Fans of Kasie West and Huntley Fitzpatrick will fall in love with this sweet and heartwarming series. Hopeless romantics don’t fall for the playboy’s charm.Cassandra has known Roman all her life. She’s watched his string of girlfriends come and go, but one thing has never changed. He’s always been there for her, for her family. As her brother’s best friend, he’s never far.But there are some … brother’s best friend, he’s never far.
But there are some things he can’t protect her from. Like crippling anxiety that makes her different from other people, memories of the worst day of her life, and doubts that she’ll ever find the boy who will love her in spite of all that.
When Roman’s parents announce they’re moving abroad, he refuses to go, instead choosing to move in with Cassandra’s family to finish the school year. It was hard enough when he lived across town. Now, every night as Cassie reads her romance novels, he’s asleep in the room next door.
And it’s only a matter of time before she does something she’ll regret.
Like kissing him.
And possibly falling in love with him.
Sink into a sweet and clean romance with characters who love each other no matter the circumstances, heartwarming connections, and a guaranteed happy ending. Roman and the Hopeless Romantic is the second standalone in the Gulf City High series.
The Gulf City High series:
- Jesse and the Ice Princess
- Roman and the Hopeless Romantic
- Spencer and the Younger Girl
- Nate and the Invisible Girl
more
This book was a lovely read, just like the first one! It was fun to see Jesse and Charlie again, but now the focus is on Roman and Cassie, and I’ve been looking forward to getting to know them as well.
Besides the love story (which is adorable!) we get an idea about what it’s like to suffer from PTDS and anxiety. Since Cassies mother was killed two years ago she speaks to no one but her family, and the only time she leaves the house is when she goes to her therapy sessions. Before that, Roman was her best friend and he truly wants to help her feel better, but how is he going to do that when she can’t even talk to him?
I read this book in two days, being torn between wanting to read it all in one sitting and not wanting it to end… Unfortunatly, now it IS over and I have to wait for the next book in the series!
Michelle has done it again! She knows exactly how to deliver a cute love story while making you wish you could befriend all of the characters. There were no mean girls for unnecessary drama, there was just Roman and Cassie trying to find their way back to each other after a tragedy. I loved Cassie and Roman! They both have issues but they don’t let them turn them into unlikable people. So many YA books about mental health will rip your heart out (and stomp on it for good measure) but that’s not what this book is about. Cassie shows us that anxiety can be debilitating but there are ways of coping that make it easier.
ALL THE FEELS!
I fell in love with Cassie and Roman in “Jesse and the Ice Princess”, and their story was just so heartbreaking, yet also hopeful, sweet, and sometimes outright funny. It’s not only a romance, but also a story about family (which istn’t limited to the one you were born into) and about dealing with trauma – and healing.
Like the first book, it is beautifully written, and I can’t wait to read more in the series!
I received an eARC of this book via the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Best friends….secret love….y’all Michelle MacQueen put my two favorite tropes into one incredibly sweet story. Roman and the Hopeless Romantic is the second book in Macqueen’s Gulf City High series, and as the title suggests, follows the story of Roman Sullivan. If you’ve read book one, he should be familiar as Jesse’s flirtatious, good-natured best friend. I was really excited to start this one, and it does not disappoint!
Roman, as I’ve already stated, is genuinely a good guy and a bit of a flirt, which gets him the reputation of being a ladies man. However, he couldn’t be farther from that. He’s lonely. His parents are constantly away for work, his best friend has a new girlfriend, and his other best friend is currently not speaking to him. Roman doesn’t take it personally, or at least tries not too. Cassie doesn’t speak to anyone, but that doesn’t stop Roman from talking to her. When his parents tell him they are moving to another country and he has to go with them, Jesse makes him an offer he can’t refuse. But how does one go about living in the same house with the girl he secretly loves?
Cassie Carrigan lost her innocence and security the day she witnessed her mother’s death two years prior. Since then, her anxiety and PTSD has kept her inside her house where she only speaks to her family. Even Roman, the boy who was once as close to her as her brother Jesse, she can’t talk to. Her fear gets the better of her at every turn. She’s lost herself, the fun loving girl she used to be, and she doesn’t know how to get it back. When Roman moves in with them, Cassie’s therapist sees an opening for her to push back at her anxiety. Between the small challenges her therapist assigns and Roman’s constant presence, can Cassie begin to live again?
This book is more than a romance. It’s a heartfelt exploration of loss and grief, first love and best friends, and how anxiety can cripple it. I adore Roman! He is a big teddy bear who loves fiercely. And Cassie….my heart broke for her, but I was ultimately proud of her resilience and determination to break out of her shell. Michelle MacQueen perfectly captures this couple, and while the romance is sweet, it’s their friendship that drives the plot. If you are a fan of YA contemporary romance, I highly recommend it.
I’m very quickly falling in love with this series (and this author). I love sibling’s best friend tropes and this story was an example of why.
It has heart and tension, wonderful dynamics, sassy and spunk, but also is realistic and sweet. The characters are real and heartfelt, while the story line brings in real life issues. This YA/NA story is one that the entire family can read and all find wonderful for their own reasons.
The characters are dealing with their own personal chances, ideas, feelings and thoughts but the way the author blends those together to create respecful and enduring characters just adds the my enjoyment. Loved every page. I received an ARC and I am leaving an honest review.
Roman and the Hopeless Romantic by Michelle MacQueen is a contemporary young adult, friends to lovers romance told in third person, dual POV. It’s the second book in the Gulf City High series and can be read as a standalone.
Cassie has suffered from panic attacks and debilitating PTSD related anxiety after tragically losing her mother two years ago. She can barely leave her house or even speak to anyone outside of her family members. When her former friend and her brother’s current best friend, Roman, comes to stay with her family, Cassie follows her therapist’s advice taking steps to overcome the anxiety that has held her captive. Roman misses his friend and will do anything to have her back in his life.
I loved this story! I was rooting for Roman and Cassie the whole way. I enjoyed how Cassie’s issues were explored in her therapy sessions. I loved how Roman was there for Cassie as a source of support, and how both of them were able to grow and heal together. The story explored issues of grief and mental health. A super sweet tale of hope and healing, friendship and love. I absolutely loved it!
*** I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC. ***