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From New York Times Bestselling Author, Penelope Ward, comes a new standalone novel.
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.
RoomHate is one of those books that you can easily devour in one sitting. It was funny, sweet, and at times it even pulled on my heartstrings.
I loved Justin from the first moment he was introduced. Don't get me wrong, I thought he was a bit of a jerk with some of the things that he was saying, but I knew that he was speaking from a place filled with hurt and anger. I loved watching his growth throughout the book. He was definitely my favorite character.
Amelia took a little time to grow on me, and I honestly can't pinpoint it on any particular thing. Maybe it was the way she handled herself in stressful situations. Maybe it was due to the fact that I was immediately drawn to Justin and his anger rubbed off on me. What I do know, is that I came to love her in the end and that's all that matters.
The first twenty percent of the book was a little slow for me. I found myself setting it down to do the simplest of tasks. Once things got moving, however, I was sucked into the story and ended up being held captive until the very last page. I went from setting the book down to tripping over things as I went to get a drink because I didn't want to step outside of the story for even a second.
I'd have to give RoomHate 4.5 stars. I've read my share of books from Penelope Ward, and Stepbrother Dearest had always remained my favorite. I'm happy to say that this is now in the running as my favorite book from her. The last half seriously warmed my heart and I just can't get over it. I know I'm being very vague, but this story is easily spoiled and I don't want to do that.
If you're looking for a quick read that will draw on various emotions then I definitely recommended picking up a copy of RoomHate today. In the end you'll be left with a smile on your face and the desire to go back in for a reread.
His eyes darted to the side, and he noticed me standing there. We just stared at each other. It was ironic, but the only times I could ever feel the remnants of our old connection were in fleeting moments of silent eye contact. Sometimes moments of silence spoke the loudest.
I left him alone again, making my way back down the hall and into the restaurant to tend to the customers I’d been ignoring.
Things really started to get busy. Without Jade working tonight, we were short-staffed, and I was having a hard time keeping up with the orders. Sandy’s had indoor and outdoor seating. Normally, I would only be working one section, but tonight I was going back and forth between the two.
It was nice out, so I knew they would have Justin performing outside. I kept glancing over to the small stage to see if he was there. It was past eight, and he hadn’t made an appearance yet.
Sometime close to eight-thirty, I was in the middle of serving a large party of ten when I first heard it: the chilling sound of a soulful voice that was not familiar in the least. He gave no introduction. No warning. He just started to sing out the first few words, followed by the strum of his guitar. The song that Justin had chosen to start with was a cover of Ain’t No Sunshine by Bill Withers.
The entire room soon quieted down, and all eyes were on the stunning blond male specimen with the spotlight shining down on him. Despite the fact that I was carrying a large round tray of dirty dishes, I couldn’t move. The vibration of his thick, smoky singing voice had completely paralyzed me, penetrating my body and soul.
Aside from the lone teardrop that fell the night he lost it on me during steak dinner, I hadn’t shed any more tears—until now. It was all too much. Hearing how different his voice sounded, how he’d trained it over the years, was a wake-up call as to how much I had missed. All of the hours of practice that must have gone into honing that beautiful voice, and I wasn’t there for any of it. The guilt, the emotions, the reality of a decade gone…everything started to pummel me at once. Not to mention the song—about a girl leaving. It probably had nothing to do with me, but in my mind, it sure as hell felt like it did.
Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author. She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor, before switching to a more family-friendly career. She is the proud mother of a beautiful 10-year-old girl with autism and a 9-year-old boy. Penelope and her family reside in Rhode Island.
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