Audio Review: Roommate by Sarina Bowen

 

Wanted: One roommate to share a 3-bedroom house, split the rent, and ideally not be the guy I can’t stop thinking about.  

I’m a man with too many secrets, so the last thing I need is a new roommate with a sexy smile and blue eyes that see right through me. Eight years ago, Roderick left town after high school. We’re not friends. I owe him nothing. But back then, I let one of my secrets slip, and he’s the only one who noticed. 

Part of me knows I should run far, far away. But the other part wants him to come upstairs and spend the night. But if I let him in, I could lose everything.

Seeking: a room to rent in town. I’m tidy, have no pets, and I will feed you homemade bread. 

I should probably add: Gay AF, and has no filter. It’s no wonder my new landlord is so wary of me. 

A smarter man would ignore those hot glances from Kieran Shipley. The broody lumberjack wants more from me than another fresh-baked pretzel. But if I push my luck, I’ll end up back on the street.

Too bad I’ve never been smart with my heart…

CHRISTY'S REVIEW

“It’s not so terrifying to show people who you really are.”

I was so excited to read Roommates because not only does it have the Shipley family that I adore, but this is probably my favorite Sarina Bowen cover. Kieran Shipley's book has been teased for a while and I was so happy it was finally here. I loved this one!

Kieran Shipley is ready for a life change. He works part time at a bakery, part time at an advertising firm, and still helps his brother and dad with all the farm chores around the house. What he really needs is to move out. And that's exactly what he does. Only, he needs a roommate. He never expects it to be Roderick. He and Roderick have a bit of a past from high school, but they don't know each other well.

Roderick has moved home to Vermont after living in Nashville for many years. He's had a tough time lately, but working at the local bakery is exactly what he needs. Now, he just needs a place to live. He and Kieran become roommates first, and with time, friends. I loved watching them go from coworkers to friends, to more. Kieran is exactly the kind of guy Roderick needs and deserves and Roderick is the type of person Kieran needs to come out of his shell.

I love how this opposites attract story worked. These two were great together. I had such a huge smile on my face throughout the book and I couldn't help but to root for these two. I completely adored how the storyline with Kieran's family worked out, though I wasn't such a fan of the quick lived drama with Roderick's ex at the end.

Roommate was such a fantastic read for me. The audiobook narration was incredible. Teddy Hamilton and Stephen Dexter did an amazing job voicing both Kieran and Roderick. This was a beautiful romance and I highly recommend it!

Audio book source: Soundwise (audio arc)
Story Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrators: Teddy Hamilton and Stephen Dexter
Narration Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 9 hours and 5 minutes

PURCHASE LINKS

Audible: https://geni.us/Audible-RM

Amazon: https://geni.us/Amazon-roommate 

Apple: https://geni.us/Apple-roommate

Kobo: https://geni.us/Kobo-roommate  

Nook: https://geni.us/Nook-roommate

LIVE! Roommate by Sarina Bowen

 

Wanted: One roommate to share a 3-bedroom house, split the rent, and ideally not be the guy I can’t stop thinking about.  

I’m a man with too many secrets, so the last thing I need is a new roommate with a sexy smile and blue eyes that see right through me. Eight years ago, Roderick left town after high school. We’re not friends. I owe him nothing. But back then, I let one of my secrets slip, and he’s the only one who noticed. 

Part of me knows I should run far, far away. But the other part wants him to come upstairs and spend the night. But if I let him in, I could lose everything.

Seeking: a room to rent in town. I’m tidy, have no pets, and I will feed you homemade bread. 

I should probably add: Gay AF, and has no filter. It’s no wonder my new landlord is so wary of me. 

A smarter man would ignore those hot glances from Kieran Shipley. The broody lumberjack wants more from me than another fresh-baked pretzel. But if I push my luck, I’ll end up back on the street.

Too bad I’ve never been smart with my heart… 

PURCHASE LINKS

Audible: https://geni.us/Audible-RM

Amazon: https://geni.us/Amazon-roommate 

Apple: https://geni.us/Apple-roommate

Kobo: https://geni.us/Kobo-roommate  

Nook: https://geni.us/Nook-roommate

EXCERPT:

Back at home, I do all the chores and then some. 

First I put the cows in the north pasture. Moving cows is easy enough in good weather. It only requires me to move the portable fence and wave them through the opening. “Go on, enjoy,” I say as they file past me eagerly. Our herd is grass fed, and they don’t need to be asked twice. The long, seedy grass and corn stalks I’m offering are like a recently freshened, all-you-can-eat buffet.

Let’s face it—the cows are easier to handle than any of my family members. They go where they’re needed, no questions asked. But my dog—Rexie—gives the cows a nice loud woof just to pretend he’s working hard. 

After the cow parade, I close up the fence and turn the electricity on. After that, I spend forty-five minutes raking cow shit out of the lower farmyard in the dark. 

It’s boring drudge work, and my mind starts to wander. And, fuck, it wanders right to Roderick Waites—the guy who climbed out of a blue Volkswagen and right back into my brain.

I wish I could say I haven’t thought about him since high school, but that would be a lie. And if I were a more spiritual person, I’d probably interpret Roderick’s reappearance in town as a sign. A wakeup call.

Nobody knows all the tangled things in my brain, but for a split second when I was a teenager, Roderick came close to learning one of my biggest secrets. 

The first time I saw him on his knees in front of another guy, it was an accident. 

It was autumn then, too. I’d been at a high school football game. It was chilly that night and, last second before leaving for the game, I’d grabbed my dad’s jacket from the hook by the door. After shoving my hands into the pockets while standing on the windy sidelines, I’d found a flask of whiskey. My father must have last worn the jacket when he was sitting out in the deer blind with his pals. Bonus. 

But, of course, I’d had to sneak around to find a place to take a taste. 

Leaving the crowd and the game, I ducked inside the door to the school’s gym. Under the cover of the bleachers, I drew out my dad’s flask, and unscrewed the top. Just as I raised it to my lips, I froze at the sound of whispered voices. Whoever was speaking had entered the gym at the other end of the bleachers. 

Their shadowy figures weren’t easily visible. But I guessed it was a couple looking for a little privacy for a make-out session. And since a couple sneaking off together wasn’t a threat to me, I stood my ground. 

I took a swallow of my father’s hooch. My first sip wasn’t life-changing—it burned going down and made my eyes water—it’s what happened next that changed everything. 

After screwing the lid on the flask and pocketing it, I ducked out of the gym and into the hallway. Feeling nosy, I walked toward the gym’s other entrance, noiseless in my Nikes. When I reached the door, I eased into a position that allowed me to spy on the couple I’d heard whispering to each other. They were silent now, and I wanted to know why. 

When I saw who it was, I swear my heart almost stopped. A varsity soccer player—Jared Harvey—stood beneath the bleachers, bracing his hands on a tread overhead. Roderick Waites knelt in front of him, unzipping Jared’s jeans. 

You can bet I didn’t even blink for the next five minutes…

Review: The Strike Out by Meghan Quinn

 

The Strike Out by Meghan Quinn 

Release Date: January 4th

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2LrY8kY

Get your copy here: mybook.to/TheStrikeOut

AVAILABLE NOW!!!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2KJjomu

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/38O3tLE

AMAZON CA: https://amzn.to/2KR6N0j

AMAZON AU: https://amzn.to/3o5Kmmx

BLURB:

It started with one night out with the boys.

She was the hot diner waitress putting herself through school.

I was the rich, arrogant player everyone misjudges.

On paper we didn’t match.

Yet all it took was one day. One single day to change her mind.

She wasn’t planning to spend her day off with me.

She wasn’t supposed to fall for my charm.

But one day, one smile, turned into several nights of her calling out my name.

I’m not the guy she should end up with. I’m jealous, possessive. Not here for a long time - just a good time.

She’s changed me.

But, for some reason, I feel her slipping through my fingers and no matter what I do, I fear I’m going to strike out with the one and only girl I’ve ever fallen for.

CHRISTY'S REVIEW:

 

“Sometimes the right person comes out of nowhere. When you’re not looking for love is sometimes when you actually find it.”


I love Meghan Quinn’s sports romances and I was so happy to be back in her Brentwood baseball world.

Holt Green is one of the original guys from the Brentwood team and though I loved the last few books that focused on them as adults in the big leagues, it was really nice to have this one take place completely on Brentwood as a new adult romance.

Holt and Harmony meet at a diner where Harmony is working and let's just say it is not love at first sight… at least not for Harmony. She definitely has some thoughts about the elite athletes at Brentwood and they are not all good. But Holt… he’s a goner. He’s drawn to her from the start and he has to find out more. 


“You know what they say . . . hate often turns into love.” Harmony snorts. “Ha, okay. Yup. That’s what this is, the start of the greatest love story of all time.”
“I’m glad you see it that way too.”


I loved the first half of this book so much. Watching Holt win Harmony over was the best. He was quickly turning into one of my favorite baseball players by being so sweet, kind, funny, and genuine. Holt is definitely a lovable guy. Harmony took a little longer to grow on me, but once she did, I loved her too.

The second half of the book was great too, there was just a lot that happened. Almost a little too much for my liking, which is honestly the only reason it isn’t a five star read for me personally. Still, I loved so much about this story! It was addictive and fun. Emotional and sweet.

Meghan Quinn is one of those authors I can’t get enough of. I always want to read more of her because most of her books are huge wins for me. Always full of humor, heart, and steam, she’s not an author you want to sleep on.

The Strike Out was another hit for me and I hope she writes more from the Brentwood world. I never want these books to end!

Connect with Meghan:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meghanquinnauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360513.Meghan_Quinn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormeghanquinn/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMegQuinn

Website: http://authormeghanquinn.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meghan-quinn

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LitE4x

 

The Strike Out by Meghan Quinn is LIVE!

 

The Strike Out by Meghan Quinn 

Release Date: January 4th

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2LrY8kY

Get your copy here: mybook.to/TheStrikeOut

AVAILABLE NOW!!!

FREE in Kindle Unlimited!

AMAZON US: https://amzn.to/2KJjomu

AMAZON UK: https://amzn.to/38O3tLE

AMAZON CA: https://amzn.to/2KR6N0j

AMAZON AU: https://amzn.to/3o5Kmmx

BLURB:

It started with one night out with the boys.

She was the hot diner waitress putting herself through school.

I was the rich, arrogant player everyone misjudges.

On paper we didn’t match.

Yet all it took was one day. One single day to change her mind.

She wasn’t planning to spend her day off with me.

She wasn’t supposed to fall for my charm.

But one day, one smile, turned into several nights of her calling out my name.

I’m not the guy she should end up with. I’m jealous, possessive. Not here for a long time - just a good time.

She’s changed me.

But, for some reason, I feel her slipping through my fingers and no matter what I do, I fear I’m going to strike out with the one and only girl I’ve ever fallen for.

EXCERPT:

“Four patty melts, then?” Harmony asks, with a little more attitude in her voice than before.

“That would be—”

“Is there something wrong?” I ask, interrupting Knox before he can say something douchey like “that would be lovely.” 

“Nope.” She pops the P with a snap of her lips and refuses to look at any of us.

“Then the patty melts would be—”

“Do you have something against us being on the baseball team?” I ask, turning my entire body toward her. Carson groans. He becomes “ravenous” when he’s drunk, and I know all he wants is his patty melt with a plateful of fries, but I want some answers first. 

The stigma on campus is that the players on the Brentwood baseball team are entitled assholes—which might be true for some of the players who’ve worked through the system, but not for us. There’s also a good chance, at least once a day, that we run into a student on campus who hates us. Didn’t think it would happen before school started. 

“Dude, you’re so aggressive right now,” Knox says. “Maybe she just—”

“Yeah, I do.” Harmony props her hand on her hip. 

“Okay, never mind.” Knox leans back in his booth and folds his arms over his chest. 

“Let me guess,” I say in an irritated and affronted tone. “You think we’re a bunch of entitled assholes who rule the campus and don’t deserve half the benefits we receive for being on the team.”

She folds her arms as well and with a whole lot of sass, she says, “Yeah, I do. Your expensive stadium, equipment, staff, and full-ride scholarships eat up half the tuition on this campus, leaving nothing for us peasants. You’re obnoxious, self-righteous, and think the world revolves around you. Meanwhile, the rest of the students around you work at shitty diners, earning low wages, serving drunk morons like you at all hours of the night, just to put ourselves through college so we can earn a degree, graduate to a shitty job that won’t pay for our student loans, and wind up in debt with the rest of the country.”

Yikes. 

Silence falls. What do you say to that? 

Clearly, she’s bitter, but with the passion flaming in her eyes and the claws ready to shoot from her fingertips, I think I should slowly back away. 

Jason takes that moment to appear from the bathroom, and he sits with a resounding plop. He glances around and asks, “Did you order me a patty melt?”

Rolling her eyes, Harmony takes off toward the kitchen, leaving us concerned. Is she going to put in our order? Because we want our patty melts.

Connect with Meghan:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meghanquinnauthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7360513.Meghan_Quinn

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormeghanquinn/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorMegQuinn

Website: http://authormeghanquinn.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/meghan-quinn

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2LitE4x