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Sharing Space #1-6
Sharing Space
It’s official: Chloe Brooks is having the worst week ever. Her roommate has just moved out with no notice, leaving Chloe little time to find a replacement. The pressure is on at work as she vies for a big promotion. And she just caught her boyfriend in bed with another woman. She doesn’t need any more complications, but that’s exactly what Chloe gets when Patrick Murphy shows up on her doorstep.
Life is good for Patrick Murphy. He has an agent who can help kickstart his acting career. His relationship with his best friends has never been tighter. And he’s saved up enough money to finally move into the city. Now if he can just find a place to live…
There are many reasons why they shouldn’t be together: They’re both focusing on their careers, Chloe is coming out of a nasty breakup, and is it ever a good idea to date your roommate?
Sharing Space was originally published as six separate contemporary romance novellas about an interracial couple who ignore all the reasons why they shouldn’t be together to focus on the one reason they should: love.
This complete collection features all six books plus an excerpt from Nina Perez's upcoming contemporary romance, Lily in the Middle.
Life is good for Patrick Murphy. He has an agent who can help kickstart his acting career. His relationship with his best friends has never been tighter. And he’s saved up enough money to finally move into the city. Now if he can just find a place to live…
There are many reasons why they shouldn’t be together: They’re both focusing on their careers, Chloe is coming out of a nasty breakup, and is it ever a good idea to date your roommate?
Sharing Space was originally published as six separate contemporary romance novellas about an interracial couple who ignore all the reasons why they shouldn’t be together to focus on the one reason they should: love.
This complete collection features all six books plus an excerpt from Nina Perez's upcoming contemporary romance, Lily in the Middle.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 8, 2014
6 people are currently reading
444 people want to read
About the author
Nina Perez
18 books142 followersNina Perez is the author of a YA series of books, "The Twin Prophecies," and a collection of essays titled, "Blog It Out, B*tch."
Her latest books, a contemporary romance 6-book series titled Sharing Space, are now available on Amazon.com for Kindle download.
She's also the founder of Project Fandom.com, a website devoted to pop culture from a geek's point of view, and co-host of their podcast, Podcast Fandom.
She has a degree in journalism, works in social media, lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves Peyton Manning. When not watching massive amounts of British television or writing, she is sketching plans to build her very own TARDIS.
She watches more television than anyone you know and she's totally fine with that.
You can contact her via:
Twitter - Twitter.com/AuthorNinaPerez
Facebook - Facebook.com/AuthorNinaPerez
Facebook - Facebook.com/ProjectFandom
Email - nina@projectfandom.com
Her latest books, a contemporary romance 6-book series titled Sharing Space, are now available on Amazon.com for Kindle download.
She's also the founder of Project Fandom.com, a website devoted to pop culture from a geek's point of view, and co-host of their podcast, Podcast Fandom.
She has a degree in journalism, works in social media, lives in Portland, Oregon, and loves Peyton Manning. When not watching massive amounts of British television or writing, she is sketching plans to build her very own TARDIS.
She watches more television than anyone you know and she's totally fine with that.
You can contact her via:
Twitter - Twitter.com/AuthorNinaPerez
Facebook - Facebook.com/AuthorNinaPerez
Facebook - Facebook.com/ProjectFandom
Email - nina@projectfandom.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 7, 2016
I read installments one, two, and three before finally deciding to just DNF it. While I liked the first book, I found that I was forcing myself to read the rest, which is never a good sign.
I found the first book to be really funny and liked it, but then the writing in the rest of the books I didn't like so much. I like watching scenes play out, but the author doesn't do that so much. In the third book, Slow Burn, Chloe and Patrick go on a date together. I was looking forward to them just interacting during that, but that's not what we got. Instead, you've got introspection on Chloe's end, concentrating on how her relationship with Patrick is progressing and how she hasn't dated a white guy before etc etc etc. I just wanted to read about them on their date together!
The book also lacks post-event scenes. What I mean by that is, when something important happens, the author tends to end it on a cliffy...before opening the next chapter or book at a later point. I think part of the enjoyment in reading, especially those game-changing scenes, is reading what happens afterwards. At the end of the first book, Chloe and Patrick have an almost-kiss...then the next book opens and it's only mentioned a ways in what happened. At the end of the second book, Chloe and Patrick do kiss...then the next book opens and it's mentioned that they ended it awkwardly and that Chloe's been avoiding Patrick for weeks. In the third book, they kiss again...and the next chapter opens with the author telling us that:
I don't want a recap of what's happened! I want it to actually happen as I'm reading. I really don't like it. While at the end of the first book it left me with anticipation, the remaining ones just left her annoyed, frustrated, and less than unimpressed.
The books also tend to concentrate and go into detail on stuff outside the relationship. The first one was about Chloe's ex, Lawrence, and her friendship, Myra. The second was about their respective families. Patrick's drama with his sister, Chloe, and his friends, Max and Paul, took up a lot of his time. Chloe's issues with her cousin, Crystal, and her relationship with Crystal's daughter, Brianna, took up most of her time. In the third book, the author further elaborates on a character she mentioned earlier, Kelly Kennedy, and we find out that she's Patrick's ex (and she takes up a good chunk of book #3). There's also stuff to do with Patrick's friends, Paul and Max.
The books just go into a lot of details about all these outside things and don't concentrate on the relationship as much. While we get an entire chapter dedicated to Patrick going to a Halloween parade in his hometown, we get a paragraph detailing the relationship development.
That's why I'm DNF'ing it 50% in. As I said earlier, I feel like I'm having to force myself through it. I don't like that the story goes here and there, concentrating very little on the couple. There are three books remaining, but there's still drama to go with Kelly, the OW, Patrick's family, Patrick's friends, Chloe's family, Chloe's friends, Chloe's job, etc etc...just a whole lot of other stuff, which I don't really care to read about.
I found the first book to be really funny and liked it, but then the writing in the rest of the books I didn't like so much. I like watching scenes play out, but the author doesn't do that so much. In the third book, Slow Burn, Chloe and Patrick go on a date together. I was looking forward to them just interacting during that, but that's not what we got. Instead, you've got introspection on Chloe's end, concentrating on how her relationship with Patrick is progressing and how she hasn't dated a white guy before etc etc etc. I just wanted to read about them on their date together!
The book also lacks post-event scenes. What I mean by that is, when something important happens, the author tends to end it on a cliffy...before opening the next chapter or book at a later point. I think part of the enjoyment in reading, especially those game-changing scenes, is reading what happens afterwards. At the end of the first book, Chloe and Patrick have an almost-kiss...then the next book opens and it's only mentioned a ways in what happened. At the end of the second book, Chloe and Patrick do kiss...then the next book opens and it's mentioned that they ended it awkwardly and that Chloe's been avoiding Patrick for weeks. In the third book, they kiss again...and the next chapter opens with the author telling us that:
We’d fallen into a very different kind of rhythm in the weeks following our date. We almost always had dinner together, and when we watched movies at home it always involved some kind of cuddling, kissing, or just plain touching.
I don't want a recap of what's happened! I want it to actually happen as I'm reading. I really don't like it. While at the end of the first book it left me with anticipation, the remaining ones just left her annoyed, frustrated, and less than unimpressed.
The books also tend to concentrate and go into detail on stuff outside the relationship. The first one was about Chloe's ex, Lawrence, and her friendship, Myra. The second was about their respective families. Patrick's drama with his sister, Chloe, and his friends, Max and Paul, took up a lot of his time. Chloe's issues with her cousin, Crystal, and her relationship with Crystal's daughter, Brianna, took up most of her time. In the third book, the author further elaborates on a character she mentioned earlier, Kelly Kennedy, and we find out that she's Patrick's ex (and she takes up a good chunk of book #3). There's also stuff to do with Patrick's friends, Paul and Max.
The books just go into a lot of details about all these outside things and don't concentrate on the relationship as much. While we get an entire chapter dedicated to Patrick going to a Halloween parade in his hometown, we get a paragraph detailing the relationship development.
That's why I'm DNF'ing it 50% in. As I said earlier, I feel like I'm having to force myself through it. I don't like that the story goes here and there, concentrating very little on the couple. There are three books remaining, but there's still drama to go with Kelly, the OW, Patrick's family, Patrick's friends, Chloe's family, Chloe's friends, Chloe's job, etc etc...just a whole lot of other stuff, which I don't really care to read about.
November 23, 2018
3. 5 ⭐️! I never would have picked this book in a million years...it doesn’t have a cover I’m drawn too and it’s a Romance, but I needed it for a book challenge.
It was actually a fun and refreshing change from my normal thriller/suspense reads! I guess you can’t always judge a book by its cover. It’s a quick and amusing read that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys Romance.
It was actually a fun and refreshing change from my normal thriller/suspense reads! I guess you can’t always judge a book by its cover. It’s a quick and amusing read that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys Romance.
May 23, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I love romances where we see the couple become friends and then lovers. This happens here.
The cultural adjustments of inter racial dating are compelling. There is a great deal of empathy for the wide range of the human conditions.
Most lovely is that the hero's and heroine's family and friend realtionship all play a key roles in the story...just like in real life. Career does as well. Becoming a new family mean intergradtion and serperation from existing bonds and this romance does wonderful work with those dynamics.
The hero and heroine both make mistakes and have some basic glitches in thier personailities that don't go away but that is okay. We love them anyway,
I wouldn't have read this book as a serial because I hate serials. LOL. I read all of this romance one pleasant evening and that is always a sign of an engrossing book.
I highly recommend this romance.
The cultural adjustments of inter racial dating are compelling. There is a great deal of empathy for the wide range of the human conditions.
Most lovely is that the hero's and heroine's family and friend realtionship all play a key roles in the story...just like in real life. Career does as well. Becoming a new family mean intergradtion and serperation from existing bonds and this romance does wonderful work with those dynamics.
The hero and heroine both make mistakes and have some basic glitches in thier personailities that don't go away but that is okay. We love them anyway,
I wouldn't have read this book as a serial because I hate serials. LOL. I read all of this romance one pleasant evening and that is always a sign of an engrossing book.
I highly recommend this romance.
March 9, 2014
4.5 Stars
Really sweet and entertaining read!
Really sweet and entertaining read!
October 20, 2014
This review was originally posted on Bibliodaze: http://bibliodaze.com/2014/03/review-...
I was first made aware of this book by a review by Ridley at Love in the Margins. What struck me most about her review was that she found the dialog realistic and the author’s voice memorable. Those are things that appeal to me as a reader, so I almost immediately snapped this book up. I do not regret it.
Originally serialized and now available as a bundle featuring all six novellas, Sharing Space is a low key romance. Chloe and Patrick’s love story resonates because its high and low points are relatable. It could be boring, but it’s not. The writing style makes it easy to care about Chloe and Patrick individually and as a couple. The story is told in the first person from both their points of view and their unique voices are established quickly through internal dialog and the way they speak. So I was along for the ride with Chloe and Patrick from their first meeting. I just loved the way they spoke to each other. As friends and later lovers, they made each other laugh, think and cry. In good times and bad they stood by each other. Whenever they fought, I found myself begging two fictional characters to work things out. It was also really hard to pick a side in any conflict, which is what so often happens in real life.
Both Chloe and Patrick are surrounded by loving families and friends. Patrick comes from a close knit Irish family and has six brothers and sisters. He also has two close childhood friends, Paul and Max. Chloe’s circle of friends and family is much smaller but no less close. She turns to her cousin Crystal for advice and her best friend Myra keeps her sane at work. All these characters do not simply function as a Greek chorus that comments on the status of Chloe and Patrick’s relationship. Almost all of them have their own arc, their own journey. No character, down to Chloe’s precocious niece, feels flat. I actually found myself wanting more from the side stories. I was particularly interested in Crystal welcoming the father of her daughter back into her life much to Chloe’s chagrin and Paul’s struggles with coming out to his friends and family.
All of this is not to say that the side characters do not affect the central romance. Two of the biggest conflicts in the book arise because Patrick’s mother and Myra loudly disapprove of the interracial relationship for very different reasons. Chloe and Patrick’s whirlwind romance does not exist in a vacuum.
I only felt pulled out of the story a few times. There’s a plot surrounding Patrick’s youngest sister Charlotte and a suspected drug problem. The way it is resolved felt over the top and abrupt to me. I also felt that the ending was a little too neat and tidy. The book handled the real conflicts that can arise in a relationship, particularly an interracial relationship, so deftly, the few stumbles really stood out. However, these problems did not keep me from enjoying the book as a whole. I recommend Sharing Space to anyone who loves sweet and sexy contemporary romance novels.
3.5 Stars
I was first made aware of this book by a review by Ridley at Love in the Margins. What struck me most about her review was that she found the dialog realistic and the author’s voice memorable. Those are things that appeal to me as a reader, so I almost immediately snapped this book up. I do not regret it.
Originally serialized and now available as a bundle featuring all six novellas, Sharing Space is a low key romance. Chloe and Patrick’s love story resonates because its high and low points are relatable. It could be boring, but it’s not. The writing style makes it easy to care about Chloe and Patrick individually and as a couple. The story is told in the first person from both their points of view and their unique voices are established quickly through internal dialog and the way they speak. So I was along for the ride with Chloe and Patrick from their first meeting. I just loved the way they spoke to each other. As friends and later lovers, they made each other laugh, think and cry. In good times and bad they stood by each other. Whenever they fought, I found myself begging two fictional characters to work things out. It was also really hard to pick a side in any conflict, which is what so often happens in real life.
Both Chloe and Patrick are surrounded by loving families and friends. Patrick comes from a close knit Irish family and has six brothers and sisters. He also has two close childhood friends, Paul and Max. Chloe’s circle of friends and family is much smaller but no less close. She turns to her cousin Crystal for advice and her best friend Myra keeps her sane at work. All these characters do not simply function as a Greek chorus that comments on the status of Chloe and Patrick’s relationship. Almost all of them have their own arc, their own journey. No character, down to Chloe’s precocious niece, feels flat. I actually found myself wanting more from the side stories. I was particularly interested in Crystal welcoming the father of her daughter back into her life much to Chloe’s chagrin and Paul’s struggles with coming out to his friends and family.
All of this is not to say that the side characters do not affect the central romance. Two of the biggest conflicts in the book arise because Patrick’s mother and Myra loudly disapprove of the interracial relationship for very different reasons. Chloe and Patrick’s whirlwind romance does not exist in a vacuum.
I only felt pulled out of the story a few times. There’s a plot surrounding Patrick’s youngest sister Charlotte and a suspected drug problem. The way it is resolved felt over the top and abrupt to me. I also felt that the ending was a little too neat and tidy. The book handled the real conflicts that can arise in a relationship, particularly an interracial relationship, so deftly, the few stumbles really stood out. However, these problems did not keep me from enjoying the book as a whole. I recommend Sharing Space to anyone who loves sweet and sexy contemporary romance novels.
3.5 Stars
May 15, 2015
Looking for a contemporary, interracial romance with emotional teeth and excellent characterization and writing? Then look no further than Sharing Space (The Complete Series) by Nina Perez.
This collection of six novellas centers on the budding romance between Chloe Brooks and Patrick Murphy.
Chloe is a marketing assistant at Manhattan’s Braxton and Lloyd Consulting Agency, who is having a bad day after discovering that her boyfriend of eight months, Lawrence, is cheating on her and that her roommate, Grace, is leaving her in a lurch by moving out suddenly to pursue a new life in California. As one of the few African-American professionals at Braxton and Lloyd, Chloe’s on the fast track up the corporate ladder but has not “made it” financially and is in desperate need of a new roommate to split the rent on her apartment. After weeding through an array of kooky applicants and against some reservation about having a male roommate, she chooses Patrick. Despite their obvious differences in backgrounds and social and professional circles, they slowly but surely develop a comfortable friendship and ultimate romance.
I’m glad I read the six novellas, i.e. Roommate Wanted, Family Ties, Slow Burn, Taking Chances, Winter Wishes and Before Forever, as a whole collection rather than separately, because at the end of each novella I was anxious to move on to the next. That’s just how well the author crafted the entire story. Chloe and Patrick’s journey to love is both compelling and relatable with family, career and interracial issues as potential roadblocks. Even the secondary characters are interesting and have their own character arcs without being a distraction from the central relationship between the hero and heroine.
I would definitely recommend this collection to anyone who loves sweet, funny, contemporary romance.
-Reviewed by Angela
This collection of six novellas centers on the budding romance between Chloe Brooks and Patrick Murphy.
Chloe is a marketing assistant at Manhattan’s Braxton and Lloyd Consulting Agency, who is having a bad day after discovering that her boyfriend of eight months, Lawrence, is cheating on her and that her roommate, Grace, is leaving her in a lurch by moving out suddenly to pursue a new life in California. As one of the few African-American professionals at Braxton and Lloyd, Chloe’s on the fast track up the corporate ladder but has not “made it” financially and is in desperate need of a new roommate to split the rent on her apartment. After weeding through an array of kooky applicants and against some reservation about having a male roommate, she chooses Patrick. Despite their obvious differences in backgrounds and social and professional circles, they slowly but surely develop a comfortable friendship and ultimate romance.
I’m glad I read the six novellas, i.e. Roommate Wanted, Family Ties, Slow Burn, Taking Chances, Winter Wishes and Before Forever, as a whole collection rather than separately, because at the end of each novella I was anxious to move on to the next. That’s just how well the author crafted the entire story. Chloe and Patrick’s journey to love is both compelling and relatable with family, career and interracial issues as potential roadblocks. Even the secondary characters are interesting and have their own character arcs without being a distraction from the central relationship between the hero and heroine.
I would definitely recommend this collection to anyone who loves sweet, funny, contemporary romance.
-Reviewed by Angela
January 12, 2016
I'm not even sure how to rate this one. 2.5 feels fair. I suppose I liked it overall. Yes. Overall I liked Sharing Spaces. I liked the sweet relationship and somewhat cheesy banter that sometimes happened between Chloe and Patrick. It was adorable. And then there were moments like this:
So cute, right? But, other than that, I wasn't too interested.
Patrick. I like Patrick. In fact, I looked forward to reading his POV because, most of the time, I found Chloe to be a rather unlikable character. She was boring and judgmental and, well, from the first chapter I already didn't want to be her friend. I mean, she had so many questions about important things that I feel like she was never able to answer and yet kept trucking forward as if she had.
So I don't know if it's because the book seemed to be mainly about Chloe, but I had trouble getting through it. I was bored. I don't know how else to describe it. Chloe's relationship with Myra seemed unrealistic and repetitive. Not to mention a little offensive as creating an "angry black woman" character seems to undermine the true struggles that black women face in a racially biased society. Myra was cheesy and annoying on so many levels.
Oh right and speaking of offensive, how about Chloe's assumption that her Italian landlord was in the mafia? Come on. Really? Do I even need to get into this? Just stop. It's overdone and it's not "fun" anymore.
Then there was the stuff going on with Chloe's job. This might just be me and my own naiveness but I could not bring myself to care whether she got a promotion, was fired, or hired back for "special" services. I understand that it's a part of the character development but there was so much detail I'm not sure I needed. I also couldn't really get into the story of Crystal and Jermaine.
On the flip side, Patrick had a lot going on in his life. What with his sister drama, his mother, his jobs, his two best friends he had a story I actually wanted to read. Which brings me to another aspect of this book that I truly enjoyed: Pat's relationship with his friends. It was awesome to see and fairly heartwarming.
And lastly, I kept expecting things to heat up during the sex scenes. After two or so held very little description and were mostly "kiss, kiss, rub, rub, fade to black" I settled in for more of these. I don't particularly mind them. But then I got to a scene where the whole deed was described and it was hilariously sad. I mean practically, "he pushed in, then out, then in again, then out again. It was fun." (Not a direct quote but you get the gist) They could have been doing mundane daily exercise routines for all I know! I could overlook this. I don't expect sex scenes to be everyone's strong point. But so much of the story bored me that having boring sex was like the tasteless cherry on top of the boring bland sundae.
Again, overall, this was a nice romance. Could be my ADHD flaring up but it simply didn't hold my attention.
She kissed me anyway then called over her shoulder as she turned to leave, “Are you coming home tonight?”
Before Chloe, I would have stayed on Long Island after the festivities. I would have slept at my parents’ house and spent the next day, Sunday, with my friends. But that was then. As I watched Chloe walk away, all long legs, perfect hips, and bouncing hair, I replied, “Absolutely.”
So cute, right? But, other than that, I wasn't too interested.
Patrick. I like Patrick. In fact, I looked forward to reading his POV because, most of the time, I found Chloe to be a rather unlikable character. She was boring and judgmental and, well, from the first chapter I already didn't want to be her friend. I mean, she had so many questions about important things that I feel like she was never able to answer and yet kept trucking forward as if she had.
So I don't know if it's because the book seemed to be mainly about Chloe, but I had trouble getting through it. I was bored. I don't know how else to describe it. Chloe's relationship with Myra seemed unrealistic and repetitive. Not to mention a little offensive as creating an "angry black woman" character seems to undermine the true struggles that black women face in a racially biased society. Myra was cheesy and annoying on so many levels.
Oh right and speaking of offensive, how about Chloe's assumption that her Italian landlord was in the mafia? Come on. Really? Do I even need to get into this? Just stop. It's overdone and it's not "fun" anymore.
Then there was the stuff going on with Chloe's job. This might just be me and my own naiveness but I could not bring myself to care whether she got a promotion, was fired, or hired back for "special" services. I understand that it's a part of the character development but there was so much detail I'm not sure I needed. I also couldn't really get into the story of Crystal and Jermaine.
On the flip side, Patrick had a lot going on in his life. What with his sister drama, his mother, his jobs, his two best friends he had a story I actually wanted to read. Which brings me to another aspect of this book that I truly enjoyed: Pat's relationship with his friends. It was awesome to see and fairly heartwarming.
And lastly, I kept expecting things to heat up during the sex scenes. After two or so held very little description and were mostly "kiss, kiss, rub, rub, fade to black" I settled in for more of these. I don't particularly mind them. But then I got to a scene where the whole deed was described and it was hilariously sad. I mean practically, "he pushed in, then out, then in again, then out again. It was fun." (Not a direct quote but you get the gist) They could have been doing mundane daily exercise routines for all I know! I could overlook this. I don't expect sex scenes to be everyone's strong point. But so much of the story bored me that having boring sex was like the tasteless cherry on top of the boring bland sundae.
Again, overall, this was a nice romance. Could be my ADHD flaring up but it simply didn't hold my attention.
August 3, 2019
DNF, this book symbolizes why I avoid bwwm books
April 21, 2014
I needed a palette cleanser before I went into my next book and thought something light and fun would be in order, so I picked this series. I saw a review of it on this website and in interested me enough to look it up...and it was cheap! My decision was made. lol
But this was a light and fun reading. I liked all the little details in the book that showed the author knew about the culture and regular speech/habits of the people she was writing about. The slang and even the rants given were very authentic sounding. So...because I am also and African American females...raised in NYC...I totally related to Chloe and her family. I understood her fears and why she reacted the way she did to certain situations. An interracial relationship comes with all kinds of issues, mainly from the outside (strangers looking, judging, family disapproval, but as a black females, there is also a lot of baggage that comes with dating outside of your race....especially with white males. One issue would be fetishization. I would assume this is the same of other WOC as well...that they treat you like you are some exotic adventure, or just a bit of fun before they get "serious" and settle down with someone " family appropriate." So WOC have to be really careful going into a relationship like this, you kind of gauge if the other party is in it for the right reasons. That he she is being REAL. There is a lot of faith and trust you have to put into something like that. Myra's situation is all too real of an experience for many as to the pitfalls of interracial dating, but so is Chloe's...once you find that right person. But you always fight that doubt: "are they ashamed of me" "are they brave enough not to care about the looks" "if their family disapprove will I be dropped?" All these bits of luggage comes along for the ride. So I thought the book showed the two sides pretty well.
And of course this is a romance, so there was a happy ending. And it was not all serious. There were laughs and joys just enough to temper some of the sad bits. It was good reading if you just want something light and fun and not to stressful. Romance, laughs, and a bit of sexy times. So my expectations were met.
Complaint: I would say Patrick. I was obviously getting into this head and world was a bit harder for the author, so I felt it was a bit flat and I did not “feel” him as much as Chloe. But not enough to throw me off completely.
Good experience overall.
But this was a light and fun reading. I liked all the little details in the book that showed the author knew about the culture and regular speech/habits of the people she was writing about. The slang and even the rants given were very authentic sounding. So...because I am also and African American females...raised in NYC...I totally related to Chloe and her family. I understood her fears and why she reacted the way she did to certain situations. An interracial relationship comes with all kinds of issues, mainly from the outside (strangers looking, judging, family disapproval, but as a black females, there is also a lot of baggage that comes with dating outside of your race....especially with white males. One issue would be fetishization. I would assume this is the same of other WOC as well...that they treat you like you are some exotic adventure, or just a bit of fun before they get "serious" and settle down with someone " family appropriate." So WOC have to be really careful going into a relationship like this, you kind of gauge if the other party is in it for the right reasons. That he she is being REAL. There is a lot of faith and trust you have to put into something like that. Myra's situation is all too real of an experience for many as to the pitfalls of interracial dating, but so is Chloe's...once you find that right person. But you always fight that doubt: "are they ashamed of me" "are they brave enough not to care about the looks" "if their family disapprove will I be dropped?" All these bits of luggage comes along for the ride. So I thought the book showed the two sides pretty well.
And of course this is a romance, so there was a happy ending. And it was not all serious. There were laughs and joys just enough to temper some of the sad bits. It was good reading if you just want something light and fun and not to stressful. Romance, laughs, and a bit of sexy times. So my expectations were met.
Complaint: I would say Patrick. I was obviously getting into this head and world was a bit harder for the author, so I felt it was a bit flat and I did not “feel” him as much as Chloe. But not enough to throw me off completely.
Good experience overall.
March 3, 2014
I'm quite glad this was available as a collected edition, I would never have picked it up otherwise. I kind of like the idea of serials, but don't have the patience to follow them as they are being published.
As a whole, I found the story to be believable even though I found the ending a little rushed and too neat. I enjoyed the protags taking their time developing a relationship and I especially liked how it started with friendship. The author didn't gloss over the difficulties a mixed couple would face but didn't get teach-y either. I'm glad that both characters had real friendships and decent family relationships, and that neither character was stereotyped and that the language didn't get too street. In much of the contemporary POC fiction I've picked up, I find the language to be a barrier. I'm a brown person, living in a major city and I don't speak that way and I find it frustrating when all of the characters do (this is not a fault only in POC fiction, look at how The Black Dagger Brotherhood series appropriates urban language). All of the characters here sounded authentic to their histories without turning into caricatures. The writing itself was competent if a bit straightforward.
I do want to point out though, for you non-New Yorkers, that 33rd Street and 7th Ave in Manhattan is not a residential street. It's right by Macy's, Penn Station, and Madison Square Garden. It's side street for a major shopping and business district. There are no lovely little brownstones and people playing with their kids and dogs. The author is from Brooklyn, so I don't know why she would put that in there.
As a whole, I found the story to be believable even though I found the ending a little rushed and too neat. I enjoyed the protags taking their time developing a relationship and I especially liked how it started with friendship. The author didn't gloss over the difficulties a mixed couple would face but didn't get teach-y either. I'm glad that both characters had real friendships and decent family relationships, and that neither character was stereotyped and that the language didn't get too street. In much of the contemporary POC fiction I've picked up, I find the language to be a barrier. I'm a brown person, living in a major city and I don't speak that way and I find it frustrating when all of the characters do (this is not a fault only in POC fiction, look at how The Black Dagger Brotherhood series appropriates urban language). All of the characters here sounded authentic to their histories without turning into caricatures. The writing itself was competent if a bit straightforward.
I do want to point out though, for you non-New Yorkers, that 33rd Street and 7th Ave in Manhattan is not a residential street. It's right by Macy's, Penn Station, and Madison Square Garden. It's side street for a major shopping and business district. There are no lovely little brownstones and people playing with their kids and dogs. The author is from Brooklyn, so I don't know why she would put that in there.
June 3, 2020
The Why: It explores the ups and downs of being in an interracial relationship.
Chloe: To walks in to have her best friend and roommate sleeping with her boyfriend. Kicking her out, she has to find a roommate fast. She goes through the process of crazy potential roommates and the only one is sane is Pat. But Pat is actually Patrick because of a simple email address. Soon they start to get to know each other and starts to like her roommate. That doesn't go without problems from her family and friends. I really wish Chloe wouldn't cared what people thought about her dating Patrick. I really wanted to slap her best friend with some of the things she said. It frustrated me that felt that people that about an interracial relationship. But made me realize that it still happens even in this day and age. I mean we are in 2016.
Patrick: He's about as surprised as Chloe when he accepts her offer to be her roommate. He needs this apartment since it's closer to his acting job. I loved Patrick, because he didn't care what people thought about him dating a person of color. The only thing mattered was the love he had for Chloe. He really stood up for her when his mom was so agasint them. He was so calm agasint Chloe's stubbornness and they balanced each other out.
Final Thoughts: I really wish I can get more of Chloe and Patrick. I love reading about these two and wished each book longer.
Chloe: To walks in to have her best friend and roommate sleeping with her boyfriend. Kicking her out, she has to find a roommate fast. She goes through the process of crazy potential roommates and the only one is sane is Pat. But Pat is actually Patrick because of a simple email address. Soon they start to get to know each other and starts to like her roommate. That doesn't go without problems from her family and friends. I really wish Chloe wouldn't cared what people thought about her dating Patrick. I really wanted to slap her best friend with some of the things she said. It frustrated me that felt that people that about an interracial relationship. But made me realize that it still happens even in this day and age. I mean we are in 2016.
Patrick: He's about as surprised as Chloe when he accepts her offer to be her roommate. He needs this apartment since it's closer to his acting job. I loved Patrick, because he didn't care what people thought about him dating a person of color. The only thing mattered was the love he had for Chloe. He really stood up for her when his mom was so agasint them. He was so calm agasint Chloe's stubbornness and they balanced each other out.
Final Thoughts: I really wish I can get more of Chloe and Patrick. I love reading about these two and wished each book longer.
March 26, 2014
3.5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book. I'm usually not so into "race is the conflict" IR romances, but sometimes it is a conflict and there's a good story to be told about that. It was funny, the characters were endearing, and the story was interesting.
I didn't love the ending, but it was still satisfying.
I really enjoyed this book. I'm usually not so into "race is the conflict" IR romances, but sometimes it is a conflict and there's a good story to be told about that. It was funny, the characters were endearing, and the story was interesting.
I didn't love the ending, but it was still satisfying.
April 14, 2018
I’ve had this series in my queue for. Ev. Er. and for one reason or another kept getting sidetracked from it. No longer!
This is a very sweet tale of love, friendship, family, and all the different dynamics therein (without all the extra-ness you’ve come to expect from romance novels). The characters were likeable, the story was relatable, and I really enjoyed sharing their journey. More Patrick & Chloe!!!
This is a very sweet tale of love, friendship, family, and all the different dynamics therein (without all the extra-ness you’ve come to expect from romance novels). The characters were likeable, the story was relatable, and I really enjoyed sharing their journey. More Patrick & Chloe!!!
October 17, 2021
I really enjoyed this series. The characters feel very real and grounded in reality. If you're looking for a light, happy escape then this is a very good choice.
April 14, 2021
I enjoyed the book. I love romances.
December 13, 2014
Good series : it's well written, the characters and the storylines are interesting. I even thought that's the kind of book that should be turn into tv shows...Like if Hollywood was anything but a white privileged place...
But let's not get carried away and get back to this very good series.
The thing I liked most is that the characters are not too romance novel style EXTRA. Like she is so so teeny tiny and he is so so big and giant. Or she is so so feisty and he is so so ALPHA ! It was so refreshing to NOT have yet another romance where the big giant male lead is written ad nauseum as being ALPHA (in and out of bed) and where the "tiny yet curvy in all the right places" black female lead learns to "submit" and to love being dominated (in and out of bed). I liked Chloe : she was interesting and funny. I liked how she liked her job and was good at it. I would have liked to read more about it actually : to read about her handling big cases, and all. I liked that Patrick was a good guy, and sexy, and sensitive, and smart and all. He didn't came off as too perfect either.
I was surprised how the Charlotte situation got handled : I thought it would be neatly warped up as "college experience" and they have her grow out of it. I didn't think it was an easy choice but it kind of worked (even though the timing of the way things happened afterwards felt a bit odd, especially regarding how Patrick reacted)
There are a few disappointing things, though. First : the "angry black best/girlfriend" that get explained by yet another interracial lost love. I don't think Myra was being too much when she talked about white people and racism in the work place or in general, but the writing made her look and sound bad. Having Chloe wondering "why oh why would Myra distrust white people so much" and then have it resolved by that college interracial romance was not only a let down but mildly insulting. It's like : oh yeah, SOME white people may be racist here and there but there is really NO reason to distrust the system, and it's all about in her head or just 'cause she's got her heart heartbroken. Same for the way Patrick's mom reaction was handled : I felt like it was a bit of a cop out to try and explain that she wasn't really racist racist. Like, are you for real, Chloe? I think Myra was a bit wasted on this regard.
Also, I think the secondary characters would have benefited from deeper characterization. I would have loved to learn more about them.
The pacing of the relation was sometimes not very clear. The ending was a bit predictable and disappointing too.
But apart from those, it's a very good read.
But let's not get carried away and get back to this very good series.
The thing I liked most is that the characters are not too romance novel style EXTRA. Like she is so so teeny tiny and he is so so big and giant. Or she is so so feisty and he is so so ALPHA ! It was so refreshing to NOT have yet another romance where the big giant male lead is written ad nauseum as being ALPHA (in and out of bed) and where the "tiny yet curvy in all the right places" black female lead learns to "submit" and to love being dominated (in and out of bed). I liked Chloe : she was interesting and funny. I liked how she liked her job and was good at it. I would have liked to read more about it actually : to read about her handling big cases, and all. I liked that Patrick was a good guy, and sexy, and sensitive, and smart and all. He didn't came off as too perfect either.
I was surprised how the Charlotte situation got handled : I thought it would be neatly warped up as "college experience" and they have her grow out of it. I didn't think it was an easy choice but it kind of worked (even though the timing of the way things happened afterwards felt a bit odd, especially regarding how Patrick reacted)
There are a few disappointing things, though. First : the "angry black best/girlfriend" that get explained by yet another interracial lost love. I don't think Myra was being too much when she talked about white people and racism in the work place or in general, but the writing made her look and sound bad. Having Chloe wondering "why oh why would Myra distrust white people so much" and then have it resolved by that college interracial romance was not only a let down but mildly insulting. It's like : oh yeah, SOME white people may be racist here and there but there is really NO reason to distrust the system, and it's all about in her head or just 'cause she's got her heart heartbroken. Same for the way Patrick's mom reaction was handled : I felt like it was a bit of a cop out to try and explain that she wasn't really racist racist. Like, are you for real, Chloe? I think Myra was a bit wasted on this regard.
Also, I think the secondary characters would have benefited from deeper characterization. I would have loved to learn more about them.
The pacing of the relation was sometimes not very clear. The ending was a bit predictable and disappointing too.
But apart from those, it's a very good read.
August 25, 2015
3,5 stars
This was a good, cute read. I think the way the interracial relationship was handled was realistic and funny.
What did I not like so much?
*I did skim some of the family/friends talk. It was good that the secondary characters were fleshed out so much, but sometimes I just wanted to go to the 'good parts' with Patrick and Chloe.
*I would have loved to had more of a sexual tension build up before they gave in to the relationship. I love that part of the story and it seemed as if this one was over before it began.
*I get that with the way the story was released in six different novels there had to be a hook to keep on reading, but sometimes it was a bit jarring to get to a cliffhanger that was addressed so late and little in the next chapter. Like for instance there is a cliffhanger about a kiss and you keep on reading breathless, but in the next chapter it is mentioned very casually.
What did i like?
Well it was funny. I liked the references to the main stream culture, but wonder if the book will hold up in a few years when Selena Gomez is not popular any more.
I wanted more after ending the series. How would they handle the upcoming challenges? But that is the mark of a good ending, leave them satisfied but wanting more (if that contradictory statement is possible).
I loved that Patrick was not a super Alpha who will dominate the submissive Chloe. It seems to me that every book I have read recently has that theme. I get it, fifty shades was a revelation for some people, but not every book has to be that way and certainly not every relationship is that way.
So, a nice refreshing read with hot sexy times.
This was a good, cute read. I think the way the interracial relationship was handled was realistic and funny.
What did I not like so much?
*I did skim some of the family/friends talk. It was good that the secondary characters were fleshed out so much, but sometimes I just wanted to go to the 'good parts' with Patrick and Chloe.
*I would have loved to had more of a sexual tension build up before they gave in to the relationship. I love that part of the story and it seemed as if this one was over before it began.
*I get that with the way the story was released in six different novels there had to be a hook to keep on reading, but sometimes it was a bit jarring to get to a cliffhanger that was addressed so late and little in the next chapter. Like for instance there is a cliffhanger about a kiss and you keep on reading breathless, but in the next chapter it is mentioned very casually.
What did i like?
Well it was funny. I liked the references to the main stream culture, but wonder if the book will hold up in a few years when Selena Gomez is not popular any more.
I wanted more after ending the series. How would they handle the upcoming challenges? But that is the mark of a good ending, leave them satisfied but wanting more (if that contradictory statement is possible).
I loved that Patrick was not a super Alpha who will dominate the submissive Chloe. It seems to me that every book I have read recently has that theme. I get it, fifty shades was a revelation for some people, but not every book has to be that way and certainly not every relationship is that way.
So, a nice refreshing read with hot sexy times.
February 20, 2014
If you asked, I would tell you that I hate romance novels and I hate short stories. But something about this series caught my attention, so I gave it a shot. I'm so glad I did because I absolutely fell in love with these characters and I found myself rooting for them.
While most romance novels are so predictable and mundane, this series kept you on your toes and eager to see what was coming next. Not to mention, the love scenes were just the right amount of spicy, descriptive and believable to have you blushing and squirming in your seat!
Some characters just made you love them, while others made you want to reach through the pages and choke them out. By the end of the series, I felt I knew these people and rejoiced at their joy and mourned at their sorrow. The only negative I can say is that it's over and we won't know what is to come for Chloe and Patrick. Here's to hoping that there's a sequel to this wonderful series!
While most romance novels are so predictable and mundane, this series kept you on your toes and eager to see what was coming next. Not to mention, the love scenes were just the right amount of spicy, descriptive and believable to have you blushing and squirming in your seat!
Some characters just made you love them, while others made you want to reach through the pages and choke them out. By the end of the series, I felt I knew these people and rejoiced at their joy and mourned at their sorrow. The only negative I can say is that it's over and we won't know what is to come for Chloe and Patrick. Here's to hoping that there's a sequel to this wonderful series!
January 25, 2014
I loved this book. It was definitely realistic in it's portrayal of BW/WM romantic relationships. Even though it's the 21st century people will still have their beliefs. Chloe's friends' issues with white people made more sense. It was especially sad what happened to Patricks' family. It wasn't all everyone is singing kumbaya about Chloe and Patricks' relationship but it showed that both character's loved their families. Patrick wasn't cliché and not talking to his family b/c one member didn't approve of his relationship. Him not telling his parents though that his girlfriend was black was kind of out of fear but he still was a good guy in the end. I loved the series and I'm so glad it popped up on my Amazon b/c I now own the full series in paperback and the Kindle. Nina Perez is awesome.
December 11, 2016
I truly enjoyed this series. If you are looking for hot steamy sex, keep moving. This is a love story with a couple of tame sex scenes included. This is a 6 book series of novellas focused on Chloe, a beautiful, smart and very likable African American lady in her 20s and Patrick, a tall, handsome Irish wanna be actor from Long Island.
They start as roommates, build their friendship and eventually fall in love. The story takes you step by step with a couple of twists and turns to make it that more interesting. There was a part that made me want to throw my Kindle across the room. That Kelley chick worked my nerves. I thought I was going to have to write Patrick off, but he redeemed himself.
As always, I love a good HEA! I highly recommend this series. 4/5 Stars.
They start as roommates, build their friendship and eventually fall in love. The story takes you step by step with a couple of twists and turns to make it that more interesting. There was a part that made me want to throw my Kindle across the room. That Kelley chick worked my nerves. I thought I was going to have to write Patrick off, but he redeemed himself.
As always, I love a good HEA! I highly recommend this series. 4/5 Stars.
March 24, 2015
The Sharing Spaces series is a fun and unexpectedly moving series. The main characters Chloe and Patrick and fully realized with great humor and complications. The story evolves naturally and the author gives a fun feel to a lot of the situations. However, the author does not wash over the issue of race relations. It is a central theme in the book and I am glad that it is. The book also had some very deep and dark tragedy in the book that I was not expecting. I think this made the book more well rounded. There were some spots that I felt the miscommunication between the main characters was a little out of focus but all in all I liked this book.
January 16, 2014
I am not big on reading Romance, but I really enjoyed this one. The characters were very real, and I could picture every scene vividly. I was all for Patrick and Chloe from the beginning. Watching their budding romance, and the challenges they faced as a result of that, was a fun ride. There were were parts that made me giggle and parts that were heartbreaking. The development of minor characters was interesting as well, but did not take away from the story, or distract from the main theme. You just came to love and know them all.
January 30, 2014
I enjoyed the series completely. I bought the first book and sped right through it. I knew I had to read the rest of the series and bought the collection. It took 2 days to get through because of minor annoyances, sleeping, eating, etc. I love every second of this series, the toll it takes on not just the people in the relationship but the surrounding family members and friends. It touched my heart and I would recommend this to anyone who likes humor, emotion and family with their romance stories. It's a terrific read.
December 4, 2015
Thank you Nina Perez for sharing such a beautiful and realistic story! Being half of an interracial couple myself, I could related to everything this story offered. The roller coaster of emotions, opinions, and stereotypes are very real in society and this story provided such a realistic look at the current dynamic in society. I'm so sad the story ended, I'll miss Patrick and Chloe. They were such a fun couple to learn and take this journey with but I know if I want to know how it all really turns out all I have to do is look at my own relationship to know that they have a HEA!
June 13, 2014
This book was really good! I felt like I could relate to it as far as with her trying to find a roommate as I remember having to go through that as well. I love the author's writing style and felt that the story had a great amount of conflict and I loved the chemistry between between the couple! I am very happy that I won this book through Goodreads First Reads Giveaway and I look forward to reading other books from this author!
January 19, 2014
Absolutely wonderful. The author created a group of characters I loved and cared about in six short books. She deftly covered the trials and tribulations of interracial relationships - problems with friends, family, society! Look forward to her summer 2014 release. Yayyy!! A new author who is now an autobuy.
March 10, 2014
Five novellas packaged as one. Hero and heroine are very likeable. Great plot of roommates then friends and eventually lovers. Nice love scenes nothing explicit. A really quick fast read that you will enjoy reading over and over.
March 13, 2014
Good read!
Good read!
I think the author's comments at the end of the book explains it all. People really don't know the that the love two people share is not bounded by the color of their skin. This book makes it clear!
Good read!
I think the author's comments at the end of the book explains it all. People really don't know the that the love two people share is not bounded by the color of their skin. This book makes it clear!
April 1, 2016
Enjoyed this boxed set very much, since I couldn't put the series down, it was great to get to the next book without waiting. Loved the chemistry between Chloe and Patrick and how their relationship grew, still needed some maturity but the love was there to get them back to where they needed to be.
February 2, 2014
Rating: 3.5 stars
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