The Flatshare

Tiffy has got to get out of her ex-boyfriend's apartment, but the only places she can afford on her budget are sketchy, indeed . . . until she runs across an ad for a flat sharing situation. It would be a little weird, as she'd literally be sleeping in a stranger's bed, but since Leon, the owner of the flat in question, works the night shift as a palliative care nurse, they'd never actually be in the flat at the same time. In fact, since Leon's girlfriend Kay sets up the interview with Tiffy, Leon and Tiffy don't actually meet for quite some time, communicating instead through post-it notes left around the house. But when they do meet . . . no, I can't tell you, you'll just have to read it for yourself!

Ahh, this book is so adorable. I show more stayed up just a tiny bit late to finish it last night. Leon and Tiffy are such genuinely nice characters that their story might have been a little too sweet and easy, except that some more serious elements are introduced by way of secondary characters. A common complaint in books with two narrators is that the voices are too similar, but one could not make that complaint regarding this book -- Tiffy's narration is bubbly and verbose, Leon's is telegraphic and streamlined, and the book's pacing is perfectly balanced between alternating chapters from each viewpoint. It's a feel-good story that leaves the reader with a smile and a happy sigh at the end. I would recommend this book widely, particularly to readers who enjoy this genre. show less

Gaah! This book is so cute, funny, witty, and clever, it had me giggling like a schoolgirl. I had initially received this book as a birthday gift last year, but I really wish I had read it so much sooner. I found it impossible not to fall for Tiffy and Leon as they slowly fell for each other. One of my favorite things that a romance author can do is show me why the couple works. Because as much as I love a book where the plot is not deeper than a couple characters undressing each other, one’s that show the couple growing together as people, will always hold a special place in my heart. My favorite kinds of romance novels are the ones that show how and why the couple works together. The feeling of getting to know the leads as they get show more to know each other is a special kind of magic that novel fully captures.

The leads journey starts with both characters in a bit of a financial muck where they need to save some extra money and find a roommate. Tiffy is moving out, on the heels of a bad break up, with not much wiggle room in her budget. Leon is in need of a roommate so he can afford keep paying the solicitor working on his brother’s case. Enter a proposition that works out hilariously well (despite a couple mishaps along the way) for our leads: they’ll not only share the same room, but the same bed. But don’t worry! Their conflicting work schedules mean they’ll never be in the apartment at the same time. Enter ensuing shenanigans. If you’re looking for a heartwarming read that will give you the giggles, I can’t recommend the one enough!

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I read this after it was rated well by 2 people whose taste I trust. I don't usually read a lot of romances, but this has enough about it to be worth investing the time.
Tiffy is looking for a cheap flat as part of her need to move out of her ex's flat. Leon needs money to fund his brother's legal appeal against a conviction for armed robbery. He works nights as a palliative care nurse, so only needs the flat during the day, meaning that the Tiffy could have it the rest of the time. The only downside is that the flat is a single bedroom and they'd be sharing a bed (albeit not at the same time). It sounds a bit weird (and I spent far too long working out how this might or might not work). They don't meet for some time, so communicate via show more notes lest all over the apartment. We hear from them alternately, in a similar epistolary style. We find out about their lives and their personalities come through in the way they communicate.
This could be predictable, but there's more depth to this than just the romance. Leon has his patients, a brother in prison and a search for a wartime romance. Tiffy has a book to launch and an ex to escape. These sub plots serve to give this significantly more substance than the surmise might lead you to suppose. There is enough light and shade to make this engaging and it rattles along to a suitably satisfactory conclusion. show less

I absolutely loved this story about the quirky editor, Tiffy, who is getting over a break-up with her long-time boyfriend, Justin, and needs a new place to live. She sees an ad for a flatshare with Leon, a palliative care nurse. Leon works nights, is away for weekends with his girlfriend, Kay, so they will never be in the flat at the same time.
They start a friendship by leaving notes for each other, and making observations about each other's habits. Tiffy is over-the-top, and Leon is quiet and reserved.
There are a few stories here-Richie, Leon's brother, is in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Leon's patients care for Leon, and vice-versa. Leon tries to find the love of Mr. Prior's life-a love that was forbidden during WWII. There is show more also a storyline about abusive and controlling relationships.
This was an enjoyable, sweet story about a couple who build upon a strong friendship. Adorable.
#TheFlatshare #BethOLeary show less

A great uplifting book with humour and depth

It's only taken me a few days to read this book and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a bright and easy read, with both wit and humour, as well as characters with depth and history. I'm not a simple chicklit kind of girl so this suited me perfect!

The cover (cute design) and tagline suggest what's coming in the story line but the predictability does not take away from the enjoyment of getting to know the characters and hear their (individual) story; as well as the side plots. Holly and Prior to name a few!

Some sensitive subjects are more than touched upon and this adds to the authenticity and depth to the story and characters. I felt it was done very well and didn't seem show more forced or try hard - it made me think, and that's a great outcome when reading a book.

I really enjoyed the originality of the story line as well as its colourful (like Tiffy's wardrobe!) personality and easy to read writing style. The characters are believable and the story plausible - the split protagonist set up means you get to know both main characters and its perfect in this instance. The speed is just right and the ending is what we all need and deserve of a book like this one!

Met all my expectations and I will be recommending! show less

Leon, a nurse on the night shift, needs extra cash to pay for his imprisoned brother’s lawyer so he places a risky ad - he’ll rent out his one-bed flat at night while he’s at work and stay with his girlfriend on the weekends. Tiffy has just escaped from a bad relationship and needs someplace to stay immediately, and Leon’s bed is the only place she can afford. They’ll never meet, but they still need to communicate about logistics, so they start leaving post-it notes around the apartment.

A very pleasant read. Tiffy and Leon are very likable, as are their friends. Tiffy’s ex is horrifyingly realistic. The situation that brings the two leads together is not realistic but it quickly doesn’t matter. I wasn’t expecting the show more criminal justice angle but it’s not too bad. I kind of wish there had been less emphasis on Ricky’s innocence - he didn’t get a fair trial and he doesn’t have competent representation and that’s more important than whether people believe he’s innocent - but it’s a good shortcut to get Leon out of his long-term relationship. Tiffy’s got pretty serious PTSD from her previous relationship and that puts a damper on the new relationship, but otherwise very enjoyable. show less

When Leon, who works nights and spends his weekends with his girlfriend, needs to raise some money and Tiffy is dumped by her boyfriend and needs to find a place to live in a hurry, the answer seems simple. They never even have to meet each other. This is a delightful novel in which two people communicate by leaving notes for each other and who find themselves entwined in each other's lives before they've even said hello.

What makes this Chick-Lit so good is that both characters have full lives, friends and family outside of their relationship, and the needs of secondary characters are just as important to Tiffy and Leon as their own relationship and, most importantly, none of the conflicts in the novel were ones that were based on a show more lack of communication. This was a fun book and certainly one of the best of the genre. show less