Member Reviews

4.5⭐️
I went in thinking that it would just be a cute roommate story but I was so wrong. It was totally cute but it was also so much more than a simple romance book. It was such a great debut novel. It’s told in dual perspectives and while Leon’s chapters took come getting used to, I realized they were written to go along with his personality.
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Tiffy was in desperate need of a place to stay after sharing an apartment with her ex boyfriend so she agrees to a Flatshare with Leon. They sleep on the same bed but never at the same time and they develop a friendship through post-it notes. I love how they learned about each based on clothing, books, food, and post-it notes. Eventually they both end up at the flat at the same time and get to meet.
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The author did an amazing job a addressing abuse in this book. She highlighted the fact that abuse comes in different forms, not just physical. With out giving to much away she also wrote the book in a way that also shows that mental health is important. The friendships in this book were also so amazing. They encouraged her but also tried to give her space to come to terms of her past relationship on her own. And finally LEON! He is totally Book Boyfriend material. A man of few words but a total romantic. He is the good guy who got the girl. Once again, I loved that he gave her space to process her past relationship while still standing by her side.
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Thanks to @netgalley and @flatironbooks for my review copy.

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Such a fun, unique read with more depth than I was expecting! I don’t usually read “romance” but this had more of a literature feel. I loved the characters and didn’t want it to end!

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The Flatshare was quirky, eccentric, and not at all what I expected. I adored this story. It was sweet, sometimes frustrating, and completely original. Tiffy and Leon share a flat, but not really, seeing as they are never in the flat at the same time. They communicate via post-it notes. Did you know that you could fall in love via sticky notes? I sure didn't, nor did Leon and Tiffy.

There is so much to love about this story. Leon is quiet and stoic, and he bears so much weight and responsibility on his shoulders, it's a wonder he doesn't collapse. Tiffy is trying to escape an abusive relationship she hasn't yet figured out is destroying her. These two people are such an unlikely pairing, but they start making more sense then they should. It's a delicious, belly-curling, slow burn masterpiece. The writing style is unique, and while at first, Leon's chapters felt stilted, you rapidly realize that it made sense for his character, and I loved him even more because of it. This story is so much more emotional than I was expecting. It is truly a character driven story. These people quickly become a part of you, and it makes an already lovely book that much sweeter.

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A huge shout out to my friends at @flatiron_books for gifting me this early copy!

Y’all know by now how much I am a sucker for a good romance. Like seriously, is there really a better genre out there??

Flatshare instantly sucked me in. I love when the synopsis of a book hints at a happy ending because it makes me want to read the book even faster.

As a nurse this book really spoke to me because lovedddd that Leon was a nurse! He was sympathetic and you could tell the majority of his life revolved around his career (ain’t that the truth of all nurses). I also really like the way that the author gave so much depth to this book outside of the romance, with the court hearing, jail, and a stalker, there was a bit of suspense throughout this book.

If you’re looking for romance filled with depth and a little suspense, this book is for you!!

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4.5 stars

As soon as I stumbled upon the synopsis for The Flatshare I knew I needed to read it ASAP. I’ve been on an uncharacteristically long thriller binge lately and was in need of a good light hearted romance novel. So obviously when Netgalley sent me an ARC I was over the moon and couldn’t wait to dig in!

The Flatshare follows book editor Tiffy who, after a particularly nasty breakup, is on the hunt for a new and affordable place to call home, when much to the chagrin of her BFF’s comes across an ad for a flatshare. The deal is that for a mere $350 a month she will have the flat from 6pm - 8am Monday through Friday and on weekends. The remaining times belong to Leon, who could use the extra cash that this arrangement will bring and never the two shall meet.

Quickly, Tiffy and Leon begin exchanging notes left in the apartment for the other to find. They start as pleasant exchanges about the flat but soon turn more intimate and the two form a friendship.

Okay that’s my requisite recap, now on to all of my gushing about how much I loved this book and complaining about how much didn’t want to put it down but had to because, you know...life. I absolutely adored Leon, he was not your typical male protagonist, for starters he was an ethnically ambiguous brown male, which we rarely get to see in novels like this, he was also quiet, gangly, awkward, charming, caring, sincere and sweet and I just could not get enough of his interactions with, heart worn on her sleeve, Tiffy who was quite the opposite with her mere presence filling up an entire room.

The only thing that held me back from giving The Flatshare the full five stars was that I felt the typical romantic “misunderstanding” wasn’t needed here. Tiffy and Leon had enough drama in their respective personal lives why with Tiffy’s crazy ex-boyfriend and Leon‘s wrongly imprisoned brother, that that usual trope was unnecessary, in my opinion. As we neared the end, I was confident that Beth O’Leary and I were in agreement and that that was one romance staple we could do without here but alas hijinx ensue and bam! short lived heartbreak *wamp wamp*.

That was my one and only complaint with this charming and butterflies-in-the-pit-of-your-stomach inducing rom-com. I highly recommend The Flatshare and I cannot wait for more from Beth O’Leary!

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I adored this cute rom-com about Tiffy and Leon. What a fun premise, sharing a flat and yet not being present at the same time. I found the communication by notes adorable and I loved how their relationship developed slowly. The story was full of romance, but also dealt with family and legal issues, as well as discussions about abuse. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more books by Beth O'Leary! Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

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I started reading The Flatshare when I got on a redeye from Los Angeles to New Jersey. Didn't sleep at all because this book had my full attention! Tiffy's been living with her boyfriend and has an enjoyable, but low-paying job in the DIY book publishing industry. When she finds an ad that's for a flatshare/bed share, but the roommate will only be in the apartment during normal business hours due to Leo's job as an overnight nurse, she hesitatingly moves in. Tiffy's only ever met Leo's girlfriend, Kay, and part of the rental agreement is that she and Leo don't meet. Instead, they begin leaving each other notes about where belongings should go and what's available in the refrigerator. Short post its turn into longer ones and eventually the two do meet. From then on, lots of individual stories break off that end up intertwining both Tiffy and Leo. Thoughtfully written characters with camaraderie and real issues give The Flatshare a magic that's been missing in most of the novels I've read lately. Fans of Friends and Younger, don't hesitate -- grab this one ASAP!

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Cute, fluffy with super likable quirky characters. Tiffy and Leon share an apartment and a bed but have never met each other because one works a day job and the other works night shift. They start writing each other post it notes... It was interesting watching Tiffy come to terms with the emotional abuse of her past relationship. The dialogue is a little distracting at times switching between notes to play script to quotes. Reminded me a lot of Sophie Kinsella’s writing!

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The Flatshare was a rollicking good time. The characters were quirky and interesting and I loved the whole idea behind the story.

Tiffy Moore needs a place to live. She has recently left her on again off again boyfriend (hopefully for good this time) and has little money to rent a new place. She stumbles across an ad for someone looking to share his flat and his bed during the hours opposite his nighttime work schedule.

Leon Twomey needs money. Every penny he makes is being used to pay a shady lawyer who is supposed to be helping to overturn the sentence against his brother. Leon runs an ad looking for someone to share his flat and help pay the bills. With his weird overnight work schedule and staying at his girlfriend's house over the weekends, Leon thinks he has found the best solution to his problems.

Tiffy and Leon begin their roommate relationship by leaving sticky notes for each other. As more and more notes get left, Tiffy and Leon begin to wonder about what kind of person they are sharing space with. The anticipation builds for them and for the reader. I loved the whole "will they, won't they" You've Got Mail vibe this story had going on.

As time goes on, Leon and Tiffy run into opposition from current girlfriends, ex-boyfriends, lawyers not doing their job, and surprise shower time visits. Many opportunities arise for them to actually meet, but one or both often get cold feet.

This was a solid 5 stars for me and one of my favorite books so far this year. I can't wait to own it and give it a re-read.

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Actual stars...4.5
Oh man. To say I "read" this does not do the book justice. I devoured it!
In the beginning, the only character I really liked was Leon, but as the story unfolded....and more about Tiffy was shared, I found all the characters endearing.
They is discussion (and aftermath) of emotional abuse, so be warned if that is a difficult topic.

Otherwise, this is a great story about two unlikely people becoming friends. A beautiful and fun read.

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I love this book! It is written from two different points of view, which was very well done. And these two characters communicate mostly through sticky notes, which I thought was quite clever, and might even be considered a bit old fashioned, since we tend to use our phones for everything these days. A very enjoyable read-highly recommended!

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I lovvvved this cute story. The chapters alternating POV was a great way to slip into the main characters personalities. A slowburn romance enmeshed in women’s contemporary fiction. Low on steam but high on quirky humor.

Can’t wait for the next book from the author.

I received a complimentary e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All comments/opinions are my own.

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This was so. freaking. cute! Slight spoilers on netgalley as cannot hide.

I'd heard lots of good things about this one and how awesome is the synopsis? I loved the first chapter but then it changes to Leon's chapter and I had to re-read it like 5 times. It's like I was speeding along and then got slogged down by mud. It was so jarring and it really pulled me out of the book. I immediately went on to goodreads on netgalley to see if other people had issues with it and if it was this way in the whole book. I saw lots of people talk about it but they were still highly rated (with a few low ratings) so I pushed through. His chapters did get easier to read but I still wasn't a big fan of them - until suddenly I was. I don't know if they got smoother or if I just got more settled into the story, but after about 45% ish, I couldn't put this down. So yeah. I understand *why* she wrote his chapters the way she did, it was just a bit jarring and it took me out of the book. I was never close to DNF-ing, but it did feel like it might bother me enough to detract a star.

So, clearly, if I am rating this 5 stars, *that's* how good this book is, that the good outweighs any annoyance I had about that. Also, it helps that I did get used to his chapters and they didn't bother me at all for the last half.

Okay, on to the actual book. I loved Tiffy. I loved Leon. I loved Tiffy's friends, I loved Richie, Holly and Mr Prior. I loved every character, even loved to hate Justin. What a piece of poop. I knew it would all work out but I was scared for Tiffy. I loved how everything happened, the plot, the conflict, the resolution. That epilogue! Oh my hearts. So much swoon. So much love. I hope hope hope Richie and Rachel get a book? Or even just Richie if that wasn't a hint. I totally called Gertie and Mo, so my radar is on pars with Rachel's. Wink.

I have read books before that start off where the characters don't actually meet face to face for quite some time and sometimes they drag and you want it to hurry up. Not the case in this one. I loved meeting them separately and then reading their notes and then their meeting! OMG! I laughed. I covered my face. So many feelings.

Ok, what else. Everything about this book is freaking delightful. defreakinglightful. I just... love. So much freaking love. I need more from this author.

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A charming contemporary fiction piece that combines romance, comedy and drama. Both protagonists are extremely likable from their first appearances combined with an original meetcute, The Flatshare is a surprisingly interesting and fresh romantic dramedy!

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This story was lighthearted and sweet, and has just enough drama to keep things interesting but not depressing. The characters were well-developed and likable, and the chemistry they built before even meeting each other was really great. I really appreciated that both of the main characters had extremely unique voices and narrative styles, which isn't always the case with dual perspectives.

I'll definitely recommend this book to friends who are looking for a feel-good summer read! Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

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***ARC received for an honest review***

I went into this read with super low expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

Tiffy, sliding out of a relationship, suddenly needs a place to stay. Leon, who works nights, has come up with the weird plan to rent out his single bedroom flat for the hours he’s not there. They communicate through adorable little notes that give you a peek into their personalities and let you watch them start to like one another.

Tiffy and Leon each have a supporting cast that’s fully involved as they metamorphosize from weird flat mates to more. Recalcitrant Leon is a nurse. Compassionate and beloved - he’s not the chattiest of fellas. His notes take some getting used to bc he doesn’t use pronouns. But they sum up Leon for you.

And Tiffy...Tiffy. Seems ridiculous. And that name. But there’s this surprisingly intense issue that arises in the book related to her. I kept thinking I’d get frustrated by the way she handled it. I kept waiting for her to do something unrealistic. But I ended up really liking this unexpected depth.

And I think unexpected depth is the phrase for this sweet little book. It neatly floated just between fluffy and intense in a happy middle ground that felt like Baby Bear’s porridge.

Y’all know I’m like a crunchy taco. Hard on the outside but oh so soft and cheesy and gooey in the middle. I will perpetually enjoy an intelligent light read - and this had wit and supportive friends and a heroine who saved herself and therapy and emotional triggers and realizations about deep-seeded fears and gaslighting all with an underlying light that shone from Tiffy herself.


I’ve been busy and intense lately. This was the perfect happy not sappy read for a weekend of work-traveling.

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The Flatshare is Beth O’Leary’s debut novel. This contemporary romance follows two people, Tiff and Leon, in London who are in a financial bind and agree upon a peculiar roommate agreement. I loved this book! It was lighthearted and fun, but also dove into serious issues such as emotional abuse in relationships and finding justice. The story is unique and maintains the reader’s interest from start to finish. All the characters are quite lovable and realistic. The alternating perspectives were refreshing, however, Leon’s perspective took a bit to get used to as the writing was a bit choppy. I definitely recommend picking this up if you love lighthearted and fluffy romance novels.

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this digital ARC.
I was very excited about this book because of the premise. Two people sharing a bed but not at the same time? What could possibly happen?
There were things that I liked about this book and disliked. Leon and Tiffy were both good characters that had depth to them. I enjoyed getting to know them and their friends/family throughout the book. There was a nice build-up with when and how they were going to finally meet and that did not disappoint. Justin was an awful character (but well-written) and the way the author touched upon gaslighting and emotional abuse was done pretty well.
Then there was the writing style. I get that Tiffy and Leon are different people but the style was pretty different between the two of them. While I liked Leon and his story, I hated the way it was written. It felt juvenile and not as well thought out as when it was Tiffy's chapters. That definitely hindered my enjoyment of the story as a whole.
The notes that Tiffy and Leon left for each other were probably my favorite part of the whole story.
I don't think book brought anything particularly special to the table and it felt middle of the road for me so that's why it's getting 3 stars.

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I haven’t had this much fun with a book since, Where’d You Go Bernadette! The Flatshare is hilarious and uplifting and full of characters that you cannot help but fall in love with. I was initially drawn to this one after reading the synopsis and seeing it was about two people who’ve never met and fall in love over post it notes. A premise like the one could have gone a lot of ways, but O’Leary absolutely nailed it! Tiffy and Leon’s banter is funny and awkward at first but quickly moves to explorative and tender and I could not stop smiling!!

Tiffy is a book editor (!!!) coming out of an emotionally abusive relationship and is trying to stand on her own two feet and Leon works nights as a palliative care nurse in order to help earn as much money as he can to help his brother (you’ll have to read to find out why). The relationship between them is sweet and there is no denying the fire in their chemistry, but do not come into this expecting a lot of smut. I’ve seen this one recommended to fans of The Kiss Quotient, which, let’s be real, is basically pornography in novel form. And while I’m all here for that, The Flatshare is very PG by comparison.

Although the main storyline would have been enough to make this a memorable and enjoyable romcom, it is all of the quirky side plots that really give it charm and depth. Despite being a romcom, The Flatshare tackles several serious issues and O’Leary handles them all with great care and sensitivity. I am so impressed by this book and have recommended it to basically everyone I know. It is a classic story that would make a perfect movie staring Karen Gillian and Richard Ayoade (side note, my friend Ellen should cast movies).

I am so grateful to Flatiron books for the review copy of The Flatshare in exchange for my honest review–I legit squealed when I saw that i was approved on Netgalley! I am going to read everything else that Beth O’Leary writes and keep my fingers crossed for a movie adaptation!

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Did I just read a book with a male leading character written in a charmingly similar writing style to Bridget Jones, with Gilmore Girls and Pride and Prejudice references?!? Am I in rom com book heaven right now!?! Yes, the answer is yes.
This book was adorable, and I gotta say...Leon. He has my stamp of approval.
Both Tiffy and Leon have distinct and relatable personalities, and watching them interact through post it notes was the cutest thing! My introvert heart was bursting with warmth the whole time!
My true book rating is 3.75-4 stars
-I would recommend this book to any fans of Sophie Kinsella, Sally Thorne, and Helen Fielding.

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