The Christmas Roommate

Spencer Brothers #1.5

by Ana Ashley

Keep an eye on Ren, they said.
Just for tonight, they said.

Next thing you know, I'm babysitting three-hundred succulents and Ren is making himself at home in my space.
Not only do I welcome his company, I crave it. And that little doubt I had about my sexuality? Obliterated in a few short months.

The problem? How to show Ren I want to be more than just his friend.
The plan? Convince him to be my roommate for Christmas and hope he'll stay forever.

The Christmas Roommate is a standalone Christmas short story set in Ana’s new world of the Spencer brothers.
Expect lots of pinning from two guys who secretly love each other, an adorable puppy, and the biggest collection of succulents in the history of romance.

Genres: M M Romance, Romance, Audiobook, Holiday, Friends To Lovers, Queer, Christmas

106 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2023

About the author

Meet Ana Ashley, your friendly neighborhood romance author!
Ana has been lost in the pages of books for as long as she can remember, taking a few amusing missteps with her childhood writing attempts. But everything changed when she discovered the magical world of LGBTQ+ romance—cue the confetti!


Ana's books offer sweet and sexy romance with a charming mix of humor and heart. Getting her guys together wouldn't be the same without the meddling but well-intentioned cast of secondary characters, who always insist on having their own story.


When she’s not crafting heartfelt tales, you can find her indulging in her favorite pastime of baking delicious treats, enjoying quality time with friends, or staying up late immersed in the pages of a good book.

You can find out more about Ana and her works-in-progress by joining her Newsletter. To sign up visit Ana's website anawritesmm.com

Reviews

[Lily Loves 📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t even want to write a review. I feel like a Scrooge! This is a very sweet story but I’m so over the fake dating storyline. I didn’t read the first book of this series but I wasn’t lost reading this. Everyone is rich, except for Ren, who works multiple jobs and sleeps in his car to save money to buy his flower shop. I never met anyone overly rich but so many books have these characters who come from money. I am happy to say that the characters with money are very down to earth.

Even though this is set at Christmas I felt like the holiday was not a huge part of the story. I wanted more holiday time, not just a snippet at Frederick’s parents. I wanted more to give me that warm holiday feeling.

I did love how Ren talks to his succulents. Melon, the dog, was sweet too. This was an ok story, I just wanted more Christmas feels.

[Ben Howard]

Thank you to my secret Santa for the gift!! 🎅🎁

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars Quick, fun read, and narrator was awesome! Really enjoyed it!

[Love Is All Around · Rating 5 out of 5]

RECENSIONE A CURA DI ELYXYZ
Dovete sapere che un mese fa ho letto il primo libro tradotto di questa serie e il personaggio di Ren – con i suoi modi un po’ bizzarri, i colori sgargianti, la grinta – mi hanno davvero incuriosita, a tal punto da scegliere di leggere questa novella in lingua, non sapendo che l’avrebbero tradotta entro breve… e me ne sono innamorata! Il primo libro mi era piaciuto molto, ma questa piccola chicca si è rivelata una vera delizia!
Continua sul nostro blog!

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apart from the over the top accent and intonation that the narrator does to separate the two MMC, this book was really cute. Kind of like a gay christmas miricle story lol

[raccoon reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 maybe 3 stars?

Trying to fit in as many Christmas books before Christmas.

This one was sweet but nothing amazing. I’ll probably read another by this author. This book is a novella that comes after the first Spencer brother book which I haven’t read. I think I’d like it more if I’d realized this and read the other first.

I wasn’t crazy about the narrator’s interpretation of Ren. He just felt over the top, and then suddenly the narrator would mix up the voices and Ren would sound like Fredrick. And that definitely kept it from being a higher rating.

But it’s a sweet story.

[Betty Loves Books Galore]

story of Frederick and Ren

This is a fake relationship Christmas romance, featuring Frederick and Ren, and is book one in the Spencer Brothers Novellas series.

Frederick and Ren are friends, and both secretly crushing hard on each other but neither notices. Frederick needs to go home for the weekend and asks Ren to be his fake boyfriend under the excuse to keep his mum from trying to set him. Making excuses to spend time with each other, meeting his parents and forced to share a bed, yay!!!!

This is a reread for me but I just love it. It follows on from one of Ana’s other books called The Lost Fiancé Twist. (Which I’m now going to have to reread).

Things to expect in this book are:
1st book in series
MM romance
Christmas novella
Fake relationship
Friends to more
Bi-awakening
Opposites attract
Both crushing hard
One bed
Cameos from other books
HEA

[Jacquie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had no business being that cute. I'm so glad Ana wrote Ren and Frederick a HEA together. So sweet

[Daniela Tirrito (Tivvys_books_world) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5*

https://www.letturesalepepe.com/recen...

[Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meravigliosa novella di Natale con i protagonisti coinquilini Frederick Rhys-Myr & Laurence "Ren" Oliver e trecento succulente!! 🤣😂🤩😍
💖💖💖💖💖

[Carmen Beeton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars actually..
This was a cute book man, I loved how they both yearned for each other.

[L · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way too predictable with too much angst and very dumb characters.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Idk, it was on sale.

[Cristina Fly Mosca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recensione per il blog Peccatrici Librose

Buongiorno Peccatrici,
questa novella scritta da Ana Ashley "Un Coinquilino per Natale" ci fa entrare nel mondo di Frederick e Ren, conosciuti nel libro dei fratelli Spencer. Aspettatevi di sorridere, perché questo è un racconto per il cuore.
Mi è piaciuto come Ana sia riuscita a farci comprendere che alcune volte, la mente inganna e solo il cuore può darci la direzione corretta da seguire, ma cosa fare se i protagonisti fanno di tutto per negare che quel muscolo nel petto batte in sincrono con quello dell'altro ed è nel giusto? Frederick che si è piano piano avvicinato a quel ragazzo eccentrico ma dolce, sempre diretto, con emozioni profonde per le persone per cui prova affetto, farà tutto ciò che è in suo potere perché Ren ammetta che non c'è solo amicizia tra loro. Ogni giorno hanno alimentato sentimenti che cercano di nascondere per motivi differenti.
È divertente i mille modi che Frederick inventa pur di tenere questo giovane uomo nella sua vita, offrendogli ospitalità e conforto. Ren invece, inventa modi assurdi per ricordare a sé stesso che non può cadere tra le braccia di un etero, si farebbe solo del male.
È la festa delle incomprensioni, ognuno di loro cerca scappatoie per raggiungere il proprio obiettivo, senza rendersi conto che entrambi cercano solo l'amore.
È una novella natalizia che si legge velocemente, che tocca temi a cui Ana tiene, come la consapevolezza di sé e l'essere liberi di esprimersi, con una comunità che supporta ed accoglie.
Mi piace ritrovarmi nei libri di Ana, perdermi nei suoi lieto fine, speranzosi che un domani le cose saranno migliori, dove nessuno giudicherà e saprà solo che l'amore è amore.
Peccatrici vi invito a viaggiare con me infilandoci nei labirinti delle possibilità, quelle insperate che donano colore all'anima
Buon viaggio ❤️
La vostra Fly

[Zoë Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holiday Cheer Meter: 2/5
(Where 1 is as Christmassy as 'Die Hard' and 5 is more like 'Elf')

Audiobook 4/5: Narrated by Alexander Cendese.
I loved the voice acting for Ren, it suited him perfectly; I wasn't as sold for Frederick, but it was fine. I did find the narration a little fast-paced at certain points, but I find that typical of this narrator so I was mostly expecting it. I was working nightshifts while listening soooo this was probably on me knowing his style since I definitely can't think as fast as he can speak at times, lol. I do love his energy and was entertained for my commute, so mission accomplished.

Story:
While I could see that this was book 1.5 of a series, I guess I wasn't fully aware that these characters must've featured quite prominently in The Lost Fiancé Twist. I wasn't lost by any means, but I did feel like I was missing a lot of context, including how Frederick and Ren met, became friends, and especially fell in love. I felt dropped into the middle of their story and, for the length of the novella there were a heck of a lot of scenes apart or with other people. As far as characters development, Ren felt very fully fleshed out, I loved his style, personality, heart, and hustle. By comparison Frederick felt pretty flat, he was rich and employed and has a history of pretending to be gay and fake-dating people? I'm honestly baffled by Ren's interest.

This had moments that I quite enjoyed, but it was a lot of telling rather than showing. It would have rated higher if there had been a little more holiday content, wooing, or actual roommate shenanigans but I was left feeling like it was lacking in depth, chemistry, and holiday cheer.

[Lilly Randall Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Because I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone, man or woman, as much as I want to kiss you. I’ve never wanted to take care of and worship someone so much”

This was a cute novella! It’s generally pretty hard for me to rate and review novellas because of how short they are but I really did like this story. I will admit that the “fake boyfriend” trope definitely not my favorite but I feel like Ana did really well with this one. Disclaimer, I haven’t read any of her full length books from this series. It is labeled as a standalone (the main characters are side characters in the first book) and I started out a little confused but it cleared up pretty quickly.

This novella centers around Frederick, a “straight” guy, and his very gay best friend Ren. Ren is desperate to open the flower shop of his dreams so he takes on any paying job he can find while living out of his car. When Frederick finds out he takes matters into his own hands to get Ren to move in with him. What both men don’t realize is that they are secretly pining for each other…

My only true complaint is the lack of spice. I understand that it’s a novella (108 pages) but it was kind of a slow burn. Maybe I’m just a glutton for high spice but I felt like it needed more.

All in all, this is a very cute short story with low angst and low spice. Perfect as a quick read in one sitting book.

[Elizabeth D · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5 This has some very cute moments, and it was nice to see Ren get a happily ever after after The Fiancé Twist. I liked how Frederick went all in with caring for Ren. Maybe it made the most sense for a novella format, but it would have been nice to see a bit more of the transition from the reluctance/angst in the last book to how it came about here. As with the last book, I also felt like there was a bit of a gap with no addressing the fact that Frederick spent years pretending to be gay for his own convenience while he genuinely thought he was straight. Especially having met his lovely family here, it just really seems like a crappy thing to do. When we arrive at this novella, he’s realised he’s interested in guys but mostly not actually out (to the those who knew he was faking it before), so we don’t see any real struggle apart from his worry that he’ll mess things up with Ren in particular.

But like I said, I did like how Frederick cared for Ren but did it in ways to not impact Ren’s pride. I liked Melon and their families and Christmas memories with the Christmas tree. I loved Ren’s succulents and the way he talks to them. I appreciated that these two found one another and managed to get past the convoluted stories they’d told one another to get together.

[Elyxyz Elyxyz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recensione su copia ARC
Dovete sapere che un mese fa ho letto il primo libro tradotto di questa serie e il personaggio di Ren – con i suoi modi un po’ bizzarri, i colori sgargianti, la grinta – mi hanno davvero incuriosita, a tal punto da scegliere di leggere questa novella in lingua, non sapendo che l’avrebbero tradotta entro breve… e me ne sono innamorata! Il primo libro mi era piaciuto molto, ma questa piccola chicca si è rivelata una vera delizia!
Ren e Frederick compaiono per la prima volta ne “Il Giallo del Fidanzato Perduto”, romanzo che vi consiglio di recuperare, se non l’avete già letto, prima di gustarvi questo. Emery e Lex sono aiutanti e amici preziosi per questi nuovi protagonisti, e sono una coppia bellissima.
Ritornando a “Un coinquilino per Natale”, posso dirvi che questa novella natalizia con poco meno di cento pagine che mi ha conquistato!
La caratterizzazione frizzante di Ren si incastra a perfezione con l’animo generoso ma posato di Frederick.
Ren ha un sogno da inseguire ed è encomiabile il suo spirito di sacrificio, mentre Freddy accetta di non essere poi così tanto etero, come aveva detto a Emery nel primo libro.
Una commedia dolcissima, con la giusta dose di fraintendimenti e di tensione sessuale che ribolle, perché i nostri testoni sono convinti che l’uno non ricambierà mai l’altro… quindi si accontentano di fare i migliori amici che dividono un appartamento… finché, per fortuna, qualcosa succede e ci renderà molto felici!
Punto bonus per il cucciolo e le piante di Ren, che hanno il loro perché nella chimica del libro, e per le rispettive famiglie, a loro modo supportive e amorevoli.
Non mi resta che consigliarvela come perfetta lettura-coccola, e dato il clima inclemente di questi giorni, un racconto natalizio non è poi così fuori stagione.

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking forward to Ren and Frederick’s story since we met them in The Lost Fiancé Twist! You couldn’t help but love Ren. And when Frederick went up against him, you knew Frederick was no match for Ren. And it only made sense that there was something bound to happen between these two. In this short story, Ren and Frederick have known one another for months now and have gotten closer. So close in fact, that Frederick has realized that he is not as straight as he thought he was and he definitely has feelings for Ren. But how can he tell Ren when he is sure Ren sees him as a friend and not his type. Ren has one weakness. He always falls for straight guys and Frederick has proven to be that and so much more. But he has noticed things changing a bit but is it in his head? Is he seeing what he wants to see? And soon Frederick starts to see signs that Ren may have feeling for him back, but how to make that happen? Well guess you will have to see! This was a cute and sweet story of some Christmas romance. I absolutely adored these two!

[Kathy Seabrease · Rating 5 out of 5]

Frederick was straight as an arrow, supposedly, when he met the whirlwind that is Ren in 'The Lost Fiancé. They were the total opposites of each other. As Ren grew on Frederick, Frederick was a goner. Feelings and needs were driving Frederick crazy, especially cause he was in the friend zone. Lucky for him Ren felt the same way. Their story was aggravating at one point that I wanted to scream.... Frederick was so upset discovering Ren was living in his car, but continued to let him do it . Even as a concerned friend, how could he let him continue, even for a short time? Thankfully, it didn't last and Ren was off the street. Their passion for each other grew quickly and they finally gave into their feelings and became a couple really fast... but when you know, you know. Wish their book was just a little longer... just couldn't get enough.

[Amanda-Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

❤️📚 Book Review: The Christmas Roommate by Ana Ashley 📚❤️

Ren and Frederick became fast friends after one crazy night. One might say, best friends. But what happens when they want even more?

This is a novella in the Spencer Brothers series world. I absolutely loved Ren and Frederick when they were introduced in the first book, The Lost Fiance Twist, so I was so excited to read their happily ever after. It is a sweet story of best friends to lovers. I love how well they care for each other and how nervous they were to break that strong bond if something went wrong. Their hea is just the sweetest. And there's a sprinkling of Christmas magic throughout. 😍🎄

If you loved the first book in the series, you'll adore this novella.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Audio: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶🌶

[Leanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aww!!! Fredrick and Ren are so adorable. The way they played the “no he can’t possibly be interested in me” game, made it so much sweeter when they finally admitted their feelings.

As a short story there is all the instalove, but not, since they met in The Lost Fiancé Twist. So while things happen very fast, with their previous history it’s much more palatable for me. I’m not typically a fan of the instalove trope, but it works here.

I think one of my favorite scenes is the family Christmas decorations. Talk about honoring the spirit of the holidays and bringing all the warm fuzzies.

I wish the book was longer, because I truly love these two characters together. I hope we see more of them in the rest of the Spencer Brother series.

[Elyxyz Elyxyz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una novella natalizia con poco meno di 100 pagine che mi ha conquistato!
La caratterizzazione frizzante di Ren si incastra a perfezione con l’animo generoso ma posato di Frederick.
Ren ha un sogno da inseguire ed è encomiabile il suo spirito di sacrificio, mentre Freddy accetta di non essere poi così tanto etero, come aveva detto a Emery nel primo libro.
Una commedia dolcissima, con la giusta dose di fraintendimenti e di UST che ribolle, perché i nostri testoni sono convinti che l’uno non ricambierà mai l’altro… quindi si accontentano di fare i migliori amici che dividono un appartamento… finché, per fortuna, la passione divampa.
Punto bonus per il cucciolo e le piante di Ren, che hanno il loro perché. Mi piacerebbe rileggerla tradotta, speriamo!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

**********Contains Spoilers**********

This is the second book/novella that I’ve read by Ana Ashley and it definitely wont be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this novella. We met Ren and Fredrick in the Lost Fiancé Twist (Spencer Brothers Series) Book 1. I thought they would eventually end up together while reading that book, as they just had some sort of spark even though Fredrick was adamant that he’s actually straight. They formed an unlikely friendship that turned into so much more. I thought that this was a short and sweet Christmas read. I’m looking forward to reading more books from Ana Ashley in the future. I’d definitely recommend this book and author to everyone.

[Wayne Blood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, Anna gave me the biggest and best holiday surprise of all: the two characters I disliked *immensely* in The Lost Fiancé Twist (Spencer Brother #1) got their own story and I FELL IN LOVE WITH THEM. This Odd Couple were absolutely delightful together. I used to poo-poo the Opposites Attract trope, but as I’ve gotten older (and hopefully more mature) I’ve seen it happen over and over in real life couples. I SO glad I’m a completist, and read every book in a series even if I don’t think I’m gonna like it, because this holiday romance is my favorite of the season. Bonus points for the author bringing in her family’s authentic Portuguese alegria da vida to the story.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

The blurb said this was a standalone, but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read The Lost Fiancé Twist first. I felt like this book started in the middle of Ren and Frederick's relationship.

Both guys were crazy about each other, but neither expressed their feelings. It got frustrating. And why in the world was Ren living in his car in the winter when Frederick was happy to have him stay with him?

Read December 9, 2024

[Shippie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm kinda conflicted on how I feel about this one.
I think the title is misleading. The Christmas aspect in this story is very minimal. It just happens to be around Christmas. I also would've liked the story to start waaaay before Freddy realized he likes Ren. There was just too big of a jump from where we saw them last in the first book. It felt so disconnected. The insta love also kinda fell flat for me. I honestly would've been fine if they hadn't gotten together in this book. This could've been its own in-between series from the main books.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible Review

Overall 3 out of 5 stars
Performance 4 out of 5 stars
Story 3 out of 5 stars

Cute
I'm not sure what else to say, other than this was a cute listen. Although I do have to mention that it made me sad to think of Ren sleeping in his car and Frederick not knowing about it. And it kind of made me mad that Ren was so stubborn to live out of his car instead of asking Frederick for help!

This is the first time I've seen Alexander Cendese credited as Alexander Gianni Cendese- what's that about???

[InsatiableSuccubooks]

This is the cutest little story ever!

I loved Ren The Lost Fiance Fiasco and honestly, his story is even better imo! He and Freddy are so cute, idiots in love who thankfully don't take too long to figure it out.

For a novella, it packs in a fun cast of supporting characters and tons of heartfelt moments, and even some spice!

I can't wait to get the audio, because this is definitely a new favorite!

[Shelley Chastagner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fredrick's inner monologue has him spinning in circles. His attraction to Ren is undeniable and watching him try to figure out how to move them from friends to boyfriends had me shaking my head. Ren does his best to keep Freddy in the friend category but his heart isn't getting the memo. This was a perfect Christmas story for a quiet winter day.
Highly recommended author.

Audiobook: the narrator was nice and clear