I loved the message behind The Roommate. Normalizing female pleasure and promoting sex-positivity; I'm in. Throw in a forced proximity relationship and that made it even better!

Clara at the beginning I thought she was rather stupid for moving cross country to try to get with Emmett who then ditches her. I loved that she was stuck with Josh Conners aka Josh Darling and how much she learns about herself from being roommates with him.

My only complaint is that I felt that this book needed more. This story has a lot to unpack and it might have needed some more pages to do that.

Socialite, good girl and PhD Clara decides to drop everything and move from Connecticut to LA to chase her longtime crush. On day 1, he is suddenly leaving town and she finds herself with a new craigslist roommate (who just happens to be a hot male porn star). “A celebration of sex and pleasure that didn’t make any apologies.”

Almost every one of my romance reading friends told me I would love this book - and they were right! This was a great forced proximity, opposites attract, steam filled story!! Josh was attentive, sweet and always worried about Clara’s needs (...all of them). Clara was a great character - spoiled upbringing, but educated and doing her best to make positive changes in her life.
I was prepared for steam going in, but what I didn’t expect from this book was for it to be so very sex positive. Danan gives an open and different take on intimacy, pleasure and learning about your own sexual needs all while incorporating a great love story. It was unexpected, unapologetic and a fresh take on romance!
My only critique was that I wish it had been written in first person so I could feel those emotions even more, but that is totally personal preference.

Thank you to @berkleyromance and @netgalley for the ebook in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for letting me read the ARC of The Roommate by Rosie Danan. An honest review was requested but not required.

I wasn’t sure what to think about this book. The premise sounded interesting, but contemporaries aren’t my absolute favorite of the romance genre (too hard to be sucked in to another world when that world has all the annoyances of MY world, ha ha) and the cover looked VERY “chick lit” in a way that made me pause. Luckily it was an eBook, so my husband couldn’t see it and give me grief. Not that I CARE about getting grief from him, it’s just another annoyan- OK, I’m getting off track here.

So I was pleasantly surprised by Clara from the get-go. I wasn’t really into the “Wheaton curse” but the idea of doing (fairly stupid) things for unrequited love really resonated with me. That was my entire high school experience, frankly. WTH was I thinking, LOL. I can also really identify with the idea of having to live up to family expectations.

I also really liked Josh. It made total sense that he would be electrically charming. I’m glad that they got to enjoy being roommates and seeing the less appealing side of each other as it made the attraction feel more genuine. The, uh, initial encounter felt a little “set up” but frankly, it reminded me of an adult film (you know, with the preposterous “meet cute” encounters that segue directly into explicit sex 0_o) which was both ironic considering the book’s plot, and perfect.

At first I wasn’t sure about Clara’s business proposal – could someone as starchy and repressed and neurotic as she was really be a business partner (and funding source) for an XXX-rated enterprise? It seemed like a big personality swing. But on the other hand I really appreciated the sex-positivity of the plot. Why SHOULDN’T Clara expand her horizons? That’s why her denial of Josh at the movies hit me so hard. I felt she owed more of an apology to him than what he got. She was all about making women feel less marginalized and more positive about sex, but I never felt she truly made the leap to seeing Josh with the same eyes. I would have preferred for her to reconcile her feelings and her attitude towards Josh in combination with her family issues on-page. *That’s* the part that I was really waiting for and it never really materialized in the book. If it had, this would be an easy five-star for me.

There is a lot to like though: the friendship between Clara and Josh was excellent and I personally think their chemistry – especially from Josh’s side – is supernova-hot. I loved that Clara got Josh into vegetables. I loved that Josh taught Clara to drive. They were really good for each other in- and outside of the bedroom. And frankly, I LOVED Naomi. I would like to see the author write a book for her and whatever lucky lady or gentleman catches her eye for good.

Would happily recommend this book to anyone looking for a steamy, and I do mean STEAMY, contemporary romance.

I so love the message behind The Roommate. Normalizing female pleasure and promoting sex-positivity? I'm in. Throw in a forced proximity relationship and I'm ALL in.

The Roommate follows uptight, east coast socialite, Clara Wheaton, as she becomes unlikely roommates with Josh Conners aka Josh Darling, a porn star who oozes more sexuality than Clara knows what to do with. Clara moves across the country from richy-rich Greenwich, CT to LA to finally profess her love to her childhood best friend, Emmett...only to find out he's sublet his room for the summer to Josh. So instead of pulling out the childhood photos and reminiscing herself into the romance she's been desperate for, Clara is living with a stranger who's had more sexual encounters in a week than Clara has had in her whole life. And she can't stop staring at his crotch...

Their relationship has a complete opposites attract vibe, and it was fun to read about Clara and Josh opening up to each other and realizing they might be made for each other when both think that shouldn't be possible. Clara surprises Josh with her open-mindedness and Josh surprises Clara with his emotional depth and empathy. Both characters grow immensely throughout the story.

My only complaint about this book is that it failed to hold my attention at times. This is a book that I could easily cruise through in a day, but it took me longer because I kept getting pulled out of the story by one thing or another. I think Clara's familial reputation was a silly plot point - you don't have to have a rich family to have them be hesitant for you to date a porn star, unfortunately. Also, I'm from CT and never seen a "society page"...Granted, I've never done more than drive through Greenwich, but so much of Clara's inner conflict revolves around her uptight family, yet we don't encounter them before the epilogue. There would have been enough conflict without this worry being one of them. The conflict within the book is wrapped up pretty quickly after a couple of declarations of love, but I would love to read more about Shameless and how it takes down the porn industry, rather than having all the loose ends tied up in a short epilogue. This story has a lot to unpack and it might have needed some more pages to do that.

On a petty point, I really think the book should have been titled Shameless and not The Roommate - it feels like a generic title that emphasizes one minor point of the book. Shameless would have encompassed everything this book revolves around in a nice one-word package.

Despite some minor criticisms, I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to what Rosie Danan writes next.

Super enjoyable read. It was funny, sexy, and Josh and Clara had great chemistry. It felt fresh and modern while still following the familiar "opposites attract" trope. Recommended for romcom fans!

What can't be said about this book? It's romantic. It's sexy as hell. It's got a lead in command of her sexual agency. It's everything you're looking for in a saucy romance since the Kiss Quotient and more.

When Clara Wheaton finds herself the roommate with LA's, actually the world's hottest male adult film star Josh Darling, she's finds herself challenged inside and outside the bedroom. Her WASP family's been plagued with scandals for years, and she can't have yet another one added to their history. Josh's is at the top of the adult entertainment game but he can't get seem to get compensated for all his talents. The two strike up and kinship and start up their own business - one aimed at educating couples within the bedroom. Sparks fly.

I love love loved this book. Clara is relatable as heck, Josh is sexy and kind. Hell, even his ex adult film star Naomi is likable. Read it in one day as it was impossible to put down.

Thank you Net Galley, Rosie Danan and Berkley for allowing me to read this ARC. Going up in my top romances alongside Kiss Quotient and Crazy Stupid Bromance. If you want a steamy romance with heart this is it.

I was looking forward to this one. Especially after reading the blurb! It’s just wasn’t for me. It was a bit flat and took me some time to get used to the style of writing.

I have been excited about the Roommate for a while. A steamy rom-com um YES, PLEASE! So I had some pretty high expectations going in and they were most certainly met.
Clara could have been a super annoying character, she was an entitled woman who moves to LA for a guy. But she was completely loveable. The way she reacted to almost everything was unexpected and delightful. I thought she would zig and she totally zagged. Josh is everything he’s super charming and loveable and the perfect rom-com hero! And sexy oh so sexy. Together they were totally adorable and I loved that they brought about the best in one another. They totally built each other up and that’s how relationships should work.
This book was funny like I laughed out loud a couple of times. And it was steamy for a rom-com. I mean the hero is a porn star so…there is certainly going to be some steam. I enjoyed the story a lot, how both of these characters find a way to grow and gain confidence when they need it. Now there were a couple of times, as often happens when I wanted to slap these two!
This was a cute rom-com and I highly recommend it.

this was legit the romance of my dreams???

like, how can two characters be so flawed & yet still so perfect?

i felt like this one was the perfect amount of steamy, the perfect amount of pure romance, && so much swoon i kinda want to melt into a puddle & never get back up.

i have to say that i really appreciated the way in which this book went about talking about the adult entertainment industry. it made it so much more ... real? i guess.

also, always down for positive sex talk.

okay, moral of the story - this book was the best binge. i read it in an afternoon & i wish i could read it all over again for the first time.

if you love a good sex positive, steamy romance, read this book!

thanks berkley for the arc. i can’t wait to get a physical copy in my hands!

4.25 ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⁣⁣After seeing rave reviews for The Roommate by @rosiedanan I was so excited when I got approved for it on Netgalley, and all I can say is....
This book lives up to the hype and was seriously funny! I found myself bursting out laughing numerous times through out the book. I loved Claras inexperienced character mixed with Joshs very well experienced character it made for some amazing moments of sexual tension and some super steamy scenes! This books is the epitome of a good romcom and a phenomenal debut novel! I can’t wait to see what else this author has in store for us.

It took me a few chapters to fall into the story, but once I did - I couldn't stop! I loved Clara and Josh. Clara was so relatable to me as a people pleaser and someone who has their own idea of how things should be. I loved watching her grow and change and watching Josh do the same but in his own way. The steam was perfect. It was so emotional and added to the story in the best way. I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the free copy in exchange for an honest review!⁣
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The Roommate features Clara Wheaton, a socialite who has just left home to move in with her best friend. She has been in (unrequited) love with this best friend for a long as she can remember. On their drive out to LA he drops a bomb on her letting her know that even though she has deserted her life to move across the country with him, he will actually be dropping her off to her new home and roommate and leaving to go on tour with his band.⁣
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Josh is a porn star. He doesn’t do relationships, he loves pastries, he’s being bullied by the adult film industry, he’s working with his ex, and he’s Clara’s new roommate. What could go wrong? More importantly, what could go right? 🔥 ⁣
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This book has all of the steam as well as a slow burn when it comes to emotional romance. The characters are enjoyable and funny, the subplots within each character’s lives are engaging and interesting, and this book is addictive. ⁣
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If you’re looking for a lighter and sexy read, definitely recommend this one! That is not to say it doesn’t have depth. This book explores how society views sex, especially when it comes to women’s needs and desires. The chemistry between characters was palpable. Four stars and full 🔥. ⁣

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC.

This book is STEAMY. I went into it completely blind and I was definitely not expecting the plot. But I loved it. This book is filled with sex positivity, sweet moments, and characters coming to understand themselves.

Definitely recommend if you are a romcom fan.

This book had me SWEATING. I think romcom tropes can get over done but this one has a special spin.. the main guy is porn star? Alright Rosie, sign me up.

I think this is such a fun and unique book that while has the romance aspect also brings light to how society views sex and how it really should be viewed. Sex and porn is seen as something taboo, but The Roommate does an excellent job of showing that these are normal things in our every day lives.

I think the characters are extremely likable and I loved the chemistry between them. While we may not all be socialites like Clara, I think a lot of women will find her relatable when it comes to the bedroom and her journey of self exploration.

This is a lovely debut and I am very excited to read her next book.

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkley Publishing, and Rosie Danan for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved it so much I’ve preordered a physical copy!

I dare say that I may have come across the perfect romance book for men and women in THE ROOMMATE by Rosie Danan.

Bear with me here. It is witty. It is funny. It is sexy. It is steamy. It tells the story from both perspectives. And dare I say it explores the sexual needs of a woman, which BOTH men and women can benefit from. Sorry y’all, I told you it was steamy. 🥵 Oh and it is very OPEN door.

Clara is an East Coast heiress and as buttoned up as one can be when she first arrives in LA. She has one thing on her mind. Winning the heart of her childhood crush, Everett. But to her great disappointment, she quickly learns that he is going off to tour with his band and has rented out his extra room to some guy he found on Craigslist.

Enter Josh. Josh is a California native and he is gorgeous. He also happens to be incredibly sweet. Oh, and did I mention he is a porn star? That’s right my friends, he is Josh Darling, the hottest guy to hit the x-rated screen. Which Clara learns all about after falling down an internet rabbit hole.

The thing is, these two are the epitome of opposites attract. Their chemistry is HOT! The tension between them is nail biting. They just need to get out of their own way and let things happen.

That is all you are getting from me. Because I think that y’all should read this one. It releases 9/15/20.

What a fun read! Sexy, funny, loving, and an all around great time.

"The roommate" follows a 27 year old woman named Clara who find herself at a crossroads. Having always felt in the shadow of her socialite family, Clara spent years in school trying to avoid being an adult and actually doing something for herself. After graduating with a PhD, Clara decides to throw her fate to the wind and fly across the country to make it work with a guy she's loved since childhood; maybe this will be the life change she's been desiring. If you didn't think that would work out well, you were right. Just as she enters her new home, the supposed 'love of her life' walks out, leaving here with a stranger for a roommate... a stranger who just happens to be the opposite to her in every way including the fact that he is a famous porn star.

Beyond the obvious fact that this book is erotic and romantic, it is actually a fun novel that touches on feminist themes of pleasure and putting oneself first. An absolute joy of a read!

This was so much fun! What seemed like a fairly typical romance on the surface (girl moves in with hot roommate) turned into a really different and unique story once you find out what the roommate does for a living. Loved how the author incorporated the concept and really appreciated the modern perspective and how is impacted each characters development.

Wow, this is up there in my list of all time favorite romances! If you had told me a story about an uptight socialite and a porn star could be this steamy AND sweet I would have laughed at you, but Danan manages to accomplish so much by creating complex characters with dynamic personalities and understandable insecurities. Absolutely loved every minute!

Oh wow, where to begin! I honestly wasn't sure I'd love a book described as "raunch" com. I definitely prefer edgy rom-com to super sweet, but I feared "raunch" might be over-the-top for me. I had nothing to worry about! This brilliant author wrote the most romantic, swoon-worthy romance about...the porn industry! Yes, it was definitely steamy and centered around sexual fulfillment, but the chemistry between Clara and Josh went beyond the physical. I loved the voice, the humor, the character development, everything. I cannot wait for the author's second book!

WHOAAA! This was super fun and steamy. I loved Rosie Danan's writing style, immediately hooked me from the start. I picked this up at 8 pm and did not want to put it down. Definitely recommend. 4.5 stars! Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!