Pride Month 2025 #2

🍦 🍓 The Ripped Bodice's 9th Annual Summer Romance Bingo 🕶️ 🏄🏼

/ They Were Roommates

I love a pretentious private school boy. I blame Strake Jesuit. IYKYK

Well, well. Like I said in my LOVE IN FOCUS review, guess it's not second chance romance I hate. Just straight second chance romance.

Charlie is a closeted trans boy who is a transfer to Valentine Academy for Boys. Even though he requested a single room, he ends up roommates with Jasper Grimes, the boy who broke him before he transitioned. Chaos ensues.

While I didn't love every second, I did love a lot of it. YA is sometimes tough for me, but I did empathize with the internal struggles. I have different internal struggles, but we're all struggling, yeah?

And, god, Jasper. Blond. Middle part. Soft. Spicy. Poet. He'd 100% live in Silver Lake if he were a LA boy. And I, too, would've fallen so hard. But no. Bad. Don't. At me, not Charlie.

Is this a review? Are any of my reviews reviews? Why are you friends with me? Why do you follow me? Who knows?

🎧 Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Young Listeners

This audiobook was so funny! The narrators did such a great job of matching the vibes of each character. I freaking loved Jasper. He was hysterical and endearing. And CHARLIE was precious! And the plot of this one was so unique! It was seriously so cute and had me rooting for Charlie the whole way through!

This was a fun read and the narrator was really good! The trans joy was very real, the characters were wonderful, the story was sweet and the premise was great which made me enjoy this book. This was YA but I enjoyed it even though I'm an adult and I think it's a great book to recommend if the young people in your life want to read more queer books.

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!

And They Were Roommates by Page Powars was super cute and super campy!

Charlie, a trans boy, is so excited to attend Valentine Academy For Boys. His transness is a secret and he’s supposed to have a single room so imagine his surprise when he finds out he has a roommate on move in day! And not just any roommate, either. It’s Jasper, the boy from summer camp who broke his heart the year before he transitioned. Jasper doesn’t recognize Charlie so his secret is safe for now, but to get Jasper to move out of the room Charlie must help Jasper write love letters to the girls at the sister school on behalf of their classmates.

This is a YA book, but I think would have worked better if the characters were in college instead of high school boarding school. That being said, if you suspend reality and lean into the campiness and the drama of teenagers, you’ll have a really fun time. Jasper was kind of annoying and self obsessed, as many teenage boys are. I wish we saw more of what made Charlie fall for him in the first place instead of just being told that he had. The secondary characters really brought this book together for me. They were so funny and all so different, it was an excellent found family. The trans rep was really nice, especially teenage trans rep. I had a good time with this book, but I if you’re someone who looks for plot holes, you will not. I still loved the authentic teenage feeling that Powars was able to infuse into this book, though!

4⭐️

Great narration really brings what is already a fun story on the page to life. Plot-wise: a transfer student at an elite private boarding school discovers he’s been roomed with his ex—only said ex no longer seems to recognize him after he’s transitioned, making this a trip from lovers to enemies to lovers again. If you liked Powars’ first book, you’ll find a lot to love here, too. While the two leads are obviously compelling, the side characters add much needed entertainment and levity.

This is a cute LGBTQ+ boarding school romance between two characters who met when they were younger, but only one of them is aware of it.

The main point of conflict in this story was a letter-writing group that would sneak forbidden romantic correspondence to the students at the sister school. I found it to be quite a stretch to believe that teenage boys were so invested in sounding romantic that they allowed their letters to be written by the campus poet that it turned into a high-stakes situation. But I did like all of the characters and how sweet and supportive they all were, especially considering how much toxic bro culture can exist with high school boys.

I did not care for the way Jasper was narrated in the audiobook and think I would've liked him better if I had read vs. listened to it. Otherwise the audio narration was great. I think it would've benefitted from having a trans person read it, however.

As soon as I finished The Borrow a Boyfriend Club I knew I needed to add the author's next book to my TBR. I was fortunate enough to receive this as an ALC on Netgalley and I think the narrator did such a good job!! I didn't want the book to end!!

And They Were Roommates follows Charlie, a trans boy during the first couple months of the school year at Valentine Academy for boys. He then runs into his sort of ex, Jasper, who doesn't recognize him after Charlie's transition. The scene where <spoiler>Jasper tells Charlie he's attracted to him had me kicking my feet because I could so just see them standing there and staring at each other.</spoiler> Like I said above though the narrator did such a good job and I could feel every emotion Charlie had. There were multiple times I found myself laughing out loud at something one of the characters said. The setting of this book is kind of similar to Page's other book as in there's a secret club but I think it stands well on its own.

It was fun, it was camp, it was over the top, and it was everything I love in a YA novel.
PLUS, the title is my favorite and I can't help but think of that viral vine every time I see it.

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thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an ALC in exchange for my honest review. all thoughts are my own.

Cute little story. I liked the blurb a lot and the cover is honestly adorable!! At first I was a little unsure if i was going to really like it, but it grew on me

This was so cute and super relatable!

I really loved Charlie's character and the growth he went through in the story. I love the trans representation with Charlie and their struggles with feeling like they are good enough to fit in. It really brought a lot of depth to the character as not only a teenager, but one trying to figure out a whole new identity. I had a hard time connecting to Jasper and really liking him but he feels like one of those characters that is loyal behind the scenes (as we see more towards the end of the story).

I've more recently been into exploring YUA books and I am so glad I picked this one! Reading this from a teen point of view is so healing. The constant comparisons with other students and the desire to be in the background are SO REAL for a teenager. I appreciate that mention throughout the story as I had a similar teenage experience.
The ending with Charlie's poem to Jasper absolutely destroyed me in the best way possible. It was so cute and heartfelt - I could get enough!!

I saw some other reviews mentioning the lack of romance or chemistry between Charlie and Jasper, and while I can kind of see that wee also need to realize these are teenagers! They had cute awkward banter throughout and you could feel that both boys were trying to figure out their feelings for one another. I think the author (and narrator) did a great job of bringing that raw feeling to life for a younger audience.

I was truthfully so bored with this one. While the writing was well-crafted, I just wasn't sucked in by the plot. I would love to see what Powars could do in the adult contemporary genre.

This was such a good read. Perfect for summer. Charlie who was completely heartbroken by Jasper is shocked to find out that Jasper is his new roommate. Only this is Jasper doesn't recognize him. Charlie spends his time trying to remain incognito, which is easy since Jasper has no clue Charlie is the boy he kissed 2 years ago.
Charlie and Jasper are forced to work together on a project and spend a lot of time together and Jasper hit Charlie with a shocking confession! This books is young and fresh and fun. Forced proximity, enemies to lovers, I'm here for it!

Jasper is honestly kind of insufferable even when he's trying to be nice. He's so painfully pretentious for a lot of the book, that when he finally starts to come around I wasn't super invested. I felt like I didn't know a ton about him or why they liked each other besides both being super smart. I would have loved to be in his head when he was realizing he wasn't straight. (how could he not know though? lol) All the stress these kids are under with these arcane rules and constant competition is so disheartening. Being a teenager is hard enough without the external pressure to be perfect or risk losing a scholarship. Add in the unfairness of nepotism and Ugh. The resolution was a little anticlimactic, both for the letters and the rankings, but the overall story is sweet.

I recently finished And They Were Roommates, a free audiobook I found on NetGalley. As a fan of LGBTQ+ male/male romance, I was drawn to this book for its promise of a cute, uplifting story. The book didn’t disappoint in many ways!

One of the highlights was the unique perspective of reading from a trans male character’s point of view, which is not something I often encounter. It was enlightening to understand the experiences of a trans male, especially in an all-boys university setting. The academic atmosphere was another big plus for me. I love stories set in schools, and the portrayal of an elite, literature-valuing institution like St. Valentine’s Academy added a fun layer to the story.

However, I had some reservations about the love interest, Jasper. I found him quite obnoxious for most of the book, and despite the character’s intentions, I didn’t feel he showed much growth by the end. While his feelings for Charlie were genuine and led to some swoon-worthy moments, I wished for more development in his character.

Additionally, the book had a mix of quirky characters that sometimes felt a bit over-the-top for the setting of an Ivy League school. Though I enjoyed their eccentricities, it did sometimes pull me out of the story’s realism.

Overall, I’d give And They Were Roommates a solid four stars. It’s a fun read, full of representation and heartfelt moments. While some elements felt unrealistic, the overall vibe and the representation make it a book I’d recommend to anyone who loves queer fiction or new adult school romances.

I thought this one was a cute fluffy read. I really enjoyed the story. I originally requested this ALC because I really liked the title of the book and I’d say it was a good call. Charlie going from wanting to hide who he is from everyone in the beginning and growing to have a nice group of friends and being willing to talk to the head of the school about his biggest secret and having the support of his friends was very heartwarming. Definitely recommend it if you are looking for a cute, heartwarming YA romance. Thank you to Macmillan Audio via NetGalley for this ALC/ARC.

Love this book! Kept an engaging pace throughout the whole book. Great for fans of the Ouran Host Club anime. Would defiantly read a sequel if written.

The banter, tension, and pure fun of this book was so terrific! Page Powars is such a talented author, and he's crafted such a lovely novel. I loved to see Charlie fight his feelings as much as I loved seeing him settle in at St. Valentine's. It was such a heartwarming story, and I'm looking forward to more from Powars!

How can you not just love these characters? The story went how I thought it would, but I still just ate this story up. I'm so glad I was able to get the book as an arc otherwise I thinkI would have missed this story.

Cute love story.

Comp: Dead Poet’s Society But Make It Gay

A transgender student registered for a single occupancy room at his new boarding school. But when he arrives, he has a roommate. That roommate just so happens to be the principal’s nephew and the boy that broke his heart at summer camp years ago.

The story is about learning to let people in, found family, learning to love all your rough edges and those of others, healing from past rejections, and learning to accept love again.

This explores what it feels to be queer in high school and how you what no one to find out because you don’t want to be put in danger or you just don’t want to be bullied.

Such a perfect story with an amazing plot.

Amazing Audio!!!!

Basics: Single POV, first person second-chance romance
A very fun book! Charlie was immediately endearing as a character. There’s a growing number of second-chance romances built on this premise of a past love re-falling for someone post-transition, and I love it as a premise. This is the first time I’ve read it in YA, which inherently limits the time characters can have been apart, but I felt it was well done!
While Charlie and Jasper’s relationship was the core of this story, the ensemble cast is just as dynamic and engaging. Some aspects of the school as a backdrop felt a bit forced (although I’ve never been to an East Coast boarding school for rich kids, so maybe not), but the loveablity of these characters was enough to counter that for me.
Audio narration was excellent overall. The narrator captured Charlie’s anxiety well with pacing and tone, and did great capturing Jasper’s flair for the dramatic. Characters were fairly distinct, despite the large cast.

I really enjoyed And They Were Roommates! The chemistry between Jasper and Charlie was sweet and engaging, and I especially loved that their connection existed before arriving at the school—it gave their relationship so much depth. The LGBTQ+ and trans representation was beautifully done. Charlie’s comfort in his identity felt natural and affirming, and I appreciated how respectfully his story was told.

While I didn’t fully understand the reasoning behind the letter-writing or the school’s more old-fashioned setup, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment. The banter between Jasper and Charlie was fun and added a lightness that balanced the emotional moments. I also loved Jasper’s determination to find his person—it made the romance even more heartfelt. Definitely a cozy, affirming read with great representation!