Wanted: A Roommate Who Isn't Evil by Jennifer Kropf
What would you say are the requirements for a potential roommate? Cleanliness, paying rent on time, perhaps it's being considerate and kind. In Dranian’s case, the requirements would be civility and not being evil. You might think the latter is extreme, but for Dranian, it would have been helpful to specify this to his obscenely pushy landlord, who has taken it upon herself to find him a roommate. So when a former nemesis of one of his closest friends, and the very person he has sworn revenge on for taking his left arm, shows up at his door, he cannot believe his luck could be this catastrophically bad. He convinces himself it must be a dream. Unfortunately for Dranian, he has already signed a contract for the next month, which binds him to live with his new roommate.
Luc is running away from his past. He is running from his father. He is running from the time he spent in the Army. He is running from a broken friendship. Overall, he is simply trying to survive. So when he finally makes enough money for a down payment on an apartment after calling a local park bench his bed, he does not think much of signing the lease before meeting his future roommate. This is especially true when the apartment owner assures him that the person he will be living with is a very good guy. It turns out the goodness in question is subjective. When he discovers that Dranian is his new roommate, he vows to be the last one standing between them.
In Jennifer Kropf’s Wanted: A Roommate Who Isn’t Evil, comedic chains of events are set off that gradually unfold into something heartwarming and sincere.
Artistry and Craft
Jennifer Kropf did an excellent job writing this book. Any complaints I had about her previous two books in the series were completely resolved here in her third. The slowness I experienced with Sincerely, Secretary of Doom was gone, and the repetitiveness I noticed in Welcome to the Fae Café was greatly improved upon. In my opinion, this is one of the strongest books in the series.
I also loved how unique the story was. It is an epic bromance that is warm, heartfelt, and surprisingly relatable, even though the situation itself is ridiculous. Even when the characters make poor decisions, and despite being polar opposites who are hurting in very different ways, the writer portrays their relationship in a way that remains moving and compelling.★★★★★
Themes and Messages
Despite its cozy atmosphere, Wanted: A Roommate Who Isn’t Evil tackles some heavy topics.
Several themes appear throughout the story, but two stood out the most to me.
One major theme is the idea of healing through relationships. Broken people come together and, by seeing each other's pain, begin to mend. To be truly seen, especially in our suffering, is something rare and special. This book illustrates that beautifully. I especially loved Jennifer’s line near the end about not letting things that are broken stay broken. This idea emphasizes that the story is focused not only on healing through relationships but also on healing from relationships and acknowledging the difficulties that arise when connections fall apart. Overall, I loved how this series explores the healing of individuals and of relationships, and how that healing leads to growth.
I mentioned earlier that the bromance in this book is wonderful, and it strengthens the theme of being healed through relationships. Even though both Luc and Dranian are broken people, or fairies in this case, they begin to heal simply by being vulnerable with each other and taking the risk of trusting one another. I found this beautiful and heartwarming, and I enjoyed every moment of it.
Secrets are another major theme in this book. Secrets were lightly addressed in the previous two books, but they are explored far more deeply here. Much more than in Sincerely, Secretary of Doom, this story examines secrets kept by many members of the High Court of a Coffee Bean. The book wrestles with whether keeping secrets is ever right and, if so, in which situations. It also shows the strain that secrets create and the silent suffering they can cause.
There is very little romance in this book compared to the others. There is no kissing or romantic staring or anything of that sort. I am glad for this because it allows friendship to shine on its own without being overshadowed by romantic elements. I love how this book highlights the importance of friendship, how precious friendships are, and how delicate they can be. It also shows that even the worst of us deserve a second chance, a chance to get up, try again, heal, and grow into better people. ★★★★★
Final Thoughts
Overall, this is my favourite book in the High Court of a Coffee Bean series so far. I am both excited and sad to read the final book. It is the kind of series you hope will last forever, but all good things eventually come to an end. I highly recommend this book to anyone. If you have even the slightest interest in this series, I hope you will take a chance and read it. I cannot express how wonderful these books are. This one is an easy five out of five stars from me.
Content Discretions
Violence, chronic injury, mental health themes, internal conflict, fire, abuse, parental abuse.
Want to Learn More?
You can explore Jennifer Kropf’s work and updates on her official pages:
Author Website
Goodreads Author Page
Amazon Author Page
That's all folks! If you’ve read Wanted: A Roommate Who Isn't Evil, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below! ❤❤❤
📬 Stay Updated!
I added a subscription option on my blog’s main page so you can subscribe and receive email notifications whenever I post. Feel free to check it out and stay connected!
Comments