Workable Romcom With Slightly Too Much Bigotry. Ok, so I worded that title to get perhaps more eyeballs than a less confrontational title would have gotten. Here's the situation, and it is absolutely one that some will love and others will despise, so just be aware of it up front and make your own decision - but don't be mad at Schorr or me if you read the book and don't like it because of what I'm about to tell you, because if you read through the end of this review, YOU. HAVE. BEEN. WARNED.

The situation is this: There is an elderly character who reveals herself as bi and dates both men and women. Some will like this, some will stop reading right there and decide the book isn't for them. As I said, do what you will there.

My own issue, and the reason for the star deduction, is that this character has a more socially conservative son who is actively described as nothing but effectively pure evil. This particular character, always little more than a strawman as he never actually makes an appearance "on screen", is the closest thing to an antagonist the book has, and "strawman" really is the best term to use to describe him, as he is actively described as a bad person *specifically because of his conservative beliefs*, without ever allowing him on-screen to show a more fleshed out character. Now, my own standard for bigotry is both clear and consistent, as I've maintained it for my entire time as a book reviewer: Invert the demographics. If there is a problem, there is a problem in the original as well. Simple. Clear. Consistent. Here, if we made the LGBT character the evil one, off screen, with zero redemptive qualities and never giving that character a chance to be onscreen and defend itself... yeah, that book would have to be self published in today's market, and would still get the author cancelled. Thus, because there is a problem when we invert the demographics, there is a problem here - and thus, the star deduction.

But there again, there are many readers who will *love* that this character is portrayed in this manner - hell, there are some who will buy this book *specifically because* this character is portrayed in this manner. Again, dear reader of my review, you do you. My job is to discuss my own experience with the book and any issues I noted therein so that you can make the best decision for you, and I've done that here.

To be clear, other than the unnecessary inclusion of the character above, I thought this book worked reasonably well overall. Fans of romance novels/ romcoms, particularly of a Gilmore Girls type, will likely love this book. Those who think heavy pop culture references don't belong in pop culture items... likely won't like it as much. Readers looking for ghost pepper level spice/ a touch of drama with their sex scenes type of tales may not like this one as much, as the spice is closer to habanero or so, but also those who can't really tolerate much more than a warm glass of milk may also not like the spice that *is* present. Again, for my own personal tastes, the only two things that surprised me were the inclusion of the elderly bi character and the bigotry towards the socially conservative son - it is an interesting dynamic in that usually the child is the LGBT character and the parent is the socially conservative one. I thought the elderly character was done well, not forced at all, and played well in the story as presented. I simply wished the son were able to do the same.

One somewhat surprising thing about this book given my conversations on social media with Schorr after acquiring my Advance Review Copy of the book from NetGalley but before actually reading it is that Schorr was worried the book could be seen as "too Jewish". In reality, there is roughly a single scene or so where the actual Jewishness of some of the characters comes onscreen, and it worked well with the story told to that point. Again, some will have problems that there are Jewish characters here at all, despite no references to literally any country other than the United States (as this takes place in New York City with some scenes in Philadelphia, but even there, other than the bigotry noted above, even American politics isn't really discussed in the text here). Others will love that there are Jewish characters simply existing in New York. Again, you do you and make the right decision for you.

Just please don't 1 star this book over something I've already warned you about here. Do review the book though, and write about your own thoughts on the book. Maybe you think I'm an idiot. Feel free to call me out in your review. Maybe you think Schorr is an idiot. Don't be mean to her, but be honest about what you thought *without being mean*. (I don't care if you're mean to me, but authors are generally sensitive people. :D) Or maybe you think Schorr is awesome. Absolutely sing her praises if you think that. Authors love to see that. :) Me personally, I was disappointed in the presence of the one character, but overall I really do think Schorr is a talented writer, and I really do look forward to her future works. I just hope she can avoid repeating that one mistake. :)

Very much recommended.

Roommating is a cute rom-com that features some well-loved tropes: forced proximity, slow burn, bisexual representation, and themes of family reconnection and healing. On paper, it had so much potential, and while I appreciated those elements, the execution just didn’t quite land for me.

The romance and chemistry between the leads felt lackluster. I had a hard time connecting with Sabrina who insists on being financially independent in NYC. It didn’t feel convincing when she ended up asking her mom for help anyway. Adam also rubbed me the wrong way. He’s portrayed as someone trying to connect with his grandmother (who happens to be Sabrina’s roommate), but he’s also living there rent-free and seems aimless, with no real motivation to figure out his future.

While the romantic build-up had moments of decent tension, their connection often felt too convenient: they liked books and had too many similarities, which made their relationship feel bland rather than meaningful. The competition between them to stay in the apartment came across as immature, and the ending felt rushed and unsatisfying.

Overall, while I liked the idea of the story and the tropes it tackled, I just wasn’t invested in the characters or their journey. It was an okay read, but ultimately forgettable.

3⭐️ Sabrina has moved in with Marcia. This relationship is honestly cute, and I really enjoyed the dynamic they had. Adam, Marcia’s estranged grandson, is coming for a visit to mend their relationship. But he is still trying to find himself. Marcia’s health declines, and she needs less stress in her life. Too bad Sabrina and Adam are creating more chaos with their mutual attraction and desire to not move out. But one of them has to go.

This had a lot of promise but the characters came across a little too immature for me. This is a me thing as Sabrina and Adam are in their early twenties and dealing with understandable life stresses.

Thank you @netgalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and the author for the advanced reader copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.

I love Marcia, she was my favourite character. Loved seeing her life unfold - coming out later in life, reconnecting with her grandson, trying out the dating scene - it makes the book seem more life like. Despite her not being the main character, I would argue she is a main character. She reminded me of my grandmothers.

I am a little indifferent to the fmc, but think the mmc is a dick. Some of the things he says to the fmc was uncalled for. I was hoping that they weren’t end game.

There were lots of pop references throughout this book. Sometimes this can be a difficult thing for a boom as it ages it. While this might happen with Roommating in the future, right now it makes it fun and easy.

Schorr tells a good story. Roommate stories tend to hit for me and this is no different.

The author clearly knows her NY which I appreciate, it lends authenticity to the story. Sabrina and Adam are competitive and that makes this book feel fun and energetic. She gives depth to her characters by including their back stories in regards to their families.

I'd recommend it for fans of her other books, or for fans of In a New York Minute!

I have to say I was rooting for the heroine and hero to not get together in this one. Neither of the characters were likeable

thank you to meredith schorr, grand central publishing, and netgalley for an arc of this book. all opinions are my own. ♡

.｡*ﾟ+.*.｡ happy publication day!! +..｡*

₊˚⊹⋆ first thoughts: the idea of this being both a love story meet-cute (roommates falling for each other) im excited to see the comedy aspect of this story. (who kicks kicked out?)

₊˚⊹⋆ first thoughts: oh this book was so fun! the different relationship dynamics, the banter, the chemistry, the competition. i genuinely enjoyed this read from start to finish. gosh i wish i had more time to dive headfirst into more kindle books bc i certainly would've ate this audio up within a single day i just know it!! i loved marcia and rocket as side characters, and especially loved seeing marcia's life play out alongside sabrina's.

This was such a fun premise and relatively quick read. I mean when your a few chapters in and a friend of the FMC asks "is he here to connect with grandma or is this a reality dating show where seniors set up their grandchildren their roommates?" I mean even if this isnt really the preface, its pretty close and so darn hilarious.

When Sabrina's [elderly] roommate Marcia invites her grandson to stay for a bit, she hits it off with Adam almost from the get go. Minus a few hiccups, the two are fast friends with Marcia in common. As things start to heat up between them, Marcia shares that having two roommates in their 20s is causing too much extra stress and competition between the two to see who will be the better roommate begins, harming their feelings in the process. But maybe, just maybe, there's a solution that would work best for then all!



Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in exchange for my review!

What a sweet romcom with my favorite best friends to date — Sabrina & Marcia!! Marcia’s storyline was definitely a favorite side character plot and Adam and Sabrina’s chemistry was so fun to read.

What a cute and cozy read. The characters were spot on and I loved the plot. It was a little too “pop culture name dropping” for me but I really liked it. Definitely a fun, summer read.

A very special thank you to NetGalley, Meredith Schorr, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was like a romcom movie. Sweet, silly, and at time slightly over the top, but just an absolute delight to read.

Pros: I loved that the individual down on their luck and moving into a strange situation was the MMC. I’ve read several forced proximity books where someone ends up with an unintentional roommate and it always seems to be the FMC desperate for a living situation. I also really enjoyed that the conflict, while silly at times, didn’t turn into a battle of the sexes so much as two people struggling to figure out how to interact with each other.

Cons: Sabrina is studying to be a librarian, but the almost of book references kind of threw me out of the story a couple times. It felt strange to just have a random popular book title suddenly dropped in the middle of a conversation or a thought.

This is my first Meredith Schorr, but I really enjoyed it and I have a feeling I’ll be reading others down the road!

Thanks to Meredith and Forever Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Roommating by Meredith Schorr is a heartwarming, soul-touching, multi-generational rom-com, where a shared living arrangement turns into more. Sabrina, a busy grad student, was matched with 72-year-old Marcia on a roommate app that brings younger people who need a place with lower rent together with older folks who have an extra room and need some help around the apartment. They become fast friends, but an unexpected third roommate is added when Marcia's estranged grandson, Adam, comes back into her life, needing a place to live as he figures out his future. Marcia wants to know Adam better, so she invites Adam to stay on the couch. Sabrina finds Adam attractive and sparks fly between these two, but it’s a bit crowded in the apartment and she worries that she’ll no longer be welcome once her lease is up. When Marcia becomes ill and is advised that maybe she should shed one of her roommates: living there turns into an awkward competition.

Ms Schorr wrote the ideal story for people who love books, NYC, and septuagenarians. I adored Marcia and her antics, and how she and Sabrina had such a lovely friendship. Sabrina and Adam are both in financial and employment distress which raises the emotional drama and housing worries. Both have parental issues and feel guilty about their grandmothers. Sabrina and Adam's relationship development was entertaining and perfectly bookish. Plus we get Rocket, the necessary adorable dog.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #Forever # Roommating

I wasn’t sure what to think at first but I really liked this one! It had likeable characters, an interesting plot and sweet romance that made it impossible for me to stop reading. The slow burn was cute and made for an a nice reading experience. I liked how the issues were resolved and liked the ending as well. This one is definitely worth checking out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

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My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Meredith Schorr
Publisher: Forever (Grand-Publishing)
Pages: 334
Genre: Spicy Contemporary Romance
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THOUGHTS:

Fans of Christina Lauren you will be delighted! Found and met this amazing author @meredithschorr . Her recent work Roommating is simply amazing, imagine having a Elderly as a roommate trying to set you up with her grandson! Hell yeah! They share the love of books, and they seems to be completed by each other.

I won’t say more but this one is out on Tuesday and you need to buy and read this amazing novel.

BLURB:

Sabrina is too busy with grad school and her job as a library page to think about dating. Until her elderly roommate Marcia invites her estranged grandson Adam to move into their two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan temporarily to “find himself.” Sabrina doesn’t mind sharing the small space with Adam if it helps Marcia repair her relationship with her grandson. But she’s not expecting to fall for him herself. Adam is not only gorgeous, he’s kind, funny, shares her love of reading, and clearly adores Marcia. After one too many accidental midnight rendezvous in the bathroom (him shirtless), the tension between them is hotter than ever. But they’re not the only ones feeling the heat. After Marcia has a health scare, her doctors advise that one of her younger roommates must go.

In a comical and sexy battle to prove who deserves to stay, the two pull out all the stops. All’s fair in love and real estate, but in the end victory is not so sweet when winning the apartment could mean losing each other. @readforeverpub

Cute romcom. Mmc was not as full a character as in some books. Though predictable it was a fun read . This book was graciously provided via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Thoroughly enjoyed Sabrina’s, Adam’s and Marcia’s story. It’s funny, cozy and has just the touch of depth that makes you relate to the main characters. It’s not often I read about older people being part of the main plot of romance novels, but I loved getting to see Sabrina’s and Marcia’s bond through being roommates. Gives my heart a little pinch of joy how much they both adored and enjoyed each other’s company.

Adding the tension between Sabrina and Adam is just chefs kiss. Those little encounters in the apartment and library; he’s literally the perfect book boyfriend.

I want to thank NetGalley, Forever(Grand Central Publishing and Meredith Schorr for letting me get to know Sabrina, Adam’s & Marcia’s story.

I absolutely devoured this book and left zero crumbs behind! It’s soo cute and it’s the perfect beach read! Run don’t walk to your local bookstore and grab it!!

while i was unable to read this by pub date, i have seen nothing but raving reviews today on all my socials and upon reading i will be posting my review on retails as well!! 💫

This was a fun read! I thought the bet they made in the middle of the book was ridiculous, and the results were what I expected, but also, it was better drama than the miscommunication trope, so that's a plus!! Overall an enjoyable read.

A new favorite from Jewish romance author Meredith Schorr!! I really enjoyed this friends to lovers to rival roommates love story set in NYC that sees MLIS student, Sabrina falling for her elderly bisexual roommate, Marcia's grandson, Adam. I loved the found family vibes and the intergenerational friendship between Sabrina and Marcia and that there was a LOT of library love in the book. It was also really fun to read about an older bisexual woman who didn't come out until much later in life and her adventures in dating. Spicier than some of the author's past books, the chemistry between Sabrina and Adam was electric and I was here for it. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!