i enjoyed this. the premise of Dylan moving in with Hunter was a little farfetched to me, but other than that, I enjoyed the story. the dual POV perfectly described the misunderstanding of each other's reactions and comments. Hunter's heartbreak was evident and written well. Dylan being pretty clueless with Olivia was perfectly portrayed. it was frustrating that they were together as long as they were, but she was batshit crazy. the ending was extremely satisfying. These two are perfect together.

“The world outside these walls doesn’t exist anymore, and all the noise in my head quiets down.”

The Roommate experiment was a quick and easy read, that gave me a feel good mood all along. It had been some time since I hadn’t felt like that while reading and I truly thank the author for that. I loved how the chemistry between Hunter and Dylan grew little by little and honestly even though this book is a fade to black one, it felt hotter than many explicit ones. That author truly knows how to write tension. A few moments felt just a little bit long but in the end I read this book in one setting anyway and had a lot of fun. I truly loved to see Hunter bloom at work as much as she did in her relationship, and both dyslexia and endometriosis’s rep were great, important enough to have a role in characters’ (and relationship) development, but not like a textbook either.

Thank you to Camilla Isley and Boldwood books for this eARC. My opinions are my own.

ARC Review – The Roommate Experiment
3/5⭐️

The Roommate Experiment had an intriguing setup with plenty of rom-com promise: Hunter, hopelessly crushing on her best friend’s brother, suddenly ends up sharing an apartment with him. Cue the awkward, longing glances and flirty tension.

While I enjoyed some of the humorous and heartfelt moments (especially Hunter’s inner dialogue and the one bed trope), the story didn’t quite work for me overall. The pacing felt very slow at times, and I found myself frustrated with Dylan—especially his unwillingness to break things off with Olivia, even as his feelings for Hunter became more obvious. That hesitation made it harder to root for their connection.

And while the buildup took its sweet time, the relationship resolution felt oddly rushed in the final stretch. I was hoping for more emotional payoff after all that tension.

Still, if you're a fan of slow burns and best friends to lovers trope, I would recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book before everyone else!

The Roommate Experiment comes out on May 27 if you want to check it out :)

3.75 stars*

First off I have read all books in this 'standalone series' and while I did love the other two books more, it was nice to round out this series with this story.

I did love that we got to see a glimpse at what every one was up to at the end of the book, and did also like that there were interconnected parts that happened in the previous books included (though I do only know this due to reading the other books),

I love Camillas slow burn, but this was extremely slooowwww burn. But once we go to the last 15% it was great!

It was nice to see glimpses into each characters work life and also their personal lives.

I didn't quite enjoy Olivia's character - I definitely found her to be annoying.

Now as a dog person Dylan I am offended. Haha

***SPOILER ALERT***

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
2.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

First 25% and last 25% were the best parts. This started off with really cute and funny moments, but the middle was problematic.

For one, this is a standalone in a series, but she never explained this weird fake relationship between two other characters. I was so confused until I did a little research and found out that was the main story in the last book. Considering how many times it was brought up and how many events were based around this couple, a lot more context was needed.

Then there was the 11 year crush. Yikes. That seemed like overkill. However, it was the “girlfriend”, Olivia, that was so frustrating. While she’s described as the nicest person with no flaws, she’s actually insufferable. She’s manipulative, self centered, and just annoying. Dragging out that “relationship” was so frustrating and just not necessary. They went out all of 5 or 6 times, did nothing more than kiss, yet he let it drag on for so long because he insisted on breaking up in person. Considering the circumstances, a phone call would have been fine.

There was a lot of repetition and slow burn, and then the closed door romance wrapped up super fast and went from 0 to 60 bypassing dating and straight into forever.

It was still an entertaining and quick read, and well written despite the plot issues.

This was a good book, much better than I thought it would be. I really enjoyed the teasing and playing and tempting

4.5 stars! 🌟

The Roommate Experiment is the first book I read by Camilla Isley and I must say that it pleasantly surprised me! Lately I’ve been looking for more books that have the least spice without losing the typical tension and chemistry for a good contemporary romance. If you are also looking for a romance with tension, banter, chemistry and funny moments, which focuses on the path of the protagonists and their personalities rather than just on how they interact under the sheets, then The Roommate Experiment is the book for you.

The novel starts with the female protagonist, Hunter, who tells us her typical delulu fantasies regarding her 11-year crush, her best friend’s older brother and her new roommate, Dylan. Yes, it’s a cliché, but, if done well, it makes us feel at home, just like the first romance novels we read and that we will never forget. It was really hilarious to see how these fantasies were immediately broken when the aforementioned crush informed us that he already has a girlfriend. Since then there’s a series of embarrassing and fun moments that push the two closer and closer, until they both realize that the thing they are looking for and want most is just a door away.

I really liked the characterization of the characters and in particular the representation of a person with a learning disability. Being a person who is currently writing a thesis on SLD (specific learning disorder) I was really impressed to see a character with developmental dyslexia. The difficulties that Dylan told us regarding his academic, professional and relational path are really on point. Very often in romance novels the authors add pathologies or other elements that they fail to face or represent in an adequate way. In this case, however, through Dylan the author has outlined the main difficulties that a person with a LD faces every day in a simple and complete way, so much so that I wonder if there is someone in her private circle with a similar difficulty. The same goes for Hunter, who instead tells us that she has both PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and endometriosis, both often hidden pathologies -for the problems they bring- but more and more frequent among women. I am pleased when a representation of a difficulty is well expressed because it allows to raise awareness of that problem to a large percentage of people, who perhaps, after reading the book, will look to learn more about that specific pathology, becoming more aware and more welcoming towards others.

Therefore, The Roommate Experiment in addition to being an extremely fun, romantic and light novel, it also offers a glimpse of real life, showing characters with very relatable difficulties and daily challenges.

Recommended!! 💗


Thank you Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the eARC 🫶🏻

Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

To be honest, I enjoyed the previous installment more than this one, but I think I like Hunter a lot better than Rowena as a protagonist.  She is an engineer, a good one at that, and she has risen above the toxic masculinity that seems to be possessed by the males in this book. I'm glad she was able to showcase her capabilities.  I felt really giddy during their awkward and funny moments, and sad during those unrequited ones. 

(Spoiler here, so skip to last paragraph if you want: Dylan was a character that was a little lacking for me.  I would've preferred him to be a little sympathetic towards her gf when her dog died even if under false pretenses.  It felt like he was mocking her grief, and even if it was too much, her mourning wasn't something to be made fun of, in my opinion.  It was also during this scene that his gf beat him to the punch of ending their relationship. I just wished he had the opportunity to show courage and did it himself instead)

If you want a slow-burn, she falls first, friends to lovers, only one bed, forced proximity, falling for best friend's brother tropes, you might want to pick this up🙂

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood for providing me with an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The Roommate Experiment is a sweet and fun romance novel, with a fun premise. It did take me a while to warm up to the characters, and it is a very slow burn, but overall it is an enjoyable read. It did feel like the story stretched a bit in the beginning, with not much happening. I wish there had been more to flesh out the ending, as it did feel a bit rushed. It is a sweet story but just felt like it was missing something.

The Roommate Experiment is a fun new romcom by Camilla Isley. The story follows Hunter who has had a crush on her best friend's brother, Dylan, for years. The problem is that he has never shoeed any interest. However, current circumstances lead to Hunter's friends moving out and her crush moving in. The close quarters and cohabitation lead to Dylan seeing Hunter in a whole new way. For the first time in years, he has begun to notice her and the attraction begins to snowball.

Camilla Isley never fails to write stories that make me giggle and kick my feet at these stories. Hunter and Dylan had such good chemistry. The tension and angst was written so well. 75% of the book was a slow burn and it was so satisfying when they finally admitted their feelings. I am a sucker for roommate situations and I ate this story up!
This book was the second one that I have read in the series and it was even better than the last. I think the characters were what really made the book for me. Dylan has such golden retriever energy and I always love sweet MMC. I loved Hunter too! She was a soft, femine FMC which we always need more of. She has a quiet and reserved nature that was so refreshing in a FMC and I loved how she came off as a little quiet and awkward. It made her so relateable. Tropes: Acquaintances to lovers, forced proximity, only one bed, soft FMC, Golden retriever MMC, slow burn

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

SLOW BURN, I REPEAT SLOWWWWW BURN!

We meet Hunter and Dylan who become roommates. This story had forced proximity, best friends brother, seduction plans.
I think I powered through this book so quickly to get to "AHA" moment. I would have enjoyed more intimate moments between our two MC's. And I was not a fan of Olivia, at all!

Thank you to Boldwood Books & NetGalley for the gifted copy.

The Roommate Experiment is my first book written by Camilla Isley. I found her FMC to be very relatable, and the book had a lot of cute/funny moments. Hunter has been in love with her best friend’s brother, Dylan, for OVER TEN YEARS. When her friends move out of their shared apartment, Dylan needs a new place to stay. Its serendipitous. Hunter has prepared for this opportunity her entire life- and intends to live within her ultimate fairytale. However, Dylan reveals that he has a girlfriend, and instantly crushes Hunter’s fantasy. Will she be able to survive living together and watching her dream man with someone else?
I enjoyed the overall storyline. I think every woman has had an unrequited crush at some point in their life. The awkwardness of Hunter was endearing. I was hoping for more spice though, so my dirty mind was let down on that front 🤣. This book is an interconnected standalone- the other characters mentioned in the friends group sound like they would make interesting books also.

Thank you to the team at Boldwood Ever After for this ARC.

What a great book! Sometimes all I want is an easy to read, lighthearted romance and that’s what I got with this book.

Hunter has been secretly in love with her best friend and housemate Nina’s brother Dylan for years. When Nina moves in with her boyfriend who happens to be Dylan’s best friend and roommate, Dylan ends up moving into Hunters house which seems like the perfect way for them to end up together. Only one problem though, Dylan has a girlfriend.

With forced proximity galore, Dylan soon realises that his girlfriend isn’t the one for him but his beautiful new housemate just might be!

I loved that both main characters were into each other secretly and both felt like they couldn’t do anything about the chemistry between them. I did find the character of Dylan’s girlfriend annoying as she was quite full on and I just wanted him to end it with her already!

I really liked Hunter and Dylan. Both characters were enjoyable to read and felt like real people. It was funny, sweet and a thoroughly enjoyable read!

I wanted to know more about the secondary characters of Hunters friends Nina and Rowena but realised that this is part of a 3 book series where each girl gets their own book and I’ll definitely be reading those!

Review: 3/5

This book was enjoyable! Cute banter (if not a little cheesy), and I'm a big fan of forced proximity tropes. I think I would've liked it more if the MMC wasn't with another girl for the majority of the book. Quick and easy read. If you've enjoyed Camilla Isley's other books, I think you'll enjoy this one as well!

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The bones here are good. Roommates/forced proximity, slow burn, best friends brother and secret pining. The banter felt cheesy though and I didn’t buy into the chemistry. I was also frustrated by how Dylan was in a relationship with Olivia basically the whole time and didn’t have to take any responsibility for it. I was also confused why these successful business people in their late 20s/mid-30s needed a roommate.

Overall, I just wanted a little bit more from the relationship.

Solid, charming rom-com for me in this one. Love a dual POV and multiple tropes (forced proximity, best friend's brother, just one bed). Could have resolved Dylan's relationship a bit more quickly, but the problem with that was obvious to the reader before it was to him (RIP Theo :-/).
Would love to read the stories of the other two couples so off to see if I can find those.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC.

**There are minor spoilers in this review!**
3.5 / 5 stars :)

The Roommate Experiment is a charming, funny, and heartfelt forced-proximity romance that had me rooting for the characters from the very start. Hunter has harbored a secret crush on her best friend's brother, Dylan, for years — and when he moves in as her new roommate, her quiet hopes get tangled up in a mess of complicated realities.

One thing I adored about this book was how genuine the character interactions felt. The misunderstandings between Hunter and Dylan did drag on a little longer than I would have liked (cue the "just talk to each other already!!" screaming), but it was also really sweet to watch them falter — one trying to move on, the other trying to deny his growing feelings because of real-world complications. It added a very human, almost bittersweet tension that made the eventual payoff even sweeter.

And speaking of tension... omg, was this a slow burn.
If you love slow burns where the longing is palpable and every brush of the hand or stolen glance feels loaded with emotion — this book delivers. And then some. The slow build of their relationship made their chemistry absolutely sizzle once it finally sparked.

Camilla Isley also did a fantastic job with the scene and character setting. The way she wove in real-world struggles — issues that cause genuine sadness and hardship — was the cherry on top for me. It grounded the story and made it more than just a fluffy romance, without ever feeling heavy-handed.

There’s a touch of spice sprinkled in — not too much and not too little — which fit the tone perfectly. However, I did find myself wishing we got more time with Hunter and Dylan after they became a couple. The transition from "will they/won’t they" to "together" felt a bit sudden, and the book wrapped up quickly afterward. I would have loved to see more of how they continued to grow and better each other once the tension had finally broken.

Overall, The Roommate Experiment was a delightful, cozy read with just the right amount of angst, chemistry, slow-burn goodness, and heartfelt moments. It’s a story about timing, vulnerability, and finding love when you least expect it — even when it's been right there all along.

I’ve been waiting for this book! This might be my favorite of Camilla Isley’s books! This book is everything I needed in a rom-com. Forced proximity, the best friend’s brother trope which is my absolute favorite, and chemistry they have so much of it. I love hunter smart, funny, and a little bit awkward but that’s what makes her so real! Dylan is charming, and a lot of a clueless idiot in the most lovable way possible. The way their relationship evolved was everything to me so naturally and organic. I love Camilla Isley’s books and every time I read one of them I’m always happy to have found them when I did. Truly amazing writer!

*ARC Review: *The Roommate Experiment* by Camilla Isley**
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5 cozy, cookie-scented stars)

If you’re a sucker for slow-burn pining, hilarious forced proximity, and enough swoony moments to make you kick your feet, *The Roommate Experiment* is going to steal your heart!

Hunter has been harboring a secret crush on Dylan — her best friend’s older brother — for *years*, and when he moves into her spare room, she thinks fate might finally be giving her a chance. But living under the same roof only makes the tension (and temptation) skyrocket! Their chemistry is undeniable, their banter is addictive, and watching Hunter try (and fail) to resist him is pure rom-com gold.

Camilla Isley delivers a delicious blend of humor, heart, and slow-burning yearning, with just the right touch of emotional depth. Dylan isn't just charming and handsome — he’s layered, protective, and way more vulnerable than Hunter realizes. Every shared sofa bed, awkward kitchen encounter, and cookie-baking scene will have you grinning like an idiot.

**Tropes I loved:**
- Roommates to Lovers
- Forced Proximity
- Best Friend’s Brother
- STEMinist Heroine
- Unrequited Love (but make it mutual secretly!)
- Only One Bed
- Slow Burn with *all* the payoff

This is the kind of book that feels like a warm hug and a shot of adrenaline at the same time. Sweet, funny, and irresistibly romantic — Camilla Isley has once again proven she's a rom-com queen!

*Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!*

This was my first book by Camilia Isley, but it will not be my last! I love a rom com full of tropes. And that is what The Roommate Experiment delivered. Our main character Hunter needs a new roommate, since her best friend moved out with her new man. Which leaves our male main character Dylan out of a home as well. So why not have a roommate of convenience? What could go wrong? Well, when one of them had feelings for the other dating back years, that is what could go wrong..................or right? This fun romantic comedy had me laughing and rooting for the two leads to get it together!