***3.5 Stars***
I’m a fan of the fake relationship/marriage of convenience trope and since I’ve never read a Christina Lauren book before (I know, I know. It’s just one of those things...I have a couple of them on the TBR list but things happen) and Roomies was a standalone I figured this would be a great opportunity to experience a CL novel and though I enjoyed the book overall, I find myself waffling over ti as well. Certain aspects of the story I loved like the characters and the pace at which Calvin and Holland’s romance progresses, but I also feel like I needed MORE. More of an emotional connection, more of them truly getting to know each other...just more.
Calvin and Holland were extremely likeable characters. Holland was a bit quirky and had a penchant for babbling when anxious. She is still trying to find her way when it comes what she wants to do with her, but she is working on it. She has a good heart and a generally positive outlook on life that made it easy to like her. Calvin is easy going and though he knows he is talented, doesn’t have a big head about it. And though he is in the country illegally, and his reasons are his own, he doesn’t just laze about. He’s got a good sense of humor, is quite charming and is grateful for the good that comes into his life.
As for their romance. I honestly loved how awkward they were in the beginning and the slow build of it all, that totally worked for me. What has me waffling though is that even as they became more to each other, it never felt as if they went deep with each other ~ or at least not as deep as I’d have like. They got along great and I loved their bantering and interactions, but the passion was missing for me. There are a bunch of bumps in the road, which for the most part I thought were handled well, but big issue towards the end just didn’t have the gut punch I wanted and neither did the way it was resolved because I need more fight from them and it just kinda fizzled. In the end, I liked them together and am happy they got their issues worked out.
Having never read a Christina Lauren book, I had no expectations going into Roomies and I honestly enjoyed the book, but I just didn’t love it as much as I wanted to. The writing was engaging and seamless and the pacing was good. And though the solo 1st person POV was done well, I honestly think that more depth would have been added to the story if it had been done as a dual POV, even if it was only for a handful of chapters. As for the secondary cast of characters, I ADORED Jeff and Robert and loved what they brought to the story. The others? Well, I like how things ended up with them. This may not have been an amazing read, but it was a fun one and has me wanting to check out their other books.
~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~
Rescued by Calvin McLoughlin from a would-be subway attacker, Holland Bakker pays the brilliant musician back by pulling some of her errand-girl strings and getting him an audition with a big-time musical director. When the tryout goes better than even Holland could have imagined, Calvin is set for a great entry into Broadway—until he admits his student visa has expired and he’s in the country illegally.
Holland impulsively offers to wed the Irishman to keep him in New York, her growing infatuation a secret only to him. As their relationship evolves from awkward roommates to besotted lovers, Calvin becomes the darling of Broadway. In the middle of the theatrics and the acting-not-acting, what will it take for Holland and Calvin to realise that they both stopped pretending a long time ago?
Release Date: December 5th, 2017
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