Review: Roomies

Going to college is always a rush. You feel accomplished and in control of your future. But moving in with a roommate can easily remind you of just how vulnerable we all really are.

Elizabeth (EB) grows tired of living alone with her absentee mom and looks forward to move in with Lauren. The problem is Lauren has a panoply of younger siblings and for her, college, meant freedom and alone time. As the girls try to cope with their personal baggage everything comes crashing down. Suddenly, EB realizes her mom is an adulterer and risks jeopardizing her relationship -- and Lauren understands that family is not something one can run away from. 

Both Zarr and Altebrando gave us two distinct voices easy to relate to. EB and Lauren dealt with their problems selfishly at times due to the stress of the situation making it impossible to see them as fictional characters. The emails sent between one and the other were kept short, allowing the story to breathe. Don't be scared -- lots of dialogue was included.  

Prepare for a big twist at the end. 

Love-o-meter theme: is farewell sex a good idea, adultery and how kids suffer.