Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Contents of the eARC may differ from the final draft.

And They Were Roommates by Page Powars
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Age Rating: 14+
CWs: Dysphoria (lightly mentioned)
Queer Representation: Transmasc and Achillean MC, Bi/Pan-spec LI, Gay SC
Rating: 3 stars
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I finished And They Were Roommates in only two days, and I'm not completely sure what that says about myself or the book, but here we are!
This was a fun academia romance, but I wouldn't turn to it for anything more than that. I went in with no prior knowledge about how things would turn out, so I don't feel any sort of let-down expectations, but I do still have thoughts.

What I Liked
I absolutely LOVED Jasper. He was so ridiculous that it was just fun whenever he showed up in a scene. I didn't think I would enjoy a character like that, but I found that he quickly became my favorite. His goofy language, grand gestures, and general air of naivety are what gave him his charm, but the moments of seriousness didn't feel out of place, they just gave his character more depth.
Me liking the campy aspects must be a trend, because I also loved the setting of the school; the fact that there was love-related decor plastered absolutely everywhere and absolutely nobody commented on it aside from the main character certainly got a kick out of me.
There were also some side characters I was especially fond of, particularly Blaze, Xavier, and Mr. Stern. Their personalities were distinct, they had their own development, and they just felt alive in the sense that you could easily see what they'd be up to outside of the main character's lens. They were well written and supplemented the story very well.

What I Didn't
I would like to make it clear that most of my grievances with the book are not a reason to avoid it. My only goal is to make it clear that, in my opinion, you shouldn't pick up the book looking for a deep, introspective, never-before-seen romance. And, as a trans person, I think we plenty deserve the kinds of books that cishet people get all the time- tropey, fun stories where the main character gets a happy ending, no harm, no foul. And, don't get me wrong, I do love those stories, but when I finished this one, I just found myself wishing for a little bit more.
My main issue with the story that, again, is not inherently bad, is that it was just a little outside the realm of possibility at times. The main character is sixteen, lives in New York, and is fully transitioned. While New York is more trans-friendly than where I live, it is still very, very doubtful to me that he, presumably, began to transition at 14 or 15 and now passes well enough that he's indistinguishable from a cis boy. He has top surgery- a surgery that takes months to heal enough for someone to get back to normal life- and took T. Charlie bringing T with to the academy is never mentioned, and I can't help but wonder how that works. For someone to go off of T and not worry about their transition reversing can only happen when someone has been on T for many, many years. But it is stated directly in the book that in less than a two year span, Charlie realized he was trans, got on hormones, got top surgery, changed his legal name, and changed his gender marker.
Speaking from experience, as a trans person, if you are seeking those things, you have to:
1. Be in therapy for long enough for your therapist to write a letter of support for your transition.
2. Be diagnosed with gender dysphoria, which you either have to go to therapy or a gender clinician for.
3. Be publicly, socially out as your gender for two years.
4. For top surgery, be at least 18.
5. Have the money to do all of those things.
There is nothing wrong with writing a fluffy story that ignores those things in favor of being wholesome, but when this will inevitably be read by cis people who will believe our experience is this easy and we can just transition however and whenever we want, it's difficult for me to look past. I can't help but feel as though our real experience has been cast aside in favor of fanfic tropes and ship dynamics (no hate to fanfic.) Charlie and his mom are said, several times, to be struggling financially, and Charlie is relying solely on a scholarship to the school, so how on earth did they afford the full transition package in less than two years?
There were also some other issues with the plot that I had, but I feel as though I've already stated my biggest one. I've never been to a private academy, and in the end, I don't know what they're like or how they operate, so I don't feel like that's something I need to talk about.
However, I did have some issues with the characterization, particularly with the main character Charlie and his best friend Delilah. Charlie himself suffers from a case of "bland". He has no hobbies that aren't related to school. He likes literature, but it only comes up twice when he says "I like Othello" and talks to his teacher about it. Other than that, he has nothing going on for him. All he thinks about are his scholarship, studying, being stealth, and the love interest. I just wish we'd gotten a little more out of him.
I also felt the same about Delilah. We're told she's chaotic and causes trouble, but all she does on-page is throw a sparkler that doesn't do much. We're told she's very protective and loyal, but she barely talks to Charlie at all, and they don't really act like people who have been friends for an undetermined about of time. Most of her time on the page is spent with her near or talking about her own romantic interest. I want to know more about her- what does she like to do? Is she making friends at the sister campus? What was her first year at Valentine's like? In the end, I was just left with those questions when I finished the book. But I suppose I wasn't expecting some grand character development; the title is based off a vine, after all.

What I'm really trying to say is that this book isn't some grand character study. It's an easy romance with a lovable love interest and a fun setting. If you're looking for that, great! This book is for you. If not, maybe check something else out. I myself don't regret reading this book. It was cute and it did get some smiles out of me... I just wish there was a little more substance and some of the gaps were more filled in, but a book with a trans MC as popular as this one is right now is at least a win, in a way!
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This book was a sweet romantic of age tale. The characters are well written and uniquely crafted. It’s obvious that the author cares deeply about the story he was writing. While it was obviously written for a younger audience, I greatly enjoyed the way the book was written.

I did really enjoy this book; whilst it wasn't entirely groundbreaking, it was a sweet, easy read. It tackles the fear of being a trans boy whilst attending an all-boys school, yet it didn't feel overwhelmingly tense or sad. At times, I did find Charlie and Jasper somewhat annoying; yet it wasn't an overall bad thing. They're teens, and it makes them more real, not overly perfect, and it was a perfect aspect of their growth, which they both did. I think the main reason I am not rating any higher is that it focuses on my least favourite trope within media: miscommunication. Of course, they're young and scared, but I did just want to shove them together and force them to talk.
Overall, it was a sweet little second-chance romance that really focused on being your true self, not trying to be anyone else, and finding the people you truly blend with while at school. Spread your wings and don't be scared to fly into uncharted territory.

And They Were Roommates is a funny, tender queer rom-com about trans identity, second chances, and the roommate mishap that reignites a love you can’t forget. I was all-in on this one from the title alone and it did not disappoint. It turned out being one of my favorite reads so far this year.

Charlie’s attempt to hide his identity as the only trans student at Valentine Academy unravels when he’s assigned Jasper - the boy who once broke his heart - as a roommate. With laugh-out-loud hijinks, late-night confessions, and a romance that refuses to stay buried, this story is as sweet as it is unputdownable.

Read this all in one day when I was getting a horrible infection treated at the hospital. 10/10. Absolutely incredible.

JANSBEBEHEJEK I CAN’T DEAL WITH THEM. UGH. THE LONGING. So good.
I was smiling while reading. The chemistry is top tier.
The friendships are amazing. The internal thoughts and pressure Charlie has, feel incredibly real.
I absolutely recommend this read for everyone.

-trans mc
-achillean
-insecurities
-second chance
-first love
-longing
-all boys private school
-hidden/secret identity
-pressure to be the best
-secret love poem delivery club

And They Were Roommates was a lovely YA romance in a school setting. The plot devices were typical challenges we see teens facing with identity, fitting in, and just not speaking up to ask for help when they should, of course with the added context of the main character being transgender. While this did not stand out as my favorite romance ever, it was a fun read and I would recommend it to those looking for trans representation, lighthearted romance, and relatable teenage struggles. 3.75 stars out of 5

Page Powars' writing and narration were amazingly gripping, I had a great time reading this!

((I do wish we'd gotten more of the main couple on page though, given that that's literally the title :") ))

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

Thank you for the ARC!! All opinions are completely my own.** 2.5-3 stars. Interesting plot, but somehow everything fell flat for me. The writing style was strangely stilted. The plot line incomprehensibly jumped around everywhere. For some reason I just couldn’t get into this story or visualize its characters. Overall just felt really messy. Otherwise, great premise.

This book was charming and tender. The writing was poetic, which suited the story well. Charlie was determined to have a lonely high school experience as to not draw attention to himself, but I appreciated how his feelings changed; I'm glad that Charlie was able to open himself up and forge some meaningful friendships.
However, Charlie and Jasper's summer camp experience was a pivotal plot point, but I felt that it didn't get the attention it deserved. I needed more to justify Jasper's actions. It just didn't feel as impactful as it should have. Instead of showing us how the experience shaped Charlie and Jasper, we were just told briefly that it was significant. I didn't feel it. There were other plot points that didn't get the attention they deserved, especially the relationship between Jasper and P.M..
Overall, there was a lot going on when more care could have been devoted to establishing the core plot points, but this was a fun and enjoyable read.

If I didn't get this as an arc from NetGalley, I definitely would have been disappointed with this purchase. There are many inconsistencies, and small nit picky issues I have that I just can not overlook with this. The writing it the main issue, as well as the characters. It reminds me of Rainbow Rowell's Carry On series. Cringy and fanfic like. Which is very disappointing, as I was very excited about this book. Unfortunately, however, I DNFed it.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Roaring Book Press for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Oh my word!! First - this cover? It's beautiful. The font and way that the title is lined up in the middle? Perfect. The characters - lovely, even the blonde, and I don''t like blonde mmc's! LOL

This book is just so cute; it's tender, it's funny, it's sweet.

Charlie is a trans boy and is attending Valentine Academy for Boys where he runs into his "ex", Jasper - who has no clue & doesn't recognize Charlie post transition. When they are standing there and Jasper tells Charlie he's attracted to him??? The staring? The sweetness? GAH!. It's a true "kicking my feet" moment because it's just THAT good. I felt the emotion throughout the entire book and it's just so good.

This is a perfect read for lovers of YA that love the tender yet hilarious reads.

This was such a fun romp of a book! I really enjoyed the friendship dynamics evolving throughout the book.

Young adult with emphasis on the "young." If I were 15, I would've eaten this up with a spoon. I'm glad that we live in a world where there is one more cheesy gay romance for teenagers, and a trans mc at that. Not the book for me, but a book I'm glad to have read all the same.

This was one of those YAs that I knew sounded interesting but I realized halfway through I would have enjoyed more ten years ago.

It was your run of the mill cheesy love story with a little too much miscommunication that ended so sweet it could give you diabetes. A little too cheesy and dramatic for my tastes as I’ve grown I have to admit.

That being said, if I was still 15 I absolutely would have eaten it up. The romance was adorable and the love letter concept was actually so cute. There could have been less focus on the academics but they are indeed at an all boys private academy so it definitely makes sense lol. Just wish there was a tiny bit more focus on the romance as it seemed to run flat and lack true emotion at times. MC also could have used some therapy and I kinda wish they focused on that at times.

All in all, cute YA book but not my taste anymore I fear.

I really, really wanted to love this book. It sounded like such a cute, fun story but unfortunately, I found it to be just okay. The middle of the story felt a bit slow and I found myself struggling to push through. I also wasn't invested in Charlie and Jasper's relationship. This is a second chance romance but I felt like we didn't get enough backstory on their relationship before Charlie transitioned to make me want to root for them in present day. I also didn't care about the love letter writing plot.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Originally I was very excited to read this book due to all of the PR that was put out, but then got nervous when the author started getting flamed a bit online. I am glad I went through with it anyways because I was pleasantly surprised. Although, the love interest was a little stereotypical being blonde, pretty, popular and a genius, the writing was captivating. I really love Powars writing style and it kept me interested the whole way through. The MC was relatable in some parts as a trans person, but dang he sure moved fast because the whole transition in less than 2 years... wish that was me. It must be because of the good support system and money. I also loved all the other side characters in the book, they really made the story. Overall, I really enjoyed the book, but the ending was a little too cliche and cheesy for me.

A refreshingly adorable Young Adult romance novel where nothing has gone according to plan. Meet Charlie: A recently transitioned trans boy beginning his new school year at Valentine Academy for Boys. He has prepared for everything, except for his ex to be his 'randomly' assigned roommate. AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES was fun, silly, and an all-around wonderful time.


Charlie and Jasper you will go down in history

What a great concept for a book!! It's YA so there is a lot of angst but I think in this case it works. The cast of characters helped me believe in the story and I really liked the overall setting. A quick, interesting read about something I will never experience! Easy 3.5 stars.

3/5 ⭐️

This book was pretty good, but I did have some problems with it (specifically some of the plotting). It seemed a little underdeveloped as far as depth to the story, and the chemistry between the main characters seems rushed. Overall it was still a fun read, but (as an analogy with movies) it reads as if it were a cheesy made-for-tv DCOM, rather than something I'd go to the movies for.

If the book would have been a bit longer and the relationship expanded upon, I think this book could easily be 4 stars. Conceptually, the idea behind the story is great, but it misses the mark.

I would definitely be willing to read other books by this author to see if they work better for me, and if the author were to release more material for this book I'd love to give it a second try.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. Any opinions depicted are my own.