thank you netgalley and boldwood books for the arc of this in exchange for an honest review!

the roommate experiment follows hunter and dylan in the classic best friend’s brother trope, which i personally don’t usually enjoy! hunter is head over heels in love with her best friend and ex roommate nina’s brother dylan, and as fate has it, he moved in upon hunter’s roommates moving out.

as i was unfamiliar with the other books in this series, i had to piece together things, but nothing too overcomplicated. being honest, dylan thinking about the way he was about hunter while he was with his (ex) girlfriend gave me a major ick! and nothing happened until the last 20% or so of the book.

really a 3.5 read, leaning towards a 3 for the sake of this review.

This book is competing with Mariana Zapata when it comes to SLOW BURN.

This is the 3rd book in the Funny Feelings series; however, it can be read as a standalone. The book follows Hunter who has been harbouring a crush on her best friend's brother (Dylan) for ELEVEN years. ELEVEN!! 🫠 Okay moving on... Hunter and Dylan become roommates and Hunter is hoping he will finally notice her only until he reveals he currently has a girlfriend. And this is where my issue with the book lies. The whole plot with the girlfriend was just way too long. Dylan clearly didn't like her but every time he tried to break up with her, something came up and by the hundredth time he tried to break it off, it was getting too repetitive.

When Dylan and Hunter finally get together, the book was basically over. It felt rushed and I wish we got to see more of them together. His love confession also didn't feel very genuine. It came out of nowhere, especially since he only recently discovered he had feelings for Hunter at all.

The book had some sweet moments and I did love the whole scheme they had going on in the end!

Wow the story of the third friend Hunter didn’t disappoint. I couldn’t put the book down, the return of the familiar tight group of friends, together with the will they won’t they between Hunter and Dylan was heartwarming. A great balance as always of feeling, funny and hotness, exactly what you want in a great romance book.

You could read this book as a stand alone but I love the way the author runs the same story in each of her books at the same time, but shows it from the point of view of the different characters depending on which book it is. You remember exactly what the other characters were feeling at each point and it just adds some extra sparkle. I’d highly recommend reading all of the books in sequence.

This was a great slow burn, friends to lovers romance! The story was well written and easy to read and super funny. Highly recommend!

I am a huge fan of traditional romance, but I have to admit that there are certain “tropes” that I enjoy more than others. “Roommates to Lovers” is really growing on me. Because of this, and because I really liked the book description, I was excited to read this. I couldn’t wait to see what this version looked like.

I was a bit nervous about reading the final book in an established series with several titles. The good news is I was still able to read it as a “standalone.” I am thinking about going back and reading “If the Ring Fits” as it looks like the events occur at the same time as this book.

All in all, I did enjoy the book. Mild spoiler, but this book is an EXTREME slow burn. I wish I would have been a bit more prepared for that.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

This was an ok-ok read for me.The MMC dating another woman while he had feelings for FMC ruined it for me.

I enjoyed the previous installments of this series and I was curious about this one. The ending was very satisfying, so I closed the book with a big smile on my face - but…

Dylan tested my patience for the first 75% of the book. The fun part didn’t start until that point, when he and his unhinged girlfriend FINALLY broke up. Unfortunately she was the one to break up with him, but by then I didn’t care, I was just glad it was over.

It hadn’t been a serious relationship, and, to his defense, he did try to break up with her a few times. But still, he was seeing someone else while lusting after Hunter. Kinda looks like cheating 😬

I enjoyed the last part of the book. The romance finally picked up, the tension was finally there, and even though there was some second hand embarrassment, it was fun to read. I loved that they were finally able to be honest with each other and that there was no third-act-breakup.

I adored the epilogue and the message it sent - hence the aforementioned big smile that clouded my judgement.

Overall, after sleeping on it, I’m lowering my rating to three stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a fun one to finish out the friend group (The Funny Feelings series). I love how they take place on the same timeline as the other storylines from the series (but you could definitely read any of these as a stand alone, but all the cameos are fun, and hearing about events from different perspectives is fun too!). Anytime I need a feel-good, quick rom-com, I know Camilla Isley's got my back!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This was a quick, fun read—exactly what I needed at the moment!

Hunter has been in love with her best friend’s brother, Dylan, for years. When unexpected circumstances lead to them becoming roommates, she starts to hope that maybe something more could finally happen between them. The only problem? Dylan has a girlfriend.

As I mentioned, this was such a fun and engaging story. I had a great time reading it, and the fast pace definitely helped pull me in—especially since it took me a little while to warm up to the characters.

I usually prefer single POV stories because I enjoy the added mystery, so the dual POV here didn’t fully work for me. Some parts felt a bit repetitive, and I didn’t connect with Dylan’s perspective as much—it just didn’t feel quite as authentic.

That said, the slow burn romance was done really well, and I enjoyed it immensely. I have to admit, I couldn’t stand Olivia—but at the same time, I totally get her grief. Losing a pet, especially one you've grown up with, can feel like losing a best friend. So even though the situation between her and Dylan was a misunderstanding, I understood where her emotions were coming from.

All in all, I had a good time with this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

Slow burn, friends to lovers, forced proximity, rom com read was amazing! It has closed door spice for those who love romance without the smut and plenty of laughs!
Read this one in a day! It had me grinning and cringing (with smiles!) at some of the more awkward and funny situations they got themselves into!

Okay, so I didn’t hate this book… but I also can’t say I loved it.

After reading the first book in the series (and not loving the years of low-key bullying between Tristan and Nina), I skipped the second and jumped into this one because I’m a sucker for a good roommate trope. Unfortunately, it just didn’t hit the way I hoped it would. The pacing felt slow, and the story dragged in places where I was expecting more spark or movement.

One of the biggest issues for me was the whole Olivia situation—it seriously overstayed its welcome. It felt like it took up way too much of the plot, and I didn’t love how she was painted as this over-the-top, borderline villain when, in reality, she just wasn’t the right match for Dylan. No need to go full "crazy ex" trope.

The romance itself? Meh. The ending was super rushed, and Dylan’s sudden “I’m in love with you” moment felt a little unearned, especially since the connection between him and the main character didn’t feel all that deep throughout the book.

That said, I do still like Camilla Isley’s writing overall. This one just didn’t land for me, but I’ve really enjoyed many of her other books, so I’m definitely not giving up on her. Hoping the next one brings back that spark!

Tropes:

Roommates

Forced proximity

Only one bed (…kind of, if you squint)

Best friend's brother

Found family

Final thoughts: Some sweet moments, but overall a miss for me in terms of pacing and emotional payoff.

3/5 ⭐️book three in Camilla Isley’s Funny Feelings series. After finishing and loving Adrian & Rowena’s book I was very excited to get this arc to review.

This cute romance is a very slow burn and I did at points find myself drifting and wishing it would speed up. I loved Hunters character and was so glad she got her happy ending.

Love the epilogue, really tied the series up.
Love Camilla’s books always a winner!

“The Roommate Experiment” is a rom-com by Camilla Isley. This book is the third in a series, but can be read as a stand-alone. This book has two POVs - Hunter (FMC) and Dylan (brother of Hunter’s former roommate). The two characters have known each other for over a decade before the start of the book. I’m glad that the two POVs were included. I’m not sure why Hunter’s work situation (with the project possibly being sabotaged) was included as I don’t think it added much, other than Hunter can (and should) stand up for herself. I found myself doing a bit more eyerolling in the last 10% of the book than I expected due to some of the lines (and it could be due to me having read a similar conversation in another rom-com a few weeks ago). I liked the inclusion of dyslexia and how Dylan deals with it. This was a cute fast read.

I wish I could say I liked this book. I did not the story has been told before and there really wasn’t anything new that made me want to read on- although I did. The characters were flat and not interesting. It just felt forced.

After reading the other two books in this series, I was very happy to read and review this latest one! It can be read as a standalone, but it was nice to have the backstory for some of the other characters. The story is about Hunter who has been crushing on Dylan, her best friend's brother over a span of 11 years. It had some funny moments and was a cute, easy read.

Sensitive topics included were fertility issues and dyslexia. I did enjoy this slow burn, closed door romance. The epilogue was great and combined all three books/stories into one.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books!

I devoured this book. I loved the close proximity aspect of this book, and how this was an actual slowburn. Their chemistry was actually there in my opinion, and there was a good amount of character progression.
Now what I didn't enjoy as much, is once the romance picked up, it felt rushed and kinda unrealistic. Maybe if the author would have started the romance aspect like 10% earlier and given them a better build up, I would have enjoyed it more. And as someone who usually doesn't read closed door romance, I think the lack of intimacy really hindered the portrayal of their emotional connection. The author still talked about it, but showing it would have done so much more for the story.
All in all I enjoyed it, I think there were some pacing issues, but if you are looking for a closed door slow burn romance, this is for you.

3 Stars
One Liner: Some nice moments

Hunter has been secretly in love with Dylan, her best friend’s brother, for eleven years. However, he sees her as his sister’s friend, and she hasn't expressed her interest so far. When both her besties move out of the apartment, Dylan becomes Hunter’s new roommate. This could be her chance, except that he has a casual girlfriend. Hunter tries to move on but ends up on miserable dates.
Dylan knew Hunter was good-looking, but he didn’t expect to feel something more for her. The timing seems to be all wrong, though. Should he break up with his new girlfriend to see where things go with Hunter, or should he play it safe?
The story comes in Hunter and Dylan’s first-person POVs.

My Thoughts:
Though the book can be a standalone, I would recommend reading book #2 first. Even better if you start at the beginning (I didn’t). But I read the previous book (If the Ring Fits), and it helped. That’s because the events in both books take place at the same time. Seeing Hunter and Dylan from Rowena and Adrian’s POVs first makes this book less awkward.
It’s interesting to revisit a few scenes from the previous book from other POVs. I like such experiments (another reason I recommend reading book #2 first).
This is my fourth book by the author. While I had minor issues with the previous three, I happily rounded up the rating to 4 stars. Unfortunately, this is the weakest one so far.
Firstly, there’s no denying the touches of humor in the narration. The writing style is light even when it deals with serious issues like dyslexia and endometriosis. This prevents the story from feeling too heavy or overwhelming.
Hunter’s crush/ obsession with Dylan feels authentic. It is painfully embarrassing at times, but that’s exactly the point. It was supposed to be that way, given she harbored feelings and spun fantasies for over a decade. Her reluctance, jealousy, anger, frustration, hopelessness, etc., come out very well.
Dylan started decent, but then got on my nerves. I tried to be patient and see things from his perspective, but there’s a thin line between being good and being a coward. Despite his other noteworthy qualities, he didn’t impress me. The break-up scene was crucial for his character arc, and it was messed up big time.
Not really sure how to classify Olivia. Clingy? Dense? Optimistic? No idea!
There are some spicy scenes towards the end, though it’s fade-to-black and closed door. The last quarter rather ups the sexiness, which wasn’t necessary, but okay!
Since this is the last book of the series, we get a combined epilogue. I like it a lot. It has happy developments and leaves one element on a hopeful note; the right way to conclude this series.
To summarize, The Roommate Experiment is a steady-paced and lighthearted romance that touches upon a couple of health issues (lightly). While it is not my favorite (Adrian is still the winner), I will continue to enjoy more books by the author.
Thank you, Rachel's Random Resources and Boldwood Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I think I’ve come to the unfortunate conclusion that Camilla Isley isn’t my cup of tea. I tried not a holiday romance and wasn’t wild about it but was willing to try the roommate experiment because I love a brothers best friend trope. I just find these characters to be annoying and immature. Hunter is like the quirky clumsy girl from every rom com trope but she’s also ~smart~ and Dylan is indecisive at best, borderline an emotional cheater at worst. I also thought it was bizarre when hunter and her friends just sat down and casually decided not to tell her friends baby daddy that he was the dad. What a weird conversation? Overall this was just unfortunately not for me. I am giving it two stars because I appreciate the endo and PCOS rep. Thank you for the ARC

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really don’t like leaving negative reviews but to be honest, The Roommate Experiment just wasn’t for me. I’d never read anything by this author before but I requested it because I like the tropes and it sounded like a fun read.

This might seem trivial but one of the first problems I had was both characters have names that could be either male or female so at the beginning I kept getting confused about which character each chapter was written from the perspective of.

I liked Hunter and the side-plot about her job but Dylan seemed really immature from the way he and his best friend still call each other by their basketball numbers to how conflict-avoidant he was with his ex-girlfriend.

From the moment Dylan moves in with Hunter, it feels like there’s just one after another of embarrassing incidents and it got to the point where I was cringing at how two adults could be so accident-prone. It’s obvious from their respective jobs that Hunter and Dylan are both intelligent but the way they interact with each other was really juvenile.

This was a dual pov slow burn, forced proximity, closed door romance. Hunter has been pining for her best friends older brother for over a decade and when he ends up taking over his sister’s lease in their shared apartment, Hunter is convinced he will begin to see her in a new light.

She has a plan to make him fall for her within their shared everyday lives which quickly gets more complicated when she finds out he has been seeing someone new. As Dylan gets to know Hunter better he starts to question if what he has been looking for all along has always been right in-front of him. I was really into their cutesy moments and their comfortable banter.

What I was iffy about with this part of the plot was that he was dating someone else while falling for his roommate. I also felt like Hunter’s best friend & Dylans sister was so not a girls girl with the way she was always prioritizing her bf and spilling Hunters tea in-front of him when he was also Dylan’s best friend. Overall, what kept me from loving this book was how long the slow burn went on for with little to no pay off. I would have loved more focus on when they finally got together rather than it happening & then immediately jumping to a 5 years later epilogue.

Thanks Netgalley & Boldwood Books for the ARC :)