When Does "Room and Board" (2022) Take Place?

"Room and Board" is a romance novel written by Miriam Parker that released August 16th, 2022. So when is "Room and Board" set? 

It takes place in the year: 

2018 AD 

We know this because Gloria Rhodes says to Gillian Brodie, "I think you know that I started here in 1988. I’ve been the assistant to the headmaster for thirty years now." 

1988 + 30 = 2018. 

Furthermore, the first chapter bringing us the main action of the story is centered around the arrival of kids at the beginning of a school year and most American high school’s academic year spans September to early summertime. Plus, it includes a heading under "ONE" that reads "September 2018". So it’s certainly September of 2018 AD. 

Additionally, there’s a prologue in which we first meet our main character engaging in "the annual senior prank". In the main action Gillian says, "They didn't have health, wellness, and cooking when I went here" and, when she's asked if she's "An alum?", she responds "Yeah, class of 1997." So her senior year of high school was the 1996 AD to 1997 AD academic year. Furthermore, the prologue has it’s own heading reading "Homecoming 1996" under "PROLOGUE". So we know it must be 1996 AD at this point. 

Early on, the story includes a flashback that opens with the words: "On her first day of school" and depicts her first meeting with her roommate Miranda. We know this is Gillian's Freshman year because of the quick line elsewhere: "Freshman year, she and her roomate, Miranda"... Most American high schools are 4 year programs and we already know Gillian will later identify herself as "class of 1997.", i.e. graduating in early summertime 1997 AD. So this flashback must take place in September of 1993 AD. 

1997 - 4 = 1993. 

Finally, there’s an epilogue . Furthermore, it says "April 2019" under "EPILOGUE". So the narrative fully concludes in 2019 AD.