A Hellishly Good Rom-Com!
My Roommate from Hell is an absolute blast, delivering exactly what it promises: a hilarious and charming descent into love, fake dating, and actual Hell. This YA rom-com takes the classic "grumpy x sunshine" trope and throws in a delightful demonic twist that keeps you grinning from start to finish.

Owen, the ambitious and meticulously planned college student, is instantly relatable, making his exasperation with the chaotic Prince Zarmenus all the more enjoyable. Their initial clashes are genuinely funny, with "sparks flying (literally)" as Zar accidentally sets furniture ablaze. The fake dating premise, driven by Zar's need to clean up his image and Owen's desire for a career-making internship, is perfectly executed. It creates a fantastic tension as their individual agendas slowly give way to something real.

The novel truly shines in its character dynamic and witty banter. Watching Owen slowly unravel and realize that fake dating his "mortal enemy" is actually the most fun he's ever had is incredibly satisfying. The "just one bed" trope gets a fantastic, fiery update, adding to the charm. While the plot moves at a good pace, a little more exploration of the "demon-human relations" aspect outside of the immediate fake dating storyline could have elevated it further. However, this is a minor point in an otherwise exceptionally charming and fun read.

If you're looking for a swoon-worthy rom-com with a magical twist that will leave you laughing out loud, you absolutely need to pick this one up.

Owen and Zar, I loved you boys. This was a cute, charming, sometimes chaotic, and all-around enjoyable queer romantic comedy.
There is plenty of banter between the two, and some emotional/heartfelt moments, but I would have loved just a little more emotional depth overall. Their romance came naturally to me, and both of them made it easy to be invested in the outcome of their adventure and HEA. The plot was very low stakes and unserious for the most part, but it really fell into that fun and flirtatious rom-com mold. I will definitely be recommending this one on my review sites and bookish social media (@thatbookishteach)

My Roommate from Hell is a hilariously charming queer rom-com that delivers on its promise of chaos, sweetness, and just enough supernatural flair. Owen and Zarmenus make for a delightful odd couple—grumpy overachiever meets flirty demon prince—and their fake dating scheme turns into something surprisingly heartfelt. The plot leans more silly than serious (in a good way), and while it occasionally glosses over deeper moments, the banter, warmth, and found family vibes more than make up for it. Perfect for readers who want a low-angst, high-fun romance with fireballs, college shenanigans, and a very opinionated demonic cat.

This was a sweet book. All the characters are nice, the stakes are low, Owen has a refreshing amount of self-confidence for a coming of age novel, and the romance unfolded naturally. There’s some filler and convenient plot points, and nothing too crazy happens, which, in a way, made it stand out. It didn’t lean too heavily on popular tropes like miscommunication and betrayal of a friend, which I appreciated. It had a pretty youthful feel to it, because of the simplistic writing and somewhat naïve characters. I would probably recommend this one to a younger teenage audience who wants to read about the idealistic college experience with a cozy supernatural vibe.

I had SO much fun reading “My Roommate from Hell!!”
The premise was already so intriguing to me, and the execution didn’t disappoint. If you’re looking for a new queer, YA novel with a unique plot, this is for you!
ANDDD it comes out on my birthday, so it felt meant to be. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

3.75 ⭐️

This was such a silly little read! The characters were dynamic and the plot was so unserious, but in the best way! I also cannot stress enough how much I enjoyed the supernatural aspects of this book! They kept me on my toes and really set the book apart from other fake-dating romances. I do, however, wish there was more ANGST at the start! The writing also felt a bit flat at times, and certain major plot points felt completely glossed over instead of properly resolved which made most of the story kind of anticlimactic. Don’t get me wrong it was still such a fun time! I just really wanted to love it more!
As always, thank you to NetGalley for access to this arc!

people complain about the miscommunication in this book but i ATE that shit UP bro it was so good. other than that my roommate from hell was a pretty hilarious read and deeper than i expected (i promise i did not mean to make that sound condescending at all); i loved both of the main characters and i’m so so grateful the author didn’t make tyrell take advantage of zar & owen’s relationship even though she very well could have. hell was also super fascinating to read about and their relationship with earth was pretty cool. overall an enjoyable read & i probably will be checking out his other books

thanks to netgalley for the arc!

This was adorable and hilarious. The banter was so much fun, and I loved every minute of it. Definitely recommend!

TL/DR: So the cover may have caught your eye? Same. So then you read the synopsis? Were you intrigued? Same. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this book. Now while I think “mortal enemy” is a bit strong, it’s more of a roommates who clash because of having freedom for the first time. Also, never having had anyone set boundaries before or call them on their s**t. This applies more to Prince Zarmenus than Owen, but Owen needs to learn to deal with confrontation, no matter how uncomfortable it makes him. The long and the short of it is, buy the book. Need more? See below.

Now, while I agree this is not your average rom-com, there are other themes that are being glossed over that deserve just as much attention.

What happens when circumstances change and the one person you expected to share this amazing experience with isn’t with you? Do you tell them the truth or downplay your experiences, both the good, bad and embarrassing?

What will you do to get your dream internship? How much of yourself are you willing to “sell”?

How can you trust a new friend not to sell you out to get his dream? Will friendship or the story of a lifetime come first?

As if all this isn’t enough, how do you cultivate new friendships when you are afraid to put yourself out there? Is there a group where you actually fit in? Has everyone already found theirs?

Most of us have had a roommate or two, but this book puts a whole new spin on it. Enter tension, romantic tension, a (spoiler) that can (spoiler), odd things showing up in your room, (spoiler/s) in (spoiler) and this is one fun ride.

This author creates an entire, wonderful, sometimes odd world and no character is too small, not even the barista.

My recommendation? Everyone can enjoy this book. Buy the book. (I really wanted to use an exclamation point there, but please, buy the book!). I would like to thank the author, Wednesday Books and NetGalley for a copy of this wonderful book. All opinions are my own and my review is voluntarily given. As always, I wish you happy reading!

My roomate from hell is such a cute fluffy college romance about Owen, a human, and Zarmenus, a demon prince from hell. This book was cute, funny, heartfelt with a touch of fantasy. I enjoyed Owen and Zar's relationship from strangers to friends to more. Both navigating freshman college life, friendships, dating and just life was well written. I especially enjoyed the small moments between Owen and Zarmenus after they started fake dating and the banter was perfect.



I received this book as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review. Thank you to Cale Dietrich, St. Martin's Press

I really struggled to enjoy this book. The concept is great, the writing is difficult at best. I didn’t care about the characters, I was confused about the season at their college, the dialogue was clunky, and honestly it read like a middle schooler wrote it. Really cool to get to read an e-ARC but I wish I’d liked the book more. Especially since I’m a huge romance fan.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had a good feeling about this book and (as per usual) I was right! The concept was expertly executed, the romance was super adorable, and both Owen and Zarmenus were perfect. A romance with a hint of fantasy, this was the perfect way to present the beauty of fake dating and the horror that can be roommates.

First NetGalley e-arc and it was amazing!!!! 4.5 stars. ⭐️ Absolutely obsessed with this mm romance story. Owen is so sweet and he has to build up more confidence like yes there are other people interested you’re just too shy & overthinking it. I love him. Zarmenus was everything I wanted as the demon roommate and I love all his flirting. Cutest fake dating story! 🩷 Bell the supernatural cat is my favorite character.

4.5 stars rounded up

Owen is excited and nervous to go to college on his own, but is surprised when it turns out he will be roommates with the literal demon prince of Hell, Zarmenus. After some difficulties with cleanliness standards and an awkward visit with Zarmenus's father, they decide to fake date so that they can improve demon-human relations, only Owen finds himself falling for his fake boyfriend.

This was a really fun book, and despite how awful of a roommate the description implied Zarmenus was, I found myself liking him quite a bit. I think I actually liked him as a character more than Owen — his adjustment issues with not being sure how to be a roommate made sense given his upbringing in a different dimension, and he was a clear communicator. Owen annoyed me sometimes with how he expected things to happen magically when one of Zarmenus's powers is not being a mind-reader, and then got frustrated about issues that he didn't talk about not being resolved. For example, they made a chore chart, and Zarmenus didn't do chores that weren't listed on the chore chart, but Owen thought he should have. That would have annoyed me quite a lot in a roommate situation, to be doing exactly what was asked of me but still being resented for not doing enough.

If you're looking for something with a lot of tension or spice, this is not going to be the kind of book you're interested in — yes, there is a kidnapping and a cult, but it's all handled in a very comedic and lighthearted way. Owen and Zarmenus in the end are both pleasant boys who are just in an awkward situation. I wouldn't even classify this book properly as an enemies-to-lovers book, more of just an opposites attract book. I still enjoyed it, though. The boys were adorable, as was the cat, Bell, and it was funny. Overall, if you're looking for a supernatural opposites attract gay rom-com, you will enjoy this book.

This book will live rent free in my head for awhile! For a YA romcom....this was written exceptionally well. I loved the fantasy tie ins as well! It was like the author used a recipe of the best ingredients to create a great book! I actually laughed out loud...not just smiled...hyena laughed at some parts of this book. The way the author depicted prejudices and tough topics made it less abrasive. Owen and Zar's characters were relatable and so enjoyable. and i am SO happy there was no third act breakup which is what i was afraid of. This book is genuinely one of the best books I've ever read. A perfect combination of everything wholesome that a book should be. Give me more just like this!

ARC releasing 11/11. In the first Hell (a different dimension, not the afterlife) <>Earth exchange student program, Owen gets unknowingly paired with a demon for his first semester of college. I feel like Tanisha when I say this, but this would have been SO much better if it was dual POV. It would have added so much to the story and the characters and I was disappointed that it wasn't. That being said, it was a cute little light YA read.

I wasn't expecting a humorous romance book and was pleasantly surprised by that. I loved the premise of college roommates falling in love with each other. I also enjoyed the fake dating aspect of this story. I usually don’t. Owen was expecting a smooth transition to living in the dorms hours away from his parents. He wasn't expecting a demon as his roommate. Zarmenus and Owen had to learn how to live together for the benefits of their own individual interests. After a few mishaps with his behavior Zarmenus had to clean up his act so he devised a plan of fake dating Owen. Owen would get that important internship he has dreamed of by playing along. Now they have to show the world and the college community that they are in love. I loved both of these characters. At first I thought Zarmenus was a bit too much but he was young. Owen seemed more uptight and stressed but he needed time. I liked both of them as they were great guys, I liked how both of them fall for each other. It was done in a sweet way. The only meh moments were of the dean. Not a fan of the dean. I think she abused her powerful position. Asking Owen to play nice for a sweet internship was awful and put a lot of pressure on Owen. I also loved the new and old besties. I appreciated that Owen had extra support during those stressful weeks. The ending was absolutely adorable. Overall, a very cute, romance of two guys that deserved love. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.

The premise was neat, and the characters and their interactions kept me reading, but some things (lengthy descriptions of what the main character was doing no matter how insignificant, or the main character's every thought and his subsequent thoughts about those thoughts) felt tedious. This is a fun read, though I do think the story it wants to tell could be tighter.

What a wild time to be alive. Cale Dietrich's My Roommate from Hell definitely would not have been published 10-15 years ago. This is the kind of new adult tale that's been missing from shelves. Kudos to the world building and delightful romantic touches. Thoroughly enjoyed!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

This book is exactly what you think it is.

We have our main MMC, Owen. He's also our POV character. Owen is VERY excited to go to college. He has big dreams of getting a high paying job, making connections, and never being like his parents when it comes to money. It's all going his way until he arrives on campus to find out his original roommate plans are up in smoke.

That's how we get connected to the Prince of Hell. And yeah, he's an actual royal.

What follows is a confusing tale -- mostly because their teenage boys with weird hormones and wildly different customs (human vs. demon) -- where these two dance around each other. I admit to not liking the love interest for MOST of this book. He was a playboy with zero care for our MMC.

But the author *somehow* convinced me to change my mind. I'm not sure where it switched, but I did find myself rooting for the pair as we closed in on the ending of the book.

Definitely worth a read. The cover alone is adorable. It borders on NA in my opinion, though I can see how YA's meaning has shifted over the years.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Cale Dietrich, and NetGalley for the eARC.