Loved this book and adored the story! Instantly hooked from the first chapter and could not put it down. I happened to finish it in one day I loved it so much!

OMG!! Such a great book! Elena Armas does it again!! When we first met Aaron we were all obsessed and now Lucas! We’re going to be in love with Lucas just as much or possibly even more. ;unas and Rosie we’re both going through their own personal problems but their journey together is beautiful. They first met and instantly hit it off and everything went from there. All the cute moments they had will make you squea, for joy. And we got appearances from Aaron and Lina made it even better.

I love a good slow burn! I got this as an ARC from Netgalley and it did disappoint. It was a perfect end of summer book. I enjoyed how the relationship between Rosie and Lucas developed, and loved the friendship between Rosie and Lina. And who doesn’t love a cute dog named Taco?! Definitely recommending this one!

Wow. Just wow. I was a huge fan of TSLD (still am) and this did not disappoint. When I found out this book was told in DUAL POV? You could not stop me - that was the biggest thing I wanted in TSLD!!

The slow burn, burneddddd in all the right places. I loved the dynamic between Rosie and Lucas. Their friendship and banter combined was everything!!! Elena Armas does an amazing job at truly building the relationship between her two main characters and it was genuinely my favorite part of this book. I literally devoured this book in 2 sittings.

Thank you SO much Atria Books for the arc. This was one of my most anticipated reads and this arc made my YEAR!! <3

Rosie is a romance writer with writer's block. When the ceiling of her apartment collapses in on her she goes to stay at her best friend, Lina's, place. Lina is off on her honeymoon so the apartment should be empty for a while. But when she hears a noise at the door like someone trying to break in, Rosie panics. On the other side of the door is Lucas. Lina's cousin, and Rosie's secret crush, the guy she's been stalking on Instagram for a while.

While the idea behind this book was great, the execution fell short for me. There was so much going on, so many plots and subplots that nothing felt cohesive and the story didn't hold my attention. Between having to room together, to experimental dating, to Rosie's brother's issue, to Lina calling while on her honeymoon, to Rosie's issues with her dad, to her writer's block, to Lucas' career, and the woman across the hall, and ... it just got to be disjointed and way too much.

First off, I’m a hard sell when it comes to slow-burn. This was the best kind of slow-burn. The kind when you can feel and see all the chemistry and continue to turn the pages waiting for that moment, asking yourself will this be it? Then of course, just as the moment comes close something pulls them away.

From the first page, I was invested in Rosie’s story. Rosie has been keeping a big secret from her family so when he apartment is flooded she decides to use her key and stay at her best friend Lina’s studio apartment, who’s on her honeymoon. She doesn’t know that Lina offered her apartment to her cousin. A cousin that Rosie has secretly been crushing on through his online posts. When Lucas finds out that she is struggling to meet a deadline, he offers her an experiment to give her inspiration. As their friendship develops the lines between experimental dating and real feelings begin to cross.

From a meet-cute to some of the most romantic gestures, Lucas was perfect. It was easy to see how everyone falls for his charming ways. His charm is also why his family doesn’t see who he truly is. Lucas doesn’t see himself as being worthy and his family only see’s him as the charming and not serious guy he is. He’s more, he’s compassionate, honorable, dependable, and an all-around good guy. A side he easily shows to Rosie.

This is a SLOWBURN!!! I would have liked thimg to happen a little faster and I’ll be honest I needed more at the end. The final grand gesture was very predictable. BUT, it was still a fun ride and Lucus sure knew how to tease and flirt. Both Rosie and Lucas were just so likable.

If you loved The Spanish Love Deception (TSLD) you won’t want to miss this book which takes place months after the epilogue, with both Aaron and Lina making appearances. If you didn’t love TSLD……this is a standalone and trust when I say give this one a try. I struggled and didn’t even make it to the Spain trip in TSLD but gave this one a try since I loved Rosie’s character. I’m so glad I did because I loved this one.

I just finished The American Roommate Experiment, the follow-up to the BookTok sensation The Spanish Love Deception. Overall, I liked this one more than the previous book, and I’m sure it is going to be a popular read. Thanks to Atria Books for the ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
Told in dual POV from Rosie (Lina’s best friend) and Lucas (Lina’s cousin), the story follows their hilarious meet cute and decisions to share Lina’s studio apartment and then to fake date to help Rosie get through her writer’s block. The book starts out strong, but then it fizzles in the middle. The ending gets quite steamy!
I read the first third of the book in one sitting and I was excited to return to it, but the middle portion of the sloowww burn seemed to drag, and I lost interest. The lack of real communication about “secret” crushes also went on so long that I grew tired of it and just wanted to yell at them to tell the truth! I think the book could have been shorter and cut down on some of this - while it built sexual tension, I think it would have built enough while shorter. Some subplot could have been eliminated, too, as at times there was too much going on, leading to me losing interest.
If you like romcom slow burns, this one could be up your alley! If you disagree with me, let me know - maybe I wasn't in the right mood to be reading this one?

Coming into this having never read The Spanish Love Deception (although it is now on the top of my TBR!!), I didn’t even realize this was a sort of spin off at first. It is very much able to be enjoyed as a stand-alone.

And enjoy it, I did! I really connected with Rosie right off the bat, but Lucas absolutely won my heart. So swoon worthy.

This is a forced proximity, secret crush, slowburn romance, aka all my favorite tropes, and they’re done SO well in this book.

I had high hopes for this one but didn't love it. Like the Spanish Love Deception, this one was just okay for me. There were plenty of funny and endearing parts, but the character of Lucas wasn't particularly likable, and the conflict from his past seemed a bit unbelievable to me. The premise of fake dating to help inspire Rosie's writing was entertaining enough, but the things that kept them apart seemed pretty silly.

I’d likely give this book 3.5 stars. I loved the continuation of Lina and Aaron. However: the pacing in this book felt off. Like the whole thing was off. It took a full third of the book to get the “experiment” and even then it felt like an after thought. Also the conflict felt forced.

I was really excited to get an early copy of this book from NetGalley as I so enjoyed her first book!!
I think this story had a very cute premise but ultimately fell flat for me. I felt too much was going on externally, all the tropes, for readers to really get to know the characters.
I think for some readers this book will be right up their alley and super enjoyable but unfortunately it just wasn’t for me.

Elena Armas cannot miss! THE AMERICAN ROOMMATE EXPERIMENT will have readers rolling and sighing in just one chapter!

Brimming with hilarity and heart, the novel picks up shortly after the events of THE SPANISH LOVE DECEPTION, and readers will swoon and ship Rosie and Lucas just as much, if not more, than Lina and Aaron!

10/10, all the stars, it’s not to be missed!

The American Roommate Experience is cute and I enjoyed the relationship between Lucas and Rosie. I wish I could give it more stars but the story dragged in many places. It could have easily been 100 pages shorter.

Unfortunately, this didn't hit for me the same way Spanish Love Deception did. The characters felt like characters to me, and I couldn't connect with their romance as much as I like. The plot was cute, and I do believe romance readers will enjoy.

I loved this book! As a teacher, an adult romance is not something I will be using in my classroom of course, but this was such a delightful story! The friends to lovers storyline felt authentic and it simmered just the right amount. The struggling romance writer angle led to many cute moments as they "experimented" on dates, and the the fact that they wound up sharing an apartment added solid tension to the story.

HOLY MOTHER OF SLOW BURNS. I have to admit, I started this book with some hesitation because I was a little disappointed in the author’s first book. BUT BOY DID SHE DELIVER on this one. This book seemed to have all of my favorite tropes with a refreshing take that made the book just that much more enjoyable. The slowest burn of them all (in the best way), the one bed trop in a New York Studio, and fake dating (but with experimental dates!!), it was all so well done.

The basic gist is Rosie and Lucas are at turning points in their careers and end up accidental roommates. Lucas agrees to help Rosie gain inspiration through a series of experimental dates… and obviously it gets complicated, fast.

I cannot recommend this book enough. If you love slow burns, you HAVE to read this. Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for giving me an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The American Roommate Experiment is everything I never knew I needed. Rosie and Luca were PERFECT for each other. I absolutely loved everything about them. From the very beginning of the book, they had chemistry, which is not an easy feat to accomplish! I enjoyed the Spanish Love Deception, but I LOVED the American Roommate Experiment. I cannot wait to see what Armas comes out with next.

I don’t want to over hype this book but it is wonderfully swoon worthy. In a follow-up to The Spanish Love Deception, Lina and and Aaron are on their honeymoon. Delightful best friend Rosie Graham's ceiling literally falls down so she moves temporarily to Lina’s apartment. In a surprise to her, and a funny meet-cute, Lina’s cousin Lucas arrives planning to stay in the apartment. Of course it’s a studio with only one bed. (Got to throw in the close proximity tropes that always work.) Rosie has quit her job as an engineer six months ago after her first romance novel hits it big. But now she has a contract, deadline and writers block. Lucas has been a professional surfer (she’s follows his instagram). He’s taken time off exploring the country and has his own secrets he hasn’t shared with his family or fully dealt with himself.

Lucas and Rosie decide to share the apartment. To help with her writing he suggests they try a few experimental dates to spark her creative mind. The dates go from funny mayhem, to simple perfection to take your breath away sweetness. Of course in their weeks of living together their friendship and sexual tension grow exponentially. The author takes such care in having wonderful get to know you conversations. You know about her prom date, or him almost losing his virginity. When they finally come together physically you know they are already intimate on so many levels.

There are many things to love in this book. Lucas is an overly kind, people pleasing sweetheart. Rosie is determined to finish her book but has time for family and others. They’re both meeting when they have their own pressures but it doesn’t stop them but taking care of each other. I love that the author writes from both POV (she didn’t in her first book). Lina and Aaron are part of the story as well and I’m glad to see them happy. Of course the downside is there is an end date when Lucas will need to leave the country and return to Spain. The first book I thought was too long. This is long as well, but other than Rosie’s brother storyline which felt extra, I didn’t want to miss any details. I can’t wait to see what Elena Armas writes next and please sign me up to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

With this follow-up to one of my favorite books from last year, The Great Spanish Love Deception, we get to know best friend, Rosie. When Rosie's apartment ceiling nearly misses falling on her, she needs a place to stay pronto. Luckily her bestie, Lina, is off on her honeymoon and isn't using her studio apartment. Rosie is pretty surprised when she hears someone trying to break into Lina's apartment later that evening, only to realize that she has called 911 on her friend's crazy hot cousin, Lucas. With both of them needing a place to crash, they share the apartment. What Lucas doesn't know is that Rosie has had a crush on him since her bestie first showed her his picture. Rosie is a new romance author, and has been having intense writer's block, could a pretend dating experiment between the two of them get her mojo back?

Get ready for an amazingly steamy and slow burn ride! The chemistry between these two made me deliciously desperate for them to just get on with it already. ;) If you love your tropes in a romance book, this one has a ton of them. We've got forced proximity, single bed, fake dating, and friends-to-lovers. A dazzling Spanish man who cooks like a dream and a fun loving woman who knows all the ins and outs of romance, and I'm instantly in love with everything about this book!

Elena Armas has quickly become a must buy author for me, and I'l be chomping at the bit to see what else she has in store for us!

Thanks so much to Atria Books for gifting me a copy of this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley for an Advance Readers Copy of this novel!

This book had big shoes to fill with the previous title "The Spanish Love Deception" being such a hit. While my main criticism of the first novel was that it should have been 50-100 pages shorter, or cut out the Bachelor Auction story-- I am torn, because while this novel did feel long at times, the extra pages just added chemistry to the two main characters.

While this story was not a traditional "insta-love," as it takes place over a month and one of the characters has a crush on the other before they even meet, there are elements of quickness to it. Heck-- they live together almost right away!

Overall, I really liked this story-- it was nice to see Lina and Aaron again, even in a passive way, and meet some new characters. The scene on the rooftop was truly swoon worth and the dual PoV gives us insight into the male lead, Lucas, that we did not have in the other novel. Rosie was a delight in the first novel and a delight in her own. I would have liked more about the brothers situation, but the novel was fairly long without it. Perhaps the author is saving it for a future story?

Looking forward to the next book!