The premise of sharing a bed with a stranger may sound bonkers, but this is what happens when Tiffy has to find somewhere to live within her budget. While Leon works night shift Tiffy sleeps in the bed, then while she goes to work it is Leon’s. Because of this, they never meet and instead start leaving one another notes.

Tiffy and Leon are great characters and I loved the way they slowly got to know one another through their notes. The side story involving Leon’s brother is also interesting.

A very modern love story that you just won't want to put down. Grab a post it and start writing love notes! Tiffy and Leon live in the same flat, but not at the same time.... And what results is a glorious meshing of two LOVELY people! With a cast of quirky and loveable characters, a few bad guys to mentally throw things at and a whole lot of heart. I loved this book. I would definitely read it again. And I'd certainly buy the hot builder-turned-designer book that they keep talking about!

Beth O’Leary has written a début novel that was quirky, unique and had a most engaging plot.

This was a beautiful and inspired romance. The pacing was just brilliant, leading me and teasing, one step at a time, with hundreds of post-it notes. Beth O'Leary's characters were realistic, easy to connect with and enormously likeable. “The Flatshare” was brilliant and very difficult to put down. It was fun and entertaining whilst touching on the serious issues of abuse and miscarriages of justice.

“The Flatshare” is very highly recommended and I'll be looking out for more by the author, Beth O’Leary.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my own request from Quercus Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary

When Tiffy Moore’s boyfriend Justin leaves her for another woman, she starts flat-hunting. Determined to stand on her own too feet she starts searching for flats to rend when she comes across a listing for a double bedroom flat in Stockwell which is available immediately. The only hitch is that you have to share the flat with a twenty-seven-year-old palliative care nurse Leon who works nights and is away weekends.

Tiffy agrees to the terms and conditions and becomes Leon’s flatmate. They never see each other and communicate via post-it notes and over time, they become friends chatting and offering words of wisdom to each other.

This was a lovely, happy novel which was ideal to read on Spring evenings. The characters are truly believable and engaging, and I really loved Tiffy and wish she could teach me to crochet (I’ve always wanted to learn!!) An enchanting love story that is well worth reading.

When I stumbled upon The Flatshare and read the blurb, I knew that I would love it. I am so happy to say that yes, I was right and I absolutely loved this book.

WHY I LOVED IT:

**Interesting story set up
Tiffy is an assistant editor for a niche independent DIY and crafts publisher who often overworks and in return, her company pays her a pittance. She is searching for a cheaper flat to live after her wealthy and manipulative ex-boyfriend, Justin, evicts her from his flat because of involvement with another woman. Leon wanted some extra money to pay to his brother’s lawyer, who was framed for an armed robbery and was in jail. When Tiffy saw the advertisement for Leon’s one bedroom flat, she was more than happy to accept the offer. Leon had night shifts at the hospitals and he only lived in the apartment from 9 to 5. So he wanted someone who would live there after his working hours. Tiffy and Leon shared a bed but the interesting thing is they never met each other. They used to talk with post-it notes. Soon these small conversations through notes made them good friends and they started to understand each other without even meeting.

**Adorable characters
I loved Tiffy. She was like your girl next door, talkative, energetic, outgoing and had a good fashion sense. Leon, on the other hand, was reserved in nature and was a man of few words. But as they say, opposites attract each other and thus later, they form a quirky and interesting relationship. Richie, Leon’s younger brother, was a fun character. I loved how he talked to Tiffy and made her comfortable and known without even meeting her. Mo and Gerty were Tiffy’s best friend and were always there for her as her support system. Rachel was Tiffy’s co-worker and they had quite interesting friendship too. I hated Justin so much. He was Tiffy’s ex-boyfriend. He was manipulative and aggressive.

**Not just a love story
The Flatshare is not just a love story. It is way more than that. It is about celebrating friendship, life, grief and overcoming your fears. It is also about an important form of abuse in a relationship- mental abuse.

**Amazing writing
Beth O'Leary has written a wonderful novel. Her writing is mesmerising and humorous. She has created a wonderful set of characters with whom you would relate. You would instantly fall for Leon and Tiffy. With the alternate POVs, the story keeps you hooked till the end. In the beginning, the story feels to be a light read. But as you move forward it becomes more emotional. Along with being emotional, there are so many humorous moments which really kept the story interesting.

**Overall
I would definitely recommend The Flatshare to all the contemporary romance lovers. This is an appealing, fun and entertaining read while also handling some important issues like abuse. With an interesting plot and lively characters, Beth O'Leary has delivered an amazing read which I would remember for a long time.

I LOVED this book. It was one of those heartwarming reads that had enough twists and turns to not feel like every other book of the same genre. The split narrative, the concept and the execution was just brilliant. I loved Tiffy and honestly wish she could be my best friend and honestly I was rooting for a happy ending from the opening page.

I was so excited to be accepted to review The Flatshare by Netgalley, it was definitely a book I thought I would enjoy and for the most part I did, it made me laugh and I looked forward to reading it. It was pitched as a light-hearted room sharing agreement that has hilarious consequences however that wasn’t what I got, there were a lot of issues with the development of the story and the problematic writing that continues through to the end. There was definite potential for something more for the story but I think it was hindered by lazy writing and lack of development.

I wanna talk about how likeable the characters were in this book, and this was definitely it’s saving grace. I think if the characters hadn’t had been as good as they were then this book would have been a complete flop for me. I think I almost looked past the problematic issues in The Flatshare because I was enjoying the characters so much. Tiffy was fun and she made me smile with all the different parts of her personality and style, and I loved how down to earth Leon was. The way they communicated through the notes and text was really well done, it made me connect with the characters in a whole different way, something I would love to see more off in the books I read.

I should really touch on the issues that I had with the books and I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone but emotional abuse does play a part within the main story plot. I thought, especially with The Flatshare being quite lovey-dovey that it wasn’t developed enough and it was wrapped up far too easily. I get particularly annoyed with the reactions from each of the characters in different situations and how quickly they get over everything. I feel as though the abuse was used as a conflict creator and didn’t actually add anything to the story or the characters.

I think this book is a feel good story with fun characters and maybe I was expecting way too much from it but I genuinely enjoyed the relationship aspect of the story and the way that everything ends up. I loved the different situations they found themselves in and how well developed that all became, it was a lot different from the other contemporary books where the relationship becomes very insta-love and there isn’t anything for them to actually fall in love with. But with both Leon and Tiffy in The Flatshare they knew everything they needed too about each and fell in love aware of everything.

I definitely think I would recommend The Flatshare, it was overall a feel good book and although I had issues within the actual story I loved the characters and the ending. I suppose the way I look at it is, that not every book can be perfect all the way through.

The flatshare is a such a delightful book. I found that I couldn't put it down, even reading it on holiday from the train to Naples!

I enjoyed the fact that Leon and TIffy first comucate by post it notes. You as the reader read how their relationship grows and you can't wait until they actually meet in the flesh.

The flatshare sometimes had me grinning like a loon, but also hade almost shouting at the book

The flatshare is a perfect holiday read.

So when is the film version coming out?

About to be homeless Tiffy is desperate for a cheap place. Is sharing a flat with Leon the answer to her prayers? It's an unorthodox idea – Tiffy has the flat evenings and weekends, Leon has it daytimes.

An absolutely brilliant book. I was expecting a will-they or won't-they storyline but there was so much more. Gerty the no-nonsense barrister and Tiffy's strange writers and colleagues. And Leon's brother. All the characters were so real and have stayed with me for days.

The ending nearly had me in tears.

VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Thank you so much the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary electronic copy in return for an honest review.

Thank you to and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book. As always, all opinions are my own.
Wow is all I have to say about this book. I feel like when you get to a certain stage of reading, you can read several books that start to feel very samey and nothing seems to stand out anymore. This doesn’t by any way mean that these are bad books, simply that it starts to take more to shock me with thrillers for example or make me super interested if it’s a romance for example. And this book just hit it out of the park with being individual and memorable and it did it so well!
The flatshare is about Tiffy and Leon who end up sharing a flat (duh) in the strangest yet somehow extremely plausible way in London. Leon works nights so is never in the flat on a night and Tiffy works through the day and therefore won’t be in the flat during the day. Tiffy ends up breaking up with her boyfriend and then looking for a place to live when she finds Leon is looking for a flatmate to live in his flat in the evenings and on the weekends only. They’d never meet and they’d share a bed – yes I know, seems crazy to begin with but with some of the ‘rooms’ and studios I’ve seen for rent in London recently it’s actually not as weird as it seems.
So this is obviously only going to head in one direction; with Tiffy and Leon ending up together but the journey between them actually getting there is just fantastic. They end up communicating via post-it notes which works surprisingly well and actually manage to not bump into each other whilst sharing the flat. Somehow this book managed to combine the relationship between Tiffy and Leon and it’s development with a side-story of Leon trying to release his brother from prison and Tiffy getting involved to side stories with Tiffy and her ex. Yet it’s all told so well and it was just enough – the side stories didn’t take over the main plot and they also weren’t so insignificant that it left you wanting to know more.
Through all this, Tiffy is also struggling with her break-up and I just want to give Beth O’Leary a massive hug and pat on the back as I personally feel that she portrayed a toxic emotional relationship so very well. The relationship wasn’t a physically abusive relationship however it did include gaslighting and like I said, I think it was portrayed so well. From being in an emotionally abusive relationship previously, I found myself nodding at things that happened through this book and I was able to relate so well. I feel it walked you through all the thought processes of an emotionally abusive relationship so very well and Tiffy’s friends were so fantastic in supporting her no matter what her decision.
I would 100% recommend this book if you’re looking for a great pick me up or a great summer beach read. I was so apprehensive going into this yet it delivered above and beyond my expectations and this is quite definitely going to be a book I can see myself re-reading in the future!

‘The Flatshare’ isn’t your conventional romantic comedy however that is what makes it so brilliant. I honestly didn’t want it to end and actually thought that Tiffy and Leon’s story has so much more in store after turning the last page.

I loved the concept of the living arrangement Leon comes up with by advertising for a flatmate but there are certain conditions; the person chosen can only live there when Leon is at work. He works as a nurse in a hospice and works nightshift therefore he sleeps during the day. Tiffy works during the day so you would think this is the perfect arrangement right!?

They slowly get to know each other without actually meeting face to face and their ‘post it notes’ are very amusing. I thought Beth brought these characters together in a way that gave suspense and drama. There are also some back stories going on amongst each character but I won’t go into details! There were definitely some laugh out loud moments and also times of frustration and suspense.

I was longing for Tiffy and Leon to just sort themselves out, but do they and what challenges do they come up against? I loved all of the characters but especially Tiffy and Leon. I love how Tiffy’s friends want what’s best for her and they stick by her through everything ❤️ The format of the book is brilliant in the way that the chapters alternate between Tiffy and Leon’s perspective and it was interesting to see what each person was exactly thinking.

‘The Flatshare’ is an entertaining story about love, friendship, hope and taking chances 😊 This is a story I will definitely read again and I highly recommend you read it too. I give ‘The Flatshare’ 5*/5*.

Thank you so much to Quercus Books for an advanced copy of this book via Netgalley.

The Flat Share is the perfect blend of humour, emotions and romance. It's sweet and heartwarming without being too cheesy, and the main characters - namely Tiffy and Leon (lovely Leon - definitely a new, perhaps slightly less conventional, heartthrob!) are so likeable, as well as Tiffy's friends and Leon's brother who is currently serving time in prison for a crime he didn't commit. All make this novel such an interesting, enjoyable read, and I didn't feel like any of the characters were too one-dimensional or stereotypical.

I loved the set up of this novel - Leon and Tiffy are flatmates who never, ever see each other and in fact have never even met... both are too strapped for cash to rent on their own, so Leon, who works night shifts, rents out his place to someone who works usual 9-5 shifts. That way, although they're sharing, they're not really flat mates as they'll never actually be in the flat at the same time!

What follows is a truly entertaining story of two people sort of meeting via post-it note, and realising they have a lot more in common! It's such a fresh storyline for this genre, which often uses the same story in different variants over and over again. Although some parts were of course predictable, I was surprised at how original this really was, and how little cheesiness there actually was (allowing for the fact that this is a romantic comedy/ drama).

The story also deals with some serious issues which I won't go into too much detail here, so as not to ruin any of the story. Beth O'Leary has skilfully managed to blend humour with these more serious parts, and resulted in a novel that manages to strike just the right balance. I loved it!

This was the first book I've read from this author and I enjoyed it very much. It was very well written and the characters were well thought out.

Okay, it's impossible to overstate how much I loved this book. It was slow to start with but once you really fall for Tiffy and Leon, you'll get ridiculously invested in how their relationship is going to pan out. The premise? Leon works the night shift. Tiffy is getting thrown out of her ex-boyfriend's flat. They agree to time-share Leon's flat, and his bed. They'll never meet. They'll both be better off for it.

Naturally, things don't quite pan out like that. Cue some ridiculously cute Post-It Note flirting and also some hi-jinks as the two of them slowly get to know each other- without ever coming face-to-face. (I swear, what I wouldn't give for that level of Post-It banter.) It's a great riff on the unaffordable-London problem that plagues most Londoners' lives, and I swear this book is just made to melt hearts. Top marks, read now.

Also, how on earth did Beth O'Leary write this all on her commute?! I'm doubly jealous now.

This was such a wonderful surprise of a book. I loved everything about it and getting to know Tiffy and Leon. The book just left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Tiffy needs somewhere to stay and fast. Leon needs money and has the brilliant idea of renting out his flat (and his bed) whilst he works nights. They never need to meet - the flat is Leon’s during the day and Tiffy’s at night and weekends - a perfect solution.

Throw in a girlfriend, a jailbird brother, a creepy ex and some good friends for a good measure and this wonderful book is born.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

One of the funniest, most heartwarming books i’ve read in the last few years. Leon and Tiffy are delightful. Two characters sharing the same space (and bed) without actually meeting one another. They communicate via a ever increasing number of hilarious post-its and texts. But surely it’s impossible to live together and not fall in love? Brilliant side story of a brother wrongly imprisoned, abusive partners and long lost love. A truly beautiful read that I shall recommend to everyone!

Loved this book. Some laughter out loud moments...and a clever idea- though not sure I'd be keen on it!! An enjoyable read .

This is a beautiful and inspired romance. The pacing is just gorgeous, leading us through a step at a time, teasing and hinting, with a million postit notes. O'Leary's characters are realistic, hugely likeable and so easy to connect with, and the whole book has such a positive vibe, but in a realistic way, it really was a joy to read. I'll be reading it again for sure and looking out for more by the author.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a Netgalley copy in exchange for an honest review.

I love the two personalities and how different they are portrayed. The book is sweet and cute to read. I love both characters so much and found the book to be delightful.

Tiffy and Leon share a flat and a bed, but have never met. When I heard the premise of this book I was intrigued and knew I had to read it. And I'm so glad I did. If you are expecting some light fluffy rom com, you'll be pleasantly surprised. This is chick lit with substance and heart. It has many different layers to hold your attention, a possessive ex, a jailbird brother and the romance we are all invested in.

I loved the scenes and descriptions of the flat and the way Tiffy and Leon communicate through post it notes and cooking. A book about stepping outside your comfort zone, making yourself happy and never leaving it too late.