Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group|Roaring Book Press and author Page Powars for providing me with the eARC of “and they were roommates”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: May 27th, 2025
Reviewed on Goodreads: June 23rd, 2025

This was a cute story.
“and they were roommates” is a young-adult, trans, mm romance, set in a prestigious all-boys academy.
The story follows Charlie, a trans boy who is juggling hiding his identity and trying to gain a spot at the top of his class to remain enrolled in the academy.
Jasper is an aspiring poet, and Charlie’s roommate.
The problem? They have a romantic history. Jasper doesn’t recognize Charlie, and Charlie hopes to keep it that way.

Both boys end up involved in a student tutoring program, that is actually a secret love-letter delivery service.
Charlie must learn to work alongside his roommate and former lover, while keeping his identity under wraps. However, tensions rise, and secrets are unveiled, leading to outcomes neither of them could have expected.

Overall, I liked this story.
I do not see many stories with Trans characters on the market, so I was pretty excited to read this. Charlie is a sweet character, and I really wanted things to work out for him.
I enjoyed the concept, from Charlie learning to fit in at an all-boys school, to the love-letter delivery service. It was unique.
There were some interesting characters, and I loved seeing the development of their friendships.
The romance aspect is actually quite minimal, and happens towards the end, but I loved it. It is the type of romance that makes you smile and giggle to yourself.

The only critiques I have about it are:
- I felt too many new characters were introduced, I found it difficult to keep up with who was who at first.
- Some of the characters did not feel as developed as I would have liked them to be. For example, I think that Jasper could have been given a much more notable personality. At times things just felt a somewhat shallow.

For the most part, I found it to be enjoyable! I would recommend it if you like young adult stories!

4.5 ⭐️, rounded up

I had only heard excellent things about this book, but I kept putting it off after seeing it marketed as a second-chance romance. If that’s what you’re most looking forward to you might be disappointed, but as someone who doesn’t love the trope I was pleasantly surprised by how it played out. And They Were Roommates is the story of a trans boy attending a very strict, traditional private boarding school on scholarship, and all the external pressures that go along with it. A beautifully crafted story about very real feeling teenagers, this is a must-read for anyone who loves a queer YA academic tale.

The title. The cover. IT'S EVERYTHING. I had to immediately request when this came across my desk ;)

And They Were Roommates is a romantic ode to writing, second chance romances, and queer joy.

I really loved how the story flowed. We instantly are put into Charlie's conundrum of rooming with his ex Jasper, who is none the wiser. What follows is a story of the pressures of academia, an elite boy's club, love letters, and a slow burn romance that will leave you with a big ol' smile on your face.

I ended up listening to this one. The narrator Ben Balmaceda perfectly captures Charlie as well as the rest of the cast. The distinct voice intonation between Charlie and Jasper is superb. I could easily tell who the dialogue was based on character's persona. Balmaceda's cadence also allowed me to listen at 1.5 speed, making this a fast-paced contemporary romance a delight to eat up every single minute!

*review cross posted on audiobook format*

Actual rating: 3.5

I had so much fun with this- I mean, and they were roommates, you know- but I definitely lost the plot a bit in the middle. Jasper and Charlie were my favorite disasters most of the time, but every once in a while, I did want to clap their skulls like coconuts to knock some sense into them. Like, you cannot be this obtuse, gentlemen. Even if you are the toxic pair of insecure post and anxious academic. *sighs*

I can see the common threads between this book and Powars’ debut and I will be looking out like a hawk for his next book. Don’t take my 3.5 rating as a deterrent- this book was not as strong as The Borrow a Boyfriend Club but it’s still OODLES of YA rom-com chaos fun. Perfect road-trip audiobook, that’s for sure.

Do I need to say it again? Y’all, and they were roommates.

thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for a review.

And They Were Roommates was the perfect trip read. Having spent the majority of my time away on the subway, I would just sit and read this on my kindle and the drama made it so intriguing. Charlie is already under a lot of stress academically in needing to maintain an impossible set of good grades in order to stay on campus while also going stealth to make sure nobody knows he's trans. Adding being accidental roommates with his summer ex who doesn't recognize but could over time? I was stressed for Charlie the whole time.

But even with that weight of pressure, Powers wrote the story in a way that leaned towards seriousness and hope. Making sure that comedy lightened things up where needed [like a freshman who loves horses] or just silly dialogue as Charlie struggles to catch up in PE. The love letter system took a second to get into but after a few chapters, I was hooked.

Even though my review is late, I actually ordered a copy of this for the store under my employee picks and it sold immediately. And while it is set during a semester at a boarding school, this honestly makes the perfect summer read!

I had such a good time with this book. The characters are all so fun and unique. Every scene felt full of personality, and I never got bored. It really nails that chaotic, emotional, figuring-things-out energy of being a teen. The emotional moments hit in a way that felt super grounded and honest. Just a really charming, queer joy, feel-good story with a lot of heart.

4.5/5 ☆

What a sweet & emotional YA story. I absolutely loved what Page has written and hope to read more from him soon. I think my little complaints can be boiled down to "teenagers" and that they don't communicate well yet.

Thank you to MacMillan Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!

3.5 Stars

This was a charming and humorous story that I think will resonate with a lot of people. The characters are bold and unapologetically themselves with a little teenage panic thrown in. This is heartwarming and a quick read, definitely great for Pride Month! We love good representation and Page Powars delivers with queer and trans characters that really feel authentic and dynamic.

it’s very cute. i feel page powers knows how to write cute and quirky romcoms. i will say it felt very short and i didn’t really connect to side characters that much so i felt a disconnected from some scenes. but for what it is it’s a cute book and i will keep looking out for page powers books

One of my favorite books of the year. Every character had so much growth and the love story wasn’t too cheesy or unbelievable. The friendships and side characters were such an important part of the story -I’m a sucker for a good found family!

“And They Were Roommates” by Page Powars starts off really fun and full of chaos. The story follows Charlie, a trans teen who just started at an all-boys school, only to find out he’s been paired with the worst possible roommate: Jasper, the boy who broke his heart before he transitioned. But Jasper doesn’t recognize him. Things get wacky fast when Charlie agrees to help Jasper write love letters for other students in exchange for getting a room to himself. The first half had me hooked. Jasper is super dramatic and wild, and the whole school felt like a soap opera full of weird rich kid drama. It was silly and over-the-top, but entertaining.

But after the halfway point, I started losing interest. The romance didn’t really start until the end, and by then, I wasn’t feeling the spark between Charlie and Jasper. Charlie’s constant stress over grades and college got annoying, and Jasper felt more like a cartoon than a real person. The school setting was also kind of ridiculous. I think the book would’ve been better if we also got Jasper’s point of view to understand him more. It wasn’t a bad book, just not for me. I liked the idea, but it didn’t fully come together in a way that kept me interested.

This book was so cute I might die.

Charlie is starting at Valentine Academy, a Boarding School for boys and girls where the groups are separated by a wall and they can never see each other.

Charlie is hiding his identity as a trans student, and requested a single room, but instead gets paired up with Jasper. Number 1 ranked student, celebrity poet, the Pricipal’s nephew, and the guy who broke Charlie’s heart at camp two years ago before Charlie had transitioned. Jasper doesn’t recognize him and there’s a lot on the line.

This whole novel was so well written and lovely, I loved Charlie, Jasper was SO dramatic 😂. Like he has a cardboard cutout of himself as the Sexiest Poet or something 😂😂.

The cover is stunning, the story was great, the cuteness level was off the charts. Totally recommend this one!

Netgalley review, possible plot points mentioned below.

I was very excited for this one but I think maybe someone in their 20s is maybe to old to enjoy it to the fullest, I found it a bit immature most of the time. I just know though that when I was in middle school and maybe early highschool I would have rated this higher.

I wish it leaned more into academia rather than the weird letter system they had going and the leader board. I feel those elements could still work, if the book cared more about academics than extra stuff. I think I also would have personally been more sucked into the book with an academic vibe
.
The whole Delilah part was in my opinion the weakest section. She was only brought up when she got be useful in plot. Charlie didn't think about her often for someone who's his best friend and never seemed to care much for her and vise versa. Delilah, while she did have her own stresses over academics, was not a very pleasant character nor did she have any real background. Delilah could have had more involvement and more personality without having to be just a use to the main character. Also why is another student the emergent contact?

Speaking of which, my one comment on the mom aspect, hated the weird lying part about my mom is on this dating show you happen to watch. It was just kinda weird and out of place.

What brought the book back to me was the heist in getting the letters over the wall and the dance it's self when they are on the mission to pass them out (not the end of the dance because that kind of lost me with their constant miscommunication).

Overall I can see how others would enjoy it, especially maybe a younger audience than I am but this book was not for me.

I thank the authors and netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review this book.

i had a really good time with this book! thank you netgalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review

An Incredibly fun and campy read! A perfect book to recommend to teen readers. Humorous and standout characters that make the book pass by in a flash. I would not be surprised if I heard customers say it would be the next Heartstopper.

Oh my God...they were roommates.
This is a pitch-perfect rivals/roommates to lovers YA romance that is unapologetically queer with a trans main character. The plot is captivating but never overwhelms the build-up of the romance. I'm not sure it'll stay with me for long, but I don't necessarily think it needs to to be worthwhile.

📚 Book Review 📚

Title: And They Were Roommates
Author: Page Powars
Genre: YA Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨ Summary ✨

And They Were Roommates is a second-chance queer romcom set in an all boys academy with one awkward roommate situation! Romance? Absolutely not. Charlie’s only goal at Valentine Academy is to keep a low profile as the school’s only trans student. But his plan falls apart instantly when he’s stuck rooming with Jasper Grimes—the same boy who broke his heart before he transitioned. And worse? Jasper has no clue who Charlie is.

💭 My thoughts

This book and these boys have stolen a huge piece of my heart. Page Powars did an impeccable job showcasing the chaos of first love and self discovery. The chemistry between Charlie and Jasper? Perfect. The TENSION? Phenomenal!!! The representation in this book is top tier, Page Powars did an incredible job of showing the complexities of transitioning, while giving us a love story that feels radiant and affirming.

📌 Favorite Quote

“I’m not sure what you see when you look in the mirror, Charlie, but I have a hypothesis that it isn’t what others see.” - JFG

This book is perfect for fans of Red, White & Royal Blue, Heartstopper, or anyone who loves a soft, emotionally resonant queer romance with plenty of pining, found family, and self-growth. This is an absolute must read and a book I intend to reread!! ♥️

This book is everything a queer teen rom-com should be: clever, deeply emotional, and bursting with heart. It’s a brilliant second-chance romance wrapped in mistaken identity, awkward dorm life, and a slow-burn dynamic that will have you laughing one minute and clutching your chest the next.
Page Powars excels at capturing the chaos of being a teenager, especially one dealing with identity, fear, and unresolved feelings. The emotional layers here are handled with care—Charlie's inner conflict, the pressure to pass, and the delicate push-and-pull between past and present are all treated with nuance.

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!

As soon as I heard the premise of this one, I genuinely couldn’t stop thinking about it. I dropped everything to read the moment my ARC request came through—and it did not disappoint.

In <i>And They Were Roommates</i>, our MMC Charlie is starting at a new, prestigious all-boys school—only to discover that his roommate, Jasper, is the boy he shared his first kiss with at summer camp pre-transition… and never quite got over.

There’s so much to love in what Page Powars gives us here: a fantastic grumpy/sunshine dynamic, forced proximity, witty dialogue, miscommunication, and found family. But more than anything, this book is a powerful, joyful, and deeply necessary piece of LGBTQ+ rep—especially in a YA space.

Charlie is transgender, and while the story doesn’t shy away from the stigma and fear he feels at Valentine Academy, it’s also just one of many things that make him shine. His self-doubt slowly softens, thanks to Jasper and the people around him. My heart broke for the pressure he put on himself to be perfect—and healed a little more with every moment of acceptance he found by being vulnerable.

There are some plot points—like the underground love-letter campaign with the girls’ school—that didn’t fully land for me. But honestly, that’s not what matters here. This is a character-driven story about love and acceptance—of others, yes, but more importantly, of yourself. And on that front, Powars absolutely delivers.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s / Roaring Brook Press for the eARC on NetGalley!