**ARC received in exchange for an honest review.** Filled with tenderness, delicious tension, wit, and impeccable timing, Roomies is a highly charming romance that kept me reading until the wee hours of the morning. This book re-affirmed my affection for Christina Lauren’s storytelling. The humor, the camaraderie, and the peek at life behind the velvet curtains really help sell the story. Holland is extremely giving and patient, and Calvin is artistically passionate with an overall easygoing nature.

Holland is normally very cautious however, there are several motives behind her impulsive decision to marry Calvin so that he can get a Green Card. He’s Irish-bonus sexy points for the accent-and musically gifted, but he’s also in the United States illegally. With her Masters degree gathering dust, she feels like an uninspired spectator to the achievements of those around her.Ĭalvin is a street-or in this case, subway-performer as well as Holland’s longtime secret crush.

Comfortable doesn’t mean happy or even satisfied, though. With the support of her uncles-one a famous Broadway composer-she is able to live a comfortable life in Manhattan. It was so easy for me to connect with Holland and her struggle to find passion in her stagnant life. It could be that I’m in a sentimental mood, but reading Roomies released mega endorphins and, quite simply, it made my heart happy. My first love has always been musical theatre, and I’ve now read two books in a row centering around the lives and loves of Broadway performers. In the middle of the theatrics and the acting-not-acting, what will it take for Holland and Calvin to realise that they both stopped pretending a long time ago? As their relationship evolves from awkward roommates to besotted lovers, Calvin becomes the darling of Broadway. Holland impulsively offers to wed the Irishman to keep him in New York, her growing infatuation a secret only to him. When the tryout goes better than even Holland could have imagined, Calvin is set for a great entry into Broadway-until he admits his student visa has expired and he’s in the country illegally. Rescued by Calvin McLoughlin from a would-be subway attacker, Holland Bakker pays the brilliant musician back by pulling some of her errand-girl strings and getting him an audition with a big-time musical director. Marriages of convenience are so…inconvenient. Published by Gallery Books on December 5th 2017

Read roomies by christina lauren