I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters. Ariella is a character I don't think we get to see a lot. I understood why it was hard to leave her ex when he was all she knew but she needed to discover herself without him. I will say though there were a good amount of times she and her ex annoyed me. Caleb was annoying at some parts too but with him, I did like how he cared about her. But then towards the end when she told him the truth about her and her ex while he was gone he walked out upsetting me. Also, I felt like he was SA, or the writing for that part confused me. The friend Tom also confused me because it seemed like he was into Ariella but also married and happy. I felt like the storyline of the abusive wife wasn't talked about enough. I really liked the mom overall she was definitely one of my favorites. Overall a good book and I will be reading book 2. I didn't like some of the comments made by the characters. It is the perfect read for fans of close proximity, friends to lovers, and a quick read.

This book was not for me and i feel it should have had some sort of trigger warning, the whole feel was just "off", i didn't like the referral that knitting / crochet was for "grandmas", there were several degrading comments, i didnt finish

Thankyou netgalley for an ARC of this book.

I... unfortunately didn't overly enjoy this book. I don't like to DNF books but found this difficult to get into. The book portrayed the chaotic nature of life as an adult but in tern the plot mirrored this. There was the presence of some solid tropes e.g.: he falls first, player MMC... it was all just very complex with the characters.
It had a lot of potential. The cover art is super cute.

Roommates was a friends to meet lovers romance. Honestly, I didn't really care for this book. But if you like friends to lovers this may be for you.

Ariella Mason has it all. From the outside at least. She has a perfect loving fiancé she's known since childhood. A job that she's respected and has moved up in. A loving family that supports her unconditionally. But on the inside Ariella feels trapped. So, when she moves out of their shared home and breaks up with her fiancé with a post it notes, safe to say, the people around her are confused. But when she moves into a spare room with a well-known bachelor at work, Caleb Black, she finally feels like she can breathe. While these two try to settle into some sort of routine, they find themselves actually enjoying each other's companies, against all odds. Caleb helps tightly wound Ariella loosen up a bit, while Ariella helps Caleb be more empathetic to the people around him, Through the book we see the characters dodge their way around rumors at work, ex-fiancés wanting answers, and disapproving family members.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it went a bit fast towards the end, but when I realized there will be a second book I was very excited we get to continue to follow Ariella and Caleb. journey!

Thank you to Netgalley, Storm publishing, and the author for the ARC. All opinions are my own!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Roommates is the first book by Ola and it's quite a strong debut. The book wasn't what I expected if I am being honest. The book follows Ariella and Caleb who become reluctant roomies when Ariella leaves her perfect life , perfect boyfriend for a fresh start and moves in with her coworker .

Roommates is well written although it has parts where it snatched my joy but overall it's a perfect read for fans of close proximity, friends to lovers and a quick read.

BOOK: ROOMMATES
AUTHOR: OLA TUNDUN
PUB DATE: SEPT 2023
REVIEW
Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”
👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏼
When I started this book, I understood and liked Ariella. She just wanted to discover herself, no problem with that. But, I did not like Caleb throughout the book, he literally slept with any straight female that walked. Then he suddenly changed just because 'he fell in love. Yeah, right.
👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏼
Their relationship started off on a wrong note and I hated that Caleb didn't come clean. If this was real life, their relationship would never last. Caleb is a no for me, I've never not liked a mmc like him
👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏼
I'm definitely team Jasper, I accept that he could have done some things better, but he's not as selfish as Caleb. He would have been better. At the end of the day, Ariella's indecisiveness annoyed me
👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏼👩🏽‍❤️‍👨🏼
I didn't like this book because of personal reasons, but you might like it better than I do.

This book could've easily been a 5 star book to me if it had at least one more chapter, right now it sits at 4.5 cause those likes 4 chapters had me in a crisis.

Ariella and Caleb had a chokehold in my life for the last two days. Every thought was about them and every time my work phone rang I wanted to scream cause people were interrupting the beauty of the book. The friendship is chef kiss, the way this man was falling for this girl and not realizing it, AAAAAAAAh.

I hate love triangles and I hated every single second of the conflict of going back to Jasper or not, but it still didn't make me hate the book. I loved it.

Not your typical roommates romance story that is on the market today. The story starts off well and engages the reader from the first chapter. However, the characters were so irritating and immature and nothing was really resolved throughout the book. A few plot holes that needed expanding aswell. Overall, a decent read for a debut author

This was the first book by this author and won't be the last - this is a story of how someone's life may look perfect, but it isn't and how they have the ability to change it. Ariella looks to have the absolutely perfect life but she is unhappy so moves out of the property she shares with her fiancee and moves in with Caleb as a flatmate, and the book is their story as flatmates.

An enjoyable, funny and sensitive book, I would recommend this to others.

I have so many thoughts about this book. And I’m not even sure I want to go through all of them. I’m overwhelmed and dissatisfied after reading this book. Let’s start with the elephant in the room being the fact that this had a cliffhanger. WHY??? This book definitely did NOT need a cliffhanger! It was either a cliffhanger or a terrible ending. In that case, I wish it’s the former. I understand that this isn’t a romance novel and that it’s women’s fiction, and it didn’t technically required a happily ever after tied up neatly in the end but… it still didn’t need a cliffhanger 😭. The book itself was entertaining for me. I got attached to Ariella and Caleb’s dynamic and I love seeing them together especially when they get along and have those “sweet nothing” moments (iykyk). I really love that this was a “he falls first” trope, I think it fits really nicely in this book. Caleb was down bad and it was fun to read. Ariella was a lot of times annoying especially when it comes to her relationship—or rather her finished relationship with Jasper. I understand they’ve been together for a long time and it’s not really easy to move on just like that but come on, Ariella. Bffr. I hate that this is becoming a love triangle with the cliffhanger.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ari and Caleb’s romance on The Roommates is a whirlwind and the emotional roller coaster they road mimicked the back and forth so many couples go through until they feel settled and confident that’s they made the right choice. Although their love story was the main storyline, the secondary characters were also stars and I would love to see more of their stories throughout this series. This novel was so much more than a romance as it tackled race, death, workplace dynamics, abuse, and more, making it a well rounded storyline with unforgettable characters.

I picked this up because of that cover and I wasn’t disappointed. A delicious study into house sharing when the people involved have little in common. Lots to unpick and unpack relationship wise.

This heartwarming and witty tale takes you on a rollercoaster ride through the lives of two seemingly mismatched individuals, Ariella Mason and Caleb Black, and it does so with an abundance of charm and humor.

Ola Tundun masterfully crafts a story that's both hilarious and heart-wrenching. The witty banter between Ariella and Caleb is a true highlight, making you root for them despite their differences. Their journey to self-discovery and personal growth is beautifully depicted, offering readers a message of hope and the possibility of transformation.

"The Roommates" is a refreshing take on romance, offering more than just a love story. It's a tale of self-discovery, acceptance, and the unpredictable nature of life. If you're a fan of authors like Mhairi McFarlane, Beth O'Leary, and Sophie Kinsella, you're in for a treat!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Storm Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you so much!

This started off quite well and I was excited to see how it was going to go but by the end I was disappointed, it just kept going back and forth and nothing really happened? The ending was so weird, it was like half a chapter, so abrupt, I was so confused. I’m guessing (hoping?) the author will bring out the second part but I don’t know if I will bother reading it 🤷🏽‍♀️

This book was not for me. I struggled to connect with it and some of the plot points really had me cringing and not liking how sexual assault was tossed in and not really addressed. I wanted to like this book but it really did fall flat for me.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
Ariella works in a London PR firm. She’s successful but also good at hiding in the wings. But her secret is that behind the wealthy fiancé, she’s feeling claustrophobic in her relationship with Jasper, her brother’s best family and neighbour growing up. When she takes the plunge and moves out without telling Jasper, she becomes roommates with Caleb that works in their sales department. With a different woman over almost every night, it’s a real challenge for the two to get along, nevermind more.

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
Roommates is Ola Tundun’s debut novel. Set in London with very well developed characters, we get to see so many sides of both Caleb and Ariella and soon understand how their worlds have shaped them. I really enjoyed stepping into their shoes and seeing how their relationships developed. It does feel like that last half/ third of the story is quite drawn out, and then seems to end on a bit of a cliffhanger. It would have been nice to have an ending wrapping up the story.

Read an eARC copy courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher
My rating 3.5/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
Pub Date 20 Sep 2023

Roommates by Ola Tundun @olatundunx

Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - September 14, 2023
Publication Date - September 20, 2023

*I received an E-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @olatundunx, @stormbooks_co and @netgalley!

Have you ever really wanted something and then you got it and something just didn’t feel right? Have you ever looked at a relationship and thought to yourself how perfect it seemed? Ariella would be the first person to tell you that just because something looks perfect on paper, doesn’t mean it is perfect in reality.

I appreciated how Roommates made me take a step back and rethink the way I view those Pinterest couples and even the people I compare myself to on Instagram, the ones you look like they have it all and “the perfect life”. 💛 I didn't agree with many of the decisions the characters made, but I didn't have to. The situations in this book were very real and those decisions are often made in reality.

The back and forth of who Sally would end up with felt repetitive at some points but the "why choose" trope just might not be it for me. If you like that trope, you would probably like Roommates! I also wish the conflict between some of the side characters didn’t feel so rushed but hopefully we will get a follow-up story that goes more in-depth into a topic that I feel is really important!

Roommates is now published so read it today! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advance reader copy of Roommates!

Roommates is a dual POV story about Caleb and Ariella. Caleb is a notorious playboy looking to rent out his extra bedroom. Ariella is a coworker who has decided to leaver her fiancé. After taking down the rental adverts for weeks, she finally works up the courage to leave and offers Caleb over what he's asking to move in immediately. As the two of them grow to like each other, both of them start to find their true selves - Caleb begins to give up bringing home different women every night and Ariella begins to take more risks. But as Ariella begins to let her ex, Jasper, back into her life Caleb begins to realize his feelings for Ariella. Who will Ariella choose?

I really enjoyed this story! I loved that there wasn't anything truly wrong with Jasper - Ariella just isn't sure he is the ONE. I spent the whole book going back and forth on who she would choose. That being said, the book isn't about her deciding which one she belongs with. It is about her realizing who she is as a person. The friendships in this book are great. Really, the nuances of all the relationships are very good.

There were a few things that I didn't love. The beginning of the book was almost overly vague and I struggled to get into it a bit at first but Tundun really caught her stride in the middle and I couldn't believe the writing was a debut novel. There were a few ideas that were started and dropped - Caleb had an idea for a new business but that is never fleshed out. There were some pretty significant triggers (and felonies) that happened and then were not really touched on again. My biggest fault is that the ending is abrupt. I know (now) that it is the first in a series but it felt like it just stopped in the middle of the story.

I give this one 3.5 stars but am rounding up to 4 since half stars aren't an option in NetGalley. I can't wait for the next one!

dnf at 39%

I really tried to finish this book but I could not stand the main characters. This got very repetitive.

Ariella was literally so annoying and I get it you broke off your engagement but that doesn’t mean she literally has to mention this is every chapter.

Ariella’s dependance on Jasper also was very weird. Like he had to be the one to allow her to do stuff. Like she did everything according to him. I do think that leaving a notes behind as saying we’re done is honestly disgusting.

Caleb was a bit better but I could not stand him saying that he wants nothing to do with Nicole and when she dresses so lovely he changes his mind. He’s sexist, judgemental.