Review: The Room Mate by Kendall Ryan
10:23 PM
The Room Mate by Kendall Ryan | Rating: ★★★★★
“Sometimes there are no second chances. Sometimes it’s now or never.”
I've come to the conclusion that, The-Actual-Queen-of-Romance, Kendall Ryan cannot write a bad book. It's just not possible. She will always, always, always create the sort of novels you dive head first into and grow feverish over when reading. In The Room Mate, you get two very pleasurable characters who have the most explosive level of chemistry imaginable. If you've read a Kendall Ryan book in the past, you know how teasing and seductive her prose is--she's a pro at the slow burn and this book is a definite hell-yes on that front.
What do you get when you mix (1) A scorching hot med student, who has a romantic streak and beyond charming; who may or may not drive his conquests mad when he leaves them plus (2) A young woman comfortable and secure in her life, with a great career and a lovable pup by the name of Enchilada, who is still looking for Mr. Right and (3) A shared childhood? Well, you get a hell of a lot of chemistry, tension and danger.
Let's talk characters: I love both Paige and Cannon. When I started The Room Mate, I had a feeling I would. I've never been overly keen on the trope of my-best-friend's-sibling romances but there's just something right about Paige and Cannon. We knew from the start that, once their relationship began to shift and the desire they held for one another was too much to ignore, this could have potentially devastating repercussions. It was all a matter of when, not if, Paige's best-friend and Cannon's older sister, Allie, found out about their blossoming connection.
Despite this and a bit of an age difference, there's something so obviously real about the way these two connect. It isn't just sex, although it does begin this way, and there's just something that clicks into place when Cannon and Paige are together. Like, fate. It's complicated, like all things in life, but it is exactly where they were meant to be. Everything happens for a reason and these two were always, somehow, building up to this moment. That's that.
The Room Mate had an edgier beginning to the story than I expected. That first glimpse of where it would lead, you know? So, you go into the novel with this thought in your head and wonder what will escort you to that particular destination. I really liked that, because it definitely kept the story flowing and all the more thrilling. You felt equal parts dread and excitement.
Truthfully--I wanted to hear more about Cannon's past bad-luck with women because, damn! That was one scary moment when one particular ex came around and I was downright afraid. Besides the obvious sexual tension, there were other forms of it in The Room Mate, such as--would Allie ever be okay with Paige and Cannon being together?
Also...
I liked that there was a bit of a gender swap in this one. That Cannon was the more vocally romantic one of the relationship. I liked the way it felt like, by the end, they were taking a chance and truly embracing their future, and that everything worked out in a satisfying way. Overall, it was a blast from start to finish and had me holding my breath on more than one occasion. I was happy with the ending but so very sad to see Cannon and Paige go--they have quickly become one of my favourite Kendall Ryan pairings.
The Room Mate is a must-read for romance fans and is as sweet as it is sensual.
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