themselves, they’re essentially looking after/managing these two older people with this huge shared history.
teddie. i loved her. i think what made teddie work so well for me was that there are things holding her back that actually feel ingrained in who she is rather than being thrown in purely to create conflict. her relationship with her mum, her attachment to new york, her grandmother edith, and the things she believes about herself all feed into the decisions she makes. and watching those things slowly change throughout the book??? perfection. her relationship with edith was one of my favourite parts of the entire story. there is so much love there, but also so much history that teddie doesn’t completely understand at first, and watching pieces of that past reveal themselves made their relationship feel even more significant.
reid. reid fletcher. REID FLETCHER. the man starts as “this douchebag. king of the douchebags. his royal doucheousness” and somehow ends up being one of those warmhearted, wounded men that i apparently have absolutely zero defence against.
his relationship with hal was SO important too. hal is his grandfather, and through teddie and edith’s history, reid is able to understand parts of hal’s life that he hadn’t fully known before. i thought that intergenerational connection was beautiful because the older characters never felt like they were simply there to facilitate the romance. they had their own histories, regrets, relationships and choices that directly shaped teddie and reid.
edith + hal / the history. THIS. this was what elevated the entire book for me. edith and hal coming back together through this nostalgic broadway connection while teddie and reid are simultaneously being pulled together was just gorgeous. there’s this feeling throughout the book that new york is holding all of these different versions of their lives at once — who edith and hal were, who teddie and reid currently are, and who all four of them still have the possibility of becoming.
it reminded me so much of why i loved the grandparent element of you, with a view. there is something about discovering someone you love as a whole person outside of simply being your grandparent that absolutely GETS ME.
teddie + reid. THE CHEMISTRY. this is how you build a romance. it grows. you watch the walls come down. you watch their opinions of one another change. there’s humour, attraction, irritation, vulnerability, and eventually that feeling of oh. these two people actually see each other. so when the physical side of their relationship finally happens, it feels earned. it never felt like the author suddenly decided, okay, they’re attracted to each other now! the groundwork had already been laid through every conversation and every tiny shift in their relationship.
and they both have their own things that make commitment and vulnerability difficult, which meant that when conflict eventually came, i UNDERSTOOD IT. nothing felt manufactured purely because a romance novel apparently needs its third-act moment. the whole idea of them almost coming from the same carton of slightly cracked eggs — yes, this is apparently my metaphor now — was what made them work. their circumstances aren’t identical, but there are parts of themselves they recognise in the other person.
────୨ৎ────
and NEW YORK. i’ve only been once, but this book made me feel like i had lived there. the city wasn’t just somewhere the characters happened to exist; it felt woven into teddie herself. and when the title city people finally clicked for me towards the end i had one of those ridiculous little reading epiphanies where i was just sitting there like OH. OH MY GOD. everything suddenly made sense. i could genuinely write an essay about this book. i’m already looking at the author’s other work because there is absolutely no chance this is the last thing i read from her. and when this publishes? paperback. immediately. i need this sitting on my shelf.
please put this on your tbr. i am practically BEGGING.
────୨ৎ────
favourite quotes - these are also poetic and just beautiful so I have included a lot.
♡ “This douchebag. King of the douchebags. His royal doucheousness, Reid Fletcher.”
♡ “Well, contrary to popular belief, I don’t actually bite.”
“But I like when you bite.”
♡ “He’s scary and intense and sensitive and funny and he won’t tell me all of who he is. But he’s a whole person staring back at me.”
♡ “His body feels like an extension of mine, like a part of my soul that has been up walking the planet, wandering around and around, orbiting me until it came home at last. My pain recognizes your pain.”
♡ “When you can’t, I can. And one day when I need it, you’ll do the same. I know it.”
♡ “Because it’s him. It’s Reid. It’s the exception to all my rules. The destabilizing force that jolted my life into a different plane. The warmhearted, wounded man under a stiff exterior. I want to keep him so badly I might give him up forever just to preserve this.”
♡ “I love Reid Fletcher. Every part of me that matters, even the parts I have yet to understand, they choose him.”
♡ “You are my favorite movie. My favorite song. My favorite book. My favorite story. And I’m not ready for it to be over. I want it to go on for a lifetime.”
────୨ৎ────
thank you so much to NetGalley and Viking / Penguin for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.
I didn’t know how to feel about this book until Reid made his I love you speech to Teddi at the end, and then I forgot my problems with it.
And then I remembered I took notes, so I'm going to post them as my review instead of trying to package all my thoughts up into what would ultimately be a chaotic ramble (mostly spoilers):
I didn't read Passion Project because the subject matter was a little too sad for me but after reading jut the beginning of this book, I love the writing so much I might just have to power through
“Grape” is killing me
40% in and I really like the book so far but I don’t get why Reid is so tortured by his attraction to Teddi to the point where he’s trying to avoid her and is like outwardly mean to her. And I wish Teddi had a little more of a backbone to not cave after Reid says things like “I wish you’d leave me alone”
There’s no way in hell Teddi doesn’t know the twist of the sixth sense
“Please don’t” 💀💀💀💀💀
I think part of what's keeping this from being a 4 star book for me is that I just really can't relate to Teddi. I can’t fathom life being that monotonous
I think the 3rd act breakup needed to happen because Teddi needed to come to the realization that it's better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all, however I think it only needed to last those two initial weeks and should've ended when she ran to find him at Bryant Park. After her card game, she should've gone to his apartment or his office instead of going home and writing to him for 6 weeks. He told her he didn't want their relationship to end and very little time had passed so I think he would've taken her back without question. It would've been nice for him to have been there to support her through the move and diagnosis so she didn't have to do it alone.
And like I said at the beginning of this review..... man Reid (London) has a way with fucking words.
I didn’t know how to feel about this book until Reid made his I love you speech to Teddi at the end, and then I forgot my problems with it.
And then I remembered I took notes, so I'm going to post them as my review instead of trying to package all my thoughts up into what would ultimately be a chaotic ramble (mostly spoilers):
I didn't read Passion Project because the subject matter was a little too sad for me but after reading jut the beginning of this book, I love the writing so much I might just have to power through
“Grape” is killing me
40% in and I really like the book so far but I don’t get why Reid is so tortured by his attraction to Teddi to the point where he’s trying to avoid her and is like outwardly mean to her. And I wish Teddi had a little more of a backbone to not cave after Reid says things like “I wish you’d leave me alone”
There’s no way in hell Teddi doesn’t know the twist of the sixth sense
“Please don’t” 💀💀💀💀💀
I think part of what's keeping this from being a 4 star book for me is that I just really can't relate to Teddi. I can’t fathom life being that monotonous
I think the 3rd act breakup needed to happen because Teddi needed to come to the realization that it's better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all, however I think it only needed to last those two initial weeks and should've ended when she ran to find him at Bryant Park. After her card game, she should've gone to his apartment or his office instead of going home and writing to him for 6 weeks. He told her he didn't want their relationship to end and very little time had passed so I think he would've taken her back without question. It would've been nice for him to have been there to support her through the move and diagnosis so she didn't have to do it alone.
And like I said at the beginning of this review..... man Reid (London) has a way with fucking words.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5 stars (to 3, but it depends on what aspects of the book we’re talking about)
“I picture her favorite shade of lipstick and her loneliness that she tries to hide.”
I’m going to keep my review brief, because I fear I could go on a million little tangents to try and soften this review. Listen, I really enjoyed Passion Project when I read it, so I was very excited to see what London Sperry did next, and when City People was announced all lights were green for me…unfortunately, I just didn’t connect with this book. I enjoyed the meaning and lesson, the banter and the characters were good, but I just wanted more from it. I wanted to see Teddi’s friendships get deeper, like with Zara—and I know some friendships just grow stale but I really think there was some depth there that could have been explored. I enjoyed the parallel of the grandma & Hal and Teddi & Reid, but I think at certain lines it just felt very spoon-fed and corny. Like Teddi using the nicknames. Which leads me to my issue of the dialogue in general, it kept making me full-body recoil. The lines felt like they were written to be highlighted, and I’m aware it’s a book, but these were lines that just felt SO forced compared to the rest of the story. I don’t know if I can even explain it, to be honest, because I know it sounds nitpickey.
I really wish I would have loved this book, and there are aspects that I genuinely enjoyed, but it just didn’t sit right with me.
Note for people who don’t like spice: There are two-ish scenes in this book, but they were very easy to skip and mostly brief. I will say this one feels a bit more spicy than Passion Project did to me, but very much within the Emily Henry realm. With skipping the scenes it felt very Amazon Prime show-ish, if that’s a good way to measure it lol
“I picture her favorite shade of lipstick and her loneliness that she tries to hide.”
I’m going to keep my review brief, because I fear I could go on a million little tangents to try and soften this review. Listen, I really enjoyed Passion Project when I read it, so I was very excited to see what London Sperry did next, and when City People was announced all lights were green for me…unfortunately, I just didn’t connect with this book. I enjoyed the meaning and lesson, the banter and the characters were good, but I just wanted more from it. I wanted to see Teddi’s friendships get deeper, like with Zara—and I know some friendships just grow stale but I really think there was some depth there that could have been explored. I enjoyed the parallel of the grandma & Hal and Teddi & Reid, but I think at certain lines it just felt very spoon-fed and corny. Like Teddi using the nicknames. Which leads me to my issue of the dialogue in general, it kept making me full-body recoil. The lines felt like they were written to be highlighted, and I’m aware it’s a book, but these were lines that just felt SO forced compared to the rest of the story. I don’t know if I can even explain it, to be honest, because I know it sounds nitpickey.
I really wish I would have loved this book, and there are aspects that I genuinely enjoyed, but it just didn’t sit right with me.
Note for people who don’t like spice: There are two-ish scenes in this book, but they were very easy to skip and mostly brief. I will say this one feels a bit more spicy than Passion Project did to me, but very much within the Emily Henry realm. With skipping the scenes it felt very Amazon Prime show-ish, if that’s a good way to measure it lol
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5/5
Lovely book. So emotional. A story about breaking old patterns, seeing life and the world through different lenses, and realizing how many, many, many misunderstood truths can shape the way we see the people we love.
Hate to love, but then friends to lovers. I loved them both so much. They had the cutest moments and some genuinely beautiful love confessions.
Teddi is a doll. So cute and anxious, like any other girl trying to figure out what the hell she’s doing with her life. I felt for her a lot. Her relationship with Gram was amazing, and the arc she developed with her mom genuinely made me cry. That said, as much as I liked Teddi, there was so much self-loathing that she kept framing as independence, control, and being free. I thought the book navigated that really well, especially once she meets Reid.
And oh, Reid. What a wonderful man you are. He listens, observes, and understands. The way he reads Teddi is so romantic. He doesn’t just fall for an idea of her, he starts loving her for who she actually is, as a whole person, and I loved that about him.
Teddi’s misunderstandings about the things her mom and Gram said or did were sometimes hard for me to follow because… girl, not everything is about you. You also need to think about yourself for a minute!! But I think that was part of the point of her character and her journey.
Overall, I thought the characters were really well developed. The romance was beautiful, and I just wish we had MORE of it. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the slow burn, and the separation almost ended me, but the payoff was worth it.
There’s so much heart and care in this book, and I also loved how much it talked about living in NYC (although sometimes it was too much lol)
Lovely book. So emotional. A story about breaking old patterns, seeing life and the world through different lenses, and realizing how many, many, many misunderstood truths can shape the way we see the people we love.
Hate to love, but then friends to lovers. I loved them both so much. They had the cutest moments and some genuinely beautiful love confessions.
Teddi is a doll. So cute and anxious, like any other girl trying to figure out what the hell she’s doing with her life. I felt for her a lot. Her relationship with Gram was amazing, and the arc she developed with her mom genuinely made me cry. That said, as much as I liked Teddi, there was so much self-loathing that she kept framing as independence, control, and being free. I thought the book navigated that really well, especially once she meets Reid.
And oh, Reid. What a wonderful man you are. He listens, observes, and understands. The way he reads Teddi is so romantic. He doesn’t just fall for an idea of her, he starts loving her for who she actually is, as a whole person, and I loved that about him.
Teddi’s misunderstandings about the things her mom and Gram said or did were sometimes hard for me to follow because… girl, not everything is about you. You also need to think about yourself for a minute!! But I think that was part of the point of her character and her journey.
Overall, I thought the characters were really well developed. The romance was beautiful, and I just wish we had MORE of it. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the slow burn, and the separation almost ended me, but the payoff was worth it.
There’s so much heart and care in this book, and I also loved how much it talked about living in NYC (although sometimes it was too much lol)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.5-4 stars!!!
I’m so happy to have gotten to read London Sperry’s second novel early! I loved Passion Project and was so ready for her next book!
This is one of those books that falls right into the contemporary romance genres. It’s got the love story, the found family aspects, the angst, the banter, etc.
I loved Teddi. A Type A, New York loving girl whose afraid of change, and for very valid reasons. She’s got her whole life routine down just for it to all come crumbling down when a major part of her life chooses to change. We grow with her and deal with her stubbornness even when, as readers, we know deep down she’s wrong.
Then comes Reid, so similar to Teddi, yet so different. He has his own way of life and then Teddi walks in and completely changes him, but unlike Teddi, he’s willing to take that risk (even if it takes a while for him to realize).
“I am for you… I think you are for me.”
This would have been a 5 star book, but Teddi and Reid’s relationship felt like it wasn’t developed fully. Most of the book is a push and pull between them until the big moment where they finally give in. Teddi’s fears are still present and it seems like Reid is aware of that but somehow it still comes as a shock when she uses those fears to push him away.
It was still a really amazing book, I loved Teddi and her grandma’s relationship so much and them being there for each other through everything was really sentimental!
I’m so happy to have gotten to read London Sperry’s second novel early! I loved Passion Project and was so ready for her next book!
This is one of those books that falls right into the contemporary romance genres. It’s got the love story, the found family aspects, the angst, the banter, etc.
I loved Teddi. A Type A, New York loving girl whose afraid of change, and for very valid reasons. She’s got her whole life routine down just for it to all come crumbling down when a major part of her life chooses to change. We grow with her and deal with her stubbornness even when, as readers, we know deep down she’s wrong.
Then comes Reid, so similar to Teddi, yet so different. He has his own way of life and then Teddi walks in and completely changes him, but unlike Teddi, he’s willing to take that risk (even if it takes a while for him to realize).
“I am for you… I think you are for me.”
This would have been a 5 star book, but Teddi and Reid’s relationship felt like it wasn’t developed fully. Most of the book is a push and pull between them until the big moment where they finally give in. Teddi’s fears are still present and it seems like Reid is aware of that but somehow it still comes as a shock when she uses those fears to push him away.
It was still a really amazing book, I loved Teddi and her grandma’s relationship so much and them being there for each other through everything was really sentimental!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you netgalley for the arc of this book 🗽🩷
»»——— ᢉ𐭩 ———««
London Sperry is such an talented author, even though this is my first time reading their work, I can truly tell how captivated I was by their writting and I am lucky enough to get to read an early copy of this book because I fell in love with new York through teddy, the way she passionately she talks about the city is so enchanting but ofc her daily comfortable routine is shattered when her gram decided to sell their apartment and move elsewhere which breaks her and upon finding her grams belongings she find about her grams old lover hal, and she makes it her goal to reunite them so her grams stay in new York and she has to work with mmc ried as hal is his grandfather to fulfill this goal of her !!
This book was not just a normal romance where two people meet through their grandparents, fall in love and the end, it devels into much more imp topics on relationship with your own parents, how they shape you etc, the last 6 chapters even made me emotional, how her grams and hal decided to stay friends but our main couple found their way through them truly, much more imp things about book are their kiss omg their first kiss, it's written so beautifully and their banter was so so good as well !!
Over i really enjoyed this book 🤍
»»——— ᢉ𐭩 ———««
London Sperry is such an talented author, even though this is my first time reading their work, I can truly tell how captivated I was by their writting and I am lucky enough to get to read an early copy of this book because I fell in love with new York through teddy, the way she passionately she talks about the city is so enchanting but ofc her daily comfortable routine is shattered when her gram decided to sell their apartment and move elsewhere which breaks her and upon finding her grams belongings she find about her grams old lover hal, and she makes it her goal to reunite them so her grams stay in new York and she has to work with mmc ried as hal is his grandfather to fulfill this goal of her !!
This book was not just a normal romance where two people meet through their grandparents, fall in love and the end, it devels into much more imp topics on relationship with your own parents, how they shape you etc, the last 6 chapters even made me emotional, how her grams and hal decided to stay friends but our main couple found their way through them truly, much more imp things about book are their kiss omg their first kiss, it's written so beautifully and their banter was so so good as well !!
Over i really enjoyed this book 🤍
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Big thanks to Penguin Books for the ARC of this book! I adored Passion Project by London Sperry and I have been anxiously awaiting her next novel. This book officially solidifies London Sperry as one of my favorite authors of all time. I am mostly a romance reader and it it my absolute favorite to read books that are romance with lots of character development and depth. This book does that so well and I literally could not put it down.
The book follows Teddi, a 3rd generation New Yorker who has never really left the city and really doesn't want to. She is super happy in her little corner of the world and has a firm belief that New York is the best place in the world. She lives with her grandma and comes from a line of strong and independent women. When her grandma says she want to sell their Brooklyn brownstone, Teddi puts it upon herself to convince her otherwise. She learns that her grandmas is wanted for a reunion show of an iconic Broadway show that she starred in and does everything in her power to make it happen. This puts her in the orbit of the talent agent of her Gram's former co-star. Reid, the talent agent, does not want Hal to participate in the reunion show and make his opinion quite clear. The two of them are like oil and water, but somehow they are drawn to each other. Their acquaintance turned friendship turned something more is real and raw and beautiful to read. I also loved reading about how Teddi finds herself in the process and realized that NYC doesn't have to be her identity and that its okay to explore the world around her. I am sure this one will be a best seller and its well deserved. Infinity stars!
The book follows Teddi, a 3rd generation New Yorker who has never really left the city and really doesn't want to. She is super happy in her little corner of the world and has a firm belief that New York is the best place in the world. She lives with her grandma and comes from a line of strong and independent women. When her grandma says she want to sell their Brooklyn brownstone, Teddi puts it upon herself to convince her otherwise. She learns that her grandmas is wanted for a reunion show of an iconic Broadway show that she starred in and does everything in her power to make it happen. This puts her in the orbit of the talent agent of her Gram's former co-star. Reid, the talent agent, does not want Hal to participate in the reunion show and make his opinion quite clear. The two of them are like oil and water, but somehow they are drawn to each other. Their acquaintance turned friendship turned something more is real and raw and beautiful to read. I also loved reading about how Teddi finds herself in the process and realized that NYC doesn't have to be her identity and that its okay to explore the world around her. I am sure this one will be a best seller and its well deserved. Infinity stars!
September 13, 2026
Thank you Viking Penguin and NetGalley for the ARC.
Another enjoyable read from London Sperry. The way she captures NYC as a character itself and allows the city to feed into her main female lead. Teddi and Reid have such great chemistry I loveeeeed the banter. I thought Reid was such a well-created character and wish Teddi had that same depth to her. #seeatherapist I know her journey was part of the growth needed to drive the story but if Reid could communicate and learn to heal I wish we saw more of that earlier on with Teddi because she already was giving girlboss energy.
There's such great lessons in here about love and life and changing. I enjoyed seeing the generation of Cooper women and their interconnectedness. Family trauma does carry on. Even if we resist, we pick traits from those closest to us. The story even had pieces of friendship which were a good touch! Nice how this really had a bit of everything and captured the community of.... city people ba dum tss
But yeah Reid and Hal were awesome shoutout to the men obsessed with their women.
Another enjoyable read from London Sperry. The way she captures NYC as a character itself and allows the city to feed into her main female lead. Teddi and Reid have such great chemistry I loveeeeed the banter. I thought Reid was such a well-created character and wish Teddi had that same depth to her. #seeatherapist I know her journey was part of the growth needed to drive the story but if Reid could communicate and learn to heal I wish we saw more of that earlier on with Teddi because she already was giving girlboss energy.
There's such great lessons in here about love and life and changing. I enjoyed seeing the generation of Cooper women and their interconnectedness. Family trauma does carry on. Even if we resist, we pick traits from those closest to us. The story even had pieces of friendship which were a good touch! Nice how this really had a bit of everything and captured the community of.... city people ba dum tss
But yeah Reid and Hal were awesome shoutout to the men obsessed with their women.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received my copy via NetGalley! All opinions are my own!
3.75/5 stars!
Something about two people who seem to absolutely hate each other, then realize they really don't, just gets me.
I will say... I'm not the biggest fan of Teddi. I get being a little bit of a control freak, but she is maybe the number one control freak and is very set in her ways. It gets a little much at times, and I wanted to shake some sense into her. She does eventually have some growth, but as a character, she was just a lot for me.
That being said, I did love the story. Hal and Edith getting to go back to something they loved was so sweet. Reid was a fun character and a great opposite to Teddi. He definitely gave her a little push towards realizing she can't control everything... sometimes you need to go with the flow.
My advice: If you're not a fan of slightly problematic family dynamics (parental, mostly maternal, issues), then maybe don't pick this one up.
3.75/5 stars!
Something about two people who seem to absolutely hate each other, then realize they really don't, just gets me.
I will say... I'm not the biggest fan of Teddi. I get being a little bit of a control freak, but she is maybe the number one control freak and is very set in her ways. It gets a little much at times, and I wanted to shake some sense into her. She does eventually have some growth, but as a character, she was just a lot for me.
That being said, I did love the story. Hal and Edith getting to go back to something they loved was so sweet. Reid was a fun character and a great opposite to Teddi. He definitely gave her a little push towards realizing she can't control everything... sometimes you need to go with the flow.
My advice: If you're not a fan of slightly problematic family dynamics (parental, mostly maternal, issues), then maybe don't pick this one up.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Buckle up! City People offers multiple love stories skillfully woven together under one cover. Once again, London Sperry is not afraid to challenge readers with a complex cast of characters who take us on a journey of realness… joy, sadness, frustration, anger, passion, tension, empathy, patience, laughter, mystery, nostalgia, acceptance, desperation, loyalty, discovery, hope… and, of course, love. Beautifully imperfect, sometimes messy, worth the risk, LOVE. We not only get to see Teddi and Reid rise above their respective childhood wounds to find love in each other, but we also get to see them grow a stronger love for themselves. Their worlds get bigger because of it. City People is chock full of playful banter, tender moments, steamy intimacies, personal epiphanies, and insider glimpses into Brooklyn and Manhattan. A fun ride! Loved it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
London Sperry has officially mastered the perfect NYC romance. I loved Passion Project for its heartfelt love story, layered characters, and vivid New York setting, so I couldn’t have been more excited to find that same magic in City People.
Teddi and Reid are the kind of love story that pulls you in from the very beginning. I was completely invested in them and their relationship all the way to the final page. And a special shoutout to Hal and Gram, who have officially earned a very special place in my heart.
If you love NYC, romance, and a dash of Broadway glamour, City People is a must read. Truly one of those books you never want to end.
Teddi and Reid are the kind of love story that pulls you in from the very beginning. I was completely invested in them and their relationship all the way to the final page. And a special shoutout to Hal and Gram, who have officially earned a very special place in my heart.
If you love NYC, romance, and a dash of Broadway glamour, City People is a must read. Truly one of those books you never want to end.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley for the early read!
I like Passion Project by this author so I wanted to like this too but I just couldn’t get into it. The FMC is constantly infantilized by everyone around her and the interactions with the MMC feel forced and out of character for her. People in her life are keeping all kinds of information from her, things that drastically affect her life, and when she finds out she’s not as mad or upset as she should be she just goes back to acting like a child. I wanted so bad to like this book but it’s just not for me.
I like Passion Project by this author so I wanted to like this too but I just couldn’t get into it. The FMC is constantly infantilized by everyone around her and the interactions with the MMC feel forced and out of character for her. People in her life are keeping all kinds of information from her, things that drastically affect her life, and when she finds out she’s not as mad or upset as she should be she just goes back to acting like a child. I wanted so bad to like this book but it’s just not for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2,5⭐️
I was expecting to like this one as much as I liked Passion Project, but it was unfortunately not the case.
The mix of women's fiction and romance is something that usually draws me in, and the book was, in fact, promising. The story and the banter between the leads were great, but halfway through, it just wasn’t as interesting anymore. I think the fact that the build-up of the relationship felt a bit too rushed made it hard to keep being invested.
I think some people might enjoy it, though.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.
I was expecting to like this one as much as I liked Passion Project, but it was unfortunately not the case.
The mix of women's fiction and romance is something that usually draws me in, and the book was, in fact, promising. The story and the banter between the leads were great, but halfway through, it just wasn’t as interesting anymore. I think the fact that the build-up of the relationship felt a bit too rushed made it hard to keep being invested.
I think some people might enjoy it, though.
Thank you to NetGalley for the arc.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.25/5
I really liked Passion Project (the other book I've read by this author), so I was really excited for this one. And it just sounded fun!
I, sadly, didn't like it nearly as much as that other book. I just found it so much harder to get into these characters than the ones in Passion Project. They felt a bit too flat for me.
I really do like the cover though. That really caught my eye.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
I really liked Passion Project (the other book I've read by this author), so I was really excited for this one. And it just sounded fun!
I, sadly, didn't like it nearly as much as that other book. I just found it so much harder to get into these characters than the ones in Passion Project. They felt a bit too flat for me.
I really do like the cover though. That really caught my eye.
Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!
Did Not Finish
September 13, 2026I am so sad to do this, but I had to DNF. Let me preface this, I loved Passion Project last year, but the writing in this book was so different. Im getting YA vibes. I was considering DNF at 25% and made myself push through since I received it as an ARC. 60% in and I’m frustrated…Teddi is unlikable and feels immature. Sadly I am not vibing with any of the characters, dysfunction, poor communication, and nothing has happened 60% in. Maybe just not the book for me!
September 14, 2026
I can’t prove it but Reid Fletcher went to the Anthony Bridgerton school of being extremely annoying AND extremely sexy
(parts of this were a little uneven for me but I had fun! The angst and emotional climax in the third act really did win me over - and it totally felt like the ending of the kind of play the in universe story is paying homage to. also Teddi is representation for the girls who fear change so much they’ll let stagnancy hollow them out from the inside)
(parts of this were a little uneven for me but I had fun! The angst and emotional climax in the third act really did win me over - and it totally felt like the ending of the kind of play the in universe story is paying homage to. also Teddi is representation for the girls who fear change so much they’ll let stagnancy hollow them out from the inside)
Review of advance copy received from Author
Surprising no one, I am once again feral for a London Sperry book! City People is a triumph of fear, love, and change, and I could not love it more. Sperry’s books are excellent blends of humor, angst, and heartfelt moments that dig into the core of what it means to be human and what it means to love. I need her next one immediately!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Was I blessed to read an early copy of City People? Yes.
Am I counting down the days until I can read the final version? Also yes.
Reid and Teddi have my whole heart and reading this book felt like spreading your wings while simultaneously coming home.
Am I counting down the days until I can read the final version? Also yes.
Reid and Teddi have my whole heart and reading this book felt like spreading your wings while simultaneously coming home.
Review of advance copy
A cute New York and theatre infused romance! I loved Teddi and Reid’s banter-forward and rich romance. The overall themes of home, family, and change make this story sing! I also loved Hal and Gram’s story. A must-read!
Want to Read
September 4, 2026I'm ready to make this book my whole personality for Spring 2027
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What an insanely unhealthy family relationship… do any of them actually talk to each other???
This level of miscommunication would be my 13th reason.
This level of miscommunication would be my 13th reason.
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