What happens when a buttoned up and laminator-loving people-pleaser finds out her new roommate is NOT her longtime crush but instead is a famous sex-worker who not only is super great but also is making her feel very un-roommate like feels?

A great and horny story, that's what!

The Roommate by Rosie Danan was one of my most anticipated debuts of 2020 and I LOVED reading it. Great banter, super simmering sexual tension, characters who defied my expectations. I adored the squirmy anticipation I felt while waiting for Clara and Josh's heat to explode.

The shining moments of the romance come through when Clara and Josh are together on page and I loved that the story was told in dual 3rd person POV. Their is also a great cast of secondary characters, including Josh's ex girlfriend and coworker, who I hope gets her own story some day.

Josh enjoys his work and is proud of his work, and I was appreciative of the conversation around sex-work, although the conversation does stay firmly in the white, cis heterosexual space.

Of note, the word "crazy" is used multiple times by both Rosie (to describe her thoughts/actions) and by others TO Rosie and thinking about Rosie. For a book that handled sex work thoughtfully I'd hope a bit more care could be taken to consider the impact of using this word as a cavalier description.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced reading copy.

Listened to on audio September 2020
The dual narrators were absolutely perfect as Josh and Clara, bringing the simmering tension to life. I forgot how slow-burn (yet SO full of heat) this romance is, with both Josh and Clara so intent on it just being for Clara's education. I loved this book so much, and I'm glad I have it on audio and in paper.