When I opened the book and started to read about Tiffy, this immediately gave me Sophie Kinsella vibes. I LOVE Sophie Kinsella, she’s the sun of my gloomy days. Any time you feel bad, pick up a book of hers, and it’ll cheer you up. But, as I moved on, it got actually more emotional than I anticipated. Also, there’s definitely more to this book than traditional chick-lit romantic comedies. Race, controlling relationships, and backstories of these characters made it actually deeper and richer than I expected. However, the writing and the way O’Leary brought these subjects to life doesn’t make you gloomy at all. It comes to the surface very authentically and organically. Plus, the jokes and humour is always there to make you smile every now and then 🙂

The set up of the story is what I loved the most. Tiffy and Leon never see each other as they live in the same flat at different times. I think it was a difficult task for the writer too, to develop a relationship through post-it notes that they start to leave to each other. It was very interesting and very well done.

I also liked both Leon and Tiffy. But, in my opinion Tiffy was a bit more on the ‘it’s been done several times’ side. She’s quirky and fun to read about. But, the cheated, naive girl is a portrait I read so many times. Leon was adorable, and I think he had more authenticity to him more than Tiffy.

All in all, it was a really easy going, bright, yet emotional read that I enjoyed a lot. Would definitely recommend it these Spring days. Plus, great cover!

Thanks so much to the publisher and Netgalley for granting this free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Ssssh. Wanna hear a secret? The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary is going to be one of the books of 2019. Mark my words, this is a book you do not want to miss.

It’s about Tiffy and Leon who are flatmates, except, they’re never really supposed to meet. He works nightshift as a nurse in a hospice and spends his weekends at his girlfriend’s house meaning his flat is free from 6pm until 8am on weekdays and all weekend. When something significant happens in his life he has to earn some extra money and advertises for a flatmate. The thing is, his flat has one bedroom. And one bed. So actually, they’re sharing a bed just not at the same time. It sounds odd, but it works. Tiffy rocks up with her glorious eclectic outfits and lava lamp and turns his flat from a bachelor pad into a joy explosion. As they are both awake at opposite times of the day they leave each other notes to communicate things like ‘please put the toilet seat down’ and ‘why is there a lava lamp in the living room?’ and this is when things get interesting.

This book is being billed as ‘up-lit’ which I get, as it is one of those books that leaves you with a massive smile on your face. Sharp, zingy writing and great characterisation combine to make a book filled with humour and love. However, I kind of feel that the ‘up-lit’ term does it a disservice as The Flatshare also addresses some huge themes like gas lighting, emotional abuse and racism. They’re not glossed over either with the long term effects of an ex boyfriend who made Tiffy feel stupid, ugly and more being explored in depth. This makes for tough reading at times and Tiffy’s ongoing struggles and slow realisation of what her ex was capable of is beautifully examined.

Told from alternating viewpoints, the voices of Tiffy and Leon are clear and distinct. I initially found Leon’s chapters a little difficult to read because they are quite abrupt and staccato but as the book develops and Leon emerges it becomes clear that this is a clever narrative device to really communicate his personality. He is a man of few words who has the weight of the world on his shoulders but he is emotional, loving and kind. I kind of developed a crush on him…OK, OK, I admit it, I did develop a crush on him. He is just so lovely and well written that he leaps from the page.

Tiffy though is one of those characters who you instantly fall in love with. She wears bright, colourful clothes, is sweet, sparkly and sensitive. I felt sad for her many times in the book and was rooting for her to realise how amazing she is. Her friendships are perfectly drawn and I enjoyed immensely the bantering and sparring between them which was pitch perfect in tone. There’s nothing like a conversation with friends layered in history, in jokes and straight talking to make you feel better and The Flatshare gets this stuff spot on.

I really loved this book. I loved that it dealt with difficult things, that it featured two brilliant characters, that it is fun and snappy and just a really good read. It felt like two of my absolute favourite writers, Mike Gayle and Mhairi McFarlane had got together and written a book. It had that vibe and I devoured it in a day. It is a perfect holiday read and one I that comes recommended from me.

The Flat Share is a deliciously light-hearted, fun romance with a quirky plot hook and some chillingly dark undertones. I loved it!

At first I was worried that the plot device of having Tiffy and Leon share a bed/flat without meeting would be a bit contrived, and when I realised that the characters would be written in alternating point-of-view narratives interspersed with notes, texts and so on, I thought it might be a bit gimmicky.

I was wrong.

The format and plot work perfectly together. Tiffy and Leon have their own distinct voices and the Post-It note conversation threads are charmingly different. Their relationship develops slowly but naturally, and both characters (whilst very different) are totally endearing. I wanted to give them both a cuddle then take them out for pasta and baked goods!

The supporting characters are equally compelling and I would happily read books about Mo, Gerty, Rachel and Richie as well.

There is a trigger warning, in that not everything is sweetness and light (although the majority of the book is). Beth O’Leary sensitively but devastatingly explores the effects of emotional abuse by a romantic partner and the result was sickeningly accurate to reality. As in, it literally made me feel sick with sympathetic dread. For me though, this dark side just added depth to the overall appeal of the story.

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to fans of well-written, well-rounded romcoms. It is funny, emotional, and full of heart!





‘It’s not just sharing a flat, Tiff, it’s sharing a bed. Sharing a bed is odd,’ Mo says worriedly.
‘What if this L. Twomey is a man?’ Gerty asks.
I’m prepared for this one. ‘It doesn’t matter,’ I say calmly. ‘It’s not like we’d ever be in the bed at the same time – or the flat even.’
This is uncomfortably close to what I said when justifying staying at Justin’s place last month, but never mind.
‘You’d be sleeping with him, Tiffany!’ Gerty says. ‘Everyone knows the first rule of flatsharing is don’t sleep with your flatmate.’
‘I don’t think this sort of arrangement is what people are referring to,’ I tell her wryly.

– Beth O’Leary, The Flat Share

Review by Steph Warren of Bookshine and Readbows blog

Leon and Tiffy share a bed, know each other's habits and have lengthy conversations on post-notes. The thing is, they've never met...

How did the author of "The Flatshare" come up with this amazing, madcap plot?! I don't do it often these days, but I've read this book long into the night, absolutely hooked. ) It was funny, sweet and the main characters were lovely. At the same time, this is not just your regular romcom; the book deals with themes of emotional abuse and trauma, and past relationships are scrutinized by the characters, revealing their flaws and ugly truths. Tiffy and Leon are great together, despite being vastly different people (I love how the chapters were written in a completely different styles to represent that!) and issues they have to face until they can even try to find their happy end. The book was heartwarming and moving at the same time and it made me want to root for the main characters (and some secondary ones too!).

So, the verdict is, I think this was a great debut and also Leon is now officially my new book crush.

I've been looking forward to reading this for a while - the premise of the book intriguing me. Nothing quite prepared me for how gripping this would be. I've been looking for excuses to read more of this all day, and have devoured it in about 36 hours.

The story of Leon and Tiffy unfolds gently, the flat sharing means that we get an insight into each of their lives, past and present. Slowly, we're introduced to the secondary, but nonetheless important characters around them, and pick up extra stories within the plot.

There is so much to keep you reading. Not only the central story of Leon and Tiffy with the questions of whether they will meet, what will happen if they do, but also Tiffy's ex, the patients at the hospice where Leon works, his family. I thought the story was almost finished, but then realised that I was only 69% of the way through! Beth O'Leary keeps the twists and turns going right to the end (which is perfect, by the way).

This is going to be another of those books that I just can't recommend enough. Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for an advance copy. I absolutely loved reading it.

"The flatshare" was exactly what I needed after reading an 800 pages high fantasy beast. The premise, though a bit outlandish, is really original. Both Tiffy and Leon are very likeable. You can feel the chemistry between them even in the notes they leave to each other, so you can't help but root for them from the start. But don't be fooled by the cover. "The flatshare" is not only a love story, it also has a pretty good and realistic depiction of the consequences of being in an abusive relationship and how hard it can be to get over it.

Is it predictable? Yes. Is it cheesy? Hmmm, maybe. Would I recommend it? If you're looking for a fast-paced, fun, quirky (though not annoying) romcom with a few dark turns, definitely.

When I started this book I thought it was going to be a nice chick lit, sort of girl-meet-boys through a strange living arrangement.
I was wrong: this book is more complex and multilayered than I expected and it's more the story of how to recover from an abusive relationship.
I liked both Tiffy, a bit naif and the type of woman you'd like to befriend, and Leon, so serious and so sweet.
The book is well written, I appreciated the attention to the details and how well it describes the differences between Tiffy and Leon tastes.
The plot develops a bit slowly at the beginning but once you're hooked you you cannot put it down and root for Tiffy and Leon. It made me smile and feel the sufferance of the characters at the same time.
I loved the cast of characters, fleshed out and well written. The villains are perfect and you cannot help loathing them.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Quercus Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

It's not often a book makes me stay up well past my bedtime on a school night! It's even rarer that I finish a book in one day when I've been at work for most of it. Those facts alone should say everything about this book. I know that probably won't be enough to convince most of you to read, though, which sucks because writing a review for a book you really love is hard.

It was wonderful. I was so very surprised considering I forced myself to pick up this ARC. I’d just read a really good book and knew I needed to read an ARC to try and catch up. I’d had this book on my Kindle since December and after three months I was a little less excited to read it. I should know by now I'm always making bad choices when it comes to books and the good ones come along when you least expect them.

This book is so well written and I couldn't help but be sucked in from the moment Tiffy is looking at diabolical flats in London. Tiffy was so charming she wasn't some delicate woman out of a bad relationship about to fall apart (partially because she had yet to register it was a bad relationship but more on that later). She was a 6-foot redhead who wore outrageous outfits in a rainbow of colours. She was quirky but not a manic pixie dream girl. She was just a genuine quirky woman who used to like to DIY her toys to make them fit more to her and has moved on to working in publishing where she specialises in DIY and creative books. Unfortunately, publishing is not the gold mine you dream it is as a child. So when she was on a deadline to move out of her ex’s apartment her best option is to flatshare with L Twomey who she doesn't even get to meet because his girlfriend does not want any interaction. It's weird enough they'll share a bed (not at the same time). It seems ideal. She gets it on a night and why does she care who will be sleeping there during the day since she’ll be working anyway? And weekends? Well, he’ll be at his girlfriend's. It’s ideal for her, who doesn’t want a flatmate they don’t actually have to interact with?

And L Twomey? That's Leon. He's a sweetheart and a man of few words. He works as a palliative care nurse and has decided to stick with working nights in the week to earn more money. And he desperately needs all the cash he can get which is why he has decided to share his flat (and his bed) with a stranger is his best option. Leon seems like he will be hard to get to know since he is so monosyllabic but as soon as I met him I was charmed. I mean, a man who chats to an elderly man who is dying about his wartime romance and puts a smile on a young girls face is a sweetheart in my book. He didn’t really think through the fact that when he started sharing his flat it will involve someone else’s stuff inhabiting his space which swiftly leads to notes being lead to notes being left about the flat for them to give each other updates. And well… the rest is history.

Note passing normally brings up the idea of teens at school passing notes in class. It’s sweet and occasionally flirty but all very innocent. I didn’t expect notes to be the thing which triggers an epic romance, though. But it totally worked. From little notes offering up food to another after they’ve cooked to notes complaining about someone leaving the toilet seat up. They soon descend into actual conversations which give more personal details and Tiffy discovers why Leon needs money and Leon discovers why she was so eager to find a cheap flat in central London. They get to know each other as friends and soon that friendship becomes something more once they meet and it was adorable. The notes might be what made me fall in love with this book. It's such a cute way for a romance to start and the quirk that these two are flatmates who haven't seen each other in person? That's even better.

The book is told from both Tiffy and Leon’s perspective and I was impressed with how O'Leary managed to make both Beth and Leon’s voice distinctive in both letter form and their own chapters. They each had a completely different writing style for their chapters as each mirrored their personality. Leon's was short sentences chopped down to the bare minimum to get his point across. Tiffy's were long and detailed and so positive (like her). It had plenty of detail and was quirky and fun and a bit scattered from time to time. And Leon's is so to the point he cuts through a lot of bullshit but also time flies because he spent so much time considering. You could even tell when he was tired. Whilst Tiffy’s ends up avoiding a lot of things so even I didn't see the signs about her toxic ex until she did.

The book was so much more than just Leon and Tiffy’s romance, though. They had their own storylines, Leon was trying to help his brother and Tiffy was moving on from her ex, who was toxic and emotionally manipulated her. She didn’t even want to admit how much to herself. It was only as she got used to her single life and thought about moving on with someone new that she truly realised the extent that he messed with her head. Her best friends were there to support her and I loved each and every one of them. And I adored Leon’s brother as well, I would happy for him to have his very own book. I would totally read it because I do want to know what happens next for him.

This was an absolutely brilliant read and I am so happy I didn’t keep putting off reading. It was exactly what I wanted and nothing like I expected. It packed a real punch and it was well worth the zombie-like state I was in the next day.

This is a charming and lovely piece of contemporary fiction from Beth O'Leary that takes an interesting premise of a one bedroom flat in London being shared by two occupants who never meet, each in residence, sleeping in the same bed, when the other is out or working. A more exploitative version of this is the overcrowded sharing of accommodation in the desperate working conditions experienced by trafficked, illegal and migrant workers. This is a more benign and comic take focusing on the dire financial straits many workers face in a city with sky high rents. Compassionate palliative care nurse, Leon Twomey, a man of few words has a girlfriend, Kay, and a younger brother, Richie, in prison after being framed for armed robbery. Leon needs money to pay Richie's lawyer to secure an appeal hearing, so Tiffany 'Tiffy' Moore moves in, and for months they never meet, their paths never cross, but a quirky and offbeat relationship develops between the pair of them through the form of post-it notes.

Tiffy is still hankering after her ex-boyfriend, the wealthy and manipulative Justin who has evicted her from his flat after getting involved with another woman. She is an assistant editor for a niche independent DIY and crafts publisher, overworked and paid a pittance. Her star client author is Katherin, a woman who writes books on the art of crocheting, and who will do nothing without Tiffy in attendance. Tiffy is supported by her friends, counsellor Mo and hotshot barrister, Gerty, and fellow workmate, Rachel. It gradually begins to emerge that Tiffy's relationship with Justin was a much darker and murkier affair as Tiffy begins to experience disturbing feelings and flashbacks. Upset and slowly beginning to recognise that she was a victim of emotional abuse, she is startled to discover just how much Gerty and Mo hated Justin for what he was doing to her, but had kept silent, knowing Tiffy would never have listened to them. Leon is familiar with emotional abuse, having seen his mother experience it at the hands of the type of men she chose as he was growing up.

Beth O'Leary writes a captivating novel that shines thanks to her stellar characterisation, you cannot help but fall for Tiffy and Leon, and the brilliant supporting cast of Richie, Gerty, Mo and Rachel. Then there are Leon's terminal patients at the hospice, for whom Leon will do anything, like embarking on finding the lost love of the crocheting Mr Robert Prior, and the young, feisty Holly, smart enough to intuit she is Leon's favourite patient, despite him never saying it. This is such an appealing, fun and entertaining read, whilst touching on the most serious of issues of abuse and miscarriages of justice. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC.

This was such a cute and adorable read. it had laugher, it had tug at the heart strings moments. Good and bad moments, sad and happy. it had such a mixed bag but I finished the book with a smile on my face. Beth managed to make both Tiffy and Leon likeable characters and I was rooting for them both to be happier. Tiffy and Leon's friends and family were amazing as well. I wanted to hug them all. I'd love to have a second book with the same characters but centring on another of the characters. I can't wait to see what Beth writes next.

Thanks goes to net galley and the publishers for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really wasn't sure how it's possible that "Tiffy and Leon share a bed. Tiffy and Leon have never met" but it turned out that yes, it is possible. They are flatmates - with a twist. Leon needs some money to pay the solicitor, Tiffy needs a flat after her final break - up with Justin. Leon is in the flat only during the day, as he works night shifts at the hospice. Tiffy is in the flat during the evening and night, as she works in publishing as an assistant book editor. So they start to share a one bedroom flat and they never have to meet! That's it! They start to leave post - it notes for each other about bin days, leftover food etc, but slowly those notes evolve into something deeper and more intimate. They start to have a connection. And then they meet...

You know it, when you had a feeling that you've simply clicked with the book, right? Well, I clicked with "The Flatshare". This was an epic, beautiful, romantic love story that had this "something" that makes a novel absolutely outstanding for you. I started reading "The Flatshare" actually not knowing what to expect but hoping that it's going to be something particularly beautiful, and I was hooked right from the beginning.

The characters in this book were immediately likeable and believable, and not only the main characters but the group surrounding Tiffy and also Leon's family who added so much depth and perspective to this story. I loved Tiffy from the word go. She's quirky, she's smart and has brilliant one - liners, and simply feels human, especially as she has to overcome her personal obstacles. She's trying to move on from her recent relationship and slowly comes to realise, how abusive it was, and the word gaslighting comes to mind here. I have kept everything crossed for Tiffy, I wished her all the best in the world and it was a real, real joy to see her growing in confidence in some matters.
And Leon as well. He's a bit withdrawn, on the quiet side but he has so many valuable qualities. He's currently campaigning for the appeal of his - presumably - wrongly convicted younger brother who is now in prison. And he's also trying to track down the long - lost love of one of his patients in hospice. At the beginning I had some problems with the chapters told from Leon's point of view, they were specifically written, but quickly I got used to his voice and was actually happy that he had this distinctive tone.

The idea with the post - its was ingenious. For the first few months of living together Tiffy and Leon communicate via notes left around the flat. They start with the dates of the bin days and leftover food but over time they start to pick up on each other's moods through the little cues they leave around the flat: the half - drunk cups of tea or coffee, the unwashed dish, and slowly the correspondence gathers depth and intimacy. I loved how they open up to each other in their post - it notes, how honest they are and how attentive they are, paying attention to the smallest details.

The pacing was perfect, all the time there was something happening. The build up for the characters to meet was brilliant. It took its time but it was so necessary in my opinion, and it was so enthralling, this waiting for them to actually meet in person. I was completely invested in Tiffy and Leon's lives. Beth O'Leary's writing style is so, so vivid, chatty and charismatic.
The book was full of so incredibly funny moments, guys, they had me chuckling to myself, and as I am currently struggling a bit with my mental health it isn't so obvious that something funny will make me smile. Well, this book did it, so already for this it deserves a standing ovation from me. But it is also very emotional - but not too wishy - washy - and it works perfectly well with all those humorous moments, scenes and witty dialogues. And the author handles the heavier issues with a lot of understanding and gentleness.
"The Flatshare" was an uplifting, charming and comforting novel. Actually, it has everything I have expected from it and much more and I can't believe that it's the author's debut. It has a brilliant, likeable and believable characters, wonderful storyline that feels so fresh and unique. I loved it totally and I can't recommend it to you highly enough!

This book had such a unique setting and idea for a romance which I really appreciated. However, this book was a miss for me. I DNF it at 50% because I just couldn't get into the writing style and I really didn't like the 'voice' of the characters.

I do think a lot of people are going to love this book, unfortunately, it wasn't the one for me.

Oh I just loved this book, I am so in awe of how this author managed to cover so many sub plots as well as the wonderful main romantic plot in the pages of just one book. This novel is so inclusive and sends such a positive message whilst covering real life issues, some of them not always pleasant. I don't know why I waited so long to read!

I love Tiffy as a character, I could identify with her. I loved her outlook on life and her sense of personal style. I could also identify with her on the bad ex boyfriend/bad break up front. Not enough people talk about what she's been through and so it was great to see it in the pages of a novel.

Leon is also a great character. Too often in this type of novel, the Male lead has money from somewhere and we don't know where. Leon is a nurse who is struggling with money a little bit. He is loyal to his family (his brother and his mum) and he knows where he has come from. I also really like that he needs some quiet time after everything has been a bit hectic or work has been full on. You don't often see men admitting to this and yes I did fall in love with them both over the course of the novel!

Then we have the various sub plots going on. The obsessive ex boyfriend. I loved the fact that this is woven into the main storyline so cleverly, it is Tiffy's issues, but becomes part of the whole story and I love that it doesn't become the be all and end all of the whole book, it is dealt with very well. I liked Robbie as a side character and really held my breath every time there was news from him in prison. I also loved the plot involving a book launch and what the run up to publication looks like, it was a great insight and something I really enjoyed. We also have a hunt for a former lover and of course the patients that Leon deals with on a daily basis-just all so heartwarming.

This book also deals with society's perception of what is means to be a woman. How if your proportions are larger than average, in any direction, you get comments or are seen as less 'feminie' I like the fact that this was included and as I have already mentioned I could really identify with this as a reader. This book also covers the fact that women get paid less in the work place and includes a romance between a white woman and a black man without making it a book about that whole thing. It was just accepted and the romance was wonderful.

In case you can't already tell, I loved this book and everything about it. I read the whole thing over the weekend and I really want more from this author, it was just fabulous-highly recommend!

Honestly I could sing the of this book All day!
It's joyous, uplifting and feel good.
I defy anybody not to fall in love with Tiff and Leon as much as I did!
This is one romance story that isn't gimmicky or forced in anyway shape or form.
This beautiful book made me laugh and cry out loud and is probably going to be one of my favourite reads of 2019 it really is that good! Thank you to NetGalley and quercus books for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review!
Must also thank Beth O'Leary for writing such a wonderful book!

I really wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. I’m not normally a fan of books of this genre, but I couldn’t stop reading this one. It took me one day to get through it all. Although some parts were extremely cliché, it didn’t bother me because I was so in love with the characters. Tiffy and Leon are two of my favourite characters, and I loved reading about them. All of the characters in this book are really loveable, and all add something extra to the storyline. This book is a real page-turner, and you don’t want to put it down. I can’t compliment this book enough. All I can say is - everyone needs to read this one!

Leon needs money, so he advertises his flat to share... except, whoever moves in with him would also have to share his bed. Leon works nights, spends every weekend at his girlfriends, so it's the perfect arrangement. Right? Whoever moves in can have the flat every night and every weekend. Perfect.

Tiffy needs a place to live. Her ex-boyfriend, who she is still living with, has brought his new fiance home to rub in her face and she can't take it anymore. She needs to get out. So, against the advice of everyone she knows, she accepts Leon's flatshare offer. She sleeps on the left, he sleeps on the right, and the two never have to meet. Simple, right?

First off, I LOVE the premise for The Flatshare. It's been on my radar for so long because it's so original, but so fun, and you don't need to know a lot about the plot to know it has so much room for comedy and for things to go wrong.

The thing that really sells this book, and has made it a favourite of mine, is the characters. Mainly Leon and Tiffy, who are both so unique in their voices, (although Leon's chapters are very blunt, almost bullet point in his thoughts which takes some getting used to, but in the end I actually wound up enjoying them because there's so little drivel to sift through) but also Mo, Gerty, Katherin, and Rachel. I loved Rachel, especially. There is something so genuine about her friendship with Tiffy, the way they always have each others back, their inside jokes, the way they understand each other with a simple look. It's a beautifully written friendship and I adored it.

I smiled like all the way home on the bus reading this because it's just so damn cute!! The flirty notes Leon and Tiffy leave for each other, the sexy tiffin eating, all of their interactions, no matter how far removed from being face-to-face they are, are so very heartwarming and make you feel fuzzy inside. But it's not just all cutesy stuff (well, it is, but it's really well written cutesy stuff!) When reading it I would like I was the one in that situation - my stomach is going and I feel nervous and like I'm about to pounce on my flatmate! I was getting butterflies and that dipping in my stomach of anticipation. I don't actually recall getting that with any other book before.

It's also a very funny book. Maybe not belly laughing, laugh out loud kind of way, but subtle one liners and little quips that are ingrained into who Tiffy is as a character. Just a couple of examples are:

'Mo, hold this,' Rachel says. I think 'this' is referring to me.

and

'So sweet that he hears 'restraining order' and thinks of me.'

Not major punchlines, but just the right amount of sarcasm and wit and joy to make me chuckle to myself.

Definitely one of my favourite books I've read this year so far, and one of my favourite romcoms. It's hard to say much more about the specifics I loved without spoilers, but what I will say is that I loved how much respect there was between characters, and acceptance that some things weren't up to them to change, or a be a part of that decision making progress. I loved the growth they all had, and how important they themselves were in that growth process, not relying heavily on their romantic interest. I mean this specifically about Tiffy, who, just having come out of an abusive relationship with a controlling, manipulative, cheating ex-boyfriend and who is unlearning all of the terrible ways he made her think about herself, and how he made her act, and does it all by herself! I mean, obviously she has help off her friends, but no man comes along and saves her, which is still so overused in romcoms.

Lastly, this book just gave me such a high. Cute, funny, warm and fuzzy, it's the perfect pick me up book which still has a lot of depth and great character arcs. I can't recommend it enough!

5 out of 5 stars for a truly brilliant read! The Flatshare is out 18/04/19 by Quercus books.

One for anyone in need of an uplifting story. 4/5 stars.

This book serves up everything you'd expect from the blurb and cover, and sometimes it's great to get exactly what you were hoping for.

Bibliotherapy is actually a thing, and this is the sort of story I would prescribe to anyone who needed cheering up. The Flatshare is a fabulous happy hug of a book in which dragons are slain and everything gets wrapped up nicely. If that sounds like the sort of uplifting read you need right now, I wouldn't hesitate in seeking this book out.

I was also pleased with how the book dealt with the tricky subjects of gaslighting and other forms of psychological abuse within a story which has an overarching comedic structure. The main character's experiences are never dismissed or swept out of the way quickly as some sort of inconvenience, but are rather dealt with sensitively and thoroughly.

The main characters are very loveable. From the get-go you are rooting for them and quickly get behind their relationship.

My highlight was the section of the book in which Tiffy and Leon are communicating only through notes. In fact, I never felt the story was quite as good once they met in person! Personally, I would have kept them apart and had them only writing to each other until a few chapters from the end :-) However, I do appreciate this would have kept the story back (!) and there is plenty of drama surrounding both the main characters to keep you interested once they have met.

Overall: a happy, uplifting book which all romance fans will enjoy.

I wish I could give this book more than five stars. Every so often you are lucky enough to read a book that you really don’t want to put down. This is one of them.
To say I enjoyed the story of Tiffy and Leon, family and assorted friends is an understatement. It’s an odd thing but I seem to often find myself making judgements about whether a certain book would make a good film. I believe The Flatshare would indeed.
Thrown together (but apart) Tiffy and Leon’s lives become entwined with at times hilarious and at other times extremely sad events. There is a goodness at the heart of the book that rekindles some faith in humanity in these trying times.
Please give this book a read. It will reward you.
This book was provided as an advance copy by the publisher in return for an honest review.
Note :
I provided the above review on Amazon when the book was released on Kindle on 11 April 2018

I absolutely loved this book. It’s been a while since I have literally laughed out and I couldn’t put it down.

If you're looking for an utterly charming, feelgood book then look no further than Beth O'Leary's deliciously funny and delightfully uplifting debut novel, The Flatshare!

The premise for The Flatshare shouldn't work (Tiffy and Leon share a flat; Tiffy and Leon share a bed;
Tiffy and Leaon have never met...) but O'Leary has pulled it off perfectly, whilst offering a refreshingly unique perspective to the crowded romcom scene. Told through a dual narrative - charismatic and reliable Tiffy, and quiet and kind Leon - and witty dialogue, The Flatshare is charmingly fast-paced, with just enough oomph that made me devour it in one sitting.

For a debut, this book already feels like an unforgettable classic, ringing bells of Bridget Jones and Me Before You. A must read for 2019!