Blurb:
Marriages of convenience are so…inconvenient.
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. 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.
Holland impulsively offers to wed the Irishman to keep him in New York, her growing infatuation a secret only to him. As their relationship evolves from awkward roommates to besotted lovers, Calvin becomes the darling of Broadway. 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?
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. 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.
Holland impulsively offers to wed the Irishman to keep him in New York, her growing infatuation a secret only to him. As their relationship evolves from awkward roommates to besotted lovers, Calvin becomes the darling of Broadway. 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?
Find Roomies on Goodreads
Purchase Links:
Amazon US: https://amzn.to/2MPO6Gy
Amazon PB: https://amzn.to/2Ml6SV8
Amazon FR: https://amzn.to/2tz5o1Z
Amazon AU: https://amzn.to/2KbtLNF
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/2KhexTZ
Kristine's Review:
Reviewed: June 2018.
Christina Lauren have long been a favourite duo of mine, many of their titles hitting my most loved lists each year, with sexy and suave heroes and sassy and strong heroines I always enamoured by their words. The authors note for Roomies stated that writing Holland and Calvin's story was "pure, shameless fun." While this story was exactly that, Holland's character also resonated so deeply with me, this young woman who was so sure of her dreams and yet inherently terrified of taking that leap. That's the thing about dreams, they don't work unless you do.
Holland isn't living her best life, she has a job that she doesn't love but doesn't despise, she has a roof over her head thanks to her uncles, she has dreams of becoming a great writer but nothing that thrills her enough to write about, and she has a crush on a mysterious, talented subway musician.
"I think I admire that she, more than anyone I know, tries to be circumspect about her successes and failures and who she is. She tries to see herself clearly - both kindly and critically - and I think she's generally pretty spot on."
Calvin came to the US to study music and never left, despite his VISA expiring years ago. He's doing his best to continue pushing forward to find his dream of playing music in the big leagues while trying not to arose too much suspicion that would get him booted from the country.
"Use your words, Holland. Tell him it isn't so much that you're feeling regret as you're feeling sheer panic at the prospect of sharing an apartment with a stranger who also happens to be the hottest man you've ever touched. What if you fart in your sleep?"
When an opportunity arises that would give Calvin his dream and save Holland's uncles show, a marriage of convenience seems like the best plan, this is contemporary romance though, so we know it won't all be smooth sailing.
"What I said before was true...about how Holland tries to see herself clearly and seems to end up in a pretty good place. But I also think she sees herself as a supporting character, even in her own life story."
Roomies is a stand alone, and while Calvin plays a huge role, it's Holland that truly stood out for me. She's so very self aware, so in tune with her strengths and her flaws and yet she's stifling her talent and her chances at success because she's too scared to push out of her comfort zone, terrified that she would even have a voice to begin with. It's easy to find yourself stagnate, most of us have dreams for our lives, whether it's professionally or personally, we have these secrets that we hope and pray become a reality, and often the fear of failure wins out over ever truly trying. When Holland realises she's been playing a side character in her own life her world tilts on it's axis, in truth so did mine, for I felt that realisation inherently. How often have I wanted something bigger for myself and been too scared to truly go for it, content with where I was, safe in the knowledge that if I didn't really try couldn't fail. Remember what I said about dreams not working if you don't. When a book makes you pause, makes you re-evaluate what you want out of your life, makes you question whether you're living your best life, it's a joyous thing. The authors may not have set out to give Roomies such a strong message, but as I turned the last page I felt invigorated in a way I certainly didn't expect, passionate and ready to take that starring role in my life.
About Christina Lauren:
Christina Lauren is the combined pen name of long-time writing partners/besties/soulmates/brain-twins Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings. The coauthor duo writes both Young Adult and Adult Fiction, and together has produced fourteen New York Times bestselling novels. Their books have been translated into 30+ languages. (Some of these books have kissing. Some of these books have A LOT of kissing.)
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