This book was a bit of a surprise to me. I was expecting a light-hearted contemporary romance but this book was much more than that. The main characters, as well as the secondary characters, were all given a substantial amount of depth which made them easy to relate to for the reader. The story lines were not just simple rom-com; they dealt with real life issues of people as they search for love, deal with past relationships, and relate to their families. My only criticism was that the male character's family was given a great deal of attention while the female character's family was only lightly addresses and I would have liked to have seen that relationship explored more as it would have provided an interesting juxtaposition. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy British literature like Sophie Kinsella or contemporary fiction with a romantic flare like Christina Lauren. This book is so much more than just a romance though, and I see myself recommending it often this summer.

Trigger warnings: emotional abuse, conversational coarse language, wrongful imprisonment

Closer to 4 1/2 stars, but rounded it up because I unashamedly devoured this book in two days and it left me prickly-eyed in the end.

First off, I loved the premise: two people sharing a flat (and bed) at different times of day, thus never actually having to meet. Conversation via sticky notes in ensues in an adorable romance.

I loved the pacing. O’Leary kept me waiting just long enough for the right scenes to keep me turning page after page. The characters were all wonderful (especially Leon and Richard!) and I was sad to let them go at the end. Tiffy had good character development as well- the issue of abuse was handled tactfully and realistically.

My only real issue with the book was that Leon’s chapters took some time to adjust to and at first I didn’t like them very much. The prose is much more stilted and short during them, but soon enough it and it began to feel very Leon-y and ceased to bother me at all. All in all, a nice romance for anyone looking for a light, entertaining romance.

Tiffy has been dumped by her boyfriend and needs a place to live. Leon needs money to help with his brother's legal issues. Leon decides to rent out his flat during the hours he's not there to make some extra money. Not only do they share a flat, they’re also sharing a bed but at different times. Leon and Tiffy have not met in person and communicate via notes left around the apartment.
This book is perfect for anyone who loves reading and watching romcoms. The writing is superb and the storyline is endearing. The characters, both main and secondary, are easy to fall in love with. I can totally see this book as a Richard Curtis film (Love Actually, Four Weddings & A Funeral). I basically read it in one sitting. I couldn’t be bothered to put the book down even though I had a lot of other things that needed to get down.
I highly recommend The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary. It’s so much more than what you think it’ll be.

When I picked up this book I thought it would be cute and fun, but it turned out to be more than that. I loved the notes back and forth between the two main characters. I loved the British words for everything (I even learned a few new ones). I loved the secondary characters and their individual stories (I would have loved more from Holly especially). This book grappled with dark themes such as emotional abuse and wrongful imprisonment while somehow still making me smile and laugh. Really the only criticism I have is that I wish it was a bit more steamy. That aside, I loved the main characters, especially Leon. And even Tiffy, who I had a hard time relating to since we aren’t very similar, I loved for her wit and how unapologetically herself she was.

Tiffy and Leon are strangers who happen upon each other when Tiffy needs to get out of her ex boyfriend's apartment and Leon needs someone to help pay the bills. They will share a bed and nothing more; not even meeting each other before Tiffy moves in. However, through notes left to one another they develop a friendship and eventually something more. One of the best romances I've read this year with two of the most likable characters I've read about in a long time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It went beyond the sometimes flat and predictable characters in contemporary rom-com/chick lit. The characters were likable, well-rounded and utterly charming.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!


Tiffy is going through a bad breakup with her on-again, off-again boyfriend. She also needs to find a cheap place to stay in order to finally get over him for good. When she sees an ad for a cheap Flatshare it seems like perfect timing.

Leon is overworked and broke, which drives him to rent out his flat hoping to gain some money back. What’s even better is that they enter an agreement to share the flat, and bed, at rotating times so that they never even have to meet. How could that go wrong?

First off, I loved that there were rotating chapters and I loved the dynamic between Tiffy and Leon. Having a rotating narrative was nice so that we could learn both backstories and didn’t have to hear one secondhand.

Leon was adorable and passionate about helping people while Tiffy was eccentric and loveable! My favorite scene towards the beginning was when Leon came home for the first time to see Tiffy’s stuff everywhere. His reaction is realistic and just cracked me up laughing.

While Tiffy and Leon are the main characters, Beth O’Leary created some loveable side characters as well. I would absolutely love a Gerty and Mo spin off! They were complements of each other but they also were exactly the friends Tiffy needed! Ritchie was also a great character, funny and good for Leon, and I adore him because of his resilience despite being in a bad situation!

The flow of the writing felt fast in some places especially since the chapters are broken down into months and I would have enjoyed seeing just a little more of the post-it note conversations. Due to the writing feeling faster, at times it felt like I wasn’t seeing enough of their relationship before they meet.
The only other reason I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5, is that it took me quite a while to get into the way Leon’s chapters were written. They are very short and lack personal pronouns, but once I got further in I got used to them.

Overall, The Flatshare is a mostly light-hearted read although it does work through topics such as abuse, and if you are looking for a quick read or romcom with a slightly different premise, this one's for you!

Smart, funny, witty, sweet, unputdownable. The writing style is quick, quirky and unique to each character. The characters are almost instantly loveable. This isn’t too over the top cheesy and is just a fun and enjoyable story with love—not just a love story.

The Flatshare was so lovely! I really enjoyed this one. Tiffy needs to move out of her emotionally abusive ex's place, and Leon needs to raise money for legal fees for his wrongfully imprisoned brother, so they decide to share a flat even though they've never met. Since Leon works nights, they even share a bed, with the understanding that they won't ever have to interact in person. They begin to communicate through notes in the apartment, and their lives begin to intersect. Leon and Tiffy are both great characters, and I really loved their friends and Leon's brother. I also felt that Tiffy's storyline, and how she deals with her ex-induced trauma, is really well done. I've read several books recently where women are processing abuse and gaslighting, and each has been thoughtful and cathartic. I have been in a little bit of a reading slump lately, not really liking anything I've picked up. This book got me out of that from the first page. Recommended!

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Flatshare in exchange for my honest review.

This is a sweet contemporary romance where the reader comes to know and love the male protagonist as well as his female counterpart, as the story alternates perspectives between the two. I especially enjoyed the subplot involving Leon's brother and would have loved to see the Holly subplot further developed. In all, a lovely story with just the right amount of tension and humor.

Such an adorable book. Tiffy is reminiscent of Bridget Jones and Leon reminds me of the character in The Rosie Effect. A great blend of characters into a romance, but not hot and heavy. Loved!

Leon and Tiffy are Londoners who both need to save some money. So, they share a flat, and a bed. But they've never met. Unique concept right?

Eventually they have to meet, but in the meantime, they get to know each other through the notes they leave each other in the flat. The notes really help build the slow-burn of Tiffy and Leon's friendship and potential relationship.

This sweet, unconventional rom-com-drama was so well done. The writing was great and I thought there was the perfect mix of story and romance. The characters were so endearing, yet they were both dealing with some heavy real-life issues. I had expected a more traditional romance, but I was pleasantly surprised at The Flatshare's unexpected depth.

Thanks for the chance to read this ARC. I can't wait to recommend it to friends!

Remarkable: A funny, romantic story with engaging characters that goes beyond simple romance to deal with complex, real-life issues. For once the romance isn't the substance of the book, but that romance is still really good and very satisfying.

A feel-good read that explores complex relationships, sustaining friendships, and across-the-years stories. You'll want this one!

Coming May 28, 2019.

The flatshare was a fabulous book from start to finish. The story was so unique and crazy yet it worked and held me captivated throughout. I loved all of the characters and feel as though the author did a good job at making them unique. The ending was so cute I was in tears and then laughing when Tiffy's Ex came knocking on the door and was confronted by Leon's brother!

This book was a delight! It should be in everyone's beach bag or vacation carry on.

The set-up for this one offers a lot of interesting situations and it delivers. Tiffy and Leon are sharing a flat...even though they have never met. Leon is a hospice nurse and works night. He has the apartment from 8am-6pm. Tiffy is an assistant editor at a boutique publishing house and has the apartment from 6pm to 8am.

They get to know each other through notes on Post-its scattered and stuck all over the tiny flat.

I loved these characters and how their relationship began with these notes. So much of their personalities are revealed with this device. Leo's notes reflect his man of few words traits, while Tiffy's are lengthy and scattered. But they found common ground even with limited communication.

The author created wildly interesting supporting characters as well. I was just as invested in their stories as I was Leon and Tiffy's. I don't want to elaborate because I don't want to reveal too much. The reader should get to experience it all just as I did.

This book is begging to be made into a movie! There were so many scenes I was picturing in my head as if I was seeing them on the big screen. But if that is going to happen, please consult me because I have passionate ideas re: casting.

The Flatshare is fast paced, fun, smart and heart lifting. The author also shines a light on a more serious topic through the character of Tiffany, so don't write this off as pure fluff.

I thank NetGalley and Flatiron Books for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

What a perfectly delightful novel. Starting out fizzy and fun, it quickly evolves into a story of substance with complex characters that encounter and explore important modern issues like emotional abuse and a broken criminal justice system. A perfect caste of supporting characters who serve as both friends and advocates and a very relatable and lovable protagonist.

*I received this e-arc from Netgalley and Flatiron Books in exchange for a free review. All opinions are my own.*

Oh! This book! What a pleasant surprise this was. I went into it excited about the plot of two people sharing a flat but never meeting, but fell completely in love with Beth O’Leary’s writing style and her characters. I LOVED Tiffy & Leon. Their interactions with the world and each other put the biggest smile on my face. Their romance was well-paced and filled me with butterflies.

As in all good stories, each characters was battling difficult issues that they needed to overcome, but it never felt overdone or drawn out. Each issue resolved itself in a realistic and tangible way, and I loved watching their journeys.

I am now a forever fan of Beth O’Leary’s work and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. THE FLATSHARE is witty, charming, and full of unforgettable characters that will make you remember how fun it is to fall in love.

THIS CONCEPT!!! I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!
tiffy and leon agreeing to share a bed AT DIFFERENT TIMES sounded so fascinating to me.

not gonna lie, the beginning was a little too slow for me but after a while i could not put it down!

the way the main characters (tiffy & leon) became friends was so cute and fresh. the fact they they shared a bed but went months before meeting was so odd but yet so interesting????

this book covered so much it was a little intense sometimes... i honestly loved their backstories so much, it really added to the intensity of everyone's friendships/relationships. tiffy and leon both went through so much but i am in awe with how they each dealt with everything. i loved all the supporting characters and how they were always there for each other.

Tiffy is just getting out of a bad relationship and desperately needs an affordable place to stay. Enter Leon and his advertisement for a flatmate. However, Tiffy and Leon won’t just be sharing a flat, they’ll be sharing a bed - but not in the way you think (or not yet anyway). Leon works nights and weekends so he is only in the flat during the day and Tiffy works a normal day job so she is only in the flat at night and on the weekends. They build a friendship through post it notes that slowly morphs into something more.

When I first started reading this book, I was expecting your typical romcom. Quirky heroine - check. Outlandish meet cute- check. Funny best friend/side kick - check. However this book is anything but typical. While it does have the afore mentioned characterize (I mean they’re tropes for a reason, right?) here they feel fresh and new. I really enjoyed the progression of Tiffy and Leon’s relationship and couldn’t wait for them to actually meet. I appreciate the slow build and that it wasn’t just “insta love.”

While this book definitely made me laugh out loud at parts, it also covers serious topics like emotional abuse and having an incarcerated loved one. Beth O’Leary does a great job of covering these topics in an honest and empathetic way that also manages to avoid being too heavy.

This book will make a great summer beach read.


Thank you to Netgalley and to Flatiron Books for giving me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ahhhh. I loved this sweet, unconventional rom-com from an amazing debut author! THE FLATSHARE is an endearing novel about two unique characters, Leon and Tiffy, who have a unique flat-sharing agreement. Leon, a palliative care nurse who works nights and stays with his girlfriend on the weekend, needs extra cash. Tiffy, a publishing editor who works on DIY photo books, just broke up with her boyfriend and needs a place to live in London on the cheap. The solution? Tiffy gets the apartment during nights and weekends, and Leon gets the apartment while Tiffy is at work from 9–5.

The two arrange the agreement so that they will never meet, but they begin leaving Post-It notes about regular “roommate” things - When’s our garbage day? What’s with all of Tiffy’s weird kitschy throw pillows? Here, have these extra oat bars! Then, the notes evolve into slightly more personal topics, and the two get to know each other via Post-Its, inside jokes, and shared food.

The chapters are told in alternating perspective, so that you as a reader get to know both Tiffy and Leon intimately, loving them for their weird quirks. At first, Leon totally put me off - his chapters are written in clipped, almost terse sentences and chat-like dialogue, with few personal pronouns. Tiffy also seemed a little too “quirky” at first, like a manic pixie dream girl. But you soon get accustomed to their personalities and realize that they are both imperfect characters. They’re not idealized hotties who everyone would swoon over - they’re unique individuals who just happen to be perfect for each other, despite (or maybe because of!) their weirdness. In that way, the novel reminded me of When Harry Met Sally - both Harry and Sally are peculiar people with strange ways of doing things, but they’re perfect matches for each other. Leon has trouble expressing his emotions, but he is a thoughtful, caring character who cares deeply for a few loved ones, including some of his patients at the palliative care center. Tiffy is a scatterbrained goofball, who depends on her friends for her whole life, loves wearing outlandish, colorful outfits, and loves with all of her big heart.

THE FLATSHARE has all of the most swoon-worthy romcom tropes:

- a VERY CUTE meet-cute

- rumination over the phrase “it’s a date”

- a totally low-stakes near-death experience that brings the two closer together

- pining and surreptitious glances noticing each other’s attractiveness.

I love that O’Leary also doesn’t shy away from addressing more serious topics. Leon’s brother is in prison, falsely accused of a crime he doesn’t commit, but one with many shades of complexity and doubt around his innocence. Two characters in the novel struggle with toxic relationships, written not as a caricature of an abusive relationship but as a very realistic depiction of how a partner can subtly manipulate, gaslight, coerce, and stalk another.

Very excited to see O’Leary’s future works, given such a promising debut!