This book was OK. It wasn’t amazing, but not terrible. The book cover + synopsis were great. It drew me in right away. I felt the middle of the book dragged on. The main character drove me nuts, but I feel her personality had a lot to do with her parental relationships. I was frustrated that everyone blew off her problems with her roommate. This whole fiasco could have been avoided….but then there would be so story, right?!

I feel like this book could easily be turned into a Lifetime movie. 3.5 ⭐️

Thank you Joffe Books + Net Galley for the ARC of this book.

A quick and easy read that I read in one sitting. The writing was good and the story was good however I didn't think the characters were as developed as they could have been. It was still an enjoyable read though.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.
The Roomate is the story of Donna, a 25yo that moves to California from Chicago after inheriting her grandmother's house. She takes on a roomate but their relationship quickly sours.

What I liked about this book: the story moved along quickly. The chapters were short and it wasn't too long. The author did a great job of creating a sense of dread.

What I didn't like: the characters. I felt like none of the characters were developed well. Donna was annoying and made terrible choices but there was no true insight into who she really was or what made her do the things she did. There were random strange physical descriptions (at one point it was written that she had a "big butt") but none about her personality. I became more and more frustrated with her poor decisions. The relationships between the characters had no dimension and all seemed odd. Lastly, the dialog and interactions between the characters was just bizarre- at one point I wondered if the book was poorly translated from another language.
It was a really good premise-how do you get rid of someone that won't leave your home? - but the execution just fell short.

This is the 1st time I've ever given a 1 star review but I just have never come across such an odd book before. The writing style is really bizarre and a few times it just didn't make sense. The characters are useless and as basic as they come and I just felt like the author was aiming to fulfil a word count rather than tell a story. And they didn't care what words they used, ad ling as they got in as many as possible. I wasn't going to finish it but skipped to the end just incase it got better further on the book. It didn't.

When Hannah’s grandmother dies, she inherited the house that the grandmother had been living in. To help with expenses, she places an add for a roommate and ends up with the roommate from hell.

I hate to say it, but this book was just not good. There was no depth or development of the characters at all and the writing wasn’t great. The book didn’t flow well and the ending was just very strange. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

DNF after the first couple chapters. The writing is horrifically cringy. Every sentence is structured exactly the same, with almost no variance. Poor descriptors, overly casual in a manner that took away from the story, cringeworthy dialogue. So much telling instead of showing. Abrupt thought and mood changes that made absolutely no sense. It's been a while since I've read a book with writing this horrendous.

Nope. When I know I’m not into a book I usually skim to see how it ends and honestly, I wish I hadn’t with this one. 😒

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I can’t do it. This book had a bunch of potential but it’s written in third person which isn’t that big a deal but the amount of times the character uses her own name instead of a replacement ruined it for me (Donna this, Donna that, Donna Donna Donna).

This was a DNF for me. Fix this issue & I’d probably give reading it another shot.

Fast paced thriller that’s makes you doubt living with another person ever again. I loved this book for its original sinister story and unexpected ending.

This book is an odd oneand I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it. Its packed with suspense over how Joshua will act next and how or even if Donna will be able to solve her problem. One of the things I struggled with, is Donna is a bit all over the place. She refuses to kick him out because she wants to be friends but also avoids him. Her relationship didn't seem particularly real either. However, my main issue was the end. It didn't really make sense and was a bit disappointing. That being said the story kept me engaged and it's a nice quick read that I read one evenng before bed.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

DNF at 25% I tried really hard to give this a go but the writing is disjointed, the characters are not likable, and the scenarios are completely unbelievable.

First the relationship between the MC and the roommate is so unbelievable I couldn't even suspend reality enough to find any thing that kept me engaged. They just met, he's older then her, they have nothing really in common outside of liking cheese and wine, yet somehow we are supposed to believe that after a few weeks of living there he's hostile and refusing to pay his rent but she won't get rid of him? And she's comfortable with letting this near stranger help her out of the bath tub after she injured her foot? I wouldn't let friends I've had for decades off with that kind of behavior nor would I let them help me out of a tub.

And the writing....😬 I finally gave up after this excerpt
"When she awoke the snake was measuring her. Outstretched straight as a ruler, from the tip of her head to fifteen feet past her toes. Its eyes were level with her eyes, so when she awoke, they locked gazes immediately. It was like she was waking up to a lover, a lover whom she couldn't trust, a lover who might kill her at any second.
Her body went into autopilot. She quietly and calmly stood up from where she'd fallen. She slowly began to walk backwards towards the door. As she walked, the snake slowly uncoiled. Once the length of its body was in the bedroom, she closed the door, knowing it would lock shut behind her. She tugged at the knob to make sure."

Ummmmm first a 20+ foot snake was described as outstretched straight as a ruler for 15 feet past her feet....in a bedroom. Then when she's walking out of the room the straight snake begins to uncoil? And it is now entering the bedroom? My head hurts trying to process this imagery. There were too many points in the story prior to this scene that I had to forgive so I had to give up at this point unfortunately. 😬😬😬

I didn't care for this book at all. The first few pages sucked me in immediately...and then the author lost me just as abruptly. Some of the details are just unnecessarily weird. It's a tenant from Hell story, but the author frequently refers to the house as an apartment and uses terms that don't seem to apply to the situation. I'm not sure if that's poor editing or if the author is trying to convey that Donna really doesn't know what she's gotten herself into. One of the twists was particularly obvious, another was actually unexpected but didn't add to the story.

Thank you to Joffe Books and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was FANTASTIC. I finished it in (almost) one sitting. (I may have tried to stay up to the wee hours of the morning, but simply couldn't keep my eyes open any longer)

I didn't rate it 5 stars because I found the ending to be unsatisfying. But 90% of the book was face paced and well written! I loved it!

Chicago. And Donna moves into her Grandmother Rudy's turquoise bungalow, she could not believe it, it's beautiful and all furnished getting a job as a receptionist in a hair salon she struggles to keep up the bills so takes in a roommate inly temporary, but Joshua Flowers stays a lot longer what is he hiding?
A very dark book a tense thriller but I found it lacking half way through sorry, it's a funny situation and set up.
my thanks to Joffe publishers for the early copy to read.

I enjoyed this book. It is written from the point of view of Donna who inherits her grandmother Ruby's house. Donna moves in hoping to find a fresh start. In order to help with the bills she applies for a roommate but all is not what it seems.

The book was clever in slowly building tension and playing with the readers emotions as more is gradually revealed. Although the ending was dark and slightly predictable it fit the book well.

Very entertaining and I look forward to reading more from this author.

This book was heavily bogged down with thick, unnecessary description which really sucked dry the suspense which was already lacking because things felt forced, unbelievable. This book had an eerie and chilling aspect that I loved. So, in the end, it was a mixed bag.

I didn’t enjoy this book. The main character was weak and the plot didn’t delve very far into her background

The Roommate is one creepy thriller.

When Donna inherits a much needed home she is delighted. She has a new place that belongs to her, filling many of the cracks in her heart.

She realizes that she needs someone to share the bills with and perhaps a bit of company. She finds someone she thinks she will be compatible with and he moves in. She does tell him that she likes her space and he tells her that it is weird that he is paying rent and that she is not.

A side door exists in the house that Donna does not have the key for. Yet the new roommate does. This fact unlocks a pandora's box full of secrets - that are terrifying.

The book stayed with me in a spooky way - it is a fast paced psychological thriller.

Donna is so ready to start her new life. But the nightmare has only just begun.

Donna’s had enough of her dead-end job in Chicago, her unhappy family life, and total lack of boyfriend. Then her grandmother leaves her this perfect turquoise-blue bungalow in the California hills. Things are finally looking up.

And now she’s found the perfect roommate to help pay the bills. Joshua keeps the fridge stocked with delicious fresh food, they watch cooking shows together and stay up late sharing their deepest secrets. He’s not just a roommate, he’s a friend, and soon Donna can’t imagine life without him.

But Donna can’t stop the doubts creeping in. Where did he get that key to the side door? And what are the strange sounds coming from his room?

Then Donna brings home her new boyfriend, and things start to spiral out of control.
Really enjoyed this book I read in one sitting totally gripping totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Joffe Books
I just reviewed THE ROOMMATE by Caroline Macon Fleischer. #THEROOMMATE #NetGalley

When Donna inherits a house in California, she soon decides to take on a roommate to help with the bills. At first, Joshua seems like the perfect roommate and she even sees him as a friend, but things quickly start to go wrong. Why does Joshua have a key to the strange side door of the house? What is the smell from his room? Then he starts refusing to pay the rent, and things get even worse when Donna gets a boyfriend...

A chilling and thrilling read that keeps you turning the pages until the end. Recommended!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of the book in return for my honest feedback.