Member Reviews
I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I enjoyed this being a nice light read with enough problem to create a plot but not stress for me.
Firstly I’d like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC 😍😘
Rent to Be tells the story of Isla, a college graduate who’s struggling to work and pay her debts at the same time. After being kicked out of her flat she finds herself in a sticky situation she doesn’t want to go home to her parents so she goes to her brothers to hide out whilst he’s away only to find his best friend Cade there!! Instead of admitting what’s happened Isla manages to set up a house sitting job to avoid Cade and and make some extra cash. Unfortunately Isla gets caught out by Cade and he convinces her to pretend to be his girlfriend at work events to keep up the lie and, well, things get a little steamy guys!! 😏😏
I loved this book, all the characters are wonderful. Nesta and Islas relationship is so natural and warm (I would like a Nesta please). I also like the outcome of Isla and Cades relationship with Islas parents, not everything can be solved straightaway.
The story is important. I’m from the UK and these issues are so prominent. This book highlights how stressful debt can be and how people can feel embarrassed and ashamed. It highlights how comments and ignorance of others about wealth and money can stay with people throughout their lives.
I can’t not mention the spice 😏❤️ It’s brilliantly written. Totally there and really hot but not over the top or unnecessary. It’s sensual and loving as well as being hot and really really sexy!! I completely loved it 😏😏
From the minute Cades towel dropped in front of Isla I knew I was going to love this book. I love how much of this book he’s naked/topless in!! Rent to Be is such a wonderful and romantic novel, please trust me when I say pick it up!! You will not regret it 😏❤️ 5✨
A romantic comedy that was sold to me as it was going to deal with issues that millennials have and although there is some things, it wasn't really like that.
Here we find a super light story, which can be read in one day and which is very enjoyable. With several conflicts in the course of the development of the romance which I liked but certain conflicts seemed very superficial or that they did not have a complete development. But I repeat, it is a light novel that, when sold as a romcom or romantic comedy, is not intended to have such depth either (I think), but rather to be something to clear your head and have a good time.
And that did it.
I liked that in the end not everything has been solved and that it shows that life ends up being perfect and everyone found their way in life. Because clearly the life of each of us does not work that way. He showed what was fair and necessary.
Thanks NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rent to Be is an interesting story about a young women trying to find her place in the world while struggling with a lot of financial debt. I appreciate that the story discusses family conflict, debt, and emotional insecurity as real issues people face. Both Isla and Cade struggle with overcoming the way they were raised to be a different person in adulthood.
Rent to Be is a perfect romcom: funny, sexy, and direct in its commentary. I was rooting for Isla, whose wounds are as clear as she is scrappy, and Cade, whose damage is buried more deeply but equally well written, from the very first steamy, towel-dropping, little black dress moment we see them together on page. Unsurprisingly, like everything else Sonia Hartl has ever written, it is impossibly heartwarming and just makes me feel as though the book is written specifically for me.
The chemistry and the tension between the main characters is off the charts, and the comedy delivered expertly. A romcom in all the senses of the world, it has one of my favorite tropes, childhood friends to lovers, complete with the flashbacks that will make you melt.
And most importantly, it was a romcom that will make so many adults struggling under the tremendous burden of student debt feel seen. It was a romcom that is not afraid to address the gap between an older generation insisting we are squandering our potential wealth on “avocado toast” and the like while sitting in houses purchased for far less money in a far less fragile economy than what younger generations now face. This book doesn’t pretend that people who have been really poor don’t belong in romcoms. We belong in romcoms, the folks who know what it is to eat ramen noodles and shop the discount rack. We especially belong in romcoms as funny and heartwarming and authentic as this one.
Everytime I get a Sonia Hartl book, I tell myself I will ration it, and that I will not simply sit down and read it all at once. This time, like all the others, I of course had no self control and read it cover to cover, which I will certainly do again when I get my preordered copy on release date.
Thank you so much for the eARC of this, Alcove Press!
Finally! I fell in love with a book! I couldn’t put it down 😍
To be fair it’s not a full five, maybe a 4,5, but I’m rounding it up because I haven’t enjoyed a book like that in weeks! It’s romantic, spicy, funny and everything I needed. 🥹🥰
After getting kicked out of her apartment for not paying rent Isla plans to crash at her brother’s temporarily vacated condo until she can figure things out. She is in for a surprise when it turns out her brother’s best friend is also temporarily crashing there while his own condo is under renovation. He promises to keep his mouth shut about her predicament if she can pretend to be his girlfriend at a few work events.
I could relate to Isla on so many levels! The career struggles, the rather normal but not exactly perfect parents, and the general other-side-of-graduation mess felt acutely real. I frowned a bit at the third act conflict but since it felt more like a work in progress than a breakup I can overlook that.
The writing was entertaining and easy to follow and the side characters were great (I want Neeta and Seb’s book! ). But my favorite part of this book was the love story and the chemistry. The Chemistry with capital C. No, actually it was all caps CHEMISTRY. It was sizzling from page one and I loved it!
Read if you like:
- fake dating
- brother’s best friend
- friends to lovers (Monica and Chandler vibes 😍)
- he falls first
- 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you Alcove Press and NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was so much fun! Swoony romance with great banter. The forced proximity trope is awesomely played out, making for an all out enjoyable read. Highly recommended!
This was a quick read with some of my favourite tropes but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I didn’t particularly like or connect with either of the main characters. This book had a lot of tell rather than show and that made the leads feel pretty one dimensional.
What did work for me was the childhood friends to lovers element. I enjoyed the flashbacks from Isla and Cade’s childhood and the mutual pining from both characters. Add in the brothers best friend element and that added a few more points for me.
Rent to Be
By Sonia Hartl
⭐⭐⭐
Publication Date August 15, 2023
This book had some good things but it also had some not so good things.
I loved Isla's, the female main characters, inner monologue. It was a lot and she had a very chaotic mind but I loved that because I can relate to that. 😂
There was some great conversation about student debt and the push for further education. And there was also some great talk about previous generations. Not really understanding the financial trouble that a lot of the younger generations face.
And the friendships in this we're just delightful to read about.
However, there were some things in this book that I just was not a fan of. The timeline in this book was a little rushed in places and it didn't feel like it truly made sense and was easy to keep up with.
Island didn't really seem to have a lot of consideration for the struggles other people are going through, even if they relate to her own. She seemed like a very inconsiderate individual for most of the book.
And I did not like the confrontation she had with her parents. At the end it felt very unsatisfying and so it did explain a lot about her. I didn't feel like it was any sort of a resolution. Even though it seems like a lot of the book is working out to that moment.
The romance in itself wasn't bad because I very much enjoyed Cade the mailman character.
On the whole this book was a three star. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't amazing. It definitely had the potential to be amazing though.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
i really liked this one! isla’s struggles post-MBA really mimic real life financial situations for a lot of adults that thought a degree would solve everything. i related a lot to that and her hesitation to ask for help. i am not the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope so that gave me a bit of grief in the third act but overall, i really enjoyed this brother’s best friend love story! thank you netgalley and sonia hartl for the arc of this novel!
Isla Jane is living the millennial nightmare. She’s got a shiny new MBA and no way to pay for it, thanks to her dead-end entry-level job, and nowhere to live, thanks to her miserable salary. Going home to her parents is not possible, but for once Isla’s brother may be her saving grace. He’s out of town on business for a month, meaning the guest room in his condo is blissfully empty.
Or so Isla thinks, until she runs into Cade Greenley, her brother’s best friend—who’s crashing there while his own condo is undergoing renovations. When a desperate plan to sleep under her desk miraculously turns into a house-sitting job for one of the big bosses at her office, Isla is certain her luck has turned—with no one, Cade included, the wiser. It’s a perfect solution—until Cade catches her sunbathing at a mansion that is definitely not hers, and she admits she’s house-sitting because she can’t afford rent.
The pair strike a deal—Cade will keep Isla’s secret from her overbearing parents if she agrees to pose as his girlfriend at a few upcoming corporate events. The fun and friendly vibe of his office is a surprise compared to hers, but the biggest shock is that each “date” with Cade feels less and less fake. Suddenly she’s looking forward to every minute they spend together while the chemistry between them sizzles. As Isla’s house-sitting scheme begins to unravel, she'll have to face the fact that her biggest lie of all is the one she's telling herself: that she's not falling in love with Cade.
I absolutely loved this book! The relationship between isla and Cade was honestly one of my favorites that I have read in the last year. Wonderful character building, and just an overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
CW: housing insecure, financial stress/debt, toxic relationship with parents, workplace tensions
Sonia Hart just has an effortless way of her writing that immediately pulls you in. This book was such a reflection on the struggles of being a millennial and just the economic environment for so many. Isla can't afford rent, has been kicked out her apartment, is in a dead end job that doesn't pay a living wage despite her MBA, and can't lean on her family or really anyone for support.
What seems like the perfect situation, her brother is out of the country on business, she can stay at his place and get back on her feet. Instead her brother's best friend is already living there and she'd rather eat glue than admit to him her struggles. I found Isla so relatable and understandable, her inability to rely on everyone else, being told that help is something to be ashamed of. Her growing relationship with Cade was this really sweet tone to the book as she slowly admits her struggles. He doesn't try to fix her just be there for her and support her.
Sonia just knows how to write sexual chemistry and I loved the steam between these two. Because how else should a brother's best friend book start off but by finding him in a towel and one upping each other by taking off your clothes. Can't wait to see what she writes next.
Steam: 3.25
This was a super fast light hearted read. I loved the brother's best friend trope and it was the perfect book to read to split up all the fantasy I've been reading recently. I will say I wish Isla would have actually been in forced proximity in this one with the brother as from picking this up, that's what I assumed would happen is them ending up staying in the same home. This wasn't one that I'm thinking about constantly or one I would re-read, but it's definitely cute and a funny quick read!
Heartbreak to Hire was such an unexpected enjoyable read, that I was instantly intrigued to see what Rent to Be would be like. And let me just say, it delivers 100 percent. It's got banter, it's got brother's best friend, it's got forced proximity, it's got a slow AF burn (just saying!) and it's got fake dating tropes all in spades. Hartl writes with such compelling language that pulls me in and has me desperate to keep reading. It's fun and indulgent, plus the house-sitting exploits had a quirky side plot just for fun. Like seriously, it is well-written and captivating and full of so much tropey goodness that I love to indulge in. I did really enjoy Rent to Be, maybe not more than other higher rated books but this one does very much deserved all four of its stars. Facts are facts.
An endearing story about freshly graduated Isla Jane trying to climb her way out of the financial hole college put her in. A brand-spanking new MBA and making minimum wage as a data entry analyst is getting Isla no where. She just got evicted from her apartment by her two roommates, her parents are the 'walk it off' type who aren't willing to help without further injuring Isla's dignity. Since her brother is out of town, Isla figures she can crash at his condo for the time being. That is until she runs into her brother's (smoking hot) best friend.
This book was so funny and adorable, I fell in love. It's everything I love and much more! The secondary character Neeta was my absolute favorite. She was witty and stoic and fierce. I hope we get to see her again soon!
-Frenemies to lovers
-Brother's best friend
-Fake Dating
Keep in mind this book has a loads of spice- way too much for my preference. Language was also an issue for me, but it did not distract from the plot.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
Rent to be was such a cute book! It’s lighthearted and a perfect book to read during summer, I cannot wait to reread on the beach! I absolutely adored the characters, it was easy to follow along when you love the MCs but the plot was incredible too. Genuinely an adorable read and I had so much fun
Isla is in the middle of a quarter-life crisis when she gets kicked out of her apartment and continues to get passed over for a promotion. She has her MBA and everyone else says that will open door, but so far, it hasn't for her. She tries to stay in her brothers condo since he is away traveling but when she gets there and finds his best friend, Cade there, she knows she can't stay. Not to mention that she has had the biggest crush on Cade since they were kids. In a desperate attempt to cover up the fact that she got kicked out, Isla goes to house sitting for her boss at work with the hope that her name gets passed around. Cade finds out and helps her keep the secret in exchange for being his fake girlfriend, from her brother and parents who always find something wrong with what she is doing and always seem to be disappointed in her, Will she be able to just stay friends with Cade or will all this time they spend together "fake dating" ruin everything?
This was a cute "best friends brother" romance and you could tell from the start that Cade and Isla had unfinished business. Their banter and how they both defended each other was sweet. Isla put up with her parents always picking at her failures as a kid and I think that drastically impacted how she felt about herself as an adult. I loved how Cade stood up for her in numerous situations.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Who doesn't love a brother’s best friend, grew up together, fake dating romance? I sure do!
They love to annoy each other, they have great banter and their dialogue is funny and heartwarming. I'm not complaining about the spice either, which was good. The build up was delicious, the tension heart-racing and I really enjoyed reading it. The FMC is always heckled as being the failure by her family, which understandably plays a big role in who she is as an adult and why she acts the way she does. The MMC is trying to escape his rough upbringing, the guilt and shame that comes along with it - always trying to prove himself worthy. I just KNEW he was going to be the kind of sweetheart I love to read in my RomComs.
Such a cute book!! It’s lighthearted and a great summer book. The characters are absolutely perfect and it’s so well written. Easy to follow along and understand the plot.
This book was a great read. It is sweet, fast paced, amusing and a lot of fun. I read it in one sitting and I couldn't possibly put it down. I connected with main character from the start and I just wanted to see Isla get her life together and be happy. I laughed out loud many times while reading, and even though there were some cliche moments, they weren't overdone and everything felt natural. I liked the chemistry and banter between MC and her love interest. I wish this book had a dual POV, but don't mind me, high fantasy books spoiled me. Even so, I really enjoyed this book and I read it in a matter of a few hours. This book comes out August 15th and those who get a chance to grab it for a summer vacation should do just that because I believe this book would be an excellent beach read. Even if you're not going on a vacation, but desperately need one, you should read this book. It's relaxing and light and will give you a laugh. Almost as really going on a vacation.
Now...As you can see, I am saying all the best things about this book, but you can notice I gave it four, not five star, rating. That is because the very ending and epilogue felt a bit rushed, and therefore fel flat for me. I wish it was at least twenty pages longer and we got a bit more satisfying end.