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My Roommate from Hell
"A hilarious and charming descent into love, fake dating, and actual Hell. I couldn't stop grinning." - Aiden Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys
A swoon-worthy YA rom com about an ambitious college student whose plans get derailed when he discovers his roommate is the prince of hell.
Owen is not going to college to have fun. Nothing is going to stop him from achieving his study hard, get a good job, and set himself up for the rest of his life. The last thing he needs is to have a loud, obnoxious, and infuriatingly hot roommate. Especially since said roommate just so happens to be the prince of hell.
Prince Zarmenus has come to Point University for the first-ever Earth/hell exchange program, and he's determined to make the most of it. Which may or may not include wild parties, bringing in random boys to his and Owen's room, and accidentally setting Owen's furniture on fire. Sparks fly (literally) as Owen and Zar clash, but Zar's actions threaten to not only ruin Owen's peaceful college life, but demon-human relations as well. To clean up his image, he asks Owen to be his fake boyfriend and teach him how to be a better human in exchange for an internship that will secure Owen’s future. That, and Zar will consider being a better roommate.
A deal is struck, and the two start pretending to be in a relationship where they each have agendas of their own. Only Owen has a secret—dating his mortal enemy, even if it’s fake, is the most fun he's ever had.
Charming and fun, My Roommate from Hell is a rom com with a magical twist. Think just one bed, but that bed is in hell, surrounded by fire and brimstone.
A swoon-worthy YA rom com about an ambitious college student whose plans get derailed when he discovers his roommate is the prince of hell.
Owen is not going to college to have fun. Nothing is going to stop him from achieving his study hard, get a good job, and set himself up for the rest of his life. The last thing he needs is to have a loud, obnoxious, and infuriatingly hot roommate. Especially since said roommate just so happens to be the prince of hell.
Prince Zarmenus has come to Point University for the first-ever Earth/hell exchange program, and he's determined to make the most of it. Which may or may not include wild parties, bringing in random boys to his and Owen's room, and accidentally setting Owen's furniture on fire. Sparks fly (literally) as Owen and Zar clash, but Zar's actions threaten to not only ruin Owen's peaceful college life, but demon-human relations as well. To clean up his image, he asks Owen to be his fake boyfriend and teach him how to be a better human in exchange for an internship that will secure Owen’s future. That, and Zar will consider being a better roommate.
A deal is struck, and the two start pretending to be in a relationship where they each have agendas of their own. Only Owen has a secret—dating his mortal enemy, even if it’s fake, is the most fun he's ever had.
Charming and fun, My Roommate from Hell is a rom com with a magical twist. Think just one bed, but that bed is in hell, surrounded by fire and brimstone.
352 pages, ebook
First published November 11, 2025
94 people are currently reading
14305 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 564 reviews
November 17, 2025
This has to be the funniest book I’ve ever read. From page one I was laughing out loud and this never happens. And it just got better from there. I’m not a funny books kinda girl, I prefer my books with tears and a side of trauma, but My Roommate From Hell came to me at the perfect time.
I have enjoyed almost all of Cale Dietrich's previous books but this one is on another level. I absolutely adored it.
We follow Owen as he goes off to college, the problem is his roommate is literally a prince of Hell. In this world scientists recently discovered Hell exists and humanity is doing its thing and hating what they don’t understand, so it’s really important to the university, and Zarmenus(said prince of Hell) that this goes as smoothly as possible to prove that demons aren’t inherently evil.
As you can expect this is a very funny read, but it goes way deeper than a simple romcom. The way it deals with prejudices is pretty clever, and very much needed in the times we live in. There’s also talking about change of plans from what you had envisioned for your future self, which is very important for the audience that is the target of the book, and making new friendships as well as maintaining old ones when life takes you elsewhere. The romance is also so good, I cried a little bit at the end because I didn’t want it to end.
This is such a great book, please give it a chance.
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC!
I have enjoyed almost all of Cale Dietrich's previous books but this one is on another level. I absolutely adored it.
We follow Owen as he goes off to college, the problem is his roommate is literally a prince of Hell. In this world scientists recently discovered Hell exists and humanity is doing its thing and hating what they don’t understand, so it’s really important to the university, and Zarmenus(said prince of Hell) that this goes as smoothly as possible to prove that demons aren’t inherently evil.
As you can expect this is a very funny read, but it goes way deeper than a simple romcom. The way it deals with prejudices is pretty clever, and very much needed in the times we live in. There’s also talking about change of plans from what you had envisioned for your future self, which is very important for the audience that is the target of the book, and making new friendships as well as maintaining old ones when life takes you elsewhere. The romance is also so good, I cried a little bit at the end because I didn’t want it to end.
This is such a great book, please give it a chance.
Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the ARC!
June 16, 2025
This young adult romantic comedy was such a fun and entertaining novel! It was heartfelt, lighthearted, emotional and hopeful. This book also comes with fantasy elements, which I loved! I felt that the author did a wonderful job at creating the plot of the story and I found it to be well executed. It is beautifully written and contains lovable characters. I felt like I related to the character Owen the best, because of his awkwardness and softness. This book is about two young college boy roommates that are completely opposite of one another. One of them likes to party, comes off as very annoying, loud and rude. The other roommate likes to study and work hard for his future. However, you can feel the chemistry develop between these two main characters.
These boys start off as enemies, then became lovers. They start a fake dating trope, for reasons of their own. This builds a strong bond between these opposites. Both the main characters and side characters really stood out in the book to me! Some of the themes explored in this book are opposites attract, acceptance and authenticity, first love and identity, and reality versus fantasy. This book is one of a kind, full of humor and a bit chaotic! Overall, I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Cale Dietrich and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this charming electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I think readers that love a great young adult romantic comedy, mixed in with some chaos, would really enjoy reading this book! Content warnings include bigotry, religion and kidnapping.
This book is expected to be published on November 11, 2025!
These boys start off as enemies, then became lovers. They start a fake dating trope, for reasons of their own. This builds a strong bond between these opposites. Both the main characters and side characters really stood out in the book to me! Some of the themes explored in this book are opposites attract, acceptance and authenticity, first love and identity, and reality versus fantasy. This book is one of a kind, full of humor and a bit chaotic! Overall, I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Cale Dietrich and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this charming electronic arc of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I think readers that love a great young adult romantic comedy, mixed in with some chaos, would really enjoy reading this book! Content warnings include bigotry, religion and kidnapping.
This book is expected to be published on November 11, 2025!
June 5, 2025
WAIT
this book was REALLY GOOD
which like?
honestly? I did NOT go in with high expectations
i was expecting a really cheap-ish rendition of a neil gaiman rom-com
and maybe that was what makes this book so good?
the bar was really low (so low it was in hell haha)
this book was actually so good
it had an amazing blend of memorable characters, new ideas, funny moments where all you can do is kick your feet and giggle, along with a plot that cheerfully meandered along and didn't take itself too seriously.
not to mention, there was no third act breakup.
!!!!NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP!!!!!
I REPEAT
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(is it appropriate to say thank god?)
The next time a book has a third act break up, I am going to light it on fire.
And i am very against the destruction of books.
geneuinly, this was so good.
the ideal read for when it is rainy and depressing outside.
(this book is fire) (sorry i had to say it)
highly recommend!!!!
this book was REALLY GOOD
which like?
honestly? I did NOT go in with high expectations
i was expecting a really cheap-ish rendition of a neil gaiman rom-com
and maybe that was what makes this book so good?
the bar was really low (so low it was in hell haha)
this book was actually so good
it had an amazing blend of memorable characters, new ideas, funny moments where all you can do is kick your feet and giggle, along with a plot that cheerfully meandered along and didn't take itself too seriously.
not to mention, there was no third act breakup.
!!!!NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP!!!!!
I REPEAT
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(is it appropriate to say thank god?)
The next time a book has a third act break up, I am going to light it on fire.
And i am very against the destruction of books.
geneuinly, this was so good.
the ideal read for when it is rainy and depressing outside.
(this book is fire) (sorry i had to say it)
highly recommend!!!!
January 6, 2026
Great fantasy and romance crossover. This is the 2nd book I've read from Cale Dietrich, and I appreciate and enjoy his character building and romantic tension. Several moments were super romantic and others began to get a little hot, no pun intended. Kept me interested and very much want to read more from the author.
September 30, 2025
1 Sentence Summary: It’s Owen’s first year of college, and of course he’s stuck rooming with Zarmenus, the literal prince of Hell, who is here as part of Earth and Hell’s first student exchange program; will Owen and Zarmenus be able to put aside their differences and become friends (and maybe more)?
My Thoughts: Okay, this was so weird, and I can’t decide if it was weird in a good way or a bad way. I don’t know, the whole thing about hell being an alternate dimension made literally no sense, and whenever they tried to make it sound all scientific I just cringed. Also, the demons have magic powers for some reason??
Also, I didn’t really love the characters or the romance, so I just wasn’t invested in the story at all. Owen was fine but not very interesting, and Zarmenus was just so annoying that I didn’t even want them to get together.
The idea was kind of cool and it was a fun read, just not my favorite.
Recommend to: Fans of fake-dating, college roommate romances, and demons.
(Warnings: swearing)
***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
My Thoughts: Okay, this was so weird, and I can’t decide if it was weird in a good way or a bad way. I don’t know, the whole thing about hell being an alternate dimension made literally no sense, and whenever they tried to make it sound all scientific I just cringed. Also, the demons have magic powers for some reason??
Also, I didn’t really love the characters or the romance, so I just wasn’t invested in the story at all. Owen was fine but not very interesting, and Zarmenus was just so annoying that I didn’t even want them to get together.
The idea was kind of cool and it was a fun read, just not my favorite.
Recommend to: Fans of fake-dating, college roommate romances, and demons.
(Warnings: swearing)
***
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review
November 1, 2025
rating: 4.25 ★
this was such a fun, cute read. owen is the adorable, anxious introvert trying to adjust to the change in his college plan when his best friend stays back home. he gets roomed with zarmenus, the charming, carefree prince of hell who’s finally experiencing a little freedom away from his controlling parents (you know, the king and queen of hell).
this totally embodied the experience of living w new people and trying to navigate those waters, along with the sudden freedom of identity when you go to college. there’s some fun tho pretty light obstacles while the two obviously have feelings for each other, but they work through them well together.
the world also feels more queernormative than our real one (sadly) as zarmenus being a demon is the bigger problem to some of society (weirdo cultists).
i blew through this in a day, it was so sweet and silly. I’ll def be picking up more by this author!
an honest arc review ♡
this was such a fun, cute read. owen is the adorable, anxious introvert trying to adjust to the change in his college plan when his best friend stays back home. he gets roomed with zarmenus, the charming, carefree prince of hell who’s finally experiencing a little freedom away from his controlling parents (you know, the king and queen of hell).
this totally embodied the experience of living w new people and trying to navigate those waters, along with the sudden freedom of identity when you go to college. there’s some fun tho pretty light obstacles while the two obviously have feelings for each other, but they work through them well together.
the world also feels more queernormative than our real one (sadly) as zarmenus being a demon is the bigger problem to some of society (weirdo cultists).
i blew through this in a day, it was so sweet and silly. I’ll def be picking up more by this author!
an honest arc review ♡
July 23, 2025
The premise is interesting; a student exchange program between Earth and Hell, but this book draggedddd so much that my eyes glazed over.🥱Not to mention the lack of communication between the MC's.
The first 40% is about Zarmenus causing a ruckus in him and Owen's shared room. He leaves clothes everywhere, lets food sit out, snores loudly, plays games loudly, has a cat (that Owen is allergic to), sets the room on fire, and brings guys over to hookup while Owen is sleeping.
And what does Owen say? "Oh, I'll deal with it tomorrow." ⁉️⁉️ You should've been on the phone with the RA like, yesterday.
Despite this, Owen makes excuse after excuse, saying he'll talk to him tomorrow or saying he's giving Zar one more chance, yet doesn't verbalize that with Zar. Eventually he cleans the room for Zar. Talk about being a doormat.🙄 All this to secure an internship if him and Zar get along. C'mon, communicating with your roommate is not going to lose you an internship. And if it does, there are plenty of other ones out there that aren't worth risking your mental and physical health!! I wanted to shake Owen by the shoulders and tell him to grow a backbone.
At one point Owen thinks, "I try to think of a solution to this. I shouldn’t have to feel like I’ve stepped on his toes instead of the other way around. He’s the one who is being a bad roommate. I’ve tried my best to come up with something that could work for both of us. I truly have."
Here's a crazy idea. You could try… talking to him?
I was more annoyed with Owen's lack of communication than I was with Zar's antics.
The last 60% is them fake dating, which was cute, but incredibly repetitive. The whole issue is that they're worried someone is going to discover them fake dating. They come up with a huge scheme about how to fool people into thinking they're a real couple. I promise you, colleges don't give a flying fuck who you date.
This is an upper YA book. I can't imagine a 17 year old reading this and not getting bored out of their mind.
It had good potential. It's a unique concept. And at least the cover art is intriguing🤷🏻♀️
1.5 ⭐
The first 40% is about Zarmenus causing a ruckus in him and Owen's shared room. He leaves clothes everywhere, lets food sit out, snores loudly, plays games loudly, has a cat (that Owen is allergic to), sets the room on fire, and brings guys over to hookup while Owen is sleeping.
And what does Owen say? "Oh, I'll deal with it tomorrow." ⁉️⁉️ You should've been on the phone with the RA like, yesterday.
Despite this, Owen makes excuse after excuse, saying he'll talk to him tomorrow or saying he's giving Zar one more chance, yet doesn't verbalize that with Zar. Eventually he cleans the room for Zar. Talk about being a doormat.🙄 All this to secure an internship if him and Zar get along. C'mon, communicating with your roommate is not going to lose you an internship. And if it does, there are plenty of other ones out there that aren't worth risking your mental and physical health!! I wanted to shake Owen by the shoulders and tell him to grow a backbone.
At one point Owen thinks, "I try to think of a solution to this. I shouldn’t have to feel like I’ve stepped on his toes instead of the other way around. He’s the one who is being a bad roommate. I’ve tried my best to come up with something that could work for both of us. I truly have."
Here's a crazy idea. You could try… talking to him?
I was more annoyed with Owen's lack of communication than I was with Zar's antics.
The last 60% is them fake dating, which was cute, but incredibly repetitive. The whole issue is that they're worried someone is going to discover them fake dating. They come up with a huge scheme about how to fool people into thinking they're a real couple. I promise you, colleges don't give a flying fuck who you date.
This is an upper YA book. I can't imagine a 17 year old reading this and not getting bored out of their mind.
It had good potential. It's a unique concept. And at least the cover art is intriguing🤷🏻♀️
1.5 ⭐
July 25, 2025
I’ve liked some of Cale Dietrich’s previous YA novels, and I love the cover of A Roommate from Hell. But somehow, this one didn’t pull me in the way I’d hoped. Zarmenus had some cinnamon roll moments, but I found him pretty selfish overall. With all his constant hooking up and Owen’s irritation in the first part of the story, I just didn’t feel much connection between them. Zarmenus shows a bit of magic, but aside from that, it felt like a regular YA romance. Don’t get me wrong, the story’s fine, but it just wasn’t enough for me to really fall in love with. Check out other reviews if you’re curious about this one.
Thank you, Wednesday Books and NetGalley, for this ARC!
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Thank you, Wednesday Books and NetGalley, for this ARC!
Follow me on Instagram
October 28, 2025
My Roommate from Hell
by Cale Dietrich
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for this gifted e-galley. This is my personal, honest review!
I’m old. The Killers being referred to as a “dad band” and the college party culture both reminded me that this is not my era, lol.
Owen starts university without his best friend as originally planned, but that’s okay. He’s focused on doing well so he can make a successful future for himself. But when Own shows up at school, he has a different roommate than he expected. And his new roommate happens to be the Prince If Hell. Turns out that Prince Zarmenus is really hot, but also a crappy roommate.
Will Owen enjoy his first semester, or will it be absolute hell on earth?
What I loved is how this book flips sexuality norms in such a refreshing way. About a third of the way through, I just started assuming all the characters were gay unless otherwise stated. At first I was struck by this, then realized this is probably how queer readers feel 90% of the time when reading fiction. Experiencing that flipped perspective was really cool!
Now for Owen… oof. I really disliked him in the beginning. He expected so much from Zarmenus without being a good communicator, especially when he knew that human culture was new to him. I just kept wishing he’d been more honest about his feelings and needs. Honestly, I felt bad for Zar.
That said, Owen’s growth throughout the semester felt genuine, and I liked him more by the end. I only wish we had gotten more development from Zar, because I love him so much and wanted more of what was going on in his brain. I also really adored Ashley and Owen’s relationship and wish there had been more of it! Honestly, while I absolutely adored this book, I just kept wanting more.
This story is a perfect blend of YA and NA—it has yearning, tension, and kissing, but nothing too mature for a younger YA audience. It’s cozy, campy, and exactly the kind of story my gay little heart would have cherished as a college freshman.
by Cale Dietrich
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 stars)
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for this gifted e-galley. This is my personal, honest review!
I’m old. The Killers being referred to as a “dad band” and the college party culture both reminded me that this is not my era, lol.
Owen starts university without his best friend as originally planned, but that’s okay. He’s focused on doing well so he can make a successful future for himself. But when Own shows up at school, he has a different roommate than he expected. And his new roommate happens to be the Prince If Hell. Turns out that Prince Zarmenus is really hot, but also a crappy roommate.
Will Owen enjoy his first semester, or will it be absolute hell on earth?
What I loved is how this book flips sexuality norms in such a refreshing way. About a third of the way through, I just started assuming all the characters were gay unless otherwise stated. At first I was struck by this, then realized this is probably how queer readers feel 90% of the time when reading fiction. Experiencing that flipped perspective was really cool!
Now for Owen… oof. I really disliked him in the beginning. He expected so much from Zarmenus without being a good communicator, especially when he knew that human culture was new to him. I just kept wishing he’d been more honest about his feelings and needs. Honestly, I felt bad for Zar.
That said, Owen’s growth throughout the semester felt genuine, and I liked him more by the end. I only wish we had gotten more development from Zar, because I love him so much and wanted more of what was going on in his brain. I also really adored Ashley and Owen’s relationship and wish there had been more of it! Honestly, while I absolutely adored this book, I just kept wanting more.
This story is a perfect blend of YA and NA—it has yearning, tension, and kissing, but nothing too mature for a younger YA audience. It’s cozy, campy, and exactly the kind of story my gay little heart would have cherished as a college freshman.
November 14, 2025
I love getting book recs from twitter. I'm a very easily influenced person, I know, but they help me get out of ruts and find something new.
so when I see someone talking about a book online that they really liked, I'm gonna read it
after this book though I will never take another rec again
I don't even know where to begin with this book, I mean, I hated pretty much everything about it.
Yes I know, it's a dumb ya romance novel and I shouldn't be taking it so seriously. I get it. I do this every time and every time I’m disappointed but I'm sorry for hoping for quality in my books.
The plot itself was fine, except for the fact that I refuse to believe that this was originally written to be set in college; the mental age of all the characters and general school behaviours felt more like this was supposed to be a boarding school type of deal.
My biggest gripe wasn't even the fanfic-esque writing, although that was painful.
The biggest problem with the book is the basic formatting of the writing.
Every other chapter felt like it followed the same three steps and it just made the writing seem so juvenile and boring.
Avoiding predictability in any romance is hard since most of the tropes have been done a thousand times before, it can be hard to make them feel new again, but whatever this book did is not the way.
thanks to netgalley and st martin’s press for the arc
so when I see someone talking about a book online that they really liked, I'm gonna read it
after this book though I will never take another rec again
I don't even know where to begin with this book, I mean, I hated pretty much everything about it.
Yes I know, it's a dumb ya romance novel and I shouldn't be taking it so seriously. I get it. I do this every time and every time I’m disappointed but I'm sorry for hoping for quality in my books.
The plot itself was fine, except for the fact that I refuse to believe that this was originally written to be set in college; the mental age of all the characters and general school behaviours felt more like this was supposed to be a boarding school type of deal.
My biggest gripe wasn't even the fanfic-esque writing, although that was painful.
The biggest problem with the book is the basic formatting of the writing.
Every other chapter felt like it followed the same three steps and it just made the writing seem so juvenile and boring.
Avoiding predictability in any romance is hard since most of the tropes have been done a thousand times before, it can be hard to make them feel new again, but whatever this book did is not the way.
thanks to netgalley and st martin’s press for the arc
November 10, 2025
E-ARC provided by Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much!
4 stars. Devilishly sweet and unexpectedly wholesome, My Roommate From Hell was a sweet YA contemporary romance that resonated with me in a way I was pleasantly surprised by.
4 stars. Devilishly sweet and unexpectedly wholesome, My Roommate From Hell was a sweet YA contemporary romance that resonated with me in a way I was pleasantly surprised by.
November 9, 2025
🔥 Bookish Thoughts
One of my favorite reads of the year! Owen and Zarmenus foreverrrr 🫶🏾
Owen was nerdy, adorable, and the ultimate overthinker, which made me love him even more. There were moments I wanted to shake him because he struggled so much with communicating, while Prince Zarmenus was clearly crushing from the start. For being the Prince of Hell, Zar was surprisingly down to earth! He was just a extra messy. I would’ve absolutely lost it over the chip crumbs. I did love that Owen made them a chore chart 🤣
I think this is a standalone, but I’d love to see it turn into a series. The glimpse we got of Hell’s world building was so fun, and I need more of Zar’s Queen Mom! She sounded like a total baddie.
🖤 What to Expect
• Human × demon
• College roommates
• Fake dating
• Opposites attract
• Prince of Hell MMC
• Cat dad 🥰
_ _ _
📖 Final Score: 5 stars
🎧 Audio Score: 5 stars
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo (Zach Barela)
📅 Pub Date: November 11, 2025
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.
One of my favorite reads of the year! Owen and Zarmenus foreverrrr 🫶🏾
Owen was nerdy, adorable, and the ultimate overthinker, which made me love him even more. There were moments I wanted to shake him because he struggled so much with communicating, while Prince Zarmenus was clearly crushing from the start. For being the Prince of Hell, Zar was surprisingly down to earth! He was just a extra messy. I would’ve absolutely lost it over the chip crumbs. I did love that Owen made them a chore chart 🤣
I think this is a standalone, but I’d love to see it turn into a series. The glimpse we got of Hell’s world building was so fun, and I need more of Zar’s Queen Mom! She sounded like a total baddie.
🖤 What to Expect
• Human × demon
• College roommates
• Fake dating
• Opposites attract
• Prince of Hell MMC
• Cat dad 🥰
_ _ _
📖 Final Score: 5 stars
🎧 Audio Score: 5 stars
🎙️ Narration Style: Solo (Zach Barela)
📅 Pub Date: November 11, 2025
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy. All thoughts are my own.
December 29, 2025
Sometimes I want a sweet and feel-good YA romance to make the entire world feel like a better place. Albeit, this is set at a fictional college and it is paranormal, but overall I felt like I could relate to a lot of the trials and tribulations of meeting a new person who also becomes your roommate, but they don’t have the same living-space respect that you do. It can feel like hell. In this case, his roommate is literally an exchange student from there.
Owen is going to Point University… alone. His best friend was accepted with him and they had planned to go together, but she went and got herself pregnant (by her longtime boyfriend). So he’ll have to make friends the old fashioned way. Lucky for him, meeting your roommate is like an easy icebreaker and opportunity to connect. In his case, which he didn’t know about before arriving, his roommate is the prince of Hell. Oh! And he’s also hot… as hell!?!
Zarmenus is a pretty boy and he knows it. He attracts all eyes when he walks into a room and not just because he’s mega famous. I mean hours after he starts a social media account, he already has millions of followers, which is kind of impressive. And while he is definitely Owen’s type, he doesn’t want to set himself up for failure.
The Dean brings Owen in to request that he make friends with Zarmenus and keep him happy. If all goes well and human/demon relations stay positive in the press, she promises him an internship with her friend at Google. So now he really needs to make it work between them. His future is riding on it.
The problem is… Zarmenus is a prince. He doesn’t know how to clean up after himself. He’s had those things taken care of for him his entire life. He also brings different boys over every night to hook up with when he thinks Owen is asleep. And to top it all off, he attracts strange… creatures. So different beings just pop up all the time.
What I loved about this story is how fun it was. At no point while reading this did I think this wasn’t meant for me to enjoy. I laughed throughout it and even got the fanny flutters when there were some romantic scenes. Not sex scenes, this is young adult!! But a romantic man that stands up to bullies for you who just happen to be the same people who WERE his “friends”, turning himself into a deliciously tall demon looking guy with fire and brimstone and big wings, offering to fly you back to your dorm and makes your insides quake, while also scaring you just a little bit and is just over all sweet and hot and HAWWWWWT! ***takes a breath*** Phew! Yeah! We love a romantic man!
Was this a perfect book? No, but I honestly didn’t care. Maybe I missed it, but wasn’t Owen allergic to cats? Was it explained why his allergies were just gone at some point? It didn’t bother me while I was reading atleast, now I want to know🫠.
Overall, it was a slay!
Thank you to the publisher for my gifted book and ALC. 🫶🏼
Owen is going to Point University… alone. His best friend was accepted with him and they had planned to go together, but she went and got herself pregnant (by her longtime boyfriend). So he’ll have to make friends the old fashioned way. Lucky for him, meeting your roommate is like an easy icebreaker and opportunity to connect. In his case, which he didn’t know about before arriving, his roommate is the prince of Hell. Oh! And he’s also hot… as hell!?!
Zarmenus is a pretty boy and he knows it. He attracts all eyes when he walks into a room and not just because he’s mega famous. I mean hours after he starts a social media account, he already has millions of followers, which is kind of impressive. And while he is definitely Owen’s type, he doesn’t want to set himself up for failure.
The Dean brings Owen in to request that he make friends with Zarmenus and keep him happy. If all goes well and human/demon relations stay positive in the press, she promises him an internship with her friend at Google. So now he really needs to make it work between them. His future is riding on it.
The problem is… Zarmenus is a prince. He doesn’t know how to clean up after himself. He’s had those things taken care of for him his entire life. He also brings different boys over every night to hook up with when he thinks Owen is asleep. And to top it all off, he attracts strange… creatures. So different beings just pop up all the time.
What I loved about this story is how fun it was. At no point while reading this did I think this wasn’t meant for me to enjoy. I laughed throughout it and even got the fanny flutters when there were some romantic scenes. Not sex scenes, this is young adult!! But a romantic man that stands up to bullies for you who just happen to be the same people who WERE his “friends”, turning himself into a deliciously tall demon looking guy with fire and brimstone and big wings, offering to fly you back to your dorm and makes your insides quake, while also scaring you just a little bit and is just over all sweet and hot and HAWWWWWT! ***takes a breath*** Phew! Yeah! We love a romantic man!
Was this a perfect book? No, but I honestly didn’t care. Maybe I missed it, but wasn’t Owen allergic to cats? Was it explained why his allergies were just gone at some point? It didn’t bother me while I was reading atleast, now I want to know🫠.
Overall, it was a slay!
Thank you to the publisher for my gifted book and ALC. 🫶🏼
August 19, 2025
Dedication: to Nicholas!
First sentence: the good thing about never getting your hopes up is that you’re rarely surprised.
Last sentence: Hell, yes.
For someone who has written 6 books, you think they’d be good at writing by now.
For someone who mentioned TED LASSO and THE TRAITORS, two things I very much love, in their acknowledgments, you’d think I’d very much love what they wrote.
But I don’t. The only thing good about this book is the book summary I read on Goodreads. Sorry, Cale, your writing reads like a Wattpad romance written by a 19 year old who thinks people’s memories are erased chapter to chapter. Seriously, why do we have a little “oh this just happened” sentence at the beginning of every chapter? I know what just happened. We don’t need to recap the last chapter at the beginning of the next chapter, this isn’t a stupid Netflix reality show.
I don’t need to go on, but I do. These characters are so flat, and had so much room to do something Interesting. THE PRINCE OF HELL?? IS YOUR ROOMMATE?? Be still my beating heart, this is SUCH a GREAT IDEA, and WOW I DESERVED MORE than a OMG I LIKE YOU romance. This is a slow burn that somehow has NO dramatic build-up, NO Thematic tension, and NO cute little work-your-way-up-from-enemies-to-omg-i-like-you moments. Any sort of tension or drama is solved within 3-4 sentences, like in a Wattpad romance.
“Hey [insert friend here], I think I like this guy, what do I do?”
“You should tell him how you feel.”
“Huh, you’re right, thanks friend. I’m going to go call my other friend now”
“Ok thanks, bye.”
“Hey Friend on the Phone, I like this guy. But it’s wrong.”
“Oh no. Tell him how you feel, he deserves to know.”
“Oh ok, that’s a good idea. Bye!”
“Bye!”
And like. That’s it. Truly, madly, deeply, that’s fucking it. I deserved a better book, honestly. Someone take this plot and write a better book because this one is blander than a bland thing that is so bland, it makes me feel bland.
Thanks Netgalley for giving me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my true feelings.
First sentence: the good thing about never getting your hopes up is that you’re rarely surprised.
Last sentence: Hell, yes.
For someone who has written 6 books, you think they’d be good at writing by now.
For someone who mentioned TED LASSO and THE TRAITORS, two things I very much love, in their acknowledgments, you’d think I’d very much love what they wrote.
But I don’t. The only thing good about this book is the book summary I read on Goodreads. Sorry, Cale, your writing reads like a Wattpad romance written by a 19 year old who thinks people’s memories are erased chapter to chapter. Seriously, why do we have a little “oh this just happened” sentence at the beginning of every chapter? I know what just happened. We don’t need to recap the last chapter at the beginning of the next chapter, this isn’t a stupid Netflix reality show.
I don’t need to go on, but I do. These characters are so flat, and had so much room to do something Interesting. THE PRINCE OF HELL?? IS YOUR ROOMMATE?? Be still my beating heart, this is SUCH a GREAT IDEA, and WOW I DESERVED MORE than a OMG I LIKE YOU romance. This is a slow burn that somehow has NO dramatic build-up, NO Thematic tension, and NO cute little work-your-way-up-from-enemies-to-omg-i-like-you moments. Any sort of tension or drama is solved within 3-4 sentences, like in a Wattpad romance.
“Hey [insert friend here], I think I like this guy, what do I do?”
“You should tell him how you feel.”
“Huh, you’re right, thanks friend. I’m going to go call my other friend now”
“Ok thanks, bye.”
“Hey Friend on the Phone, I like this guy. But it’s wrong.”
“Oh no. Tell him how you feel, he deserves to know.”
“Oh ok, that’s a good idea. Bye!”
“Bye!”
And like. That’s it. Truly, madly, deeply, that’s fucking it. I deserved a better book, honestly. Someone take this plot and write a better book because this one is blander than a bland thing that is so bland, it makes me feel bland.
Thanks Netgalley for giving me an advance copy of this book in exchange for my true feelings.
June 3, 2025
Owen Greene is determined to get a high paying job as a data scientist. His biggest priority is staying focused on his first-year studies at Point University. So, he's conflicted when his new roommate gets switched out with the prince of Hell.
Zarmenus Bloodletter is a demon from another dimension. He's taking part in an exchange program that's meant to promote peace with humans. All he wants to do is party, play video games, and hook-up with guys. Combine that with a few hellish mishaps, and he makes for a terrible roommate.
After too much bad publicity, Prince Zarmenus needs to clean up his act. The two come to an agreement, where a little fake dating gets them both what they want. But they aren’t expecting the sparks that follow.
🔥Upper Young Adult Fiction
😈Fantasy Rom-Com
🔥Human x Demon
😈Fake Dating
🔥Opposites Attract
'My Roommate from Hell' is a fun combination of silly, lighthearted, and sweet. Owen and Zarmenus are opposites that balance each other well. They have a lot of chemistry, layered with friendship and humour.
Zarmenus is easily my favourite character, setting up so many entertaining situations that made me laugh out loud. He’s very much a hellish roommate, even though a lot of it was unintentional.
Owen's social awkwardness is relatable. Especially his panic about how difficult it is to make new friends after the first week of school. It suited his personality as both a worrier and an optimist. He has a softness to him that made me think of the characters in 'Heartstopper’ by Alice Oseman.
My biggest complaint is that this book has too much narration. It dedicates a lot of time to Owen’s thoughts as he reflects on whatever dilemma is at hand. As a result, the pacing was affected, and this was longer than it needed to be. It also felt like a stretch to label this young adult, given the setting and some of the mature references.
All in all, this was an amusing romantic comedy with a cute premise.
Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Zarmenus Bloodletter is a demon from another dimension. He's taking part in an exchange program that's meant to promote peace with humans. All he wants to do is party, play video games, and hook-up with guys. Combine that with a few hellish mishaps, and he makes for a terrible roommate.
After too much bad publicity, Prince Zarmenus needs to clean up his act. The two come to an agreement, where a little fake dating gets them both what they want. But they aren’t expecting the sparks that follow.
🔥Upper Young Adult Fiction
😈Fantasy Rom-Com
🔥Human x Demon
😈Fake Dating
🔥Opposites Attract
'My Roommate from Hell' is a fun combination of silly, lighthearted, and sweet. Owen and Zarmenus are opposites that balance each other well. They have a lot of chemistry, layered with friendship and humour.
Zarmenus is easily my favourite character, setting up so many entertaining situations that made me laugh out loud. He’s very much a hellish roommate, even though a lot of it was unintentional.
Owen's social awkwardness is relatable. Especially his panic about how difficult it is to make new friends after the first week of school. It suited his personality as both a worrier and an optimist. He has a softness to him that made me think of the characters in 'Heartstopper’ by Alice Oseman.
My biggest complaint is that this book has too much narration. It dedicates a lot of time to Owen’s thoughts as he reflects on whatever dilemma is at hand. As a result, the pacing was affected, and this was longer than it needed to be. It also felt like a stretch to label this young adult, given the setting and some of the mature references.
All in all, this was an amusing romantic comedy with a cute premise.
Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Wednesday Books for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2025
You’ll know almost instantly if this one is for you - the first chapter will either hook or repel you. If you're looking for a light & entertaining read, this is a great option. It's not all fluff, but it is good-humored through its darker moments (which makes the angst much easier to digest). There are certainly clichés employed a few times, and the writing style can't be called "sophisticated" (whatever that means), but it is FUN.
Owen is incredibly relatable to those with social anxiety and low self-esteem. It was easy to see pieces of myself in him, and the author leans into that connection. He put him in situations that would no doubt terrify any anxious person - swarms of paparazzi, parties where you're not sure you're welcome, and the unforgettable experience of your roommate getting frisky in your dorm. When Owen flies up that emotional rollercoaster, you're strapped in beside him - including for the drop, however awful that may be. That shared emotional state brings out the nuances of his character and makes the storyline that much more captivating.
Zar, on the other hand, is a classic case of first impressions gone wrong. Initially, he seems like a selfish, party-loving demon with little regard for others. As the story moves forward, the reader gains insights that change that perspective; however disruptive his actions may be, they come from a good place. The added complexity to his character makes his relationship with Owen and human society in general more compelling. Basically: if you stick with it, you'll grow to love him.
Overall, this book is a great time. It's a nice, casual read that balances humor, emotion, and just enough supernatural elements for dynamic world building. If you're in the mood for a story that's both entertaining and emotionally resonant, give it a try.
Owen is incredibly relatable to those with social anxiety and low self-esteem. It was easy to see pieces of myself in him, and the author leans into that connection. He put him in situations that would no doubt terrify any anxious person - swarms of paparazzi, parties where you're not sure you're welcome, and the unforgettable experience of your roommate getting frisky in your dorm. When Owen flies up that emotional rollercoaster, you're strapped in beside him - including for the drop, however awful that may be. That shared emotional state brings out the nuances of his character and makes the storyline that much more captivating.
Zar, on the other hand, is a classic case of first impressions gone wrong. Initially, he seems like a selfish, party-loving demon with little regard for others. As the story moves forward, the reader gains insights that change that perspective; however disruptive his actions may be, they come from a good place. The added complexity to his character makes his relationship with Owen and human society in general more compelling. Basically: if you stick with it, you'll grow to love him.
Overall, this book is a great time. It's a nice, casual read that balances humor, emotion, and just enough supernatural elements for dynamic world building. If you're in the mood for a story that's both entertaining and emotionally resonant, give it a try.
October 30, 2025
*****Audio reread in October 2025 and the audio is absolutely fantastic. Zach Barela did an incredible job. I’m obsessed and can’t wait to listen to him read more books!****
Thanks so much @wednesdaybooks for the advanced copy to review!
Y’all - after having a kind of depressing few days, I really, really needed to laugh. This book delivered on that and so much more.
I genuinely had the best time reading this. So much in fact that I barely put the book down last night when I got home from coffee with my friend. I read about 40% in one go the night before and finished last night.
Owen is SO SO SO relatable to me. A late bloomer. Who wants a relationship to mean something. Kisses and touch means something to him. He’s just a genuinely good person who believes the best in others. I really felt like Cale was taking parts of me and putting them right into Owen’s character.
Zarmenus was such a great character. His arc was fantastic. He was so funny and dry and sweet and protective and just a cutie patootie!!!! I was rooting so hard for these two and some of my favorite moments were when Zarmenus could tell something was wrong and he just asked Owen to explain. I really loved their relationship.
This was fake dating done in the best way, and I really, really loved it. Can’t recommend this one highly enough.
Thanks for this story @calerdietrich
Thanks so much @wednesdaybooks for the advanced copy to review!
Y’all - after having a kind of depressing few days, I really, really needed to laugh. This book delivered on that and so much more.
I genuinely had the best time reading this. So much in fact that I barely put the book down last night when I got home from coffee with my friend. I read about 40% in one go the night before and finished last night.
Owen is SO SO SO relatable to me. A late bloomer. Who wants a relationship to mean something. Kisses and touch means something to him. He’s just a genuinely good person who believes the best in others. I really felt like Cale was taking parts of me and putting them right into Owen’s character.
Zarmenus was such a great character. His arc was fantastic. He was so funny and dry and sweet and protective and just a cutie patootie!!!! I was rooting so hard for these two and some of my favorite moments were when Zarmenus could tell something was wrong and he just asked Owen to explain. I really loved their relationship.
This was fake dating done in the best way, and I really, really loved it. Can’t recommend this one highly enough.
Thanks for this story @calerdietrich
June 7, 2025
“He is chaos, I am order. We make no sense.”
Cale Dietrich' MY ROOMMATE FROM HELL is a sinfully sweet YA mm romance between a gay-mer (Owen), and his terribly hot college roomie that also happens to be the Prince of hell (Zarmenus). I loved how this enemies to lovers, low stakes rom-com infused magical realism, and the concept of an exchange student from hell was quite fun. Zarmenus is one helluva hot devil with bulging biceps and Owen is one cutie-patootie, and this mismatch had me unexpectedly squeeing. Don't even get me started on Bell - the cutest lil' demon cat. If you like fake dating and colleges where everyone is seemingly queer, this one will check all your boxes.
Even though they're in college and this is technically new adult, this reads as very juvenile as the stakes are incredibly low. There's a terrible thing that happened to Owen the year prior, but once it's revealed I was like, "That's it?" It's YA so you get shirtless demons and cute kisses, but if you're expecting super spicy scenes then look elsewhere you perv! These two are super cute, but after reading so many adult romances, this seems like a glorified Disney channel original movie - that's not a bad thing mind you. Now I need a second book that follows them in hell. Please and thank you!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Cale Dietrich' MY ROOMMATE FROM HELL is a sinfully sweet YA mm romance between a gay-mer (Owen), and his terribly hot college roomie that also happens to be the Prince of hell (Zarmenus). I loved how this enemies to lovers, low stakes rom-com infused magical realism, and the concept of an exchange student from hell was quite fun. Zarmenus is one helluva hot devil with bulging biceps and Owen is one cutie-patootie, and this mismatch had me unexpectedly squeeing. Don't even get me started on Bell - the cutest lil' demon cat. If you like fake dating and colleges where everyone is seemingly queer, this one will check all your boxes.
Even though they're in college and this is technically new adult, this reads as very juvenile as the stakes are incredibly low. There's a terrible thing that happened to Owen the year prior, but once it's revealed I was like, "That's it?" It's YA so you get shirtless demons and cute kisses, but if you're expecting super spicy scenes then look elsewhere you perv! These two are super cute, but after reading so many adult romances, this seems like a glorified Disney channel original movie - that's not a bad thing mind you. Now I need a second book that follows them in hell. Please and thank you!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
December 9, 2025
This was a cute queer romance with a fun supernatural twist. I liked the demon parts, especially the cat, but it would have worked without it too. The focus was mostly on Owen as he crosses from child to adult and has to figure out how to be on his own for the first time and navigate crushing on his roommate.
I liked that besides the romance, there were also friendships forming, some good and some less so. It was nice also seeing the guys navigate college and being away from their parents.
Fun read for sure!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.
I liked that besides the romance, there were also friendships forming, some good and some less so. It was nice also seeing the guys navigate college and being away from their parents.
Fun read for sure!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for the copy.
December 24, 2025
My Roommate From Hell by Cale Dietrich is a hilarious, heartwarming YA paranormal romance about Owen Greene, a college freshman whose carefully planned life (good grades, scholarship success, and zero distractions) immediately unravels when he discovers his new roommate is Zarmenus Bloodletter, the Prince of Hell attending Point University as part of a rare Earth/hell exchange program.
Zar’s arrival brings accidental fires, wild parties, ghostly chaos, and demon‑spawn pets into their dorm room, threatening Owen’s peace and future plans along with fragile demon‑human relations. To save face (and potentially secure an internship that could shape his future), Zar proposes that Owen help him learn how to be a better human while pretending they’re fake‑dating, a deal that promises to be entertaining, messy, and somehow unforgettable.
What struck me most about this book is how joyfully inventive and heartfelt it feels even as it tosses demons, dorm life, and fake dating into the same cauldron. Owen’s earnest, anxious desire to stick to his purpose contrasts beautifully with Zar’s chaotic, rule‑breaking charm, creating banter and conflict that evolves into real emotional connection rather than instant love. The slow‑burn chemistry and quirky supernatural mishaps, like infernal pets and accidental ghost summoning add laugh‑out‑loud fun and genuine warmth to a story that also explores identity, belonging, and the uncertainty of college life.
Despite the fantastical premise, the emotions feel grounded: Owen’s awkward growth and Zar’s attempts to understand humanity make them endearing and layered characters. Reviewers praise it as a sweet, cozy romance with clever twists, queer representation, and a vivid voice that captures the highs and lows of early love and self‑discovery.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I’m giving My Roommate From Hell four stars because it delivers genuine laughs, richly developed characters, and a heartfelt fake‑dating story that blossoms into something tender and meaningful. Its paranormal elements are fun and creative without overshadowing Owen and Zar’s emotional journeys toward trust, vulnerability, and unexpected romance.
If you enjoy YA rom‑coms with supernatural flair, smart humor, and characters you’ll want to cheer for, this one feels like sitting down with a friend and sharing both the ridiculous and the real moments that make life (and love) unforgettable.
Zar’s arrival brings accidental fires, wild parties, ghostly chaos, and demon‑spawn pets into their dorm room, threatening Owen’s peace and future plans along with fragile demon‑human relations. To save face (and potentially secure an internship that could shape his future), Zar proposes that Owen help him learn how to be a better human while pretending they’re fake‑dating, a deal that promises to be entertaining, messy, and somehow unforgettable.
What struck me most about this book is how joyfully inventive and heartfelt it feels even as it tosses demons, dorm life, and fake dating into the same cauldron. Owen’s earnest, anxious desire to stick to his purpose contrasts beautifully with Zar’s chaotic, rule‑breaking charm, creating banter and conflict that evolves into real emotional connection rather than instant love. The slow‑burn chemistry and quirky supernatural mishaps, like infernal pets and accidental ghost summoning add laugh‑out‑loud fun and genuine warmth to a story that also explores identity, belonging, and the uncertainty of college life.
Despite the fantastical premise, the emotions feel grounded: Owen’s awkward growth and Zar’s attempts to understand humanity make them endearing and layered characters. Reviewers praise it as a sweet, cozy romance with clever twists, queer representation, and a vivid voice that captures the highs and lows of early love and self‑discovery.
My rating: 4 out of 5 stars. I’m giving My Roommate From Hell four stars because it delivers genuine laughs, richly developed characters, and a heartfelt fake‑dating story that blossoms into something tender and meaningful. Its paranormal elements are fun and creative without overshadowing Owen and Zar’s emotional journeys toward trust, vulnerability, and unexpected romance.
If you enjoy YA rom‑coms with supernatural flair, smart humor, and characters you’ll want to cheer for, this one feels like sitting down with a friend and sharing both the ridiculous and the real moments that make life (and love) unforgettable.
October 20, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
College is nothing like Owen expected, especially when he has the roommate from hell—literally.
This was such a silly and fun read, and absolutely what I needed to get me out of my reading funk. Thank you SMP + Wednesday Books for the arc 🫶🏻
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- college roomies
- he’s a literal prince from hell
- fake dating
- opposites attract
- demon cats, ghouls, and random eldritch horrors
- only one bed
College is nothing like Owen expected, especially when he has the roommate from hell—literally.
This was such a silly and fun read, and absolutely what I needed to get me out of my reading funk. Thank you SMP + Wednesday Books for the arc 🫶🏻
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧:
- college roomies
- he’s a literal prince from hell
- fake dating
- opposites attract
- demon cats, ghouls, and random eldritch horrors
- only one bed
October 29, 2025
In a fictional world where Hell is a newly discovered parallel universe, with all of the demons and eldritch horrors and ghouls that the fairytales of Hell present, a college campus becomes a boiling point for human-demon relations when the Prince of Hell comes to study for a term on a human/demon exchange program. And, unexpectedly, ends up rooming with the main character of this story.
I was excited to read this fluffy and swoony story in time for Halloween, but unfortunately found myself mostly disappointed. First of all, while the characters are technically 18+, this is very much a YA book, featuring fairly immature teenagers who are living on their own for the very first time and just figuring things out. Which isn't a problem in itself, but Owen's naive "never dated and never been kissed" persona felt just a bit out of touch with college students.
Mostly, this book suffered from all kinds of pacing issues. I found the beginning to be unnecessarily slow and drawn out. There is a fake dating plot that starts only about 40% of the way into the book, with very little interaction between the two romantic leads leading up to it. Most of the book instead consisted of a slice of life college overview with all of the minutia of dining halls, moving into a dorm, and making new friends where the two roomies barely even see each other. Owen, the narrator, is an extremely shy and anxious personality and we spend a lot of time in his head as he runs through every possible scenario before making a decision. Once they do start fake dating, the actual relationship is fairly rushed, with most of their one on one interactions glossed over in time skips, and the focus being all about how they present their fake relationship in public. This meant all of the yearning, pining, and "is this real" moments that I normally love in a fake dating plot are pretty much glossed over. Also there was a severe lack of "practice kissing" to be had 😏
With the slow pacing and combined with the rather low stakes presented, I frankly found most of the book to be rather boring. The audiobook wasn't much better as the narrator sounded fairly monotone for most of the book, so even the audiobook narrator sounded bored with this character and the source material. While the concept was cute and appealing, I'm mostly just happy to be done with this book and to be moving on to other reading.
Also, this has nothing to do with the plot and is my own personal pet peeve, but the STEM aspect of this could not be any less accurate. Owen is an "IT major" trying to get an internship at Google by getting a letter of recommendation from his dean (this really should've been Made Up Tech Company because the author clearly did not research the internship process at Google at all) and spends his time *writing essays* about various programming terms, for example: "I have to write an essay about Java, a programming language." If you're not going to do a bit of research, at least write what you know instead of whatever this is 🫣
Big thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the gifted ebook and audiobook advance review copies. While this book ultimately wasn't for me, I appreciate the opportunity to review it. As always, thoughts are my own.
I was excited to read this fluffy and swoony story in time for Halloween, but unfortunately found myself mostly disappointed. First of all, while the characters are technically 18+, this is very much a YA book, featuring fairly immature teenagers who are living on their own for the very first time and just figuring things out. Which isn't a problem in itself, but Owen's naive "never dated and never been kissed" persona felt just a bit out of touch with college students.
Mostly, this book suffered from all kinds of pacing issues. I found the beginning to be unnecessarily slow and drawn out. There is a fake dating plot that starts only about 40% of the way into the book, with very little interaction between the two romantic leads leading up to it. Most of the book instead consisted of a slice of life college overview with all of the minutia of dining halls, moving into a dorm, and making new friends where the two roomies barely even see each other. Owen, the narrator, is an extremely shy and anxious personality and we spend a lot of time in his head as he runs through every possible scenario before making a decision. Once they do start fake dating, the actual relationship is fairly rushed, with most of their one on one interactions glossed over in time skips, and the focus being all about how they present their fake relationship in public. This meant all of the yearning, pining, and "is this real" moments that I normally love in a fake dating plot are pretty much glossed over. Also there was a severe lack of "practice kissing" to be had 😏
With the slow pacing and combined with the rather low stakes presented, I frankly found most of the book to be rather boring. The audiobook wasn't much better as the narrator sounded fairly monotone for most of the book, so even the audiobook narrator sounded bored with this character and the source material. While the concept was cute and appealing, I'm mostly just happy to be done with this book and to be moving on to other reading.
Also, this has nothing to do with the plot and is my own personal pet peeve, but the STEM aspect of this could not be any less accurate. Owen is an "IT major" trying to get an internship at Google by getting a letter of recommendation from his dean (this really should've been Made Up Tech Company because the author clearly did not research the internship process at Google at all) and spends his time *writing essays* about various programming terms, for example: "I have to write an essay about Java, a programming language." If you're not going to do a bit of research, at least write what you know instead of whatever this is 🫣
Big thank you to St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the gifted ebook and audiobook advance review copies. While this book ultimately wasn't for me, I appreciate the opportunity to review it. As always, thoughts are my own.
July 16, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with this ARC!!
My Roommate from Hell is a fun rom-com that follows our MC, Owen, an ambitious college student, and Zarmenus, the prince of Hell. When Owen discovers that he'll be roommates with Zarmenus, he's understandably worried. Zarmenus's behavior threatens to ruin his image, so in hopes of keeping his reputation as a demon on Earth intact, he and Owen launch their fake relationship. With a potential internship on the line, Owen agrees to the deal and has more fun than he expects as Zarmenus's fake boyfriend.
This was a super fun read! As someone who has had their fair share of roommate issues, I found myself relating to Owen for the majority of this book. I think this would be a great read for new college students, as it accurately portrays some of the awkward and frustrating roommate moments (minus the magic, of course).
As much as I enjoyed this, I do think it was a little repetitive. Zarmenus would do something that would make Owen mad, and Owen would think about it over and over, decide he needs to do something about it, and still give Zarmenus more chances to redeem himself. This issue was resolved eventually, but it affected the pacing.
For a YA romance, this moved a bit slowly. I could see younger readers losing interest because there wasn't as much romance as I had initially expected. To me, this seemed like a result of the lack of chemistry between the two leads. I also wish all of the characters had a bit more depth, because that could have helped the romance move forward at a much quicker pace.
I still had a great time with this! The supernatural elements added a fun twist to the story and made it enjoyable and super cute. :)
edit: just received my arc copy from the GR giveaway!! Might have to reread it 🤭
My Roommate from Hell is a fun rom-com that follows our MC, Owen, an ambitious college student, and Zarmenus, the prince of Hell. When Owen discovers that he'll be roommates with Zarmenus, he's understandably worried. Zarmenus's behavior threatens to ruin his image, so in hopes of keeping his reputation as a demon on Earth intact, he and Owen launch their fake relationship. With a potential internship on the line, Owen agrees to the deal and has more fun than he expects as Zarmenus's fake boyfriend.
This was a super fun read! As someone who has had their fair share of roommate issues, I found myself relating to Owen for the majority of this book. I think this would be a great read for new college students, as it accurately portrays some of the awkward and frustrating roommate moments (minus the magic, of course).
As much as I enjoyed this, I do think it was a little repetitive. Zarmenus would do something that would make Owen mad, and Owen would think about it over and over, decide he needs to do something about it, and still give Zarmenus more chances to redeem himself. This issue was resolved eventually, but it affected the pacing.
For a YA romance, this moved a bit slowly. I could see younger readers losing interest because there wasn't as much romance as I had initially expected. To me, this seemed like a result of the lack of chemistry between the two leads. I also wish all of the characters had a bit more depth, because that could have helped the romance move forward at a much quicker pace.
I still had a great time with this! The supernatural elements added a fun twist to the story and made it enjoyable and super cute. :)
edit: just received my arc copy from the GR giveaway!! Might have to reread it 🤭
January 6, 2026
a good time for all
dnf
November 8, 2025I feel like half these college stories are written by people who didn’t attend college - not intelligence related, but social related. College isn’t high school yet it’s always like that in books 😂 Some small population where everybody knows everybody…like?? No. Just, no.
Anyway, DNF @26%
There was nothing inherently wrong with this, it’s just way too childish for two MCs in a college/university setting. Our resident demon was a bratty asshole (and not in a good way, just a self centred way) and our “nerd-loner” was a pushover.
Anyway, DNF @26%
There was nothing inherently wrong with this, it’s just way too childish for two MCs in a college/university setting. Our resident demon was a bratty asshole (and not in a good way, just a self centred way) and our “nerd-loner” was a pushover.
June 7, 2025
[Review Contains Spoilers]
"My Roommate from Hell" by Cale Dietrich is a hellish of a good read that I enjoyed. This is my first time reading something by Dietrich and he perfectly encapsulates how it feels to be a freshman in college and hardly knowing anyone. On top of that what it feels to have that first kiss moment or how confusing relationships can be when you don't know how the other person feels.
Now am I the target audience for this as a 32 year old gay man? I'd say sort of. It absolutely is more upper Young Adult (No smut here but some steamy kisses for sure) but with that being said I see so much myself in Owen. When you're already out but you go to college it almost feels like being in the closet again. Yes you're not afraid to tell people you're gay but there is still a sense of longing you have for people while also having the sense of being a fish out of water. I remember what it felt oh so well and Dietrich nails it with how he writes that from Owen's perspective.
Prince Zarmenus is up there on list of great book boyfriends for me. As the Prince of Hell I was fully expecting a broody, dark, mean asshole of a roommate for Owen, but I was so wrong. He genuinely cared for Owen even before the whole "Fake dating" happens. Him constantly checking on Owen and even calling him out when Owen lies about being "ok" was something that was so swoon-worthy.
Dietrich...I have an idea for the sequel...."My Boyfriend from Earth" but from Zar's point of view as they are in Hell now? I really need to know what Hell is like with the brief taste we got of it in the epilogue. Maybe Zar's ex comes to play...WHO KNOWS! 😜
Thank you to St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the ARC of this book. ✨
"My Roommate from Hell" by Cale Dietrich is a hellish of a good read that I enjoyed. This is my first time reading something by Dietrich and he perfectly encapsulates how it feels to be a freshman in college and hardly knowing anyone. On top of that what it feels to have that first kiss moment or how confusing relationships can be when you don't know how the other person feels.
Now am I the target audience for this as a 32 year old gay man? I'd say sort of. It absolutely is more upper Young Adult (No smut here but some steamy kisses for sure) but with that being said I see so much myself in Owen. When you're already out but you go to college it almost feels like being in the closet again. Yes you're not afraid to tell people you're gay but there is still a sense of longing you have for people while also having the sense of being a fish out of water. I remember what it felt oh so well and Dietrich nails it with how he writes that from Owen's perspective.
Prince Zarmenus is up there on list of great book boyfriends for me. As the Prince of Hell I was fully expecting a broody, dark, mean asshole of a roommate for Owen, but I was so wrong. He genuinely cared for Owen even before the whole "Fake dating" happens. Him constantly checking on Owen and even calling him out when Owen lies about being "ok" was something that was so swoon-worthy.
Dietrich...I have an idea for the sequel...."My Boyfriend from Earth" but from Zar's point of view as they are in Hell now? I really need to know what Hell is like with the brief taste we got of it in the epilogue. Maybe Zar's ex comes to play...WHO KNOWS! 😜
Thank you to St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the ARC of this book. ✨
August 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book. My Roommate from hell was a funny walk down memory lane for me filled with all the best tropes. Only one bed is actually only one dorm room, Fake dating to pull one over on people is chef kiss. The growth of characters was believable and adorable at times. The complications of rooming someone and trying to communicate needs and expectations in adult ways is 100% believable (god knows I had my share of hard moments with roomies).
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a cute cozy read as well as a walk down college memory lane. It's also. A great book for teens to see a glimpse of what college roommates and friend life can be. As well as the growth, the nerves of trying to communicate and the disbelief of people liking you.
10/10 can't wait to read this again.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a cute cozy read as well as a walk down college memory lane. It's also. A great book for teens to see a glimpse of what college roommates and friend life can be. As well as the growth, the nerves of trying to communicate and the disbelief of people liking you.
10/10 can't wait to read this again.
October 20, 2025
I don't usually read YA, so that could be why I didn't care for this. But. I felt like the two MCs didn't really have a ton of chemistry. Also the scope of what should have been a big deal (i.e. the prince of hell attending the first college ever in history) dragged down to weird local cultists and a school newspaper, not world headlines, which took me out of everything. It felt like it was doing the cool world aspect a disservice.
The narration was really good though, and the writing itself wasn't bad.
The narration was really good though, and the writing itself wasn't bad.
November 6, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Thank you so much to the Macmillan Early Listeners program for the opportunity to listen to this ALC!
In this YA rom-com, Owen discovers that his freshman year roommate is ~unique~. By unique, he is literally a demon named Zarmenus who is actually from hell.
The duo experiences normal roommate ups and downs: clothes on the floor, moldy food left all about, and even make out sessions while someone is trying to sleep. They also experience…less than normal roommate experiences like soul-eating cats, bathroom ghouls, and a creepy doll.
I really enjoyed the concept of this book. I think it opens up a lot of opportunity to explore a variety of themes and such. However, this is LONG for a YA romance. The first half of the book feels very slow and we meet a lot of minor characters very quickly. I can appreciate time being given for relationships to develop, but time was passing incredibly slowly for me as a reader despite the fact it was only about a week’s time in novel time.
I also wish that we would’ve understood the concept of hell a little bit better. It feels almost like throwaway reasoning for it to be another dimension. I totally believe that there would be issues with accepting inter-dimensional entities here on Earth…however the reasoning was absent from this book.
As an audiobook, I think the narrator does a very good job and it is very clear and easy to listen to. I typically listen at faster speeds and it remained very coherent and not at all chipmunky.
Overall, this is a fun book that I would feel very comfortable recommending to the teenagers in my life. I think it has a lot of good humor and is an interesting enough concept to keep them engaged. However, I just found it incredibly difficult to get through the first half of the novel with how slow the story was going.
Thank you so much to the Macmillan Early Listeners program for the opportunity to listen to this ALC!
In this YA rom-com, Owen discovers that his freshman year roommate is ~unique~. By unique, he is literally a demon named Zarmenus who is actually from hell.
The duo experiences normal roommate ups and downs: clothes on the floor, moldy food left all about, and even make out sessions while someone is trying to sleep. They also experience…less than normal roommate experiences like soul-eating cats, bathroom ghouls, and a creepy doll.
I really enjoyed the concept of this book. I think it opens up a lot of opportunity to explore a variety of themes and such. However, this is LONG for a YA romance. The first half of the book feels very slow and we meet a lot of minor characters very quickly. I can appreciate time being given for relationships to develop, but time was passing incredibly slowly for me as a reader despite the fact it was only about a week’s time in novel time.
I also wish that we would’ve understood the concept of hell a little bit better. It feels almost like throwaway reasoning for it to be another dimension. I totally believe that there would be issues with accepting inter-dimensional entities here on Earth…however the reasoning was absent from this book.
As an audiobook, I think the narrator does a very good job and it is very clear and easy to listen to. I typically listen at faster speeds and it remained very coherent and not at all chipmunky.
Overall, this is a fun book that I would feel very comfortable recommending to the teenagers in my life. I think it has a lot of good humor and is an interesting enough concept to keep them engaged. However, I just found it incredibly difficult to get through the first half of the novel with how slow the story was going.
October 24, 2025
4.5 Stars
This book was surprisingly fun! I wasn't particularly impressed with Dietrich's The Rules of Royalty, but this concept sounded fun enough for me to give it a chance. And I'm glad I did! It's campy. It's silly. And it deals with some very real roommate issues (lol). And I enjoyed every minute of it.
That's all I'll say for now, but I'll dig into more of what I loved in my full review, which will be available on November 21, 2025 at Gateway Reviews. Stop by if you get the chance, and don't hesitate to pick this one up if it sounds up your alley!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
This book was surprisingly fun! I wasn't particularly impressed with Dietrich's The Rules of Royalty, but this concept sounded fun enough for me to give it a chance. And I'm glad I did! It's campy. It's silly. And it deals with some very real roommate issues (lol). And I enjoyed every minute of it.
That's all I'll say for now, but I'll dig into more of what I loved in my full review, which will be available on November 21, 2025 at Gateway Reviews. Stop by if you get the chance, and don't hesitate to pick this one up if it sounds up your alley!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
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