From the moment I heard about THE FLATSHARE by Beth O'Leary, I knew I had to read it. I was so excited to get a digital copy for review, and I saved it to read on my flight to England at the end of March. Now, let me tell you why I loved it! It's set in London, so it was the perfect book to kick off my trip with Kelly. As soon as I met up with her in Heathrow, I started raving about it. Tiffy and Leon share an apartment, but they've never met. They work opposite schedules, but exchanging notes every day leads to an unexpected friendship. I AM SO HERE FOR FALLING IN LOVE VIA POST-IT NOTES. The premise sounded comedic, so I went in expecting a mostly light-hearted vibe. And while it was definitely humorous, there's so much more to it!

It depicts some emotional subject matter and that made me love it more. I loved how it dealt with gaslighting and toxic relationships while still highlighting incredible friendships and so much kindness. It’s just so dang cute and put such a smile my face — while still making me cry a little bit, too. It had pretty much everything I want and love in a book! Tiffy and Leon each have their own POV, and Leon's threw me a bit at first. It just has a different cadence and style. But it ended up feeling so right for the character, and now I can't imagine it being written any other way. I hate when multiple POVs sound the same and am so happy that wasn’t the case here. It was the kind of book that I was sad to finish — and already plan to re-read. If you’re making a summer reading list, this should be on it! One of my favorites of 2019, for sure.

The Flatshare is a great love story about people who fall for each other and live with each other without ever having met face-to-face. Tiffy and Leon each have their reasons for needing to flatshare-- an awful breakup and a brother wrongfully in prison, respectfully. As their lives become more entwined, we learn more about the layers of their lives and see the pain each is working to get past. I found the characters lovable, the plot very fun but also with some thrilling moments, and the whole reading experience to be as soothing as a cup of tea.

Fans of Jill Mansell and Marian Keyes will enjoy the wit and the simplicity of this sweet romance.

This was such a unique story (and would be a really cool movie)! This book is so much more than a chick-lit romance – it pulled at all my heart strings! I absolutely loved how these two grew their relationship as roommates by leaving notes for each other. Of course, the entire time I assumed the obvious (boy meets girl…), but Beth delivered a whole lot more. She does a great job about painting a true picture of life – toxic relationships, the housing crisis, dealing with messy family dynamics, wonderful friendships, and more. This one is worth the read!

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron for the advanced copy.
I found this book very quirky and cute. Easy to read. I was sucked in to the story and couldn’t stop reading it. Great summer read!

I LOVED this adorable romantic comedy novel. Leon and Tiffy are so endearing and the story is cute and unique yet still plausible. I'm so thankful I received a copy of this book because it's one of my favorite reads of the year. Tiffy and Leon are both quirky and funny characters. I particularly liked reading Leon's point of view because it's written in a rational, straight to the point style. I'm generally a fan of telling stories through emails, texts, or any similar form of communication. So, the post it notes were a delight to read.

I was so happy to pick this up when I needed a sweet story for the summery weather! I laughed so much in the first few chapters, that the darker edges of the story (Leon's brother's struggles in prison, Tiffy's difficulties with her emotionally abusive ex) snuck up on me. Still a delightfully sweet, feel-good story.

I really enjoyed reading  The Flatshare! There was so much hype surrounding this book, and I'm glad to say it lived up to it. It was such a cute contemporary novel that I couldn't put down. This novel follows Tiffy and Leon when they first become roommates, and we get to see how their relationship progresses through the notes they leave each other around the apartment.

I loved that each character has such a distinct voice. Not only did the characters have their own personality when speaking with each other, but in the way their chapters were written as well. Leon is very closed off, you can tell by the way he interacts with people, and with the short way he speaks/his chapters are written.

"Feels so different now I've met her. Can't believe I wasted all that time - not just those months, but the time before that, the years of dawdling, settling, waiting."

I went in thinking this was going to be a fun fluffy contemporary, and it was, but there were serious topics discussed throughout the novel as well. I want to give a trigger warning for an emotionally abusive relationship. Tiffy moves in with Leon because she needs a new roommate after a longterm relationship ends. While she's learning how to be on her own, and opening up with her new friend/flatmate Leon, Tiffy begins to see that her previous relationship was toxic and abusive. Even though there was a heavy topic spread throughout the novel, there were so many light moments and romantic moments that evened out the story and made it a feel good story instead of a heavy one.

One of my favorite parts of the book was when Tiffy was describing seeing a counselor. I love reading about therapy in books, even though I'm constantly disappointed in the portrayal (because it's usually very wrong), but it was so well done here, which surprised me and made my little counselor (in training) heart happy.

"She didn't really say much...I thought she'd tell me what was wrong with me. But instead I kind of figured some stuff out all on my own...which I totally couldn't have done without her sitting there."

Overall I definitely recommend The Flatshare if you're looking for a contemporary book this summer!

Ahh! This was a really adorable story, the kind that made me smile all throughout. The Flatshare caught my eye because of my pal, Becky's review. She loved it so I knew that I had to try it myself. Having read it now, I can definitely see why she unloaded with all the praise for this one.

Tiffy is in desperate need of a flat when she comes across an incredibly cheap opportunity to share a flat with Leon who only uses his apartment during the night. The arrangement works perfectly for him and it's an extra source of income. I know what you're thinking, what on earth, right? I was thinking the same, but this was a scenario that was definitely cuter in fictional form than it would be in real life. We get the points of views of both of these characters and I will admit that Leon's POV took a while to adjust because it's told in a choppy and direct way to reflect his personality. Still, I adored these characters. Tiffy is all sunshine and rainbows. She had a very bright and quirky personality that made her very easy to warm up to. She worked with crafty books at her publishing career that she was excellent at. I really liked Tiffy and she definitely made this book special for me. Leon was the complete opposite of Tiffy. He was quiet and intense but had the same kindness that Tiffy had. I think his career as a palliative nurse spoke to his persona quite well. He was dealing with a lot what with his brother being falsely imprisoned for a crime that he did not commit while also taking care of his mother who had gone through some intense emotional abuse. Throughout it all, he remained such a heartwarming and genuine character though. What a great guy he was!

You must be thinking, how does a romance between these two develop if they don't physically meet? Notes, of course! I loved watching their relationship blossom through these notes, first into friendship, and then into love. It was sweet how comfortable and open they were each other. Slowly, they infiltrate each others' thoughts and they couldn't help falling in love. They do eventually meet in person (in a very awkward half-naked way, btw!), and their romance just continued to grow. This is a romance that will definitely have you clutching your kindle to your chest because of just how adorable Tiffy and Leon were with each other. I loved the friendships in The Flatshare too. Tiffy's friends were a hoot. They were so dramatic but even more supportive! This book wasn't all cute romance though. It tackled some tough themes. For instance, I really loved the storyline exploring Leon's brother. In fact, a friendship forms between him and Tiffy, that was very lovely. The Flatshare also tackled emotional abuse in the form of Justin, Tiffy's ex.

The Flatshare was a really great book for me and I look forward to reading more from Beth O'Leary. If you're looking for a story with a lot of heart and humor, I highly recommend this one.

In her delightful and heart-warming debut novel set in London, British author Beth O’Leary transcends the typical contemporary romance by introducing a unique approach to building a relationship through Post-It notes and shared food, delicately handling the topic of PTSD from an emotionally-abusive relationship, and tackling racial profiling. In a dual narrative format, we are privy to the intimate thoughts of two wonderful protagonists. Socially anxious Leon communicates in shorthand and works as a palliative care nurse. He needs money for his incarcerated brother’s legal fees, so decides to advertise a flatshare (or, more accurately, a bedshare). Tiffy, asst. editor for a crafting and DIY publisher, with a colorful attitude and wardrobe to match, responds after being evicted from her ex-boyfriend’s flat. With both of them working opposite shifts, they never expect to meet, but fate has a way of upsetting the best-laid plans. A strong group of secondary characters including Rachel the best friend, Gerty the barrister, Mo the counselor, Holly the young, but wise-beyond-her-years leukemia patient, RIchie the incarcerated brother, and Katherin the demanding knitting and crochet book author provide sound advice, a little match-making help, and emotional support when Justin, the vile and controlling ex-boyfriend, keeps pushing his way into her life. For fans of Christina Lauren, Sally Thorne, Helen Hoang, and Josie Silver.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Flatiron Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Flatshare is a funny, feel-good romance, and this year's perfect beach read! If you're looking for a Greek billionaire, a shapeshifter, or a wealthy duke, this might not be your cup of tea. If you're looking for an adorable love story featuring two regular people with normal names and everyday jobs falling for each other, you can't beat this.

Tiffy Moore and Leon Twomey are roommates who have very different work lives - Tiffy works in the publishing world as a DIY book editor by day, and Leon is a palliative care nurse at night. They take turns living in their shared flat (and shared bed!) during the other's work shift, and this somewhat odd setup suits both of them. Tiffy needed a cheap place to live after a bad breakup with her boyfriend, and Leon needed a quick infusion of cash for attorney fees after his little brother was jailed for a crime he didn't commit.

When Tiffy first moves in, she upends Leon’s comfortable (boring?) life with her wild menagerie of thrift store finds and heaps of bohemian clothing. Lava lamps! Beanbag! Cow-shaped cushion! For a quiet guy with a quiet life, she's a whirlwind.

They start cooking for each other, leaving each other treats, and writing each other notes. With every Post-it stuck to the door, the fridge, the kettle, and all over the flat, they slowly start to learn each other even though they’ve never met. They eventually do meet (in a super cute way!), and the attraction is instant.

There were so many things done well in this book. Leon was a caring beta hero - more betas, please! Tiffy had a group of loving, supportive friends, and I really liked that there were fleshed-out secondary characters I cared about. The chapters ping-ponged back and forth between Tiffy and Leon’s perspectives and each characters’ voice was distinct.

I love love LOVED that the author included the aftermath of a negative, emotionally abusive relationship and the work that goes into overcoming it. She included topics of stalking, gaslighting, and healing. So important for women! And where better than a romance, a book about relationships?

There’s also a heartwarming side story of Leon trying to track down the long lost love of one of his hospice patients. You’ll root for him, for the patient, for all of them.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC!

I ADORED this book. Tiffy and Leon are halves of one whole beautiful love story.
What enthralled me the most was the clarity of each character's voice. O'Leary masterfully switched between these vastly different POVs with perfect ease. Tiffy and Leon were so crisp and vibrant, they practically leaped off the page. (Although, admittedly, Tiffy would likely be doing most of the leaping.)
I didn't expect this story to hit me as deeply as it did, but I found myself completely immersed in each character's story: Tiffy's slow, heart-wrenching coming to terms with her relationship, Leon's determination to help his brother and his dogged search for Johnny White. I started the book expecting a rather simple, fun romance, but what I got instead was so much better. These characters stole my heart from the very first chapters, and now at the end, I'm left desperately wishing for it to not be over. I would happily read sagas about Tiffy and Leon's little flat and notes and the foxes next door and Leon's obsession with a bricklayer-turned-designer.
With this book, Beth O'Leary has my eternal love, and I plan to follow what I'm sure will be a wonderful and long writing career. As for me, I would read her grocery list!

Tiff and Leon both need to save money for different reasons. The solution is to share a flat (apartment) and a bed at different times. I adored the characters and the story. Although the story touches on some serious issues, I caught myself grinning throughout this romantic story. I will continue to recommend this story to friends. Thanks Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this title.

The moment I saw the cover and read what is it all about, I already know that I will love it. When the publisher ask me if I want to join the blog tour for this book I didn't hesitate to join. And that I think is the best decision that I'm proud to say that I did. As The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary is a contemporary book that you shouldn't wanna miss reading.


Romantic, cute, funny and unique. That is what The Flatshare is all about. It is the book that every contemporary reader will surely love.

At first, you will be confuse with the kind of writing style the author has. It is because some of the lines are in a dialogue form. Not with the typical type of paragraph that we are use when reading. But later on you will find it unique and interesting as it is not the kind of book that we are use to read. I like how some of it are in a dialogue type and in it, the author included not only the lines of the characters but also their feelings. This is the only book that I've read that the feelings is also included. And I find it cute and interesting rather than annoying.

Another interesting thing about the book is the plot line. I love how it is not the cliche instant love. In the story or half of the book, the characters haven't even met yet in the story. They just know each other names and they just know a little bit of each other by the use of  exchanging notes through post its.

The main character, Tiffy is an editor in the story. With it, we can experience and learn the things that the writer, publisher, editor and other people is doing in creating a book. I know that us readers will surely love this thing as we can see the process in creating the book we love. We can also appreciate the people of what they are doing just to produce and create the books that we love reading. 

I really wanna say more but I think I'll just spoil you all. So I just want to advice you to just read the book and experience the love and enjoyment that I experience in reading it.

To wrap it all, I highly recommend the book if you are a sucker for a unique contemporary romance. I also would love the book will turn to a movie.

I started and stopped this book a couple of times a few months ago, finding myself not quite able to get into the story. But this was CLEARLY a case of the right book, wrong time, because I started it again yesterday and stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it. This is SO. GOOD. I adored Leon and Tiffy, and their respective storylines were equally compelling, funny, sad, and interesting to read. The way O'Leary built up their chemistry through a series of post-it notes, one awkward shower encounter, text messages and an eventual day out was done so well; Wonderfully slow-burn without feeling over-long (because there is really so much else going on beyond the Leon/Tiffy dynamic), cute without seeming saccharine, and absolutely realistic under the circumstances. Every single one of the secondary characters is well-drawn out. And while there are certain elements to this part of the story that get a bit Lifetime Movie-ish, the entire plot is elevated by the in-depth exploration of long-term emotional abuse in a romantic relationship, and the real effects of its continued trauma. Sweet, funny, romantic, and moving, this is a beach read for people who abhor beach reads, a love story with depth and heart.

I started the month of April with THE FLATSHARE by Beth O’Leary while flying home from London—cue all the tears, I don’t wanna talk about it—and wow, just WOW! I loved this book so much! The idea of sharing a flat AND a bed with a stranger you’ve never met is a premise that sounded insane but primed for hilarity and feels. Tiffy and Leon communicate with notes and get to know one another the ultimate old-fashioned way—with the written word. Everything about this book worked for me. I loved the writing, the changing POV, the characters, the emotional trauma of past relationships that was dealt with, all of it! This book was not the light-hearted romance I expected...it was so much more. This book talks about serious issues and they were dealt with so incredibly well. It delves into emotional trauma and the effects it has on future relationships which I found so relevant to my own dating life now and the people I meet. It was all done so amazingly well! 🛏
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The secondary characters were stellar and such a great complement and support for the heroine. The romance...OMG THE ROMANCE I JUST CANNOT! The chemistry and dynamic between them was on fire! It was subtle and built up and had the best kind of tension that made me feel like I was in the story with them. I loved everything about this book and I already cannot wait to reread it! Thank you, @flatironbooks for the review copy in exchange for an honest review!🚿
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READ THIS IF...you love dual POV, insane chemistry, and real-life issues. 🔑

A charming rom com that begins as a slow burn, then picks up the pace after the first 75 pages and keeps readers hooked until the very end! This is a great chic-lit title with the story based in London, which as an American was a nice change of scenery. The banter between fellow flatshare occupants Leon and Tiffy was witty, relatable and pivotal towards how this story evolved. For those looking for a light spring/summer read, make sure you get your hands on The Flatshare!

Loved the lead character in this joyful and fun to read book! This is one of those books that I’m glad I didn’t miss because it was pure delight from start to finish.

4.5*

The Flatshare is a really cute, fun, and sweet read. It was heavier and more emotional at times than I expected, but it all worked so well together.
I thought this was such a neat premise, with the 2 people sharing a flat, but never meeting. Although I'm not sure I would have been comfortable with moving in before actually meeting the person, Tiffy was much braver than me in that respect!
I loved how Tiffy and Leon got to really know each other through their notes. They were able to open up to each other much more than if they were talking in person. And it was an enjoyable way for us to get to know them, as well.
Tiffy is such a charming and quirky character. She went through a lot of growth and change during the course of the story and it was awesome to see her come out stronger in the end.
Leon is a doll! He's got such a huge and caring heart, I adored him. He's carrying a pretty heavy weight on his shoulders and I so wished I could have helped lessen his burden. Leon's one of the good guys and you just want everything to be okay for him.

I really enjoyed The Flatshare. Not only are Tiffy and Leon wonderful, the side characters really brought a lot to the story as well. I wouldn't mind if a couple of them got their own stories!
This book is definitely a winner.

The Flatshare has probably one of the most unique premises I've heard of: Tiffy Moore and Leon Twomey share a flat but they've never actual met. As part of their living arrangement, Leon occupies the one-bed flat during the day (since he works a night shift) and she gets it the rest of the time, including the weekends. It sounds perfect to Tiffy and Leon because it allows them to both have a flat for super cheap but to everyone else (myself included!), it sounds a bit crazy. Until you actually read how they manage to get to know one other in spite of the strange circumstances and then it's actually pretty wonderful. They find ways to communicate and since they do both live there, they bring their different personalities to the flat, which ends up revealing a lot about the other and their quirks. They're total opposites but it's easy to see how they complement the other as months of living "together" unfold. And there's so much more to the story than just their flat. They both have jobs they're passionate about so we learn a lot about that. Leon is going through a heavy ordeal with his family and Tiffy is coming to terms with some startling realizations about her ex-boyfriend. But it's honestly the latter plot line that I probably wasn't biggest fan of. On one hand, I think it was presented with a lot of honesty and respect for women who've been in a similar situations but towards the end, it became a bit too much? Or maybe it just felt that way on top of all the other sub-plots that were happening at the same time. I wish the author had chosen to either simplify the plots to focus on it fully or let it resolve on a quieter note.

Do I recommend? It is interesting and some of my friends really loved the book. But aside from what I already mentioned, I wasn't particularly wow'ed by the writing and Leon wasn't as fully fleshed out as Tiffy. So if you want to read it, I'd recommend borrowing it from the library.

This book fell a little flat for me. I liked the premise, but unfortunately I just could not connect with the characters. Both main characters felt forced and unbelievable and a lot of events in the story seemed silly and far-fetched. A lot of novels in the romance and women's lit genres are similar; a light-hearted and romantic story doesn't always have to be grounded in the strictest reality. If you aren't bothered by that, I would still recommend this book for it's cute and genuinely feel-good moments.