I really liked the look of this book. The cover appealed and the synopsis grabbed my attention.

The book starts slowly. It’s worth bearing with, because it picks up around the 50-60% mark.

I liked Rosie and enjoyed reading about her background, the reasons why she was ‘walked over’ by others. The author detailed this from her boyfriend, family and employer.

Aled is an interesting character and there was so much potential to really build the chemistry between them, but I felt some of the focus was missing on their chemistry.

When things did get moving for Rosie and Aled, the bedroom door closed and the chapter ended. I don’t need graphic details but it was so abrupt. Then minimal reference afterwards.

I felt the final 10% of the book crammed so much into it. But I liked the ending and appreciated the epilogue.

Overall, an enjoyable read, but I really like the romance to be ramped up if I’m reading a romance book.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for my advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review 📚

I was initially drawn to this novel's premise, but I found it boring and uninteresting. The storyline didn’t dive into any significant plot points, and I couldn’t help but compare it to The Flatshare, which has a similar plot but is much more engaging. The characters, Rosie and Aled, felt over-the-top and quirky, but their chemistry was forced and even a bit ridiculous.

The first four chapters were mainly filled with information about Rosie’s friend Niamh, her job, and her co-workers, which made it hard to stay interested. I enjoyed the stray cat that popped up, but even that felt cluttered, with the writing having too many random references. I also didn’t like the third-person POV—it made the whole book feel intolerable for me.

With the slow-paced writing, I wouldn’t recommend this book if you’re in a slump. It didn’t do it for me, and I don’t think it’s worth picking up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy for an honest review.

This was supposed to be a romance? This was so boring. There isn’t smut. That’s totally okay. Not every book needs smut. This is titled the spare room but Aled doesn’t even move in until halfway through. I didn’t feel a connection between the two characters either. This just wasn’t for me. Thank you NetGalley for an arc.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from NetGalley. This was a great read. I loved Rosie and Aled, and supporting characters such as Rhianne were written with equal depth which really added to the story. I enjoyed the concept immensely, and Starkey wrote this slow burn romance at the perfect pace.

This is a classic tale. It’s cosy, an easy read and curled up on a sofa you can get lost in their world. At times I found it a little slow and it’s also predictable (but that’s also why I enjoyed it). Its not one I feel passionately about… but it was a nice way to spend a few hours.

Overall, such a cute romance book with forced proximity. It was a very cute book with good characters! Quick read!

I absolutely loved reading this, 'The Spare Room' feels like you are reading a rom com and it was a pure joy to read. We start with Rosie's heart being broken then change to her inviting Aled to live in her spare room and then the will they/won't they begins and it is a pure delight. Of course there are emotional, more serious moments in this, however on the whole this provided a lot of laughter and put a big smile on my face.
The characters are wonderful as well in this book, I adored getting to know Rosie and Aled and seeing their relationship develop and change. This was a complete joy to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for an advance copy.

Just a cute book. I love the forced proximity trope. This one was really well written. I liked both of the characters and felt like their connection was written well and it all made sense. I read it quickly and enjoyed it.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

The trope of reluctant flatmates in a shared space suits Laura Starkey well. THE SPARE ROOM is an easy, breezy, and quick romantic read that I would recommend for the summer especially!

This was a really cute rom com. I absolutely devoured it and read it in one sitting. It made me laugh out loud and I really loved the characters and plot of this story. I gave it 5 stars and I would definitely continue reading anything by this author.

I Freaking loved this book!! This was onebof the best books I've read this year in romance!! So good and I couldn't put it down!!! I will be getting a hard copy of this and keeping it!! Absolutely stunning.
I just reviewed The Spare Room by Laura Starkey. #TheSpareRoom #NetGalley
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I really enjoyed this book! If you like The Flatmate, you'll love the Spare Room! A fun, lighthearted read that I finished in an afternoon!

Rosie has been with her boyfriend for nearly a decade and is expecting him to propose only to discover he's dumping her. She needs someone to share the flat so Aled who has the flat above and needs to move out for renovations moves in

This was a cute book but it started slower than I would’ve liked. I think we got over a third of the way in before the main characters were even introduced to each other. That, paired with the heroine starting off in a terrible relationship that she was sure was leading to marriage, plus her general insecurity about her appearance and life in general, made this one hard for me to get into. I do love a forced proximity trope, it just took longer to get to than I’d have preferred.

A slow burn, sweet romance. Forced proximity and immediate attraction. Two souls who had been previously hurt learn to not only discover who they are as individuals but also what they truly deserve in a partner. Aled and Rosie are a perfect match.

A lighthearted slow burn rom-com with great characters. It was a pleasure to get to know Rosie and Aled. Their relationship felt real and not forced which is always helps to make a fantastic slow burn. I'm sure Rosie's insecurities and struggles are relatable to many readers of this book. Aled was an all around good guy and even though he had his flaws I was rooting for him to win Rosie's heart.

I liked that the plot was not centered around the romance of Rosie and Aled, it was more about overcoming the bad things in life and finally realizing that good things are just around the bend. Eventhough the romance is a slow burn the plot was fast paced and heartwarming.

I enjoyed this book very much and recommend it to readers who want something light and quick to read. It would make a wonderful book to take on vacation!

I am grateful to Embia Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read a digital copy of this enjoyable book in exchange for an honest review. All of the opinions in this review are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of The Spare Room by Laura Starkey.

‘little by little, loving and losing him felt less like a tragedy and more like an important life lesson – one she was more than ready to embrace.’

This book had all the best tropes; forced proximity, roommates, a little fake fake dating and friends to lovers. I liked the plus size representation and I really liked the writing style.

I’m not a huge fan of the main girl starting off in a long term relationship - no matter how long she’s single afterwards it always seems like the love interest is a little bit of a rebound!

Overall I enjoyed the story and liked both the main characters I’d definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a fun and fast paced rom com.

I really enjoyed this. It's a very slow-burn romance and i enjoyed watching Rosie and Aled get closer. I also loved seeing Rosie change as a person after leaving her toxic relationship and see her change into the person she always should've been. Highly recommend.

I liked this book but I couldnt say I loved it. I found myself skimming at times. It was very predictable and for that it affected my rating.