Rival Roommate

Rival Roommate #1

by Milana Spencer

ARCHIE

Finally, I’ve made it to Halverton University. I was one of only two students from my high school to get into the prestigious university — the other being Taylor King, my arch-nemesis. Everything I did, Taylor did better. I was treasurer of the student council, he was president. I was a great striker on the soccer team, he was captain. I got good grades, he was valedictorian.

Whatever. I achieved my goals and got into the university of my choice. I’ll make great friends here, study hard, and maybe even lose my virginity. Sure, Taylor will be here too, but with luck, I’ll never run into him.

Then I find out he’s my dorm roommate.

It feels like the end of the world, but when Taylor suggests a sex competition to prove who’s better in bed, I see an opportunity to finally get one over him.

*

Rival Roommate is a smutty MM novella about two roommates attempting to one-up each other. Neither of them seem to realise their preoccupation with each other is rather…homo-erotic….

Genres: M M Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Novella, College, Romance, Forced Proximity, LGBT

68 pages, Unknown Binding

Published December 6, 2024

About the author

Milana Spencer writes steamy slow burn MM romance.

She's in her early twenties and has an existential crisis every other week. She lives in Australia and loves matcha lattes, cats and to-do lists.

Her favourite tropes include oblivious characters, friends to lovers, enemies to lovers and forced proximity.

Sign up to her email list via her website for latest updates about new books and giveaways!

Contact her via her website!

Reviews

[Pauline · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, that was weird.

This read like smut with novella ambitions - and failed on both accounts. Too much plot to just be steamy fun, but nowhere near enough depth or resolution to land as a satisfying story. This wasn’t rivals-to-lovers, this was rivals-to-confused-fucking-to-absolutely-nothing-at-all.

Is there a sequel in the works, because I’m still staring at the last page like, huh?!
Still, I was hooked by the set up and finished reading it. So a generous 3⭐️ it is?

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 3.5 stars ⭐️

There was no way Taylor was going to ask me to touch him. To run my hand up and down his defined stomach. To wrap my fingers around his hard, throbbing—

A hot little short story of gay chicken.
It did feel a little dub-con at times as Milana Spencer warns in the author’s note, with the whole ‘you’re my slave for the night’ thing, but it was still a sexy rivals to lovers novella.

“Be honest,” I said with a coy look. “You just want an excuse to touch me, don’t you?”

I would’ve liked a snippet of Taylor’s thoughts, ‘cause I just know that boy’s been pining for Archie for forever, but I still highly enjoyed this smutty piece with a sweet ending.

I stared back at him—at my rival, the person I hated most in the world. The person who was fucking me like he needed it, like he’d been waiting for it all his life.

And yes Milana, please give us a part two of these boys falling in love, I need more.

Tropes and NSFW info (spoilers):
- Rivals to lovers
- Queer awakening
- Virgin MC
- Slight dub-con
- College setting
- Roommates
- Strict top/bottom on page
- Frotting
- Nipple play

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars ☆

He was watching me now, eyes raking over me. I expected him to say something scathing, or to make fun of me, and when his lips twitched up into a smile, I readied myself.
“You look very pretty,” he said.
I stared for a few seconds, then scowled. “Don’t.”
He tilted his head “Don’t what?”
“Don’t make fun of me,” I said, glancing away.
He grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look up at him. His eyes were bright, almost…angry. “I’m not making fun of you. Everything I say tonight, I say with complete sincerity.”

reread: 04/06/2026
i read this for the first time the beginning of last year and originally rated it two stars but, upon reread, i don’t know why i did bc this was entertaining af?? unlike a few other books i’ve read by this author i rated two stars, i feel like the characters in this were more memorable lol. i think, back then, it was supposed to be just a standalone but i decided to reread after seeing it actually became a trilogy and i’ve heard good things about the next two books so i am excited to binge the other two. i’d have expected my past self to rate this 3 stars at least for the entertainment value alone bc nothing really made me mad the way books i rate 2 stars would? but anyways, some parts already had me giggling here and i can’t wait to read the relationship develop further now!! 🥹

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed the concept of this story and I would love to read more about these guys in their future.

I always love a rivals to lovers story, and the way this incorporated being challenged into acting on previously hidden feelings, or maybe even newly realised feelings and attraction, was really fun to read.

This definitely left me wanting more because the ending was kind of abrupt!

[lakshmi · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I just want to go to sleep in your bed, with you in my arms.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re mine,”


i just wanted a fun and smutty novella to cure boredom because the new releases aren’t doing anything for me 💗

[Gaby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two seemingly straight guys make a bet and end up having sex + feelings, nothing groundbreaking but still fun

[Mimi · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a "It's me, not the book" situation 🤷‍♀️
I really should learn to accept that some writing styles don't vibe with every reader and that that's OKAY
Really cool concept though!

[˗ˏˋ mckenna ˎˊ˗ · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun, spicy and kinky! as always with this author the writing felt very wattpad but i always have a good time with these stories regardless

[Lizva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot, smutty, short and sweet

[M ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know the book’s concept is ridiculous but it’s also so fun. I love the trope of rivals who hate each other but are also weirdly fixated on each other

Short read, finished in an evening in 1 sitting

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, this is not a full story. It was (is?) a newsletter bonus, novella length and the author calls it more smut than plot. And it stops before they actually TALK about feelings and use the L word (even like word, or the gay word when applied to himself at least from the only PoV we get, which is Archie's). But it was still adorable, Milana Spencer is the queen of oblivious PoV characters oblivious to being loved/wanted and show not tell about feelings.

I have complained about a few recent books about a lot of sex scenes and those being boring, and well, I am really not consistent at that (or scenes are written differently and with different purpose...), this is pretty much sex intensive, straight to the challenge and testing and rivalry, but maybe because the sex for them is a clue into their feelings, it was very far from boring..

The author puts trigger warnings, just in case about some people might perceive some of the scenes are dubious consent. Which is an excess of caution, but appreciated just the same - just in case, because the characters do play the "lose and become my slave for one night" game. I did not feel there was any uncertainty about the consent and quite loved how they kept checking what was OK with the other, though in realistic teen male ways...

Really charming, unexpectedly so - but it's not a full romance, more like a prequel and yeah, more smut than plot.

[Jack Harkness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margherita pizza, camboy, fluffy white rug, fluffy white towel, puppy scritches, KFC, DSM, gooey, not a monster, jail cell

Pure sm#t. Pardon me. Scratch that. Pure erotica. That's basically what this is. But, it's well-written erotica and I enjoyed it. The main setting is Room 407, Valentina Hall at Halverton University. There are fewer than five minor characters with very minor roles. After all, this is a novella and short in length; it's 88 Android Kindle app-pages long.

With roommate Taylor, things aren't what they seem. Archie, on the other hand, is going to be doing a whole lotta introspection.

[Alix · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a rivals to lovers story with MCs who knew each other in high school and then realize they have been matched as roommates in college. Archie has always had to compete with Taylor while growing up, whether it's who's the best jock or who's the best student. Somehow, Taylor always seems to edge him out. Now that he's at college, though, Archie is determined to live his best life. However, it turns out that Taylor isn't done competing with Archie. I love their sexy competition and the ways that Taylor tries to make things even/fair between them. I thought this was hot but also sweet and funny! HFN with a swoony moment at the end.

Reread because there's now a sequel, yay!

[briannasbooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rival Rommate, Rival Rematch & Rival Romance @milana.spencer
Did I wake up extra early so I could finish these? YES. They were hilarious and infuriating and cute and hot 😮‍💨🔥🙌🏻 Book one is a little weird with the initial competition but you roll with it and it gives you a cliffhanger. So you jump into book two which is giving all the yearning vibes....and slaps you with THAT cliffhanger. So of course you MUST read book three for these two lovable idiots to FINALLY figure their shit out and get their HEA!!! Archie and Taylor are hilarious and infuriating and cute and dumb and hot and I enjoyed these novellas so much!! Definitely recommend the trilogy if you need some feel good vibes 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[Malavika Salim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating-2.5
It was a guilty-pleasure read. I am a simp for the double bi-awakening trope, and this fulfilled it quite well. I would have rated it higher, but first, it was very short, so I didn’t quite connect with the characters or the story. Secondly, I was a little hurt by the way one of the characters was portrayed as being uncomfortable with feeling sad after missing his parents when he moved to college. I really want to read the next part, though—the cliffhanger is bugging me.

[Clari · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars
This was such a good novella of two roomies who insist they are rivals but really want to get each other in bed. As usual the pining from the ML is EXQUISITE. chefs kiss. I’m not giving this a higher rating because EXCUSE ME MILANA MISS MAAM what on earth was that ending 😭 😭 emotional blue balled fr

[Michael Armstead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hate you

Why did you end it like that. I’m crying on the bus and pretty sure everyone thinks I’m crazy. Come on that was so good just like all your work but I love this one. And hate you for ending it like that.

[A🦄🌻🌙 · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

This was a real hot and spicy lil novella. The antagonism between these boys made their “competitions” all the more hot and exciting. I soooo would love a bit more to get more scenes between these boys and their HEA

[James Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will give this a 3/5. It is nit a bad story at all. It is about a first time experience for at least one young man in college. The two men were rivals in high school and now are roommates in college. They end up having sex as a game. It is an interesting erotic story.

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two young men in University and sharing rooms just hate each other. Things get intense when they start to dare each other, then it gets a touch wild. Sorry to say it kind of bored me, it went on too much at times. It's a shortish story but I didn't finish it.

[Fabiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steamy, fun short read...

Queer awakening
Oblivious MC
Enemies - to lovers-? Want more!!!

Really would love to read more of Taylor and Archie!

[Jkirstyj · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this story i would love to hear more about Archie and Taylor and see how their relationship progresses.

[Fernanda Morsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tão bom e tão curto. Merecia um livro completo.

[⭐️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

YESSSSSS YEP SEQUEL PLS MILANA 🙇

[Bex Mae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Milana Spencer, how dare you leave me hanging like this.

[Vita · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I just want to go to sleep in your bed, with you in my arms.”
“Why?” “Because you’re mine,” he said, like that was answer enough. And for once, I didn’t argue with him.

[Toni K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short and sweet. I don't know how "I wanna see" is the sexiest thing. But it is.

[Shawn E Cox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Hot Story

This was a fairly short story, but it was very hot! I'll have to read some more of Milana's books. Her Easton Grammer series was excellent too 👏

[Tuna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cute, quick read.

[Oreeee🌹]

Meh