Review: The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary
The Basics
Title: The Flatshare
Author: Beth O’Leary
Published: 2019
Publisher: Flatiron Books - Macmillan
Pages: 325
Format: Hardcover
Genres: Fiction - Contemporary fiction, Romance, Contemporary romance
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Book Synopsis
After breaking up with her boyfriend, Tiffy is looking to move out of her now ex’s apartment and into a place of her own. As an underpaid assistant editor, however, she cannot afford much in the London housing market. When she reads an advert for a very affordable flatshare that involves sharing not only the apartment but also the bed with someone who works a night shift, she decides to take a chance and go for it. After all, the ad says that the roommate, Leon, will only be in the apartment from 9am to 6pm Monday through Friday, and the rest of the time, it will be all hers. Shortly after moving in, Tiffy begins to exchange notes with Leon, initially about mundane things like putting the toilet seat down, but their correspondence gradually becomes more personal. In spite of her friends’ warnings that romance between roommates never ends well, Tiffy finds herself wishing she could meet Leon, but the flatshare agreement clearly states that they are not supposed to meet...And Leon’s girlfriend intends to see that that end of the bargain is held up.
My Review & Overall Thoughts
The Flatshare deserves every bit of its hype. It is a delightful, charming story filled with laugh-out-loud moments and a fantastic cast of characters. Lovers of rom-coms will revel in this book.
With The Flatshare, Beth O’Leary has taken the roommates-to-lovers trope and put a fresh spin on it. The protagonists, Leon and Tiffy, live together and even share the same bed (albeit at different times), but they have never met. Their only interaction is through notes that they leave scattered around the apartment, so as the reader, we have the fun experience of seeing their relationship develop and gradually deepen through this correspondence. Their notes to one another are also hilarious. I often found myself smiling while reading them, and on several occasions, I even started laughing (which wouldn’t be noteworthy if it weren’t for the fact that I read this book while commuting on a train in its “quiet car”). The no-face-to-face nature of their relationship also creates a buildup so that when they finally meet, it is so satisfying.
As characters, Leon and Tiffy are likable and realistic. Leon is caring, awkward in an endearing way, and handsome (obviously). Tiffy is quirky, outgoing, also attractive, and hilarious. Much like her notes, her inner monologues often made me laugh (again, while in the quiet car). Both Tiffy and Leon also have real-world problems that they are trying to cope with, including a controlling ex and incarcerated family member, and these personal struggles help to make them feel more human-like. Their concerns about making ends meet while living in a city further add to their perceived realness, as anyone, myself included, who has lived in a city should be all too familiar with the difficulty associated with finding an apartment that is both affordable and nice.
The secondary characters are equally as enjoyable and realistic. Moreover, they are fleshed out just enough so that you have a sense of who they are, as well as what their purpose in the story is, but they are not so developed that they detract from the primary storyline in any way. I particularly loved Rachel and her hilariously inappropriate comments and antics. Mo, the even-keeled friend and perfect listener, was another one of my favorite characters.
Beyond the feel-good plot and lovable characters, The Flatshare was enjoyable for its narration style. Specifically, chapters alternate between the point of view of Tiffy and Leon, and this shifting perspective not only helps to move the story along but also allows us, the reader, to gain an equally deep understanding of the two main characters. By the book’s end, you feel as though you know both characters equally well.
I also appreciated that The Flatshare is not your typical fluff rom-com; it has substance to it. It touches upon serious topics, including abusive relationships and the flaws of the criminal justice system, and it does so in a respectful, informative manner.
Without giving away any spoilers, I want to make a quick note of how much I enjoyed the ending. The Flatshare includes an epilogue that nicely ties everything up. You are able to see how the characters are doing after the primary story has finished, and as a result, the book has a sense of completeness to it.
The not so good
It had to end. In all seriousness though, I can’t think of anything that I would want to change with regard to this book.
Overall
Reading The Flatshare made me happy. Without fail, picking up this book always put a smile on my face (even when I was stuck sitting next to a guy who kept making snorting sounds for the entirety of my train ride to work). The minute that I finished this book, I went online to see if Beth O’Leary had written anything else, and when I saw that she has an upcoming book, The Switch, I immediately preordered it. That’s how much I enjoyed not only this story but Beth O’Leary’s writing. So, if you are looking for a feel-good read, look no further.
Have you read The Flatshare? Let me know what you thought in the comments below!
