Interesting idea but the style of writing meant that it became increasingly difficult for me to believe that this was supposed to be the voice of a 40 year old. I battled through it but found it underwhelming.

Gillian’s experience in Glen Ellen Academy as an scholarship’s student was bittersweet. Twenty years later she is back to work as a dorm mother after her career as a successful publicist just has imploded. Will she finally fit it or will all her insecurities and fears crush her again? A lovely story about friendship, second chances, being brave and finding your heart.

This is one of those reads where the preview had me chomping at the bit to dive in, but sadly it wasn't as great as it first seemed. I feel like the story, narrative and plot had so much potential but they never quite reached the heights they set themselves up for. I felt like the character of Gillian and the plot of leaving the city to become a dorm mom could have had so many fun ups and downs, but instead it felt forced in places, boring in others and sometimes just felt like I was reading a story with the wrong characters. The elite college kids weren't given enough space to be more than their appearance and their relationship with Gillian felt shallow, and not in a privileged way but as in they would barely skim the surface of these characters.

In general the whole story was an easy read, mildly pleasing but overall a disappointed when you thought about what could have been had they all just dug a little deeper

I enjoy novels set on campuses but I couldn’t get into this one. There were too many characters and I had no luck becoming invested in any of them. I also thought the plot lines were unrealistic. I thank NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC but it was a DNF for me.

When Gillian’s successful, high-profile PR career publicly suffers a blow she can’t come back from, the boarding school where she attended high school 20 years ago offers her a position as a dorm mom. Gillian confronts some insecurities from her past while navigating a new city and new career.

While this could have been a great concept, I think there were a few too many storylines, the characters were unrealistic, the conflicts were uninteresting and the complete ease with which every situation just seems to work out for Gillian made for a boring, uneventful read that was really neither plot nor character driven.

I finished this one, but it really was a struggle. And I’ll preface this by saying that I really hate giving less than flattering reviews.

A 38-year-old well-known publicist to the stars shuts down her NY business following MeToo reveals of misdeeds by some of her clients. She is invited back to Sonoma, CA to serve as a dorm room mom at the private boarding school she attended on scholarship as a teenager. Being back on campus brings back memories of a “scandal” her senior year involving a love triangle between her and her best friend falling for the same boy. He still lives in the area, and his daughter is a resident in her dorm (of course).

This story and the character development are all over the place. First, the 38-year-old Gillian is incredibly immature both in some of her actions and her resistance to moving on from the past. For example, she says she deserves more than Aiden (her “scandal” from high school) only to pine (one paragraph later) that she would probably take him back because he feels like the love of her life, and she doesn’t want to feel like her HEA has passed her by. Second, she is as self-absorbed as her spoiled charges as we see how “only she” can handle two PR crises that pop up at the school. She is over-the-top lauded as the best dorm mom/PR handler by students, parents and faculty alike while continuing to make irresponsible and bad spur-of-the-moment choices. Third, conversely to her apparent self-confidence, she is inexplicably OK with being used by Aiden not once but twice.

OK, just enough. Suffice it to say that I connected in no way to any character in this book, and in my defense can only site a need to see if there was any redeeming value at all in finishing it. Unfortunately, that answer would be a “no” for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group/Dutton for providing the free early arc of Room and Board for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

My God this disappointing. I thought I was getting a nice second chance story but the characters were cartoon sociopaths, the situations were unbelievable [WHO GETS A JOB LIVING WITH STUDENTS WITHOUT AN INTERVIEW OR A BACKGROUND CHECK?] Who acts as a publicist for free?? What reputable boarding school has a secretary NOT the finance depth doing the books??
Why does Bunny play the victim so often?? Is she a sociopath?
I truly thought for a large portion that Gillian was imagining her relationship with Aiden. There was not even the faintest whiff of chemistry.

A publicist, whose career has been derailed, moves back to Northern California to her old boarding school to be a dorm mother.

These kinds of books are the ones I wished there were more of - just calm people, character-driven, very easy to read. The people aren't too annoying, there's not a lot of drama, and it has a very mature protagonist. As a protagonist, I loved Gillian - she's had a life and she's ready for change and reset, and she has a good head on her shoulders.

I also loved the setting - just wine, cute little vineries, and a whole lot of fun traditions. The children in the school were as immature as you'd expect high schoolers to be. I would love more such books and can't wait to read the author's debut and can't wait to see what they do next!

I have lots of thoughts about Miriam Parker's Room and Board. But, I think I have to preface it all to say...I don't think this was the right book for me. And that's completely on me, as a reader. I selected the ARC and read it, even though, genre-wise, it was a bit out of my wheelhouse.

I will say, I liked Gillian. The author has a great voice as a writer and Gillian came through sharp and clear as a character. Her insecurities and pitfalls: she wore her heart on a sleeve and, as a reader, I believed in her as our protagonist. I also liked the setting. I'm not sure if Glen Ellen was based on somewhere the author knew, but it felt very real either way. The traditions, the quirky culture...it all fit together nicely.

I have more to say, but again, I think that most of what I disliked really comes because I'm not the right audience for the novel. I don't trust book reviewing sites much anymore with negative feedback, so I'll leave it at the positives.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ebook ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are mine alone.

In my head I thought this was going to be like the clique series that I grew up reading (in that there’s a private school and drama and cliquey girls). What I was not prepared for was the amount of immaturity here. Maybe because I didn’t connect with the characters, not sure.

Thank you for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and didn’t want to put it down! I loved the story of a former student who returns to the boarding school as a dorm mom. I hope to read more books from this author!

I didn't particularly enjoy this book. I almost finished it, (couldn't be bothered with the epilogue). I felt like I was reading Enid Blyton, 'Mallory Towers', for adults - I was just waiting for the anchovy paste to come out. It's a book you might read to pass a train journey, but don't expect any depth of plot, or indeed, character.

"High school: the original cancel culture."

During most of high school, Gillian Brodie had been an outsider looking in. More than two decades later, she is now back at her alma mater as dorm mother.

"I promise this isn’t the worst thing that will ever happen to you and the only person who will remember it is you."

Room and Board made for a quick, warm read. When Gillian’s publicist side was suddenly needed at her old high school (an isolated, private boarding school), her move from New York to California came across as fateful since she was now able to do what she knew best and enjoyed in a much friendlier atmosphere. As readers, while we don’t get to meet a lot of the wards in her dorm, it was wonderful to see Gillian be the ‘cool adult’ and steer them in the right direction whenever required.

This one comes out next month! Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for approving an advance copy.

"Protect your heart at all costs."

Room and Board, by Miriam Parker, only evokes a mediocre “ehhh” from me. If I’ve spelled that wrong, I’ll clarify... it’s just so-so. The storyline was slow-building, the characters were not very interesting and the direction the book took was a bit predictable. Nonetheless, it was a quick read and may very well be entertaining to others.

Thank you for an advanced copy of this book!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Women's Fiction
Pub Date: August 16, 2022

This was an enjoyable book that was a really quick read. Sometimes, you just need a palate cleanser book, and Room and Board fit that need!

Was the story a little unrealistic? Yes. Were the kids at the school a bit insufferable? Also yes. But, somehow, it worked. The student/mentor aspect of the story gave each character purpose, and I am always a sucker for a good redemption story. I thought the representation for the Me Too movement was fairly well executed, and the story is written in a way that flows nicely.

The story is, ultimately though, fairly forgettable in a sea of really good releases this summer. I don't see myself re-reading this one or reaching for more work by this author honestly. The story was good when I read it, but not something I will likely revisit.

I received this book as a complimentary copy from the author via NetGalley in return for an honest review and I am sorry but I did not particularly like it. I didn't empathise or even like Gillian as a character. I found her self-centred and immature. The whole premise was a bit shaky-why would a prestigious and expensive Girls' School offer a disgraced ex-student a sensitive job like that. Surely the wealthy parents would have objections?

Fantastic! Now one of my favorite books of 2022! I love books based in boarding schools and this one has a strong female MC who gets her life back. Perfect setting, awesome characters and I can’t wait to read more from this author. Thank you to my book friend Susan @bryantparkbooks on Bookstagram for encouraging me to read it.

Thank you to the publisher for my copy. All thoughts are my own.

Gillian Brodie: a renowned but failed publicist is offered a job as a dorm mother to her old boarding school. But what happens when a certain activity is bound to slowly destroy the safe place of the school?

It was such an entertaing book. It was so easy to read and it definitely made me feel nostalgic, especially reading the flashbacks of Gillian's time in school. Adolescence is such a difficult time period, and we definitely see this with Freddy and Farrah and Bunny buy on a different perspective. The lovely siblings just want to be themselves without having everyone telling them who they have to be, and Bunny, even though I think she tried really hard to be shallow, but in reality she was just a kid who wanted to be given attention. I'm still puzzled about Aiden's character, I still don't like him and I think Lila was right about him. Finally, I hope there's a spin-off some day about Miranda's life or how she's turned out to be, it would certainly be interesting!

The narration was attention-catching, dialogues certainly contributed to the progress of the story, especially the talk between Gloria and Gillian. I would have liked to be a student in Gem Academy having either one of those two as a dorm mother. It was such a brilliant setting with a good story!

I wanted to like this. I really did. But the overall story just felt very immature, like what a 17-year-old would expect a mid-late 30s woman's life and drama would be like. The main conflict was anti-climatic, the characters were not well fleshed out, and the dialogue was cheesy. This is the closest I've come to DNF in a long time because it was just FINE. Not good, not terrible, just...fine.

This book was a cute rom com. I wasn’t sure what to really expect but the book kept moving and made me want to keep reading to find out what happened with Gillian!