BOOKWORM REVIEW: The Accidental Housemate by Sal Thomas
This was a tale of two books. The first half, which is what I would call the pre-Dan section, was a bit cringe and ho-hum, but I was really glad I stuck it out because the post-Dan section was a whole lot better.
Cath is stuck in a rut. A single mum to three, she is knocking on 40 with a dead-end job, suppressing her grief for her late husband. When her eldest moves away for college, she needed to rent out the free room. A student -- referred by a friend -- took up the offer, but to Cath's surprise, Dan was less of a boy and more of a man kind of student. And everyone, except for Cath, seems to adjust well enough to his stay in Casa Beckinsale.
Just get through the pre-Dan section. That is all I will say about that half.
As for the second half, it will take you on a fun, laugh-out-loud ride about finding yourself. I liked the overall arc of Cath's story, though I was a little wary about the ups and downs, especially the foray into getting sucked in by social media popularity.
While Cath and Dan's love story was a fun slow-burn strangers-to-friends-to-lovers, it was Cath's family and best friend that stole the show for me. As someone who has a Sindy in my life, never let that friend go.
Grief is a wild thing that is never the same for anyone, and this read captured that wholeheartedly and approached it with imperfection and humanity. As someone who is still grieving, I felt that deeply in my soul, which is why I am rating this book solely on the post-Dan half.
A lot of the spice was closed-door, though there was an earlier scene with Dan and his fling and his nether regions and Cath that had me rolling.
This (post-Dan) was a great read for someone who needs a loving balm for a grieving soul.
** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Sal Thomas, One More Chapter, Harper Collins UK, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **