SOLVED. Australian YA Novel (Possibly a series of novels). [s]

[Stephanie]

It was the early 2000s when I came across this book. I didn't know it at the time, but the book took place in Australia, although I am unsure if the author was or was not.

The gist of the story was about two older teenagers (guy and girl) who needed to move out of their homes due to over bearing family members. The both have a mutual couple as friends who offer a spare apartment in their building for them both to use. However, both are hesitant to live together in the beginning because they are unfamiliar with each other, which of course changes by the end of the book. In the meanwhile, both the guy and girl attend the same uni, and the boy is studying art. He has a girlfriend named Portia who he thinks is out of his league. He later finds out that she posed naked for an art class without telling him and has been cheating on him for awhile. Also, there was a cat involved (a stray that was adopted by the girl?)

I say that it was possibly a series because I vaguely remember a second book in which the guy and girl are together, facing new challenges. The plot had something to do with the girl's best friend being in an abusive relationship and needing to be rescue from a commune (which the main girl learns that her mother, I think Tiger was her name, was marrying the commune leader). Ultimately, the guy was there with the girl through the whole ordeal, and it brings them closer together.

Now that I am typing all of this out it almost sounds too bizarre to be a good book, but I am hoping I didn't exaggerate that fact in my memory. Please, if anyone knows that name of the book or the author, I would be forever grateful! Thanks. :)

[Ayshe]

Hard Cash seems to fit: "Rich is finally got his former roommate, Bonny, to be his girlfriend. But when they try to announce their newly formed relationship at a family and friends party Bonny's mother, Tigger, is very focused on making everything about her. So when they have Bonny's best friend, Liz, over to Riches flat she brings her very strange and controlling boyfriend Kell over as well. "
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Stephanie]

Yes! Thank you so much! I bought this book a long time ago, and I thought I left it in my stack of books to keep. Apparently, I didn't, and it has been bothering me so much. Thanks again!