Review by Kayleigh
If Taylor Swift’s “Ruin the Friendship” was about two characters, it was written for Sabrina and Adam in Roommating.
Favourite Quote:
Gabe scratches the brown skin along his jaw. “I’m confused. Is Adam here to reconnect with this grandma, or is this some freak reality dating show where seniors set up their grandchildren with their roommates?”
Book Synopsis:
Sabrina is too busy with grad school and her job as a library page to think about dating. Until Marcia, her elderly roommate, invites her estranged grandson Adam to move into their two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan temporarily to “find himself.” Sabrina doesn’t mind sharing the small space with Adam if it helps Marcia repair her relationship with her grandson. But she’s not expecting to fall for him herself. Adam is not only gorgeous, he’s kind, funny, shares her love of reading, and clearly adores Marcia. After one too many accidental midnight rendezvous in the bathroom (him shirtless), the tension between them is hotter than ever.
But they’re not the only ones feeling the heat. After Marcia has a health scare, her doctors advise that one of her younger roommates must go. In a comical and sexy battle to prove who deserves to stay, the two pull out all the stops. All’s fair in love and real estate, but in the end victory is not so sweet when winning the apartment could mean losing each other.
Review:
I adore Meredith’s writing and was anxiously anticipating her new book. I was not disappointed. Roommating is a love story about libraries, grandmothers and taking chances. Sabrina is working through her masters and struggling to survive in expensive Manhattan. She’s found a roommate through an app that connects seniors and young adults together. After the death of her beloved grandmother, and some unresolved trauma with that relationship, it seems like the perfect scenario. Until Marcia, her roommate, has her grandson Adam come and stay.
Adam and Sabrina dance around each other. Sabrina is instantly smitten. There’s pining, and accidental touches and flirtations. The tension amps up when Adam gets a job at the library that Sabrina works at. And explodes one night, if you know what I mean. But then, Marcia gets sick and her doctor lets her know that she probably doesn’t need the stress of two youths living with her. Adam and Sabrina turn from secret lovers to enemies in a flash, both wanting to stay in the apartment. What follows is a laugh out loud, slapstick series of events. I couldn’t help but imagine this as a classic 1940s movie modernized. I was actually laughing while reading and watching Adam and Sabrina use all of their wiles to outsmart one another while still being wildly attracted to each other.
Both Adam and Sabrina have some unresolved family issues that do lead to a third act break up that really makes sense. It felt like a natural pause in the relationship instead of just a lack of communication. I adored how the two were brought back together, aided in part by Marcia, who understands how short life is and how important it is to “ruin the friendship” when you have the opportunity. Marcia herself goes through the fun of dating as a senior who’s exploring her own sexuality and wants and needs, which adds a really great depth to the book, and a reminder that we are never too old to discover ourselves.
Roommating is a funny book with a poignant heart.
Thank you to Forever Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
