Book Review: The American Roommate Experiment

The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

Quote:

"I've missed you since you stepped out of this apartment, hours ago. And I had missed you for a long time before then, Lucas."

Blurb: Rosie Graham has a problem. A few, actually. First, she quit her well paid job to focus on her secret career as a romance writer, only to enter a creative slump. Then the ceiling of her New York apartment falls in. To make matters worse, when she heads to her best friend's apartment, she finds that Lina has already lent the studio to her cousin Lucas, who Rosie has been - for lack of a better word - stalking on Instagram. 

When Lucas suggests that they share the small space, Rosie discovers that he strolls around the place on a towel, has a distracting grin, an irresistible accent and cooks meals that are just as tempting. Then he learns about Rosie's writer's block and proposes an outrageous idea: he'll take her on a series of experimental dates to reignite her literary muse. 

This shouldn't be a problem because Lucas's stay in New York also has a deadline. But she might find it hard to write now the research is so much more fun... 

Book Tropes: 

• She fell first but he fell harder
• Friends to Lovers
• Forced Proximity
• Slow Burn
• Dual POV
• Fake Dating
• Best Friend's Cousin

My Personal Views: I usually approach contemporary romance novels with modest expectations, especially after reading several three-star books in the genre. So, when I picked up this book, I thought it would be decent, a three-star at best, following the familiar pattern of many contemporary romances.

BUT HOLY SMOKES WAS I WRONG! And how happy I am that I was wrong!

This book included one of my favorite tropes, 'She fell first but he fell harder' about which I did not even know had it in the story until I started reading the book. Naturally, this aspect alone earned it a solid five-star rating from me. And then, there's Lucas Martin, who added an extra layer of delight to the whole experience.

I have a soft spot for contemporary romances that give the vibes of early 20s or late 90s romance movies, and this book delivered precisely that nostalgic charm.

The chemistry between the main leads was off-the-charts. The story or plot could have been better of course, but my whole attention was on the male lead hence, I did not feel like the plot line lacked anything.

To be honest, if I am giving a five-star to this book, it is all because of Lucas Martin (the male lead). He was the epitome of perfection, a literal 10/10. 

The female lead, was also quite good. And I loved how crazy she was for Lucas. It was refreshing and quite cute to see the way her crush on Lucas kept growing and how she eventually fell in love with him. I mean, girl me too. Same. 

This book had it all: humor, flirtation, witty banter, grand gestures, heartwarming 'I love you' moments, all wrapped up in a delightful cheesiness that left me thoroughly satisfied.

Ratings: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/ 5