The Flatshare was so lovely! I really enjoyed this one. Tiffy needs to move out of her emotionally abusive ex's place, and Leon needs to raise money for legal fees for his wrongfully imprisoned brother, so they decide to share a flat even though they've never met. Since Leon works nights, they even share a bed, with the understanding that they won't ever have to interact in person. They begin to communicate through notes in the apartment, and their lives begin to intersect. Leon and Tiffy are both great characters, and I really loved their friends and Leon's brother. I also felt that Tiffy's storyline, and how she deals with her ex-induced trauma, is really well done. I've read several books recently where women are processing abuse and gaslighting, and each has been thoughtful and cathartic. I have been in a little bit of a reading slump lately, not really liking anything I've picked up. This book got me out of that from the first page. Recommended!

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Flatshare in exchange for my honest review.

This is a sweet contemporary romance where the reader comes to know and love the male protagonist as well as his female counterpart, as the story alternates perspectives between the two. I especially enjoyed the subplot involving Leon's brother and would have loved to see the Holly subplot further developed. In all, a lovely story with just the right amount of tension and humor.

Such an adorable book. Tiffy is reminiscent of Bridget Jones and Leon reminds me of the character in The Rosie Effect. A great blend of characters into a romance, but not hot and heavy. Loved!

Leon and Tiffy are Londoners who both need to save some money. So, they share a flat, and a bed. But they've never met. Unique concept right?

Eventually they have to meet, but in the meantime, they get to know each other through the notes they leave each other in the flat. The notes really help build the slow-burn of Tiffy and Leon's friendship and potential relationship.

This sweet, unconventional rom-com-drama was so well done. The writing was great and I thought there was the perfect mix of story and romance. The characters were so endearing, yet they were both dealing with some heavy real-life issues. I had expected a more traditional romance, but I was pleasantly surprised at The Flatshare's unexpected depth.

Thanks for the chance to read this ARC. I can't wait to recommend it to friends!

Remarkable: A funny, romantic story with engaging characters that goes beyond simple romance to deal with complex, real-life issues. For once the romance isn't the substance of the book, but that romance is still really good and very satisfying.

A feel-good read that explores complex relationships, sustaining friendships, and across-the-years stories. You'll want this one!

Coming May 28, 2019.

The flatshare was a fabulous book from start to finish. The story was so unique and crazy yet it worked and held me captivated throughout. I loved all of the characters and feel as though the author did a good job at making them unique. The ending was so cute I was in tears and then laughing when Tiffy's Ex came knocking on the door and was confronted by Leon's brother!

This book was a delight! It should be in everyone's beach bag or vacation carry on.

The set-up for this one offers a lot of interesting situations and it delivers. Tiffy and Leon are sharing a flat...even though they have never met. Leon is a hospice nurse and works night. He has the apartment from 8am-6pm. Tiffy is an assistant editor at a boutique publishing house and has the apartment from 6pm to 8am.

They get to know each other through notes on Post-its scattered and stuck all over the tiny flat.

I loved these characters and how their relationship began with these notes. So much of their personalities are revealed with this device. Leo's notes reflect his man of few words traits, while Tiffy's are lengthy and scattered. But they found common ground even with limited communication.

The author created wildly interesting supporting characters as well. I was just as invested in their stories as I was Leon and Tiffy's. I don't want to elaborate because I don't want to reveal too much. The reader should get to experience it all just as I did.

This book is begging to be made into a movie! There were so many scenes I was picturing in my head as if I was seeing them on the big screen. But if that is going to happen, please consult me because I have passionate ideas re: casting.

The Flatshare is fast paced, fun, smart and heart lifting. The author also shines a light on a more serious topic through the character of Tiffany, so don't write this off as pure fluff.

I thank NetGalley and Flatiron Books for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Netgalley kindly gave me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The flatshare seemed like a really cute book. They're more than just roommates. They're bedmates. But! They haven't met and don't plan on meeting. It's against the rules!
Leon is a sweet introvert. He's also a night shift nurse at a hospice center and in need of some extra money. He puts an ad out for a bedmate. They can have the apartment while he's at work and he'll use it while they're at work. Seems like a great plan, right? Desperate to find a place on her own, Tiffy, takes Leon up on this unusual roommate situation.
This book was pretty great. It addresses serious issues in the world of dating/realtionships but also manages to be funny. A funny book that can awkwardly charm your pants and then it'll help you call your friends/therapist when it's over so you can talk it out. It knows you so well. *swoon*
All jokes aside, this book was farfetched but also real. It was sweet. It was emotional. And as unbelievable as it tended to be at some points....it's also believable. Yeah, I know I'm not making any sense. Just go read it for yourself. It's worth it. The characters are quirky and well crafted. They aren't perfect, but they are perfect for each other.

What a perfectly delightful novel. Starting out fizzy and fun, it quickly evolves into a story of substance with complex characters that encounter and explore important modern issues like emotional abuse and a broken criminal justice system. A perfect caste of supporting characters who serve as both friends and advocates and a very relatable and lovable protagonist.

*I received this e-arc from Netgalley and Flatiron Books in exchange for a free review. All opinions are my own.*

Oh! This book! What a pleasant surprise this was. I went into it excited about the plot of two people sharing a flat but never meeting, but fell completely in love with Beth O’Leary’s writing style and her characters. I LOVED Tiffy & Leon. Their interactions with the world and each other put the biggest smile on my face. Their romance was well-paced and filled me with butterflies.

As in all good stories, each characters was battling difficult issues that they needed to overcome, but it never felt overdone or drawn out. Each issue resolved itself in a realistic and tangible way, and I loved watching their journeys.

I am now a forever fan of Beth O’Leary’s work and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. THE FLATSHARE is witty, charming, and full of unforgettable characters that will make you remember how fun it is to fall in love.

THIS CONCEPT!!! I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!
tiffy and leon agreeing to share a bed AT DIFFERENT TIMES sounded so fascinating to me.

not gonna lie, the beginning was a little too slow for me but after a while i could not put it down!

the way the main characters (tiffy & leon) became friends was so cute and fresh. the fact they they shared a bed but went months before meeting was so odd but yet so interesting????

this book covered so much it was a little intense sometimes... i honestly loved their backstories so much, it really added to the intensity of everyone's friendships/relationships. tiffy and leon both went through so much but i am in awe with how they each dealt with everything. i loved all the supporting characters and how they were always there for each other.

Tiffy is just getting out of a bad relationship and desperately needs an affordable place to stay. Enter Leon and his advertisement for a flatmate. However, Tiffy and Leon won’t just be sharing a flat, they’ll be sharing a bed - but not in the way you think (or not yet anyway). Leon works nights and weekends so he is only in the flat during the day and Tiffy works a normal day job so she is only in the flat at night and on the weekends. They build a friendship through post it notes that slowly morphs into something more.

When I first started reading this book, I was expecting your typical romcom. Quirky heroine - check. Outlandish meet cute- check. Funny best friend/side kick - check. However this book is anything but typical. While it does have the afore mentioned characterize (I mean they’re tropes for a reason, right?) here they feel fresh and new. I really enjoyed the progression of Tiffy and Leon’s relationship and couldn’t wait for them to actually meet. I appreciate the slow build and that it wasn’t just “insta love.”

While this book definitely made me laugh out loud at parts, it also covers serious topics like emotional abuse and having an incarcerated loved one. Beth O’Leary does a great job of covering these topics in an honest and empathetic way that also manages to avoid being too heavy.

This book will make a great summer beach read.


Thank you to Netgalley and to Flatiron Books for giving me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ahhhh. I loved this sweet, unconventional rom-com from an amazing debut author! THE FLATSHARE is an endearing novel about two unique characters, Leon and Tiffy, who have a unique flat-sharing agreement. Leon, a palliative care nurse who works nights and stays with his girlfriend on the weekend, needs extra cash. Tiffy, a publishing editor who works on DIY photo books, just broke up with her boyfriend and needs a place to live in London on the cheap. The solution? Tiffy gets the apartment during nights and weekends, and Leon gets the apartment while Tiffy is at work from 9–5.

The two arrange the agreement so that they will never meet, but they begin leaving Post-It notes about regular “roommate” things - When’s our garbage day? What’s with all of Tiffy’s weird kitschy throw pillows? Here, have these extra oat bars! Then, the notes evolve into slightly more personal topics, and the two get to know each other via Post-Its, inside jokes, and shared food.

The chapters are told in alternating perspective, so that you as a reader get to know both Tiffy and Leon intimately, loving them for their weird quirks. At first, Leon totally put me off - his chapters are written in clipped, almost terse sentences and chat-like dialogue, with few personal pronouns. Tiffy also seemed a little too “quirky” at first, like a manic pixie dream girl. But you soon get accustomed to their personalities and realize that they are both imperfect characters. They’re not idealized hotties who everyone would swoon over - they’re unique individuals who just happen to be perfect for each other, despite (or maybe because of!) their weirdness. In that way, the novel reminded me of When Harry Met Sally - both Harry and Sally are peculiar people with strange ways of doing things, but they’re perfect matches for each other. Leon has trouble expressing his emotions, but he is a thoughtful, caring character who cares deeply for a few loved ones, including some of his patients at the palliative care center. Tiffy is a scatterbrained goofball, who depends on her friends for her whole life, loves wearing outlandish, colorful outfits, and loves with all of her big heart.

THE FLATSHARE has all of the most swoon-worthy romcom tropes:

- a VERY CUTE meet-cute

- rumination over the phrase “it’s a date”

- a totally low-stakes near-death experience that brings the two closer together

- pining and surreptitious glances noticing each other’s attractiveness.

I love that O’Leary also doesn’t shy away from addressing more serious topics. Leon’s brother is in prison, falsely accused of a crime he doesn’t commit, but one with many shades of complexity and doubt around his innocence. Two characters in the novel struggle with toxic relationships, written not as a caricature of an abusive relationship but as a very realistic depiction of how a partner can subtly manipulate, gaslight, coerce, and stalk another.

Very excited to see O’Leary’s future works, given such a promising debut!

Oh, man! I've been looking forward to this book for about a year. This story follows Tiffy and Leon (in alternating perspectives) as they try to save some money by entering into a flatshare. Tiffy gets the flat on weekdays after 6pm and on weekends, Leon gets the apartment weekdays 9-5pm. From the get go you know you're in for a good time. I absolutely LOVED Tiffy's character- quirky but capable. One thing that did bother me about Leon's perspective (so much so I almost DNF'd) was the lack of personal pronouns and full sentences. For example (am going to the store.) This bothered me SO MUCH but once he and Tiffy get to writing notes and I learned more about him as a character I kind of got over it. But seriously. This was a real hurdle for me.

Things that worked: Tiffy & Leon's friendship, notes and other communications; the slow burn, the emphasis on mental health and Tiffy's last relationship- in particular the fallout over it as she began to heal (really really loved this).

Things that didn't work: Leon's perspective, while openly acknowledged in the book at one point, was almost too difficult to read and get past for me.

Read this book if: You want a slowburn roomates (one of my fave tropes) romance that is well written with lovable characters. Don't read if you can't handle a little ooey gooey romcom.

Trigger warnings: *emotional abuse

I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley. This did not impact my review.

Cute, but predictable romantic comedy. The Flatshare concept did give it a sexy little nudge, but overall you know what you are going to get-- a feel-good, boy-meets-girl love story. Reminiscent of Bridget Jones, particularly with Tiffy's friends and occupation.

While I liked the contrasting voices between Tiffy and Leon, I did find Leon's voice a little jarring. The short, crisp sentences didn't flow nicely and I found his sections choppy, especially in contrast to Tiffy's chapters.

To start I must really commend Beth O'Leary because The Flatshare is one heck of a debut. It was tremendously well written, Beth's style of writing was a bit unorthodox (I don't know about other people but I'm speaking for me), it worked extremely well, the flow and connection, everything was marvellous. 

I find this piece of literature to be wonderfully eccentric and very original, never have I ever read a story with the distinctive elements that give this book it's own ground and sets it apart from the other books in this category. For example, I mean look out how our main characters meet. It never occurred to me, to think situations like this exist, but obviously, it just has to cause people are really crazy. Tiffy needs a place to stay but doesn't have enough cash to afford a good place. Comes in Leon, he is in need of extra cash, and he has a one bedroom flat he's almost always never in, so why can't he rent it out, share his flat with someone else, this person will sleep in his bed, and share everything else in the flat. 

Tiffy Moore is a character anyone would love. I love her so much, I wish I had a best friend such as she. For one I love Tiffy's job and we have many similarities, I work in publishing, also underpaid and somehow I've been made a junior/assistant editor, which also has me gushing about the edit job this book has gotten, it's amazing! I'm a beginner editor, but I spotted a lot of things I recently learnt in an editorial workshop, so big kudos to the editors of this work also, you guys are amazing! Anyways because of this, I was able to understand the inner workings of a publishing firm, and how important Tiffy's job is.

Tiffy has the best set of friends, there are Gerty and Mo, Rachel and the author who Tiffy manages Katherine, who is a bit too much, but everything comes from a place of love, even though misguided. I loved the friendship dynamic, the way it was showcased, really hit home on the fact that your real friends, will always have your back and not deal with your crap.

Tiffy is in a bad place, in this book and I loved how her friends helped her deal, they didn't coddle her, because they wanted her to get better and also face reality. Which was also marvellously shown in this book, the trajectory of her healing and facing things head on. Tiffy is a confident woman, who is vibrant and pure. I loved how she embraced herself and her body like she has motivated me also. She's on the big side, and I'm guessing she's about UK size 12-14 or even more? I'm a small 12, and I get body shamed all the time about how I look and many times than not it gets to me, yet even though Tiffy gets body shamed, she still loves her body and is confident in her skin and who she is. I want to be like Tiffy all the time.

I felt heartbroken as the story progressed and I watched Tiffy break apart because of a terrible relationship, that had done more harm than good, also how easy it was to revert back to old habits, when they were never good for you in the first place, but because you're the victim, you're blind to it. I loved how the abuse in this story was dealt with, and I'm glad it made Tiffy stronger in the end.

Now let me talk about Leon. Wow, I am in love with Leon Towney. He is the sweetest guy, I just love love love. He's more than a book boyfriend, he's my book husband. He's a nurse, who works in the terminally ill side of the hospital, I totally forgot the name, and he's very closed off because he is very picky about the people he let into his life. But really he is a very sweet, caring and wonderful guy, that any girl would be crazy to let slip away, but in this case, I'm happy because he and Tiffy got together, if there's anyone who should have him, it's Tiffy.

Leon is quiet and very collected, but there is this silent confidence and sexy power to him, it's just amazing to read, he also has an amazing relationship with the people he let into his life, and the love between him and his brother is just amazing. I loved it so much, God I so would love a Rachel and Richie story!

Leon handles a lot and it's amazing how he doesn't crack under the pressure, yes he has he moments of being down, but he always powers himself back up, being that shoulder for everyone, I loved how he remained a gem, all through the story. 

I must also add, that the main characters and important side characters of this story understand what it means to communicate. They easily own up to their errors and it was very refreshing to read.

Tiffy and Leon are very different people, and it shows so well, in the way each of their chapters has been written, which makes the characters even more endearing to me. I loved how their story ended, it was just too perfect and sweet, and it left me feeling happy and satisfied like a warm loving hug had embraced me.

Can you fall for someone you have never met? Beth O’Leary has me thinking that you can! The Flatshare centers are two roommates who share a flat due to their completely opposite schedules. They were never supposed to meet, but love tends to find a way...even through Post-It notes!

Leon is a quiet, shy guy who works the night shift at a hospital. His brother is incarcerated and legal bills for his appeal are adding up fast. He comes up with the idea to rent his flat out to a stranger. They would never be there at the same time, so it is easy income. Little did he know he would get more than a roommate; he got Tiffy.

Tiffy is a six foot tall redhead with a colorful, carefree personality. She is quirky and has a crazy ex. It starts off as a simple note about sharing baked goods, and turns into so much more.

I really adored this story and the format of the writing. The novel is written in alternating perspectives that make it an engaging read. Leon and Tiffy are relatable and I laughed and cried more than once while reading!

​This is book will be available May 28th and I very much recommend it.

Despite having picked up this book several times, I found it too artificially cute and really strained my credulity. So, many readers may enjoy Tiffies housing issues, I simply could not get involved.

Finding someone to share a flat with, at the right time, with the right hours? A bit too much of a fantasy for me.

I was so excited for this book that once it hit my Kindle I dropped what I was already reading and got started. Two days later and I can say I absolutely loved this book. It was perfect. A little lighthearted, a little serious. I loved both Tiffy and Leon. I kept turning the pages and stayed up way to late just to finish this one. Highly recommend.

Oh hello, I've already read this book twice! I love the premise (a nightshift guy and a dayshift woman share an apartment but haven't met; they get to know each other via post-it notes) and it's such a fast read. The main characters are quirky but not annoying, there's a delightful friend group, they have interesting jobs (I love stories that incorporate work; we all spend so much time working, how can you not talk about it), and everyone muddles through their personal and professional problems with a lot of humor. A unique love story that makes you root for both characters from start to finish.