The Roommates Trilogy
Ariella and Caleb don’t like each other, ok?
They’re just living together because he needs the rent and she needs a place to live. Great idea; and totally not complicated… Right?’
-
Ariella Mason has the perfect life.
Perfect job? Check. Perfect home? Check. Perfect fiancé? Check.
None of this is by accident. Ariella is a card-carrying perfectionist.
On the other side of the city lives Ariella's polar opposite. Caleb Black is an unrepentant smart-ass, seat-of-his-pants, arrogant party-boy getting through life on charisma and raw sex appeal (his words).
So why, one night, does Ariella turn up with her bags, asking to rent Caleb's spare room?
Ariella has done a complete 180 on her life. And nothing good could ever come of this... Could it?
Be captivated by this hilarious, and oftentimes, heartbreaking journey into both Ariella and Caleb's worlds, as one tries to rebuild their once-perfect life; while the other struggles with just how much theirs could change forever.
-
‘Are you kidding me right now? Just yank the heart right out of my chest. You made me fall in love with this book, painfully rooting for these two… An absolute joy.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘LOVED… I was stressed as hell while reading it, but in a juicy kind of feels bad but feels reeaaalllyyy goooood kind of way, I want to call it a guilty pleasure, but I don’t even feel guilty about it.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘As soon as I finished this book, I needed moreeeee!….A+👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 with a love triangle that could easily rival Edward and Jacob or Conrad and Jeremiah.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘It was real and gritty and it gave me lots of feels. I was fully invested. I was just as surprised about Caleb capturing my heart as he was about Aari capturing his. But I loved him… This was seriously such a good story by Ola Tundun!… If you like slow-burns, forced proximity, and he falls first, but also, realistic, messy, and emotional, give this book a try!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Absolutely fantastic plot! Could not put the book down once I began reading it… I will recommend it to everyone I know!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Laughs and tears aplenty… People who I wished I could meet in real life. That doesn’t happen often, so is a real feat.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ -
Roommates
-
When strait-laced Ariella moves in with party-boy Caleb, she’s just looking for a place to stay after a messy breakup. She certainly doesn’t expect Caleb’s unrepentant, live-for-the-moment lifestyle to rub off on her.
As Ariella starts to let loose and live a little, she finds herself torn between the steady, reliable life she had, and the unpredictable, exciting world Caleb shows her. Meanwhile, Caleb is shocked to realize he might actually have real feelings for his uptight roommate.
But with meddling friends, jealous exes, and their own fears and insecurities standing in the way, can Ariella and Caleb overcome the chaos and figure out what they really want?
Full of sizzling chemistry, laugh-out-loud moments, and relatable relationship drama, Roommates is a fresh and fun rom-com about finding love in unexpected places – and learning to embrace the mess along the way.
Featuring:
♥ Opposites attract
♥ Forced proximity
♥ Love triangle
♥ He falls first -
I absolute adored and loved this book, the characters gripped me quite fast, and I love how it shows life with its ups and downs.
This story was nothing like I thought it was going to be. It was real and gritty and it gave me lots of feels. I was fully invested. This was seriously such a good story by Ola Tundun! I cannot believe this was a debut. It does not read like a debut at all!
Ariella and Caleb had a chokehold in my life for the last two days. Every thought was about them and every time my work phone rang I wanted to scream cause people were interrupting the beauty of the book. The friendship is chef kiss, the way this man was falling for this girl and not realizing it, AAAAAAAAh.
The relationship that is build between Ariella and Caleb is one of the most honest and amazing things that I have read this year. I love how Ola gives us so honest and human characters. I love how Ariella and Caleb try to discover themselves and how any of the characters ink this book as a dark side and a white side. Everything here is grey and I loved that. I can't believe this is Ola's debut novel because is so good written, and the story is so amazing. Please, do yourself a favor and buy this book, you will not regret it.
OMG with this ending! Are you kidding me right now? Just yank the heart right out of my chest. You made me fall in love with this book, painfully rooting for these two flawed characters to get their acts together.
Ari and Caleb’s romance in The Roommates is a whirlwind and the emotional roller coaster these two characters road mimicked the back and forth so many couples actually go through, until they feel settled and confident that they made the right choice. Although their love story was the main storyline, the secondary characters were also stars and I would love to see more of their stories throughout this series. This novel was so much more than a romance as it tackled race, death, workplace dynamics, abuse, and more, making it a well rounded book with unforgettable characters.
-
Complicated
-
Ariella doesn’t want drama. Well, that’s too bad.
When reformed perfectionist Ariella lands her dream job, she thinks she has it all – until she discovers her boyfriend, Caleb, has been hiding a mysterious history with her new boss, Melissa, that could ruin both their lives.
Navigating office politics is bad enough, but with Ariella’s ex still in the picture and Caleb’s complicated history threatening their future, everything is falling apart. When Ariella is forced to confront the person she loves the most will the truth save them, or spell total disaster?
Ariella and Caleb’s dramatic and addictive story will have you laughing, crying, and rooting for love to win in the end. Because sometimes finding your happily ever after means taking risks and listening to your heart.
Featuring:
♥ Slow burn
♥ Pining hero
♥ Love triangle
♥ Opposites attract -
This is the second book in the series and the drama continues but I loved how you still know all along to root for Ariella and Caleb. This takes a deeper dive into their professional lives as well as life while working abroad. Keep reading the rest of the series because it continues to get better after much more drama.
Tundun's storytelling prowess shines through as she seamlessly weaves together romance, suspense, and personal growth. The pacing of the book is well-balanced, keeping readers hooked from the first page to the last. The unexpected twists and turns contribute to the unpredictability and excitement of the plot, leaving readers eager to uncover the resolution. In conclusion, "Complicated" by Ola Tundun is a captivating tale that explores the intricate dynamics of relationships and the unexpected challenges that can arise. With its well-crafted characters, gripping plot, and skillful storytelling, this novel is a must-read for those seeking a blend of romance, suspense, and personal introspection. Tundun's ability to delve into the complexities of human emotions and relationships makes "Complicated" an enriching and satisfying read.
We continue to follow Ariella and Caleb as they navigate their relationship as well as their individual growth. This is what I LOVE SO MUCH ABOUT THIS SERIES! It is so REAL. I literally say this every time I tell someone about this book. It is so realistic in a way I haven’t seen in other contemporary romance novels. It is so HUMAN. It showcases growth, bad habits, betrayal, sadness, depression, victories, badass moves. Everything makes sense. Every MOVE makes sense. And the progression to making those choices and the consequences/successes after said choices is so smooth. Nothing in this book is choppy. Nothing made me think “wait, how did we get here?” Or “why did they make such a rash and random decision?”. This book is written so well. I am so so impressed.
It has been a week since a finished this book and I still can't get over it. I was waiting for this book since a read Roommates, the first part of this story and the wait was so worth it. As you might know, this is the second part of Ariela and Caleb's story and it was so good. Ola has a writing style so special that caught you attention from the very beginning.
This story by Ola Tundun is authentic, raw, and filled with a myriad of emotions that resonated deeply with me. I found myself completely engrossed, unexpectedly captivated by Caleb just as he was taken aback by Aari's impact on his heart. The narrative was a pleasant surprise, delivering a compelling blend of realism, complexity, and genuine emotion. Tundun skillfully weaves a tale that incorporates elements like a slow-burn romance, forced proximity, and the unique dynamic of one partner falling first. If you appreciate stories that are both messy and emotional, I highly recommend giving this book a read!
Super fun adult fiction. When relationships, and partnerships, are complicated enough you don’t need others making your life more difficult. The author, in mixing relationships with shenanigans in entrepreneurial business brings a high pressure powder keg of a fascinating and enjoyable story. Hadn’t read the previous book, Roommates. This didn’t in any way lessen my enjoyment, but I need to go and read it now!
-
Endgame
-
Ariella and Caleb were never meant to last…
She’s the ambitious workaholic constantly trying to prove herself. He’s the charming bad boy with a troubled past. Their love story could only ever have been temporary.
But when Ariella’s company faces a crisis, Caleb is the only one who can save it. Now they’re forced to work together, fighting their attraction, and the pain of their old wounds.
With her heart torn and her career on the line, Ariella must decide who to trust and what she truly wants. Can she forgive Caleb’s mistakes and rebuild their relationship? Or is it time to take a chance on a new beginning?
The epic conclusion to Ariella and Caleb’s steamy, emotional, messy story will convince you it’s possible to face the past and find home in the most unexpected places.
-
This is the third book in the series and you need to read them in order to appreciate them. Don’t let women’s fiction in the title fool you. This is a romance but with a lot of drama and twists and turns that will keep you reading and guessing. But all along, even with all of their flaws and doubts, I rooted for Ariella and Caleb to find their way to each other.
I absolutely LOVED this last installment in Ola Tundun's Roommates trilogy. It was the perfect round off to a tumultuous trilogy and I am in love with the ending! I am SO excited to read whatever Ola pens next and she is DEFINITELY and automatic author buy.
I have been waiting for the conclusion of Ariella and Caleb since forEVA and let me tell you Mrs. Tundun did not disappoint. This series has felt so raw and so real to me since book 1 and I found myself crying out of the blue in some parts. Im not gonna say because spoilers. You definitely do have to read the 2 prev books in order to understand. But this triangle with Dom, Arie, and Caleb was giving chokeholds. Of course we cant forget about all the other side characters who made this book that much better and funnier. This book is a rollercoaster I found myself screaming at my phone plenty of times especially in chapter 34 IFYKYK I was in a transe just saying Why, Why, Why!!! This book does not disappoint check them all out starting with Roommates, Complicated, and of course Endgame.
You ever start a book telling yourself you won't get "that into it" and you can start it right before bed because it won't make you stay up past your adult curfew making your way through 40% of the book? Yeah, me either. Except that time I did, I was hooked before I was even 10% into the book.
Endgame is where we finally get the resolutions we’ve been waiting for. As we’ve come to expect with Aari and Caleb, it isn’t smooth sailing. They are still working through major issues through the majority of this book. Ola Tundun isn’t afraid to write flawed characters. Every single character in this book is spectacularly human. Sometimes you want to shake some sense into them. But one thing I love is that the characters aren’t afraid to call each other out. We all need friends that can tell us the truth, that can point out when we are being awful and can encourage us to make it right. And Aari and Caleb definitely have those types of friends.
This series is gritty and emotional and a bit of a roller coaster. It has some heavy themes. It’s the type of book that makes you question and feel things. It has realistic and flawed characters, and a messy, beautiful love story.
In Endgame, Aari and Caleb take you through the wringer at every turn, battling their demons, trying to protect each other, and balancing the high-octane influencer lifestyles their jobs require. Long-held secrets about Caleb's success and relationship with Melissa are finally revealed. We learn just how insidious their world's true power players are. Aari is confronted with racism that has influenced so much of her mother's life and Caleb is given a hard lesson on what it means to love a black woman truly. And when you think that you can get comfortable, you realize the book isn't nearly over.....
-