Under One Roof

Under One Roof is a short story that is part of Ali Hazelwood's the STEMinist novella series. This less than 4-hour audiobook kept me company on a short solo road trip recently. I have enjoyed Ali Hazelwood's books The Love Hypothesis and, more recently, Love on the Brain so I knew the kind of light, saucy and sweet story I was in for.

This was a fun, short story that fits with Hazelwood's female STEM-centred repertoire with good banter and conflict between two smart main characters who overcome their issues with some sizzling scenes. Mara is an environmental engineer who finds herself living in a beautiful home with a less than perfect roommate in Liam, an insufferable grump of a corporate lawyer who works for an oil company. 

Under One Roof has good chemistry, snarky banter and some saucy scenes set within a gaggle of enjoyable tropes: forced proximity, enemies to lovers and Suzy Sunshine vs the grump. This is a fun, short, sweet with heat novella that gives you a taste for Hazelwood's books.

My Rating: 4 stars

Author: Ali Hazelwood

Genre: RomCom

Type and Source: novella eAudiobook from public library

Series: #1 STEMinist novella series

Narrator: Emma Wilder

Run Time: 3 hours, 40 minutes

Publisher: Penguin Audio

First Published: February 8, 2022

Book Description from GoodReads: From the New York Times best-selling author of The Love Hypothesis comes a new steamy, STEMinist novella….

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.