This book was a cute rom com. I wasn’t sure what to really expect but the book kept moving and made me want to keep reading to find out what happened with Gillian!

Honestly this book was a struggle to get through. I didn’t connect with any of the characters and found that the book was both over and underwritten.

Oh wow, this book was definitely not for me.
The protagonist was the worst dorm mum that has ever existed and she should be fired, like after first week - she's constantly Lyfts for dates (I'm pretty sure this book is sponsored by Lyft) and getting some, not checking the halls and you know, doing her job. Even though she's the worst employee the Board of Directors (or whatever) is just dying to know her opinion on the "scandal" and what to do next. Girl, you left your previous PR job IN SHAME ans yet these fancy rich people are just eating from the palm of your hand. How are you doing this? Tell me your secret, I wan to be able to do that too.
Gillian talks and thinks about her teen year ALL THE TIME. I mean, tell me you peaked in high school without telling me you peaked in high school.
The romance is laughable - Gillian (the protagonist) just rekindles her lukewarm romance with her high school crush. Boring.
The writing is atrocious - had the author ever spoken to a teenager? The dialogue was cringe, the teens sounded like 30year-olds.

This book had a lot of promise but it just could have been better if I am being honest. The main character had everything she ever dreamed of. But then one day everything got taken away from her. So she had to start over. then she gets a new job and runs into an old lover. I think this book started off really strong, then got a little boring in the middle, but got better in the end. Overall I thought it was just okay. It was not a bad good just wish there was a little more to it.

Room and Board is a sweet novel that explores what happens with the past and present collide. Gillian left boarding school to chase her dreams. She landed a job as a publicist to the famous and enjoyed life in the fast lane. Until, she has a big social flop and suddenly finds herself jobless and alone. Being offered a position as dorm-mom at her high school suddenly sounds like the perfect escape, an entire coast away from her current life. So, she packs up her few belongings and heads west where she is thrust into teenage life. Gillian is forced to navigate teen stress, rising pop stars, fraudulent higher ups and new friendships. She also realizes her own teenage crush, that broke her heart, is the father of one of her girls. Is Gillian ready to forgive him for the hurt he caused and give Aidan another shot? I loved the location in the hills of Sonoma and felt like I could imagine being at Glen Ellen Academy. Room and Board was delightful and should not be missed this summer!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read about 20% of this book and am so turned off that I do not want to waste any more of my time on it. I'm not sure if the intended audience is YA or 30-somethings. The main character is a late-30s woman whose career went down the drain. She was invited to be a dorm mother at her alma mater, a prep school in the SF Bay area. I was drawn to the book because the character is from Sacramento, my hometown. I hoped for Sacto references, but did not get any in the part of the book I was able to tolerate.
The slang, social media references, and pop culture references were annoying and pathetic. The author relied too heavily on these elements rather than telling a story. I simply do not want to read a novel with "hashtags" sprinkled through the text. I am neither of the possible target audiences I mentioned previously, so maybe this style of writing appeals to other demographics. However, bad is bad.
The relationship forming between the den mother and a teen called "Bunny" (no, I'm not kidding) was getting too cozy too fast. Anyone who has worked in education knows the kids are not your friends. Bunny also ordered a glass of wine in the school canteen and said her mother allows her to drink wine. In what private school are 17 year-olds served wine because their parents say it's okay?
This book is rated <3 stars (at this time of this writing). That is the lowest rated book I have attempted to read. That rating is well earned and will probably decrease as more people review this book. Save yourself the time, pass on this one.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The synopsis set me up expecting to read about a woman finding herself again, a topic that always catches my attention. This plot and story just didn’t keep my attention. There were some interesting parts like pasts unexplored but overall it just wasn’t for me.

I love stories about second chances and new beginnings. I was looking forward to enjoying this book, but I'm afraid Room and Board wasn't for me and I feel let down. I read all Enyd Blyton's books as a kid and loved the way she drew us into boarding school life. I felt the fear of being caught by Matron at a midnight feast, felt the dread of French lessons with Mademoiselle, suffered the bullying and felt shame for having bullied. I couldn't wait to read the next book and was sad when I had read them all. But not so with Room and Board. I felt like I was being told a long, rambling and boring story about a person I didn't care for.
I've never written a novel and hate to leave poor feedback, but in my opinion, this one should be written all over again.

Thanks to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for the free ARC.

This book follows Gillian a woman in her late 30s who went from the world of being a glamorous publicist to a boarding school dorm mum at the school she attended as a teen.

I for one love second chance stories whether it be in regards to romance or just a second chance at having a happy life. This books synopsis did it wrong and left me disappointed.

The book to me ended up being about a bunch of shitty rich kids more than anything else. It read like a bad, cheap Netflix show that has no plot.

The one thing keeping me intrigued was the unknown of what exactly happened between Gillian, Aiden and Miranda but even that didn't keep me intrigued enough to read it properly towards the end.

It also felt super dated like it was written in early 2000s in most aspects apart from the social media side of things. I also found all the name dropping of brands weird because most I dont think many people would even know and seem super specific.

I really think the synopsis needs to be different to not set people up to expect something its not.

Cute romantic book about a woman whose career as a publicist crashes and burns. She is offered a job as dorm mom in her old prep school and immediately runs into the boy she had a crush on at school, who happens to be the father of one of her charges.

This is a story about going back to where you came from to discover who you are supposed to be. A feel good story about connecting with your past to move on with your future.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I thought this book was cute. A bit repetitive (as some romances are) and I don't know if I would even call it a romance. Anyway, pretty cute. I liked the relationship between her and the girls and how she made a decision to cut and run.

Room and Board by Miriam Parker
An engaging read with fast paced writing….a winner!

Gillian Brody is going back to her high school…where she struggled as a teenager…to try it again. Is this a desperate act of survival? Gillian leaves a promising career as a successful publicist, for a job as dorm mother at her old private high school. Although she left her business in scandal and shreds, she was not quite prepared to deal with an entitled bunch of female teenagers.

She rediscovers her grown up self while sorting through the myriad of teenage issues: parental disputes, studies, boys, college applications, alcohol and drugs, social media. These young women were confronting many of these issues…navigating carefully, dodging hurt feelings, needing understanding. Gillian discovers a warm compassion for these young women…despite their feelings of entitlement and self centered behavior.

Parker writes with intelligence and humor, giving us a sparkling cast of young women facing many of life’s challenges. 38 year old Gillian is compassionate and authentic, and over time, captures the loyalty and affection of the group of high school girls in her dorm.

While adjusting to her new job, Gillian rediscovers her old high school boyfriend and questions exploring a new relationship. She is also privy to a potential scandal within the schools administration that tests her ethics and her personal courage.

Crisp dialogue and penetrating insight into teenage emotions and the roller coaster of teen angst, with a strong female lead character…make this novel entertaining and engaging.

This book was very well-written, complete with an original and intriguing premise. It's definitely more of a women's fiction read with a splash of romance (though that's not the main point lol). I really enjoyed as a serious novel of discovering your true passion no matter age or time. Very interesting.

I really, really enjoyed this book. It hooked me from the very beginning and kept me hooked the entire time!

Actual rating 2.5 stars. I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really wanted to love this book. The premise of the story was promising, high school crushes get a second chance at love. The delivery, however, didn't develop the story I had hoped. Gillian was a very accomplished woman who closed her business in order to stand up for her beliefs. I couldn't get past the fact that this strong, independent woman's only option was to become a dorm room mom.

Once we get Gillian to her new home we quickly realize the main male character and Gillian have history. Aiden ruined Gillian's senior year of school but Gillian always saw him as the one that got away. The chemistry between the two of them just did not resonate with me and I don't understand Gillian's willingness to just jump back into a relationship with someone who hurt her so badly. In addition to that, why would an almost 40 year old accomplished woman have baggage she still carried from high school.

Then suddenly there are several issues that arise at the school and Gillian is the ONLY one who is confided in about the issues and she must save the school's reputation (very hard to believe since she is a new employee only a few even know). I just couldn't enjoy this book because of all the implausible things that happened to the main character. There wasn't really any growth in the character and I didn't really see any resolution to her past issues.

This book is a quick read and it does have its enjoyable moments, it just wasn't for me. If you enjoy contemporary fiction you might want to give this a try it could be your cup of tea.

I had such high hopes for this book! I loved the premise but sadly didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would. I found the MC very hard to root for and pretty annoying. Everything in the plot felt like it fell into her lap and everything was easy and always magically worked out. But the writing was enjoyable and it was a nice quick, feel good read.

YIKES. I love a campus novel, and I had high hopes for this one, but it was not it. The characters unlikeable, the story unbelievable, and the plot just kind of convoluted. Perhaps if there had truly been some plot motion or characters growth, but there just wasn’t - it fell very flat for me. Bummer.

This is my first Miriam Parker read and I must say I wasn't disappointed.
Room and Board was an engaging, fun, story more about getting a shot at a second chance and getting to start over. About finding out who you truly are and what you want in life.
The book was beyond engaging, very well written, the characters were fun to follow.
And the author did a fabulous job of painting a very vivid picture.
You can't help but feel the things these characters feel. And go through what they a going through.
IMO, I believe this was a great story, and I can't wait to see more form Parker in the future!

“I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

Dutton,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!
I will post my review to my platforms, blog, B&N and Waterstone closer to pub date.

I really enjoyed this book. I love a boarding school story and this delivered. I think the characters were well developed and I was interested in the story the whole time.