Why You Should Add “The Roommate Pact” To Your TBR List

Allison Ashley is a pharmacist by day and an author in her free time. According to Goodreads, Ashley loves to find comfort in reading and writing books, especially those centered on happiness, love, and humor.

Her novel, “The Roommate Pact,” is coming out this month. It’s a touching and cute story about two roommates, Claire and Graham, who one night vow to marry each other if they don’t find their soulmates by a particular time. But in a fun turn of events, the two roommates discover their feelings may surface before that timeline. When Graham gets hurt, Claire, a nurse by trade, swoops in to take care of him. And after that happens, she discovers that her feelings for Graham are undeniable.

The book definitely has some classic markers of a sappy romance novel, but Ashley does it in such a tasteful and realistic way that it truly is fun to read. For some insight, we asked the author Allison Ashley some questions regarding “The Roommate Pact” and her writing:

Theresa: Did anyone in your life serve as inspiration for any of the characters?

Allison: There’s not one person I based Claire or Graham on. But pieces of them definitely relate to my own experiences or the experiences of people I know. For example, my husband is a first responder, and I know how it feels to worry about him. So that part of Claire’s experience is something I’m familiar with. In my day job as an oncology pharmacist, I work with many nurses, some of whom have wonderfully strong and sassy personalities, and they came to life in Claire’s character. In college, I was pretty active in the outdoor scene with mountain biking and occasional climbing and had several guy friends who were out doing that type of thing every chance they got. So thinking of them and their love for adventure was part of my inspiration for Graham. 

T: What inspires you to write?

A: My broad, general reason for writing is to express my creative side. I’ve always had a strange mix of strengths and interests; I’m very into science and geeky STEM stuff but also fascinated by art, music, and books. My day job is very much the former, and writing is my way to keep the latter a part of my life. When it comes to why I write romance specifically, that’s all about the guaranteed HEA (Happily Ever After). My day job in oncology can be tough, and the world can be such a dismal place sometimes. So I need the reminder that love is a force that can bring people together and overcome anything. I need to know that no matter how bad it gets in the book I’m reading or writing, it will work out in the end. That’s why I love romance. 

T: What do you hope readers gain from reading “The Roommate Pact?”

A: I hope they realize they don’t have to change who they are to find love. Both Claire and Graham have qualities they think disqualify them from true love. Claire thinks men find her personality too loud and overpowering, and Graham believes women will judge his upbringing and family. But instead of those qualities negating their interest in each other, they’re the very things that draw Claire and Graham together. Watching them learn that they can be themselves around each other and still be loved and wanted is such a fun and rewarding journey.

T: Have you ever made a pact similar to the one in your story? Or do you know someone who has?

A: You know, now that I think about it, I did have a silly high school pact with one of my guy friends. We said we’d get married when we ‘got old’ if we never found anyone else. I haven’t thought about that in years! Needless to say, we married other people and never spoke about the pact again, but he was such a good friend! I think we totally could have gone through with it if we’d both been single at a certain point.

T: Do you have any writing habits?

A: Some things have changed over the years as my kids have gotten older, such as when I write and how long each writing session is. But other things haven’t changed. I always listen to music — usually, the playlist I created for a specific book. I make a Pinterest board of characters and places I envision in the book. I’m a very visual person, so I like to have that up in the background as I’m writing. I don’t know why, but I have to have some sort of beverage other than water, whether it’s coffee, tea, wine, or beer; it depends on the scene I’m writing, ha!

T: Finally, what do you enjoy doing other than writing?

A: I love cooking and baking. There’s nothing better than pulling homemade bread from the oven and slathering it in butter. I’m also unashamedly part of the Peloton cult — it’s my preferred method of stress relief. And, of course, I love reading. Romance novels, mostly. I’ve been reading romance well before I started writing it, and I don’t think I’ll ever stop!

Interviewing the author and asking her about her inspiration and any deeper perspectives truly made this book special for me. Having such a fun read that also had a realistic tone made the perfect combination of a comforting yet enjoyable experience. Thanks to the author, Allison, for taking the time to answer my questions.

If you want to snag a copy of “The Roommate Pact” once it’s available, check out Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Bookshop.org. If you read it, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash