Two roommates make a pact: if they are still single at forty, they will finally get together. But what are they waiting for? Claire wants romance and commitment; Graham sees no reason to settle down and get married. Plus he loves thrill seeking adventure and Claire swore she would never fall in love with someone like Graham.

After Graham is injured during a rock climbing accident, ER nurse Claire helps him get back on his feet. But she gets closer than expected to him and his territorial yorkie, Gertrude. They start on their pact early, a no strings attached situation. But it quickly turns when they both catch feelings.

This was a fun and easy closed door romance. I liked that Graham and Claire seemed like genuine people who had really decided on what they wanted in a partner. Claire had very valid feelings for being afraid something was going to happen to someone she loved after what happened with her father. Graham had his own childhood trauma that made him cautious in love as well.

Thank you @_mira_books and @authorallisonashley for my gifted ebook. The Roommate Pact is out now!

CW: death of a parent (recounted), plane crash (recounted), physical injury, parent with a chronic illness, bullying (recounted), car accident

I would like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA for providing me with a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When Claire and Graham decide to enter into a benefits pact if they’re both still single at 40, neither expected to fall for each other so quickly and way before the deadline. Yet, when Graham gets injured from a rock-climbing accident, Claire takes it upon herself to nurse him at home which makes their connection even stronger.

Ashley does a really good job with writing The Roommate Pact for several reasons. First, the dynamics between Claire and Graham were great. Their character dynamics were great and I enjoyed reading how each of them grew as a result of their relationship. I absolutely adored Graham’s emails to Claire as well as how much they care about each other throughout the book, which you will definitely enjoy if you’re a hopeless romantic.

I also was a fan of Ashley’s writing style. Even though I didn’t read her other book, Would You Rather, Ashley eases the transition between these books and hones in on telling Claire and Graham’s story. I also think Ashley does a great job with keeping the audience engaged with the story in The Roommate Pact. My only critique on Ashley’s writing is that I would’ve liked to read the scene of Claire and her mom talking about Grant rather than through a passive recap of the conversation.

Nevertheless, The Roommate Pact is a good choice for a friends-to-lovers, closed-door rom-com to close out the summer.

Never been a fan of friends to lovers but I’ve been wrong before lmao I had a great time reading! Cute + steamy fluff, no complaints over here!

Really enjoyed this story - Graham and Claire have spicy chemistry from the beginning but both have a lot of growing to do. Love the use of Claire’s work as a nurse to show how her trauma is still a part of her life. I did feel a bit like Graham’s middle school trauma was a bit overstated but I guess that’s how it goes in real life sometimes.

Claire is an outspoken, confident soon-to-be nurse practitioner and Graham is a hot, adventurous firefighter with an rescued yorkie - need I say more? Being roommates, this book is not lacking in banter and chemistry. Things really start to heat up after Graham has an climbing accident that requires Claire's help.​​​​​​​​
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Each with their own relationship issues, Graham and Claire make a "friends with benefits" pact if single at 40, only 4 years away for Graham. I absolutely loved that these were complex, older MCs with careers, life experience, and openness to grow. ​​​​​​​​
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While these two were in her last book 𝗪𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿, it is not necessary to read it first to enjoy this one. As one would expect being best friends and all, roles are now reversed as Noah and Mia are the ones to offer advice and support. Allison Ashley is another author I believe keeps getting better with each book she writes.​​​​​​​​
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Also, check out this adorable bookmark of Gertrude the rescued yorkie and Graham made by @stephsbooktherapy that was included in this tour package! Gertrude and Claire's relationship had me laughing throughout. ​​​​​​​​
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Gifted: @Booksparks @_mira_books_ ​​​​​​​​@netgalley

LOOOOOVED. I will read anything Allison Ashley writes! The swoon factor was SO GOOD. Not steamy, but you could still totally feel the chemistry!

"The Roommate Pact" by Allison Ashley is a heartwarming and delightful novel that explores the joys and challenges of unexpected connections. This book is a charming exploration of friendship, growth, and the beauty of finding common ground.

Ashley's writing style is inviting and relatable, making it easy to become immersed in the lives of the characters. The main characters' interactions are filled with authenticity and humor, creating a dynamic that resonates with anyone who has experienced the quirks of shared living arrangements.

At the core of the narrative is a touching portrayal of the growth and evolution of the characters' friendship. The ups and downs they experience reflect the complexities of human relationships, while their unwavering support for each other adds depth to the story.

"The Roommate Pact" captures the essence of finding a chosen family within unexpected circumstances. The novel's exploration of self-discovery, trust, and the power of connection make it a relatable and emotionally resonant read.

In conclusion, "The Roommate Pact" is a heartwarming tale that celebrates the bonds that form when lives intersect. If you're seeking a story that combines humor, heartfelt moments, and the magic of friendship, this book is a delightful choice that will leave you with a smile on your face.

If you are looking for a cute, sweet, and sometimes emotional love story between an ER nurse and a firefighter who are roommates and friends who fall for each other while one is injured and the other has to take care of them, then you are in the right place. Graham's character development was what kept be really interested in this book because he is this emotionally unavailable guy who begins to open up to Claire through emails on an old email that she never checks. Because he knows that she doesn't check that email, he begins to document his thoughts and feelings surrounding his recovery and slowly his walls go down. You see him begin to fall for Claire in a very wholesome way where he could see it coming but instead of getting scared, he fully embraced it. This is a closed-door romance but you could still see their chemistry come off the page. Overall, it was cute and very emotional and tackles topics such as parent loss and grief that make this book extremely tender.

I really enjoyed this! I loved Claire and Graham’s chemistry and it was so fun to see them fall in love with each other. Seeing them both open up to each other in their own ways as they got more invested and fell in love was great and I would definitely recommend it.

Roommates who agree to have a friends with benefits relationship but then the guy has an accident and now his leg is broken and she's a nurse so she's going to take care of him and NOW THEY'RE FALLING IN LOVE.

I'm a huge fan of Allison Ashley's Would You Rather and it's basically one of my favorite years of last year (did it come out last year or two years ago? TIME IS WEIRD). So I was so excited to read the sequel, The Roommate Pact. We meet Claire and Graham in the first book, they're Mia and Noah's besties and they have always had this easy relationship. They're very similar and in this four-person friendship group where two of them are married, they always ended up being paired up together too.

But then Graham gets into a climbing accident and breaks his leg before anything starts between them. Claire wants to help him out because he's her friend, roommate, and she's also a nurse so she wants to be there for him. This "bring back to health" trope is insane because wow. I WAS SWOONING. They were sleeping on the same bed, watching TV together 24/7, doing all kinds of cute stuff together. Like I WAS ALSO FALLING IN LOVE WITH THEM!!! Their relationship is so organic in the way that it's clear where it changes. It's not sudden like sometimes books can be. You see where it goes from friendship, to maybe even best friends, and then love. They have this great relationship and can lean on each other.

Also I really loved the email aspect of the book. So Graham has a cast and can't really go and do anything. Claire recommends journaling, for him to write out all of what he's feeling. He decides to send emails to Claire's unused email address where he knows she'll never read because she doesn't even remember the password. There, he tells her everything and slowly you see how he's opening up her heart to her, to romance. It's so sweet and cute to read his entries.

Gertrude was very cute. Love heroes who own tiny dogs that own their hearts <3 And Gertrude grows on you and watch her go from hate to love with Claire is so HILARIOUS AND ADORABLE.

I tried but this one has been a DNF for me so far. I like the characters and the writing style but I struggled a little with the fact that he's still hanging on to a bad romantic attempt from when he was a kid. I get that these things can leave scars but it's been 20 years. He should have met at least one person since then to change his mind. Maybe the explanation was there and I just didn't read far enough, idk. Their issues were so easy to figure out, and that isn't always a bad thing, but I think mixed with his issues it just was a bit too much.

This was such an entertaining story to read. While it is a trope we have read about before, there is a twist to this story, which is what makes it all that more fun to read.

Claire and Graham definitely have chemistry. They have just been denying it for years. But once they agree to be friends with benefits, things explode. However, an accident sidelines Graham, but this is where the story really picks up. They are put into a situation where they have to really get to know one another, which is really the foundation for any relationship.

I laughed a lot through this book. There are so many witty and snarky comments. But there is also some truth in the conversations, which is nice to balance out the story. 

There is so much to love about this book. The sexy characters, witty dialogue, hard conversations, and Graham's emails to Claire that she doesn't know about because it was sent to an email address that she created when she was 12 and, needless to say, doesn't use anymore. You will laugh at the email name! I really enjoyed watching these characters grow, work through past traumas, and create their own HEA.

We give this book 5 paws up.

I thought The Roommate Pact was so sweet and cute! I love a friends with benefits/it's not love kind of story! Famous last words! Claire and Graham were so adorable! I thought Claire's emotional turmoil over her dad's death was very understandable. However, I will say that I wish Graham's was a little more substantial. I just have a hard time thinking that his conflict was deep enough to really constitute his initial commitment issues. I understand the bullying issue wholeheartedly, but I think the inner conflict there would have been stronger if it had been an older and more meaningful relationship that had wronged him and affected his insecurities more. That is my only critique. I loved the letters, and I loved the camping ending. I thought it was a lovely rom com, and I look forward to reading more by Allison Ashley

Graham and Claire are roommates and friends. They decide to be friends with benefits while Claire is trying to find a relationship with someone more compatible. Graham gets injured and they spend more time together and realize there’s more than friendship between them.

The chemistry between them is great especially when their connection becomes more than physical desire.

This book is at a very uncommon place in the spiciness scale. It’s most definitely not sweet/clean, but the spicy scenes don’t have any detail beyond the foreplay. It felt a little disjointed going from very detailed foreplay to suddenly being the morning after. Lots of innuendo and discussions about casual sex throughout.

I loved the emails Graham wrote. They were sweet and gave a glimpse into his mind. The visit home to his parents was adorable too.

Strong language throughout, as could be expected from a nurse and firefighter.

Tropes:
Forced proximity
Nurse/firefighter
She takes care of him
Cinnamon roll MMC
Friends to friends with benefits to lovers

Fun banter and a great use of forced proximity! I really loved the sweet way this relationship developed.

“All of the fun, none of the heartache…as long as they stick to the agreement.”
The proposition is simple: if ER nurse Claire Harper and her roommate, firefighter Graham Scott, are still single by the time they’re forty, they’ll take the proverbial plunge together…as friends with benefits. Maybe it’s the wine, but at the moment, Claire figures the pact is a safe-enough deal, considering she hasn’t had much luck in love and he’s in no rush to settle down. Like, at all. Besides, there’s no way she could ever really fall for Graham and his thrill-seeking ways. Not after what happened to her father…

The Roommate Pact is a sweet romance that follows roommates Claire, a dedicated ER nurse and Graham, a fearless firefighter with a penchant for extreme adventure, as they navigate a ‘friends with benefits’ pact. When Graham sufferers an injury requiring medical care, Claire naturally steps into the role of caregiver. The care and close proximity accelerated their connection and confused the boundaries of their pact. Clearly attraction doesn’t seem to be the challenge for them, but their choice of adventure couldn’t be more opposite.

The email journal entries as a means of therapy were meaningful but, other than that, I didn’t find much depth in the story or the characters. Their character growth was mostly two young adults maturing a bit when they began to discover that the line between friendship and romance is blurred. Claire and Graham have things that hold them back from really opening up to someone and that taking risks is an essential part of living a fulfilling life.

The novel explores the delicate balance between maintaining their existing friendship and venturing into romantic territory as well as the healing power of close friends.

Readers of forced proximity and friends/roommates to lovers would enjoy this read.

"The Roommate Pact" by Allison Ashley is a super fun read! It's all about Claire, the ER nurse, and Graham, the fearless firefighter, who make this wild pact to be friends with benefits if they're single at forty. But, of course, things don't go exactly as planned. The book is a mix of hilarious moments, heartwarming stuff, and a bit of chaos. You'll totally fall for these characters and their crazy journey. It's like a rollercoaster of emotions and surprises that you won't want to get off. So, if you're up for a good time with a dash of romance, this book's got you covered!

The Roommate Pact by: Allison Ashley | 📅 Pub Day: OUT NOW!!!

The thing is, you give me a roommates to friends with benefits/lovers book I’m gonna happy eat it up and leave no crumbs!!!

I was seriously drawn in with the cover and stayed when I heard the synopsis of ER Nurse, Claire making a friends with benefits pact with her Fire Fighter roommate, Graham if they’re still both single by 40! As if that wasn’t enough, the plot thickens when Graham is hurt and coincidentally Claire and her nursing skills are there to help in the only way she knows how😇

✨friends to roommates to lovers✅
✨patient and caregiver ✅
✨opposites attract✅
✨one bed✅
✨close proximity ✅✅
✨friends with benefits pact ✅
✨a sassy canine companion ✅

The banter was beautiful and oh so funny. And it had the perfect amount of tension that kept me turning pages late into the night on numerous occasions!

Special thanks to netgalley and the publisher MIRA an imprint of Harlequin Trade Publishing for a eARC of the book in exchange for my honest opinion!



4.50⭐️

Landing back in Allison Ashley’s world is a true gift for her readers. After being pleasantly surprised by just how easily I was hooked on “Would You Rather” and devoured that marriage of convenience romance, I immediately went to add the next book to my TBR. I knew in my gut that the next book would be about the side characters that refused to stay in the background, and happily I was right. Graham and Claire are roommates who get along exceptionally well and have decided that if they’re still single at 40 they’ll marry each other.

A Marriage of Convenience
How many of us have thought about solidifying a marriage pact with one of our friends? The dating world can be cruel, and no one wants to think about facing the future alone. Having that back-up plan, especially with someone we know and like, would make facing that reality a little easier to swallow. Graham and Claire are friends and roommates who get along exceptionally well and have decided that if they’re still single at 40 they’ll marry each other. Claire thought they were kidding. Graham took that pact very seriously.

All The Feels
“That’s the thing about feelings. They don’t always need to be expressed. Some are just meant to be felt.”

Ashley succinctly describes one of the most important ideas that I take from novels through the quote above: some things are just mean to be felt. I won’t speak for you readers, but one of the hardest things I struggle with when reviewing a book (especially one that I LOVE LOVE LOVE) is that it’s so hard to put those feelings into intelligible words.

I wish, more often than not, that I could just shout out *vibes* and that would be enough for us all to swoon.

(Apparently that’s not how book reviewing works. Go Figure.)

Photo by Finde Zukunft on Unsplash
Allison Ashley sold me on Graham as soon as she compared him to James Marsden. That man is H-O-T-T hot. The character Graham is also pretty stellar. He’s an adventure junkie, a fireman, and a lover of fun. He might keep his emotions locked down tight, but he shows his feelings in other ways: ordering take out, playing wing man at the bar for Claire, and fixing things around the house without too much backtalk.

If You Play With Fire…
… you’re bound to get burned.

You can’t go around sleeping with your friends and expect to keep feelings and emotions out of it.

My favorite part of “The Roommate Pact” is when Graham learns to cope with his emotions after his accident. Claire off-handedly tells him that he should journal, or that he could write his thoughts down while keeping someone specific in mind who would read them. He takes that and runs with it, but rather than journaling, he sends Claire emails. I absolutely adored watching Graham evolve from a man who carries himself with carefree abandon to one who realizes he has something special and worth keeping.

“A ship is safe in the harbor, but that’s not what ships are made for.”

Allison Ashley turns the typical third act breakup/reconciliation on it’s head by making our leading lady the one having doubts and fears. Claire needs a swift kick to help her get over her fears. Thankfully, Mia, protagonist from “Would You Rather” and best friend, is there to talk some sense into her.

We Love a Grand Gesture.
We also love when that grand gesture has a unique spin.

Allison Ashley, I will read anything that you write from now on. I devoured ‘Would You Rather” and “The Roommate Pact” both in 24 hours and wish that I could re-read them again for the first time. I love love, I love how realistic your stories feel, and I can’t wait to see where your writing goes next.

I loved Allison Ashley's Would You Rather and I was hoping for a book for Noah and Mia's friends Graham and Claire. I knew their book would bring the romance, banter, and fun and The Roommate Pact did just that. Their chemistry was off the charts and I swooned throughout the book. I can't wait to read more from Ashley!