The Flatshare - Beth O'Leary - Book Review

Oh hey, it’s just me, the last person on earth to read The Flatshare! Or so it seems – this book is basically Bookstagram Famous. When I started my account earlier this year I saw it all over my feed so I thought I’d add my ten pence to the conversation too!

My mum lent me this book (even after what happened last time she lent me one) and she promised me that it would be a pick-me-up. As usual, she was right.

The FlatShare
by Beth O’Leary

Published by Quercus 18/04/2019.

Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met…

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.

But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…

The Flatshare Review

The Flatshare is a contemporary romance novel with a fresh twist. Leon, a nurse who works nights and needs the money, is looking for someone to flatshare with him. Tiffy is desperate for somewhere to live after finally breaking up with her ex-boyfriend. So when she comes across Leon’s advert and the bargain price, it’s hard to say no – but it does come with caveats. There’s only one bedroom, but the flat will be Tiffy’s evenings and weekends, as Leon will only be there during the day. So they’ll share a bed, even though they’ve never met.

In many ways, The Flatshare is everything I thought it would be. It’s heartwarming, a bit slushy and it really has the feel-good factor. I honestly think it’s impossible to read this and not have a silly smile on your face!

I loved the way that each chapter swapped between Tiffy and Leon, and the way that writing style changed to denote their different personalities. The story follows them separately then shows how their lives slowly start to converge, initiated by the post-it notes that they leave for one another in the flat. (I loved that, I’m such a sucker for a rom-com style cliche).

In some ways, the two characters are almost too perfect, but it didn’t really matter to me in this book. Instead, I really enjoyed rooting for both of the characters and the obstacles they had to get over to find happiness and love.

I also thought that the author did a great job of handling mental health issues and the effects of emotional abuse/breakups. Tiffy’s friends are accepting, helpful and she goes to therapy, which I think is a great thing for breaking down the stigma that still surrounds these topics. There is no shame in getting help!

This book surprised me in the sense that I don’t normally reach for romance novels and I enjoyed it so much more than I thought I would. I think I am a changed woman.

Questions for You

I’d love to know what you thought of this book and if you’ve read The Switch, the author’s next book? Should I add it to my list?

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