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Roommates
Addy
My life is great. I love the bar I work at. I have the two most amazing roommates in the world. We’ve been together since high school. Is everything perfect? No, but that’s what makes it so great. Now, if only this large biker would stop ordering drinks with obscene names. Maybe I can get the hot guy at the end of the bar to order one instead. He intrigues me in ways I can’t quite describe. I want to know him. I also want to sit on his face…
James
My life is awful right now. I don’t think it could honestly get any worse. I suppose it could rain. That would probably be worse. At least no one is kicking me out of this bar. The manager is smoking hot. I’ve been hanging around this bar long enough to know she is amazing. I’ve also been around long enough that someone will notice soon. I really need to find a place to go other than this bar.
Roommates is a queer polyamorous romance. It contains content that is appropriate for 18+. There are kinks, alcohol and drug consumption, mild violence, and language.
This is the second edition. The story has not changed, only editing and formatting.
My life is great. I love the bar I work at. I have the two most amazing roommates in the world. We’ve been together since high school. Is everything perfect? No, but that’s what makes it so great. Now, if only this large biker would stop ordering drinks with obscene names. Maybe I can get the hot guy at the end of the bar to order one instead. He intrigues me in ways I can’t quite describe. I want to know him. I also want to sit on his face…
James
My life is awful right now. I don’t think it could honestly get any worse. I suppose it could rain. That would probably be worse. At least no one is kicking me out of this bar. The manager is smoking hot. I’ve been hanging around this bar long enough to know she is amazing. I’ve also been around long enough that someone will notice soon. I really need to find a place to go other than this bar.
Roommates is a queer polyamorous romance. It contains content that is appropriate for 18+. There are kinks, alcohol and drug consumption, mild violence, and language.
This is the second edition. The story has not changed, only editing and formatting.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 14, 2022
65 people are currently reading
219 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 7, 2023
The writing style took me a bit to get into, but once I did, I was SO into it! I read this in mostly one sitting.
It was not only the most authentic feeling poly relationship I've ever read, but also an excellent realistic portrayal of healthy BDSM. I adored the dynamic between all main characters, both as a group and in their individual relationships with each other.
This is definitely not a dark story by any means, but there are a few potential triggers of the -phobic variety, so please look into that if it is something you may be sensitive to.
It was not only the most authentic feeling poly relationship I've ever read, but also an excellent realistic portrayal of healthy BDSM. I adored the dynamic between all main characters, both as a group and in their individual relationships with each other.
This is definitely not a dark story by any means, but there are a few potential triggers of the -phobic variety, so please look into that if it is something you may be sensitive to.
August 21, 2022
This book was so unique and I didn’t realize this going into it. Roommates is a queer why choose romance featuring a bisexual femme dom, a vulnerable male, a nonbinary asexual mc, and a bisexual submissive. This is honestly the first book I’ve read that explores this particular relationship dynamic and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story was fast-paced, kinky, and smutty.
It did take me some time to get into this book and I had to take a bit of a break and come back to it because I struggled with the first part. The cover and blurb definitely don’t do the book justice when it comes to LGBTQ+ rep. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
It did take me some time to get into this book and I had to take a bit of a break and come back to it because I struggled with the first part. The cover and blurb definitely don’t do the book justice when it comes to LGBTQ+ rep. Overall, I really enjoyed this book!
Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
August 21, 2022
3.75⭐️
Okay firstly I have to say that I was not expecting the relationship that was in this book. I totally thought this was going to be a MMMF book and it’s not, it is male, two females and a non-binary character. I am not sure how I read the blurb so wrong but I ended up really loving it. This is the first book I have read with this particular relationship dynamic and I thought it was explored so well.
If you want a book that deals with kink in a good way, this is one for you. It was actually so nice to see steamy scenes with lots of kink in them with the kink being portrayed well, safely, and accurately. There was loads of good points on how important communication is and I really liked that
I enjoyed the story, it moved at a quick pace and I was able to read the book in three sittings.
I did feel as if the writing was a little bit clunky at parts. There were a lot of short sentences, that described every single thing the character was doing specifically. This did mean that sometimes it felt very blocky, as if it didn’t flow as well. Also I thought there was times when the characters were unnecessarily dramatic.
Overall would recommend though
Tropes:
Polyamorous
BDSM
Steam:
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
TWs:
.
.
.
Homophobia & enbyphobia
Okay firstly I have to say that I was not expecting the relationship that was in this book. I totally thought this was going to be a MMMF book and it’s not, it is male, two females and a non-binary character. I am not sure how I read the blurb so wrong but I ended up really loving it. This is the first book I have read with this particular relationship dynamic and I thought it was explored so well.
If you want a book that deals with kink in a good way, this is one for you. It was actually so nice to see steamy scenes with lots of kink in them with the kink being portrayed well, safely, and accurately. There was loads of good points on how important communication is and I really liked that
I enjoyed the story, it moved at a quick pace and I was able to read the book in three sittings.
I did feel as if the writing was a little bit clunky at parts. There were a lot of short sentences, that described every single thing the character was doing specifically. This did mean that sometimes it felt very blocky, as if it didn’t flow as well. Also I thought there was times when the characters were unnecessarily dramatic.
Overall would recommend though
Tropes:
Polyamorous
BDSM
Steam:
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
TWs:
.
.
.
Homophobia & enbyphobia
August 17, 2022
This is honestly the most unique WHY CHOOSE story I've ever read. The cover and blurb absolutely do not do this story justice or provide any indicator of how much emotion, spice, and LGBTQ education is in these pages.
The blurb mentions James and Addy.
James is a journalist, who is dealing with a huge storm cloud in life right now. He is beyond down on his luck. Addy is the bartender at the bar he's been hanging around. She finds out about his bad luck and offers to help him get back on his feet. Her help opens a door to a whole new world and an in incredible support system that he truly needs.
Personality wise, James is very vulnerable. His sadness and anger cause him to breakdown and/or experience outbursts. He has a wide emotional range and personal growth throughout this book that I truly appreciated seeing in a male character.
Addy is probably my absolute favorite character in this book. She is super confident, caring, bold, plays too much, and is a femme dom. She is openly bisexual and has several kinks. She is all about providing pleasure as well as feelings of comfort and love. Her aftercare game is on point. But what really sold me with her is the fact that she has a primal kink. Let me tell you!! Watching that play out was freakin golden!!
Megs is the first ever NON-BINARY MC I've ever read. I've seen NB characters in books before, however they were side characters with minimal impact on the overall storyline. Megs is incredibly important, not just to the plot but in educating readers. Not only is Megs NB, but they are also ASEXUAL which was another first for me. I adored Megs, getting a peek inside their thoughts and emotions was truly special and rewarding. They were funny, sensitive, relatable, and like James experienced a ton of personal growth. I wanted to put them in my pocket and keep them safe forever.
Rosie is an absolute sweetheart. She is bisexual and submissive; her kinks include rope play and she's a rigger. Rosie embodied the spunk of Miss. Frizzle and the empathetic heart of every Disney sidekick. She balances out everyone else's personalities and helped them all strive to be better. At least that was my take on her.
Overall, I really liked this book. The subplot wasn't super strong, and I figured out what was happening pretty fast. However, once I "figured" it all out, I continued to make assumptions only to be proven wrong and/or realize that there is a damn red herring in this story!!
Aside from the many many kinky spice scenes that are in this book, there was a huge emphasis on just physical touch in general as well as intimacy on every level.
I highly recommend reading this book. You can tell the author put a lot of thought and care into presenting this WHY CHOOSE/POLYAMORUS group.
Side note: This is the second contemporary romance I've read this year featuring a less than traditional love interests and I'm here for it. Don't get me wrong I love me some DARK romance. But sometimes it's nice to have storylines that don't involve decapitating men who disrespected the MC's woman... Only sometimes
The blurb mentions James and Addy.
James is a journalist, who is dealing with a huge storm cloud in life right now. He is beyond down on his luck. Addy is the bartender at the bar he's been hanging around. She finds out about his bad luck and offers to help him get back on his feet. Her help opens a door to a whole new world and an in incredible support system that he truly needs.
Personality wise, James is very vulnerable. His sadness and anger cause him to breakdown and/or experience outbursts. He has a wide emotional range and personal growth throughout this book that I truly appreciated seeing in a male character.
Addy is probably my absolute favorite character in this book. She is super confident, caring, bold, plays too much, and is a femme dom. She is openly bisexual and has several kinks. She is all about providing pleasure as well as feelings of comfort and love. Her aftercare game is on point. But what really sold me with her is the fact that she has a primal kink. Let me tell you!! Watching that play out was freakin golden!!
Megs is the first ever NON-BINARY MC I've ever read. I've seen NB characters in books before, however they were side characters with minimal impact on the overall storyline. Megs is incredibly important, not just to the plot but in educating readers. Not only is Megs NB, but they are also ASEXUAL which was another first for me. I adored Megs, getting a peek inside their thoughts and emotions was truly special and rewarding. They were funny, sensitive, relatable, and like James experienced a ton of personal growth. I wanted to put them in my pocket and keep them safe forever.
Rosie is an absolute sweetheart. She is bisexual and submissive; her kinks include rope play and she's a rigger. Rosie embodied the spunk of Miss. Frizzle and the empathetic heart of every Disney sidekick. She balances out everyone else's personalities and helped them all strive to be better. At least that was my take on her.
Overall, I really liked this book. The subplot wasn't super strong, and I figured out what was happening pretty fast. However, once I "figured" it all out, I continued to make assumptions only to be proven wrong and/or realize that there is a damn red herring in this story!!
Aside from the many many kinky spice scenes that are in this book, there was a huge emphasis on just physical touch in general as well as intimacy on every level.
I highly recommend reading this book. You can tell the author put a lot of thought and care into presenting this WHY CHOOSE/POLYAMORUS group.
Side note: This is the second contemporary romance I've read this year featuring a less than traditional love interests and I'm here for it. Don't get me wrong I love me some DARK romance. But sometimes it's nice to have storylines that don't involve decapitating men who disrespected the MC's woman... Only sometimes
August 14, 2022
It’s a new take on the why choose, or reverse harem. Been awhile since i read MFFF, it took me a while to get used to the pronoun use. Great read for a debut novel. If you are in to smut, queer, romance, or just the thrill of it all, read her book. She is an aspiring author that I would recommend to everyone.
did-not-finish
August 20, 2022I saw someone enjoying this on TikTok. However, in the first page there’s so much back-and-forth in the tenses, that I don’t think I will be able to read it. Need some more editing
July 18, 2025
I finished this book in 24 hours! Once I got into the writing style, I didn’t want to put it down. Perfectly spicy, and somehow amazingly wholesome that it took me by surprise.
August 15, 2022
The spice! A must read reverse harem. 10/10.
August 15, 2022
Why choose with a twist??
Out of all the why choose romance books that I have read, I have never read one quite like this… and that’s a good thing. Immediately after reading the blurb, I knew I wanted to read it. As much information as you think the blurb gives, you really don’t know what exactly is going to happen and that made it even better.
James is going through a divorce. He is the mystery man showing up at the bar that Addy works at. He’s piqued her interest. Over the pages, you learn so much about who James is and he even piqued my interest. You get to see him open up and try new things. He has a big heart and is truly special to everyone involved even after everything he has been through recently.
Right from the begging, you know Addy is a strong and loving character. She is willing to help James without even knowing him. Now it’s up to the roommates to decide if James can become one of them. In comes Rosie and Megs. Even though weary, they’re very accepting. I find Addy, Rosie, and Megs very sweet and just beautiful all around. They each have their quirks and their personalities. You honestly can’t love one without loving the other. I found myself loving this relationship and loving that it’s not something that is commonly written about.
With as much as I’ve raved about this book so far I will admit, that I found myself struggling to continue reading during the first part of this book. I thought there was so much detail and inner thoughts in the beginning half of this book, that setting the scene seemed to overpower the events and the plot. However, I continued on and powered through and I did find myself more interested and enjoying the rest of the book. I do suggest giving this book a shot!
Out of all the why choose romance books that I have read, I have never read one quite like this… and that’s a good thing. Immediately after reading the blurb, I knew I wanted to read it. As much information as you think the blurb gives, you really don’t know what exactly is going to happen and that made it even better.
James is going through a divorce. He is the mystery man showing up at the bar that Addy works at. He’s piqued her interest. Over the pages, you learn so much about who James is and he even piqued my interest. You get to see him open up and try new things. He has a big heart and is truly special to everyone involved even after everything he has been through recently.
Right from the begging, you know Addy is a strong and loving character. She is willing to help James without even knowing him. Now it’s up to the roommates to decide if James can become one of them. In comes Rosie and Megs. Even though weary, they’re very accepting. I find Addy, Rosie, and Megs very sweet and just beautiful all around. They each have their quirks and their personalities. You honestly can’t love one without loving the other. I found myself loving this relationship and loving that it’s not something that is commonly written about.
With as much as I’ve raved about this book so far I will admit, that I found myself struggling to continue reading during the first part of this book. I thought there was so much detail and inner thoughts in the beginning half of this book, that setting the scene seemed to overpower the events and the plot. However, I continued on and powered through and I did find myself more interested and enjoying the rest of the book. I do suggest giving this book a shot!
August 20, 2022
This book started out slow for me but it picked up around the 30% mark and I LOVED it. It was such an amazing read. This was such a unique Why Choose novel. When I saw the cover I was a little hesitant because it seemed a bit bland, but boy was I wrong. There is so much emotion & character development in this story. There was also so much LGBTQ+ representation and education that made this story so much better.
This book is about 3 roommates, Addy, Rosie, & Megs who help James get back on his feet.
Addy is a daring, confident bisexual femme dom.
Rosie is a bisexual submissive sweetheart. Who has a rope bondage Kink.
Megs is a Non Binary Asexual (which was a first for me). Megs went through so much growth. Reading about them was also super educational.
James has such a wide range of emotions throughout the book. He was so vulnerable. It was so refreshing to see that from a male character.
All the characters were different but complemented each other perfectly. April did an amazing job building each of the characters personalities as well as all of the relationships between them all.
My only gripe with the book was the writing at times. There was a lot of extra fluff that I could have done without. I think if it would have gone through another round of editing it could have been condensed to help it read better. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. I really enjoyed this read and would read another book on these characters.
This book is about 3 roommates, Addy, Rosie, & Megs who help James get back on his feet.
Addy is a daring, confident bisexual femme dom.
Rosie is a bisexual submissive sweetheart. Who has a rope bondage Kink.
Megs is a Non Binary Asexual (which was a first for me). Megs went through so much growth. Reading about them was also super educational.
James has such a wide range of emotions throughout the book. He was so vulnerable. It was so refreshing to see that from a male character.
All the characters were different but complemented each other perfectly. April did an amazing job building each of the characters personalities as well as all of the relationships between them all.
My only gripe with the book was the writing at times. There was a lot of extra fluff that I could have done without. I think if it would have gone through another round of editing it could have been condensed to help it read better. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. I really enjoyed this read and would read another book on these characters.
August 20, 2022
Roommates by April Gaisford was a unique experience. Their debut novel is a queer poly romance. I have read my fair share of reverse harem books at this point but this one has one man, James, two women, Addy and Rosie, and one non-binary person, Megs.
This was my first experience reading a book with a NB character and while at first there were a few times when the singular use of “they/them” in a group setting was confusing, it was fairly easy to adapt to.
I loved this slice of life romance. Learning about each of the four main characters and seeing them interact with one another and form individual bonds as well as a group bond was wonderful.
They manage to overcome some pretty big relationship hurdles in a refreshingly healthy way - not to say everything depicted is, this is still a work of fiction and based on humans, we are flawed and therefore not everything is perfect, but it does make things believable.
A good amount of spice sprinkled throughout this book.
If you’re looking for something a little bit different, or just find a spicy slice of life romance to be your thing, definitely give this one a read.
Thank you to the SmutHood Tours and author for my review copy.
This was my first experience reading a book with a NB character and while at first there were a few times when the singular use of “they/them” in a group setting was confusing, it was fairly easy to adapt to.
I loved this slice of life romance. Learning about each of the four main characters and seeing them interact with one another and form individual bonds as well as a group bond was wonderful.
They manage to overcome some pretty big relationship hurdles in a refreshingly healthy way - not to say everything depicted is, this is still a work of fiction and based on humans, we are flawed and therefore not everything is perfect, but it does make things believable.
A good amount of spice sprinkled throughout this book.
If you’re looking for something a little bit different, or just find a spicy slice of life romance to be your thing, definitely give this one a read.
Thank you to the SmutHood Tours and author for my review copy.
August 15, 2022
So before this book, I didn't know that a polyamorous harem, (quad?) could feel so wholesome.
Now, don't hear this wrong. THERE IS SPICE, and a LOT of it. Very well written spice and varied spice if I might add.
But the feelings between these roommates and partners is just so incredible.
First of all, this book is so inclusive, having a non binary individual involved was like the icing on the cake for me, and the way pronouns, respect and such were approached was perfect.
Then we have the MULTIPLE points of view. It makes it clear that no one partner is more important than the other.
We also have the DRAMA. The divorce and the work issues and oh MY do those ever add to the plot.
This is a book I think I might recommend forever.
April killed it for their debut novel and I am SO GLAD I had the opportunity to read this!
Now, don't hear this wrong. THERE IS SPICE, and a LOT of it. Very well written spice and varied spice if I might add.
But the feelings between these roommates and partners is just so incredible.
First of all, this book is so inclusive, having a non binary individual involved was like the icing on the cake for me, and the way pronouns, respect and such were approached was perfect.
Then we have the MULTIPLE points of view. It makes it clear that no one partner is more important than the other.
We also have the DRAMA. The divorce and the work issues and oh MY do those ever add to the plot.
This is a book I think I might recommend forever.
April killed it for their debut novel and I am SO GLAD I had the opportunity to read this!
August 15, 2022
I loved James’ arc, going from a lonely depressed man in a desperate situation, reeling from a terribly abusive relationship, to a stable and loving home environment with people who genuinely love and care for him. Getting to see him grow and progress was a treat, as well as the eventful second half of the book and how his role as a journalist comes into play. I don’t read smut typically, so I can’t speak to the common tropes in use, but I can say this was fun and spicy, but also heartwarming. The inclusion of a non-binary character was great. I did have to pay attention to which perspective was being read to keep track of the pronouns, but it was very interesting nonetheless, and all the characters obviously have love and respect for one another. The scenes tho… well, you may need some alone time when reading this. ;)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2022
This debut novel is an innovative twist on the why choose story with the FFFM twist. I loved how each of the people in this book was willing to explore all kinds of dynamics and find out what they liked. There is a sexy vibe throughout and I never felt like it dropped, which is saying something (there's no middle of the book lull :) ) I liked how each character was a real character fleshed out to a point - no one is secondary, again, something hard to do in this genre.
August 15, 2022
@aprilgaisford_author wrote a cute and sweet little queer romance. We meet our MCs pretty quickly and three of them are in an open-type relationship but they don't define it as a relationship it's almost like a poly cube. Then in comes, James who is down on his luck and our 3 MCs take him in to get his life on track. What follows is a fun and quirky and sometimes dramatic love story.
Storyline 🫀🫀🫀🫀
Damp-o-meter 💦 💦💦
Storyline 🫀🫀🫀🫀
Damp-o-meter 💦 💦💦
January 6, 2023
Really really cute!!! Nicely written and fun to read, loved all the main characters and had our first non-binary character, I love the representation!! Nice little surprise towards the end and keeps you in suspense even though I guessed it about half way through. Only reason for 4 stars is because there were multiple spelling mistakes and an incorrect name which always takes me out of the story ;( overall though, really unique and interesting story, would probably read again.
October 17, 2024
I didn’t know I needed a queer why choose romance until I read this. Gaisford’s look at an “untraditional” relationship is sweet, romantic, and really quite lovely. The character development among each of the MCs and extra characters is top notch. Gaisford makes each character uniquely human and relatable - even when you’re not supposed to like them. Now I want to read MORE queer romance and more from Gaisford.
May 20, 2025
oh my god I hope I get a continuation
This is by far the best queer romance novel I’ve ever read, I instantly fell in love with the main cast! Addy and Rosie are so cute together and Megs and James are amazing! I love their dynamic and want to have more of it! You wrote Whitney perfectly and I adore it. I also loved how you didn’t shy away from what men deal with daily and it truly shows when James is in the house for the first time in awhile
This is by far the best queer romance novel I’ve ever read, I instantly fell in love with the main cast! Addy and Rosie are so cute together and Megs and James are amazing! I love their dynamic and want to have more of it! You wrote Whitney perfectly and I adore it. I also loved how you didn’t shy away from what men deal with daily and it truly shows when James is in the house for the first time in awhile
January 28, 2023
Definitely not my fav, read it as part of a challenge, though i did like the banter throughout I’m not a fan of reading FF or non-binary, especially non-binary when there is already a group of people makes reading too confusing, even the author wrote the wrong character in one scene, overall editing to me could use a reread also to fix mistakes
August 18, 2022
This book gave me all the happy/healthy relationship vibes. A FFFM why choose romance that features individuals who were very uniquely different and each had separate life challenges to overcome, who actively and thoughtfully chose to love and support one another in whatever way was necessary. The spice was fantastic, the emotional connections were heartwarming... overall I really enjoyed this story and characters 🖤
August 16, 2022
Why choose with a twist and I loved it! What an amazing debut novel for April and cannot wait for more of their work!
Loved the whole dynamic and relationship build up from all characters and the representation of non-binary and open relationships and sexuality.
Run don’t work to this read ❤️
Loved the whole dynamic and relationship build up from all characters and the representation of non-binary and open relationships and sexuality.
Run don’t work to this read ❤️
August 30, 2022
I loved this book so much! The characters are fantastic and go so well together. It is by far the most healthy and best communicating poly relationship I have ever read. It was spicy 🌶 🥵 at all the right times. Rosie was my favorite and I related to her in so many ways.
May 22, 2023
A fantastic nontraditional romance.
The story is solid with some nice twists (not
just the main relationships).
Great characters, I know these people could have read more. Love the characters.
Some burning hot and slow simmer love scenes.
The story is solid with some nice twists (not
just the main relationships).
Great characters, I know these people could have read more. Love the characters.
Some burning hot and slow simmer love scenes.
July 27, 2023
4,25/5 ⭐️
✨ Check TW
✨ Why Choose / RH
✨ NB F F M
✨ Fun, Steamy & Emotional
✨ OW Drama (James ex wife is really a b*tch)
✨ Prim@l, Shibari, Toys and more
✨ Really love the characters
✨ Tiktok review: https://www.tiktok.com/@pinkitnl/vide...
✨ Check TW
✨ Why Choose / RH
✨ NB F F M
✨ Fun, Steamy & Emotional
✨ OW Drama (James ex wife is really a b*tch)
✨ Prim@l, Shibari, Toys and more
✨ Really love the characters
✨ Tiktok review: https://www.tiktok.com/@pinkitnl/vide...
August 22, 2022
It was a slow start but I'm glad I stuck with it. It was a good read. A different take on a why choose. They characters were all different and grew together so good.
September 7, 2022
I dnfed this book I could not get into it at all. It was not what I was expecting when I read the summary.
September 9, 2022
THIS!
This was wonderful, exciting, inclusive, and all the other words! Amazing. And the spice level 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🤯 I can't believe it's your first book. I can't wait for more!
This was wonderful, exciting, inclusive, and all the other words! Amazing. And the spice level 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🤯 I can't believe it's your first book. I can't wait for more!
January 4, 2023
Such a good book! It was better then expected. Most books I've read containing FF aren't all that great but this book was amazing.
March 5, 2023
Great spice.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews