Review: The Roommate by Kendall Ryan

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There are not many New Adults books were the male romantic lead is younger than the female romantic lead. Also, New Adult books where the female romantic lead is friends with his sister and feels that forming a romantic or sexual relationship with the brother is a big No-No. So this was a new dynamic. Obviously, the stories are still similar regardless of gender. But it was worth noting, that this book sort of switches the roles.

It was a decent read. I finished faster than I had thought I would, and overall, the story was not too bad. There are tiny sprinkles of angst, but it isn’t too overwhelming. The characters are likable. And the story is finished with a neatly tied bow.  

However, it did feel a little rushed, especially the romance aspect of it. Cannon is pursuing a dream of being a doctor, so it can be assumed that his schedule is busy. Which it was at certain points in the book. But because of the busy schedule, moments of him and Paige were few. If they did have a moment, nothing incredibly special stood out. There are not any defining moments that jump out and scream “these two belong together.” This could be contributed to the book being fast paced. I personally believe they needed a little more time together before they reach that point at which they were at the end of the book.

And speaking of the end of the book, although it was a happy ending, it wasn’t very satisfying. I was not as understanding of character motives as I wish I was.

There were a few explanations that felt weak. For example, the reason why Cannon can’t be in a relationship. The reason was not really constructed well and was there just to be there. Another thing that didn’t really work, was the idea that every woman who sleeps with Cannon ends up being crazy.  It just contributed to the pile of unnecessary drama and miscommunication.

Characters

Like mentioned earlier, the characters were likable. As a whole, I didn’t really have a problem with Paige or Cannon. Paige’s backstory was bit of a mystery, and I would have liked to see more of it explored. Cannon was a decent guy. My heart did swoon when he cooked dinner for Paige. That was cute.

The character development is what I had a problem with. It was nonexistence. Both of them had a tendency to act childish, and it was a little off putting.

Final Analysis

The Roommate is a quick, decent read with likeable characters. It does get a little predictable and pacing is extremely off, which causes the romance to lack real development.