The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas takes place in New York City where Rosie Graham, an aspiring author who’s hoping to write a best-selling romance novel. However, she’s having major trouble writing it, seeing as she hasn’t been in love lately, which seems to be the reason for her absence of ideas. So when her apartment turns into a disaster, and she’s forced to stay in her best friend’s house, coincidentally where her friend’s cousin, Lucas, is residing, he offers her a deal that she can’t refuse. To help gain ideas for her book, he will take her on a series of romantic dates to spur ideas and help her become the author she’s dreamed about. However, her arrangement becomes prickly as she deals with the competing factors of reality and fiction.

I was instantly obsessed with this book. I already knew that the setting, being New York City, would make this book amazing, but it was so much better than I expected. The relationship between Rosie and Lucas is so adorable and the perfect slow-burn that readers enjoy. Rosie is the silly, cringy, and loving character that all romance lovers love, and Lucas is the guy that most romance lovers dream about. Their chemistry is intoxicating and keeps the pages turning. This is a great book that I would recommend to anybody needing a good book.

Review by: Sylvie Kay

Sylvie is a teen volunteer at West Los Angeles Library. She is in 12th grade at Santa Monica High School.

—Danielle Fox, Young Adult Librarian, West Los Angeles Branch Library