Apparently this is the second book in the Roommates series which I found out when I googled it as loads of the story made no sense in the beginning. So if you've not read the first one, do that first as the books follow on from one another and it seems like there will be third one as well as the books just ends without any kid of wrap up or closure.

Ariella moves out to Singapore for a COO job she is offered by Caleb's ex-girlfriend which seems to good to be true and unfortunately for Ariella - it is. Caleb learns early on that the company is being used as a front for money laundering and while he asks Jasper (Ariella's ex-fiancé) to help him uncover what is really going on. But he doesn't tell Ariella.

Instead he breaks up with her when he arrives in Singapore for a visit and then is incredibly cruel towards her before he then moves out to Singapore for a job in the same company. Eventually they work things out but honestly, I'm really judging Ariella by this point - Caleb was a complete dick and told he she was cheap and desperate, he also didn't believe her capable of the job thinking that her role in London was just an events co-ordinator. She never should have allowed him back into her life and I think it really shows her naivety that she does. He's a manipulator has much as his ex-girlfriend was.

I tolerated this book but really both the main characters were annoying and awful. I ended up skim reading it for the most part as I couldn't handle the drama between the two adult characters. Caleb tore Ariella down every chance he got and really only seemed to be interested in having sex with her as that's where it always seemed to end up. Ariella's saving grace though, she rose to the occasion of being COO and handled it like a boss, especially when she found out about the money laundering. I think this could have quite easily just been about her and her rise to the person she becomes without the bullshit of the men around her.

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I will say, reading this book over certain amount of days was frustrating. Caleb had me very frustrated because he just could not tell the truth and the more lies. He didn’t tell compounded on More. I do like that the character development was spot on and the story definitely kept me intrigued. I am definitely looking forward to the second part because this did leave on a cliffhanger.

Full disclosure, I started and this book and got about 15% of the way through, but felt completely lost in terms of the story, before I realized it was the second in a series. I put it aside to read the first, and when I came back, it was a much more enjoyable read!

Picking up where the first book left off, we find Ariella and Caleb trying to move on from the past year and forge a new life together. When Ariella is offered a new job opportunity in Singapore, she sees it as a chance for growth, whereas Caleb sees it as his past coming to haunt his future. Together, they must figure out if they can survive the challenge thrown at them, or let this ruin everything they've built.

I was excited to see where Ariella and Caleb's relationship went, but the focus ended up being more on Ariella growing as a leader, with side scenes of how Caleb fit in with the Masons and his blossoming bromance with Ariella's ex, Jasper. When the setting changed to Singapore, the whole story become the second-act break-up, and didn't start to pick back up until the end. I couldn't always keep track of Ariella and Caleb's ever-changing relationship status, and I missed the inclusion of his friends, Jack and Tim. Lara is always good for entertainment, and some of the new characters (Lydia and Bryce) were amusing. Overall, the story was enjoyable and I can't wait to read the upcoming final book!

I didn’t know there was a first book that went along with this one when I started reading it so I was a bit lost at the beginning of the book but it didn’t take me long to get to know the characters and their relationship in the story.

It was a fun read and it looks like there is going to be a third book too so after I go back and read the first one I will be ready to devour the third.

I enjoyed this book! If you’re looking for a book to escape into this is the one. I laughed, cried, screamed and found myself begging! The drama had me at the edge of my seat! My only suggestion, read Roommates first! Thank you Storm and NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

This book was not for me. I would have DNF’ed this if I had not agreed to pen a review. I’m irritated at myself for the time used here.

Many Characters and especially their relation to one another—their history—are introduced in a way that feels forced and unnatural. They are flat and unbelievable as their emotions constantly yo-yo abruptly: anger to joy, with characters fighting to teasing each other other in under a page was common here.

The pacing of the story was awkward to follow. Sometimes an awful lot happened in just a few pages, and sometimes the transitions between events were so abrupt that it felt like I was being jerked around through the drama— and there was a lot of it: a daytime Soap on steroids.

I couldn’t appreciate the writing either. Thoughts and events were written down as if the characters are documenting their life into a diary, without subtleties or artistry. A lot of “telling instead of showing,” so to speak.

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me, I found it difficult to get into and soon lost interest. apologies!

2/5 - So, this is the second book in a series and I would say it is critical to read the first book prior. I did not, so the beginning was really confusing, and I constantly felt like I was missing important/relevant information. It also ends abruptly, making way for the third book.

The story has some fun tropes and themes, but the organization was a bit haphazard and I didn’t connect deeply with the characters. Their quirks were off-putting vs endearing (Ariella is 26 and calls her parents mommy and daddy). I felt lost throughout most of the story, the characters were in a similar boat. On a more serious note, I felt certain big issues (especially Caleb’s last interaction with Melissa) were glossed over and not properly addressed.

I might have been more engaged had I read the first book and committed to the series, but as it stands I felt like this was a long read that I couldn’t get into and probably wouldn’t have finished it if wasn’t an ARC. Thank you to @netgalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Out now!

Roommates Book 2, and this book is brilliant. The characters are great and funny. I'd advise to read book 1 before starting this so you will know the back story behind the characters

I wasn’t aware that this book was a sequel until after I had put in a request for it. I still wanted to give it a chance, however, I could not connect to the characters or the story and did ultimately dnf it.

— Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

You will like this book if you like: communication issues galore, putting up with juvenile behavior, and foreign travel that adds little to the story 🇸🇬🔺

I was frustrated by this story not progressing anywhere! The characters at the beginning and end are remarkably in similar places in their relationship. The place to read this is on the couch so when you throw your kindle across the room when there’s yet another communication issue between the main characters, you land it somewhere soft.

Overall: 4
Spicy: 2

This is the second book in the series picking up where the FMMC was offered the job of a lifetime in another country by the mistress of the MMC. Not knowing the connection between the mistress and MMC we follow the FMMC navigating life in the spotlight and having to change her imagine fitting was the mistress thinks the MMC wants. Suspicious activity with a customer leads the FMMC to discover the truth about how the MMC has been doing so well in his job the last few years. It also comes to light that mistress has been doing some shady business dealings and it could lead to the everyone getting in legal trouble. The FMMC takes the bull by the horn and puts an end to the shady business dealings, and we are left with a cliff hanger on how it all works out. I really hope we get a third book. Again, we have spice between the FMMC and MMC but it's fairly mild and makes it appear to be the only they care about. The relationship is deeper than intimacy, but they have trouble expressing that to each other and use "spice" to communicate with each other.

These two characters are very complicated and not always people I would want in my lives, they madke bad decisions and treat people not great. I didn't enjoy because i'm a completist I will finish this series,but I dont have a lot of hope that either of them will learn anuthing.

I would like to thank Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

The best word to describe my feelings toward the novel Complicated is with the same word, complicated. I was confused with what was happening in the story during the first one or two chapters, but I realized later that this was book number two in a series and reading number book one would have alleviated this confusion.

This story moved slowly throughout, with a brief pick up towards the middle, before slowing down again. Ariella, the main character was closed off and had this wall up that made her hard to relate to. I wondered if something catastrophic happened to her in the past that caused her to be this way. This question may be answered in book number one, but I’m unsure as I haven’t read it yet.

Throughout the story, Ariella wrestled with her feelings for her coworker, her ex boyfriend, and a future prospect. This was all while making her job the main priority in her life. I would have been more understanding toward this character if I had more insight into her life. She was a bit dull, but these male prospects must have seen something in her that I, the reader, did not . I would loved to have known what that something was.

The story also briefly touched on sexual
assault but it felt a bit glossed over. This is a very serious topic, that many people have had to deal with. I would have liked the author to speak more on what happened and have possibly even given the character some closure.

My feelings towards this story were complicated because I was always waiting for something big to happen. The love story was so hot and cold that it became tough to keep interest. With this being said, I did finish the story because I wanted to know the outcome. I understand that there will be a book number three. I hope this book answers all the questions that I and other readers may have.

I enjoyed the book but I feel like i did not enjoy it to its fullest because I did not know it was the second book in a series and i had not read the first one. But, i did enjoy getting to know these characters and the plot of the story drew me in from the start! The tension was amazing between the two mc's. this was definitely a feel good book!

Maybe it was wronging timing but I found myself unable to empathize with the main characters or their love story.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I DNF this book because I did not enjoy the flow and the characters were hard to connect with. The first book in the series had me hooked but this one I could not connect with.

This book was a very cute romance novel, with LOTS of drama. It had a good amount of spice, and overall is a book you can read while your family is around hahaha. There is a love triangle that goes on between Arielle, Caleb and their boss Melissa. It is mainly a messy workplace drama where at some points you just want to strangle Melissa or slap Caleb for not coming clean to Arielle. We are left on a cliffhanger at the end as there will be a sequel to the book.

Absolutely loved this one, talk about slow burn my goodness this gave me all the romantic feels.

I was rooting for the characters from the very first chapter and this was just a wonderfully written story and I really enjoyed it so much

Would highly recommend

4 stars

When I requested access to read this arc I was unaware that this book was a sequel and not meant to be read as a stand-alone book. With that being said, I wish I had read the first book first because I was confused when I began to read the book.

This book was a hard read for me, I didn't love the main characters Ariella and Caleb. This book seemed to be filled with drama and messiness.

Thank you netgalley and storm publishing for the arc!