I’m not sure why I never knew romantic comedies existed in book form, but I didn’t. I know, I know; I’m hanging my head in shame at being oblivious to the merely obvious. All embarrassment aside, I came across “The Temporary Roomie” by Sarah Adams when I was putting away books. I was intrigued by the back blurb, which promised a nice revenge trope, coupled with a forced-proximity situation between the hero and heroine. Interesting, right? Right.
Jessie Barnes and Drew Marshall are sworn enemies. And they’re both in a bind. The plumbing in Jessie’s house throws a massive hissy fit, and the home-improvement complications just start piling up. Add to the mix the fact that Jessie is seven months pregnant, abandoned by her baby daddy, and needs her space, and you get a nice meeting of needs and solutions. Drew, an OB-GYN by profession, is being hounded by his female colleagues about an upcoming medical gala, and he doesn’t date coworkers or patients. So, after much debate, Jessie and Drew reluctantly decide to help each other out of their predicaments because Drew has a spare bedroom and Jessie is free to pose as his girlfriend. Alas, each has a driving need to pester, prank, and torment the other in a thoroughly juvenile fashion.
This book is freaking hilarious! Oh, my goodness, I couldn’t stop laughing, which probably says something uncomfortable about my sense of humor, but, dang, this woman writes a great story! She grabbed my attention with the very first page and held me riveted through the entire book. The birthing guru prank alone made it worth it, but the whole thing was a true delight. This is what Adams refers to as a “closed-door romance,” so there’s no on-page hanky-panky; there’s some light but not overly vulgar sexual innuendo, but I don’t remember any swearing.
So, if you’re looking for a good laugh that won’t leave you feeling like you’ve been rolling in ridiculous muck, try “The Temporary Roomie.” Two of Sarah Adams’ books are available at the Kanab City Library and several more on the Libby app.
