Thank you NetGalley and Quercus books for a copy of The Flatshare by Beth O’leary. I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. For a debut novel, this is amazing. If you like writers like Jojo Moyes and Marian Keyes, this is the book for you.
Tiffy Moore has moved out of her flat after ending a difficult relationship. But, having problems finding a flat in London, when she sees Leon Twomey’s advert to for not only a flat share but, also a bed share. Leon needs money. Leon is a Palliative Care nurse and works nights. At first Tiffy, thought this was an unusual arrangement but, she agrees. Leon and Tiffy are never in the flat at the same time. So they leave post-it notes to each other. They get to know each other. Leon talks about his brother who is wrongly convicted and Tiffy talks about her relationship with her ex Justin and her job. The soon fall in love.
I have read quite a few romantic novels but, this is different to others that I have read. I loved this for its originality and its quirkiness. But it had great characters and I loved the sense of humour. I am sure this is going to be a hit.

Just the book I needed , filled with everything I wanted to keep me hooked . Warm likeable characters , fun but meaningful , and a story that will make you smile. Yes I read it quickly but that is simply because I couldn't put it down.

Excellent read, good plot and well written. A change from my usual reads but enjoyed the plot and surprise ending.

I found this to be a really enjoyable read that would make the perfect book to read while sunbathing on the beach with a few cocktails.

I did catch a few typos and inconsistencies but all in all would recommend to anyone who enjoys chick lit books.

The cover of this book caught my eye and the synopsis appealed to me. It’s an unusual story about a woman (Tiffy) and a man (Leon) who bizarrely find themselves sharing a bed in order to save money. Leon works nights and Tiffy works days. The story is a tad unrealistic, but books are allowed to be!

Tiffy moves into the flat and her and Leon communicate by notes left around the flat. I loved this, it was wonderful watching their relationship develop through the book.

Supporting characters were great. I particularly liked Gerty. It was a nice change having a strong supporting character. I also loved Richie - his character is confident and cheeky.

The story was told well, moved at a good pace and was enjoyable. I found the first five chapters quite slow and nearly gave up, but the story really got going and I didn’t want to put it down!

Only small negatives...typos and I think there’s an inconsistency with Tiffy’s height (reference to her being 5’ 9” and then later to her being 6’) - apologies if I’ve got this wrong.

Definite 5* rating from me. I loved it!

There is nothing but love and joy is what I feel about The Flat Share. The characters are quirky and vibrant, I couldn't help but love them.

I really enjoyed my time with Tiffy and Leon in Flatshare. It was refreshing to have a hero who isn't an alpha male, but still comes across as strong. Tiffy is a riot of fun, but she has her demons too which are smoothly and sensitively introduced. The story swept me along and I was absolutely pulling for these two.

At last an original idea. I have kind of gone of romance as some are quite samey. This breaks the mold and is just brilliant. Leon and Tiffy are so lovable and I was rooting for them all the way along. Highly recommend.

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey is a doctor who works nights and needs cash. The London property market is a mess. Leon’s bed is unoccupied at night, and Tiffy only needs it at night. So the perfect solution seems to be for them to share the bed, but never at the same time. In fact, they’ve never actually met.

As you can imagine, things in Beth O’Leary’s novel The Flatshare don’t go according to plan. A crazy ex boyfriend, brother in prison, break ups, mad jobs and supportive friends all conspire to bring the two together, and ruin their well thought out plan.

This isn’t a deep and meaningful book, although it does touch on emotional abuse, the judicial system, and chaotic economic situation that brings someone to this situation. It’s fun and easy to whip through in a few hours, and the characters are warm enough for you to want to know more and follow them. The crisp and efficient Gerty, Tiffy’s lawyer friend, is a particular highlight, with a softness under the harsh veneer.

The plot is tight and fast, the prose compelling, and the dialogue believable. The characters are warm and well drawn, and there’s never a page that should have been skimmed. The novel got Penguin Random House Children’s editor Beth O’Leary a six figure deal from Quercus, and a sec

A fun, frothy story with some deeper bits. I liked the way the domestic abuse storyline was handled, neither brushed off as nothing nor fetishised into EVERYTHING IN HER LIFE. The characters are fun and I liked the pace of the story. A fantastic read, I'll definitely be recommending it to others and watching for more by the same author.

Receiving an ARC did not alter my review in any way.

That was a fantastic read. A fresh take on an romantic comedy that was great to read, funny, moving, attaching characters

I'm not genuinely a huge fan of chick-lit with multiple perspectives. But this book sounded intriguing anyway so I decided to check it out. Glad I did.

The Flatshare shows how serious these books can be. With a heavy focus on previous emotional abuse and with Leon's brother in prison on false charges there is a lot of emotional turmoil. But there's a lot of humour too. I loved their relationship being built from notes and they were both such likeable characters.

Though this book isn't hugely long, it does have a lot going on. That made it feel slow in places but I still couldn't put the book down so it wasn't bad. Just a lot.

If you're looking for a romance that starts a little different then I recommend this book.

Wow. This book was fantastic and is definitely going to be a huge hit when it's released. I thought both Tiffy and Leon was great characters and the whole premise of the book was very unusual but worked really well. I also loved the sensitive depiction of the gaslighting behaviour that went on, and Tiffy's journey of self discovery. This book was brilliant, I will recommend it to everyone I meet!

This novel was delightful! A warm hug during this cold weather.

'The Flatshare' was a heartwarming story with a nice balance of romance, humour, and the more hard hitting stuff. All of the characters were charming, and both protagonists were easy to empathise and connect with. Whilst I wasn't sure about the shorthand style of Leon's chapters at first, I soon warmed up to this.

I really enjoyed the numerous side-plots going on in both Tiffy's and Leon's separate lives, and the way these eventually become interwoven. The writing style felt relaxed, and the story became like a pleasant companion.

I think the way the narrative and it's characters handled emotional abuse and gaslighting was well executed, and an important addition. In contrast to that, it was pleasing to see that the main romance was a very healthy one; built on mutual respect, and always including explicit consent.



(I've posted my initial thoughts to Goodreads - which I have linked below. I will publish a full review there closer to the pub date.)

I recieved a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this story... It was a bit long winded at times and the format really sucks, it was hard to tell the different between who was taking sometimes... Also I hate the way Leon talks... I almost dnf'ed the book because of it, he's incredibly annoying in that respect. The book was honestly far too long for the story...there was so much internal monolguing it was pretty boring sometimes.

I love Tiffy but I hate her nickname... Its weird... And i mean it fits her for that reason but still... Weird...

The douchebag ex seems to be a recurring theme in my recent books... Its getting a little old now...

I disliked how her best friend immediately thought she was that shallow and hadn't done anything to help herself, it was bad, and quite frankly I'd have been much more angry than Tiffy was... Also Gerty... What kind of name is that? Mo... Is it short for something? All I keep thinking about is the barman from the Simpsons...weird I know right...

Honestly Rachael and Mo were the only supportive characters who actually helped Tiffy... Although Rachael at the beginning try to get her back with Justin was crappy but tbf she didn't really know the whole situation... Kinda like Tiffy...

I honestly enjoyed this once I manged to get past Leon's speach problems...


I would have liked to have know what happened with Justin's restraining order and such I think it would have been good... There was not wnough Ritchie post prison for me I love him.

To say I loved this novel would be an understatement , it was brilliant. It was funny, sad and the premise highly original.
Who has ever read about two people who share a flat and a bed but never actually meet. One occupies the bed 9am – 6pm the other 6pm to 9am, what could possibly go wrong? Would you flatshare on this basis, because I don’t think I would but then I am not Tiffy and Leon who embarked on this madcap enterprise!
I know we are only part way through the year, but I defy you to meet two more lovable and likeable characters.
Tiffy was what I can only describe as slightly whacky, obsessed by crafting and fuelled that obsession by her work as an editor in a publishing firm. I adored her personality she was full of colour and wit and even if she had just split up with her boyfriend she always looked on the brightside, only saw the good in everyone. She was funny, witty, got herself into scrapes yet had a heart of gold and a complete breath of fresh air.
Leon, her landlord, was almost her complete opposite. The weight of the world appeared to rest on his shoulders, his nightshifts as a hospice nurse perhaps the reason until O’Leary slowly unveiled his family. His was a fractured, broken family buried under injustice, that Leon fought with all his might to rectify, that O’Leary used to great effect to unravel Leon’s tenacious and determined personality.
You knew that eventually the two would meet but how was the eternal question and this is where O’Leary excelled. Using post it notes that Tiffy and Leon wrote to each other and pinned all over the apartment you could sense something happening, the notes got longer, as they revealed their troubles and indeed their personalities. I loved the wit and funny oneliners O’Leary threw in from Tiffy, saying it as it was, compared to the careful, hidden traits of Leon.
You knew they were destined to be together, I grew frustrated as proposed meet-ups were thwarted and the pages turned more furiously as you became more desperate to find out what happened next.
The Flatshare wasn’t all fluffy and light, it did have a serious side too, but O’Leary brilliantly balanced the light and the dark. Her narrative was wonderful, full of riotous colour that pigued you imagination, that made you laugh one minute before it sent you spiralling downwards on the next page.
If there was one thing I will take away from The Flatshare is that I totally fell in love with Tiffy and Leon and did not want to leave them.
Was there a happy ending? You will have to pick up a copy and find out for yourself

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this book, a simple ‘chicklit’ read with plenty of escapism. Instead I was blown away by the whole thing, all of the plot lines wound together wonderfully and the characters were so vibrant and alive it was a treat to eavesdrop on their lives.
One plot strand was so well written and tense that I physically had to put the book down to take a break as I was so involved!
Brilliant!

Quirky, funny easy read. Well developed characters and an interesting plot.... I enjoyed this one!
Thanks for the advanced copy!

Great read, enjoyed authors style of writing. Love to read a bit of romance once in a while. Lovely beautiful ending, if you enjoy romance and a happy ending you should definitely read this book!

The Flatshare was far more than I expected. I imagined it would be your typical, run of the mill rom com (which isn't a bad thing for me) but I was pleasantly surprised at how this book gave me a little bit more drama/comedy.

The whole premise of the book is wonderfully bonkers; but it works. The shared bed situation is unique and the way our protagonists forge a relationship is brilliant. Notes between the two move the story on well and add some real funny, quirky moments. Starting off quite innocently with messages about bins, food etc its interesting to see how they develop a level of intimacy the longer the notes continue - talking about themselves, their lives and their feelings. I think the balance between using the notes and not to tell the story was just right.
The story moved along at a good pace - with some unexpected plot points - I was really surprised by some developments. (I don't want to ruin it for anyone but I like how we were not given the whole picture from the start).

I loved Tiffy - who appears to be loud, proud and confident. You definitely know there is a soft, vulnerable side, something you cannot quite fathom and you see how Tiffy has certain realisations regarding her past. Leon is different - quietly confident, self assured and wanting the best for those he cares for. Hardworking and loyal - I was rooting for him all the way. His back story, being told slowly throughout the book is indicative to why he chose the caring profession and why he has a strong connection to Tiffy. I also love the quirky/fun 'best friend' character in these types of book and was not disappointed by the varied characters we meet in this story.

I assumed this would be a light hearted, simple but lovely read but it is emotional and thought provoking - far more than the romantic comedy books we all love. Touching on some serious issues that will resonate with many readers; the serious moments were cleverly balanced with comedy that had me laughing out loud

Having heard and seen so much about this book I was so pleased I got to read this now. I highly recommend. An e-copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the publisher, Quercus, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Comfy Rating:👍👍👍👍👍