The roommate experiment starts with Hunter daydreaming about the prospects of her dreamboat i.e. friend's brother, Dylan, who's her roommate and her crush of eleven years. Her wandering imagination and mental scenarios of their epic togetherness is a track by itself. Her dreams go up in smoke when Dylan casually mentions Olivia, his blonde princess of perfection.

Her career as a lead engineer and her management of the politics and workplace bullying are also refreshing in a romcom! I definitely enjoyed her engineering consultant worklife chatter. On the flip side, Dylan is dealing with the loss of his best friend and former roommate, Tristan, to his little sister, Nina. His daily worklife and his dyslexia troubles are dealt with in a neat fashion, without the trauma or angst being rehashed in a matter of fact way, which I appreciated!

The camaraderie between the close knit group of friends is also fun to watch and gauge. Camilla Isley covers the usual tropes of single bed, disrupted makeouts, deep conversations in the night and single apartment fun. Dylan is delicious as the baking, basketball jock who suddenly realizes that Hunter is a catch. Hunter goes through a rollercoaster of emotions and following her on the journey was soo effortless!

I devoured the book in a day!! Many thank yous to Boldwood and Netgalley for furnishing the arc!

#TheRoommateExperiment #BoldwoodBooks #CamillaIsley

I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did! It featured some of my favorite tropes, which initially drew me in, but what really kept me hooked was how well they were executed. I especially appreciated the slowburn aspect—it gave the friendship and eventual romance time to develop in a way that felt natural and believable.

A solid 4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

This was advertised as an Ali Hazelwood, STEM like romance. I think all the characters are intelligent and driven, but it wasn't woven together quite the same way with the romance. They both live very separate lives in my opinion, even as roommates and attending multiple events together, until the end of the book. It's maybe around 80% that things get interesting between the two. The last part of the book was super cute and satisfying! I am really interested to read about the fake engaged bestie. This is also a closed door romance, which shouldn't be surprising when they don't kiss until 90% in.

This book was a surprise to me, I was expecting a fluffy read and instead got a book that talks about dislexia, found family in friends, slow simmering burn, and health issues with endometriosis. The spice is locked door, they go from friends to lovers, and he is THE bear. The story is about the best friend's brother who she's crushed over for years, he moves in with her when he needs a place to stay and then they become more than friends. I loved the gradual transition Dylan had from seeing her as a friend of his sister to a woman. I absolutely adored how he helped Hunter during her painful periods. I only wish the slow simmer would've been shorter and spend more time on the relationship, the ending felt rushed trying to tie all plotlines.
If you are a fan of friends to lovers, best friend's sibling, slow simmer with no spice, or fade to black spice, this book is for you.

I struggled to get through this book because the characters seemed immature and dialogue just wasn’t realistic to me? Also such a slow burn! Not really my style.

Such a fun best friend's brother/roommates to lovers read! Hunter and Dylan had such great chemistry!

i’m so sorry i didn’t like anything about this really. the characters were annoying. also my dog is my entire heart and world and apparently there’s a time limit to grieve your dog?? no thank you

This was a really cute read. Probably one of the slowest burns ever. I wish we got more of them together but overall a cute read. Dylan was a little annoying and him stringing the GF along was too much.

The Roommate Experiment was an absolute delight – fast-paced, funny, and full of sizzling chemistry between Dylan and Hunter. I found myself flying through the pages and thoroughly enjoying the ride.
I didn’t realize this was the third book in a series, but it worked perfectly well on its own. In fact, I enjoyed the writing style so much that I’m now planning to go back and read the first two books as well.

3.5/5 ⭐️

Hunter, has been in love with her best friends brother, Dylan, for 11 years. Dylan's roommate just fell in love with his sister and kicked him out so that she could move in. Now he's Hunter's new roommate. What could go wrong!?

Alexa play "break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored"

I thought this book was cute. I did spend most of the time frustrated with Dylan for staying with his girlfriend even though he obviously didn't like her and was falling for Hunter instead. He never technically cheated but he could've ended it with her like a month before she finally ended it with him.

I was sad that the time we actually saw them together felt rushed. I mean the first kiss was 90% in and then all of a sudden they are professing their love? Hunter, yeah sure that makes sense she's liked him for 11 years, but Dylan?? It's been two months and you were with someone else for that whole time.

I really liked the epilogue and the message about adoption, and there was some good humor in this book, but sadly I think Dylan's relationship went on for too long and it made me not feel the romance as much when it finally happened.

A cute and quick read overall!

Thank you NetGalley, Camilla and Boldwood Books for the eARC in exchange for my thoughts & review.

🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 The Roommate Experiment
✒️ Camilla Isley
💫💫💫

Thank you Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK HAS THE SLOWEST OF SLOW BURNS. I mean, we basically finish it before the first kiss happens! But, that is 100% okay because I am not an insta-love fan.

But, it did take a long time before anything happened. I struggled to stay connected with the characters. I do feel like some chapters could have been condensed or not included at all.

Overall, a fun read.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the early ARC. Apparently it is the last in a trilogy, but I didn’t know that so it can easily be read as a standalone. Definitely a slow-burn and then plot fast forwards the last few chapters. Would have loved to see more of their relationship. But overall good book with some LOL moments.

Fantastic end to the trilogy (although would definitely want to read more about these couples!)

Loved the insight into Hunter and Dylan especially after the cliffhanger from book 2 where they are holding hands (HOW,WHAT!?). I loved the build up between them and the dynamics, and the miscommunication with each others feelings and Dylan suddenly realising how hot Hunter is and how he has never seen her this way, which co-insided with him dating Olivia! Both thinking SO much of each other and not realising that the other one was completely in love with the other one whilst they both tried to act cool and kept sabotaging their chances (haha).

Olivia and her dog - omg! I was laughing so much.

The set up by Nina and Tristan when they they tell Hunter what makes Dylan's knees go weak and Dylan is completely unsuspecting when Hunter is on a mission to seduce him is hilarious, but when Dylan finds out and goes on his own secret seduction mission for 'revenge' when he finds out Hunter is widely in love with him is even more funny.

The chemistry between them is so perfect and the build up tension could be cut with a knife.

I absolutely love Camilla Isley's style of writing and was so happy I was able to read this early copy (thanks BoldwoodEverAfter)!

Was hard to rate but would give it 4.5 stars as there was a few small parts that were repeating same information and some not needed but also appreciate this is an arc as well and not final copy - the story is SENSATIONAL AND DEFINITELY 5/5stars!!)

3.5🌟
genuinely the definition of a slow burn book. It takes it until 80% of the way into the book for the slow burn to turn into full romance. It seems to drag it out an awful long time, which seems pretty crazy considering she's already had a huge crush on him for 12 years.

I enjoyed the dual perspective aspect of the book, showing each character's internal thoughts which is definitely a big plus in this book to see hoe their perceptions change.

There were cute parts, and I liked the large friendship group and the wholesome, comfortable vibes between them. Part of me just wishes they'd gotten together a little bit before rather than dragging it out further and further.

3★

Hmmm not sure how to properly feel about this one. It very much was a slow burn, which I do like, and the ending did have some really funny moments, particularly the seduce-off where they tried seducing each other.

Dylan was average. The majority of his POV is him trying to break up with his girlfriend (while lusting after Hunter) but failing to do so because it was never the right moment. Like I don’t know man, maybe grow a backbone and just rip the bandaid off. He was making himself miserable staying with her while wanting to start something with Hunter. His hesitation to end things with his girlfriend made it harder for me to understand the depth of his connection with Hunter, which was a bummer.

Hunter has had a crush on Dylan for ELEVEN years. I could never. Like I fear at some point you just have to get over it, especially if it’s never progressed from a crush to anything more in over a decade. It seemed desperate. I did enjoy reading about Hunter and her job. She is a queen and put everyone in their places.

When Hunter and Dylan finally did get together, it felt rushed. I liked them together and wanted more of their domestic/cute moments while actually dating. However I didn’t particularly love Dylan’s love confession. It was sort of out of the blue considering he only recently recognised his feelings. I wouldn’t liked a more fleshed out friends-to-lovers arc, rather than having it progress so quickly at the end. Their connection was lost on me.

Overall, a fun, humorous, romantic read.

Thank you to Camilla Isley, NetGalley, and Boldwood Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
WOW! I didn’t know if there was going to be a way to top Rowena & Adrian’s story but this blew my *crew* socks off! While their friend group is advancing life stages, moving in with boyfriends, having a marriage of convenience, Hunter & Dylan are forced to become new roommates so they each don’t have to face the terror that is the NYC housing market. Hunter has been best friend’s with Nina, Dylan’s sister, for 11 years and has had the biggest girl crush on him. Dylan is dealing with his sister dating his best friend and no longer having his #1 bro around 24/7. Hunter & Dylan’s banter was great and their chemistry is off the charts!!! You can cut the tension with a knife. Definitely what I would consider a slow burn but not tortuous in the slightest. The epilogue was amazing, but that’s because I’m partial to far in the future epilogues. I was so happy with how this story ended. I’m assuming it’s the last of the funny feelings series and was wrapped up so perfectly. I loved this friend group! ALSO I’m toe-tally team cats. Meow.

I was super lucky to get this gem as a ARC read from NetGalley. I've read many of Camilla Isley's work prior so when I saw she had something new coming out. I of course had to give it a shot. Wow talk about a slowwww burn lol. It was kind of exhausting honestly to watch Dylan drag out his breakup with his something else of a girlfriend. I'm like dude come on now!!! But he finally did it, thank goodness! Cause honestly it was getting a little annoying. I felt so bad for Hunter. I couldn't imagine being in love with your best friend for 11 years before he FINALLY realizes your the one. Although I'm sad the book was almost over before we actually saw them together. I would have loved to see more of their story, and how it all pans out. Hopefully she'll continue their story in the next book.

ARC review
Publication date: 27 May 25

3,5 stars

“The Roommate Experiment” by Camilla Isley is the final book in the "Funny Feelings" trilogy.
The books are interconnected standalones, but I would recomand reading them in order.

I received a digital copy of the book from Boldwood Books (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

After her roommates moved out, Dylan moves in with Hunter.
He is one of her best friend's (and former roommate) brother and the guy she has been secretly in love for years.

What you can expect:
- roommates to lovers
- forces proximity
- (very) slow burn
- tension with a bit of spice (not explicit/fade to black)

I read and liked the previous book in the series, "If the Ring Fits", so I expected to like this one as well.

There were some things that I enjoyed:
- woman in STEM that manages to get her bosses respect
- the friendship between Hunter, Nina and Rowena
- the book is funny
- the emotional connection between Dylan and Hunter

But there were a few things that I did not enjoy as much:
- Dylan's hesitation in breaking up with Olivia
- there was too much build up to the relationship and then a fast ending

Overall it was a fun and quick read, but I did not like it as much as the previous book.

The slow burn to end all slow burns. Dylan, honey, you could be less of a gentleman because you could have had Hunter so much sooner!!

I don't totally understand why Hunter didn't just profess her feelings for Dylan in the years before. If they were only acquaintances at that point, I would think the rejection would have hurt less. She would have lost so much less than after they started becoming better friends.

Dylan truly has it made. Being in the investment industry with dyslexia must be so hard. I would think that 3/4 of the job is reading stats and documents. Also, I don't think dyslexia has the stigma that it did a few years ago. Hunter would never have a problem with something like that. I think she is just happy that he is paying attention to her.

It was fluffy and everything a rom com should be yet it did nothing for me. The female main character lacked self respect and that rubbed me the wrong way.