Last Semester

by Corine Mekaouche

When Johanna ‘Jo’ Gold, witty college life blogger and senior at Rutan University, decides to move in with three male strangers her last semester of school, her life unexpectedly turns upside down. While dealing with her new roommates, A.J., the pompous rich kid who feels trapped in following his father’s footsteps; Rob, the prematurely engaged former womanizer who tries to force Jo out of the house at all costs; and Drew, the 21-year-old virgin genius whose encounters with women have been more than limited, Jo learns that change isn't always easy and it's up to her to learn how to survive the remainder of her time at Rutan the best that she can. Along with searching for her missing mother, figuring out a clever way to pay for school tuition on her own, and dealing with the childish pranks brought on by a certain roommate, Jo’s issues seem more complicated than the average 21-year-old. Can Jo endure the dramatic perils of college while planning for life after graduation?

Genres: New Adult, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

360 pages, Paperback

First published April 21, 2017

About the author

The geek and a dreamer, Corine Mekaouche has always had the vision of becoming a writer. While growing up in the New Jersey suburbs, Corine spent her childhood immersed in music, novels, and writing. To her, the arts was the best escape ever. For college, she attended Rutgers University majoring in English and minoring in Theatre Arts. Somehow, Corine survived the college experience and became somewhat of a grown-up yet still kept the vision of being a writer alive because it may be all she’s qualified for. So, she wrote and wrote until Last Semester, a new adult novel about college life and growing up, was born. Currently, she is writing other novels and plays for future release. When she’s not writing, loudly singing to songs in her car or dancing in random places for no apparent reason, Corine is being an awesome wife and a mom residing outside of the wonderfully flawed New York City.

Reviews

[Annika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aw. This book could have been amazing. No, strike that - it should have been amazing. I absolutely loved the premise. It was the perfect set-up for tons of magnificent banter, laugh-out-loud situations and touching friendships.
However, it was just an okay read for me.

This is not a college romance. If you're looking for romantic swooning, this is not the book for you. It was more of a coming-of-age story - a bunch of ordinary students going through their last semester of college, struggling with who they are and trying to figure out what to do with their lives. And that would have been great, had I been able to connect with those characters. As it is, I found all of them (bar one exception) terribly clichéd, and thus bland, and I was bored most of the time, not finding it in me to really care about their issues.
Plus, I really didn't care for the writing. It was just too simplistic, and that has to mean something coming from a non-native speaker.

Why did I give this book 3 stars then, you ask? Of course, there were things that I loved about it!
The prank war between Rob and Jo, making for a great prologue. Drew, the nerdy, awkward virgin and the constant voice of reason. The guys' interactions - never said there wasn't any hilarious banter. "Menstrual Mansion". Four main characters and therefore four very different POVs. The fact that the author didn't feel the need to make this into a romance. And the ending.

Let's just say that this book had its strengths and its weaknesses. Fantastic moments and ones that had me rolling my eyes. It was an easy read with a light-hearted mood, and while I certainly can't say I loved it, I enjoyed it reasonably well.

ARC provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Tissy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars
A light and funny read with zero romance. So if that's your thing then this is the book for you.
Personally though I love a good romance so I wished that was included but I could definitely appreciate the focus on friendship between the four main characters. The guys POV was a little refreshing in that they behaved/thought like harmless douches (reminding me of my old college friends) and not the cliched brooding or ultra sweet love interests. However having four MCs was just too much especially since nothing substantial happens to warrant it. It was just a simple story about young adults navigating their way through college and life. So aside from a few funny shenanigans and banter it was overall meh.

(ARC provided by the author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

[Nicki K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

While this book was definitely different than I had anticipated, I found I really enjoyed it. Last Semester was full of complex and compelling characters all going through one of the most pivotal moments of their lives, and growing to become responsible(-ish) adults. The author could have easily turned this book into an overdramatic, angsty romance, but instead wrote a believable coming-of-age story, which I really appreciated. Each storyline was engaging, and overall, entertaining. I would definitely recommend this book, and will absolutely read more from the author.

[Saf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book! It was a cute, funny, lighthearted read!

Full review on the way!

[Darleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

» Review can also be found on Orchids & Amethysts.

Title: Last Semester
Author: Corine Mekaouche
Rating: 3 - 3.5/5

Thanks to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for letting me receive a digital copy of this book.

When Johanna ‘Jo’ Gold, witty college life blogger and senior at Rutan University, decides to move in with three male strangers her last semester of school, her life unexpectedly turns upside down. While dealing with her new roommates, A.J., the pompous rich kid who feels trapped in following his father’s footsteps; Rob, the prematurely engaged former womanizer who tries to force Jo out of the house at all costs; and Drew, the 21-year-old virgin genius whose encounters with women have been more than limited, Jo learns that change isn't always easy and it's up to her to learn how to survive the remainder of her time at Rutan the best that she can. Along with searching for her missing mother, figuring out a clever way to pay for school tuition on her own, and dealing with the childish pranks brought on by a certain roommate, Jo’s issues seem more complicated than the average 21-year-old. Can Jo endure the dramatic perils of college while planning for life after graduation?

Alright, I'm reading a lot of negative reviews for this book right now and I seriously can't find a reason why people would hate it so much... Sure, my rating isn't the best one either, but we'll come to that later. There's no need for reviewers to start getting mean. I just don't understand it.

Last Semester is told in four different point of views, which is a lot. I never thought I'd actually enjoy reading four different voices so much, but the author managed great. Without even looking at who was telling the chapter, you could always tell. The characters had their own voices that couldn't be misunderstood for another. There's Johanna - Jo -, who's probably one of the strongest female leads, I think. She seems like she's so self assured and knows exactly what she wants in life. Of course, the reader gets taught otherwise during the story, but still... And then there's my fave character, Drew, the ultimate nerd and even nerdier than anyone else I've ever read about. He's so adorable. Also, he's the only one who gets a little romance in the book, so I loved reading his parts. A.J. is a typical rich kid, thinking he's God's gift to women or something and Rob's... Well, I thought he's an asshole. That incident that happened to him - the joke Jo played on him - served him right. I couldn't stand him, though he grew on me, as well.

You'd think it's super hard to keep track of all these characters' lives. Basically, I don't know how the author wants to manage writing other books, because Jo, Drew, A.J. and Rob all had their own life, their own problems and everything you can possibly read about in other books, all topics, have been used for them. They all get their own stories, none of these character is boring in the least and I admire the author for achieving that.

Of course, it takes some time after Jo moves in with the boys until they're bonding a friendship. But seriously, I loved these guys together, which is probably why I think this book has got one of the best college friendships in it. The way A.J. costantly tried to hit on Jo, the way Jo and Rob hate each other's guts in the beginning and Drew's funny comments... Everything about them was great. They were perfect for each other and I was a little shocked when I realized it was only that... Friendship.

And that's why my rating is "low". I missed some romance, I didn't like the way this book started with a hospital scene (but I was glad when later in the book, the scene wasn't repeated but dealt as read already) and sure enough, the short blog posts by Johanna were fun and totally important for the further story of her future life, but I never really looked forwar to reading them and I can't even blame the author for that, so I might be mean to still write about this, but it just wasn't for me. Yet, I thought it was great for the characters to find themselves. I mean, that's what this age is about and the author captured that great, captured their dreams, passion and wishes very well. So I would definitely recommend this to anyone who isn't bothered by a little less romance than usual, but wants to have a fun time while reading.

[Lovely Loveday · Rating 4 out of 5]

Last Semester by Corine Mekaouche was release on April 21, 2017 and is a new adult, romance novel. The writer creates the prefect college setting with the usual group of friends with each character sharing their own coming to age story. I really like how these characters seem like any other college student. The setting helps to add to the complex story line. I feel like you can easily relate to one or more. This book was a fun read for me that I really enjoyed.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the book and characters for the most part. I really wanted more. More explanation, more of an ending, more romance. I did enjoy the humour in the novel and found myself laughing quite a few times. A good, quick read.

[Sarah (The Book Life)]

I didn't love this one. I was absolutely sucked in by the premise, but I guess the actual story didn't deliver what I was hoping. One thing I didn't mind, though, was the fact that it wasn't a romance. Don't get me wrong, romance novels are my first love, but I can respect a story where the girl moves in with three guys and doesn't immediately fall in love. Girl had her focus and it wasn't a dude.

[Deanna (A Novel Glimpse) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Original review: A Novel Glimpse

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

When I started reading Last Semester, I was expecting it to be a lot like other books I've read where a girl or guy moves in with roommates of the opposite sex and falls for one of them. That wasn't the story line for Last Semester. Last Semester wasn't a romance, but a mature coming of age story.

In Last Semester, Jo decides she's ready to make some big changes in her life for her last semester in college. Her first big change is moving out of the dorms. She rents a room in a house close to campus where her new roommates are three guys. The first guy, A.J., is a rich, womanizing manwhore. The second, Rob, is a major prick who proposed to the girlfriend he keeps cheating one. The final roommate is Drew. Drew talks like Sheldon Cooper and has kept his virginity in tact almost as long. Jo thinks she's prepared to live with three guys, but she had no idea how challenging it would be -- especially when her boyfriend Chris isn't exactly excited about the arrangement. The longer Jo and the boys live together, the more they begin to learn from each other. Each roommate is graduating at the end of the semester, and each has something big to discover before then.

Like I said, this book wasn't a romance novel. It was a story about four young adults finding their way into adulthood. Each character had a romantic or sexual relationship going on in the story, but those relationships weren't the main focus. The main focus was on the four roommates' relationships with each other and the things they discovered about themselves as they prepared for adulthood. I have to admit that I would have loved for Jo to have fallen for one of her roommates, but I respected that she didn't. It made Last Semester stand out from other new adult novels. It was truly about the connections they made and the friendships they developed.

I really enjoyed the way Last Semester was told. It was written in first person and each of the four roommates narrated. Each voice was distinctive and had so much character. I loved Jo, A.J., Rob and Drew so much! There were also blog posts written by Jo sprinkled throughout the book. I understood their value to Jo's prospective career as a writer, but there was only one or two entries that stood out to me. They were just an added extra to me.

My favorite thing about this book had to be the hilarious antics that took place. There were so many great moments that had me laughing out loud. Let's just say there were several times I was happy I wasn't a roommate at "Menstrual Mansion". I'm not sure I could have handled everything that went down in that house. It sure made for an entertaining story.

The only big issue I had with Last Semester was the ending. To be more specific, the very end. It felt abrupt. I turned the page and couldn't believe there wasn't more. The author left the reader hanging when she could have resolved an important part of the story line. It made me wonder if there would be a sequel, but a sequel would be odd since all the characters are moving on separately with their lives after college.

If you're looking for a new adult novel that's not all about romance, Last Semester would be the one to read. It was fun, fresh and contained a ton of character growth.

[Bobbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted so much from this story - there's something about the scenario of a female thrown into a world of male characters, that intrigues me, but it also makes me expect certain things, and those things were not provided by Last Semester. I did obtain this book from Netgalley, so I can overlook the numerous glaring editing errors, with an assumption that the author will have the book properly edited before releasing it to the world in general. But for me there were issues with the story too. It almost felt as if it wasn't really sure what it was meant to be. I should warn prospective readers that any romance in the story was indirect, which I found to be both brave and foolhardy. I think it was more of a story about friendship, and it succeeded at that, but the way it went about it was meandering and strange. The way the chapters are divided between characters, normally something that I like, I found distracting in this case. All in all, I probably expected too much, and was left feeling vaguely disappointed.

[Alia Therese Lazo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Experiences help us to grow up and face the world

The book made me laugh at the crazy antics the four characters got into in a short period of time. The characters started off with problems they didn’t know how to solve and as the story progressed, they were able to solve the problems they had. Each character matured and were able to face head on the uncertanity they would have in the future. They were able to form a strong bond between each other without having any romantic feelings for each other which is a great breath from the hundreds of NA books that focuses too much on romance.

I received an ARC from the publisher from Net galley. I thank them and the publisher for sending this wonderful book to me.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. This is my review.
I wish that Goodreads would incorporate half star ratings into their system...because I thought this novel was a 3.5 out of 5 stars.
It was highly entertaining. I feel like Jo and I have very similar personalities and traits. She loves reading and writing, she doesn't like lawn gnomes and thinks they are terrifying just like me, in the novel she travels to Ireland (and that is a dream of mine)...and she can also hold a grudge (and unfortunately it takes a lot to make me angry, but once someone lies to me or betrays me, I'm done).
All of these characters in this novel reminded me, of myself or people that and I am very close with, and that is absolutely a positive when reading a novel. I loved that Drew was all into science and had to take a literary course to graduate.. and in that class they read Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. I read that novel in English Literature in High-school, and I thoroughly disliked that novel with a passion (as well as Gulliver's Travels.. don't even get me started on that one..)..and so did Drew. Drew also plays the saxophone in the jazz band, and I've played the saxophone for over half of my life (I don't play in jazz band I play for me.. but still pretty neat we share that). And in my life I know someone just like Rob with a shoe addiction. And my friend is the same as Rob has a pair of shoes for every outfit, and hats and likes to be all matchy-matchy.
I also share something else with Jo that isn't the most positive. I found out recently that my father is losing his job that he has had basically since I was born....so he's being working for this company in some capacity for almost 30 years. And in the novel Jo finds out that her father is losing his job too...and life is hard enough when you're working and have a full time job. It is that much more stressful when you have to start over again and rebuild...especially when you are 60 years old. I really related with Jo, and I think that is why I enjoyed this novel so much. She is going through the stress of College and graduation and what to do afterwards. It's definitely a scary time in anyone's life, and I would high recommend this novel to anyone entering college/university or about to graduate because it will definitely help you de-stress a bit, and it's a very quick read!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting look at college life through the eyes of four roommates--three male and one female--as they navigate the typical pitfalls and triumphs of school, parties, relationships, families, drinking, sex, and pranks. Each has his or her own "hang-ups" but they realize in order to get along they must be willing to "walk in someone else's shoes," I didn't initially care much for the characters, but by the end they appeared to be human and flawed as we all are. It certainly did not make me want to revisit the college experience!

[Love V · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out really good.
I was pulled in and very interested in the story line.
until each chapter was a different person, it felt hard to follow.
I usually Love having two POV but having so many, more made it slightly overwhelming for me to stay focused on who each chapter was.
I was so excited to read this book, but I don't know if I can get myself to do it.

[Katy Halsema · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I laughed so hard in a few spots. The shenanigans that Jo and Rob get up to are hilarious! Drew is so intelligent and AJ is....well AJ.

I will say, I didn't like where this book ended and I hope that there's a followup book to this one cause it really needs it! GAH!

[Renee Cowdery · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good and funny book

[Veridiana Machado · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

An eARC of this book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know how I was going to review this book. I liked it, but it didn't "mark" me as other books do. What I mean is: although it was a great story, full of twist and turns, and laughable situations (you can see that in the prologue), it was a bit generic, and the only thing that saved this book for me was the fact that there were many points of view - each chapter was told not by one, but all the main characters.

Synopsis: "When Johanna ‘Jo’ Gold, witty college life blogger and senior at Rutan University, decides to move in with three male strangers her last semester of school, her life unexpectedly turns upside down. While dealing with her new roommates, A.J., the pompous rich kid who feels trapped in following his father’s footsteps; Rob, the prematurely engaged former womanizer who tries to force Jo out of the house at all costs; and Drew, the 21-year-old virgin genius whose encounters with women have been more than limited, Jo learns that change isn't always easy and it's up to her to learn how to survive the remainder of her time at Rutan the best that she can. Along with searching for her missing mother, figuring out a clever way to pay for school tuition on her own, and dealing with the childish pranks brought on by a certain roommate, Jo’s issues seem more complicated than the average 21-year-old. Can Jo endure the dramatic perils of college while planning for life after graduation?"

Jo's posts appear in every end of chapter, it doesn't matter if it was A.J.'s or Rob's or Drew's, it just appears; I read the first, and didn't bother with the rest. It wasn't important to the story, but if you want to read them just know that it is an over simplified, comic retelling of the events of the chapter.

This is a 360 pages book, and I don't have much to say about it. But, well. There are lots of funny "happenings", some pranks that go way overboard, some good Samaritan acts from an a-hole, a conquering of fear and awkwardness, a good slap on the face of a cranky P.O.S., some news of cheaters here and there, a finding that may or may not bring sadness to the bunch.

Honestly, this is all that I can come up with. I finished this book on the 26th of April, and only now was I able to write something. Anyway, this book was well written and the plot was really interesting, so I recommend it. Go for it.

[Cee]

*I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Dnf @ 19%

sigh I really wanted to like this one.
In my last year of grad school, possibly my last year of school ever, and all I want to read is about college students--extra points if they are like me. I want some connection. I want scream at how finally the book world gets it. This is not that book.

I'm not rating this one, because I feel most of my comments are subjective.
--Who starts school (in semesters) after Martin Luther King Jr. Day?
--How is it possible all these people are seniors?? Do they not befriend younger people in their classes???
--Graduating after four years ONLY wtf...
--Dad, a plumber, pays for MC's tuition and younger sister's private (hs?) school tuition?
--And a waitressing job pays for books and housing DO YOU SEE ME LAUGHING IN DISBELIEF?
--lack of mentioning CHRISTMAS, like, I'm sorry even if you hate x-mas it will still be mentioned because of how sick of seeing all the decorations you are!
--One week for a 10page research paper? Seriously I can't even imagine a teacher not wanting quality work PLUS this was week 1 or 2 of the semester!! Maybe English majors are that different, usually I had a month at least.
--Not telling your bf about your new roommate situation seems bizarre and the lack of affection I think is foreshadow UGH.
--Who moves (can move?) out of the dorms during mid year... like I had to fill out paperwork stating it was necessary that I move out (IE going abroad) and I can see it....but a semester is only 5 months.... was it really worth it? A year seems more likely.

...19% in and I could still go on I KID YOU NOT.
I'm not saying I need a book to be to my exact specifications but I need it to be more realistic; I just could not suspend my belief enough to keep reading.

I don't mean to bash on this--I really don't. I just don't think I was able to stick with it long enough to find the good. :(

[Keanna (JustKey) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Why:
A hilarious look into the lives of three roommates in college surviving their senior year.

I loved the inside look of Jo, A.J. and Drew who based on asssumpstions realize that Jo is actually Josephine and didn't realize that they agreed to let a girl live with them. Each of the characters I connected with, because as a college kid it's hard trying to juggle school life while also trying to have a social life. With a hilarious, but realistic approach it was filled with prank wars, relationships, friendships, come-to-Jesus moments, family and a lot more.

[Sunshyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Very funny upbeat book, I give props to the author for not making her fall for in love. Or have a crazy love triangle going on.

[Jodie "Bookish" Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

This witty and wonderful novel follows at 21-year-old college life blogger who ends up moving in with 3 very different men for her last semester hence the title, and obviously, hijinks ensue with some hilarity and some surprisingly serious moments that left me breathless. Loved it!