What do you think?
The Roommate Rule
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 in this steamy new novel from the author of The Friendship Fling.
Dylan is the kind of person who is always fifteen minutes early and never leaves things to chance--so she can’t believe she’s about to spend six weeks on a last-minute trip to Wales that she didn’t plan, living in a cabin with a man she’s only met once.
Max always goes with the flow, and after his plus-one drops out of his all-expenses-paid travel influencer trip, he’s happy for his sister’s friend to take the spot. After all, from what he remembers of their brief meeting a year ago, Dylan is the kind of woman he’d be more than happy to spend some alone time with.
Not that anything is going to happen between them, because Dylan knows getting involved with this reckless, irrepressible flirt is the last thing she needs. So she makes a house they are roommates only, and under no circumstances can anything . . . untoward . . . happen between them.
But as the days go by, Max starts to realize how much he enjoys chipping away at the walls Dylan hides herself behind, while Dylan begins to admit to herself that there may be more to Max than she first assumed. And before she knows it, she finds herself wondering if their “roommate rule” might be one rule she actually wants to break…
Dylan is the kind of person who is always fifteen minutes early and never leaves things to chance--so she can’t believe she’s about to spend six weeks on a last-minute trip to Wales that she didn’t plan, living in a cabin with a man she’s only met once.
Max always goes with the flow, and after his plus-one drops out of his all-expenses-paid travel influencer trip, he’s happy for his sister’s friend to take the spot. After all, from what he remembers of their brief meeting a year ago, Dylan is the kind of woman he’d be more than happy to spend some alone time with.
Not that anything is going to happen between them, because Dylan knows getting involved with this reckless, irrepressible flirt is the last thing she needs. So she makes a house they are roommates only, and under no circumstances can anything . . . untoward . . . happen between them.
But as the days go by, Max starts to realize how much he enjoys chipping away at the walls Dylan hides herself behind, while Dylan begins to admit to herself that there may be more to Max than she first assumed. And before she knows it, she finds herself wondering if their “roommate rule” might be one rule she actually wants to break…
Audible Audio
First published July 7, 2026
About the author
Georgia Stone
2 books484 followersGeorgia 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.
She very much appreciates that being a fiction author is essentially just a socially acceptable way of having imaginary friends.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 699 reviews
February 19, 2026
➳ 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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
——✮∙˙ 3.5 stars ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
╰► 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸!
✧ For anyone who doesn’t know what they deserve. Only good things, I promise. ✧
⋮ ✦┆ 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
◦◦,`°.✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽.°`,◦◦ ◦◦,`°.✽✦✽.◦.✽✦✽.°`,◦◦
⋮ ✦┆ 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.
✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡˚ 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.
⋮ ✦┆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.
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
╰► 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
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
this was genuinely one of the most beautiful romances ever. georgia never misses!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
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.
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.
February 8, 2026
🎉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.
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.
July 25, 2026
Це такий собі терапевтичний роман для відпочинку та подумати про життя.
Макс - брат Ави з першої книги. Зіштовхнувшись з раком, не думає про майбутнє, а живе одним днем, як востаннє.
Ділан - подруга Ави. Старша сестра і цим все сказано. Не живе для себе, ставить потреби інших в пріоритет, має детальний план на майбутнє.
Після розставання з хлопцем Ділан вирішує відправитись у невелику пригоду, перш ніж почати втілювати свій нудний план на нещасливе майбутнє. І тут з'являється Макс - тревел блогер - з пропозицією 6-тижневої подорожі. І так наші дурники відправляються в тур Уельськими краєвидами.
Тут на нас чекають і одне ліжко, і лише на літо (вірю, я повірив)😏
Це було мило, весело та трошечки зігріло моє серденько. Хоча перша книга сподобалась мені трохи більше, а саме герої.
А який тут епілог😍 Фібі - просто маленька копія Ави, помолимося за Фінна😄
P.S. хочеться ще книг про Джуд + Тобі (дівчина, що пре напролом та сором'язливий фотограф булижників, ну смакота) та Талія + Джуліен (молодша сестра Ділан та старший друг Фінна)
Макс - брат Ави з першої книги. Зіштовхнувшись з раком, не думає про майбутнє, а живе одним днем, як востаннє.
Ділан - подруга Ави. Старша сестра і цим все сказано. Не живе для себе, ставить потреби інших в пріоритет, має детальний план на майбутнє.
Після розставання з хлопцем Ділан вирішує відправитись у невелику пригоду, перш ніж почати втілювати свій нудний план на нещасливе майбутнє. І тут з'являється Макс - тревел блогер - з пропозицією 6-тижневої подорожі. І так наші дурники відправляються в тур Уельськими краєвидами.
Тут на нас чекають і одне ліжко, і лише на літо (вірю, я повірив)😏
Це було мило, весело та трошечки зігріло моє серденько. Хоча перша книга сподобалась мені трохи більше, а саме герої.
А який тут епілог😍 Фібі - просто маленька копія Ави, помолимося за Фінна😄
P.S. хочеться ще книг про Джуд + Тобі (дівчина, що пре напролом та сором'язливий фотограф булижників, ну смакота) та Талія + Джуліен (молодша сестра Ділан та старший друг Фінна)
August 1, 2026
“Dylan, even when all we are is energy, I’ll find your soul in the stardust and keep loving you there, too.”
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
"ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀᴡɴ" x ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʜ ʜᴇʟʟᴏꜱ
1:38 ──♥─────── 5:05
When an unexpected summer trip leaves two complete opposites sharing a cabin together, what starts as a temporary living arrangement slowly turns into something neither of them planned for. Equal parts funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly emotional, this ended up being so much more than just another forced proximity romance.
I picked this up expecting something light and cute because… forced proximity? Roommates? Say less. Instead, I got a romance that completely caught me off guard with how much depth it had. 😭
Dylan and Max felt like two people who had spent years surviving in opposite ways. Dylan clung to routines, plans, and making herself smaller because it felt safe, while Max threw himself into life at full speed, hiding behind jokes and chaos whenever things got too real. Neither way was healthy, and watching them slowly challenge each other’s way of thinking was honestly one of my favorite parts 😌
Max constantly pushing Dylan outside of the tiny box she’d convinced herself she belonged in made me want to cheer every 👏🏼 single 👏🏼 time 👏🏼
He wanted the real version of her, not the people-pleasing, overthinking version, and every little moment where her walls cracked felt so rewarding. 🥹 At the same time, Dylan quietly reminded Max that slowing down wasn’t the same thing as giving up on life. She showed him that having hope for the future didn’t mean taking the present for granted, and that being scared didn’t have to control every decision he made. 🙂↕️
The romance was SO good. The tension? Incredible. The push and pull between them? I ate it up. Every interaction somehow managed to be playful one minute and surprisingly emotional the next, and I loved how naturally their relationship grew because they genuinely became better people alongside each other instead of simply falling in love.
Everything about this worked for me. The romance, the character development, the emotional conversations, the lessons they learned from one another… it all came together in such a satisfying way. I closed this book smiling because it delivered exactly what I wanted, but somehow also gave me soooooo much more than I was expecting 🥹👏🏼
favorite quotes ↓
“I’m scared,” she admits. “You’re allowed to be,” I shrug. “But you do it anyway.”
“We all carry parts of the people we’ve loved, but we’re not an empty shell without them. There’s still something that’s solely, fundamentally you underneath.”
“Don’t ignore how you feel right now just because it’s not going to last. Temporary is real, too.”
“I can’t see her, but I push hair behind her ear anyway, because the night should see her whole face, even if I can’t.”
“Dylan’s not telling me it’ll be okay. She’s too practical for that. She’s not begging I never return to that dark place; she’s simply offering to walk with me if I do.”
“You look like someone people would pray to, Dylan.”
things to know about the book ↓
📸 opposites attract
📸 forced proximity
📸 roommates
📸 only one bed
📸 vacation romance
📸 witty banter
📸 emotional healing
📸 personal growth
📸 dual POV
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 19, 20, 21, 24, 31, 34
Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
on repeat 𝄞 ࿐♬ 𓍢ִ🎧ྀི ᯓ ♪ˎˊ˗
"ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀᴡɴ" x ᴛʜᴇ ᴏʜ ʜᴇʟʟᴏꜱ
1:38 ──♥─────── 5:05
When an unexpected summer trip leaves two complete opposites sharing a cabin together, what starts as a temporary living arrangement slowly turns into something neither of them planned for. Equal parts funny, heartfelt, and surprisingly emotional, this ended up being so much more than just another forced proximity romance.
I picked this up expecting something light and cute because… forced proximity? Roommates? Say less. Instead, I got a romance that completely caught me off guard with how much depth it had. 😭
Dylan and Max felt like two people who had spent years surviving in opposite ways. Dylan clung to routines, plans, and making herself smaller because it felt safe, while Max threw himself into life at full speed, hiding behind jokes and chaos whenever things got too real. Neither way was healthy, and watching them slowly challenge each other’s way of thinking was honestly one of my favorite parts 😌
Max constantly pushing Dylan outside of the tiny box she’d convinced herself she belonged in made me want to cheer every 👏🏼 single 👏🏼 time 👏🏼
He wanted the real version of her, not the people-pleasing, overthinking version, and every little moment where her walls cracked felt so rewarding. 🥹 At the same time, Dylan quietly reminded Max that slowing down wasn’t the same thing as giving up on life. She showed him that having hope for the future didn’t mean taking the present for granted, and that being scared didn’t have to control every decision he made. 🙂↕️
The romance was SO good. The tension? Incredible. The push and pull between them? I ate it up. Every interaction somehow managed to be playful one minute and surprisingly emotional the next, and I loved how naturally their relationship grew because they genuinely became better people alongside each other instead of simply falling in love.
Everything about this worked for me. The romance, the character development, the emotional conversations, the lessons they learned from one another… it all came together in such a satisfying way. I closed this book smiling because it delivered exactly what I wanted, but somehow also gave me soooooo much more than I was expecting 🥹👏🏼
favorite quotes ↓
“I’m scared,” she admits. “You’re allowed to be,” I shrug. “But you do it anyway.”
“We all carry parts of the people we’ve loved, but we’re not an empty shell without them. There’s still something that’s solely, fundamentally you underneath.”
“Don’t ignore how you feel right now just because it’s not going to last. Temporary is real, too.”
“I can’t see her, but I push hair behind her ear anyway, because the night should see her whole face, even if I can’t.”
“Dylan’s not telling me it’ll be okay. She’s too practical for that. She’s not begging I never return to that dark place; she’s simply offering to walk with me if I do.”
“You look like someone people would pray to, Dylan.”
things to know about the book ↓
📸 opposites attract
📸 forced proximity
📸 roommates
📸 only one bed
📸 vacation romance
📸 witty banter
📸 emotional healing
📸 personal growth
📸 dual POV
swearing: yes
spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
→ chapters: 19, 20, 21, 24, 31, 34
Thank you NetGalley, publisher & author for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 23, 2026
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.♥•
▹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.♥•
August 5, 2026
If I had to use one word to describe this book it'd be dry. I've read this book and the only things I was feeling was boredom and frustration. I didn't like Max from the beginning and honestly, it didn't change until the end. He was very obnoxious. Dylan was a literal pushover but at least I can appreciate her journey of finally living for herself. I didn't feel them together if that makes sense? On the paper it should work but in reality it was just words and I couldn't understand why they were so into each other.
January 31, 2026
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 🥹🥹🥹
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 🥹🥹🥹
July 20, 2026
3.75/5 (rounded up to 4)
"there's just something about the sea"
the longing i feel for the ocean after just finishing this book is insane. yeah the romance was the main plot but the love dylan has for the seaside has made me need to be in a coastal town STAT!!! georgia stone follows up the first book in this series, the friendship fling, with an equally heartwarming romance novel that shows we all need a little chaos (and love) in our lives. i have truly loved following ava, finn, max, and dylan, in these books, the epilogue made me miss them already... finnava wedding scene when???
dylan feels weighed down by the future she's planned for herself and the responsibilities she takes on from her family/romantic relationships, so she's taking a trip to wales with her friends hot brother!! max has struggled with health issues in the past so he lives on the edge, very different from our dylan who plans everything out. these two make a sort of unconventional match, but you can clearly see how max inspires dylan to live her own life and dylan helps max want a (somewhat) stable future of his own. i loved watching them grow closer because max was just so down bad and everything he said to dylan was exceptional!
this rating is more so on me and not the writing, there isn't anything wrongs with this book at all. it gets a bit repetitive once they start hooking up just because nothing crazy really happens on their trip so they're just nice and falling in love the whole time. all that is sweet but i really do myself a disservice by never reading anything but romance because its easy to feel slightly burnt out with the genre. i'll never stop picking these books up but the feeling is there. if you love a vacation, forced proximity, finding yourself romance, you 100% should pick this one.
*thank you netgalley and harper perennial for the copy!!*
"there's just something about the sea"
the longing i feel for the ocean after just finishing this book is insane. yeah the romance was the main plot but the love dylan has for the seaside has made me need to be in a coastal town STAT!!! georgia stone follows up the first book in this series, the friendship fling, with an equally heartwarming romance novel that shows we all need a little chaos (and love) in our lives. i have truly loved following ava, finn, max, and dylan, in these books, the epilogue made me miss them already... finnava wedding scene when???
dylan feels weighed down by the future she's planned for herself and the responsibilities she takes on from her family/romantic relationships, so she's taking a trip to wales with her friends hot brother!! max has struggled with health issues in the past so he lives on the edge, very different from our dylan who plans everything out. these two make a sort of unconventional match, but you can clearly see how max inspires dylan to live her own life and dylan helps max want a (somewhat) stable future of his own. i loved watching them grow closer because max was just so down bad and everything he said to dylan was exceptional!
this rating is more so on me and not the writing, there isn't anything wrongs with this book at all. it gets a bit repetitive once they start hooking up just because nothing crazy really happens on their trip so they're just nice and falling in love the whole time. all that is sweet but i really do myself a disservice by never reading anything but romance because its easy to feel slightly burnt out with the genre. i'll never stop picking these books up but the feeling is there. if you love a vacation, forced proximity, finding yourself romance, you 100% should pick this one.
*thank you netgalley and harper perennial for the copy!!*
February 22, 2026
Dylan is due a vacation—and if six all-expenses-paid weeks in Wales with a stranger weren't what she had planned, well, she can go with the flow. Definitely. For sure. Especially since there will definitely be separate bedrooms. Definitely.
I read this more or less entirely for the setting: I haven't been to Wales, and it's relatively high on my list of places to go. And six weeks there seems like more than enough time to get a feel for it! Happily, I liked the relationship a lot; Max is not my type, but then, Dylan thinks he's not her type either, and she eventually realizes otherwise. They do a lot of talking, some of it about more serious things than others, and while they have clashes (again, some more serious than others), they're good about not letting those fester for too long.
There are plenty of secondary characters, which is nice—Dylan and Max get to know each other not just on their own but within the context of other people, which feels important (like, you should know how your romantic interest interacts with their friends, you know? And also with relative acquaintances who they don't necessarily want to befriend). One character does kind of drop off the face of the earth once Dylan and Max heat things up a bit; it's nice that there isn't unnecessary drama there, but it did feel like a bit of a loose end. On the other hand, if I read things right, there's room for a related book with yet another character in the future...
Now, quibbles: On a practical level, the setup for this book does not make sense. Max has been invited for an influencers'weekend six-week, all-inclusive trip. It's a new venue that's trying to build some buzz, so inviting influencers makes sense—but six weeks is a huge chunk of time to host a bunch of influencers. Financial cost aside, that's weeks and weeks and weeks to entertain a group of people with varied personalities and needs and expectations. There are lots of excursions and events planned, but most of them they seem to do only once, even over six weeks; what's more, excursions aside, I don't think anyone leaves the compound—they seem perfectly happy to be off at summer camp with no ability to go to the shops or the cinema or whatever (or, say, to replace a critical but lost item...), and while I believe that for some of them, I don't believe it for everyone.
Obviously it's nicer for Max and Dylan to have six weeks to get to know each other, outside the requirements of their (well, Dylan's) ordinary lives. But...I can't help but think that it would have made a lot more sense if the Wales part of things had taken up one week, not six. (Also...at an influencers' retreat, surely everyone—but especially the people not used to being filmed—should have to sign some version of a UK GDPR form?)
That's a long quibble, but it wasn't actually one that bothered me much—just something that I started wondering about midway through and then wasn't quite able to let go of. Would recommend; would stash away in case I need a feel-good reread in the future; would consider getting overalls just to replicate Dylan's look on the (US) cover, except I'm too short to pull them off. (I don't think they're true to the book, but the overalls vibe is true to the book, so I'll take it.)
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
I read this more or less entirely for the setting: I haven't been to Wales, and it's relatively high on my list of places to go. And six weeks there seems like more than enough time to get a feel for it! Happily, I liked the relationship a lot; Max is not my type, but then, Dylan thinks he's not her type either, and she eventually realizes otherwise. They do a lot of talking, some of it about more serious things than others, and while they have clashes (again, some more serious than others), they're good about not letting those fester for too long.
There are plenty of secondary characters, which is nice—Dylan and Max get to know each other not just on their own but within the context of other people, which feels important (like, you should know how your romantic interest interacts with their friends, you know? And also with relative acquaintances who they don't necessarily want to befriend). One character does kind of drop off the face of the earth once Dylan and Max heat things up a bit; it's nice that there isn't unnecessary drama there, but it did feel like a bit of a loose end. On the other hand, if I read things right, there's room for a related book with yet another character in the future...
Now, quibbles: On a practical level, the setup for this book does not make sense. Max has been invited for an influencers'
Obviously it's nicer for Max and Dylan to have six weeks to get to know each other, outside the requirements of their (well, Dylan's) ordinary lives. But...I can't help but think that it would have made a lot more sense if the Wales part of things had taken up one week, not six. (Also...at an influencers' retreat, surely everyone—but especially the people not used to being filmed—should have to sign some version of a UK GDPR form?)
That's a long quibble, but it wasn't actually one that bothered me much—just something that I started wondering about midway through and then wasn't quite able to let go of. Would recommend; would stash away in case I need a feel-good reread in the future; would consider getting overalls just to replicate Dylan's look on the (US) cover, except I'm too short to pull them off. (I don't think they're true to the book, but the overalls vibe is true to the book, so I'll take it.)
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
March 28, 2026
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.
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.
July 12, 2026
“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!
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!
Want to Read
March 11, 2026Stop it right now. I need this! 😍😍
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
April 14, 2026
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)
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)
April 18, 2026
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.
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.
July 15, 2026
✨ Mark my words: Georgia Stone is going to be your next favorite author! 🤍📚
I just finished her second book, The Roommate Rule, which follows Max & Dylan as they go on a trip to Wales. 🏞️ Oh my goodness... the feels. 🥹💕
This book is for every people-pleasing girl who feels like she has to adjust herself to be what others want her to be, who thinks she has to be useful to someone to deserve love, and for the girls who are always apologizing. 🤍
What a leap from the first book to this one! The Friendship Fling was a great start, and The Roommate Rule goes even beyond that. 👏✨
I really enjoy Georgia's writing! It's so fast-paced, clever, and never fails to make me laugh out loud. 💛 The spice was perfect. Truly. I'm not a fan of ugly words, but Georgia writes love scenes so beautifully.
This book was such a win! 🫶 I loved the dynamic between Max & Dylan. I found myself relating to Dylan very quickly, and watching her grow, realize there was nothing wrong with her, set boundaries, and finally feel free was so inspiring. 🥹✨
I cannot recommend this book enough! 📖💖 I cannot recommend this author enough. I love her. 🥹🤍
🌶️ Spice: ⭐️⭐️ (1.5/5)
💬 Banter: ✅
🏞️ Setting: ✅
💚 Lovable MMC: ✅
🫶 Relatable FMC: ✅
I just finished her second book, The Roommate Rule, which follows Max & Dylan as they go on a trip to Wales. 🏞️ Oh my goodness... the feels. 🥹💕
This book is for every people-pleasing girl who feels like she has to adjust herself to be what others want her to be, who thinks she has to be useful to someone to deserve love, and for the girls who are always apologizing. 🤍
What a leap from the first book to this one! The Friendship Fling was a great start, and The Roommate Rule goes even beyond that. 👏✨
I really enjoy Georgia's writing! It's so fast-paced, clever, and never fails to make me laugh out loud. 💛 The spice was perfect. Truly. I'm not a fan of ugly words, but Georgia writes love scenes so beautifully.
This book was such a win! 🫶 I loved the dynamic between Max & Dylan. I found myself relating to Dylan very quickly, and watching her grow, realize there was nothing wrong with her, set boundaries, and finally feel free was so inspiring. 🥹✨
I cannot recommend this book enough! 📖💖 I cannot recommend this author enough. I love her. 🥹🤍
🌶️ Spice: ⭐️⭐️ (1.5/5)
💬 Banter: ✅
🏞️ Setting: ✅
💚 Lovable MMC: ✅
🫶 Relatable FMC: ✅
July 24, 2026
Thank you to Libro.fm for the ALC! All opinions are my own.
Reading Format: Audiobook 🎧
Audiobook Production: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✨Tropes✨
🩵 Opposites Attract
🌊 Roommates-to-Lovers
📷 Friend's Brother
🛶 Only One Bed
📱 Dual POV
✨Audiobook Production✨
I really enjoyed Hannah Parker and Matthew Biddulph's narration for this book! They both did a great job of not only bringing their character to life, but also the other characters in the book. It was a fun and easy listen, and I honestly zoomed through it because it was just that good!
✨Story Review✨
This book was a perfect summer read. The chemistry and tension between Dylan and Max was delightful. I always love a smooth-talking man, and Max might have just set the new standard. The way he flirted and had cheeky replies to Dylan even had me blushing!
I really enjoyed the opposites attract trope of this book. Max and Dylan were so different, but I love how they saw and understood each other so well despite those differences. We see a lot of character growth between the two as they work through struggles from their past. There were also so many vulnerable and honest moments that made their relationship feel realistic and believable, which I really loved.
This was my first book by Georgia Stone, but it definitely won't be my last!
Reading Format: Audiobook 🎧
Audiobook Production: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Story Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✨Tropes✨
🩵 Opposites Attract
🌊 Roommates-to-Lovers
📷 Friend's Brother
🛶 Only One Bed
📱 Dual POV
✨Audiobook Production✨
I really enjoyed Hannah Parker and Matthew Biddulph's narration for this book! They both did a great job of not only bringing their character to life, but also the other characters in the book. It was a fun and easy listen, and I honestly zoomed through it because it was just that good!
✨Story Review✨
This book was a perfect summer read. The chemistry and tension between Dylan and Max was delightful. I always love a smooth-talking man, and Max might have just set the new standard. The way he flirted and had cheeky replies to Dylan even had me blushing!
I really enjoyed the opposites attract trope of this book. Max and Dylan were so different, but I love how they saw and understood each other so well despite those differences. We see a lot of character growth between the two as they work through struggles from their past. There were also so many vulnerable and honest moments that made their relationship feel realistic and believable, which I really loved.
This was my first book by Georgia Stone, but it definitely won't be my last!
March 3, 2026
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.
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.
September 5, 2026
For the first couple of pages, I was thinking : « oh no, I’m not gonna like this » because of Max’s attitude and job but I chose to forge on anyway and I’M GLAD I DID !
(Max’s being an influencer was just a convenient pretense for the plot to happen and he wasn’t one dimensional at all)
I loved loved this. I loved how the author wrote the blossoming romance of opposites attract, the tenderness, the intimacy. The struggles were so well done. I cried a few times. Great, great romance.
(Max’s being an influencer was just a convenient pretense for the plot to happen and he wasn’t one dimensional at all)
I loved loved this. I loved how the author wrote the blossoming romance of opposites attract, the tenderness, the intimacy. The struggles were so well done. I cried a few times. Great, great romance.
July 17, 2026
4.25!!! love love love!!!!!!!!
July 29, 2026
This one took me by surprise in the best way!
I went into this blind and not really expecting more than just a cutsie YA romance. My fault for judging a book by its cover because it’s actually adult but you won’t hear me complaining. Georgia Stone is a new to me author and blew me away with her banter, spice and emotional depth. There were definitely moments where Max came off a little cringe but overall I enjoyed the read.
Thanks NetGalley! This was a fun arc I can’t wait to share.
I went into this blind and not really expecting more than just a cutsie YA romance. My fault for judging a book by its cover because it’s actually adult but you won’t hear me complaining. Georgia Stone is a new to me author and blew me away with her banter, spice and emotional depth. There were definitely moments where Max came off a little cringe but overall I enjoyed the read.
Thanks NetGalley! This was a fun arc I can’t wait to share.
June 20, 2026
3.5 stars x
February 23, 2026
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”
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”
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2026
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.
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.
September 16, 2025
You guys aren't ready for this one!
Read
March 3, 2026I feel vaguely destroyed but also overwhelmed with joy and whimsy
June 14, 2026
I should have known I wouldn’t want to read a Max after I had the privilege of reading a Finn
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