I loved reading this romantic fiction by Beth O'Leary. It's a story about two people -Tiff and Leon- who have to share a flat due to money problems.

Although Tiff and Leon share a flat,they don't see each other ever due to their schedules and other reasons. This is a love story but the author has beautifully interwoven heavy topics like emotional abuse, unfair treatment of POC by the justice system,etc into it.

I loved reading it and I would love to read Leon's brother, Richie's story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC!

I got interested in Flatshare because of its concept - a girl and a guy sharing a flat and a bed and never meeting? I definitely want to read about that.

I started this book expecting a cute, nice romance and I did get that but also a lot more than anticipated.

First of, I want to mention the fact that I wasn’t so sure about this book anymore when I started it for a few reasons like Leon’s POV that I found hard to follow because of its short sentences. But honestly, I am so happy I pushed through those small things because I got completely hooked on Leon and Tiffy’s adventures once I really got into the book.

I absolutely loved Tiffy’s character, her bubbly attitude and colourful clothes and eccentric job! And her relationship with both Leon and her friends was the best thing ever.
When it comes to our second MC, Leon, it took me a little bit longer to get attached to him but once your discover more about him and his life, well, wow, I’m all there for him.

The romantic relationship between Tiffy and Leon is the cutest thing in the entire world. It’s far from perfect but it’s real and full of feelings that will make you want to squeal while reading - which I did multiple times. Honestly , towards the end I could not stop smiling because of al the cuteness they both show and give us.

Moreover, although this is a nice romance book, the author does talk about some heavy subjects that are main focuses in Flatshare. Emotional abuse and the unfairness and wrongness of the legal system towards POC are two subjects that, I think, are not talked about enough in fiction books so to find both of them approached in Flatshare felt amazing although heartbreaking. So very big whoop to the author for choosing to introduce those subjects into her book.

To conclude, I can say I really enjoyed reading Flatshare with his strange but appealing concept and amazing characters. I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in romance or in a really good book, period.

I absolutely LOVED this! When you get past the ick of sharing sheets and into the love notes and leftovers you find yourself TOTALLY invested in this beautiful love story. The darker threads are entwined in the sweetness which adds credibility and realism without taking away the feelgood factor. Highly highly recommend!

This book is romantic, compelling, heartwarming and quirky. It’s told from the alternating perspectives of Tiffy and Leon. I don’t know how old they’re supposed to be, but let’s say they’re millennials. Their voices are distinctive and likeable. The basic concept of the story is that they’re sharing a flat in London – and indeed a bed – but never at the same time. You know this is leading to a happy ending before you even open the book, so the enjoyment comes from how their relationship develops and how their conflicts are resolved.

Tiffy has finally left the flat of her controlling ex-boyfriend, Justin. She’s moved into the flat of a stranger, Leon, who needs the extra income. The agreement (arranged by Leon’s girlfriend, Kay) is that Tiffy and Leon don’t meet; she has a day job in publishing while he has a night job as a nurse in a hospice. They don’t speak but even so, a friendship grows, based on home cooking and eccentric notes left around the flat. I won’t spoil the rest for you, but I will mention that Tiffy has brilliant friends and that Leon is trying to get justice for his brother. Although the romantic tension is a strong thread at the novel’s core, there are side plots which help to make the characters’ lives more rounded. The writing style reminded me of Andy Jones. I’m sure that if I was a more frequent reader of this kind of book, I would know of other comparable authors.

If you’re in the mood for a quirky rom-com, pick up The Flatshare and absorb yourself in the story of Tiffy and Leon. When reading this on the tablet at night, I literally had to force myself to stop reading and get some sleep. That’s how much of a page-turner this book is!

This book will be published on 18th April 2019. Thank you to the publisher Quercus for the advance copy via NetGalley.

NB - This review to be published on 2nd April 2019.

I’d heard such good things about this book so really excited to read it! I laughed and I cried, really great read!

I loved this book. Everything about it was great. From a slightly ridiculous starting point, of a shared flat which is used only at opposite times, the relationship between Tiffy and Leon really grew on me. I loved how distinct the two voices were, how clipped and sharp Leon's internal monologue was, compared to Tiffy's verbosity. The relationship between the two flatmates who have never met, but share a bed, was so gorgeously drawn, and the drawing in of their wider friend and family circles was gentle and subtle. Just getting over a bad breakup, Tiffy needs a place to live that's cheap and easy, and Leon's flat is the perfect option for her. Leon, working every hour he can get, and spending weekends with his girlfriend Kay, has the kind of space that Tiffy needs. As the two communicate through leftover food and extensive stacks of post-its, their relationship grew so beautifully that I fell in love with both of them as well.
I particularly loved Leon. While Irish characters aren't unusual in many of the books I read (largely because I read so many Irish authors), mixed-race Irish characters with mixed backgrounds growing up are much rarer. I particularly appreciated that Leon was mixed-race but still Irish, and that certain Irish quirks made it into his speech. Plus the mix of Ireland and London is one which pulls at my heart strings particularly, so it was always going to be a winner for me.
Quirky, cute, unusual, and really well-drawn, this romance is more than just two strangers developing a relationship through notes, and doesn't just cut off when the two of them meet. Instead, it continues on through their fledgling relationship, continuing Leon's fractured family relationships, Tiffy's struggle with her previous partner, and breaking the first rule of flatshares. Nuanced and developed, with a wonderful depth to it and so much heart, I raced through this book and can't wait to see what Beth O'Leary comes up with next.

When I read the blurb for The Flatshare I was immediately intrigued- two people sharing a flat, and a bed, who communicate entirely through post-it notes and have never met. It felt like it might be a bit reminiscent of "You've Got Mail" (which is my favourite film!) so I was really eager to read it.

The Flatshare ended up being one of the best reads of the year for me. It was so easy to pick up and be instantly immersed in the story. It's a gorgeously uplifting romantic comedy from beginning to end. The main characters are immediately likable and they bring the story to life. There's enough darkness and reality to the plot to make it believable, but enough cuteness, coincidence and wonderfully happy endings to make reading it a fantastic escape.

Tiffy and Leon's romance built in a really realistic way, this wasn't an instant love situation which all too often happens in romance books. I loved the notes they sent to each other, how they slowly became friends by leaving meals and baking out for each other, the reluctance on Leon's part to meet Tiffy and Tiffy's unstoppable personality proving irresistible to him.

The Flatshare is the best romantic comedy I've read in years. I can't believe it's a debut for Beth O'Leary. Her writing is warm and witty, with a fantastically well shaped plot. The Flatshare will leave you with a warm, cosy feeling in your heart long after you've finished reading.

This was a really fun, easy-to-read, generally rather delightful book. The concept is an original and interesting twist on the rom-com. There's a great cast of characters and you really end up warming to them and rooting for them as a reader. Would definitely recommend to a friend as an enjoyable, heartwarming, well-written read.

Tiffy has broken up with her horrible boyfriend, Justin, and needs somewhere to stay. Her job publishing rather niche crochet books pays a pittance, so she is tempted with an interesting flat-share proposition; for cheap rent, she can inhabit Leon's flat during the nights and weekends while he is at work at the hospice and staying with his girlfriend, Kay. Tiffy and Leon share a bed, but never at the same time. It seems like an ideal solution, but things change and life gets in the way of the best laid plans.

I really enjoyed this. Yes, it's a bit predictable and there are some amazing coincidences that the plot relies on heavily. However, it's a cheerful and lively read that will keep you turning the pages as Tiffy and Leon get to know each other without meeting - the trails of notes are really sweet. There are also lots of likeable characters and some real pantomime villains. It does occasionally get a bit dark in places, but there are some lovely humorous touches too; I especially liked Katherin, the crochet queen, and Rachel, the oversharing work friend.

Overall, there is a lot to enjoy here and it was great to read something light and happy. I'd recommend this and will look for more from this writer in the future.

I always have my favourite go to authors whose books I look forward to each year, but I also love to find new debut authors who offer something original to enjoy and that was exactly what I was expecting when I saw The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary appear on my social media timeline.
After Tiffy breaks up with her partner Justin she is desperate to find somewhere affordable to live but with prices so high her options are slim.
Leon is in desperate need of cash, he works nights as a nurse so he comes up with a perfect plan of renting out his flat and his bed!
Can Tiffy and Leon make the situation work even with the words of warning from friends and loved ones?
I thoroughly enjoyed this storyline, it was the perfect book at the right time as I had read a lot of deep dark storylines so I needed something uplifting, romantic and witty and that was exactly what this book had instore for me. I can say that this is the first book I have ever read ( and I wouldn’t mind betting there are no others out there) that features a bed rental and it surprisingly worked incredibly well even if I did have SO many things going through my head regarding the logistics of how they were going to make this work.
Although this was a witty and uplifting read the author does also touch on a couple of issues that both Leon and Tiffy are both facing and both were weaved into the storyline perfectly to create awareness and give a bit more depth to the storyline without it dulling the mood.
The storyline is told from both Tiffy and Leon’s points of view which worked really well in this book considering they do not meet for a large part of the book. I found Tiffy’s chapters easy to read from the start but it did take a little getting used to with Leon’s point of view as the dialogue didn’t flow as well but after a few chapters I got used to his narrative.
What I loved most in this book was the post it note conversations, they were humorous and I loved watching the friendship between Tiffy and Leon blossom through their words. I was routing for both of our characters as they both had such an honest, loyal friendly personalities who only deserve the best and it wasn’t long before Tiffy’s quirkiness draws Leon out of his shell and rather than finding her quirks annoying he soon finds them comforting and somewhat endearing.
This is a praiseworthy debut as Beth has developed such loving and memorable characters and her storytelling is one that sweeps you up and doesn’t let you go. I was quite sad to leave these characters behind but I am excited to see what else this author brings us in the future. I do think that fans of Lindsey Kelk and Jane Costello will definitely enjoy The Flatshare.

Well written and engaging but I'm afraid I didn't buy the central conceit, that two people would share a bed and not meet, so on that level the book didn't work for me.