Introduction
Published in April 2018 by Talia Hibbert, The Roommate Risk is a romantic comedy set to make you laugh and cry at the heart-warming story between Jasmine and Rahul. The book is an underrated standalone that is perfect for those wanting to support more representation in their summer reads.
A Summary
Jasmine doesn’t believe in love. Well, she doesn’t believe in love for her. She’s committed to a life of cynicism and sexual exploits with no strings attached.
Rahul is a sweetheart. He is hopelessly in love with his best friend - the aforementioned cynic - but knows he can support her best as her friend as he has done for the past 7 years.
When Jasmine unexpectedly moves in with him, Rahul is constantly reminded of everything he cannot have, and as the lines begin to blur, he struggles to keep his feelings hidden.
Writing Style
The Roommate Risk has two POV’s - Rahul and Jasmine - as well as two timelines representing the past and the present. The writing style is casual, sarcastic and cute, focusing heavily on the main character’s interactions together.
My Thoughts
I am loving the wider variety of representation within the rom-com genre as of the past few years and this had been on my TBR for a long time so I decided to pick it up as one of my summer reads.
Now this book isn’t extraordinary or life-changing, but it wasn’t written to be either. It was written to be sweet, lovable and cuteーwhich it achieved in a heartwarming way.
I enjoyed the fact that the male main character was such a green flag throughout this book. He really was the definition of a book husband. This wasn’t a story of them falling in love with each other - it was the story of Jasmine learning that it was okay to be loved. Rahul knows he loves her from the start, but also knows her well enough to be her friend because that is how he can best support her, and it’s done in a sweet way rather than feeling creepy and like he just wants to get in her pants.
I do also appreciate that Jasmine doesn’t fit into the stereotypical mould of a rom-com character. She’s loud, confident in her sexuality and a diva at heart. Reading this book felt like a breath of fresh air in comparison to the more mainstream books of the genre.
However, there were two timelines in this book and I feel as if the timeline of the past was incredibly out of place, especially in the middle section of the novel. I think most of those scenes could have been cut out entirely and it would have made the novel more cohesive and immersive.
Is The Roommate Risk Spicy?
Yes. Spice is a heavy focus throughout the novel and if you are in need of some classic rom-com spice, this is the book for you.
Spice Level - 3/5
Trigger Warnings
Please note this is a non-comprehensive list and there may be triggers in this book not explicitly stated here.
- Parental Death
- Abandonment Issues
Recommendation
This truly is an amazing summer read that I would recommend to any romance reader. It’s surprising that this isn’t talked about in the Booktok community as it feels perfect for it.
