Roomies by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando

Description from Goodreads

It’s time to meet your new roomie.

When East Coast native Elizabeth receives her freshman-year roommate assignment, she shoots off an e-mail to coordinate the basics: television, microwave, mini-fridge. That first note to San Franciscan Lauren sparks a series of e-mails that alters the landscape of each girl’s summer — and raises questions about how two girls who are so different will ever share a dorm room.

As the countdown to college begins, life at home becomes increasingly complex. With family relationships and childhood friendships strained by change, it suddenly seems that the only people Elizabeth and Lauren can rely on are the complicated new boys in their lives . . . and each other. Even though they’ve never met.

National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr and acclaimed author Tara Altebrando join forces for a novel about growing up, leaving home, and getting that one fateful e-mail that assigns your college roommate

I gave this book five stars out of five

My thoughts:

This book was both well written and also a fun and interesting story. I really enjoyed the structure of this book. Chapters were short, and alternated between the different narrative voices of the two prospective college roommates. This constant switching back and forward between the two main characters, in an answer/response format, meant that there was a good pace to the story. I was always eager to find out what happened next, and was kept glued to the page.

It was a coming of age story about two girls preparing to leave home and go away to college, and how they dealt with moving on from friends, family and romantic relationships. It was a interesting look at how each of them viewed the impending changes in their lives. The wide mix of emotions they experienced ranged from excitement to fear and apprehension and everything in between.

It was also a story of change and growth. How two young women from different backgrounds, attempted to build a friendship, in advance of meeting physically, in the knowledge that they would soon be sharing a dorm room. It was fascinating to see how the relationship between the prospective ‘roomies’ developed through the course summer break.

I loved both of the main characters, and I especially enjoyed the interaction between them, getting to know each other by email and bonding.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone that wants a light, entertaining read. The story, built upon the two girls leaving the family nest and their hopes for the future, was one that many of us will be able to recognise from our own experiences.

This review is based on a digital ARC provided by Netgalley and the publisher.