The Roommate Rule

by Georgia Stone

"I am categorically not the kind of person who would spend six weeks living with a man I've only met once. A whole year ago. For approximately two minutes. During which he spent the entirety of our conversation drunkenly giving me The Eyes and calling me Ellen."

Dylan likes to know exactly where things are going. With her career, her family, her relationship, and, well, everything else. From spreadsheets to themed Pinterest boards, she's meticulously planned out every aspect of her life for as long as she can remember.

Max, meanwhile, always lives in the moment. The world's too full of beautiful places - and beautiful people - to let yourself be tied down. Besides, he's learnt the hard way that no future is ever guaranteed.

So when Dylan's broken up with she's left reeling, with no concrete plans for the first time in her life, aside from the accountancy job she's starting in a few months. Perhaps that's why she finds herself agreeing to a totally off-piste proposition - share a cabin for the summer with her friend's brother during his all-expenses-paid travel influencer trip to the pristine Welsh coast.

It's not like six weeks is long enough to throw your entire life off course or anything. Right?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Summer, Forced Proximity, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Summer Reads

373 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 7, 2026

About the author

Georgia Stone is a London-based author of contemporary romance. She writes love stories that she hopes make people laugh out loud and clutch at their hearts in equal measure.

She very much appreciates that being a fiction author is essentially just a socially acceptable way of having imaginary friends.

Reviews

[manas (traveling) · Rating 4 out of 5]

➳ 4 ☆

firstly, thank you so much harper perennial and paperbacks for this advanced copy.

i absolutely love the way georgia stone writes. this book was no different. the first book i read from her was the friendship fling, and in that, we get introduced to the characters present in this book. ever since reading about max, i have been counting down the days we get his story and i am so sad that it's already over. i really hope we get a book for jude because she is a character that i loved reading about in this book. she blends into the story seamlessly and i hope we can more of her (in her own story)...please!!! one of the most notable elements that stands out in georgia's books is her dry british humor. she reminds me a lot of emily henry, but if you made the characters a little more sarcastic and quippy.

while this book does have some tropes like, best friends brother and sister's best friend...it never felt forced or like that WAS the driving factor of the book. the romance and the romantic progression happened between max and dylan and because of max and dylan. what really sold me on this book was the banter and the chemistry between them. a lot of their build up happens on this "trip" they take, and georiga is really good at setting a theme and creating an environment where that can flourish well. my only gripe is i wish we wrapped that plot line up a little sooner, but overall, this is the perfect summer read. i will scream from the rooftops that we need a jude book. please please please!!!

but in all seriousness, i LOVE LOVE LOVE these covers. they are so pretty.

[jasmine ☆₊⁺🦢🪽₊⁺★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

——✮∙˙ 3.5 stars ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
╰► 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!

✧ For anyone who doesn’t know what they deserve. Only good things, I promise. ✧

˗ˏˋ ꒰ ⓘ ꒱ ˎˊ˗ i. synopsis⋆˚꩜｡

⋮ ✦┆ when two polar opposites find themselves sharing a cabin for the summer, they lay down some ground rules to keep the peace—only to discover that one of those rules might be impossible to keep…

✧ genre: contemporary romance
✧ tropes: opposites attract • friend’s brother • one bed • dual pov • roommates • tall x taller
✧ setting: pembrokeshire, wales

◦◦,`°.✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽.°`,◦◦ ◦◦,`°.✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽.°`,◦◦

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ ii. my thoughts ⋆｡°💭

⋮ ✦┆ it’s been so long since i’ve binged a book in a day, but i honestly felt like i couldn’t put this one down. if you know me, a 3 star rating is not a bad thing at all, i just didn’t feel the full effect of the book like i wished i had.

going into this book, i was expecting just a straight fluffy sort of romance, and while the author did a fantastic job at that, i was for some reason surprised by how deep and real the book got.

while reading, the struggles of both the fmc and mmc came into focus, and i really appreciated the way they just communicated and respected each other’s fears; while also embracing the past.

there were so many cute and flirty moments where i couldn’t help but smile. the connection both characters formed throughout the entirety of the book was so amazing to read about.

❝ But just so you’re aware—you tell me to jump, I’ll ask how high. Okay?❞

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ iii. characters ⋆｡°🌷

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚ dylan ⋆｡°
⌞☕️⌝ ⋮ ✦┆ dylan is a woman who has been emotionally repressed from truly expressing her wants because of her past. she’s very much a people pleaser and she feels the pressure of needing to be needed or else she has no purpose. i found myself relating to her a lot more than i expected.

i really loved reading about dylan and how by doing something for herself for once, opened her up to a world of possibilities—while also being able to free herself from the insecurities that built up throughout the years.

by taking a step forward, she found peace for the first time in her 25 years of living, and i think any type of peace is something we all strive for in life.

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚ max ⋆｡°
⌞📸⌝ ⋮ ✦┆max is a very free-spirited person who thrives off of movement in his life. however, once i got to know about his backstory, it’s clear as to why he became that way.

i’m a pretty anxious person, so i had a like-dislike relationship (mostly like) when it came to reading more about max because i had no idea what to expect. but, then i stared to think about how he must’ve felt during that difficult time of his life; having to carry around the weight of his own worry and dread of what may or may not be—and all i have to say is that his strength is admirable.

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚ dylan + max ⋆｡°⚓️
⋮ ✦┆ i think both dylan and max are a perfect match. they unknowingly—over the course of 6 weeks—navigated each other out of the darkness and their own mental struggles.

just seeing how their relationship of lingering eyes, flirty comments (all from max), banter, and relentless rejections (all from dylan), effortlessly drifted into deep conversations, confessions, and an everlasting love was so beautiful.

❝You’ve spent so many years shrinking yourself for the benefit of others, but I swear, when you take up space, you’re brighter than the fucking sun.❞

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆ iv. overall ⋆｡°⌛️

⋮ ✦┆i really did enjoy this book! the reason for my 3.5 rating has nothing to do with the plot or the writing (which was all great btw), it was more so how much i was vibing with the characters at certain moments or just vibing with the book in general.

⋆✴︎˚｡⋆v. quotes i loved⋆｡° 𓂃🖊

ᯤ ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ “quotes revealed when book is published”

── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
ᝰ.ᐟ 💌 ⌗ pre read┆started july 1 | finished july 3 ˎˊ˗
first of all, i’m pretty much in love with the cover! and second of all, the description of this book genuinely sounds fantastic 🤭 i’m so excited to read it!! this book releases in 6 days, so hopefully i’m able to finish it in time 🤞

˖᯽ ݁˖· ─ 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸
⟢ 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚: july 7

[veerali · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was genuinely one of the most beautiful romances ever. georgia never misses!

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

banter is bantering

Georgia Stone knows how to write banter!

The one-liners, cheeky quips, and back and forth will have you laughing out loud!

I love the found-family + female friendships.

Cameos from The Friendship Fling characters fed my heart, Finn has my heart.

Max is kind of a mess + Dylan is overdue for some messy. And they make a fantastic pair.

This is a bit more slow-burn than I was expecting (50ish%) but overall I had a great time with this one.

I think for Georgia’s next book I’m going to wait for the audiobook bc I know her top-tier banter would hit harder with an audio performance!

Definitely worth a read!

4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.

[Dab · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎉Happy Release Day!🎉

I enjoyed this book, but unfortunately not as much as The Friendship Fling.

Dylan is Ava’s bestie, Max is her twin brother. Max is an influencer, and his job is to travel and tell the world how much fun everything is. Since he has a free spot on one of his trips and Dylan’s vacation plans didn’t work out, they somehow end up going together. The plan is to just be roommates, they don’t really know each other, after all, but as you can imagine, there’s chemistry at play and, surprise surprise, only one bed.

My favorite part of this book was the way Max helped Dylan find her worth and confidence. She was traumatized by a difficult childhood and an unhappy relationship, and Max’s carpe diem take on life was exactly what she needed. (It was also what I needed, and I’m currently checking flights to Wales, because that place sounds amazing.) He was reckless and messy, but very lovable, and the way they clicked made a lot of sense.

What didn’t work for me was the spice overload. I believe in “less is more” when it comes to sex scenes, and the author went a little wild here. It wasn’t bad, just too much. Also, nobody needed that third-act breakup. Really.

Overall, still good, it’s just that The Friendship Fling set the bar very high.

Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own.

[Kelsey reviews•books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute!

▹My ⭐ Rating: ★★★.75 out of 5
▹Format: 📱 eReader
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Perennial and Paperbacks for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is already available on Kindle Unlimited, but officially publishes on July 7.
─────────────────────────

○★○ What to Expect from This Book: ○★○

– FMC: Dylan (aka “tiny” or “honey”). 25-year-old who has family pressure but is learning that to best support others, you have to be happy yourself. A fair bit reserved until her best friend’s brother starts pushing her buttons to get a rise out of her. Perpetual apologizer.
– MMC: Max Monroe. 27-year-old adventure seeker due to some past health issues. Very determined, but a commitment-phobe. Knows how to get a rise out of Dylan.
– Location: England and Wales
– POV: Dual first-person
– Spice: 4-5 open-door mildly explicit spicy scenes
– Tropes: best friend’s brother/sister’s best friend, friends to lovers, “just for the trip”, tall FMC x tall MMC
– Content warning: bone cancer, near-death experience, family pressures
– Representation: MC who overcame cancer

─────────────────────────

★○ If You Like the Following, You Might Like This Book ○★

➼ Romance stories where the two MCs agree to be friends with benefits “just for the ...” (summer, trip, wedding, limited agreed upon timeframe)

─────────────────────────

⍟»This or That«⍟

Character Driven———✧————————Plot Driven
Fast Burn———————✧————Slow Burn
Sweet—————✧——————Spicy
Light/Fluffy——————✧—————Heavy/Emotional

─────────────────────────

🎯 My Thoughts:

This was SO cute and I loved how the author used her writing to form the witty banter and taut tension between Dylan and Max.

I love how Max, from the very beginning, wanted to get a playful rise out of Dylan, who is reserved because she doesn’t want to be the center of attention. Max has reasons for not wanting commitment, and his “go with the flow” personality mixed with Dylan’s stability and desire for finding her place in a steady relationship creates a nice push/pull.

I think that because ~70% of the book took place in one environment it read a tad repetitive, which caused parts of the plot to feel stagnant. While the tension and banter carried a lot of the entertainment and intrigue, I found myself getting bored because of the repetition of the underlying plot being: they wake up, they do an activity, they flirt, they go to bed, and then it repeats.

I personally wish that the trip part of it ended a bit sooner and the conflict resolution part, especially from Max’s perspective, was pushed a little further (perhaps through the lens of more therapy sessions) to bring back a little more tension before the ending.

That said, I love how the two characters dove into each other’s history and psyche. They brought out the best in each other. I look forward to more from this author!
Would I Recommend?: Yes! It was sweet and funny and very cute.

•♥Consider following me on Instagram @kelseyreviewsbooks for more visual content and bookish discussions.♥•

[Gosia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Infinity stars, obviously.

How do I even write this review?

I have 458 highlights from this book so it’s like half the book or something? More than one highlight per page.
Let this be my review for now. I need to gather my thoughts for a longer one but you know I will be screaming about this book everyday (as I already did even before it was out)

~~~

⚠️
Caution: this book can make you crave a trip to Wales.
(as The Friendship Fling will make you want a summer London getaway)
⚠️

~~~

I don’t know what is it about Georgia’s writing but every little sentence just does it for me. Similarly to The Friendship Fling, I was smiling almost through the whole book. It was either the smallest smile or the very wide one (“slept with a hanger in your mouth” kind of smile). Almost throughout the whole read, because there are some deeper/darker/hitting you in the feels moments, too.
The writing is exceptional. It’s fun in the best way and simply just so good. I love Georgia’s characters! You can sense each character’s personality instantly, not only the main ones but secondary ones.
I adored Jude! Obviously I loved every mention of Ava and Finn.
The story has the very well known tropes known in romance genre but at the same it’s completely different and stands out.
You have a bit shy, people pleaser FMC that has her life planned out and a bit slutty, messy, living in the moment MMC. What else: best friend’s brother (but without unnecessary drama), trip to Wales, only one bed, roommates to lovers “for 6 weeks only” to obviously forever ;), oh and they are complete opposites.
While they are opposites, they have some things in common, in a way. There is depth to both main characters and very nice characters’ development.
The story is interesting, well written and simply top tier entertainment. And romance, of course!
You will mostly smile but prepare tissues, cause there are some bits that can make you teary.

I am Georgia’s self proclaimed superfan so I may be biased but look at my number of highlights, and add the fact that I really really smiled and felt so much while reading, so it’s not only the bias, the book really is THAT good*

*books are THAT good cause come one, we can’t forget The Freindshio Fling



**While this book will totally work as a standalone, I highly recommend reading TFF too! Is it before or after reading TRR - up to you, doesn’t matter, but read both (and everything else Georgia ever writes!!!) cause these books are it!!!

Forever thankful to Hodder & Stoughton for blessing me with this ARC 🥹🥹🥹

[poppi ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4☆

thank you so much to georgia and netgalley for this acc!

——— ⋆. 𐙚 ˚ ———

talk about a polar opposites attract love story! i loved it. dylan is the planner, the one who is prepared for every and any situation. she’s got her life all planned out. she’s put others before her needs constantly, to the point where she questions who she even is. she’s on a path of self exploration to figure out her own wants and needs.

and max is the man who just goes with the flow, does all the reckless things you can imagine. he’s afraid of commitment, he’s unable to settle down and has to be constantly moving one place to another. however, most of that comes from the fear of something he went through. something traumatic and something that makes him fear letting people in too close because the rug could be pulled out from under him at any given moment.

but these just work. it was so fun to see their relationship unfold and to see them both find aspects of themselves they had no idea excited.

dylan found herself. she was able to open up, she was able to stop holding back, and most importantly, she stood up for herself and did things she wanted to do. max gave her the nudge and i couldn’t tell you who more proud - him or her. and max, he was able to conquer his fears and allow himself to be happy, with something and someone permanent. the banter was everything. seeing dylan put max in his place was everything and i think i loved it just as much as he did.

this book was so fun and the way georgia writes is so refreshing. it’s so descriptive and it makes you feel like you’re truly one with the story, like you’re a part of it.

[✨Julie✨]

Stop it right now. I need this! 😍😍

[Larareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first 6 ⭐️ of this year because it was so good !!!

Tropes:
• best friend's brother
• trip to Wales
• strangers to roommates to lovers to so much more
• complete opposites

I read A LOT of romance, but there are some books that stay with you forever... and The Roommate Rule is definitely one of those books for me.

This was my first Georgia Stone book and I was a little scared at first because I didn't read the first book and I didn't know what I was getting myself into, but I was also sooo excited because it sounded so fucking good!!! And I have to say I have absolutely no regrets because The Roommate Rule has my whole heart.

The banter? Exceptional!
The spice? Delicious!
The soft moments? So fucking good that I was just smiling non-stop while reading on my kindle.

I don't think I ever smiled so much while reading a book. And through all that smiling of course I had to cry a little, because it's also sooo raw and full of emotion! (I can't say more because I don't want to spoil absolutely anything).

Dylan is someone who loves rules and is obsessed with structure, who wants in control in absolutely everything, but finds the person who makes her want to take a little risk. I loved seeing her grow!
Max is perfection and I fell in love with his character every single page. His chaotic in the best possible way and just like Dylan he grows so much in this book.
That epilogue made me cry because it was so beautiful!
I also adored every single side character!!! And I immediately need more from them, but especially Jude and Toby!
This is another book where I would have read another 100-200 pages because I just can't get enough of these characters.
Georgia Stone just became an auto buy author for me and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

[Sarah | Kerosene.Lit · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went into this with really high expectations! After all, The Friendship Fling was one of my absolute favourites last year! Unfortunately, this was a huge letdown. It could totally be me, but the two did not carry the same effortless, witty vibe at all. Honestly, I kind of hated this.

Which is so sad, because I love an opposites-attract situation! When Dylan, a meticulous planner, signs up for a six-week trip to Wales with social media influencer Max (her friend’s adventurous, carefree brother) I was excited for the forced proximity of their travels and cabin stay! But Max was not the charming MMC for me.

He was very flirty, but in a smug, overly suggestive way. He constantly turned every bit of banter into innuendo, eventually convincing Dylan to enter a friends-with-benefits situation. It gave me the ick. The emotions surrounding him also felt very contrived and sappy. I felt for him, I really did, but it seemed like it kept annoyingly circling around his health issues without actually revealing anything until much later.

I did like Dylan, though, and I think I would have preferred the entire story told solely through her POV. Her tendency to be an overly agreeable people pleaser was very relatable, especially given her past with an ex who never gave her the space to make mistakes. As much as I didn’t like the romance itself, I’m glad she had Max to encourage her to be more assertive and give her the freedom to be completely herself.

(spice level: 4 open door-scenes, moderate to explicit details)

[⟢₊ Ana ⟣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐫, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐮𝐩 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞, 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟*𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐮𝐧.”

I loved literally everything about this book 🥹

The cover made me request this one, and I went into it blind. I am so glad I did!! Everything about this story made my heart happy. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way through, and I’d definitely say this is a new favorite romance of mine 💕

Dylan, the FMC, was SOOO relatable! I saw so much of myself in her. She apologizes a lot and is a people-pleaser, with a heart of gold. Max, the MMC, was her total opposite. He was more chaotic (in the best way) and just wanted to have a good time, but once you hear his story, you’ll completely understand him. He was exactly what Dylan needed and he helped her see her worth. I loved him so so much!! He’s 1000% a new book boyfriend of mine. Oh, and the banter??? The tension between them?? Absolutely perfect!!

The writing and story were absolutely beautiful, and I don’t think I’ll be able to stop thinking about it for a long time 🥹💕

Tropes:
🤍 Opposites attract
🤍 Best friends brother
🤍 Roommates
🤍 Only one bed
🤍 Set in Wales

I can’t wait to pick up The Friendship Fling next so I can finally read Max’s sister’s story!!

Thank you so much to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the E-ARC!

[Sarah (bookofsari) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was ready to love this. Wales, a cabin, forced proximity… it should’ve been an easy win.

Instead, I kept feeling like I was reading around the story instead of inside it.

Dylan was the only piece that almost grounded things for me. Her need to control everything and keep herself small for other people felt real, and I could see what her arc was supposed to be. But it took too long to actually move, and I lost interest before it fully got there.

Max, though… I just didn’t buy him. Every interaction felt like it was pushing the same energy—flirty, teasing, a little too aware of itself. It didn’t evolve, so their dynamic didn’t either. At a certain point, I started skimming their conversations because they all sounded the same.

And the relationship? It leans physical pretty quickly, but the emotional side never really catches up. So instead of feeling like tension, it just felt like… something happening.

The dual POV didn’t help. If anything, it made everything feel flatter. There’s no room for uncertainty when you already know what both people are thinking.

It feels like all the right pieces are there, they just never fully come together.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[ilana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The BIGGEST, most MASSIVE thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oh my god, 6 stars, new favorite book, I’m in love. While I initially thought I wouldn’t relate to either of these characters, I’m pleasantly surprised by how connected I am to them and this book as a whole. Georgia Stone’s writing is, dare I say, one in a million? The way she’s able to weave humor in with serious topics, create levity in dark moments, and make me feel every possible emotion about fictional characters on paper, is absolutely insane (in the best possible way). I absolutely LOVE her writing, her characters and their development, and her masterful storytelling. I genuinely think I could write an entire dissertation on this book, but I’ll tone it down for the sake of time and space. (And to not spoil anything)

Max and Dylan spend six weeks on the coast of Wales together and slowly but surely develop a friendship that leads to feelings neither of them were expecting, much less wanted. I loved every moment we got with the two of them, and honestly, I could’ve read even more. Give me every silly conversation, give me every joke, give me their boring morning routine day after day, I will eat any crumb of them I can get my greedy hands on.

I feel like I really KNOW these characters. They are ingrained in my brain, they own a piece of my heart, and I am forever changed for getting to read their love story (yes, that’s a tad dramatic, they’re fictional, but I’m dramatic so whatever). I know I keep bringing it up but the writing truly is phenomenal. Our characters are fully fleshed out, they’re multi-dimensional and flawed, they grow, change, and evolve in just a few hundred pages, and I loved every single second of it. This is one of those books that will stay with me forever, one I want injected into my veins, one I will never stop recommending.

So often with romance books I find myself loving the characters and their story but feeling like there’s something missing, like they’re together because they just ARE instead of because they are meant to be. Not with these two. They’re unexpected but fit so well because they are supposed to be with each other, they are made for each other. They make each other better people; they lift each other up, he teaches her to stand up for herself and she teaches him to accept love, they communicate!! They are exactly what the other person didn’t realize they needed.

I can’t go into more specifics because the book isn’t out as I’m writing this, but I implore you to pick up The Friendship Fling so you can read this one the minute it comes out. You would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t. I’ll gush about this so much more as soon as I’m allowed.

[Sian · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars x

[em (whats.em.reading) · Rating 5 out of 5]

genuinely the best romcom i’ve ever read. this is sweet, tender, filled with character growth, witty remarks and such a beautiful story.
i usually don’t like romcom novels and find the comedy forced and awkward, especially when replicating british humour but georgia has crafted smart mouthed remarks and witty comebacks so cleverly into this i was giggling the whole time.
the chemistry and tension between Max & Dylan was such a joy to read, this wasn’t the typical oh the up tight FMC finally let’s go, both her and Max are complex, messy in their own ways and they repair eachother. Max is messy, impulsive and out going, but has never slowed down or given the future a second thought. Dylan is overly cautious, a planner and hasn’t given life a chance to be truly lived. Together they heal and tear down eachothers walls, and it’s truly a beautiful thing to witness.

cannot express how proud i was of Dylan by the end

i highlighted SO much, and terrorised georgia during my read lol

“I’d never make you beg Dylan”

“Come on, Dylan, show me what you're really thinking.
Be messy for me. I'd clean you up.”

'So fuck them, Dylan. And fuck me while you do.'

“Happy birthday, Tiny You deserve everything”

'You look like someone people would pray to, Dylan.'

“You’re so— … I don’t think the word to describe you has been invented yet”

[tanvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25🌟

I had not read The Friendship Fling before so I did quickly do so before I started The Roommate Rule. For those who are not aware, The Roommate Rule follows Max (Twin of Ava who is the FMC of The Friendship Fling). Some of Max’s background was explained in The Friendship Fling so I do recommend reading that first.

Max really deserves the entire world, especially after everything he experienced at such a young age. The Roommate Rule does not spend much time reiterating his medical journey since much of it was explained in The Friendship Fling. Readers do, however, develop a better understanding of how those experiences continue to shape his life and relationships. And, of course, I adored Dylan just as much!

Both of them are hesitant to let people get too close, though for very different reasons. Neither is looking for anything long term, but they also cannot ignore the pull between them, which leads to a friends-with-benefits arrangement that I was completely invested in from the start. All in all, this was such an emotional yet fun time!

Thank you Harper Perennial for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Hannah Brohm · Rating 5 out of 5]

You guys aren't ready for this one!

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Devastating, beautiful, moving. A book that reminds you how lucky we are to exist and thank god for second chances…. And slutty grey tracksuits!!!!
GEORGIA STONE IS THE romance author to watch! You loved the friendship fling but you’re about to become obsessed with the roommate rule .
Dylan is the sweetest, rule abiding girlie who’s been making plans for as long as she can remember. A back up plan for your back up plan. And max, our chaotic sad emo boy who just wants to exist and leave a mark on the world.
The relationship between max and Dylan is written in the stars. It’s delicious and tender. So many quotes felt like Georgia was pressing on a bruise but how beautiful to feel seen! How wonderful to fight a piece of soul within these pages. Dylan is for the soft girlies, the ones you want to find their happily ever after but spend so long focusing and fixing the plot holes in other people’s lives, that you lost yourself. But I promise, someone will leave the light on for you. They encourage you to be loud and messy! Max is the best example of learning to dream again.
And if you missed Ava and Fin, well guess what besties! You get a little glimpse.
I need to cry about the epilogue again.
This is so messy, but Dylan and max taught me that, it doesn’t need to be perfect! CRIES






YOU NEED THIS BOOK. YOU NEED IT!!!!
MAX AND DYALN ARE MY FAVOURITE 😭😭 EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS BOOK HIT ME IN MY FEELS . THE BEAUTOFUL COASTAL BACKGROUND WITH ALL THE SEA AND WAVE IMAGERY !
Their relationship how it goes and changes. The domestic moments.
HOLD ME!!! THE EPILOGUE!!! MY HEART. full review coming!

NO NOTES 10/10

[Elle Miron]

I feel vaguely destroyed but also overwhelmed with joy and whimsy

[Ashleigh Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading and loving Georgia Stone’s debut, The Friendship Fling, last year, I have been counting down the days until I could read The Roommate Rule. I’m delighted to say it was every bit as amazing as its older sister!

The Roommate Rule follows Dylan, a people pleaser who has always followed the rules, and Max, a flirty, carefree travel influencer. In need of a break before she starts settles down and starts a new job that she has no passion for, Dylan joins Max on a six week long brand trip to the Welsh coast. It’s not like six weeks is long enough to throw your entire life off course or anything. Right?

Georgia’s writing truly sparkles, blending together wit and humour with gorgeous prose that made for such an engaging read. The Welsh coast setting was described so well that I could almost taste the briny sea air.

If you read the blurb and the words ‘brand trip’ and ‘travel influencer’ have put you off, fear not! These aspects are a very small part of the plot and are not at all cringey. This setting worked really well at getting the characters spending time together and in some forced proximity situations!

As an eldest daughter, I related to Dylan so much! Seeing her begin to put herself first and really think about what she wanted from life, without caring what other people thought, was so satisfying. While Max was her total opposite, he was much more than meets the eye. Behind the bravado of the confident, flirty, carefree travel influencer who never wants to settle down, is a man running away from his past, but who is scared of the future and what it may hold. The two characters really supported each other, and the character development was truly incredible.

The romance between Dylan and Max was fantastic. The tension honestly had me putting my book down so I could pace around the room and squeal! This book is definitely a little spicier than The Friendship Fling, but the intimate scenes were so well written and felt like they furthered the plot, rather than being included just for the sake of it.

I like my romance books to have a little grit, and this book does explore some difficult topics. They were handled with such care, and I loved the positive conversations about mental health and therapy.

The third-act conflict in this book felt realistic and the way the characters communicated and handled it was very mature.

The ending and epilogue had me absolutely bawling my eyes out. There’s lots of little things that Georgia planted throughout the book that came full circle in the epilogue, which was so satisfying. I was so happy with where the characters ended up; it just felt so right! I also adored seeing Finn and Ava in the epilogue, so if you’re a fan of The Friendship Fling, you won’t want to miss it!

Overall, I enjoyed this book so much. If you’re a fan of swoony, sexy, funny romance books that also hurt your heart a tiny bit, I would absolutely recommend Georgia’s books to you. I cannot wait to see what she writes next, which I’m hoping centres around my favourite side character from this book…(*cough* Jude *cough).

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stroughton for providing me with an eARC. This review is being left voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

[Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’m so tempted to rate this 4.75 rather than 5 simply because of the existential crises i kept going through reading this book (maybe about three)? i jest though, this book genuinely had me consistently swinging back and forth between laughing my ass off at both of dylan and max’s snarky humour, or ridiculously emotional. it didn’t help once i realised how much dylan *is* quite literally me in every way. i do like to imagine i don’t have people pleasing tendencies, and in comparison to my mother, i barely do, but there’s still a lot there. especially when it comes to strangers or people i’m just about acquainted with.

i love that this book was dual pov and getting to hear both of their thoughts on each other but really delving into both their mental states at the start of their month and a half long trip to the welsh coast. max honestly reminded me a lot of my own male lead in my book, although quite a lot sluttier and reckless in some ways which was quite amusing. it also pushed me to want to get back to writing as well. he felt so real and the reasoning behind every thought and decision made by him always made sense for his character even if i didn’t always agree with it which i loved. complex characters are my favourite, but especially when it comes to the love interest as they usually fall flat with how little they’re developed.

dylan genuinely felt like a reflection of my own life and despite the 1 and a half year difference (?) between us, i reached the point she did in reevaluating her life and how she was going to move forward not that long ago myself. it honestly felt so reassuring reading her come to terms with the fact that no matter how much we plan for our lives to play out a certain way, it doesn’t mean that it’s guaranteed to happen nor that it’s truly what will bring you the most amount of joy.

honestly, in some ways/oftentimes whilst reading the book, i found pieces of myself in both dylan and max and it’s part of why i felt so emotional at times reading it. i was expecting a fun romance read that i could hopefully (and did) race through in the warmer weather. instead i was met with a book that essentially felt like a hug and hugely reassuring, whilst still being a very fictional book which i appreciated a lot.

[Becca Heath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to even begin with this? Firstly, to have been given an early copy to review is maybe the best thing to happen to me. This book is one of my most anticipated reads of 2026 and I can confidently say it exceeded my expectations.

I am obsessed with Georgia’s writing style - her books are the perfect balance of laugh out loud funny and incredibly sweet, all while touching on some big and important topics.

Max Monroe is the type of menace we all secretly really love, except he’s so much more than that too. There were moments I just wanted to pull him off the page and wrap him in bubble wrap, whilst also rolling my eyes at the dumb stuff he says.

I saw a lot of myself in Dylan which had me rooting for her the whole way through.

The setting of Pembrokeshire felt so refreshing to read about (brb booking a trip immediately) and I loved the dynamic between the group on the trip (Jude’s book WHEN).

I also love that we still got snippets of Ava and Finn from afar, and I fear I need an entire book of Max and Finn going on side quests now.

I usually dislike both a third act breakup and an epilogue, but both were so perfect that I might need to retract my views on those going forward, but maybe it’s just because Georgia knows what she’s doing, and loves these characters as much as she’s taught the readers too.

Notable mentions go to Finn buying an unsuspecting Ava a National Trust membership, Croydon IKEA, big Tesco, and the icon that is Phoebe Monroe.

I cannot wait to see what Georgia does next, I feel like she’s going to become such a comfort author for me.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

✰ ✰ ✰ ✰ .𝟩𝟧

This book was so beautifully written i don’t think i have eloquent enough words to express how much i adored it but alas i shall try!!!
Ok listen guys, it took me so long to read this because i had just gotten a new puppy and had no energy to read but seriously it made reading this all that much sweeter because it was such an amazing break from reality, it was so atmospheric which is a MUST with summer reading and ugh the characters were so good they had so much growth and were so funny and it was just so precious reading about them.
I seriously loved Max and Dylan’s relationship it was so adorable and i fear 346 pages was just not enough, i needed every single vacation they ever take with each other after this documented so i can live vicariously through them.
I related to Dylan so much honestly she was so me and it was so great feeling so seen in so many ways. I loved watching her and Max’s personalities grow and develop so maturely and they truly just became the best versions of themselves!!!!
AND ALSO I LIVE FOR THE TINY LITTLE FINN AND AVA CRUMBS WE GOT MY FAVES FORVER AND EVER!!!!!!!

Thank you so much to Harper Perennial and Netgalley for this arc!!!

[Chiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book blindsided me. I thought I was going to read a cute brother’s best friend situation where they end up sharing the same house but I got so much more out of it.

Max is a mess, he’s had serious health problems in his past and this lead him to deal with his future in an understandable but at the same time unstable way. Enters Dylan, his sister’s best friend who, after a bad break up, decides to go on an all-paid-influencer vacation with him. They appear to be polar opposite, he’s a mess, she’s precision personified, but these two hold deep scares nobody can see. But the way they get close and share why they were so angry and disappointed with life is actually beautiful. They become friends even before adding the benefits in the relationship. They help each other to change their ways and take charge of what went wrong in their lives so far.

Thank you NetGalley and Georgia Stone for the gifted arc

[Linna • linnareads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll admit I did not enjoy the first book in this series, but I could tell that I enjoyed the authors writing and wanted to give this book a a try. I’m very glad I did because I enjoyed this story so much more! I found the fmc very relatable as an eldest daughter and a people pleaser. It took me a little longer to connect with the mmc but he has a bit of a complicated past that gets uncovered. Both the characters go through growth in the books book though I think I would have liked to see a little more of it from the mmc as that all was all saved for the last few chapters while the fmc was showing the gradual growth through the book.

As always, really appreciate a couple who has the conversation about not wanting kids and that being their choice.

🤭 best friend’s brother
🏡 roommates
🛏️ only one bed
🌊 outdoorsy
✨ child free by choice

dual POV
4/5 stars ⭐️
2/5 spice level 🌶️

[Eilis Dunne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC - it absolutely did not disappoint! I love Georgia Stone's writing, it always reminds me a little bit of Emily Henry in the way she focuses on character growth and emotional relationship development.

Both Dylan and Max had a huge amount of self-reflection and changing to do in order to really love themselves and each other. I equally loved them both a lot and was also super frustrated with them - Dylan for bending herself so much to make others happy that she often lost her own personality, and Max for being so hyper-focused on his past cancer battle that he ended up hurting people by not caring about the future. I loved seeing naturally bond and help each other figure things out. This felt like a good example of a love story where the characters change because they genuinely want to be better for themselves, not just changing for another person.

This would've been five stars for me, but I felt like their reconciliation was very fast and I would have loved to see more of their lives after they returned home from their summer trip.

[Mirinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐ rounded up.

I expected a cosy, slightly spicy best friend’s brother romance in a Welsh cabin. I did not expect to feel this much.

The forced proximity and one bed setup deliver on the tension and banter, but it’s the emotional depth that makes this shine. Dylan is a rule loving people pleaser on the brink of a carefully planned future, slowly realising she’s allowed to want more. Max is charming, chaotic and adventurous, still carrying the weight of a past illness, yet never defined by it.

What I loved most is how real their relationship feels. They push each other, they communicate, they grow. No unnecessary drama, just two people choosing each other.

Warm, funny, heartfelt and beautifully written, this one absolutely stayed with me.

I highly recommend this book, and I’ll read everything Georgia Stone writes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Jade Odoms · Rating 5 out of 5]

For sure wish I would’ve been able to read this faster but still a 5 star for me 😍 I feel like I’ve had a hard time finding good romances lately and this was so good!!! Fun and flirty and cute and sweeeeet. Steamy but didn’t feel like it was all about them lusting over each other.. like they actually liked each other and felt like realistic that I could see them falling in love?! And also loved Dylan learning to stop being a people pleaser. Good good