I really tried to like And They Were Roommates, but left it like it was and I was really confused. One of the biggest flaws I saw was the absolute lack of realism in parts of the story. The principal characters as being brought up from relatively poor circumstances, with their own mother clearly struggling financially - yet somehow, they get their way in to a full medical conversion, including what they are told is a reasonably well-paid surgery. That's a pretty huge financial commitment, in real life, and the book never even really explains how it's possibly possible. It just seemed like a major miss, and after I finished reading the book I was never quite so bored again.

Representation is pretty important, absolutely — but the reality of representing something as subtle and emotional (and intimate) as transitioning without representation can be shallow or careless. These are things that are deeply personal to people and not covering the barriers many trans people have in real life to get the plot rolling just felt like some sort of lame duck.

Beyond that, I just couldn’t get into the characters. They were interesting, they were fully developed, but their emotional arcs were sorushed and undeveloped. There were moments that could have been really moving and powerful, but didn’t because the emotional foundation wasn’t there. The relationships were more plot devices than relationships, and the dialogue couldn’t hold up because it was just canned stuff.

Overall I think there was some potential in the story, but it really did need to weigh things more heavily especially when dealing with very real life issues. It had that sense of wanting to say something and not quite reaching an understanding as to how to do it that felt grounded and honest.

Thank you, Macmillan, NetGalley, and Page Powars for the Arc! Y’all know that one vine that says, “and they were roommates.” Well, that is one of the reasons I wanted to read this book because I needed to know more about Charlie and Jasper’s roommate shenanigans. They knew each other once, but after Charlie’s transition Jasper no longer recognizes him? So what is Charlie to do now? Read all about it when the book comes out 2025/05/27!

In the meantime, I really enjoyed it, and it was such a cute YA romance with so many funny moments and some pretty heartfelt moments that made you glad a book like this exists for younger generations to read.

The amount of friends that Charlie ended up finding, even though he tried to desperately push away. You can succeed all you want in academics or life, but without a solid support group it can and will overwhelm you. That was part of the story that I loved so much and made the book worth reading.

Jasper’s growth was also great because at first glance we just see him as a snob, but as we go further into the story we see more of him and his vulnerabilities. Yeah, he may seem popular and well liked, but even with all that there is some loneliness. Charlie’s growth was the best, in my opinion. To be honest, I liked him less than I did Jasper. He complained so much that Jasper was a snob and had an inflated ego, but how the whole “Excellence Scholar” thing that was brought up by him made him sound way more snobbish and like he had a bigger ego. However, seeing him struggle to feel like he belonged at Valentine Academy gave more perspective on how and why he acted snobbier. I get, we’ve all been there at one point or another.

I’m glad I was able to read this book before it published. I had fun reading it and I think others would too.

First thing, that cover! From reading the description and the fun cover, I was excited to dive deeper into the relationship of these two characters. I knew this book would be giddy and happy; I was not disappointed!

As I was reading, I also felt similar vibes to those of Ouran HighSchool Host Club, and similar anime series such as Special A and Maid-Sama, where there is an academic rivalry between the two main characters and secrets between them.

The execution however leaves something to be desired in the relationship dynamic. I wish there was more tension in the “rivalry”. Charlie knows who Jasper is, and while Jasper hopes this person is linked to a past love, when we get the reveal the click was almost too instant. I also wish we had more insight into Charlie’s life pre-transition, especially his past with his mother and how they navigated his transition amidst financial struggles; we know he felt ready after a year of remote high school, but I was left wanting more details.

Overall the plot was super fun, I loved picking up all the little details about the school. It didn’t feel entirely real, but for a sweet romance that plays with old-school structures and gender roles, it worked. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the Arc!

Jasper F. Grimes I’m kind of obsessed with you.

I had been waiting for an ARC for this book for what felt like eons. And god was the wait worth it. Roommates was a fun, fairly light experience that engaged with the reality of being a trans kid in an all-boys school. The representation was on point, peak even. I got so damn locked in I had a few dreams about Roomates (this only happens when a book really sticks with me.)

As usual, I had some issues. There was a lack of character development, especially from Charlie (he pissed me off sometimes I’m not even going to lie even though I enjoyed his character.) The post-make out fight Charlie and Jasper had was completely out of place and awkward— they had a good relationship progression up until that point.

The ending of Roomates, the last 10%, was flat. It just… ended. I still had questions— no, don’t go!!! There was minimal explanation other than “PM’s not that bad” about the history of PM and Jasper and the resolution was Charlie crashing out over placing 6th and then PM was like “it’s ok” and Charlie was like “aww he’s not so bad.”

I liked this book a lot and I’m going to think about Jasper for a while.

3.8/5 rounded up to 4

This was such a fun read! If you’re looking for a quick and easy, inclusive love story, look no further. Charlie and Jasper were precious. Bonus points for the found family!

4 stars.

The story and Jasper and Charlie was such a fun one! This book was incredibly fun and campy while still having some great serious moments.
Charlie has recently transitioned and was just accepted into the Valentine Academy for Boys. However there's a twist - the fact that he's trans is a secret - no one knows at his school, not even the school itself. Through unfortunate circumstances he doesn't get the single room he worked for, he instead discovers he's rooming with the boy he had a crush on - before Jasper broke his heart anyway.
This mix up leads to shenanigans, as Charlie must finish the semester out as one of the top three students to keep his scholarship and is trying to uphold a bargain with Jasper to finally get the room to himself.
This story was incredibly sweet with a awesome supporting cast that will make you laugh out loud.

I received a free eArc in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own and not the publishers. Thank you to the publisher and net galley for this opportunity!

I selected this because based on the cover I was assuming it had drarry vibes and liked the idea of trans rep. Unfortunately I felt not an ounce of giddiness or emotion from any of the characters and Charlie had no personality besides being stressed about grades. The premise was also so dumb that Jasper and Charlie write all the love letters, what does the rest of the society even do?? And it's not like they take the time to interview each person and personalize them or anything. I was waiting for the suggestion that maybe they would team up to teach everyone to write their own letters or something interesting but no.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Roaring Brook Press for this ARC!

And They Were Roommates is the type of book you pick up for a quick read and then end up getting emotionally attached to every single character.

This story follows Charlie Von Hevringprinz (great name, I know), who is the only trans student at his prestigious new school and wants nothing more than to keep his identity hidden. This plan is immediately destroyed when he learns that his private dorm has been turned into a double, and that his roommate is none other than Jasper Grimes—also known as the boy who broke Charlie's heart before he transitioned. The best part? Jasper doesn't recognize Charlie.

I enjoyed this book SO much! It was so adorable and fluffy, a nice refresher from some of the more angsty books I've read. The slow transition from enemies to maybe friends to lovers was very natural and didn't feel rushed. Charlie was incredibly relatable when it came to all of the responsibilities he was juggling. I also loved Jasper and his hilarious theatrics. At first, I'll admit, I was a bit hesitant after learning that the boy had a cardboard cutout of himself, but I soon began to adore him. I love how each character had a very distinct personality, making each of them memorable. The exchanges between Charlie and his friends were funny and cute, and I found myself wanting to learn more about them.

And don't even get me started on that ending. It was so sweet and tender. I totally wasn't softly weeping while acting like I wasn't emotionally damaged. It was just the kind of moment that makes a rom-com stick with you.
Again, thank you so much for this ARC! I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

It was super cute. Man was Charlie just a huge ball of anxiety and I related a little too hard with that. Like boy if you don’t calm down. All the boys were so fun (Blaze the Chunni was def my fav) and I wish we got to see more of the girls but it mostly focuses on the boys school so eh.

A few things seemed to kind of peter off and just be kind of meh with how the storyline progressed like the other gay kid getting a date or the letters in the finale. Like they were tied up but kind of loosely so they def could have been expanded by a bit to really hone it in. It still was all mostly satisfying as it stuck more to being about Charlie and ya boy not Draco Malloy uhhh I mean Jasper.

It was a fun read. Nothing too spicy, disturbing or wild but it was very cute.

If you're someone that's a fan of Ouran High School Host Club, then you'd enjoy this book! The main protagonists, Jasper and Charlie are exactly like Haruhi and Tamaki in my eyes and STRIP is just like the host club, an undercover club meant to help the students of the school.

I really liked how unique the plotline for this book was, it was fun and I found myself falling in love with the side characters a lot! I love that we got a perspective on Charlie's struggles as a transgender student in a all-boys school and how he learns to trust the friends around him as well as challenge the school system which hasn't seen change in years. I also found the Jasper as a character was eccentric and honestly the more I got to know him, the more I fell for him and was sympathising with him. 
The found family here was adorable and I love that even when all was well, Charlie still had those difficult conversations he was trying to escape and grew as a character, it was inspiring!

I got a good laugh, swooned, and I'll honestly miss these characters! I cannot wait to have the published copy in my hands soon (and the audiobook as it's meant to be narrated by Kaveh's VA from Genshin Impact! THANK YOU PAGE POWARS!!)

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan's Children Publishing for the early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

THANK YOU NETGALLEY FOR MAKING ME UNWELL
UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG THIS BOOK MADE ME LAUGH
AND TORE ME APART
I WAS SCREAMING
I WAS LAUGHING
I AM IN TEARS
ITS BEEN ROUGH OKAY
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I absolutely adored this! It was incredibly fun and the romance was heartwarming. I throughly enjoyed the main couple, but all of the characters were delightful!

And They Were Roommates is a quippy, smart and light-hearted young-adult romance, set in a traditional boarding school for boys. The story's protagonist is Charlie, a transfer student attending Valentine as an Excellence Scholar who is mistakenly placed in a double-room (he specifically requested a single for privacy!) with none other than the boy who stole his first kiss..... prior to his transition. He always knew he was a boy, and getting into Valentine had always been a dream! And now he will do anything and everything to ensure he stays.

There were a few plot points I was questioning from the beginning, mainly pressures on the main character to achieve certain goals, that were eventually answered by the end of the book. I enjoyed the slow-burn, second-chance, grumpy sunshine romance between our love interests. Blaze A. Dixon was also a TREAT of a comedic relief. The author did well building the main character's world and letting the readers into his mind and though process. Charlie is a bit messy and delusional!

However, this wasn't a five star read for me. Delilah, the female character who attends the girls boarding school across the "cockblockade" plays the role of Charlie's best friend, but there's no depth in their relationship. Also, the relationship between them is immediately strained when she comes in with her own dialogue. Second, I think this story would benefit from "going back in time" and giving readers a preview of what actually happened at camp. Toward the end, I was almost questioning if this part of the story existed as the first book, and this book I was reading was a spin-off, because so much was missing for me.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light-hearted romance to read this summer, a young adult with a trans mc, or even books that explore the inner-dialogue of someone who is trying to live up to immense social and academic pressure.

(I will review this book on my bookstagram, @brintsbooks, in the coming days and before the publishing date).

Thank you to Macmillan Publishers for this eARC. This was such a relatable read. This poor boy is so stressed out all the time and so afraid to disappoint everyone and his anxiety goes crazy and I related to that so hard it was nearly upsetting. I really liked the concept of a trans boy moving in with his first crush from pre transition and the friends he collects along the way made my heart warm. Just a really good really important read!

I was immediately drawn by the books title (anyone else grow up on Vine?) add in the cover and description? Sounds gay I am in!!

I loved EVERYTHING about this book! It totally captures how hard it is to navigate youth, then you add in academic pressure, friends, crushes, being queer, too that off Charlie is keeping a big part of his life under wraps for fear of being kicked out of school!

From the get go I love Jasper and Charlie frenemy-ship (?) Charlie is trying so hard to avoid Jasper to make sure he doesn’t recognize who he was and Jasper seems to be totally enamored with his roommate and wants to spend all his time with him.

This book will make you kick your feet at all the cuteness. I loved every character 🥹♥️

Thank you so much to Page Powars, Macmillan, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my review.

This book is Ouran meets Hana Kimi some of the favorite shoujos of all time! Charlie, the main character is reunited with his summer camp love who broke his heart, only Jasper knew him before his transition. It's silly and ridiculous in a way that I think a teen romcom with a trans main character pulls off perfectly. It's got heart and fun characters - Jasper and Charlie are literally Tamaki and Haruhi in another font and I enjoyed watching their shenanigans.

Charlie is the only trans student in a private all boys high school who has just transferred in as a scholarship student. He was supposed to have a single room but finds out on check in that he has a roommate, Jasper; said roommate is the boy that broke his heart before he transitioned.

Suddenly Charlie's plans to lay low go up in smoke, sharing a room with Jasper and getting involved in the tutoring program that's really a front for love letter delivery to the sister campus. Can Charlie survive at Valentine Academy for Boys?

This was a semi stressful yet delightful read. Stressful because Charlie is a ball of nerves (for valid reasons). I appreciated the people Charlie did find along the way, so even though themes in this novel could have gone really serious, most things land pretty upbeat. My first read from Page, but now I need to go read his other books.

Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Roaring Brook Press for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will be published on 5/27/25. I will post to Instagram closer to publication

And They Were Roommates was so good! It was such a fun and easy read! Charlie is so sweet and such a great main character. Jasper is so annoying at first, but then you start to see what Charlie sees in him and start to love him more and more as the book goes on. You really see how much love Charlie has for his friends and found family. I adore this book so much that I HAD to preorder a signed copy already even though I read the eARC. Sign me up for 10 more, I love Page Powars’ writing and can’t wait to read more!

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC of And They Were Roommates in exchange for my unbiased review.

Overall, this was a fun read! I have been so excited to read this after seeing it promoted on TikTok. I love a good Queer romance and set in an academic setting I knew I was going to eat it up! I really enjoyed the out there characters and their eccentricities. I really felt like I was reading about silly and in some cases pretentious teens. It was silly and kooky but really fun!

I did have a few issues. Without too many spoilers, let’s get into it. I think most of my issues with the book is that it didn’t make sense to be set in a high school. I was talking about it with someone and like…. It feels like it was originally supposed to be in an older setting but got bumped down to YA. Maybe that wasn’t what happened but that’s just what it felt like to me. For example, there are so many times that Jasper is referred to as the sexiest poet of the year or something like that… Y’all that is a child. At MOST this kid is 16 years old. Why are we referring to a child as SEXY? And there were so many plot points where it didn’t make sense that this was happening at such a young age. I can excuse silly things that don’t make sense like 2 16 year olds being best selling authors. But this person broke your heart when you were 13 and now you’ve decided to give up on love entirely? So yeah, i just think it would have made a lot more sense within the storyline if we aged these characters up a few years

I also think this book has been misrepresented in its promo. This book did not have the focus on the love story to be classified as a romance ya book. The focus on STRIP and their letters was the main point and I wasn't expecting it. There is some tension and build up but it wasn’t the main plot and felt kind of rushed at the end like oh right we need to add in the romance. I mean based on the cover alone, I thought we would get more of a will they won’t they scenario of developing feelings or attraction to one another

Lastly, the main female characters felt one dimensional and not fleshed out as characters and just used as plot devices. I guess I can sort of excuse this as they aren’t allowed a lot of page time because of Valentine’s rules around communication. But it just didn’t sit right with me.

Ok so that was a lot. BUT. I promise I really did have fun with this story!! Once I reset my expectations, I had a good time.

If you liked Page Powars’ The Borrow a Boyfriend Club you’ll love this! A light-hearted LGBTQ+ young adult romance set at a prestigious boarding school featuring your favorite found family and enemies to lovers tropes. This one was slow to start but had a strong finish. I surprised myself by loving the friendships more than the love story in this one; the supporting characters really stood out and were some of my favorites.