Genre 📚: YA Contemporary, Queer Lit, Light Academia, Romance
Tropes 💁‍♀️: Second chance romance, Hidden identity, Forced proximity
Rep ✔️: Trans main character, gay side character
CW ⚠️: Body dysmorphia
Rating ⭐️: 3.5/5

This book is like a fever dream you’d have when you’re feeling especially single. I don’t know how else to describe it. It takes place at the all-boys Valentine Academy, where Charlie goes in as a scholarship student. He’s scared enough as it is being trans, but then he finds out that he’s rooming with the guy who broke his heart at summer camp — the eloquent hopeless romantic Jasper Grimes. To his relief (or disappointment?), Jasper doesn’t recognize him.

Charlie would prefer to keep a low profile and focus on his studies, but Jasper is surprisingly clingy and recruits Charlie to help write love letters meant for girls at the sister school. Because of his secret heartbreak, though, Charlie is extremely passive-aggressive towards his roomie. It was funny, but the hostility went on for so long that it made it hard to believe in their eventual romance. I think they needed more time as friends before moving into romantic territory.

My favorite part of the book was probably the setting and the unique characters inside. Seeing it all through Charlie’s eyes, it was like walking into Wonderland or something. There were castle-like buildings, vibrant red uniforms, and students going around talking like Shakespeare. It was disorienting, but once I found my footing, I found myself having fun with it all.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book!

And They Were Roommates was the delightful YA rom com that I needed. The number of times I giggled out loud, kicked my feet, or muttered "Charlieeee" at my screen while reading is indication enough that I'm so enamored with this book and Powars' writing.

From the beginning, I loved Charlie as our protagonist. Sure of himself, with a plan, and ready to do whatever it takes to make his dream of attending Valentine Academy. What I loved most about Charlie was that he knew what he wanted, but he wasn't so confident that it was unrealistic. He still had the anxieties that come with being a young person, along side the added pressures at being trans at a traditional school, but nothing felt over the top or played up. Charlie was sure of himself while also being a realistic amount of a mess, which I loved. I often find with YA books, characters are too confident or too anxious, but this felt just right.

I loved getting to see Charlie explore the school and build relationships, not only with Jasper, but all the friends he made as well. The relationship building in this book was truly phenomenal and I love the community that Powars built.

The relationship between Charlie and Jasper is really where this book thrived. It had all the perfect elements of enemies to lovers without feeling too tropey. Jasper's eagerness was endearing, yet I wanted to tell him to chill a bit. Jasper really came off the page. The build up of Jasper finding out who Charlie is through to the end had me on the edge of my seat in the best way.

And They Were Roommates was just so wonderful, and I can't wait to recommend it to all my friends.

Charlies first day at Valentine Academy for boys is spent being a bit of a self conscious mess, and the cherry on top is that the source of his biggest heart break, Jasper Grimes, is his roommate, when he distinctly recalls requesting and paying for a single dorm room. The kicker? Jasper doesn't recognize him, and it could be because they last saw each other a year before Charlie started his gender transition! But they strike a deal. Charlie helps Jasper write love letters on behalf of other students, and Jasper will do what he can to get them separated. The only problem is, Charlie is dog water at writing for love! What follows is a hormonal and academically stressful trek through Charlies first year at Valentine, studying, tutoring, working out, and writing letters, all to hopefully find his place in the student body and place within the top 5 academic leader board so he can keep his scholarship.

I have a hard time with teen fiction, especially teen romance. I'm in my 30s, and my tolerance is generally low when it comes to the tropes bouncing around in that literary bubble. Powars, however, has figured it out! The combination of transgender issues, acceptance, romance, and an all-boys space somehow (almost) devoid of toxic masculinity was extremely refreshing, and I often found myself snickering out loud at just how realistically awkward and dorky Charlie and the rest of the cast could be.

As a trans man, what also felt refreshing was Charlies surety in himself. I find a lot of books dealing with transgender issues, especially in fiction, spend a lot of time in that hesitant phase before taking hormones or getting surgery, or at the very least spend far too much time in the, "I hate myself and my body" stages. It becomes agonizing finding something that doesn't have to do with our self hate and is more so concerned with living, loving, and maybe just trying to hide our pectoral scars. Hope and inspiration takes the place of self criticism during the discovery of the self, and hard work goes in after cleaning up the rough edges of transition.

This book is overall delightful. The characters are unique and interesting, sometimes even over the top in their eccentricity, and I adored that. It didn't take itself too seriously, but did just enough to provide context or add depth when needed, and when it came down to literary nerdery, even I was lost as all heck at the vocabulary. This is a definite add to any library shelf.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review. I loved Charlie and Jasper, and I'm definitely a new fan of Powars!

And They Were Roommates by Page Powers is a beautifully written exploration of identity, connection, and vulnerability. Charlie and Jasper’s story is equal parts tender and gripping, with characters so fully realized it’s easy to see parts of yourself reflected in them. I found the emotional depth of this story incredibly moving, and the pacing kept me completely absorbed - I finished it in under a day. For readers who crave authentic representation, heartfelt romance, and stories that speak to the process of finding yourself, this book is an absolute must-read.

and they were roommates was such a perfectly sweet & dramatic ya boarding school romance. i LOVED it. jasper is a drama queen!! charlie is an anxious mess!!!
i love these dramatic boys!!

on charlie’s first day at valentine academy he discovers that instead of the single room he requested, he has been assigned a roommate. to his eternal dismay, this roommate is jasper grimes, the boy who broke his heart the year before he transitioned. jasper doesn’t recognize charlie, but charlie isnt leaving his position at this all boys school up to chance. the only way to get his own room is if he helps jasper write love letters on behalf of his fellow classmates. discussing romance and feelings with the boy who made you lose all trust in love won’t come with any unintended consequences right??? of course not.

this was such a fun read full of secret clubs, overdramatic teens, poetry writing, found family, trans representation, and teenage love. and they were roommates had such an utterly ridiculous premise, but in the good way. i found all the characters to be so endearing & funny, i can’t wait to read more from this author.

highly highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun & campy ya romance!

many thanks to macmillian’s children publishing group and NetGalley for the arc!!!

And They Were Roommates by Page Powers was a cute YA rom com set at a strict all-boys boarding school. Charlie, a 16 year old trans boy is attending his first year at the prestigious Valentine Academy on an excellence scholarship. When he arrives on campus, he discovers that due to a mix up, the private single room he had requested for privacy was not available, and instead he has a roommate. Charlie is horrified to learn that his roommate is they boy who broke his heart 2 years ago at summer camp and could be the only person on campus to recognize Charlie & expose his secrets.
There were parts of this book that were very over the top and a little bit cheesy, but I do sometimes expect that with YA romance. I really loved Charlie; he was a well-rounded, believable young character who struggled to keep his grades up while constantly worrying about being kicked out of school if anyone found out he was trans. I did like Jasper too, and the pair's interactions were often humorous.
Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable, quick read, with excellent character development & a cute storyline. Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of And They Were Roommates in exchange for my honest review.

This was an exceptionally sweet YA story about a trans boy reuniting with the boy who broke his heart while also trying to figure out a new extreme school and keeping his identity a secret. I felt for Charlie right away, and while Jasper was initially a little annoying, I think his reasoning made sense and eventually he stole my heart too. It did take a little too long to reveal what exactly happened between the two, and I think Charlie's reveal to Jasper could have come earlier, but I loved watching Charlie learn and grow and make friends as the boy he is.

What an amazing story!!! I devoured this book so much that I'm now concerned about my job. I loved the emotions and poetry's role in their relationship. The forced proximity, kinda enemies to lovers, and second chance aspects were all beautiful executed. The subplots focused on academics really hit me right in the emotions as well. And the best part is how supportive everyone is of Charlie; it always makes me so happy to read a queer romance where the characters get to be themselves. I can't wait for Powars's next book!

Thank you to the publisher for the e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As soon as I started reading this book I knew it was going to be a whole lot of fun. Valentines has a very picturesque themed academic atmosphere and I really enjoyed visualizing the characters there. And I really loved a lot of the characters, Jasper and Charlie were a great blend of personalities and their (not so) subtle pining was very fitting for two 16 year olds. And of course Xavier was one of my faves. There were a few side characters however that I wasn’t much of a fan of unfortunately,, The idea of STRIP as a club was really intriguing and I loved seeing Charlie actually tutoring and it being a way of him making friends at the school regardless of his fear of being the center of attention. Touching more on Charlie’s fears I liked the representation of parental and situational academic pressure and his fears of the schools traditional values creating a transphobic atmosphere was both understandable and realistic. It was a just good book to me plot wise, a bit better than okay but nothing life-changing! There were a few plot holes and moments where I felt the character development fell short but it was a fun read over valentines Day and I’m really grateful to have received the ARC.

3/5 Stars

I loved the balance that this book was able to hold. Powars is able to keep the tone light, and relatable, while also not reducing any of the problems that Charlie faces throughout the novel. I think that a lot of younger trans kids will be able to see themselves in the novel, which is a beautiful thing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publish Group and Roaring Brook Press for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts <3

A delightfully dramatic YA romance following Charlie a teenage transgender boy as he navigates his very traditional all boys school and being roommates with the boy who broke his heart before he transitioned. Charlie doesn't believe in love. After Jasper broke his heart at summer camp a couple years ago, he's stayed away from it. Now, he's taking love lessons from the very person who broke his heart. I would've liked to see more between these two as their feelings for each other built up. The story itself focused much more on Charlie's academic standing instead,

While I enjoyed the romance between Charlie and Jasper, I would have been pleased without it as well. Charlie's story is beautiful and full of heartwarming moments. I enjoyed him as a character despite the fact that there isn't a ton of character growth; honestly, it's understandable that Charlie isn't aware of all the happenings in his best friend's life because he's going through a ton and his friend isn't sharing with him. His new friendships with several boys at Valentine's Academy was my favorite part. He finds a community of people who love him and will stand up against the school if it comes to it (spoiler alert: it doesn't).

Overall, I really enjoyed And They Were Roommates. I'm looking forward to reading more from Page Powars in the future!

Reading this book was an absolute joy. Following Charlie's journey as he navigates the new pressures of being at an all boys school and having a roommate for the first time, on top of hiding who he is from everyone around him; it was fun to see him figure it all out.
The other characters around him were so full of personality, that a lot of the times I was in stitches with laughter at some of the interactions everyone had.
I will admit, it was a little slow to catch my attention in the beginning, but once it did, I didn't want to put it down.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan for allowing me to read this early!

This has such an interesting concept and so much potential, but unfortunately, the execution fell pretty flat for me :( There were a lot of subplots that I felt like were touched upon too little/too much, and character relationships that could have been explored more to make the story more fleshed out.
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I feel like if we had gotten more background/history of Charlie, and what Charlie and Jasper's relationship was like before, it could have given more context to Charlie's attraction to Jasper. They're pretty opposite and had little chemistry on page, and I couldn't really see what Charlie saw in Jasper. I wasn't reading and dying for them to get together.
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I did really appreciate the transgender representation! It felt authentic and I really enjoyed reading Charlie's character.
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I did want to see more of Charlie's relationship with Delilah and his mom. The subplots with those two characters were just kinda there, and then at the end just easily resolved itself? The little interactions we have with Delilah and Charlie's mom made those conflicts kinda fall flat.
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While other side characters were all pretty quirky and a bit cringey(?)/ridiculous at times, it didn't really bother me.
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Lastly, I felt like overall this book felt more contemporary than romance. I also feel like a majority of the book was focused on the success of STRIP, and I honestly just wasn't too interested in it. If you're looking for a more light-hearted book with transgender representation in an academic setting, maybe check this one out? Idk maybe this one just wasn't for me.

I loved this book!! It’s the perfect romance for middle and high schoolers, and just a nice, warm, fluffy read overall. Even though it’s fluffy, it still does a great job of showing kids the trans experience without ever feeling forced.

Charlie’s character is very well-rounded, and you can tell that the author has lived through similar experiences. A lot of times in LGBTQ+ books, a trans character feels like they’re just written in as a side note, and their experience comes off as performative. Charlie didn’t feel that way, his emotions were so real and powerful that, as a cis female, I found myself feeling them too. That’s such an amazing quality for a writer to have.

The romance was a SLOW BURNNNNNNNN, which I’m usually not a fan of, but I really enjoyed it here. The plot had a great balance of romance and created well-rounded characters.

My only real issue was that I found Jasper a bit unlikeable just a tad too long. He felt more like a caricature for about 70% of the book. That said, when his character finally started to show growth, it was very well done. I just wish that development had come a little earlier in his relationship with Charlie.

Overall, this book was heartfelt, authentic, and so worth the read! I highly recommend to any middle-high schooler who might be going through something similar to Charlie.

When I tell you And They Were Roommates surprised me in the best possible way, please believe me. I couldn't put it down! I enjoyed every second of this lovely book. I laughed out loud several times and even teared up over these two goobers. I genuinely didn't want it to end.

The chemistry between Charlie and Jasper was EVERYTHING and I honestly loved the backstory! So clever! The side characters were great and also quite hilarious on their own. The setting added so much to the plot because everything was always high stakes. SO much was expected from the characters, it really kept me on the edge of my seat to see what would happen next.

I will now read everything Page Powars writes and absolutely have preordered this book to have a physical copy for my collection. Just a triumph all around!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Children's Publishing Group for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed And They Were Roommates. It was a quick and enjoyable read that perfectly walked the line between cute and cliched. All of the characters were stellar and unique and while there was quite the cast, they all had individual personalities and I was rooting for each of them!

My one fear going into this was that there would be an awkwardness/anger when Charlie came out to Jasper, but I was dumb and should have just trusted the author because Charlie’s identity and coming out were handled really well. All around this was such an uplifting read and it mostly made me really happy to know that beautiful books like this exist about trans kids, because they were few and far between when I was the targeted age for this book. I loved Powars’ first book and this one cements his place as one of my must-read authors.

2.5⭐️ (I round up)

I was really excited for this book. I loved the cover and the premise. Unfortunately, the book fell short for me. First of all, I didn't like Jasper for most of the book. He was really annoying and pushy, and I didn't like his personality for majority of the book. Honestly, I felt myself gravitating towards the side characters more. A lot of the scenes felt a bit unrealistic to me and I had to remind myself that these characters are probably 15-16 years old. Some of their actions felt juvenile too, though I guess I should cut them some slack since they are still in high school. I was waiting for the big reveal on how Jasper broke Charlie's heart, but honestly I was really disappointed. <spoiler> Jasper accidentally wrote three girls love letters because of his flirty personality??? </spoiler> I can't even imagine how that happened. I will say that the friends Charlie makes were great and I loved the little found family he made for himself at the school. However, Blaze was a very interesting character that I did not understand at all. Also, the big conflict in the book felt a little silly. In a school of geniuses, the girls and guys didn't make the connection that <spoiler> since communication/visiting between campuses wasn't allowed, no one would have received a letter asking them to the dance?? Like they all stood separate instead of going up to their partners to figure it out? </spoiler> It didn't make sense to me. The ending was kind of cute, but the build up to it or conflict felt a little unnecessary. I didn't really why understand why Charlie was holding back after clearing the air. Overall, I think this book had the potential to be good but fell flat for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Page Powars for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Before I get into my review of “And They Were Roommates”, I’d like to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s publishing group for the early eARC!

Let’s jump right in. This book was the perfect YA book! It was fun, adorable, suspenseful, and wasn’t too kiddish! (if you know what I mean.)

I fell in love with both of the main characters quickly and never wanted this book to end. Powars is an incredible author, writing interesting characters and setting an amazing plot!

This book was the definition of an easy cozy read that you could binge in a few hours!

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a light, adorable YA romance that keeps things low on drama and high on charm. The characters felt authentically like teenagers—sometimes making choices that don’t totally make sense in hindsight, but that felt right for who they were in the moment. It was all part of the journey, and never frustrating.

Every character brought something fun to the story—there truly wasn’t one I didn’t like. Everyone had a bit of silliness to them, which made the book even more endearing. That said, the overall plot did feel pretty familiar. It followed the beats of many other romance novels, so nothing really stood out in a major way.

If you’re looking for a sweet, lighthearted read with lovable characters and inclusive representation, I’d definitely recommend picking this one up!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4/5 stars

And They Were Roommates is an incredibly sweet romance, but it is also so much more than that—it’s a book for everyone who wants more queer love stories (especially in the YA genre) that celebrate trans joy and acceptance.

Characters:
The characters were probably my favorite part of this book. Charlie, our main character, is such a realistic portrayal of an anxious but incredibly smart teen, who is trying desperately to hide the fact that he is trans so he can stay at his all-boys boarding school. His relationships with Delilah and the boys in STRIP are so wholesome, and I adored the inclusion of uplifting and supportive male friendships. Jasper, Charlie’s roommate and ex, is such a ridiculous and dramatic character, and I loved him for it.

The Romance:
Speaking of Jasper and Charlie, I thought that the romance was really sweet. At first, the idea that Jasper had no idea who Charlie was and couldn’t recognize him after he transitioned seemed a little implausible, but when it was revealed that he thought Charlie was his ex-girlfriend’s brother, and Charlie told Jasper it was just him, I thought the dynamic was much more interesting! I also really loved how, after Jasper found out, he was still in love with Charlie and nothing really changed between them. As much as Charlie struggles in the book with his fear of being outed, when his friends do find out about his transness, they don’t view or treat him any differently.


Trans & Queer Joy:
This portrayal of trans and queer love was so heartwarming and, I think, incredibly powerful in its existence. Having stories like this, which address issues of transphobia and outing, but also show the immense joy and acceptance that trans people can experience when surrounded by loving and supportive friends and family, is so important for young queer audiences. If you’re sick of reading LGBTQ+ books which only focus on queer suffering (as important as those books are too), this might be a lovely change of pace.

Overall, I really enjoyed And They Were Roommates and would absolutely recommend it to anyone who enjoys queer YA fiction and romance. If you’re a fan of authors like Alice Oseman, Julian Winters, and Mason Deaver, I think you’ll love this book too!