One of the things I really love about Talia Hibbert’s characters is that they feel like real, complicated, and flawed people. The characters are well rounded and have growth that you can identify with. Its great to see it’s often times rooted in healing from their past traumas so they can be in a healthy, fulfilling and long lasting relationship. Not to mention she has a real knack for making consent super sexy.
🌶🌶🌶🌶

It’s refreshing to read characters you can relate to and that there isn’t an instant fix/the other person “saves” the other. The growth happens from within and often with professional help.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading her books yet, I would highly recommend.

Somebody give this man an Olympic gold metal for self control. Best friends to temporary roommates and pining for each other. The tension between them should be illegal.

OH, I LOVED these narrators!
You folks did such a brilliant job with the utter painful tension between the two characters. It was killing me throughout the book, and I was here for it.

Friends to lovers can be hit or miss for me. Clearly, this was a hit for me!
This had me screaming, giggling, and so MAD at times. It was amazing!

Rahul was so in love with Jasmine. The way he would describe kissing her or thinking of her was religious half the time, and that made me melt. His perspective was pure yearning and patience, and men like that are top-tier.
Jasmine, darling, I love you! God, I totally understand how she was a strong woman with her mind set on her path, but that she was her own worst enemy in a way with how much she prevented herself from being loved in a way she could. Self-doubt and hesitation are your worst enemy.

Oh, my heart—this book!

When a flood in her flat causes Jasmine to need temporary accommodations while it gets fixed, she moves in with her best friend, Rahul.

Years ago Rahul chose friendship with Jasmine over a fling with her. She doesn’t do romance and relationships, and being friends was the only way to keep her in his life.

But now she’s in his flat. And using his shower. And sleeping in the room next to him.

And that attraction and love for her that he felt in college? Yeah, those never went away.

What a delicious, super steamy, friends-to-lovers, opposites-attract, longtime-pining morsel of a book! I adored the tenderness and playfulness they have with each other.

And I did mention the steam, right? Because—stops to fan self—their chemistry is off the charts.

I highly recommend listening to this one on audio. It’s told through dual POV, and Rooke Kingston and Keval Shah both do a fantastic job portraying the emotions of these characters in their narration.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Dreamscape Media and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

3 1/2 stars

This is a super angsty friends-to-lovers open door romance. Rahul for me was the more relatable character as I have chosen friendship with someone over a relationship with someone because they were someone I wanted guaranteed in my life and that relatability with him made me ache for him the entire story. Jasmine is also super relatable because that choice to not sleep with her friends or date is one I feel everyone has made before. It's not much different from the decision Rahul made about her. It was their way of both of them choosing to be friends forever than risking it all for love that may not work out. Both have been hurt by love in different ways and yet are jaded in the same way because of it.

I'm normally not a friends-to-lovers kind of gal, but Talia handled this one wonderfully. The friendly banter between the two of them was so realistic and it's the kind of hilarity I have with my friends. Some of the banter was over the top, but so funny I was snickering while listening. Rooke Kingston and Keval Shah did such a great job bringing Rahul and Jasmine to life. Hearing them and the emotions they had I think elevated the story.

The journey to get these two together and then keep them together was a journey of self discovery and healing and I was here for it. I really can't wait for another angsty read by Talia in the future. Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this ALC. This is my honest opinion.

This book has been on my TBR so I was super happy when I had the opportunity to review the audiobook. I had a vague idea of what I was in store for and I am so glad because it was such a welcomed surprise.

The dual performance took a bit of getting used to but once I was in, I was in. I absolutely loved the story - it was angsty and the character arc for Jasmine really captivated me. Jasmine is emotionally closed off and it was clear from the beginning that there would be a long journey of self-discovery for her to get to the HEA. Rahul was such a great MMC - he was the nerdy best friend always waiting for his chance. And he was a surprise in the bedroom in the best ways.

This was my first dual 3rd person POV and I quite enjoyed it. Also, the dual timeline, going back to how Jas and Rahul became friends and the significant moments of their friendship over the years, was a great way to understand each of their motivations.


Tropes and Elements:
❤️ Friends to Lovers
🏡 Forced Proximity
✌🏻Dual Timeline and Dual 3rd Party POV
Pining
➶ Pining
⛓️‍💥 MMC has an alpha dom bedroom persona

My rating: 3.75 out of 5 ⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape media for providing me the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

TW: parental loss, parental abandonment, alcoholism

I'm an unapologetic Talia Hibbert worshipper and even if I weren't I'd have to give this book 5 stars. The Roommate Risk is the friends to lovers story of Jasmine and Rahul. Jasmine is the flighty fun and free woman that doesn't do relationships or anything serious. She doesn't talk about her past issues (especially about her mother) and has about a thousand different personalities she pulls out to protect herself. Rahul worships at the alter of Jasmine and has ever since she took his seat in the university library seven years ago. After one intimate experience he wasn't willing to let her go and decided to be her best friend instead and just keep his feelings closed up inside himself. Things were going fine until Jasmine's flat is flooded and she needs a place to stay.

Admittedly these two characters both need some therapy. Rahul works WAY too much and has be in control 99.99999% of the time he's awake. But the way he is so soft for Jasmine melted my heart. He would literally do anything for her and the way she wrecked him in that third act break up just tore me to pieces I was sobbing so much! Jasmine is not a bad person at all, so don't let what I wrote make you think otherwise. She definitely has issues and doesn't have the skills to deal with them properly so she doesn't always do the right things in the moment. I still think she has genuine love and care for Rahul and has always had them for him throughout their friendship despite her tendency to use him (which she apologizes for). Their chemistry was super hot and their spicy scenes were just off the charts, freakin' Talia! But this wasn't just a spicy book, it was so emotional as well. There's so much love between them and how they are there for each other throughout their lives was just ugh! My chest was clenching so much lol

I did listen to this on audiobook exclusively and I really loved Rooke Kingston's Jasmine, she had such a great inflection for Jasmine's scoffing attitude and I laughed so much at her antics. Keval Shah's Rahul was just as enticing and though I didn't quite care for his female voice when impersonating Jasmine it didn't take away how much I loved this audiobook. It was an easy listen at my usual 1.25x speed and I would definitely recommend to anyone to give it a listen.

Thank you so much to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ALC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

A story about two friends who keep pining for each other but too nervous to make the leap, and they keep moving on just to end up in each others arms and beds again. While the story was somewhat enjoyable, the narrators that did the book made the books dull and drag on.

A best friends to lovers story that is very spicy. I really enjoyed the narrator for this novel, great tempo throughout the novel. I was not expecting this story to be so spicy, but I thought it was well done and classy.

This audio book is SO SO SO much better than the original. I love this new recording. I had to DNF the original audio book and was very disappointed now.

I loved both narrators and they really made the story flow!

Audiobook Review
Release May.21
-
3.5 stars round to 4
-
I really wanted to like | enjoy this story, but for some reason, I just couldn't get into the audiobook at all.
I don't know if it was because of the narrators, mostly the female, or if the storyline just couldn't keep my attention.
The male narrator did a good job, and i enjoyed listening to his voice!
-
I always seem to struggle with this author's books. i dont know if it's the writing style or what, but I will not give up reading her work.
-
Thank you, Netgalley, and Dreamscape Audio for the ALC - Audiobook for my honest review.

OMG Where has this book been my entire life?

I thought I had read every Talia Hibbert book there was, but apparently, I was missing this one and my gosh, it was exactly what I needed to cheer myself up.

I was hooked when the description said: Two best friends, seven years of pinning, one explosive summer. I love friends-to-lovers stories, and I’m guessing this is a forced proximity situation. I don’t even need to know if the book will be explosive, because Talia knows how to write spicy scenes that make your toes curl and romance that melts your heart.

This book? It's like Friends to Lovers meets Forced Proximity with a dash of Friends with Benefits – talk about a wild combo!

This book is as steamy as it is romantic and I can't even process it. I might have finished it in less than 24hrs and I am not even ashamed.

Thank you Talia for this amazing gift.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for a honest review. Im not a big romace reader, and this book to me was decent. The book was a decent story with spice. The friends to lovers trope is the star of this show. I enjoyed this read. If you are a person who enjoys romance and the friends to lovers trope you'd like this!

Vibes: friends (roommates) to lovers, messy girl/sweet guy, Longing from Afar

Heat Index: 7/10

After seven years of secretly pining after his best friend Jasmine, now Rahul has to live with her, thanks to a plumbing disaster. But his feelings--and desires--aren't just going to go away, and the one-nighter-prone Jasmine isn't ready for any kind of commitment. She seems to be just as attracted to him as he is to her, though, and that only becomes more apparent as time passes. And he wonders... is this worth the risk?

I really enjoy Talia Hibbert. However, I've always struggled with feeling a bit out of the loop on the hype around Take A Hint, Dani Brown. Not because it's a bad book by any means... It just didn't work for me, which felt weird after I loved Get a Life, Chloe Brown and then also loved (even more) Act Your Age, Eve Brown. I realized later on that I just didn't love the hero's extreme sweetness, which kind of dipped into passivity for me. I get why other people love it... but it's not for me.

That's the issue I had with Rahul. He's so, so sweet. And Jasmine is kind of a mess, which I love! But like... I never felt as if he was really ready for her? I didn't buy them working. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of the messy heroes who end up with these soft and gentle and super sweet heroines, and I don't... love that either. They just felt like a mismatch.

It's Talia Hibbert, so it's fun and it's super hot. That's a given. She always writes at min a solid book. However, due to that lack of believability (for me) I couldn't connect with this one. On a note about the audio performances, though--those were good! If you love a cinnamon roll, you should for sure check this one out, and audio is a great option.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This story is a delicious, angsty, opposites attract treat. As per usual for Talia Hibbert, the banter is top notch. I read this previously as an eBook but loved the narration. Talia is definitely an auto-read author!

The audio version offers listeners an immersive experience into the world of the story. The narrator skillfully captures the suspense and longing that permeate the narrative, drawing listeners deeper into the plot with each passing chapter.

While the overall delivery is commendable, some listeners may find the characterization lacking in authenticity. Certain voices may not fully align with the characters as envisioned by readers, potentially detracting from the immersion in the story.

Despite this minor criticism, the narration maintains a consistent tone and pacing throughout, keeping listeners engaged from start to finish. The production quality is high, ensuring clear audio and seamless transitions between scenes.

Overall, the audio version delivers a captivating listening experience, though some listeners may find the character voices slightly mismatched. Nevertheless, it remains a commendable adaptation that effectively brings the story to life for audiences on the go.

4.5 ⭐️

Loved it!

I was so engaged in this audiobook, I started off with listening to one chapter and ended up going upto 50% in a single go. I love the protagonists, Jasmine and Rahul were everything!
Their relationship and history were written so well, I loved their chemistry. The spice was spicy and the romance was top notch! Jasmine's character development and Rahul's love for her were so swoon-worthy!

The audiobook was narrated by Rooke Kingston and Keval Shah. I was a fan of the performance of both the narrators but somehow I expected Jasmine to have a softer voice than Rooke Kingston's powerful one. Either way, it did not take away from my experience enjoying the audiobook.

Overall, A perfectly spicy, funny romance with lots of heart.

I received an ARC of the Audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you to Netgalley, the Author and the Publisher for providing an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Quick Summary: An "I would do anything for love" romance

My Review: The Roommate Risk by Talia Hibbert is an installment in The Midnight Heat series. It was previously published, however, a 2024 edition is slated to be released on May 21.

About the Book: Jasmine Allen is a 21st century woman who works hard and plays even harder. She doesn't have time for committed relationships or entanglements. When trouble arises unexpectedly, she turns to her best friend, Rahul. Living in close quarters puts their friendship to the test and causes them to both face truths that have long been hidden.

About the Characters:

Jasmine - She is scared and scarred by a past that has never been fully faced or resolved. She is guarded, stubborn, and unwilling to trust her heart.

Rahul -He is a loyal friend and a besotted admirer of his best friend. He is patient, loving, and incredibly passionate when it comes to his heart.

About the Narration: Rooke Kingston and Keval Shah narrated this novel. They were certainly enthusiastic in their portrayal of the characters. They injected humor, depth, and intensity.

My Final Say: Overall, this was an entertaining read. It was thoroughly modern, to be sure. This romance could easily be considered contemporary. I appreciated that it dealt heavily with emotions and resultant behaviors and actions associated with familial breakdown and expectations of self.

Other: Readers who enjoy stories where best friends become lovers will like this book.

Rating: 3.5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 👍
Series: Yes
Audiobook: Yes
Narration: +

Thanks to the author, to the publisher (Dreamscape Media), and to NetGalley for granting access to an audio ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own. I appreciate the opportunity to read this novel.

This was way angstier than anything else I’ve read by Talia Hibbert but I still really liked it. The spice was excellent and the character growth was lovely. Sometimes I wanted to shake Jasmine but she’s hard not to like.

Wasn’t plot heavy mostly just angst between besties and figuring out how to accept love.

I enjoyed it.

Thanks to netgalley for a listening copy of the new narration.

"The Roommate Risk" by Talia Hibbert is a sizzling and heartwarming contemporary romance that will leave readers swooning and smiling from ear to ear. Narrated by the dynamic duo of Rooke Kingston and Keval Shah, this audiobook delivers an immersive experience that brings the story to life in vivid detail.

From the moment listeners press play, they're transported into the vibrant world of Hibbert's characters, where sparks fly and emotions run high. The chemistry between the protagonists crackles with intensity, drawing listeners deeper into their burgeoning romance with each passing chapter.

What makes "The Roommate Risk" truly special is its portrayal of authentic, multifaceted characters who leap off the page (or out of the speakers) with quirks, flaws, and endearing qualities. Hibbert has a knack for creating protagonists who feel like old friends, and Rooke Kingston and Keval Shah do an exceptional job of capturing their essence through their narration. Whether it's the heroine's sharp wit or the hero's irresistible charm, listeners will find themselves rooting for these characters from the very first moment.

But "The Roommate Risk" isn't just about romance—it's also about friendship, family, and the transformative power of love. As the protagonists navigate the ups and downs of their relationship, they also confront deeper issues related to identity, trust, and vulnerability. Rooke Kingston and Keval Shah's nuanced performances bring the emotional depth of the story to life, infusing every word with passion and sincerity.

In addition to its compelling characters and heartfelt romance, "The Roommate Risk" also boasts a captivating plot that keeps listeners on the edge. From laugh-out-loud moments to heart-pounding revelations, there's never a dull moment in this audiobook.