When she finds herself with 3 kids, no job, and no significant other, Cath is forced to take on a lodger to help make ends meet. A laugh out loud story that shows that anything can be possible if you believe in yourself.

This was a funny and sweet romance that I was immediately sucked into and enjoyed very much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

I was expecting this to be a light romcom, however that’s not what this is. I did like the light it shown on grief and how it is or isn’t navigated. I liked the characters, especially Leanne and Cath’s relationship.
Overall this was a really heartwarming read!

I really enjoyed The Accidental Housemate.
It’s a lovely, light-hearted read with lots of hilarity running throughout with some serious subjects also covered.

The story centres around Cath who is a 39-year-old widow with three children - Leanne who is 18 and just about to embark on her university journey, Eric an almost-teen and Jack the toddler.

When Cath unexpectedly loses her job, she needs money fast so reluctantly agrees to have a lodger – Dan a university student from America.
Cath is expecting an 18-year-old so is extremely surprised when she turns up at the airport to find a hunky 30-something man waiting to be collected.
At times the plot is predictable but I love the characters and how relatable and real Cath is in particular. I was rooting for her from the start.
An easy and enjoyable read.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What a great surprise from a debut novel. There were so many laugh-out-loud moments, I sailed through this one. Would definitely recommend!

This book is a 3 to 3.5 rating for me. I enjoyed it, but I feel that it may be better suited to different age groups and different types of readers. Additionally, I agree with a lot of other people that this would be better marketed as a women's fiction novel rather than a RomCom.

The good: The main character is likeable: in fact, all of the characters are likeable in different ways. Cath has many layers to her and is well explored.

The meh: reading this book did not feel like a good time overall. I was not escaping my day-to-day life; instead I was essentially reading a rather realistic version of life for someone in Birmingham. There is nothing wrong with this (in fact, it can sometimes be enjoyable) but it just felt a bit boring for a lot of it.

Overall, I do think people who enjoy Mhairi McFarlane's books would enjoy this, but this is more for women who are probably 35+ and who enjoy reading about general life.

This book is both lighthearted and heavy at the same time and works. Part rom com, women literature, chick-lit, opposites attract, strangers to more, and even more. Cath is going through a lot. She lost the love her of life and is trying to move through her grief while taking care of her children and not fall apart emotionally and financially. To ease the financial burden a bit she decides to take in a tenant. It isn’t until Dan shows up that she realizes he isn’t a college/university student, but a full grown adult man and it somewhat throws her. What was she thinking and how can she make this work? They are both in their own way trying to figure out and move forward with their lives, be respectful of each other and see what is next for them individually, but there seems to be something more between them. This is sweet, witty, sad, storyline that I found a bit scattered, but ultimately with the happily ever after I was expecting. I personally found the ending a bit rushed, but satisfying. A lovely debut from this author.

A sweet story about an unexpected romance. Cath's had a hard time since her husband died- she's still keeping his ashes on the kitchen table. She's got three kids- 18 year old Leanne, preteen Eric and toddler Jack- and a lot of bills. So it's not a bad idea, she thinks to take in a student lodger. When Dan arrives, well, it's a surprise because he's not only 30, he's also very good looking. You know what's going to happen, don't you? Well, not everyone approves of the growing relationship between Cath and Dan. This is about grief, and family, and love. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Really enjoyed this book, was a lovely laugh out loud read with an enjoyable storyline that kept me reading.

This book - I laughed out loud for real so many times as well as shed a few tears. This was such a good story about grief, being stagnant as we get older then moving forward and trying new things, believing in yourself, helping others... I could go on and on.

Cath is 39 with three kids and is still grieving the death of her husband three years ago. She gets a roommate to help with money and it's in the form of 36-year-old cinnamon bun Dan.

I loved their banter and their chemistry. I loved how each pushed each other to be better without forcing it for their own gain.

This was just a great story, albeit a tad too long, that I read on a sick day.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK, One More Chapter for an e-copy of THE ACCIDENTAL HOUSEMATE to review.

I rate THE ACCIDENTAL HOUSEMATE four out of five stars.

I enjoyed this more than I thought, I expected a quick chick lit type read but it was so much more. The main character is hilarious but sensitive at times, it’s all a bit crazy but there are real moments of calm and angst. I would highly recommend this x thanks to Netgalley x

I have to admit as I started reading, I wasn’t sure how I was going to like The Accidental Housemate. I am glad I read on as I started to like the story more and more.
Yes, the story is corny and crazy. But, on the other hand, it is a lovely story in its own way.
I loved the cheesy, humorous moments that were thrown in.
All in all, I ended up enjoying the story more than I thought I would.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Cath is a widowed mother of the whose deceased partner Gaz's ashes are in an urn where she constantly talks to him. Due to financial pressures she is convinced to take in a student lodger, only to find that Dan is not what she expected.
Cath tends to be very clumsy, which leads to some interesting moments, but is unashamedly a nerd. She becomes involved in social media which gives its own challenges, but I would love to have seen some of her content which adds to the lighter side of the book. Counterbalancing this is the more serious side, with Cath struggling to bring up her three children and missing Gaz terribly. For me the overall feeling of the book was very positive, helped by the humorous moments - which do include some more spicy ones if they're not your thing. A book that I definitely enjoyed by this new writer which shows great promise for further books.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley, however this did not influenced my review of the book and I have already pre-ordered it as I enjoyed it so much.

I liked the premise of this book, but I felt like we didn’t get to know Dan all that much and there was quite a bit of miscommunication that I could have done without. Besides that, the overall story was good. Cath dealing with the grief of being a widow and learning to move forward with her life with 3 kids and going back to school to be a teacher.

Cath Beckinsale is a single widowed mother of three, she still hasn’t got over the death of her husband Gaz as she still has his urn full of ashes, that she talks to on a regular basis. Her eldest Leanne is off to Uni. So, when suddenly she gets sacked from her job for something she didn’t do. To make ends meet she decides to take in a lodger. From a friend she hears that a student needs a place to stay. But when he arrives, she is expecting a spotty teenager but instead she gorgeous looking, fit bloke named Dan in his early thirties.
Thank you, Harper Collins, for a copy of Accidental Housemate. This is not normally my usual kind of read. But I so glad I did read it. This is a heart warming and funny story of Cath and her family. But it is also about grief and living again after losing your soulmate. It is also about re-inventing yourself and believing in yourself. This is a great start for a debut you novel. I enjoyed this 4 stars from me.

A fun, contemporary read by Sal Thomas. This book was about the trials of a single widowed parent who was trying to keep her family on track. Enter the lodger who was not exactly as expected but who fitted well into the family home. The story was full of twists and turns with lots of fun and laughter and of course a romance. A good, light read.

The cover of The Accidental Housemate is what first got my attention. This debut novel, by Sal Thomas, did not disappoint.  When her daughter goes away to college, Cath finally agrees to host a college exchange student who will use her daughter's room while she is away.  As a single mum, she can use the additional funds, thinking... what is another teenager in the house.  Image her surprise when the exchange student arrives and is not at all what she was prepared for.  The characters are both interesting and believable in this fun, fast-paced novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC ebook to review.

I thought the cover of this book was cute. It looked like it would be a fun read. Sadly to say I am DNFing this book. I found it a little more serious than what I was looking forward to reading. I also struggled to really get into the book. It never really captured my attention. 2.5⭐ ... Rounded up to 3⭐

Book Releases August 17, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK One More Chapter for the E-ARC

All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

This book was a little heavier than I thought it was going to be, but I enjoyed it. Really great as a debut novel!

I always find a debut novel is the best, and this is no exception. I loved every page of this book. Thank you Sal Thomas for giving me so many laughs, it was an absolute pleasure every time I picked up this book to read some more. At just over 400 pages, it’s quite a long book for a rom com but I promise you there is never a dull moment.

I’m not really that much of a rom com fan if I’m honest and tend to go for the more dramatic, dark and tragic kind of a book so this really was a breath of fresh air and just what I needed.

It’s when Cath loses her teaching job and decides to do some private tutoring which forms the basis for the plot, as it all takes off in an unexpected direction. The humour is never forced, much of it coming from funny situations rather than constant quips that sometimes feature in a humorous book. All the characters are lovable in their own, funny way. It does have it’s more serious moments too which adds depth to the narrative.

It’s a story about getting over grief, coming to terms with losing your job and what to do next, family life with it’s many ups and downs, and wondering if you’re ever good enough. Friendships, family, children and a lodger, with plenty of laughs as well as tears along the way makes this an enjoyable, fun read. I was genuinely sorry to reach the end.

**To be posted to blog around publication date**