I really enjoyed "And They Were Roommates" by Page Powars! The whole vibe of the book gave me serious 2000s teen rom-com feels and I mean that as a compliment. It was cute, it had a group of great supporting characters that you can't help but love, a really solid story arc for our main character (Charlie), and had a really great romance develop over the course of the book. I also appreciated that when it came to covering some pretty serious topics, we really got to know what Charlie was thinking/feeling and more importantly *WHY* he was feeling that way. Overall a very solid story and would highly recommend checking it out!

This book was such a fun ride and I enjoyed just about every second of it. It was a low stakes YA romance with a twist and it was such a fun ride. I will be reading other books by this author.
The narrator was very good and I could easily differentiate between the characters which was super nice!

3.5 stars rounded up.

I had really high hopes for this book from the premise alone, and it just ended up being a solidly "okay" read for me. This might genuinely be a case of Page Powars' writing not being my style, because I know I have students who will absolutely adore this book.

Charlie has worked extremely hard to be chosen as Valentine Academy for Boys excellence scholar, which allows him a full scholarship to the prestigious school. He has a plan: keep his identity as a trans boy a secret in such a traditional setting, stay under the radar, and keep his grades high enough to maintain his scholarship. Too bad that all goes to hell immediately when his request for a single room falls through and he's forced to room with Jasper Grimes: poet, playboy, and the guy who broke Charlie's heart at camp before his transition. If Charlie wants to get his single room, he'll have to help Jasper write a series of love letters for the academy's male students to be sent to the sister academy - before Jasper figures out who he is.

This is cute and goofy and a lot of fun. Charlie is a delightful lead character: he's a mess, self-centered, and trying so hard to fit in with his male classmates at all costs. He has to learn throughout the course of the story how to actually interact with others, let go of his insecurities, and open up to his friends. Even the romance between Charlie and Jasper is a fun premise: Jasper falling in love with his male roommate for reasons he doesn't quite understand, followed by the inevitable reveal.
Sadly, though, what didn't work quite as well was Jasper himself. I honestly just found him obnoxious and shallow for a majority of the story, and he never really managed to win me over. Even that would have been more than tolerable, if it weren't for the most annoying secondary character: twelve-year-old Blaze, who was precocious and over-the-top and threw off the tone of any scene he was in. What could have been funny scenes were just... off when you have a preteen shrieking about the arachnid war and the forces of darkness.

So, overall, this was fun and cute and a perfectly fine romance read! I'll be happy to have it on my shelf for my students.

This was super cute and funny! A quick read chock full of so many feelings, fun and lovable characters, and a compelling story. This is the perfect kind of YA book that makes diverse reading accessible to so many people.

I really enjoyed the narration by Ben Balmaceda, it was easy to listen to and the production quality was great.

This was adorable and hilarious! I really enjoyed Page Powars' previous book, and when I saw the cover and title and blurb for this one I was hooked. Then I started reading and it was even better than I expected.

When the blurb calls it "unputdownable," they really mean it! I actually started this audiobook to listen to "for a few minutes before bed" after finishing up another book at 9:30pm which is just a little too awkwardly early for my 10pm bedtime. I fully intended to stop reading at 10, or maybe 10:30. And then it was 1:3oam and the book was over. (I sped up the narration to 2.5x because the narrator was speaking too slow for my taste.)

The characters were so good! I loved Charlie, a fish-out-of-water trans boy at an all-boys boarding school, trying to get his feet under him. He felt so real and warm and awkward, and I really felt his fear of being kicked out of school if someone found out he was trans.

Valentine Academy is intense! There's a weekly posted grade ranking, he's taking all advanced courses, he feels like everyone is so much smarter than him... It really works to keep him feeling isolated and out of place for the first part of the book. The school actually reminded me *a lot* of Caltech. I went there as an undergrad and I remember feeling a lot of what Charlie feels here. There's not only the intense academic atmosphere and the feeling that literally everyone you meet is smarter than you, but the same variety of quirky (sometimes *very* quirky) characters as I remember finding at Caltech. I actually ended up feeling an awful lot of nostalgia while reading.

The zany cast of characters at STRIP (the top 5 ranked students) end up slowly befriending Charlie and pulling him out of his shell. I loved watching his bravery grow throughout the book as he realizes he's not as alone as he first thinks.

Not least of those is his roommate, Jasper. Who was Charlie's crush at summer camp before he transitioned. Who doesn't seem to recognize him. Cue drama.

I loved Jasper. Who wouldn't? He's even more quirky than the others and seems determined to befriend Charlie. And there are so many OMG he's definitely going to recognize me now! moments. There is so much tension that builds between them before the secret comes out (and a few more besides).

The entire love letter plot was unhinged, but in a good way. It was exactly the sort of madcap fun I can imagine the students at Caltech getting up to if the school were gender segregated.

The audiobook was very well done. It was too slow for my taste, but then most audiobooks are too slow for my taste. I think I just listen fast? In any case, the narrator did a great job bringing all the quirky characters and unhinged plot situations to life and it was so much fun to listen to. I mean, I listened to the entire thing in one sitting. When I should have been sleeping.

I loved everything about this book and I will absolutely be eagerly anticipating the author's next book.

*Thanks to Roaring Book Press and Macmillan Young Listeners for providing an early copy for review.

I have been so excited to read this book! It’s a boarding school love story full of tween angst and figuring out what it means to love in the best of ways. Set against the backdrop of Valentine Academy, a prestigious boarding school teeming with overachievers and Shakespearean flair.
Powars' writing is infused with a love for literature and writing, making the novel a celebration of sharing our perspective through the written word. The cast of characters is endearing, each contributing to a narrative rich in friendship and self-acceptance. The audiobook, narrated by Ben Balmaceda, brings lovely personality and flair to the audiobook narration of this story.
And They Were Roommates is more than just a boarding school love story; it's a luminous exploration of identity, belonging, and the transformative power of love and literature in accepting your own story.
Perfect for your Valentine's Day display or TBR with the academy being based on St. Valentine and the plot revolving around writing love letters.

Genre: Romance, Academia
Age: Young Adult
Topics: LGBTQ rights, coming out, gender, perfectionism, academic pressure
Spice: none
Representation: Transmasc main character, multiple queer characters
Read For: Netgalley
Obtained From: Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the Advanced Listening Copy
Song Recommendation for the vibe: Clueless by Ellie Williams
Hashtags: #AndTheyWereRoommates #NetGalley

Audiobook Narration: 5⭐️
Prose/Story: 3.5⭐️
Vibes: 4⭐️

What can I say about this? I actually enjoyed it.. however so think I enjoyed the narration. It’s a case where the audiobook completely brought the book to life where so don’t think if I read the ebook or the physical book I would have had the same experience.

The narrator Ben Balmaceda did a fabulous job! Funny enough when he first started his reading I was a bit concerned as I thought it may have been a bit too dramatic for my liking but it quickly settled down. He spoke at a good natural pace for the 1x speed but I was also able to easily speed up the rate to 2x and understand everything easily. Mr Balmaceda did a great job changing up his voice for different characters. So much so that I checked the listing to see if it was only him narrating and it was. The run time is listed at 8 hours and 50 minutes.

I appreciated the perspective of the trans MMC as his experience seemed authentic insofar as his internal feelings. But I will say that the whole story was reminiscent of the old movie “She’s The Man”. The problem is that was a case of a girl trying to pass as her twin brother at a boarding school and not a transgender situations at all. It pains me to compare this book to that movie but it’s the reality of how it felt. Charlie, the MMC’s, internal monologue and anxieties get a bit repetitive which I’m such is like that in real life but in a book it does get a bit boring when the same thing is said over and over. The author was trying to convey the anxiety and fear that the character was experiencing but it wasn’t very effective as the reader was being told rather than shown.

The other challenge was the romantic relationship between the MMC’s. There was no chemistry shown at all nor any reason for them liking each other than the author telling us they did. I kept waiting for something to click and all come together but it never happened.

That being said, you could see some ground work in the way at least as male character Jasper Grimes was trying to stay close to Charlie, the MMC. This was a “second chance romance” as they had met at a camp 2 years previous before Charlie’s transition and had a brief encounter.

So in all the book was entertaining due to the great narration. It kept my interest and I consumed it in one sitting (2x speed so 4.5 hours). I did enjoy the sub plots of how the boys school connected with the girls school and all the male “characters”. I out that in quotes in that “He was such a character” type of way as the book was full of them!

This book comes out May 27, 2025, just in time to read for Pride month in June. I do think it’s worth a read, especially the audiobook.

Lastly, the author is compared to Casey McQuiston in that fans of them will enjoy this author. I disagree. Their writing is completely different in how they approach queer romances. This was a very clean, young YA queer romance. A hallmark movie type which is very different than McQuiston and to me, that’s a good thing!

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Macmillan Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Such a heartfelt story of a trans male looking to fit in at an all boys school. It all goes sideways when his roommate turns out to be his first kiss who broke who heart. What follows is a beautiful story of finding where you belong, finding your people, and fully accepting yourself.
This was such a fun story that was heartfelt and sweet. The diversity in this book was refreshing and beautiful. 4.5⭐️

I wanted to really love this book, but unfortunately I found it kind of boring. I also felt like the romance between the main character terms came out of nowhere. It maybe would have been better for them to just make up and be friends.

This book is pure sunshine! A delightful YA romance featuring a trans MMC and the beautiful blond poet that broke his heart. This novel is filled with some many genuinely funny moments and I loved the entire cast as a whole.

Ben Balmaceda does an outstanding job narrating and the audiobook is a great way to experience this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was a slam dunk for me. The character of Jasper specifically delivered the seemingly Perfect Prince character without being actually insufferable. His sweetness mellowed his perfection, well done. Contrasted with the main character’s inner struggle to feel accepted or good enough, I felt it worked really well.

I also loved the side characters and how they all came together at the end. The pacing of that journey was very subtle as well, and I didn’t realize they were accepting Charlie as their own until Charlie did. Standing ovation, no notes.

Adorable story and excellent narration. Some of the aspects of the school and dialogue feel a bit too over the top to suspend disbelief, but that adds to the charm of the story more than anything else.

This book was HILARIOUS!! I was dying of laughter the entire time. Mostly because of the "and they were roommates" meme that kept popping up in my head. But in all honesty this book was all about self discovery and young love. But in all honesty all the tropes were fantastic: second chance romance, first loves, he falls first, romantic longing, love letters, and forced proximity.

If you are looking for the "She's the Man" humor but at a prep boy's academy with secret love letters this is the story for you!

Rarely do I read a book and wish I could be best friends with EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER. I love them. They are weird and loveable and so real. This book was just a lot of fun! I love that this story was set in a super traditional school and felt that the stakes were truly so high for Charlie.

The narrator did a fantastic job with the characters and making each one unique -- truly brought the story to life!

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher!

4.5⭐️
AHHHHHH! SHUT! UP!
This was one of my most anticipated books for 2025, and I'm SO happy I got a chance to read it a few weeks early!! (S/O Netgalley for the Audio Arc)

Camp at its finest.

This was so funny. It's so incredibly unrealistic in every way! But it doesn't matter. Yeah, nobody in the world talks like the kids do in this book..BUT I DONT CARE! I'm having a blast!

I loved everything and everyone, and I am now a die-hard Page Powars fan.

I wish there had been a few more romance centered interactions between the love interests or alternatively if their backstory had been expanded on a bit more. The romantic chemistry was so good that I wanted more *Moments* to pinpoint the romantic progression between them.

I actually can't stop smiling, I need to restart the book immediately.

I can't wait to pick up this authors debut novel now, and I will be impatiently awaiting more books from them in the future.

AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES 💌💘

Love is in the air at Valentine Academy! Our main man, a transgender student named Charlie, has just transferred to a new school and is determined to fly under the radar for as long as possible. His plan quickly starts to unravel when he discovers his new roommate is none other than his long lost lover, Jasper. Chaos ensues as Charlie is coerced into writing love letters with Jasper on behalf of other boys at the school, then helping sneak said letters over to the recipients at the all-girls school on the other side of the wall. The romance between the main characters was more of a side quest rather than the central plot, which was fine with me since it felt a bit bland at times. The side characters were entertaining (shoutout to Blaze, whose dialogue sent me into orbit) and the cheesy Valentine’s elements sprinkled throughout were fun little touches.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!! 🫶🏼

This book is so cute it melted my heart. I’m so in love. With Charlie, with Jasper, with their relationship but also with the writing. It’s so funny and witty and sweet and swoony. Really, my heart was singing while I read this book.
I can’t wait to read more written by Page Powars. He is absolutely in my autobus list now!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

This was such a cute and touching story. Ben Balmaceda was such a good narrator! I loved every minute.

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan, and Page Powars for the ALC in exchange for a honest review.

4/5 stars

I liked this YA rom-com. I always appreciate a trans main character because we need that representation. I did not really like either of the main characters very much but I really liked the supporting characters, particularly Xavier and Blade. I thought that Charlie was not self-reflective for someone who has gone through what he went through. He seemed immature for a 17 year old (granted, 17 year olds can be immature; as a former teacher, I can attest to that). I also did not love the prep school setting as it is such a privileged environment. But it was an engaging listen and I loved the narrator. He was excellent.

It was hard for me to really embrace these characters, they came across kind of douchey, especially Jasper. The story felt a little under-developed, I went in expecting to fall in love but just never connected. I read the audiobook and the narrator was pretty good, although his voice for Jasper was obnoxious to me 😅 But that also may just be my personal preference.