Craves The Angst: NEW REVIEW! ROOMHATE by Penelope Ward:

TITLE: RoomHate
AUTHOR: Penelope Ward
AGE GROUP: New Adult
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: February 14, 2016
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
PAGES: Approx. 281

COPY PROVIDED BY: Purchased
MY GOODREADS REVIEW LINK
RATING: 4 Stars!
CLIFFHANGER: No

BOOK BLURB:
Sharing a summer house with a hot-as-hell roommate should be a dream come true, right?

Not when it’s Justin…the only person I’d ever loved…who now hates me.

When my grandmother died and left me half of the house on Aquidneck Island, there was a catch: the other half would go to the boy she helped raise.

The same boy who turned into the teenager whose heart I broke years ago.

The same teenager who’s now a man with a hard body and a hardass personality to match.

I hadn’t seen him in years, and now we’re living together because neither one of us is willing to give up the house.

The worst part? He didn’t come alone.

I’d soon realize there’s a thin line between love and hate. I could see through that smug smile. Beneath it all…the boy is still there. So is our connection.

The problem is…now that I can’t have Justin, I’ve never wanted him more.

Author's note – RoomHate is a full-length standalone novel. Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

4 “It was meant to bea” Stars!

The Review:

RoomHate was such a great read! Penelope Ward is one of my favorite authors. She knows precisely how to get inside the reader's mind with her flawless writing, remarkable characters and always with an exceptional, emotional romance that is sure to captivate you. This book was another hit in a bookcase of amazing reads.

Told entirely from Amelia’s POV (except for the oh-so-sweet Epilogue), this story grips you from the moment it opens. Amelia is ten when she meets an eleven year old Justin, who immediately accepts her, eye patch and all. He doesn’t care about her flaws. In fact, he finds them fascinating and goes about showing her that nothing anyone can say or do would change that... except her.

Fear and confusion send Amelia running away from Justin at age fifteen. Years later, when she’s unexpectedly confronted with the only boy she ever loved, who is now a smokin’ hot man with a serious attitude and a serious hate-on for her, her old insecurities come flooding back.

But what I loved about this book was that even with all those insecurities Amelia was feeling, she still found the the strength to stay and fight for what she wanted. Sure, it was easy to run and to avoid and she did do a little of that, but ultimately, she held on and was ready to take what she could get because she loved Justin and wanted him in her life, even if just as a friend.

These two were so sweet together as young friends in the flashbacks we get. And as adults, Justin is angry and intense and HOT! Amelia is struggling but strong and their push-pull was so well done! It totally delivered the chest pangs and butterflies as their slow glide to romance plays out.

I also loved the different approach this books takes to an overused plot twist. It had me smiling, tearing up and finally, falling in love as deeply and as richly as Justin and Amelia did with one another.

There are so many descriptive labels for this books - Angsty, fun, tension-filled, sexy scenes that seem to never get to the finish line... but finally.. FINALLY does, heartbreak, swoon-worthy dialogue, friends-to-lovers, enemies-to-lovers, second chance romance, childhood sweethearts, besties, hot rock star who finds something more challenging and important than fame, a teacher who finds her true calling, no cheating but some seriously hot looks and a lot of contemplation... I could go on and on. But it’s simple. This was an amazing romance that made me feel good all over.

Bravo! Another great read from an outstanding author.