I think I liked the book for the same reasons why other people didn't.
While Rom-Coms are known for their fun banter, quirky characters and silly decisions, this one had something other books didn't have; relatable reasons.
.
Isla, the FMC, didn't one day make a decision to make as many dangerous and illogical choices as she could. She was kicked out of her apartment, dirt poor and stuck in a dead end job that didn't enable any use of her MBA that cost her piles of student loans. However, what made me relate to Isla and her choices so much was her relationship with her family. The constant pressure to be independent, the comparisons, and supporting the system that was the reason they were poor in the first place. Familial trauma misses a person so bad, and with constant feeling of being less than, it was no shock that Isla found it easier to camp in her office rather than ask for help.
.
Moving on to Cade, our MMC, I liked him enough. I really have nothing against him, he had his own demons and he battled them for Isla, also, he was a huge support when Isla went through hard times. My only comment would be that he was a little bit unmemorable. Like, there wasn't a lot that could set him apart from every love interest in the genre, he was pretty unfortunate to be coupled up with Isla since she was really unique, so you kind of couldn't help but compare.
.
The sequence of their love was well written, they had good chemistry in my opinion, and they weren't sickly sweet all the time, which actually made it easier for me to be invested in them.
.
The ending was nice, we had a good closure. We learned the ultimate lesson of how it gets easier to go through hardships with people who support and love you. The End.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

"Rent to Be" by Sonia Hartl is a bright and laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that adds a delightful twist to the millennial struggle, making it a perfect read for fans of Tessa Bailey and Beth O’Leary.
Isla Jane is navigating the challenges of post-MBA life, dealing with a dead-end job, a meager salary, and the looming burden of student debt. Desperate for a solution, she stumbles upon her brother’s empty condo, only to find out it's not as vacant as she thought. Cade Greenley, her brother’s best friend, is temporarily residing there during renovations. Isla's attempt to keep her living situation a secret takes an unexpected turn when she ends up house-sitting for a senior executive at her office.
The plot thickens when Cade discovers her ruse, leading to a deal that involves Isla posing as his girlfriend at corporate events. The story unfolds with humor, charm, and unexpected chemistry as the two navigate the complexities of their fake relationship. The contrast between Isla’s challenging workplace and the vibrant atmosphere of Cade’s office adds depth to the narrative.
Sonia Hartl weaves a tale that goes beyond the typical romantic comedy, exploring themes of self-discovery, honesty, and the unpredictability of love. The characters are relatable, and their banter creates a captivating dynamic that keeps readers engaged.
As Isla's house-sitting scheme begins to unravel, the narrative explores the lies we tell ourselves and the genuine connections that can emerge when least expected. "Rent to Be" is a delightful journey that balances humor, romance, and personal growth, making it a standout addition to the romantic comedy genre.
*I express my sincere appreciation to NetGalley and Alcove Press for providing an advanced copy of this entertaining e-book.*

I read this because it was compared to Tessa Bailey and Beth O'Leary - two authors I cannot merge in my mind. Tessa is more romance, less plot, and Beth the opposite. Color me intrigued. Plus I read a previous book from Sonia, so I already know that her writing style.
Cade and Isla have been in each other's orbit for so long that they simply take each other for granted. They're more ornamental. Isla's brother is out of town and for reasons, both find themselves in his apartment somewhat cohabiting. In the meantime, Isla has discovered house sitting as a way to get back on her feet financially and eat not-top-ramen.
Isla is so relatable. I, too, went through the Millennial motions of what you're "supposed to do" and with not exactly the personal achievements to show for it. I felt her stress and financial woes, just so many "I've been there moments". Otherwise, I didn't fall for my brother's best friend - which is maybe why I adore the trope so much.
Thank you to Alcove Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Why it wasn't a five star: I didn't get the chemistry between Isla and Cade. There was plenty of sizzle but I wanted more depth to their relationship.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of Rent to Be by Sonia Hartl.

I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it!

Rent to be by Olivia Dade is an endearing romantic comedy that will leave you with a smile on your face. The story follows Isla Jane, a young woman who is struggling to make ends meet despite having a shiny new MBA. When she is offered a house-sitting job for one of the big bosses at her office, Isla thinks her luck has finally turned. However, things take an unexpected turn when she runs into Cade Greenley, her brother's best friend, who is also staying in the condo.

What follows is a hilarious and heartwarming tale of mistaken identity, fake relationships, and unexpected romance. The chemistry between Isla and Cade is electric, and their banter is witty and charming. As they pretend to be a couple at corporate events, they start to develop real feelings for each other, leading to some delightful moments of romantic tension.

Dade's writing is engaging, and her characters are relatable and likable. Isla is a strong, independent woman who is struggling to find her place in the world, while Cade is a charming and caring man who is trying to help her in any way he can. The supporting cast is also well-developed and adds depth to the story.

Overall, Rent to be is a delightful and entertaining read that is perfect for fans of romantic comedies. It's a feel-good story that will leave you with a warm and fuzzy feeling. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and uplifting read.

This was such a fun, easy read. I’m a sucker for a brothers best friend trope, especially when it’s some kind of fake dating and forced proximity/roommates scenario! While it was mostly fun, I did love that the characters dealt with real life, relatable problems!

loved sonia's the lost girls back in 2021 when i first read and you'd be proud that i loved this even more. its such a cute little romance book like it has the infamous fake dating and enemies to lovers trope. Thank you for providing me the arc netgalley

A brothers bestfriend fake dating trope read. I enjoyed this book. Isla struggles to pay her rent and soon kicked out. Her solution was crashing to his brothers place where he falls for his brothers friend. Family problems, flaws and emotional baggage. Good character development.

Such a gripping book, I loved it from the very beginning, couldn't put it down. Full of romance, fun and spice! It was everything I expected, and everything I could have wanted.

I absolutely loved this book! I even read it in one sitting. It was the perfect downtime book for me! I would definitely recommend this book!

Another good read
Perfect book to curl up with and to get lost in
Will have you hooked from the first page
Thanks NetGalley

This story left a huge, goofy smile on my face and I consider it to be one of my top reads of the year. Undoubtedly, it was a full 5 stars read!

This was an enjoyable, quick read. I liked the romance, though occasionally the characters did get on my nerves a bit, but overall it felt believable and sweet. I like that the book had the characters dealing with relatable, real-world problems.

Adorable rom-com story that's full of laugh out loud moments.

Isla has a brand new MBA that she never wanted, thousands of dollars in student loans, and a data entry job with a salary that she can barely live on. When her roommates throw her out for being late on her rent, she decides to crash in her brother's guest room while he's in London for work. Unfortunately, Cade, his best friend, happens to be staying there while he's having his own condo renovated. So Isla decides to sleep at the office under her desk.

That's when she hears a conversation that her boss' house sitter canceled on her the day that she's about to go on her vacation. Isla volunteers, claiming to have done it before, and gets paid $500 for the week. She sees this as a win. But when Cade sees her sitting in a bikini at a house that doesn't belong to her, she has to come clean or her brother will find out. So in exchange for his silence, she has to be his pretend girlfriend at his company events for the summer.

Isla finds herself enjoying the time she spends with Cade. But when they start to blur the lines, Isla realizes that she's in love with Cade. But she's not sure that he will pick her over her brother.

A must read!

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

Publication Date: August 15th

Author: Sonia Hartl

Review: This book hit me as in it was wrote to me (I felt) broke, student loans up the butt and just struggling in general . Cade was perfect and loved everything about him and he was a true good character, Isla had her moments of kind of sucking BUT this didn’t really deter me it had to moments of having me very intrigued and other times I couldn’t wait to put the book down. BUT it does have a lot of good points most younger people will go through

Thank you to the publisher the eARC in exchange for an honest review #NetGalley #bookstagram #kindle #kindleedition #eread

I don’t know if millennials will love this one or hate it for how real it was haha the struggle of trying to live with a crappy job, student loan debt piling up, problematic parents, and just barely getting by. But I was rooting for Isla the whole time, even during her messy moments. The romance between her and Cade, her brother’s best friend, was sweet and the story overall kept me engaged. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

This was a really quick read for me. There were so many laugh out loud moments in this book. I though Cade and Isla were really good characters. There are times when you want to ask Isla what are you thinking in life but hey it's life. This was the first book I have read by Sonia Hartl but it definitely won't be the last. I highly recommend the audiobook as well!!


Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

I really tried to like the book. But the main characters weren't likable in the slightest and I tried so hard. It just didn't work for me and that's okay.

Overall, I thought this was just okay.

Isla is kicked out of her apartment and her backup plan of staying at her brother’s place doesn’t pan out when she realizes her brother’s best friend is staying there. Rather than tell anybody what is going on she starts a house sitting business. Her brother’s friend also needs her to pose as his girlfriend for work functions, which she goes along with.

This has two tropes that I tend to love- fake dating and apparently an enemies-to-lovers thing going on? This was definitely not enemies-to-lovers in any way.

I don’t know, I just felt like the whole fake dating plot line was unnecessary. There were two, maybe three, scenes where they had to appear to be a couple and it was all for the sole purpose of trying to get his bosses to stop setting him up with people?

I also had a hard time connecting to Isla. I felt that she made a ton of choices that didn’t necessarily help her situation.

I also struggle a little with a brother’s best friend being a forbidden romance because at this point they are adults and can make their own decisions.

Cade though, Cade was a solid love interest! He was sweet and charming and smart. I just wish he was maybe a bit better at communicating and being assertive.