Chloe needs a place to crash for the summer before college. When Chris offers, she moves in with him. It’s just for two months, no biggie. But soon she realizes she may have made a mistake. He's too perfect—a former snowboarder, laid-back and kind to boot. And he’s smitten with her. But she’s got trust issues and a relationship feels daunting. When he keeps trying to win her over, the temptation becomes overwhelming.
Just as she gives in and decides it’s not worth fighting their emotions anymore, Chris reveals he’s made a stupid mistake which might ruin Chloe’s trust in him and tear them apart.
Bridie Hall sold her first story at fourteen. Since then, she has written dozens more, translated books, studied writing, and started writing novels.
Her days revolve around stories and words, her sleepless nights involve plotting and inventing fascinating new characters. The only activity that takes up more of her time than writing, is reading.
Oh man this is just so sweet. Like awwwwwwww kind of sweet.
Chloe and her mother are selling their house. Bur she's moving for college so she needs a place where she can temporarily stay. Enters Chris. A long time friend (more like acquaintance) that volunteered his place because he doesn't have a roommate anyway.
Am I the only one who thinks that this kind of situation will surely end up into a complication? I don't know.. I mean a girl and a guy JUST living in the SAME ROOF without turning into.. something? Hmm.
Anyway, what I really loved about this book is that it's short compared to my usual read BUT it doesn't feel like it was rushed. It made me swoon, made me laugh, made me angry even (yes, I'm looking at you Chris) and it was written decently. Bridie Hall just captured that light and sweet read that we're all craving for once in awhile.
Chris and Chloe are totally paired correctly, like, you would look (in this case, read) at them and say 'why yes, these two is perfect for each other' The romance is absolutely authentic. You'll really feel what the characters are going through and it's easy to get lost into the story.
This book is perfect for readers who are looking for a break from their heavy reads and wants to switch to a light and 'it-makes-me-happy' kind of book!
Characters I fell in love with in her last young adult novel walk in as I open the covers to this one. How lovely to visit with them again! I always appreciate when authors gift us that!
This is a beautiful love story. Yes it is a young adult book but really ;-) just as sweet for this 44 year old reader. I would find great joy in gifting this book to YA's between the ages of 15 - 18.
This is an author with obvious psychological insight! I am very impressed.
To share but a few tastes of this:
"You listened to a pre-recorded loop that goes on and on in your head, Chloe. You didn't hear him."
"I can avoid her, but there's nothing I can do to stop feeling like this. Nothing I can do to stop thinking about her the way I imagine alcoholics think about their next drink, even dream about it."
She really gifts teens with self awareness and gives them tools to deal with heart break. She teaches them about the power of life lessons and pain in growing. She shows them the beauty of forgiveness.
«You know …» She stares at her bare feet, then speaks again. «The shit we’ve been through … I think it was good that it happened. As stupid as this may sound, it made it possible for me to trust you. It’s like by breaking my heart you cracked me open, the real me, so I could come out of the shell. I’ve seen the worst that can happen when you trust someone and … I think I came out stronger. A better person, maybe.»
:-) this is just the begining for Bridie Hall and for that I am Grateful :-) !
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
"I can avoid her, but there's nothing I can do to stop feeling like this."
The Good: The romance. You guys, Bridie Hall knows YA contemporary romance. She absolutely nailed it on the head with the relationship in this book. It was a slow burning back and forth that had me on the edge of my seat. No insta-love. Rejoice, ya'll. We have a new author to count on for swoon-worthy Young Adult contemporary romance!
Chris. Yes, yes, YES. I loved Chris. He wasn't the usual reformed douche bag that we see in YA. He was genuine guy. I want more of him and his type. I loved his back story. He had a lot of depth and that only made it a much more enjoyable book. I didn't feel like he was in the book just to be a hottie to drool over. He was real.
The other characters. I've yet to read Letting Go by Bridie Hall, but I'm so happy that she included the characters from that book in this one. I love when authors do that. And after reading about Isabelle and seeing her through the eyes of Chloe and Chris, I'm definitely picking up Letting Go to read her story.
Sal. The perfect comedic relief! I loved all of his scenes with Chris. Bridie was able to inject a dose of wit into the book with this fantastic character.
The Bad: Nothing.
The In-between: Chloe. Alright, I kind of feel bad for this. But Chloe could be annoying. I felt like she was a strong character. Whenever I afforded her patience, she definitely grew on me though. Her background gave her no real sense of stability, so I can understand her mood swings. But she was hard to adjust to in the beginning.
**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.
Oh my goodness I loved it! I recieved this from a giveaway and I'm glad I had the luck to win! I had judged the book by it's cover at first, but then I chose to read it even if the cover made me cringe a little becaus it was a little too ... I don't know flashy I guess. Nevertheless, the story was amazing. It was super cute and I couldn't stop turning the pages.I really wish for a follow-up, but that probably won't happen.
Okay so let's talk about Chloe. She's a high school graduate that's leaving for college in Atlanta after the summer. I really liked her because she sounds like what I expect I'm going to be like when I graduate. She's a strong and independent girl (apart from where it comes to Chris) and I really like that about her.
Chris is just.... ahhhhhhhhh<3 *o* He's my dream guy, and he makes me think about this friend of mine. He's also this high school graduate that's leaving for college, and he used to be a really good snowboarder until he had an injury in his knee. I loved Chris because he made me understand how guys might be feeling a lot of things for a girl, but they don't exactly know how to show it. We, girls, often think that guys are emotionless creatures that only want us for sex, but although it might be the case sometimes, it's usually not. It's really cute how some of them are shy around the girls they like and awww. I just love guys that know how to tell a girl what they like about her.
Like I said, the story was just plain cute and funny and it was a really fast read, so if you're ever looking for a short story to read, this is definetely one that you'll want to pick up.
** Not sure if it was marked as new adult or young adult, but I felt it more YA ** ** Book was provided by the author in exchange of an honest review **
I really like this book. It wasn't a grand, life-changing one, but just a fun read I ate up very quickly. The characters were likable and I could relate to the main girl in some aspects.
The romance was lacking a bit and the characters seemed too mature for their age sometimes, but it was still a light read that I would probably re-read if I were in the mood (and had all the time in the world).
If you are looking for a quick, funny read without instalove, this one is probably for you.
Chloe needs a place until she goes off to college. Her mom sold their house and moved to her boyfriend's place while they look together for a house to live in, but Chloe has nowhere to go. Her best friend, Isabelle offers her place to her, but she doesn't want to bother. That's when Chloe's old classmate, Chris says that he has a free room she can use. She takes up the offer, but what happens when someone moves in with you that you really fancy? Trouble. And frustration. That's what will happen. Chloe tries to deny her attraction to Chris - who turns out likes Chloe just the same - but it's inevitable. But just before their happily ever after, Chris confesses. Will he lose Chloe, or does the girl forgive her?
The word I would use to describe this book is cute. I really liked the characters. By no means was this book a big life-changing one, but I enjoyed it nonetheless and went through it very quickly.
Chloe is a girl who just recently finished high school and is spending her last summer home before she goes off to college in Atlanta. She's kind of unsure or herself and a lot of things, but that's totally understandable, as you read her background story and how she gre up. But she is kind and fun and I liked how she knew when to give people the place they wanted. I could relate to her in some of the situations.
Chris is a shredder, or at least used to be, until an accident ended his career. Now he's going to go to college too, learning sport pedagogy. He works as a delivery guy in a bakery to save some money. So you see, he's not your typical bad boy. He is really genuine and kind, very straighforward but has some secrets. He really wants to be with Chloe but she keeps denying him. He felt so real.
There were a few steamy scene between them, but overall the romance was a bit lacking for my liking. It was really well written, how they went from almost strangers to lovers. Finally a book with no insta-love! Their first conversation was just like expected between them, and I loved how they opened up to each other as the story went on and they were getting to know each other. I loved the easy relationship they had, but sometimes they seemed more mature than their actual age.
It was a really light read, just what I needed and I would probably re-read it, if I ever have time for re-reads and I'm in a contemporary mood. My Summer Roommate is the perfect book if you want to forget about the world for a few hours and find something light, fluffy and funny. I definitely recommend this to you, if you are a fan of contemporaries. And last but not least, I loved Bridie's writing style and she is such a nice person.
My Summer Roommate by Bridie Hall was absolutely delicious! What I love about Ms. Hall's YA novels, is that they feel so real to me. The characters are ones that I feel I could easily pass walking down the sidewalk, or bump into at the store. She really fleshes out her characters in great detail and in such a manner, their personalities don't feel forced. It's so hard to find this in YA novels now, but Ms. Hall really kicks it.
Chloe and Chris...sigh...swoon...sigh again. I loved them both. I loved their angst, their relationship and the steps it took to get there, the resolution...simply wonderful!
And shout out to Isabelle and Harper. Please listen to me if you're reading this review, you MUST get Letting Go! If you loved Chloe and Chris, you'll love Harper and Isabelle. It was so cool to read about them in My Summer Roommate. I digress however. This is Chloe and Chris' story and it's wonderful all on its own.
I would highly recommend My Summer Roommate to all fans of a greatly written YA Romance. It's clean, it's pure, it's simply amazing. I'll be on the lookout for other works by this author.
Meet Chloe, a new high school graduate facing the prospect of living out from under the dubious shadow of an inattentive mother for the first time in her life; a would-be psychology major who is grasping to understand what love means to her. Grasping to understand herself. The camera pans. I’m a simple guy, I like a simple life. Enter the love-addled mind of Christopher Quinn, who narrates the “guy” perspective in this same story. Straight-spoken and generally kind, Chris nevertheless has real difficulty understanding anyone who does not approach life from the same point of view—especially when it’s the girl he cares for. The one he “likes.” Yeah. Likes. These two are about to spend the summer together. Hold on to your proverbial (or literal, if it applies) hat, because this is not going to be easy. But it’s the complications, after all, not the simplicity, that make life interesting—and also make for a good read. Together, these two characters anchor a wrenching story about love trying to bloom between a girl and a boy, both struggling to bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood. It happens just as the sun has set on high school for one of them, and on the premature end of a promising career as a professional athlete for the other. My Summer Roommate, by Bridie Hall, is a short, alternatingly sweet and bitter confection of a teen romance novel. Younger readers will enjoy the genuine modern banter, while we older folks reflect on all the promise and all the misfires of our own time in the sun, back in the day when life was still long and filled with both opportunity and angst. The tale flips back and forth between both points of view, inviting readers of both genders to root for, or sympathize with—or scream obscenities at, with the book held at a distance—one character or the other, even as the events that unfold strike you as absolutely real and believable. Spend an afternoon living out the summer with Chloe and Chris. It’s not always fun—life has a way of throwing curveballs at you—but it is fulfilling, in the best possible book-sense. You won’t regret it.
I will admit, one of my guilty pleasures is romance stories that I can read quickly and swoon over in the process. My Summer Roommate - written by Bridie Hall - is a sweet Young Adult contemporary romance that did just that.
My Summer Roommate is broken into two separate character viewpoints: Chloe and Chris. I loved the structure of this book because it gave me the opportunity to see the romance from both sides. The story itself flowed very well between these two character perspectives, but what amazed me most about Hall's writing is that she captivated me.
I will admit, I have a hard time reading a story in present tense, so I was hesitant when I began to read this book. However, after a few paragraphs, I became so wrapped up in the story, I didn't even notice. To me, this is the mark of a great writer because she was able to immerse me into her world within minutes.
The world is set in modern day, and there is a spark between the two main characters that is noticeable from the start. I loved how Hall let us see the romance develop. Her characters are flawed, which made them more realistic instead of the usual perfect mate scenario often found in YA fiction today.
There wasn't really anything I didn't like about this book. The story itself was realistic, the romance was sweet, and Chris was a guy any reader could find herself falling for. My Summer Roommate is a perfect read for anyone looking for a little romance, some drama, and the pleasure that comes from reading a very well written book. - See more at: http://prettylittlepages.blogspot.com...
It surprised me how different this book was from the first one. At the same time there is the connection between the two, but the difference makes us a promise that there is a lot more to come from this YA author. A reader can connect even more to characters just because he can see things from their point of view. I must say I am not really a fan of Chloe ... I am a big drama queen, but she seems to be even bigger. But she is a strong character comming from strange background. Chris is this very misterious guy who turns out to be the most "normal" person in this story. His actions and words are cute ...innocent but demanding. My favourite is Sal ... maybe because I live near Italy or maybe because he is a person that everybody would need in life. Somebody who puts things in perspective ... in his own way. All in all I would say this is a book worth reading ... and I can hardly wait to read next book from this great author.
Chloe is a very lonely girl, her mother is busy with her new boyfriend and although she wasn't pictured as a bad mother, I wouldn't dream to have a mother as her. She needs a place to live for a few weeks and Chris offers. I liked Chris because he wasn't the typical boy, and he was the support Chloe needed. Their romance wasn't perfect and something was missing, but I liked it because it wasn't instalove.
I'm not sure if My Summer Roommate is young adult or new adult, the characters seemed too mature for their age, but it was a fun and light reading.
This was a sweet story about two young people starting their lives and falling in love with one another. I liked the fact that this story started out completely different than what I expected to. All in all this was a hit with me!
Ok I'm sorry but I tried. For some reason this book just irked me beyond belief. I read the first 10 pages, maybe, and I just couldn't take it. Sometimes I love these silly little romance books, with all of the dark depressing adventures I read they're kind of like a breath of fresh air. BUT THIS. It reminded me of my fan fiction writing back in the 9th grade. Perhaps I'll try reading it again later, since I bought it...
as well as the previus book, this one is too short... even though I liked it I feel that there are many things that coul have been explored more deeply