*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Chasing her dreams to become a game designer, Sol Carvalho made the leap from her native Brazil to the chilly Copenhagen for a job at the successful Scorpio games. And while the job isn't exactly what she pictured (making new levels for their most popular matching game every day isn't exactly riveting work), and her social life hasn't taken off yet (it's hard to meet people in a new country, especially when you don't speak the language yet!), and the threat of becoming homeless looms ever closer after her landlord didn't renew her lease-- at least she's doing something adjacent to what she loves. But when her boss reveals Sol is in the running for her dream job, she has to prove that's she's putting down roots and dedicated to her new Danish home. The only problem? Sol doesn't have any roots to put down, so she makes some up.

Enter her fake boyfriend (and new roommate) Erik Storm. Sure he's the sexiest man she's ever met, and yes maybe she starts to catch feelings for him, and absolutely the lines between what's real and what's fake begin to blur-- but surely Sol won't get in over her head... right?

NEVER DATE A ROOMMATE had such promise for me. I loved the buildup-- Sol was such a fun character with so much vibrancy. As a person not in tech, the idea of game development as a career was interesting, and her story as an immigrant finding her place was really moving. However, at about the 55% mark the story felt too rushed and all over the place.

Spoiler

Suddenly, Sol and Erik are dating, then they're no longer okay (despite the fact he left to, understandably, take care of his family and then hyperfocus on the app they were both developing on a time crunch), Sol decides she's afraid to be proud of her Brazilian heritage and then she's proud of it, and then everything works out and the story is over.

I think this book would have benefited from a slower second half and a focus on character consistency/development.

Overall, I am always up for trying out a romance not set in America or Britain-- and while NEVER DATE YOUR ROOMMATE was a fine read, and the potential was there, it wasn't my favorite this time.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Because, at the end of the day, we all want the same things: good food, love happiness, and laughter. The road to achieving them might just look a little different to each of us-- and that is an extraordinarily beautiful, unifying thing.

With her trademark warmth and humor, Kacie Rose's YOU DESERVE GOOD GELATO tackles the fears and misconceptions of living abroad-- as well as shed light on all the wonderful things that can happen if you're willing to take the leap.

Part memoir and part self-help, Rose chronicles her journey from deciding to take a solo trip to Italy to living in Florence and running her own travel business (which is very girl-boss of her)-- with the many twists and turns and bumps along the way. As a person who loves to travel, often solo, and dreams of living abroad, this felt like the perfect book for me at the perfect time.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

ADVIKA AND THE HOLLYWOOD WIVES is a tribute to all the women who's dreams were dashed by a man who thought he knew better. The story's main character, Advika Srinivasan, is a struggling screenwriter barely making ends meet in Los Angelos. Suddenly, in a rather Cinderella-esque fashion, she's swept into a life of luxury by one of Hollywood's top producer, Julian Zelding. Desperate to escape the shadow of her twin sister's death, Advika begins to mold herself into Julian's vision to keep him happy-- convinced he knows best. However, the death of Julian's first wife and unexpected inheritance begins an investigation into the three women who came before her.

While ADVIKA is a slow burn, it was a fascinating premise that held commentary on several current issues surrounding Hollywood. Each wife's story unlocked new insight into the workings of stardom-- and what it means to be used by the one you love most. While the ending, specifically concerning the film reel, felt a little out of place (there wasn't enough build up to the reveal)-- readers will be satisfied with Ramisetti's newest novel.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Inseparable during high school, Shiloh and Cary haven't spoken to each other in over a decade. However, at a close friend's wedding, the two reconnect and begin the long road of building a meaningful adult relationship, because, after all, you don't get the chance to make old-new friends. As they grow closer, their lives begin to fall into one another, and both of them are forced to open up and re-examine choices made in the past (and present).

In her highly anticipated return to adult fiction, Rainbow Rowell has once again stolen my heart with her latest book SLOW DANCE. Perfectly described as a power ballad (I'm not sure quite how but that feels like the best way to refer to this book), SLOW DANCE is the story of two high school friends returning to one another in adulthood, and is the epitome of second chance romance done right. Both Shiloh and Cary are messy-- realistically and heartbreakingly messy-- and, even though it took me a while to warm up to them individually, their story lingers in my heart long after the story ended.

SLOW DANCE is the closest a book has come to capturing the complex nature of real life I've read in a long time-- it's refreshing, and heartbreaking at times, but a beautiful story because of its imperfections. Longtime fans of Rowell rejoice, she has returned and brought a poignant story of love and loss and the beauty of human connection.