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!

Thank you Boldwood Books for arc I have now read a few books of Camilla Isley always enjoyed reading her books

This didn’t disappoint me I love it, I like the fact it was a slow burn and they getting to know each other instead of other romance books I’ve read and It was fun reading and good paced enjoyed the characters and plot 4 stars

This book was cute but I had a couple of problems with it. First off, how the heck is this a romance when the MMC is with another girl for the majority of the book? I was so annoyed that it kept going on and on. Then when Hunter and Dylan finally get together it's only for like 30-40ish pages? Ugh, so frustrating. I get that the author was building their relationship in the background but this was a real turn off for me. The writing was good and the overall story was good but this would have been much better if Olivia wasn't in the picture for so long.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This is my first Camilla Isley book, and unfortunately, I don't think her writing style is for me. Something felt off, not sure if the sentence structure just felt a bit elementary to me?

The romance of this book was also not my cup of tea. Though I do love a forced proximity, best friend's brother trope, this book dragged on. There's a solid 70-80% of this book where nothing has really changed between the two characters and the conflict of him having a girlfriend just drags on and on! Sadly, by the time they did get together, their relationship went from 0 to 100 REAL fast that it did not feel realistic nor genuine.

I will also say I love me a pathetically in love man, but I do not like when the girl is pathetically in love. She was almost too desperate for him, that I didn't really sympathize with her situation at all.

Also sorry I am Team Olivia! The girl has a right to mourn her dog!!!!

This book had everything I love in a rom-com: forced proximity, the "best friend’s brother" trope, and characters with real chemistry. I found Hunter to be a relatable heroine—smart, funny, and just awkward enough to feel real. Dylan is charming, a little oblivious (in the best way), and completely lovable. What made this story shine for me was how naturally their relationship evolved. I enjoyed Camilla Isley’s writing style and look forward to read more of her books.

When your best friend’s brother who you are secretly in love with becomes your roommate…nothing will go wrong, right? This is by far my favorite trope and then you throw in a one-bed situation? Yes PLEASE!

I really feel for Hunter and found that she was a very relatable character! Dylan is the traditional “I’ve finally opened my eyes” male character but it wasn’t written in that annoying “DUDE she’s been there the whole time” way which can really make or break a book. I devoured this book in a day! My only critique which knocks it down a star is how long it took for the mains to finally get together. While Dylan finally realized Hunter was the one for him it still felt like the actual moment they got together was a bit dragged out. But otherwise this was a great read!

First and foremost, if you love slow-burns and used to read fan fiction which was thousands upon thousands of words long only to have the characters kiss for the first time at the very end, you'll love this. This puts the "slow" in slow-burn, and, my god, does it do it well.

I haven't read any of the previous books of Camilla Isley - a mistake I should probably quickly fix - and wasn't even really aware that this was a 3rd in a series (can be read as a complete standalone without any problem whatsoever), so it's safe to say I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't counting on anything groundbreaking, but clearly, I'd been mistaken. This was soooo good.

I was so enthralled and into the story that I was almost late for a few classes (I'm a teacher). The characters were fun, sure, but the pining, the longing, the realizations, the soft intimacy, the tension, the awkwardness, the dynamics, the mishaps, the jokes and the quotes were just *chef's kiss*.

Do I wish a thing or two went down a little differently? Yes. But that's absolutely my personal preference, and I'm not holding it against it. I loved it.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this!

I loved this book from its funny, awkward roommate scenes to the inclusion of infertility and dyslexia, to funny dog socks that made me laugh out loud. Overall. The amount of tropes and character depth makes this a quick, fun, warm-hearted read and reminds us of why we should never give up on love!