Delightfully flirty and fun

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I have recently discovered that I have a few favorite tropes, and accidental/forced roommates to lovers is definitely one of them. RomeAntically Challenged is told from the point of view of the two main characters, Emmitt and Ahn Ni (who goes by Annie), who unintentionally inhabit the same cabin, and when both refuse to find other lodging, a RomCom is born. Emmitt is your typical bad boy with a penchant for leather jackets, travelling, and loose relationships, while Annie is his dependable, giving counterpart searching for her happily ever after. During their roommate status, they slowly learn more about each other and discover that all is not as it seems on the surface.
I think that Annie and Emmett were both well-developed characters. I felt a connection to each of them and their backstories as more and more information was brought to light, but I wish we had more development in some of the side characters. We learn next nothing about Levi and Lynn (to the point where I had to go back and look up their names while writing this-not memorable at all), and only slightly more about Beckett. Gray was a little more fleshed out, so my connection to him was more defined. Only Paisley, Emmitt’s daughter, held any real connection for me among the side characters, and I think that had to do with her developing relationship with Emmitt.
I loved the feeling of this book. I imagined I was there with the characters, feeling the atmosphere of each situation (AND THE TENSION) as the characters were, and it was a delightful retreat. I’m an especially big fan of sarcastic, witty banter, and Emmitt and Annie had this down to an art form. The notes and texts scattered throughout also provided little points of interest and were a fun addition to the story. One thing I took a little issue with was the multiple occurrences of Annie, born in Vietnam and raised by adopted white parents in America, calling herself a “Banana,” and explaining it as yellow on the outside and white on the inside. This feels unnecessary, and a little forced, and I’m honestly unsure if it’s politically correct. It was mentioned on at least two occasions, and though it was a self-administered label and not used as an insult, it made me feel slimy and cringey every time I read it. I understand that she was trying to portray the disconnect that Annie was feeling from her heritage, but I think this was already decently illustrated through other means throughout the story.
I had such a fun time reading this story and learning about Emmitt’s and Annie’s back stories, seeing the development of their relationship, and watching the bond between Emmitt and his daughter strengthen. The story was delightful – up until the end. I was SO disappointed with how the story was wrapped up. As expected, everything exploded when Emmitt found out that Annie knew about his father’s cancer and didn’t tell him about it, but there were only 28 pages from this realization of betrayal to the happy ending of the story. It felt so rushed. I didn’t feel like there was any true resolution of feelings between the two, and it was extremely frustrating. This is the main reason that I bumped this from a 4-star to a 3-star read. I could do with a more fleshed out ending, but overall, it was a delightfully amusing escape from reality.