Holland has had a crush on Subway Station Musician for … let’s say a while. When he prevents her being shoved onto the tracks one night and saves her life, she pays him back by getting him an audition with her uncle, a Broadway bigwig. Subway Station Musician - whose name is Calvin - stuns said uncle, and the path towards Calvin’s wildest dreams is open before him… or it would be, were it not for the fact that he’s overstayed his U.S. visa, and should be sent back to Ireland. This is where Holland does him another favor and marries him. What follows is a charming and emotional tale; and most likely, Roomies is the only romance this year that includes USCIS.

Holland, though she’s been raised around music, is an aspiring author. She works for her uncle’s theatre production company while crafting her début novel and routinely goes thirty minutes out of her way every day on the subway to listen to the mysterious guitar player upon whom she has an illogical yet all-consuming crush. Everyone in her world knows about her detours, but sees them simply as a charming oddity until a Broadway show is in need of a classical guitarist on short notice. Holland is sure Calvin is the right fit, and not just because he saved her from falling onto the train tracks. There is something about his playing that transcends ‘music’ and she knows he is perfect for the production.

Calvin is taken aback by this opportunity, but also by this girl. He’s noticed her, but wasn’t about to do anything about it; as an undocumented alien, making waves in any direction is not something he plans on doing. When he impresses Holland’s uncle, he’s grateful for the opportunity but not really sure how it’s going to work – even when presented with the solution in the form of marriage to Holland, he’s dubious, but game.

Of course, the marriage is not a permanent solution, but the process of filing for Calvin’s spousal visa will take about the same time as the show’s run, so they’re ‘safe’ for most of the book. What they’re not safe from are their emotions, as the marriage of convenience moves in the direction that the trope invariably goes. It’s that process that takes up the bulk of this novel, and is at times sweet, infuriating, heartbreaking, and charming.

If you’re a fan of Christina Lauren’s writing, there is no reason why you shoudn’t purchase this book quickly. The authorial duo’s signature wit is here, the way they craft characters that walk off the page, the sexy quota is filled. I loved being along for the ride as Holland and Calvin discover what love really is and how the love of someone who really loves you brings out the best versions of yourself.

Plus, an Irish hero never hurts.

My eyerolls all had to do with the ending and my inability to suspend my disbelief about the U.S. immigration system, but overall, I’d tag this book a winner and recommended for anyone looking for a delightful holiday read that spreads loads of good cheer and warm fuzzies.

Buy Now: A/BN/iB/K

I usually like their books but I could not get into this one.

I love the way you cannot tell it's 2 people working together to write this story. Christina Lauren write their words together and they flow together flawlessly. Roomies is my new favorite from Christina Lauren.
The story of Holland and Calvin is one I will remember. The way they come together and work through what is going on gives hope to others in similar situations. I wish I could hear Calvin play, they way his talent is described was beautiful. I was glad to see that Lulu got the boot. I didn't really care for her character much. I was left wanting more from these characters.

The minute I hear the name Christina Lauren I am sold. I know they will always deliver heartfelt romance, swoony butterflies and a magnificent story. That is exactly what we got with Roomies. The minute I started I was absolutely hooked and consumed and I did not want it to end. I am still trying to catch my breath. Calvin and Holland had such amazing chemistry and banter. It was sweet and spicy and just perfect. I could not get enough.

Rescued by Calvin McLoughlin from a would-be subway attacker, Holland Bakker pays the brilliant musician back by using some of her Broadway connections to get him a dream audition with a big-time musical director. But when Calvin reveals he is in the country illegally, enter a new plan: a marriage of convenience to keep him in New York. But what happens when lines are crossed from awkward roommates to besotted lovers? Will they realize that they both stopped pretending a long time ago?

GAHHH!! This book was amazing and hilarious and sexy and all types of brilliant. It was such a joy to read. I was addicted from beginning to end and could not put it down. Being one hundred percent real here: I will honestly say that Roomies is absolutely one of the funniest books I have ever read. Holland was so hilarious, endearing, awkward and sarcastic AF. Likewise, Calvin was sexy and all kinds of magnificent but Holland stole the show for me. She was glorious and everything I loved in a heroine. I just wanted to be her bestfriend. I cringed when she cringed and wanted to slam my kindle shut and run away when her word vomit led her down paths she couldn't backtrack from. I absolutely died and cried myself in a heap laughing so hard. All in all I loved this book wholeheartedly and how the authors were able to showcase Calvin and Holland's love story but also Holland's personal journey in finding herself and her own passion.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula

Full review forthcoming on our podcast, but I loved this story of finding your voice as. a young woman.

Holland isn’t living her dream, but she has far too much pride and is way too stubborn to return home to Iowa. She’s the youngest of her clan and the one must looked after and the one that has the least expected of her. She’s working for her uncle in a Broadway theatre, working as a glorified gofer, not putting her natural talents to work at all.

Her uncle’s mega-production is about to stall when the first chair violin quits in a huff. But Holland has an eye for musical talent and has noticed Calvin, a guitarist, busking outside a train station in the city. She convinces her uncle to let him audition and the rest, as they say, is history. The problem is that he is an Irish national living in the country illegally. In order to keep him in the country and help him realize his dream, Holland comes up with the idea for them to marry, so that he can get his green card, or at least papers in the meantime. What results is a friends to lovers romance that will sweep you off your feet.

I loved the chemistry between Holland and Calvin from the get go. I loved Calvin’s playfulness and while I wish Holland had been a stronger character, I understand that it is necessary for her to go through the transformation she did and how Calvin helped in that. The storyline was very original and it had me hooked from the very first page. It is one of those books I just did not want to put it down, it’s that good. The entire story is told from Holland’s point of view.

This book is soooo close to being five stars, but that ending! The ending, given how amazing the rest of the book, was completely unfulfilling. I’d love to see some sort of follow-up novella, just to give us a little more closure (or even more love, you choose!). I loved this book and even with the lackluster ending, it has made its way on to my Best of 2017 list!

Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery for the advance copy of this title for review purposes.

just finished, still digesting.

- i think the synopsis is a bit misleading. I also think the title is... not right.

- i liked how they handled the immigration/green card thing. as someone who actually went through that process, it makes me super stabby when authors get it wrong. like, just gloss over it rather than make it glaringly obvious you didn't do your research. but theirs was pretty spot on, the only things that stood out to me were a) how ridiculously fast they got it sorted - i got married in november and didn't get my green card until april. the US government is not fast. i guess thats why they had the friend in the biz, which was helpful. and b) the one year they kept mentioning. i don't know if that was a time limit they gave themselves or they thought it would be enough to fool the government but for me, it was 2 years until you can get your 10 year green card and basically get divorced without getting deported. not that you would get deported if you got divorced before 2 years, but it raises red flags. don't worry, i'm still happily married 5 years later ;)

- i liked her crush on Cal before she knew him. especially the line about how she'd been writing fic in her head about them for weeks or months haha. hilarious.

- his reaction to the conflict that was her fault was a super overreaction especially compared to the conflict that then shows up caused by him. jeepers dude, wtf was that shit.

- i'm honestly kind of bummed about the BFF storyline. i loved her at first and then it's like her personality changed on a dime. i know it was necessary but it was just weird. especially because the friendship ended in the end - i wish that the friend had inadvertently revealed the crush rather than being a huge jerk/bitch about it. i guess i just like strong friendships in my books.

- the whole subway/accident thing.. that was weird. cal doesn't do anything except call 911, wtf. i know why, but still. and then nothing is ever really mentioned about it.. no doctors visits, no cast removal, no police investigating, no issues using the subway - i don't know about you, but i feel like i'd be a bit hesitant after, you know, being pushed off the platform on to the freaking tracks.

- i wish the whole 'does cal really have feelings or is he just playing her' thing was more fleshed out, talked about more. like there is one scene where he's looking at her and smiling but then she notices it fades and thinks it's fake. is it because he's playing with her or because he's feeling insecure about how she's feeling? obviously we know how it is in the end and all, but i want characters to do more with the words.

- the mother and the sister visit. that huge conflict is resolved with Cal saying 'i told them about xyz and they were pissed but they'll get over it'.

- i am not into the theatre or music at all so all of that probably went over my head a bit.

- i'm not irish but i am australian (totes similar) and there is a line where Cal says maths instead of math and it made me happy. i realise this is pointless but i don't care. it's the little things.

- no epilogue. why though? is that normal for this author duo?

- it was funny, cute, sexy.

- this was my first christina lauren book. i liked it.

one of my favourite quotes:
In short, I have a body made for sport, but hand-eye coordination made for books.

This was a sexy, sweet, all around adorable light-hearted read. It felt like a quick read for me as I was just zooming through the pages to find out what would happen next and if everything would work out for these characters that I absolutely loved. I really enjoyed this story as I have really loved everything by Christina Lauren. I can't wait to read more from them.

It’s been awhile since I’ve last read a book by this fantastic writing duo and after reading this one, I can say I’ve forgotten how amazing they are in writing great chemistry and wonderful character development. This is such a sweet, swoony and romantic story with a modern spin on that beloved marriage of convenience trope. The authors did a great job in writing a heroine who is full of compassion and kindness despite the fact that she is still discovering her own self and trying to figure out what she wants to do in life. It is a wise touch that this story is told solely from her own POV. I can’t recommend this book highly enough. 4,5 stars

Yessss. These two have NEVER let me down to this date. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me a chance to read this early! ♥.

This enjoyable read was right up my alley. It's about Holland, a young aspiring writing in NYC who is currently working for the theater that's currently hosting a play that her uncle has entirely composed the music for. Since she's grown up with an ear for music, she knows what talent is when she hears it. That talent in this case is Calvin, an *IRISHMAN* who plays his guitar by the subway for fun (I'm sure the cash doesn't hurt, either). So Holland of course goes out of her way to go and listen to this guy, even if he doesn't notice her until she's basically thrown onto the tracks by a crazy attacker.

Eventually she ends up getting him an interview with her uncle for a MAJOR part in his play down with the orchestra and of course blows everyone's minds. Unfortunately this hunk of Irish man is here with an expired green card....very unfortunate bit of luck one might think. Lol well my friends, that's until Miss Holland decides to take her shitty boss's joking advice and asks Calvin to marry her in order to remain the in country.

Do you see where I'm going with this people?! Hot, insanely talented Irish man gets to move in with Holland and become her husband, sending dirty texts and all. Swoon. My dream come true (sorry, Kyle lol). ANYWAY this is just a really cute and funny read, as always. We get to see the two fall in love and Holland of course finds herself along the way and realizes what she's meant to do in this world (which was one of my favorite parts by the way). Very much recommend!

I have to admit, it's been a while since I read a Christina Lauren book and I am kicking myself! Why Why Why???

I love a "fake marriage" book every once in a while but Christina Lauren has put this popular trope into another stratosphere. There are some real feelings going into this marriage that can complicate things for everyone.  Holland has been "admiring" Calvin for a few months.  She may have been taking subway rides just to hear him play and watching him from afar!

Finally, they officially meet and the sparks start.  Holland has grown up knowing what beautiful music is and she just knows that Calvin has the something special. She brings Calvin to her uncle who has an opportunity of a lifetime for him. But there is just one problem...his visa has expired.

Bringing Calvin into her world, her work, her family, and her apartment aren't what she was thinking when she was watching him from afar.

This book is sweet, angsty and there's some serious sexy going on too! Christina Lauren has given me a story that made me smile and giggle and the butterflies were a-flying while reading.  A super sexy Irishman and a quirky fun Holland made this book for me.

So I guess I need to head back to my TBR list and get to reading some more Christina Lauren - sorry I was gone for a while girls!

This is such a great romance! I loved Holland, and even though it's a tight first-person narration on her and we never see Calvin's point of view, he still comes off as a likable character who is just as in love as she is.

It's a complicated set-up, and getting Holland and Calvin married and together took a little longer than I expected given the blurb. However, once their marriage-for-immigration gets going, I was all in. There's a lot of bumps on the road to love for this couple, but it felt mostly believable and was a fun, enjoyable romance. Very sexy! A great story about how to find love when you're already supposed to be committed to each other.

Roomies is my first Christina Lauren read! I'm a huge romance reader and I'm glad i saw this on Netgalley. The story follows Holland an aspiring novel writer who works in a theater with a small job, hopefully that one day she get her big break in NY. She is close with her uncles one of whom is heavily involved in the Broadway scene. Calvin is a subway guitar player who is an incredibly talented musician.  Holland has had a crush on him since she first laid eyes on him and there's no denying when they first meet that there is some chemistry between the two.
 
 
Because Calvin is living in the us illegally a plan is concocted for Holland and him to get marry. They are strangers and they'll have to open up to get to know each other especially since they live in close quarters. Lauren paints a good portrait of a bustling new York and life in the theater. How crazy things can get with life behind the stage and the hectic pace that the cast and crew work at. The pacing is smooth and the writing was so engaging that I didn't want to put the book down.
 
 
Calvin and Holland were likable and relatable main characters. They have natural chemistry with each other and they both work on the same wavelength. Both also feel loyal to their family; Calvin to his family back at home and Holland to her uncles helping her stay financially float in New York City. Holland has big dreams but her biggest problem besides writers block is being the supporting character in her own life. She lacks confidence in her abilities. Until Calvin gets his big break he feels as if he's been wasting his degree, he has talent, but he could never get noticed. I liked watching both characters work on their own issues and while helping on another.
 
 
Overall this is such a good romance book! Though it was a bit formulaic in the plot, the rhythm of the story plus its engaging cast of characters made for such a fun story. I would have like a bit more diversity character-wise, but that is my only complaint. The story was binge worthy and I would definitely check out more of the author's works. I like the way the characters evolved and how it took time for their relationship to develop rather than fall in love at first sight.

Overall, this was a really cute story. Holland has been quietly observing a talented busker at a subway stop for the past several months. When her uncle's Broadway production is jeopardized, she has the brilliant idea to bring in the busker for an audition. He's eventually offered a position, but must decline because is student visa ran out 4 years ago. A cast member jokingly suggests that Holland marry Calvin in order for him to obtain a green card; however, Holland can't help but try to help and approaches Calvin with her proposition, which he agrees to.

Calvin and Holland have some obvious chemistry. We know how Holland feels, but we're not sure where Calvin falls, although it's fairly easy to figure out from the way he talks with her. There were a couple of missteps for them along the way, which were minorly dramatic. Holland's "friend" Lulu was a bit much and I'm glad that Holland finally saw the light in that friendship. I do think the story wrapped up rather quickly and would have loved to see more of them moving forward, but I'll just imagine happy things for them in my mind.

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. It could be that I’m in a sentimental mood, but reading Roomies released mega endorphins and, quite simply, it made my heart happy.

It was so easy for me to connect with Holland and her struggle to find passion in her stagnant life. With the support of her uncles—one a famous Broadway composer—she is able to live a comfortable life in Manhattan. Comfortable doesn’t mean happy or even satisfied, though. With her Masters degree gathering dust, she feels like an uninspired spectator to the achievements of those around her.

Calvin is a street—or in this case, subway—performer as well as Holland’s longtime secret crush. He’s Irish—bonus sexy points for the accent—and musically gifted, but he’s also in the United States illegally. 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. I loved all the different angles.

Holland is extremely giving and patient, and Calvin is artistically passionate with an overall easygoing nature. The humor, the camaraderie, and the peek at life behind the velvet curtains really help sell the story. I simply adored Holland’s two uncles. I wanted them to adopt me.

This book re-affirmed my affection for Christina Lauren’s storytelling. 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.

Recommended for fans of:
Musical theatre
Irishmen
Fake marriages
Subways

The most striking part of this story, for me, were the beautiful ways Holland describes music: how it touches her soul, makes her feel, and gets under her skin. As one who adores music, I related to her the most for that reason alone.

However, I had a hard time getting behind the idea of Holland falling for Calvin.

I don’t care how hot (or Irish) Calvin was described to be, it’s super weird how Holland developed such an unhealthy infatuation for a guy who—at the beginning of this story—is essentially no more than a bum.

Who does that?

Add to that, the act of complete lunacy, upon which both come to be in each other’s lives, and I was truly scratching my head.

I just couldn’t release myself from common sense long enough to buy into the idea of this woman, throwing her hat into the sunken place, in order to secure the attention of a man, who makes his money plucking strings, on street corners.

Nope. And I still can’t.

That said, once the story really got moving (about halfway in), I’ll admit it was engrossing.

Even so, I felt there were far too many open-ended situations: regarding the parents and Holland’s best “friend” in particular. Perhaps a prologue would’ve been nice?

Overall, the story was decent, the characters were tolerable, and Holland’s fierce love of music won me over, but this wasn’t a book that I enjoyed cover-to-cover.

I don’t even read the synopsis of the books from C Lo any more. I always know there will be swoons and banter and this story didn’t disappoint.

Love love loved Holland and Calvin. She’s generous and loving and has a lot more going than she thinks. He’s charming and adorable and so talented. Together they’re maybe a bit fumbling with a ton of chemistry and it’s so much fun to read them figure things out. Oh, and I have an insane love for Jeff and Robert.

Plot wise, it’s exactly what I expected. There’s a lot of fluff and fun and a few stuttering steps of angst. The heartfail doesn’t last long and by the time I got to the end, I was wishing for an epilogue.

Overall, it was a quick and cute read with characters I really enjoyed.

**Huge thanks to Gallery Books for providing the arc free of charge**

Thanks to the publisher (via Netgalley) for an advance galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a refreshing palate cleanser at a time when I really needed a book that was fun and sweet. Roomies is a romance with a smart (though somewhat floundering) heroine and a sexy, Irish-accented, guitar playing love interest. The plot of the story is fairly predictable, with the conflicts and pitfalls being exactly what readers will expect (but as is often the case with romance, there's comfort in knowing what to expect). It's a charming story with characters that are enjoyable to read.

"If you can't be good, at least be good at it."

This was my first time to read Christina Lauren. IKR? Where have I been? I have heard the buzz in the book world. And I've been meaning to check them out, but my TBR is neverending... Sound familiar? Well, I'm all out of excuses and plan to be a proper fangirl moving forward.

Holland grew up surrounded by music. Though she doesn't sing or play an instrument, she has a deep appreciation for music. She has a good ear and can recognize talent when she hears it. And when she runs across a talented street busker, she can't bring herself to walk past. She stops to listen, again and again, and again. Not only is he easy on the ears, he's easy on the eyes too.

The story is told in Holland's POV, so I was aware of her secret crush. But I didn't know how he felt about her. When she gets him an audition for a Broadway play, it was exciting to see him get the recognition he deserves. There was no denying his talent, and she was proud of herself for discovering him. But when they offered him a position, he was forced to admit that he was in the country illegally. He shared that the offer was a dream come true, but that he was unable to accept due to his citizenship issue.

This is where it gets exciting for me. Being inside Holland's head, I knew where she wanted things to go. But I also knew that she had a lot of doubts and insecurities. She knew that if she offered to marry Calvin she would be making a lot of people happy. But what about her own happiness? Would she be satisfied being his 'Roomie' but not a wife in the true sense of the word? Would being able to look but not touch the sexy man be too much to handle? Would she be able to keep her feelings to herself once they started spending time together? What would he think if he ever found out that she was pretending to not love him, instead of the other way around?

I'm a music lover myself, so I especially enjoyed that part of the story. I was totally invested and anxious to see how their fake marriage situation would play out. Would they be able to convince immigration officials to allow him to stay? Would pretending to be in love be difficult for them? How far would they take it? Would they progress from roommates to bedmates to soulmates? Well, there's only one way to find out, read Roomies!

Thank you Netgally for an ARC copy of this book. Loved this romantic read. You never know when or where you will find love. I though the plot was hilarious and intriguing at the same time. A must read