Romance is the last thing on Charlie's mind.

On his first day at Valentine Academy for Boys, Charlie's carefully crafted plan to hide his identity as the school's only trans student is set in motion. Only to be immediately destroyed. Charlie has been assigned the worst roommate in the world (possibly the universe): Jasper Grimes, the boy who broke Charlie's heart the year before he transitioned.

Except, Jasper doesn't recognize Charlie.

Who knows how long until Jasper realizes the truth? Charlie has one shot at freedom-and a dorm room all to himself-but only if he helps Jasper write love letters on behalf of their fellow students. No problem. Charlie can help Jasper with some silly letters.

Long nights spent discussing deep romantic feelings with Jasper? Surely, no unintended consequences will arise…

And They Were Roommates by Page Powars is a riveting romance between characters that are complex and at odds. I love that Charlie's difficulty begins with being trans and trying to deal with the fears that engenders. I love the believable tension and stress, the high pressure environment and push to succeed at all costs, even your own mental health. Beyond the romance, I love the friendships that are built between Charlie and some of the other boys.

I love the vulnerability that Charlie shows, the dynamics between him and Jasper and how the romance builds from enemies to lovers, without Charlie even realizing his own emotions at the beginning. I also like how open and honest both boys become with each other and how they finally resolve their romance and relationship.

If you like a riveting romance with lgbtquia characters, I highly recommend And They Were Roommates by Page Powars. The writing is emotional and complex, the characters are engaging and the romance is built slowly and carefully. I love both the romance and the friendship aspects of the book and the ending is beautiful.

Rating: 5 out of 5 valentines ~~ Andrea Rittschof

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