The Roommate was a very sweet read. Jess and Sydney meet on a train, have a connection but think they'll never see each other again. This is a premise I absolutely love because as a romantic, I'm a big believer in fate having a hand in some romance stories. I really enjoyed the way that The Roommate played out in regard to this aspect.

Jess and Sydney have an undeniable chemistry, and their interactions kept the story engaging. I particularly loved Sydney’s bright and outgoing personality, which balanced Jess’s more hesitant and introspective nature. The way their relationship evolved felt natural, with Jess navigating her unexpected attraction and Sydney balancing her own feelings. Plus, the side characters—especially Pam and Violet—added some fun and warmth to the story.

That said, while I enjoyed the book overall, there were some aspects that didn’t quite work for me. Jess staying in her relationship with Austin for so long was frustrating. He was an absolute douche so it was more from that angle, but it did also hold back the emotional depth between Jess and Sydney. The romance, while super sweet, lacked some of the development I was hoping for—and I think this was because the ending wrapped up a little too neatly without a fully fleshed-out resolution.

Despite this though, the book was still a fun and easy read with plenty of charm. If you’re looking for a lighthearted sapphic romance with good chemistry, quirky details, and a feel-good ending, this is worth picking up.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good meet cute and where better to meet someone than on a train?

The instant Jess meets Sydney I was rooting for them. The connection was palpable in that first chapter I was instantly rooting for them. Sydney is an absolute sweetheart and her patience is worth gold.

I was expecting to be annoyed by Jess' reluctance to just go for it but I also got it. It was a big change for her and I get why she wasn't ready to take that leap of faith and just go for it.

This story didn't only have two great MC's but the side characters were a great addition as well.

I will keep my eye on this author as I have enjoyed anything they wrote so far.

An ARC was given to me via Netgalley in return of an honest review.

Claire Forsythe’s *The Roommate* is a compelling and emotional slow-burn romance that explores unexpected attraction, self-discovery, and the undeniable pull of fate. Jess Black has her life neatly planned—until a chance encounter with Sydney Fletcher on a train shakes her certainty. What could have been an easily forgotten moment turns complicated when Sydney becomes her new roommate, forcing Jess to confront emotions she never anticipated. Forsythe expertly builds tension between the two women, weaving in moments of longing, confusion, and undeniable chemistry that make their journey deeply engaging.

It's a good book with a slow-burning romance. Jess’s internal struggle to reconcile her feelings with the life she thought she wanted adds realism and heart to the story, while Sydney’s charm and vulnerability make her an easy character to root for. Their interactions—full of tension, misunderstandings, and undeniable attraction—create a push-and-pull dynamic that keeps readers hooked. Forsythe delivers a beautifully written, heartfelt romance that proves love has a way of finding you, even when you least expect it.

Claire Forsythe’s last book, We met in a Bar, was only a three star read for me so I was a little hesitant going into this one. However,I decided to give it a shot because the blurb sounded super up my alley, and I am so glad I did! The Roommate has been one of my favorite books this year (and for someone who doesn’t watch tv you can assume I read a decent amount of books) so that’s saying something!

This story started off strong with a great meet cute between Jess and Sydney. Right away you could feel the sparkling chemistry between these two and it just grew throughout the book. Also I think the author made the right choice by making this story a slow burn. It really gave the longing between the two and the angst of the whole will they/won’t they time to marinate, and by the time the two did eventually get together it was electric!

The only reason I’m not giving this five stars was because a bit of Jess’s angst over if she wanted to stay with her douchecanoe of a boyfriend seemed a bit manufactured. Like, the relationship is so tepid that you haven’t had sex in months and yet you’re holding onto him like a gosh darn toddler in a tiara?!

Anywho, other than that this is a very good book that completely delivers on its premise and I highly recommend you read it while we impatiently wait for Ms. Forsythe’s next offering.

This book is a cute romance story between Jess and Sydney, the characters do have a lot of chemistry, and the side characters are lovable (well…most of them.)

I will say, the main character (Jess) was frustrating. It’s understandable considering the fact that it’s explicitly told why she acts the way she does, however, it felt unfair to her love interest (Sydney) as well. It does an adequate portrayal of being confused by your sexuality, still that does not excuse a lot of the miscommunication the character brings. Additionally, I think it would’ve been great if we could’ve explored the main characters family dynamic a bit more than it just being mentioned here and there.

This is definitely a slow burn, and the spice level is an adequate 3/5! It’s a good book and I do recommend to give it a read, since it is cute and the banter is great!

The reason I gave it 4/5 stars is just the fact that most of the obstacles the characters faced was because it could’ve been resolved with just some communication.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for giving me this opportunity to read and review this book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC!!

This book was really cute and very enjoyable!! I binged it in less than a day!! While it starts as a slow burn, once I got into it I could not put it down!! Forsythe’s writing is truly captivating and she really has the ability to create such relatable characters! I love a cozy, feel-good, sapphic story!!

I absolutely will be recommending this book!!

I really enjoyed this sweet romance. The meet cute was the meet-cutest. It was lovely to see Jess and Sydney’s relationship progress - the slow burn is brilliantly done. An enjoyable read!

Really enjoyable! Very sweet generally, missed the mark just touch for me as there was a lot of convenient timings and situations. However! I’ll forgive it because I will always go to bat for sapphics and I want them to always get their happily ever after. The writing was maybe a little bit flat at times, a little bit surface level but I still had a really sweet and lovely time with these girls!

Really enjoyable read. The meeting of the two leads was great. Yes it was a tad coincidental that they end up as roommates, but who cares because they were meant to be. Their dialogue was witty and full of those ‘argh, I fancy them but can’t show it so I’m going to hide’ moments. There is an excellent build up to their romance and a good bounce off with the other roommate. Plus to top it off the other characters - sister and small nephew were good, and the other hairdressers were an absolute joy. I really recommend this book and wish it had been longer. I like this author and I’m going to read her other two books now.

The Roommate by Claire Forsythe is a witty and heartfelt exploration of unexpected connections and personal growth. When two strangers with clashing personalities become roommates, their journey from tension to friendship—and perhaps something more—is filled with humor, charm, and tender moments. Forsythe’s sharp dialogue and well-drawn characters make this romantic comedy an engaging and delightful read. Perfect for fans of cozy, feel-good stories with a dash of emotional depth.

3.5⭐️
This book has many good things. I loved the meet-cute and the fate factor. The chemistry between Jess and Sydney was palpable. The dialogues are witty. The meddling characters—Ben, Pam, Violet—were likeable. Some things annoyed me. Jess's boyfriend is somewhat mean in a caricatured way, although I know it is to make the main character look good and the reader feel guilt-free. Jess staying with him was dragged out a bit too long, even if I understand her hesitation. As a result, I was team Sydney (who is perfect), and I wish she had gone on a date or two to make Jess jealous. Finally, shorter chapters would have made the reading smoother, but overall, I had a good time reading this book. P.S. Chloe and Dana's relationship is toxic, yet they end up together?

Omg this book is so cutesy and a total feel good read! I really liked how Sydney encouraged Jess to be her true self regardless of how scary change could be. She was so patient with her while she figured out what she truly wanted. 🥰 In this case, the slow burn was needed and so worth it! Their underlying flirting was too cute. The ending was phenomenal. Only complaints about the book is how long the chapters were and that it was 3rd person 🤣

This book was cute! It was less spicy than I usually pick, but that wasn’t a problem because I quickly became invested in the characters. Character development is important to me and it was done well in this book. I liked the inclusion of one main character trying to understand her sexuality. It felt very relatable and realistic. I also liked the emphasis on the importance of female relationships of all types including strong friendships, older mentors, and sisters.

I'm going to start this but saying I'm not the biggest fan of a slow burn, so it took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did I was hooked.

The Roommate is a beautifully written and the chemistry between Jess and Sydney was electric, but what truly stood out for me was the accuracy and depth of both their individual journeys. Jess’s struggle with her identity felt authentic and something I really related to, while Sydney’s patience added an undeniable charm. Forsythe’s ability to balance angst with moments of sweetness and humor had me hooked!

While the pacing could be uneven at times, the payoff was well worth it. Forsythe’s writing is captivating, and her knack for creating flawed but relatable characters shines throughout. This was my first book by her, but it certainly won’t be my last—I’m already eager to explore more of her work!

I definitely recommend this book if the premise interests you!

Thank you for the ARC, I will definitely be reading more of Claire Forsythe's books in the future. No doubt!

As much as I thought the premise of The Roommate was cute, it fell a bit flat for me. The reading experience was still enjoyable because of the fun side characters (I loved Ben!) and the quirky little details about soap and hairstylists and penguins. Unfortunately the main relationship didn’t have enough depth in it for me. By the end, it felt like I just finished a book about two new roommates/friends who went on one fun date, rather than two people who are in love for life. Jess staying with her boyfriend for that long was frustrating (and added to the lack of depth in her and Sydney’s relationship). I’m not sure if I would recommend this book but I would read more from this author because I do see the potential!

Meeting on the train Jess Black and Sydney Fletcher didn’t know each other, complete strangers. But neither could forget the beautiful woman and even though they said they’d exchange phone numbers, time got away from them and the exchange never happened.
Jess really had no business getting anyone's number, she was in a relationship with her boyfriend of three years, and had never felt even remotely interested in women. But there was just something about Sydney, she couldn’t stop thinking of her.
Sydney had know way to contact the beautiful lady from the train so she tried to just forget. It was never meant to happen. But in the meantime she had to find another place to live. When an ad was looking for a third roommate she was excited. Great place to live but little did she know one of her new roommates was none other Jess.
Now they were under the same roof, trying to ignore each other but it’s hard to do in an apartment where things like kitchens were shared. Jess fights the attraction while Sydney could only hope Jess would really start noticing her. A really nice read.
ARC via NetGalley/Bold Stroke Books

Enjoyable heartfelt read with likeable characters, well except for one. The meet cute had me smiling with how Jess and Sydney interacted with each other. Both were interested in knowing more but only one was "ready" to take the next step. The heart wants what the heart wants. Jess is realizing that settling is not a foundation for relationship happiness. Sydney understands that relationship happiness is not easy to find and when you do find it, you need to go for it. I liked Sydney's sister, Rachel and her son, Ben. I also thought their company was cool, Makes Scents. Jess's roommate Chloe was quite the character.

This was a beautifully done romance novel, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the way this was used in the description. The plot was everything that I was hoping for and enjoyed the overall concept of this book. Claire Forsythe has a strong writing style and that the characters had that feel that I was looking for.

A sweet slow burn romance. Jess and Sydney meet on a train and it is instant chemistry. They chat and flirt and agree to meet up again but Sydney misses the train. Weeks later Jess is still thinking about the woman she met on the train. Jess has a fiancé, her boyfriend of eight years so her interest in perplexing to her. When she lets her best friend select their new roommate she is stunned when Sydney moves in. Sydney also hasn’t forgotten Jess but tries to respect her boundaries and relationship. But the attraction is still there.

I like that they can have outings as friends giving them time to know each other better. Side characters like Sydney’s sister and nephew are great. Jess has her salon owners who are giving their input as well. But the book reads slowly. Sydney respects Jess’s relationship so even though they are doing things together they aren’t flirting or upping the will they/won’t they tension. But otherwise I have no negatives other than Jess needs to communicate better. Which she learns to do. I also like how much everything is tied up by the ending. (3.5 Stars)

Good start. Knew from the blurb they would be unexpected room mates and was a bit impatient for that to start. The first meeting as room mates I felt so sorry for Sydney. Keen to read more.
Dream scene didn't work for me. I enjoyed the book but felt the forbidden longing went on a bit. Enjoyed some bits above a 3, but other bits a bit less, so settled to a 3.