Tiffy answers an ad for a flatshare out of desperation. Leon, a night shift worker, will take the apartment during the day, and Tiffy can have it nights and weekends. He’ll only ever be there when she’s at the office. They’ll never even have to meet. Even though they are opposites, they soon become friends. And then maybe more.
... a charming love story that’s likely to warm your heart ... The central conceit of The Flatshare may seem unlikely to some readers, but debut novelist Beth O’Leary has created a sweet, never saccharine tale ... Peppered with amusing quips and multidimensional characters, this quick, engaging read is labeled a romantic comedy, but it also grapples with some of life’s more difficult moments. Even readers skeptical of the novel’s fanciful premise may find themselves surprised by the thoughtful way O’Leary faces not only new love but also the traces of individual pasts.
When the flatmates do finally meet, it’s in a sexy, hilarious and deeply embarrassing way. Such fun ... springs from a classic rom-com setup...But her book, while definitely romantic and comedic, has an underlying seriousness that gives the story heft. Her themes of ambition, domestic violence, thwarted justice, childhood cancer and closeted homosexuality turn this engaging summer read into a thought-provoking work of fiction ... But fun. Definitely fun.
... a sweet, quirky novel about two complete opposites falling for one another under the cutest of circumstances. [O'Leary's] storytelling includes fiery hot love scenes and then dives deep into the effects of emotional abuse. Accompanied by a cast of well-developed side characters—like a brother in prison and an oversharing best friend—Tiffy and Leon’s (sexual) tension-filled ride to their eventual meeting is perfect for fans of Helen Hoang’s The Kiss Quotient (2018) and Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game (2016).
