The Roommate Arrangement - by Samantha Markum (Paperback)

About the Book

When eighteen-year-old Blair's housing plans fall through and she unexpectedly ends up rooming with her brother's best friend Jamie during a summer coding program, she strikes a deal to keep their living arrangement secret in exchange for coding help, all while trying to ignore her growing crush.

Book Synopsis

When Blair accidentally becomes college roommates with her brother's best friend, sparks fly in this hilarious rom-com from bestselling author Samantha Markum, perfect for fans of Lynn Painter and Emma Lord.

Blair might be a little type-A, but she never thought of herself as completely overbearing...that is, until her two best friends drop her from their housing arrangement a week before her pre-college summer coding program is about to start.

Blair knows if she switches to an on-campus dorm, her parents will make her give up her expensive sculpture class with her dream mentor in order to pay for it. Desperate, she agrees to be the fifth roommate to four off-campus sophomores who are also in a last-minute bind. But things get complicated when one of her new roommates turns out to be her brother's best friend, Jamie Atwater.

Blair begs Jamie not to tell her brother about the new living arrangement. Her brother would go straight to their parents, who would definitely not approve, and all her plans would fall apart. So they strike a deal: she'll help him finish coding the app he's building if he promises to keep her secret.

Spending more time together shouldn't be a problem. Sure, Jamie has a new haircut, a mysterious tattoo, and a year's worth of earned muscle, but it's not like Blair is noticing. After all, they're only roommates, right?

Review Quotes

"The Roommate Arrangement made all my enemies-to-lovers dreams come true. Compelling characters unite around tense family and friend situations, and the found family vibes are simply spectacular. A beautiful, dynamic read."-- "Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl's Guide to Tea"

"Budding romance provides frothy, carefree fun, while earnest prose depicts Blair's struggle to balance her secret passion for art with her parents' expectations."-- "Publishers Weekly"

"Equal parts funny, emotionally charged, and heartwarming, this is a feel-good story about finding your inner strength and pursuing your passions that's well-paced and strongly characterized. The cast members' endearing bonds liven the world and enhance the story's relatability...A sweet enemies-to-lovers romance with a healthy dose of empowerment."--Kirkus Reviews

"I tore through this without pausing for breath! Nerdy, charming, delightful, and swoon-worthy, THE ROOMMATE ARRANGEMENT has it all: a dreamy love interest, a heroine worth rooting for, and the banter-iest found family around. Samantha Markum served up an absolute treat."-- "Alexene Farol Follmuth, New York Times bestselling author of Twelfth Knight"

"Markum captures the liminal space between high school and college with nuance and authenticity. Blair is a funny, snarky, and quick-witted protagonist whose internal tug-of-war between pleasing her parents and forging her own path will resonate with many teens."--School Library Journal

"With sparkling banter, sizzling chemistry, and a deeply moving coming of age story at its core, The Roommate Arrangement is a perfect YA romance. Samantha Markum's captivating voice had me giggling, tearing up, and swooning until the very last page." -- "Eva Des Lauriers, author of I Wish You Would"

About the Author

Samantha Markum is the USA TODAY bestselling author of Love, Off the Record; This May End Badly; and You Wouldn't Dare. She was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, where she got her great literary start writing Newsies fan fiction in middle school. When she's not writing, she can be found playing cozy video games, attempting to revive her half-dead house plants, and getting in bed before sunset. When she is writing, you can find her staring at the wall in search of inspiration. Visit her at SamanthaMarkum.com.