And They Were Roommates follows Charlie, the only trans student at the Valentine Academy. He's assigned as a roommate to his ex-crush Jasper who doesn't recognize him after his transition. This premise immediately caught my eye! I'm always a huge fan of mistaken idenitty and misunderstandings as I ponder the whole book when the truth will be revealed.

I loved the trans representation in the book and that Charlie's identity and pronouns were respected even post revelation. Following Charlie as he follows his journey of self discovery at Valentine was so enduring, especially because attending this school has always been his goal even pre-transition.

And They Were Roommates also does a great job of keeping everything light and humorous as well even with the deeper emotion beats through out the book. Jasper constantly had me laughing with his unique personality he wasn't your typical quiet blond boy who loves english but was instead really goofy. The love letter plot was also fun and interesting segue for us the reader to see how Charlie evolves with his relationship with love itself.

The pacing felt a bit slow sometimes, and it took me a bit to begin to really warm up to Jasper as he first comes off almost too arrogant and uncaring of Charlie's feelings.

Overall it was a great heartfelt YA romance that allows us to not only laugh but fllow along with Charlie's self discovery as he settles himself into who he is.

3⭐️
ARC read
Pub date: 5/27/25

I absolutely LOVED the concept of this book! Trans student thinks he’s getting a single room at a boarding school, but ends up rooming with his old crush who doesn’t know who he is?! YES PLEASE. But this honestly ended up being a bit boring for me😔 All the weird high school antics were a little much for me and I didn’t really find the romance between Charlie and Jasper to be believable. I really loved the last like 10% of the book, but Jasper was seriously insufferable until then.

Like I said, I did love the ending! Everything came together nicely, and I’m so glad Charlie finally found his place at Valentine and grew so much more comfortable with himself. I wish that would have started happening sooner? I mean I realize these are high school kids and this story takes place over like 3 months, but it did feel like all the character growth happened right towards the end of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced digital copy to read and review!

I love this concept. Every time I read the title, I hear that vine in my head. And I love that for me and all the other millennials reading this book.

Charlie is very excited to be attending an elite boarding school for boys in New York. Given their "traditional" values, he has decided not to tell anyone he is trans. But when he gets assigned a roommate by mistake, and that roommate is his ex from summer camp two years ago, his plan is in trouble. Next thing he knows, he is roped into a secret love letter writing group to smuggle letters to the girls' school, all in the hopes that he will get his own room. But Charlie is spinning too many plates, and he is worried he will lose his scholarship before someone finds out his secret.

I'm not going to lie - when I started this book, a lot of the supporting characters confused me. But about halfway through, I realized they were all just weirdos. And then I started to really enjoy it. I really enjoyed Charlie, but I wasn't really a fan of Jasper. I didn't get him, and I didn't understand why Charlie had a crush on him. But by the time Jasper realized who Charlie really was, I was rooting for them against my will. I just really wanted Charlie to get the guy!

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan, for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This read was the cutest little love story, but I fear the poetry aspects may have gone right over my head😂

I truly did enjoy reading And They Were Roommates, mainly because I always love a cutesy gay romance. And I'll be completely honest, this was the first book I have read that had a trans main character. I loved it! I feel like we, as readers, were truly able to feel exactly what Charlie was feeling in his first year at Valentines. And Jasper- poor Jasper was having an existential crisis it felt like. I would have enjoyed a bonus chapter in Jasper's POV, I think. But that may just be me being greedy for more to the story (🤗).

I think the only reason I took off a star has less to do with the book and more to do with the fact that I didn't quite understand a good majority of the poetry lingo or what STRIP's main motto was doing. And P.M.? I still am not quite sure who he is, what he did, or what really happened between him and Jasper. Honestly, I thought he was going to be Jasper's crush, but in the end I don't believe that was the case (but again, I'm not entirely sure...maybe its a scenario that gets left up to the reader). Either way, ignoring the fact that my poetry knowledge falls into the "I have no idea" category, this was an enjoyable read that I did not want to put down!

This book absolutely stole my heart and I did NOT see it coming. This isn’t my usual genre (I tend to drift toward the darker side of romance), but I fell head-over-heels for this charming, laugh-out-loud-funny, and deeply moving second-chance romance.

From the start, you’re thrown into the chaos of Charlie’s world—navigating life as the only trans student at a prestigious boys’ academy while trying to dodge his past… which becomes impossible when his new roommate turns out to be Jasper Grimes, the very boy who unknowingly broke his heart pre-transition. The twist? Jasper doesn’t recognize him.

Cue a whirlwind of heartfelt love letter writing, nighttime heart-to-hearts, and the best band of side characters ever. STRIP had me howling—each member added so much heart and humor to the story.

Despite being categorized as YA, it doesn’t read like a typical YA. It’s emotional and warm without ever feeling juvenile. The grumpy x sunshine dynamic between Jasper and Charlie is perfect, the trans representation is powerful and nuanced, and the happy ending left me smiling like a goof.

This book was exactly what I needed. Sweet, sincere, and seriously special. Other tropes I loved in this: Academia Setting, Love Letters & Poetry, Found Family/Friend Group Chaos

Aaaaand they were absolutely insufferable. I tried but just could not suspend disbelief enough to see Jasper as a real person who talks like THAT, who is FAR from anything that Charlie sees him as. They seem to be operating in parallel universes, and that is a major hurdle in me getting invested. Perhaps an audiobook would make it seem less disjointed.

oohhh this was so much fun!

thank you so much to Roaring Book Press, Macmillan, and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

oh this was the perfect beginning of summer read. the characters were so lovable and the plot had the unmistakable charm of fan fiction, and I mean this as a HIGH compliment! this was incredibly silly and charming, but also introspective and warm. I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed this and have confidently added Page Powars to my list of instant buy authors!! A perfect ya queer campus romance! this feels like such a short review for me, but to be honest, this was just such a solid, fantastic read that I don't have much more to say than: READ IT!!

also I would like to shout out the cover design and illustration team, L. Whitt, Abby Granata, and Addie TK, for a GORGEOUS cover!

This book was a light day read but also tackled the topic of a transgender student which is a rare topic in the book world.. The topic is handled well.

4⭐️
Oh what a joy this book was! Second chance romance truly hits for me every time. Charlie and Jasper in this were so freaking adorable. Charlie is starting her first day at Valentine Academy and ready to start his new life. Imagine his surprise when his roommate turns out to be none other than Jasper, the boy that broke his heart the year before Charlie transitioned. We follow Charlie and Jasper over the course of a few semesters at school and all the situations they find themselves in. Charlie is constantly anxious about what his peers will think if they find out he is trans and in turn hides his true self from everyone. It was so sweet and endearing seeing him slowly open himself up to the friendships and opportunities that his school gave him and truly accept it. Jasper added so much comedic relief to this book and had me laughing out loud multiple times. The side characters, Charlie, and Jasper created the sweetest found family and showed how important and life changing true friendship can have in our lives.

Thank you to Macmillan Childrens and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for my review!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this arc.

This was my first Page Powars book and I will absolutely be reading their other work. It's campy, it's cute, and was just an all-around good read. I'd give it a 4.25/5. I found Charlie endearing from the start. The already stressful situation of needing to hide his identity in school, while also making sure that he performs well, Charlie is truly just doing his best ... and then, Jasper. Jasper certainly doesn't make matters any easier.

I found Jasper to be a bit pompous and pretentious at the start. However, he grew on me by the end. While being used to the often typical back-and-forth POV of romance novel, I initially found myself wishing I could get his perspective and not just Charlie's POV. As the book got further along, I felt Jasper's perspective was well-explained and explored despite not having that POV. Once I got about halfway through, I couldn't put the book down and finished the rest in one sitting. I just had to see what would become of Charlie's experience at Valentine Academy and what would happen with Jasper. I loved the side characters and they truly felt fleshed out and added significantly to the story.

My only complaint is that the ending felt a bit rushed to me. After so much build up, I wanted a bit more detail at the end as to how things were turning out - both with Charlie at Valentine Academy and with Jasper.

Thank you to Macmillan Childrens, Page Powars, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Oh. My. GOODNESS. We know I don't read YA often, but second chance, forced proximity, and queer? Gimme.

This book was everything I wanted, cute, tender, and packed with that perfect kind of slow burn that has you fully emotionally invested by chapter two. Set at a private all-boys school, it’s got secret love letters, forced proximity, and the kind of second chance romance that just gets your heart fluttering.

Charlie? I love him, no notes. Jasper had me WILD for the first 25% of this book, and then he turned around and revealed his cinnamon roll heart and I was DONE. I will not be taking questions.

If you're into queer romcoms with big feelings, soft boys, and just enough angst to keep you up reading way too late, definitely add And They Were Roommates to your TBR. I devoured it and loved every page.

🫶 Young Adult
🫶 LGBTQIAP+
🫶 Secrets and second chances
🫶 Private All Boys School
🫶 Secret Love Letters

This book was one of the best.I really liked the pacing as well as how the author depicted the protagonist and his problems with hiding the fact that he is trans. The book goes over the issues that he has went through as well as doing a good job of revealing information about the love interest. The slow bonding of these two characters kept me interested in the book. Overall it was a wonderful read.

Charlie & Jasper.. ugh their angsty roommate second chance love is swoonworthy.

We start off with Charlie's first day at his dream school. Where he is under the impression he will have a single room but of course with a minor slip up he is assigned a roommate. Not just any roommate the boy who broke his heart 2 years prior at summer camp... Jasper.

This story follows their first semesters and the stress and trials they endure. With Charlie being the only transgender student he is anxious and worried what people may think if they find out. He tries to hide his true self at every turn. As time goes on and he starts to explore all that Valentine has to offer he slowly but surely starts coming out of his shell thanks to his new friends he has made along the way.

Jasper is hilarious, kinda annoying (in a good way) and nephew of the principal. He is a diva through and through and full of energy. He is a poet who is in search of his long lost love and desperate to find them at any costs. He decides to become Charlie's love tutor in hopes he can help assist him with writing secret love letters to their sister school which is a top secret Valentines tradition.

The found family the STRIP creates for both Charlie and Jasper is amazing and shows what true friendship means. The side characters are absolutely hilarious and I simply enjoyed all of them especially Blaze.

If you're looking for a book that makes you believe in love again this one is it.

Thank you to NetGally for an ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This book is everything to me. Charlie grows so much in the book that I truly grow to admire him. He learns to let go so much and it is something I needed to as well. The whole premise of the book hooked me in before I even began. And the title is hilarious. This is truly a heartwarming read that I would suggest to anyone.

There is a lot going for this book. I think it does a great job at approaching a trans, teen character and some of the fears and insecurities that these kids might face (especially--as is the case in this book--being isolated/removed from their support system). I think the rigorous academic setting in this book was really compelling and created a lot of natural and believable tension for Charlie. As the story built and as more and more gets added to Charlie's plate, I really felt for his sense of worry (as his scholarship was reliant upon a certain scholastic standing). I also really loved the friendships that are developed throughout the story. Seeing Charlie start to find his place and come into his own was really rewarding to read and made up a lot of the emotional weight of the story.

I will say, I struggled quite a bit with the central romance. We are told there is a past between the two MMCs, but beyond that, the story does very little to offer any explanation as to why they might like each other. Charlie goes quite out of his way to avoid Jasper and Jasper has an ulterior motive the entire book. I didn't feel like there were enough genuine scenes throughout the book that really made for a believable romance. It felt like the forced proximity trope was almost wasted (Jasper often came in late and left early). I think this affected my overall thoughts on the pacing of this story, as well. I had a hard time connecting with Charlie's investment in the STRIP traditions, so for a chunk of the story, I was largely uninterested in the primary plot that I was given and found myself just waiting for the more interpersonal plots to take center stage.
I also thought that there were a few plot points that were a touch unrealistic and took me out of the story. How does Jasper have a perfect score in literally everything (especially given how much time he has to sacrifice to STRIP), why would such a prestigious school (that encouraged Charlie to tutor) virtually punish him for being a good tutor and having academically excellent peers, why did the office worker believe that Charlie's mom was a contestant on the Gnome reality show??--the school definitely would have known about this in advance in case of any emergencies.

Overall, I did enjoy parts of this story and think that, while some of the pacing was off and my personal investment wavered, there are some definitely highlights in this story that I think would resonate with many readers.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and Roaring Brook Press for providing me with a digital review copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

I was doing SOOO good at not requesting too many ARCs and getting overwhelmed and reading them at the very last minute..and here we are. Here's Page Powars's "And They Were Roommates."

["Romance is the last thing on Charlie’s mind.

On his first day at Valentine Academy for Boys, Charlie’s carefully crafted plan to hide his identity as the school’s only trans student is set in motion. Only to be immediately destroyed. Charlie has been assigned the worst roommate in the world (possibly the universe): Jasper Grimes, the boy who broke Charlie’s heart the year before he transitioned.

Except, Jasper doesn’t recognize Charlie.

Who knows how long until Jasper realizes the truth? Charlie has one shot at freedom and a dorm room all to himself, but only if he helps Jasper write love letters on behalf of their fellow students first. No problem. Charlie can help Jasper with some silly letters.

Long nights spent discussing deep romantic feelings with Jasper? Surely, no unintended consequences will arise…"]

I've been wanting this book for AGES! The cover, the blurb, everything.

And it was SO worth the wait. This book was cute and funny and just the right amount of angsty.

#netgalley #arcs #arcteammember
#andtheywereroommates #pagepowars #books #queerbooks #queererotica #bodicerippers #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Simply the best book ever written by a powerhouse author with so many more stories to share. Consider Page Powars an auto-buy for me.

Thanks for the early read! I thought this book was adorable. It made me laugh and feel all that YA giddy goodness. I loved the tension between Charlie and Jasper. I actually loved the whole STRIP crew and each of their relationships with Charlie. It was all very sweet even if very silly at times. Some of the book, especially explanations of their past together, felt a little rushed. I also wish there was more time with them as a couple in the end. Maybe an epilogue?? Overall, I really enjoyed ready this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, and Page Powars for an eARC of And They Were Roommates in exchange for an honest review. 

I had heard so much about this book through social media and was so excited to get my hands on a copy!

I’m totally obsessed with both Charlie and Jasper and loved following their journey throughout the novel. I appreciated how this novel explored what it means to be in all male settings as the only trans guy because even though everyone is just a guy, it can feel isolating when you are not cis.

The dialogue between the characters felt really natural and I found I was laughing to myself at times because of how funny and witty the discussions were.

I feel some of the problems that arose were solved a little too easily or without too much trouble when there maybe could’ve been a little more tension, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Because of this, I am giving this book 4/5 stars.

Review also posted to Goodreads

ATWR was one of my most anticipated new releases of 2025. I loved the concept of “my ex doesn’t recognize me post-transition”.

Jasper’s characterization was a bit over the top for me at first, but it all made sense in the end and I enjoyed his character arc.
I was wondering how Charlie could keep anything hidden from Jasper with a last name like von Hevringprinz.
New favorite character coming out of left field with Blaze.

This was Powars’ sophomore release and I feel like I definitely have a solid sense of what to expect from him in terms of writing style in the future.
My only drawback on this story was one element that felt VERY similar to The Borrow A Boyfriend Club (don’t wanna post spoilers) and I hope to see Powars’ branch out more in future projects.