Start Reading Now
“Joyous and heartfelt – a must read for Marian Keyes fans.”
Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met…
What a hook! Admit it… you already want to know how that’s possible. I certainly did. I was immediately curious and keen to dive into this novel to find out more about Tiffy and Leon. And I’m so glad I did. The Flatshare is an absolute delight.
Tiffy Moore is an editor at a small DIY and crafts publisher, working for the love of it and not much money. When her manipulative ex-boyfriend Justin evicts her from his flat, she needs a cheap place to live, and fast.
Leon Twomey is a palliative care nurse who works nights and needs cash. He advertises an unusual flatshare arrangement: the roommates will never be in the flat at the same time. The flat would be Tiffy’s 
from six in the evening until eight in the morning during the week and on weekends. Leon would be there the rest of the time, conveniently during Tiffy’s work hours. (For those wondering what the situation with the sheets is – different sides of the bed.) Her friends think she’s crazy, but for Tiffy it’s the perfect solution.
Tiffy and Leon start leaving post-it notes around the apartment for each other. They begin as generic reminders about bin days and leftover food, to more personal notes about things like book recommendations. Over time, their notes and letters become a place to share and reveal more about themselves. The two flatmates form a significant bond without ever meeting, and must then consider if this connection they’ve developed should be explored further.
The book is fun and at times very funny. Each chapter alternates between Tiffy and Leon, with their very different voices adding to the book’s fresh feel.
But this is not just another light romcom read. It delivers on depth and emotion, too. Tiffy is still hankering after her ex-boyfriend, but as the book progresses, we discover the layers of emotional abuse that occurred in that relationship. Leon is thoughtful and kind, with his own past experience with emotional abuse.
Author of The Flatshare, Beth O’Leary, sets the perfect pace in revealing both the emotional abuse Tiffy suffered in her past relationship and developing the slow burn of her new, and lovely romance with Leon.
Tiffy and Leon are truly likeable. It also has a fabulous cast of supporting characters, all with their own well-developed storylines. It is a remarkable achievement for a debut author. The Flatshare is an enormously enjoyable novel, one I’m recommending to friends.
About the author:
Beth O’Leary studied English at university before going into children’s publishing. She lives as close to the countryside as she can get while still being in reach of London, and wrote her first novel, The Flatshare,on her train journey to and from work. She is now writing novels full time, and if she’s not at her desk, you’ll usually find her curled up somewhere with a book, a cup of tea, and several woolly jumpers (whatever the weather).
Leave a Reply