November 29, 2021
Debut author Ballard shines in this quirky, heartwarming contemporary romance. After financial analyst Sadie Green gets passed over for a well-deserved promotion, her profane outburst earns her a pink slip. While drunkenly commiserating with her best friends, she mistakes a roommate-finding app for a dating app and ends up matched with the reclusive Jack Thomas. They clear up the miscommunication fairly quickly and, after seeing Jack’s expansive Brooklyn brownstone—and learning how little in rent he’s asking—Sadie moves in and decides to chase her longtime dream of becoming a florist. At first, she sees Jack as just her kind but nerdy roommate, but when their chemistry sparks, it’s explosive. Then Sadie discovers that Jack has been keeping a (relatively mild) secret about his past, and their future seems anything but assured. Ballard’s snappy prose and unconventional couple charm, and she gets some good chuckles out of skewering the New York City real estate market. Meanwhile, stellar supporting characters (especially Sadie’s besties Gemma, Nick, and Harley) provide a solid underpinning to this enjoyable tale. This is a treat. Agent: Kimberly Whalen, the Whalen Agency.
June 1, 2022
Debut novelist Ballard writes a witty roommates-to-lovers romance that will leave readers laughing and cheering for the mismatched couple. When Sadie Green doesn't get the promotion she rightly deserves, she finds herself out of a job and soon to be out of an apartment she can no longer afford. In her desperation she mixes up a dating app for a roommate-finding app and lucks into discovering a gorgeous brownstone in her new price range...broke. It's fortuitous for Sadie, but not so much for the owner of the brownstone, Jack Thomas. Sadie is wowed by the real estate and not so much by the man with the keys. But the two may have more in common than their shared address; sparks start to fly, resulting in a delightful slow burn. Humorously narrated by Addison Barnes, who makes this rom-com really shines with her hilarious inflections. VERDICT Many will enjoy this spicy, entertaining, and heartwarming romance that highlights a found family and good vibes.--Erin Cataldi
Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.