⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley

This is the sequel to Would You Rather. I’ve not read the previous book and I didn’t feel at all confused with what was going on so even though it’s part of a series, I’m confident it can be read as a stand-alone.

The Roommate Pact is a straight up romance book with a HEA. Roommates Claire, an ER nurse, and Graham, a firefighter, make a pact that if they are both single when Graham turns 40 they will marry each other. Cliche? Yes. But I’m here for it. Claire and Graham are two of the sweetest, most genuine people I’ve ever read in a romance. Pull out the pom-poms--I was cheering for these two the whole time. The back and forth banter between these two was entertaining and wholesome--if I could just grab two people up and squeeze them like little baby cheeks, it would be these two.

Now…why four stars and not five. Two things… First, I felt it started a bit choppy in getting Claire and Graham introduced and building a connection with me. Now that I’m reflecting on that, it might have been a cleaner beginning had I read the first book. Even though it’s a sequel, looking on Goodreads, it’s not combined as a series, so hmmm… but still. I love Claire and Graham. I just wish I had a little more interaction, background, and build up to these two making this marriage pact. Second, both are struggling to overcome a traumatic childhood event which is the main focal point as to why these two take an entire book to get together. I definitely don’t want to downplay anyone’s trauma, I just felt like they let it be too much of an excuse and for too long--it started grating on me! And I never understand how, if someone has a great relationship with a parent(s), they never discuss the effects of these traumatic events until years if not decades later--and when they do it always rectifies the dilemma! Oh well…I still love Claire and Graham!

This is my first book by this author but it won’t be my last. It was a fun, feel-good romance with very little spice. (Their chemistry was so good, I would have liked to have a little bit of detail in the spice department! Haha!) Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this title for review.

It was okay but nothing about it stood out to me. The plot was good and the characters were alright but not compelling enough that I would recommend it to friends or reread it.

Claire Harper and her roommate, Graham Scott make a deal -- if they are still single by the time they're 40, they will decide to become friends with benefits. Claire figures it's a good enough deal; Graham is a decent guy, and she's had no luck with love.

Graham is injured in a serious rock climbing accident. He has broken bones, and he must stay bedridden. Claire will help him. Of course, sleeping in his bed and caring for his dog wasn't part of the deal. They can't miss the chemistry brewing between them.

Friends with benefits can be hit or miss, so I appreciated that Claire and Graham weren't just in it for the physical attraction. Both opened up and became vulnerable. They both received what they deserved.

**Review will be published the week of release on my site and socials!**

GRAHAM.

I am a PUDDLE after sweet Graham took over my heart. I binged this book because I was wrapped up in the undeniable chemistry between Graham and Claire and I needed to get to every soft and fiery moment between them. The banter was stellar and I loved them. I loved them so much.

Friends with benefits is a tough sale for me, But I will say I liked the way Ashley went about it. I didn’t feel like the physical aspects were pushed just to add heat. There were true relationship building moments that got me on board with the dynamic and I JUST ADORED THEM. I loved seeing Graham open up to his vulnerable side and seeing Claire getting the things she deserved and working through what happened in her past.

I loved the medical jargon and adventure aspects. I liked the subtle side characters and their roles. And even getting to see Mia and Noah!! This book was a delight. I love the way Allison Ashley weaves a romance and two books in and I’m an official fan girl. She also writes fantastic heat (a little reminiscent of Sarah Adams) where the heat is building and fades out. My favorite level of steam.

Read it y’all!

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary Romance
Language: light frequency but strong
Romance: multiple vague fade to black
Violence: moderate
Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of a father, airplane crash (recounted), trauma, medical discussions, rock climbing accident

Claire and Graham, side characters from Would You Rather, get their own friends to lovers book. An “if we’re still single when we’re 40” pact goes off the rails when the two start making out way before then. And when adrenaline junkie Graham is injured climbing, nurse Claire is there to take care of him and spend more time together. Their chemistry is off the charts, but they have some huge obstacles to work through if they’re even going to think about altering their arrangement.

This is a (mostly) closed door romance. Nothing in the story beats was especially surprising, but Claire and Graham have great banter and deepen their friendship, and it was joyful to read.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Darling story! One of those fun loves stories that has you smiling the whole time. Quick and light read. I really enjoyed this book.

Firefighter Graham and nurse Claire are roommates with a joking agreement to embark on a friends with benefits relationship if they are still single at forty; as soon as they voice the option, they suddenly start to notice just how attractive the other is. She’s determined not to fall for a first responder whose life is constantly on the line. When Graham breaks a leg in a minor climbing accident and needs companion care, Claire realizes she cares more than she thought. Voiceless due to getting intubated, she starts sleeping in his bed since he can’t call out if he needs something. Their early communication after the accident is by notes and texts while his voice heals, and then Graham begins unburdening his thoughts and feelings to what he believes to be a defunct email address of Claire’s.

Tension ratchets up when Claire washing Graham’s hair becomes a sensual experience ,and again when he decides to help her with her dating profile. When she brings him to see his parents, there is Just!One!Bed! and of course she gets along perfectly with his well-meaning, match-making parents–and even becomes friendly with his dog. They do consummate the relationship, but the nitty gritty after the hot makeout sessions is left off the page.

Chapters alternate points of view, and Graham’s heartfelt emails are swoon-worthy. The story is well-plotted and well-paced with good character development and sensory writing. This takes place in the same universe as Would You Rather–Claire is the one who tricks Noah and Mia into confessing their feelings, and Graham and Claire’s chemistry is palpable there; and although Noah and Mia appear in The Roommate Pact, it does work as a stand-alone interconnected novel rather than part of a series. Overall, this is a solid hurt/comfort romance with a very satisfying slow burn of friends falling in love.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #TheRoommate Pact from #NetGalley through the author’s publicist.

I ADORED this book. When reading Would You Rather (the first book in this series of interconnected standalones) it was obvious that there was chemistry between Graham and Claire, so I was so excited to find out that they were getting their own book. Where Noah and Mia were tender and soft, Graham and Claire were fiery and funny. Their friends/roommates to lovers dynamic was very much rooted in the kind of friendship you would expect between two people who liked each other but saw each other all the time: kind of snarky and kind of petulant, but always loving.

I'm not a huge fan of the "friends with benefits to lovers" trope, and I do think the book would have been just as good without it, but it didn't bother me! It really only served as a way to get the characters to confront their sexual tension, as most of the emotional connection between the developed in their quiet moments together while Graham was recovering.

I loved the use of emails as a way for Graham to come to terms with his feeling, and the inclusion of Gertrude (his dog) was cute and silly every time <3

4.5/5 ⭐

I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I loved it!

This story follows two roommates: daredevil Graham and nurse Claire. While the two have chemistry, it’s not until after Graham hurts himself in a climbing accident that the two really start to bond on a more romantic level. A relationship is out of the question, however, both due to Graham’s playboy ways, and Claire’s past trauma involving her thrill-seeking father’s death. But when their feelings start to develop, how long will their “just friends” with benefits situation last?

This book had some great tropes: one bed / forced proximity, secret love letters, overcoming childhood trauma, friends (roommates?)-to-lovers, a devil dog-turned-sweetheart and more. I loved the vulnerability of the characters, as well as the banter and tension. I thought it was so sweet, and had a very satisfying ending.

Forced Proximity and the Roommate trope at its finest. I fell in love with these characters and this world. Can't wait to see more of Allsion Ashley.

I would like to thank MIRA & Harlequin Publishing for granting access to this advanced readers copy!

I should start by saying I was not aware this was a sequel until a bit later in the read. It certainly can be a stand alone read, but there are a few references and nods to Mia and Noah's story in Would You Rather.

The story itself was so good and had most, if not all, the elements I look for in contemporary romance! Claire and Graham had wonderful chemistry, and I do love. the leading lady being outspoke and headstrong with her convictions. We don't always see that, and I think Allison Ashley did a wonderful job with her character. The pacing was great, but I think the time jumps toward the end really broke the flow of the rest of the book. Also there were some continuity issues that I found detracted from the story but after reading this arc, it was abundantly clear it wasn't finished. I am certainly excited for the final product when it's out and will reread for the summer! :)


Notes for publisher:
Thankfully I enjoyed the story to finish it, but the arc formatting was awfully distracting (spacing, font color, unfinished sentences!!!, grammatical errors). I do realize the nature of arcs are well... arcs for a reason, but the reader experience would have been dramatically different if these issues were addressed or even disclosed beforehand.

ah this one was so cute! i had really loved these two in would you rather and i loved them in this too! it was different from what i had expected and the ending was a little rocky for me, but i loved their relationship and increasing vulnerability throughout! I'm excited to read more by this author!

This was a super fun and quick read. Claire and Graham make a pact that they’ll eventually get married. I expected time to pass and the pact come up but what I didn’t expect was the twist of Grahams accident forcing them into even closer proximity.
The characters were so well developed and the plot was great. I loved the banter between the characters and Gertrude was by far the star of the show.

Full disclosure I was unaware that this was the sequel in a series. I didn’t realize it until I was halfway through.

I really enjoyed this!! Besides the horrific arc formatting that made this almost unreadable the story had me hooked. I feel like there were things that were missing, because of sentences that would just end mid sentence, which was disappointing. Which again, was hopefully due to this being an ARC. Overall though I was impressed by everything past the first 20%.

Insta lust is not usually my go to but Graham and Claire were perfect. Loved the nurse + firefighter combo, the author did this without making it seem like a cliche. Loved the road-trip they took, it added a lot to the story and their relationship.

I enjoyed the minimal miscommunication. I wasn’t expecting this to be third POV, I think it would’ve served the story better if it was dual first POV.

What happens when you make a pact with your roommate/best friend to get married and become friends with benefits if you are both single when you’re forty??? Well things are about to drastically change for ER nurse Claire Harper and her firefighter roommate Graham Scott. Claire wants a safe relationship, she wants stability, and a serious relationship while Graham has never had a serious relationship in his life and is constantly seeking the thrills and adventures. They are polar opposites but their friendship is strong but after discussing said pact one day things start to change a bit as both Claire and Graham begin to notice each other more... and when Graham lands in an accident Claire starts looking after him.... but the more time they spend together the more things begin to heat up and what was suppose to be a pact to be friends with benefits four years from now is very much happening now. What starts off as just a simple arrangement soon gets complicated as Graham begins to fall for her and Claire begins to realize that her heart might be in danger of the person she never expected to fall for. Can Claire work through her past trauma and see that the right person for her might be what she never wanted but everything she ever needed? This was an absolutely hilarious and sweet rom com about two people who are best friends who begin to fall for each other despite what they expected. This was seriously so cute and I adored all the emails that Graham wrote to Claire and how you get to see him fall for her. It was such a fun read and I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a good romance book!

*Thanks Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

The Roommate Pact by Allison Ashley
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The characters were refreshing and the twist on the “marriage pact” worked. This was the second book in a series, but I read it as a standalone.
What worked:
1. The main characters were so likable. Nurse Claire and Firefighter Graham are dedicated to their careers and hobbies and bring out the best in each other. I particularly liked Claire’s desire to find someone who loves her without sacrificing her strong-willed personality.
2. The family dynamics. Both characters had strong attachment to their parents and while they made difficult choices, it was their parents who guided them in the right direction.
3. What brings them together. Claire worries about Graham’s often dangerous lifestyle and when he gets hurt, she acts as his personal nurse, while taking his injury as a sign that if they were a couple, she’d always have to worry about him getting hurt. He is obviously attracted to her, but doesn’t want to ever settle down after having his heart broken in the past.
4. Claire’s rivalry with Graham’s dog is hilarious. Will they bond over concern for Graham?
5. Graham’s emails to Claire are beautiful and realistic. Especially when he believes she’ll never read them.

What didn’t:
1. Since I didn’t read the first book, I was confused about the timeline of Claire and Graham’s friendship.

This was a fun and easy thing to binge read over the weekend and I had a nice time, smiling all the way through the book!

Roommates slash good friends Claire and have known each other for a long time and they've enjoyed each other's company. Not until recently, the physical tension between them is top notch and a weird chemistry is building up that both of them cannot ignore, even if they try to.

Right in the middle of all these, gets injured and left bedridden and Claire, the ever dutiful nurse slash friend is left to take care of him. And man oh man things heat up from there and the pair of them are set to realise (separately) that they can be more than just friends with benefits even with several limitations in between them.


With well-developed characters who speak their mind and exhibit mature behaviours, The Roommate Pact is a lovely romance with minimal steam (although the scopes were high, the author chose to keep them low key!) that I absolutely enjoyed.

Many thanks to the lovely publisher who approved my request for an early reading copy. All opinions are solely mine.

I felt like I waited forever for this book to actually kick off (which happens in my opinion around 30% of the way through). I think I probably should have read the author's first book Would You Rather to figure out if her style was going to be for me and if the characters were going to be two I could get behind. I loved little sassy Gertrude, but just wish this picked up faster.

4.5 rounding up to 5!

This was absolutely adorable. I loved Would You Rather and screamed with excitement for getting an ARC of The Roommate Pact (thank you Netgalley!) and it didn’t disappoint!

I loved the little bits of Claire and Graham in WYR and they were exceptional in TRP. They were fun, snarky, witty, tender when needed, compassionate, kind, patient. I loved them so dang much! Graham is a sweet little angel baby who needs to be protected at all costs.

I loved Claire and how she cared for Graham and herself. She didn’t just have bad habits or experiences impacting her choices, it was true trauma. I appreciated the work she did on herself at the end, though I wish we had a glimpse into her healing a bit more.

The frank conversation Mia had with her was so poignant and heartfelt, I loved it. The friendships in this book are really special.

I loved this one and I hope everyone else does too! 💕

I loved this book so much! I really didn’t know what it was about when I started reading it, but I quickly was obsessed! The characters are well developed, and I couldn’t help but love them all!