Get A Room
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Author: Casey Dembowski
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Red Adapt Publishing and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: Brian Hawkins has had the worst year. He watched his girlfriend marry another man, lost his job and his apartment, and, after a summer under his parents’ roof, has taken refuge with his younger sister. A quiet few months in Philadelphia is just what he needs to clear his head and get back on his feet. But he’s barely unpacked before the bane of his existence, his sister’s best friend shows up. His planned solitude is replaced by pop songs, rom-coms, and bright pink hair. Which would be fine, except there’s only one extra bed, and there’s no way he’s sharing it with her.
Sarah Webb didn’t think anything could be worse than a marriage-proposal-gone-wrong walk of shame to her best friend’s apartment. But she was wrong. So wrong. Because she’s not just staying with Jess, but with Jess’s older brother. Brian is grumpy and stubborn and—not that Sarah would ever admit it out loud—totally hot. He’s also off limits. Which is why she should let him have the bedroom, stop staring at his abs, and keep her distance. But playing nice isn’t in her nature.
As Sarah and Brian pull pranks and place wagers over who can lay claim to the bed, things between the rivals start to shift. Sarah can admit that Brian has his moments, and Brian sees a side of Sarah she usually keeps hidden. When she needs a last-minute date for a charity gala where her doctor-ex is going to be in attendance, Brian seems like the perfect fake date. But as they spin around the dance floor, their fledgling friendship turns to something unexpected—and only one thing’s certain… more than just the bed is up for grabs.
My Thoughts: Our MCs Sarah and Brian were wonderfully portrayed in this story. Sarah had a relationship go south and needed somewhere to crash while she got her life together, which happens to be her best friend. Brain’s relationship went really south when his girlfriend left him for someone else, lost his job, then his apartment, trying to get a fresh spin on life, he decided to stay with his sister with only one spare room. Now the only spare room has two guests that have to battle out for keeps. The story follows the tropes of forced proximity, best friend’s brother, pranks, enemies to lovers, and grumpy v sunshine.
The story is narrated in a dual narration by both Sarah and Brian, in their perspectives. The characters are flawed, make their share of mistakes, and are authentic and realistic. Some of the decisions made did not seem like the best, but the story is written in a way that makes you understand why those decisions were made. Sarah is upbeat, social, and is really passionate about her job. Brian played a minor character in a previous book and was unlikable then, however, he has had life thrown at him in every way possible, he is still standing, maybe a bit grumpy, but is trying to get his life on track. Jess (sister and best friend) kind of annoyed me, I felt like her character could have been blended better, and the conflict she created seems unnecessary. Both Brian and Sarah have a tremendous amount of character growth throughout the story, which I love. The initial rivalry develops into a friendship with vulnerabilities revealed that deepened their bond. The characters were created with depth, they had amazing witty banter with each other, chemistry, were creatively done, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, layered, humorous, passionate, and engaging.
This was an endearing, heartwarming, romcom that will play at your heartstrings. It has a great balance of funny with romance, even blended with a little seriousness. I highly recommend this story to anyone who loves a clean romcom that just makes you feel good.