SUMMARY
A scientist should never cohabitate with her annoyingly hot nemesis – it leads to combustion.
Mara, Sadie, and Hannah are friends first, scientists always. Though their fields of study might take them to different corners of the world, they can all agree on this universal truth: when it comes to love and science, opposites attract and rivals make you burn….
As an environmental engineer, Mara knows all about the delicate nature of ecosystems. They require balance. And leaving the thermostat alone. And not stealing someone else’s food. And other rules Liam, her detestable big-oil lawyer of a roommate, knows nothing about. Okay, sure, technically she’s the interloper. Liam was already entrenched in his aunt’s house like some glowering grumpy giant when Mara moved in, with his big muscles and kissable mouth just sitting there on the couch tempting respectable scientists to the dark side…but Helena was her mentor and Mara’s not about to move out and give up her inheritance without a fight.
The problem is, living with someone means getting to know them. And the more Mara finds out about Liam, the harder it is to loathe him…and the easier it is to love him.
Image and summary from Goodreads.
REVIEW
After finishing Below Zero, I was still in the mood for something short and easy to listen to, so I decided to jump straight into Under One Roof. I listened to it as an audiobook and it ended up being another enjoyable palate cleanser between some of my longer reads.
One thing I really like about Ali Hazelwood’s novellas is that they’re easy to get through in a single afternoon. Sometimes you don’t need an epic romance, you just want something that’s fun, has a little bit of banter and leaves you with a smile by the end. Under One Roof definitely ticked those boxes for me.
I really enjoyed the premise of this one. The forced proximity trope is one of my favourites and throwing two complete opposites into the same house was always going to lead to some entertaining moments. Watching Mara and Liam navigate sharing a home while constantly butting heads made for some genuinely funny scenes and I found myself smiling more than once at their interactions.
Mara was probably my favourite of the two. I liked how passionate she was about her career and how determined she was to stand her ground, even when things became awkward. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and I appreciated that she stayed true to herself throughout the story.
Liam took a little longer to grow on me, but by the end I really liked him. Once you got past his quiet, grumpy exterior it became obvious that he cared much more than he let on. I always enjoy seeing that softer side slowly come out in characters like him and I thought Ali Hazelwood handled that really well.
Because it’s a novella, the romance develops quite quickly, which is something I expected going into it. I would have loved a little more time with Mara and Liam because I really enjoyed their chemistry, but I also understand that shorter stories don’t have the luxury of slowly building the relationship over hundreds of pages. For what it was, I thought the romance worked well and felt satisfying by the end.
The audiobook itself was another enjoyable listen. It was easy to follow, the narration kept me engaged and before I knew it, I’d reached the final chapter. It was exactly the kind of audiobook I enjoy putting on while I’m doing jobs around the house.
Overall, Under One Roof was another fun novella from Ali Hazelwood. It wasn’t my favourite thing she’s written, but it was a sweet, entertaining romance with two likeable characters and plenty of enjoyable banter.
This was a 3 star read for me. If you’re looking for a quick romance with forced proximity, a grumpy hero and some fun chemistry, I’d definitely recommend giving this one a go. It’s a light, easy read that’s perfect when you’re in the mood for something short and enjoyable.
-Rachelle
I’m on Instagram at @rachellesbookshelf
