A rom com full of laughter, angst and fun tension! Several tropes wrapped into one, starting with close proximity, secret crush, sister's best friend and more. The book also deals with real world subjects such as dyslexia and women maneuvering through male dominant careers. This is the 3rd book in the series and it is the perfect addition! I love how each book overlaps the previous book, so events and characters are interwoven through all 3 books. I do recommend that you read the series in order for maximum enjoyment. This will also help you get to know the characters even better and you'll get different perspectives to events that happen as you read through each book which is fun. Fantastic characters who are realistic and fun, wonderful interpersonal interactions between the characters. The friendships that are exhibited in these books are inspiring and ones to aspire to find in your own life. Let's face it, we're all here for the rom and the com, trust me, you won't be disappointed! You'll giggle your way through the book to a fun happily ever after!

I had no idea when I started this book that it was part of a series but it still worked perfectly for me as a standalone book. A slightly predictable romance book, yes, but I enjoyed the character development and mostly the last 25% of the book (I always wish this was longer and we see more of the happiness ahaha). I'm a big fan of Camilla Isley's books so will definitely look out for future titles!

Camilla Isley does it again with “The Roommate Experiment”, the third installment in her Funny Feelings series. This time, we follow Hunter, an engineering consultant, and Dylan, her best friend’s older brother, who she’s quietly loved for over a decade.

After a chain of events involving best friends, roommates, and a bit of bad timing, Dylan ends up moving in with Hunter. It just so happens that she used to share that apartment with her best friend, who also happens to be Dylan’s sister. So yes, it’s a bit of a complicated setup, especially since Dylan is dating someone new. And she’s not just anyone, she’s polished, put-together, and feels completely out of Hunter’s league. But as Dylan and Hunter spend more time together, he begins to see her in a whole new light and staying away becomes impossible.

What I love about Camilla’s writing is how she consistently features strong, smart women, especially in STEM careers. Hunter isn’t just a woman with feelings for her best friend’s brother, she’s a successful professional who owns her ambition and her independence. Camilla has a way of showing that women who slay their own demons and ride their own dragons can absolutely find their happily-ever-afters, too.

This series has really grown on me, especially because of the close-knit friendship between Nina, Rowena, and Hunter. Their bond adds so much warmth to the story. And of course, I can’t forget Tristan, “The Prince of Darkness” and Dylan, who complete this little group. Their shared relationships and friendships make the series feel like coming home to people you love. Also, book two, “If the Ring Fits”, remains my all-time favorite Camilla Isley book… so far!

Another fun tidbit? Camilla’s a Swiftie, just like me! I love how she weaves Taylor Swift references into her books. You can practically create a playlist for her characters based on the situations they go through, and it makes reading her stories even more fun.

In “The Roommate Experiment”, she also touches on important topics like dyslexia, PCOS, and endometriosis. While these aren’t the central themes, simply bringing them into the narrative raises awareness and that matters.

As for the romance, Hunter and Dylan’s slow burn is full of longing and tenderness, but I have to admit, the first half of the book was a bit slow for me. Dylan’s tendency to put everyone else's needs before his own, especially his girlfriend’s, even as his feelings for Hunter grew, started to feel repetitive. It also made it hard for me to warm up to Olivia, even though I’m a fellow dog lover.

Though “The Roommate Experiment” might be my least favorite in the series, it’s still a solid slow-burn romance that takes you from acquaintances to friends to roommates to something more. If you’re looking for a fun, heartfelt summer read with lovable characters, this book deserves a spot on your TBR.

🌸 Impossible to read without smiling, laughing and simply enjoying this story!

🌸 Hunter and Dylan have known each other for years. Hunter has secretly crushed on him; Dylan has never seen her as more than a friend. Hunter’s crush has not disappeared and Dylan has a girlfriend. Clearly, the only solution is to begin dating again. Cue some very laughable experiences!

🌸 Dylan realizes his relationship with Olivia might not be the one he is looking for. Hunter is suddenly occupying more of his head space. He finds himself enjoying coming home to her and the small moments they share.

🌸 Both have a secret they never share. Once Hunter and Dylan discover they might have a chance together, well, let the taunting and flirting begin!

Gotta love brothers best friend , close proximity, friends to lovers. This book was cute , easy read. If you love all that this book is for you.

Very slow burn, Dylan ends up having a girlfriend , and Hunter has had a crush on him for years. It’s cute the way these two try to maneuver around the apartment together and try to figure each other out and their feelings.



Thank you Boldwood books and NetGalley for the ARC read !

Slow burn, forced proximity + friends to lovers makes for a good read! This was a fun, sweet romance with likeable characters, enjoyable banter and just the right amount of longing to keep you invested in Hunter and Dylan’s outcome!

The epilogue was just 🥰

This can be read as a standalone (which I did) but there are other books by the same author going into the stories of the MCs friend group and I am looking forward to getting into those next!

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the e-ARC!

This is not my first Camilla Isley book but this one just felt like it was missing something for me. I was just okay. I think YA would be a good target audience for this story. This story, unfortunately, just didn’t work for me.

It’s kind of a mix of slow-burn and insta-love. I felt like the end was rushed. It was truly 0 to 180. It’s a cute book and you won’t be bored reading it but it does drag a little.

Hunter has been in love with her best friend’s brother, Dylan, for 12 million years and seems to think it is a great idea for him to move in with her when her best friend moves out. Hunter is also apparently super hot, but acts like she’s the ugliest, nerdiest girl around who can’t catch a break. Dylan is a hot, finance-guy who still calls his best friend by his college basketball jersey number which is all you know about the bro you are dealing with as your main hero. Dylan also has a “girlfriend” who at the start of the book he has gone on like 3 dates with and “dates” for the entire book, but she is awful and they don’t even have sex, which makes me wonder if Dylan even has a penis bc what kind of finance bro-former college basketball star willingly engages in consensual abstinence? And clearly he is a horrible judge of character for hitching his wagon to that bish.

This book drags on and on and as I write this, I don’t really even remember what happened, but all of a sudden Dylan is hot for Hunter in that “she was right there the whole time and I didn’t even notice her” kind of way. Get your head out of your ass, Dylan. Hunter and Dylan finally have sex like one time and since they live together already, they immediately start acting like an old married couple and shit is gonna get really complicated when they eventually break up bc Dylan is sorta an idiot and Hunter has anxious attachment. Good luck you two. This book was dumb and not even smutty enough to make up for it.

Smut- 1.2 stars
Romance- 1.9 stars
Story- 2.1 stars
Hunter playing the long game by letting the man with whom she was secretly in love move in so she could slowly wear him down and make him her boyfriend- 5.8 stars

A roommates to lovers, forced proximity, humorous rom-com and another great book book by Camilla Isley. FMC Hunter has had a crush on her best friend's brother, Dylan, for years but he barely knows she exists. Next thing Hunter knows, Dylan is now her roommate and she has to do her best not to give away that she is crushing on him. As they grow closer, Hunter must decide if she should confess her feelings or move on. A fun, fast paced rom-com that was hard to put down.

Thank you for this advanced copy of the book

This is giving "my best friends brother is the one for me" in this Rom Com.

- Forced proximity
- Enemies to lovers ish
- Best friends brother
- Rom Com
- One bed trope

~The book is fun, its hilarious and a good time to be had by all.
I must admit some of the Hunters Crush on Dylan as boarding on cringy but it kind of worked ?
It is a very very very slow burn romance and when they finally did i was shouting FINALLY

Quote
"When I'm with Hunter everything feels... right. Like this is where I'm meant to be!"

As much as I loved this standalone series, for this to be the final book in the series…i feel a little disappointed? We knew from book 1 that Hunter had a crush on Dylan, so I had high hopes. But to me it was very meh. Sad to say that this was my least favorite. But it was so nice to see everyone else in the gang. Still can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!

I really wanted to give this book a higher rating, it had it's lovely moments and witty banters, but I could not understand why Dylan was such a pushover. like really dude, you know dating Olivia is wrong for you, but instead of saying something, he just going on and on about not hurting her. But he was hurting Hunter deeply by his lack 9f courage.

Hunter put up with a lot and her emotional stress was written very well.

This book was a solid 3 stars for me

3.75 stars

I've always loved funny and dramatic FMCs and Hunter is exactly that. After 11 years (yes, eleven!) of hopelessly pining for her best friend's brother, she finally gets a chance when Dylan becomes her new roommate. Unfortunately, being roommates is no longer the fairytale she has long dreamed of but a daily struggle when she discovers he has a girlfriend.

This is the third book in the Funny Feelings series and while it holds its own as a standalone, I wish I read the initial books before this. The timeline of the second book overlaps with this one and it'd have been nice to see Hunter and Dylan from the eyes of their friends before finally reading their story.

Nevertheless, The Roommate Experiment was a fun and simple read. Hunter's extra dramatic and effortlessly funny nature was a good match to Dylan's chaotic, messy and nice guy persona. I love the dynamics of their relationship from the banter to the simmering tension. The slow burn and constant yearning were just right up my alley.
Hunter's struggles with her one-sided feelings were relatable, and I liked that I got to see the shift in Dylan's emotions through the dual pov.

While it wasn't a major part of the book, I also found their career choices interesting. It's not every day you see an engineering consultant FMC paired with an investment banker MMC.

And finally, I adore chaotic friendship circles, and this one was no exception. I was genuinely intrigued by the few scenes they appeared in — enough to want to read their own stories, which to me is an indication of well-crafted characters.

Unfortunately, the ending felt abrupt and the romance rushed, barely giving me time to savour their relationship's shift before it wrapped up. It left me feeling frustrated and like the story was cut short.


Anyway, I'm glad I got to read it. It's my kind of cliché, perfect for anyone who loves a good friends to lovers story with slow burn, lots of banter and the most wholesome friend circle.

The Roommate Experiment by Camilla Isley is the perfect blend of charm, chemistry, and heart. From the moment the forced proximity trope kicks in, I was hooked. The dynamic between the main characters crackles with tension and humor—every interaction feels natural, flirty, and just the right amount of awkward.

What I loved most was how authentically the romance unfolded. It wasn’t rushed; it simmered slowly in the best way, making each moment of closeness feel earned and swoon-worthy. Isley’s writing is light and witty, with emotional depth tucked between the laughs. Both protagonists are relatable and lovable in their own way, and their journey from strangers to something more felt genuine and satisfying.

If you’re a fan of cozy, feel-good romances with strong character development and a big dose of heart, this book is for you. The Roommate Experiment is the kind of story that leaves you smiling long after you’ve turned the last page.

The Roommate Experiment is a light-hearted and sweet read by Camilla Isley.

We follow Hunter who has been in love with her best friend’s brother Dylan who has recently moved in to be her roommate. Complicated is an understatement for their relationship, and it means Hunter can’t show any of her feelings for him. I really liked their chemistry and the funny moments they had, and the romance.

Its such an easy read and would definitely recommend for someone who fancies a fast paced, forced proximity rom-com.

The Roommate Experiment is the third book in the Funny Feelings series by Camilla Isley. If you like storylines with forced proximity and roommates-to-lovers you'll enjoy this one!

Blurb: Hunter has secretly been in love with her best friend’s brother Dylan for years, despite barely registering as a blip on his radar. She’s not even in the friend zone—more like friend zone adjacent. But her luck is about to Dylan is taking over her spare room, and she's being promoted to roommate. Could this be the moment Dylan finally notices her? Not so fast. When Dylan moves in, he carries more than just boxes—he brings complications. Suddenly, the dream of living under the same roof turns into a daily struggle. Dylan is off-limits, for reasons Hunter couldn’t have anticipated, and the closer they get, the harder it becomes to ignore her feelings. But Hunter’s determined to keep her heart in check—no matter how difficult the task. She just has to avoid ogling him in a towel. Definitely don’t imagine what’s under the towel. And try not to swoon when he bakes cookies. But after he saves her from a terrible date and they’re forced to share a sofa bed at his parents’ house, her emotions reach a breaking point. She’ll have to either move on or move out. Will she tell him the truth—or lose him forever?

My thoughts: This was a slooooow burn. It seemed like it took forever for anything to happen. I did enjoy some humerous parts that made me laugh, but they were few and far between. I didn't love the characters and since it took a while to warm up to them, I found I wasn't invested in what happened to them. Overall this was a cute read, but not one where I'd go back and have to read the rest in the series. There are a great number of higher reviews, so I know that many people did enjoy this more than I. If you're a fan of friends-to-lovers and slow burn romance, then you'll enjoy this!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I’m a huge fan of the tropes in this book! The writing was nice, it was absolutely hilarious in places. I just needed a little more tension to make the slow burn hit harder.

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

I loved the connection between Hunter and Dylan. Even when he was still with Olivia, they had a really sweet friendship and I loved watching them lower their defences and be vulnerable with each other.

It’s a pretty low angst book overall and it was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed the dynamic of their friendship group as well and it’s made me particularly want to read Adrian and Rowena’s book!

A flirty slow burn with all the messy feels, "The Roommate Experiment" is rom-com comfort food—with just a bit of spice and a dash of frustration.

Even though I hadn’t read the first two books in this series, I jumped right in and had no problem keeping up. Camilla Isley crafted a fun, standalone vibe with characters that feel familiar even if you’re new to the world. The friend group was great background color, and I’m guessing they had their own love stories in earlier books (which I now want to check out).

Let’s talk setup: Hunter has been harboring a long-time, very not-so-subtle crush on her best friend’s brother, Dylan. So when he moves in as her new roommate, she’s forced into the ultimate "pretend I’m cool with this" situation. There’s just one tiny issue—Dylan has a girlfriend. Yikes.

Hunter was a standout for me—ambitious, relatable, and trying her best not to let her feelings derail her life (or her job). I loved watching her boss up at work while juggling the emotional chaos at home. She’s witty, grounded, and someone you genuinely root for.

Dylan… well, he had me yelling at the page a few times. I get it—he’s a "nice guy" who doesn’t want to hurt anyone, but man, he took forever to address the very obvious elephant in the room (read: his girlfriend). Every time he almost said something, I wanted to shake him and yell, “Use your words!”

Still, the tension was great. The close quarters setup delivered plenty of will-they-won’t-they energy, and once things started to unravel (in a good way), I was all in. The emotional payoff—especially when Dylan finally lets his guard down—was totally worth the wait. And the epilogue? Perfection. Totally swoon-worthy.

If you're into the roommates-to-lovers trope, emotional slow burns, and heroines who hold their own, this one’s for you. It's sweet, funny, occasionally maddening, but ultimately really satisfying. Camilla Isley fans will definitely enjoy this ride.