I wanted to like this story. I enjoy forced proximity tropes and I love friends to lovers. However, for me the writing just wasn't there. The characters felt very juvenile despite them being in their late 20s. Their thinking and problem solving was very immature. I also felt they were lacking depth, they felt like a cardboard cut out of a personality and not like a fleshed out character. The problems and resolutions were all very overt and easily solved/ seen. I think my favorite part of the whole book was the pranking between the couple at the very end. In general, not a compelling read.

Cozy rom-com with all the tropes I like, brothers best friend, forced proximity, there’s some laugh out loud moments, this was the 3rd book in this series but can he read as. A standalone, well worth the read.

Thanks for the ARC #NetGalley

The Roommate Experiment is a cozy, feel-good rom-com that leans into classic tropes—forced proximity, best friend’s brother, and one bed—with a light touch and plenty of charm. Camilla Isley knows how to write banter that sparkles and characters who feel like they’ve walked right off the screen of your favorite romantic comedy.

Hunter is relatable in her pining and awkwardness, and while Dylan sometimes felt a little too perfect (baking? rescuing her from a bad date? come on), the chemistry between them builds at a satisfying pace. Their dynamic has a fun mix of tension and sweetness, and even though the setup isn’t groundbreaking, it delivers exactly what you want from a trope-driven romance: heart, humor, and some swoon-worthy moments.

The plot doesn’t dig too deep, and a few emotional beats could have been sharper, but if you're in the mood for a breezy escape with a guaranteed happy ending, this is a great pick. A solid standalone that might just tempt you to check out the rest of the series.

The Roommate Experiment by Camilla Isley is a delightful addition to the romantic comedy genre, offering readers a charming blend of humour, chemistry, and heartfelt moments. The story centres around Hunter, a woman who has harboured feelings for her best friend’s brother, Dylan, for years. When Dylan moves into her spare room, their dynamic shifts. As they navigate the complexities of living together, Hunter finds herself grappling with her emotions and the boundaries of their relationship.

This was such a fun read! I have not read the first two books in this series, but that didn’t affect my enjoyment at all - this works well as a standalone. I’m excited to go back and read the earlier books to learn more about these characters.

Tropes & Themes I Loved:

Interconnected Standalone
Forced proximity
Flow Burn
One Bed
Best Friends Brother

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First of all I’d like to thank the publisher and net!galley for granting me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you would like to enjoy this book as much as I did, it gets published MAY 27th.

I absolutely loved to read THE ROOMMATE EXPERIMENT. It was an easy going read, which i read in less than 5 hours.
I adored the characters and the build up of the story.

However I thought that the break-up was postponed a little too much, the final come together was worth it.

I adored the brotherly moments between Dylan and Tristan.
✨You’re my number one too✨

As I appreciated Clara for giving Hunter a sounding board when she felt all alone in the world.

To be fair I couldn’t stand Olivia, if someone showed up like that in my personal space, I don’t know if I could react that calm.
✨I don’t think Hunter likes me.✨
Well you think girl? I’m quite sure. 🤭

Thank you very much Camilla Isley for giving me the chance to read this book in advance. I truly loved it.

"The Roommate Experiment" caught my eye because of its title, cover, and summary. This book, written by Camilla Isley, is the third book in her "Funny Feelings" series. Hunter has been in love with her best friend's brother for years, unbeknownst to everyone around her. When Hunter finds herself in need of a roommate and Dylan offers to move in, she's excited that this will finally be her chance to let him know what he's been missing. But she's devastated to learn that he has a new girlfriend. However, the close quarters make them both see what they've been missing for years.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time rooting for these characters, especially Hunter. She came across as petulant and unrealistic and I found myself skimming through the book. I have read books with similar storylines that were much more enjoyable. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

3.6!This was a very funny read! I found myself chuckling along with the characters and their banter several times. I would definitely recommend this book for both a quick rom-com and for anyone wanting to read multiple books. The author did wonderfully at writing it as a series that can be read as a standalone, I am definitely invested in all of the characters, but, wouldn't be lost without reading the other's stories. It was cute, funny, and the dual POV was perfect!

I received this book as an eARC from Net Galley not realizing it was part of a series. When I noticed that, I decided to read the first two novels. This was my first experience with Camilla Isley and I enjoyed this series so much!!!

The third installment of the series chronicles the third of a trio of best friends finding love. After her crush moves into her apartment, Hunter has to figure out how to be around Dylan all the time. Not only, that Dylan has just started dating a new girl.

We see cameos from the friends we met in the first two novels, and I just really enjoyed the close knit friendships. The banter between friends was fun, and the romance sweet.

I will certainly be reading more from Camilla Isley!

Thank you to the author, the publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

"Camilla Isley's The Roommate Experiment" is a witty and endearing roommates-to-lovers romp. Hunter's secret crush on her best friend's brother, Dylan, gets an unexpected twist when he becomes her roommate. The author writes a lovely slow-burn romance with cringe-worthy yet adorable moments and tension that practically leaps off the page as Hunter deals with being in close proximity to oblivious Dylan.

Although the beginning setup has lots of potential for humor, the story considerately delves into the blossoming of their feelings in the midst of unexpected obstacles. The author's prose is compelling, so it's no trouble at all to root for Hunter and Dylan even as the roadblocks loom in their way. Those who love sweet, slow-burn romances with a dash of humor will enjoy "The Roommate Experiment" greatly, even though some may desire more of their interaction once they get together.

I LOVE Camilla Isley novels. They give me all of the feels. The Roommate Experiment is no exception. I laughed, giggled, was sad, elated, and eventually so very, very happy for our FMC. 5 GIANT STARS! This is a masterclass of a rom-com. No notes just that I wish there were more and more books. Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley, and Camilla Isley for the complimentary advanced reader's copy. All opinions are my own.

A lovely will they, wont they? romance with strong characters and great situational comedy moments as Hunter tries to hide her feelings for Dylan whilst sharing a flat with him! After all, not only does he have a girlfriend but he is also her best friends brother...and she doesn't think she should or can go there...or should she?

This book delivers a heartfelt, trope-filled romantic comedy with emotional depth and likable leads. Set around a forced proximity scenario, the story follows Hunter, a STEM-savvy engineer harboring a decade-long crush on Dylan—her best friend’s brother—who unexpectedly becomes her roommate. The twist? Dylan has a girlfriend.

Hunter is an especially strong protagonist: relatable, funny, and refreshingly grounded. Her dating attempts to move past her crush are hilarious yet realistic, and her response to misogyny on a date is empowering. Her role as a woman in engineering adds a layer of representation rarely explored in rom-coms. Dylan, meanwhile, is the quintessential golden retriever love interest—sweet, loyal, and slightly oblivious. His prolonged struggle over his existing relationship is drawn out but ultimately sincere.

Despite being told in third person (which may not be everyone’s favorite), the writing is engaging, and the mutual pining, seduction plans, and slow-burn chemistry create a rewarding emotional payoff. The inclusion of fertility issues like PCOS and endometriosis adds real-life relevance, though these could’ve been explored more deeply. Still, the story ends on a hopeful and satisfying note.

This book is ideal for fans of slow-burn angst, friends-to-lovers tension, and plenty of romantic humor. It’s warm, witty, and well worth the read.

This is a good book if you want a romantic read that does not delve too deeply. It's a very surface- level romance with surface- level characters. It's fun and keeps your attention.

I absolutely loved *The Roommate Experiment*! This slow-burn romance completely pulled me in with the perfect mix of chemistry, heart, and emotional depth. Dylan and Hunter’s story was so well-paced—I found myself rooting for them every step of the way.

Their dynamic felt authentic and sweet, with just the right amount of tension and vulnerability. Watching their relationship shift from friendship to something more was so satisfying and full of those little moments that make slow burns so worth it.

Camilla Isley does such a great job of building characters you care about, and this book was no exception. A total feel-good read that left me smiling—highly recommend for fans of roommates-to-lovers and slow-burn romance!

First, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review an ARC of this book it was so cute!! Roommates to friends to lovers! I really enjoyed reading this and I loved both the main characters!! My only complaint is that we didn’t get more enjoyment of them once Hunter and Dylan finally got together. But given that it’s a series maybe I can get more of that in another book!

This book was adorable, a quick read and fun. I just wish there was a little more oomph in the middle of the book. It had a strong start and a strong end, but the middle fell a little short for my liking. Not enough drama, banter, and chemistry for my liking. I loved that Hunter hid many years of love for her best friend's big brother, the brother, Dylan, does not wake up to similar feelings until he moves in with Hunter. The chemistry was there from the start. I loved that we had the perspective from both Dylan and Hunter in this book, both were entertaining and strong. The story flowed seamlessly. The part that bugged me was Dylan being in a relationship that he wasn't feeling from the start. It just did not seem to support the other parts of his personality and character. It felt very forced instead of natural. I did enjoy the banter between the characters, the awkward moments, the sweet moments. I found myself laughing and smiling throughout the story. A predictable ending, but it did not ruin the fun of the book. Overall, a great easy read for the beach! 
Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

Thank you to Camilla Islay, Boldwood Books and NetGallery for this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

Hunter has been in love with Dylan, her best friends brother, for as long as she can remember (11 years to be precise) and she's suddenly found herself having him as a roommate. This her chance to have him fall for her. Except a bomb is dropped, he has a girlfriend.
Dylan has moved in with his sisters best friend, thanks to her moving in with his best friend and leaving him in the lurch. Great move until he starts to see Hunter in a different light and suddenly begins being attracted to her even though he has a girlfriend, Olivia.

I was attracted to the book thanks to its tropes (forced proximity, best friends brother, slow burn, angst) and in my eyes it delivered everything I wanted.

I really liked Hunters character. Yes she's wanted Dylan for years without ever having done anything about it and comparing exes to him, however I really liked the fact she was willing to try dating to get over her long standing crush. These dates are amusing and I can imagine this is what real life online dating is like now. I did like how she's a woman in STEM (especially in engineering!) and I loved the way she handled her 3rd date being very misogynistic towards her.

Dylan is a golden retriever type character. His anguish at having to break up with his gf went on a bit too long but I do like how he tried so hard not to upset her. I can just about forgive him for the scoffing at Olivia's attachment to her dog.

Even though I'm not one for third person writing, I was invested enough in the characters and the story to enjoy it. I especially enjoyed the seduction plan and the counter seduction plan.
The author touching on Hunters fertility issues (with PCOS and endometriosis) could have been expanded more, but I do like that it was written into the book and that there was a HEA to this at the end.

I did not know this was part of an interconnected standalone series and I will definitely be adding other books by Camilla Islay to my TBR as I enjoyed it.

This book is is a fun twist on a classic roommates-to-lovers trope. The characters are endearing and witty, and the story is heartfelt and funny. The dynamic between the MC's evolves beautifully, and the supporting characters add an amazing depth.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of The Roommate Experiment by Camilla Isley

I was lucky enough to get this ARC from Netgalley. I loved the ending, but the slow burn was so slow. I wish it would have picked up sooner. This is the third book of the series. I have added the other two books to my TBR and am excited to learn more about the other characters as they played pretty big roles in the story.

In The Roommate Experiment we follow Hunter and Dylan in dual POV from moving in together as roommates to discovering feelings for each other. At least for Dylan it's a journey of discovery because they have known each other for years as Hunter is Dylan's little sisters friend and they have spent part of their teenage years in proximity already. Hunter had a crush on Dylan for all these years but no one knows about it, not even her best friends. As they move out to live with their respecitive new partners, Dylan grabs the opportunity to move in instead. He has recently started dating Olivia and Hunter has to cope with the heartbreak of living with the person she's in love with but who seems to be loving someone else. But this wouldn't be a romcom if Dylan didn't eventually come to the conclusion that there are more sparks with his roommate than with his girlfriend.

This book is the third in an interconnected standalone series which I hadn't known before. There were some references to the other two books which I found to be a bit annoying as there is one couple which seems to be in a fake-engagement situation which was part of the story as everyone went to the engagement party, but it wasn't further explained. I have not experienced such deep entanglement with the other books of a series of romance before and would have prefered either more separation or more information.

The story includes some of your favourite romance tropes like the one bed trope but it felt a bit forced. I thoroughly enjoyed Dylan being dyslexic as I've not seen it in any book and it was very interesting seeing him cope with it and finding out strategies to not hinder him in his worklife. Other than that the workplace parts felt a bit boring and did not really add to the story and the characters. Also I'm not a fan of dropping the "L-word" so early in a relationship.

Overall it is a fun read but it will not make it into my top romances of all time.