Y’ALL. THIS BOOK IS 🔥🔥🔥⁣
Seriously I finished this around midnight “yesterday” and WOW. I woke up today and the first thing I did was purchase a physical copy of this amazing book. I just have to say Rosie Danan has smoothly become one of my new favorite authors! The Roommate was such a ✨pleasure✨ to read!.
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Josh and Clara were such a perfect couple from the get-go. I loved how sweet they were with each other and how they just happened to fall in love without even realizing it. My favorite thing was Josh having such a soft spot for his roomie. The Roommate is full of characters who are good humans, Rosie Donan has incredible skills in being able to flesh these characters out and have us create emotional attachments to them.⁣
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But let’s talk about THE SEX! This is a “raunch-com” and it is absolutely divine! The perspective that is brought forward within the book about the adult entertainment industry is spectacular. It was part of a larger picture to discuss how sex workers are demonized because sex is considered such taboo in society.⁣
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If you aren’t convinced to give this one a chance yet, maybe my ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars rating will convince you!⁣ But seriously, run to this one!

One of the best romances I’ve read this year! Don’t be fooled by the cutesy cover, this one is hot and steamy, and there is much more to this one than meets the eye. Such a fun and fresh premise, cannot wait for the next book in the series!

The Roommate is Rosie Danan's debut novel and what a fun romantic comedy it is–one you don't want to miss! Instantly captivated by the blurb and cover, I knew this was a story I had to read.

Suffering from unrequited love, Clara Wheaton uproots her life in Greenwich and moves out to L.A. to live with her best friend, Everett, whom she's crushed on since forever but of course he's oblivious. Now, said friend is leaving for three months to tour with his band and she's stuck alone living with a total stranger who is renting a room. Enter Josh... well, hello there! This is where the fun truly begins *rubs hands together*. You will absolutely love Josh and all his swagger!

"DO NOT GOOGLE your porn star roommate. No good can come of it."

Uptight and shy Clara soon discovers that Josh is non other than Josh Darling, a very popular adult entertainer. You can say things become a bit awkward at first but soon their close proximity opens up a door for them to become good friends and with time feelings beginning to bloom.

Clara comes to Josh's rescue and decides to help him with a cause they both strongly believe in; essentially saving his career in the process. Soon the chemistry between the two becomes so strong they can't fight it any longer... but fear is a fickle b*tch.

“My love for you isn’t an addiction. Being with you doesn’t provide some warped sense of validation for my life. You were never a fling I had to get out of my system. Our love feels like... freedom. The kind people give their lives for.”

Sexy, funny, and so very sweet, The Roommate is just too irresistible! And happy news, Rosie recently announced a companion novel to this one, featuring a secondary character and I can't wait, Ekkk! 💃🏻


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Berkley through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.*

Going in to The Roommate, I knew little about it except that some friends read and loved it and it was apparently steamy. 😏 Considering I was already blushing around the 20% mark, I think it’s safe to say this one delivers on the steam factor. 😝 But what drew me in from the first page was the combination of the author’s whip-smart writing style, the engaging dialogue, and the refreshing new take on the roommate romance trope. ⠀
After Clara Wheaton moves across the country for a shot at romance with her longtime friend and unrequited crush, she finds herself unexpectedly saddled with a roommate she’s never met in a city she’s never been to. Her first act of rebellion after a lifetime of upholding a pristine reputation doesn’t exactly go according to plan, yet her new roommate, Joshua, might be just what she needs to shed the restraints of her family’s and society’s expectations.⠀
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With multifaceted, compelling characters, a slow-building, yet unabashedly erotic romance, and a narrative that’ll keep you riveted to every page, The Roommate is a must-read from Rosie Danan. This book destigmatizes a taboo subject and creates a modern love story that’ll resonate with any hopeless romantic. The Roommate was a 5 ⭐️ read for me and I can’t wait to see what the author comes out with next!⠀

This book caught me off guard in the best way! A WASP-y young woman moves across country to share a summer house with her childhood crush but instead ends up with a porn star for a roommate. While this setup could have been trite and formulaic, Danan writes all of her characters with such empathy that you want to hug every one of them! A really heartwarming sexy read from a new to me author.

The Roommate is the latest must-read romance. I went into without knowing much or having high expectations so I wasn’t overly disappointed that it still wasn’t THE rom-com that I so desire. (fyi - this isn’t a rom-com but is light, fun & sexy)

Even so, I found a lot to like & a few quibbles along the way.

Clara is a pampered socialite from the infamous Easy Coast Wheaton family. She tries to be the perfect daughter and never cause a scandal that will cause her mother to be disappointed in her, as has befallen so many in the family, including, recently, her brother. She does need a change though and decides to strike out on her own so she heads to LA to live with her best friend Everett, her lifelong crush, and to try to make him see her in a new romantic light. At the last minute Everette bails to go on the road with his band and instead sublets his room with a renter he found on Craig’s List.

Josh is said roommate and is messy and low-key in all the ways that Clara is organized and uptight. He’s pretty great about following her (laminated) list of rules and they make the best of an awkward situation until Clara finds out about Josh’s profession as a porn star.

I love how this book made Clara and Josh go outside their comfort zones without changing who they were at their core. Josh helps Clara push outside her sexual boundaries and reconsiders his judgement of rich socialites, while Clara sees there’s more to Josh and other workers in the industry. They're both good people who make each other even better.

There are sexy times but they both keep getting in heir own way of it becoming more because of Clara’s fear of causing another scandal for her parents and Josh being afraid of failing Clara as he did his parents (who he hasn’t spoken to) after getting into porn.

😍What I loved: Clara really learns to break out on her own. She makes unconventional and empowering choices in her professional life.

Josh is a good guy backed into a corner both personally and professionally. He could have made a lot of bad choices but he thought outside the box and I just really like how that all turned out - especially professionally for all involved..

Josh and Clara were adorable together. Honestly, their sex scenes fell kind of flat (& cliché) for me but I adored those little thoughtful gestures they did for each other & the long conversations they had. There’s also a great grand gesture moment.

😒The not so much: Clara and Josh have a lot of family baggage. This is a HUGE part of the story – it propels the romance and the conflict and wasn’t addressed enough for me. Or at all in one case.

The end was a pretty big letdown for me but overall - the driving force to a lot of these plotlines were ignored or wrapped up too quickly but I will say I'm happy to have read The Roommates. It was the light, sexy fun read I was looking for and solid on the romance front.

The Roommate was a refreshing debut by Rosie Danan that will literally knock your socks off! I loved every bit of it, there wasn't even one little thing that didn't work for me! It was such an unexpected delight. I laughed, laughed so hard I had tears, and then laughed some more. Seriously, by 10% in I was snort-laughing.

It was a perfect mixture of RomCom and steamy! I hadn't read many reviews of the book and mostly decided that I wanted to read The Roommate based on the synopsis... so the big reveal of Josh's profession blew me away. Rosie Danan is a romantic comedy genius! And don't even get me started on how awesome all the body positive messages were and the light that was shown on a industry that is shrouded in shame.

Clara and Josh had swoon-worthy chemistry and they just fit together perfectly. And that sexual tension was another level! The banter between the two of them was great. Their relationship felt like it had a realistic and genuine build up. I loved how Josh helped Clara come out of her shell and finally in to her own person. In return, Clara unknowingly pushed Josh to face his past and decide who he really wanted to be.

I adored Clara's naivety and bashfulness and totally appreciated her transformation. I am also so thankful to Rosie Danan for writing a 'Josh' that lives up to the others that have been some of my all time favorite male characters!

One other pleasant surprise was how much I liked Naomi! I was fully expecting her to be awful. Now I can't wait to see what is in store for her in The Intimacy Experiment!

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Debuts are really tricky thing to nail, but Rosie really knocked it out of the park with this one👏🏼 there have only been two* this year that have made me absolutely ~giddy~ w/ excitement for what the book is doing & what the author has in store, and The Roomate is 100% one of those books. Danan’s authorial voice is charming, endlessly funny, and ridiculously moving as she weaves the romance between Josh and Clara. The concept felt entirely fresh, and now I’m a total SIMP for Josh🥰

The Roommate centers on Clara Wheaton, who (ironically very much like Rebecca Bunch in one of my fave shows Crazy Ex Girlfriend) on a bit of a whim leaves her home and a promising career in NYC to move to LA and live with her best friend & childhood crush, Ethan. But her plans for an idyllic California summer with Ethan are dashed when he leaves minutes after dropping her off at his apartment to tour with his band. Leaving her with no job, no friends, and a frustratingly hot new roommate, Josh Conners. When Clara discovers he’s better known by the name Josh Darling: Porn Star & Clit Whisperer Extraordinare, this East Coast society girl’s life will never be the same (dun dun DUNNNN!!)

There was so much I loved about this book!! Besides how *fabulous* Rosie Danan’s writing is (what a fucking intro!!!!!) and the clever conceit of the story, I think she navigates the wold of adult entertainment with aplomb👌🏼 a good friend who’s worked as a sex worker remarked on how well she captured the banter/goofing around behind the scenes & how good the rep was!

But really what stole the show for me is Josh😍 I mean whats not to love about him??? He’s dedicated to women’s pleasure, he’s a total goner for Clara, and he’s so damn hot & respectful its kinda unfair? Like he’s so kind & just wants to take care of his partner💕 He’s the DREAMMM

Moral of the story, this is a *sublime* book & a stunning debut, snag a copy wherever you buy your books tomorrow!!! Thank you to @rosiedanan and @netgalley for my review copy💚💚💚

This was my first book by this author and I really liked it.

We follow our uptight, east coast socialite, clara, as she becomes unlikely roommates with josh, a laid back LA porn star with more charisma than clara knows what to do with. The opposites attract vibe of the story was really fun and I think the character's personalities complimented each other very well and the dialogue in this story was hilarious. This story also had so many heartwarming, cute moments of domesticity and I absolutely loved to see it. This was the forced proximity trope done right and this relationship was incredibly fun to read about.

The story also delves into discussions about sex positivity, sex education, and it simultaneously validates performers in the adult entertainment industry while also calling out the unsavory aspects of porn production that often leaves performers at risk mentally, emotionally, physically and/or financially. I really appreciated what the book had to say on these topics.

4.5

Another winner in the "Total Escapism from 2020" sweepstakes.

And talk about outside the box! Clara, our heroine, comes from a high powered, wealthy east coast family, from whom she escapes as she chases her lifelong crush. Who has offered her a place to stay. But when she arrives, it's to find a man-cave, and once again, her crush has eluded her.

Ordinarily I don't care for this particular trope, but Danan makes us believe in it. Clara is so emotionally buttoned up that there's no way she's going to see that the guy just isn't into her but can't find a way to let her know.

Meanwhile, there Clara is, on the west coast with no job. She wants to make her own way, to prove she can. So she gets a roommate, Josh, who is everything she isn't. To the max: his job, once she finds out what it is, so croggles her that. . . well, this is where my interest really kicked in.

The beginning was a bit skittish, especially when Josh turned up, but once Clara makes that discovery, things take off. Clara is on the road to self discovery--and so is Josh. Add a bunch of great side characters (shout-out to Naomi, who should have been that tiresome cliche The Nasty, Mean Other Woman, but is complex and awesome in her own way), and a compassionate look at the whole sex-worker trade, and you get this novel.

Another thing in the emotional stakes category that I especially liked was how Danan resolves the lifelong crush thing. There are many people who would rather be in love with a safe target--one that will never actually respond--whether it's a book boyfriend, or rock star, or a person in one's life one fantasizes about without their ever knowing--but this side of emotional issues is seldom dealt with well. I liked Clara's resolution here.

Another thing that cracked me up was Clara's language, her turns of phrase, especially when referring to intimate subjects of any kind.

A super sexy, hilarious close proximity romance!

This was a refreshing read with characters of different socioeconomic status and upbringing who unexpectedly become roommates and fall in love despite their differences. I loved how the author explored the world of sex workers in a way I was able to empathize and understand in a non judgemental way. I also enjoyed the openness to female sexual pleasure and how well it was handled.

Clara was raised in an elite, wealthy Connecticut family and lived her whole life trying to please her mother and confirm to their social norm. Having a love affair with porn star Josh was certainly not on her agenda. Their relationship starts off with sexual curiousity and sex extraordinaire Josh teaching prudish Clara how sex can bring her just as much pleasure for her as it does for him was hotness galore!

Aside from being downright sexy, Josh was super sweet! My heart hurt for him because he felt so inadequate. He didn't think he was good enough for a girl like Clara. Towards the end Clara's actions annoyed me because I felt that she was slightly degrading Josh. However, she really was acting out from her own inadequacies and I forgave her easily enough.

If you're looking for a unique sexy romance with humor, great banter and a heart melting hero then please try this one!

4 Stars
Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual
Heat Level: Moderate
HEA

The Roommate

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️- for originality
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️- for readability
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️- for romance.

Overall- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫 rounded up to 4 ✨.

Thank you so much to Berkley Pub for my advanced copy of the Roommate.

I enjoyed this one.

What I liked-

✨ The Plot- this book was unlike anything I’ve ever read in a romance novel. Props for being outside the box.

✨ The Writing- very enjoyable. I flew through this book.

✨ The Characters- very like able.

✨ The Roommate also takes on the mistreatment and abuse of sex workers.
I appreciated that it was talked about. It happens and is definitely wrong and needs to stop.

What Didn’t Work For Me-

✨ The Romance- please don’t come for me. This is totally a personal preference. When reading romance I want to read about a love interest that appeals to me.
I don’t want to date a porn star lol
I also did not care if these characters ended up together.

I still very much look forward to reading more by this author .

The Roommate is a fantastic Rom-Com debut that is hilarious, heartfelt and sexy!

Clara’s journey throughout this book was filled with growth from a girl who is scared to do anything that will not meet her families expectations beyond chasing after her childhood crush to a woman who discovers her passions and goals for a fulfilling life. I absolutely adored the interactions between Clara and Josh. While there were obstacles to overcome they had a connection that was undeniable. I will say that at the beginning I had a hard time with Clara and Josh as a couple given how quickly things moved but it felt like they got to know one another more and I loved how their relationship grew. The other characters were also well developed and popped off the page. I especially loved Naomi and I am hoping that she will come back with a story of her own.

This book also had a strong message about the stigmas surrounding the pornography industry and women embracing their own sexuality without shame. I really thought that was a well done in this story and it was something I wasn’t expecting when I first picked it up. I really enjoyed this one and am excited to see what Danan writes next!.

The Roommate definitely had a lot of potential. I had a lot of complicated feelings while reading it. That is, at times I was really enjoying it and having fun. But a lot of the time? I was so damn frustrated with the uneven pacing (more on that in a bit) and the heroine in particular.

So often, a pivotal scene would end out a chapter and the next chapter would start up days, even weeks later. These constant jumps would be annoying no matter what, but the thing is? Those jumps always just glossed over the tension and conflict that was supposed to be moving the characters, and the story, forward. So, for example, we'd go from Clara and Josh hooking up and then it's weeks later and they've just been -- what? Somehow avoiding each other even though they live and work together? They've not talked about anything, but the lack of talking and therefore awkward tension hasn't been enough to ruin things with them either? And now we're just jumping into something else and going to avoid that entirely for a few more chapters? Cool cool cool. [Not.] I get that a book cannot cover every minute, every discussion, every conflict on page. But the author/editor instead choose to pretty much avoid *every* bit of tension and resolution, which lead to a really uneven reading and conflict/resolution experience for the reader.

And while I get that Clara is dealing with the whole "spoiled pedigree girl trying to find herself", I really didn't connect to her or care about her struggles. Instead, the things she would do and say and avoid frustrated me to no end. Being hung-up on her family friend for 15+ years and still thinking it's magically going to turn into a love story? Haaaaaaate that damn trope and I really hated it here. Not talking to or about her family for 99% of the book and then throwing Josh's porn career and their new website in his face because "what will my family think??! boo hoo!"? So goddamn annoying. Also: didn't she have any friends? Ever? Because she never mentions them, either. Then again, neither does Josh, with the exception of his ex, of course. IDK, the friendship thing is a minor thing, but something that bugs m in romance novels: give your MCs friendships outside of their work or their partner, please.

Did this book have some fun scenes? Yes. Did it have some hot ones? Yes...eventually.

But those brief moments were not enough to completely overcome all the frustrations I had along the way. Sometimes I wanted to give this book 3 stars, max. Other times I wanted to bump it to a solid 4 star. So I'll leave it at a "it's complicated, 3 1/2 STARS".

The Roommate was probably at the top of my most anticipated romance novels of the year. I've had a soft spot for it ever since the deal was announced and I just inexplicably knew that it would be a book that worked in every way for me. Well, my instincts were right because I read The Roommate twice this year already and it's easily a favorite.

What I loved the most about The Roommate was how it managed to be very very sexy, but simultaneously one of the softest books I've read. The whole experience was wonderfully sublime and I couldn't get enough of it. Part of why the book worked for me was the characters who were absolute darlings. It was hard not to warm up to them because they were crafted and developed in an endearing way. Though Clara and I come from totally different socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, there were many parts of myself that I saw in her character. I felt all her anxiety as she made her big move from the East Coast to follow her long-time crush to California, only to have him leave her high and dry. Despite being someone who didn't necessarily like unplanned life upheavals, Clara handled the situation well - she reacted far better than I would have if I were in her shoes. It certainly helped that she had an adorable and very good looking roommate to show her the ropes and a good time, but I thought Clara dealt with the obstacles she faced with grace. We truly see Clara come out of her awkward shell, grow more independent, and find a creative outlet for her passion throughout the book. She faltered but always managed to show a lot of courage.

Her roommate, the biggest high-energy and most charismatic goofball you'll ever meet, Josh, was equally endearing. In terms of energy and emotional rigidity, Josh was the complete opposite of Clara, but once the author begins to dig into the layers of his character, we see that they weren't necessarily very different. Josh, like every human being, had his own fears and vulnerabilities though he was good at hiding them. I was thrilled that he was portrayed, completely the opposite of what I would expect an adult movie performer to be like. I also liked how astutely Rosie Danan depicted the porn industry. She humanized the performers but didn't shy away from highlighting the revolting people and practices rampant in the sex industry. There were several insightful conversations about sex and the power of female sexuality that I especially appreciated.

The romance between Clara and Josh will leave you all with big smiles on your faces. These two were adorable together and I found their banter to be so charming. I highlighted a ton of passages while reading The Roommate, and 90% of them were related to Josh and Clara engaging in back and forth dialogues. Them being roommate definitely helped in the intimacy department - umm hello forced proximity - and Josh also had the reputation of being a very generous lover, which Clara soon found out was nothing but the truth. I loved the balance between the sweet, simple scenes with the burn-your-Kindle-hot bedroom scenes. UGH. I loved Clara and Josh so much. Speaking of characters I love, I can't wrap up this review without shouting out my love for Naomi, Josh's co-star, and ex. Usually, exes in romance novels aren't portrayed very kindly, so imagine my utter delight when Naomi was the complete opposite of an evil ex. I don't want to talk too much about her because she's getting her own story in The Intimacy Experiment, but let me tell you, she is phenomenal and I may or may not love her more than Clara and Josh combined.

The Roommate is a terrific debut and I'm excited to watch Rosie Danan take the romance community by storm. As you can tell, this book owns my heart, and I hope you'll love it as much as I did.

All I knew about The Roommate was that it involved two strangers unexpectedly living together and there would be romance. But wow, that description doesn’t even begin to skim the surface of everything this book encompasses. Clara Wheaton is a Manhattan socialite who doesn’t fit any of the stereotypes that come to mind. She’s a people-pleaser, genuine, kind, a tad naive, smart, and pretty neurotic in an endearing way. (I kind of adored her.) After spending her life catering to her family’s wishes, she makes the impulsive decision to move to LA to live with her unrequited crush. Then said crush drops a doozy on her and announces that Josh will her roommate instead, not him. Hijinks of the best kind ensue and from the get-go, Josh comes across as funny, sweet, attentive, and definitely more of a risk-taker than her. She doesn’t realize it at the time but he’s famous on the Internet and when she (and I) find out why, the book takes an unexpected turn in the best of ways. I never would’ve imagined this topic being handled in a way that could be funny, sexy, and charming but author Rosie Danan makes it happen. And it’s really the underlying themes of taking control of your life, owning up to your mistakes, and believing that you’re worthy of love that make it work.

Do I recommend? Yes! I’ve been in a slump lately with review books, and this one finally got me out of that rut. It’s so fun and sexy and I highly recommend.

Clara Wheaton, yes, part of THE Connecticut Wheaton's, has always been the good girl and never gets into trouble or does the wrong thing. So when Clara's lifelong friend and secret crush, Everett Bloom, invites her to move to Los Angeles and move in with him, she throws caution to the wind and moves. Imagine Clara's surprise when upon her arrival Everett tells her he is leaving for the summer to tour with his band but she will have a roommate.......Josh " Connors" Darling.

As Clara and Josh get to know each other, they begin an interesting friendship. When Clara realizes what Josh does for a living, that is when things get really entertaining! After a while Clara realizes that she and Josh can help each other out with problems that they both have that could be beneficial to both of them. Clara also contacts her Aunt Jill, the black sheep of the family, and is offered a job helping out on a political campaign. Just when it looks like everything in her new life is starting to work out, it all comes crashing down. It will take a huge leap of faith, and a lot of internal processing for Clara to go after the life she really wants.

I really enjoyed this story, and especially the characters. Clara was so prim and proper and it was fun watching her bloom. Josh was just a hoot. I can't imagine what his life is really like. Overall this was a fun and entertaining story to read.

What a fun debut! This was such a fun romance with lots of steam. East coast socialite follows a crush across the country, and ends up with a roommate she didn't expect! Forced proximity romance, which is one of my favorite tropes. This wasn't without missteps: I didn't love Clara or her backstory, although she was fine. She was just so controlled by her family and their reputation, but yet we never even see her have a conversation with them on page - that took the air out of that storyline. I also think that there were some missed opportunities for great banter that didn't quite get there.

Overall, a good-hearted book and I'll be looking for the next in the series.

This book was so naughty. I didn't read the synopsis and the cover was so deceiving, I had no idea what I would find in it!! finished reading it in one day!

The Roomate was a fun and enjoyable read. The characters were well written and I loved their time together. It was fun watching Clara and Josh’s banter. They were absolutely so cute together, and I couldn’t get enough. It was also wonderful watching both characters grow, especially seeing Clara get out of her family’s thumb and come into her own. Highly recommend this one!