The Flat Share by Beth O’Leary Review

Hi foreverBookers, 

How are you all today? I hope you’re well!

I’ve just finished reading “The Flat Share” by Beth O’Leary and I’m surprised to say that I VERY MUCH enjoyed it! 

4 Stars!

I only wanted to read “The Flat Share” because of the TV show that’s just come out in the UK! Beth O’Leary books seemed uninteresting to me before. I will probably read more from her in the future now as I enjoyed this one so much! “The Flat Share” had romance and fluff as well as more serious topics though, which was nice to see. Leon, the main male character is black. I don’t think we see many people of colour in books based in the UK or even the States. I can only think of two that I’ve read and reviewed that feature black characters and I’ve reviewed a lot of books! This was nice to see. It’s very much a white dominant industry, I feel.

“The Flat Share” tells the story of a young woman, Tiffy who needs a house to live in, when she breaks up with her long term boyfriend, Justin. He’s very controlling to her throughout. In every scene he’s in, he’s either physically violent or verbally abusive toward her. Tiffy sees an article in the paper for a bed for rent. She can have the bed in the night time, when most people sleep and Leon, our other main character can have the bed in the day time. He’s a night nurse at a hospital, so this is the perfect solution for Tiffy. Or is it? They start leaving notes for one another around the house. I thought this was cute and romantic. The romance doesn’t really start until I’d say over a third into the book and when it starts it’s slow burn because of course Tiffy and Leon are strangers to begin with, but this worked in “The Flat Share.”

Tiffy’s best friends are wary of the arrangement with Leon at first. Gerty is a lawyer so of course she’s not on board at first. However, when Leon’s brother Ritchie comes into the plot as an unjust criminal and begins to see Gerty for help to get out of prison she begins to open up to others more. Tiffy’s other best friend, Mo isn’t judgmental at all. I liked Mo for a laugh. The things he said were quite funny throughout! This is the extent of the characters, as well as a few work friends and colleagues from Tiffy’s place of work. She’s a fashion stylist, but this isn’t really ever the focus of the book. It’s just something that moves the plot along. Leon has a girlfriend at the beginning of “The Flat Share” called Kay. She’s controlling too, though not in the same, criminal way Justin is. She just wants Leon all of the time and doesn’t want him anywhere near Tiffy. He needs to try and find a certain Mr Prior, who’s one of his patients lost loves from the war. There’s a slight LGBTQ theme but not much of one here. I prefer small casts of characters as I know I’ve said before in pervious reviews, so the book worked well for me. I never felt lost. 

The story is told in months. I liked this because it broke up the story nicely. The chapters were awfully short as well so it was easy to read because of this. 

I read the Flat Share for a few readathons. They were: 

Reading Rivalry - Genre Highlight: Romance - “The Flat Share” is a romance, just a bit of an unconventional one!

Always Fully Booked 2025 Reading Challenge - A Book set in Europe - “The Flat Share” is set in London, England.

On the Cover Reading Challenge - A Book - There’s a book on the bed on the cover of “The Flat Share.”

I don’t think you’d like this book if you’re put off by stalking elements, as Tiffy’s ex, Justin is a stalker to her. 

Spoilers below…

“Me: What’s she like then?

Kay: She’s . . . quirky. Larger than life. She was wearing those big horn-rimmed sunglasses even though it’s basically still winter, and had painted flowers all over her boots. But the point is that she’s skint and happy to find a room this cheap!

‘Larger than life’ is Kay speak for overweight. Wish she wouldn’t say things like that.

Kay: Look, you’re on your way, aren’t you? We can talk about when you get here.

My plan for arrival was to greet Kay with customary kiss, remove work clothes, drink water, fall into Kay’s bed, sleep for all eternity.

Me: Maybe tonight? After I’ve slept?

Silence. Deeply irritated silence. (I’m an expert at Kay silences.)

Kay: So you’re just going straight to bed when you get in.

Bite tongue. Resist urge to give blow-by-blow account of my week.

Me: I can stay up if you want to talk.

Kay: No, no, you need your sleep.

I’m clearly staying up. Best make the most of these blink-naps until but gets to Islington.” This demonstrates how controlling Kay is of Leon. He works a hard shift at the hospital and then she wants him to stay up! I hated Kay! Kay is lying to Leon here as well. She didn’t even bother to meet with Tiffy, like Leon asked her to. She’s making it up! As I said, Kay was just mean throughout. Luckily she wasn’t in much of the plot! 

“Thank you. So much. God, I . . .” I can’t stop smiling. “Has Ritchie told Leon?”

“Ritchie probably doesn’t know yet,” Gerty says. “I only wrote to him yesterday.”

“Can I tell Leon?”

“That’d save me a job,” Gerty says, “so go for it.”

My phone buzzes almost as soon as I hang up. It’s a text from Leon; my heart does a funny little twisty spasm thing. He’s not messaged me or left me a note since we texted at the weekend.

Heads up: enormous bunch of flowers for you in foyer from your ex. Not 

sure whether to ruin surprise (good or bad surprise?” but if it was me, would

want to be pre-warned x” 

This is Tiffy’s reaction to Gerty getting Ritchie’s case reopened. She’s very pleased she asked her for help. All she wants is to make Leon happy and she still hasn’t even met him at this point. Leon forewarns Tiffy about a ‘present’ from her ex, Justin too. This was sweet. I liked Leon from before this point but I think this is the moment I knew he and Tiffy were meant to be.

When they meet It’s for a few moments in the bathroom. Tiffy is just coming in to shower when Leon is literally getting out of the shower. This made me laugh. It’s very awkward at first as Tiffy is coming in from a drunken night, and as I said Leon is showering. 

“He does the natural thing: panics and throws the curtain back to see who’s there. We stare at each other. The shower keeps running.

He comes to his senses faster than I do and pulls the curtain again. 

“Ahh,” he says. It’s more of a gargled noise than a word.

I am in my extremely small, lacy going-out underwear: I haven’t sewn wrapped my towel around myself — it’s thrown over my arm. Somehow that feels a little worse than not having any means of covering myself up at all — I was so close to not exposing myself, and yet so far.

“Oh, God,” I squeak. “I’m so — I’m so sorry.” 

I loved this. It was cute and funny. There were lots of funny moments in the plot of “The Flat Share.” This surprised me. I thought it would be quite run of the mill and boring. But it certainly wasn’t. I finished it within three days because it just kept pulling me in. 

The last thing I’ll write in this review is on one of Leon’s outings to find Mr. Prior, Tiffy goes with him, determined to help. However, when she has an accident, it’s actually Leon that helps her. This just brings them closer together. 

Overall then, I loved “The Flat Share” so much more than I thought I would. The laughs to the serious stuff kept me entertained throughout. And of course the romance too. That’s why I’m giving the book 4 stars. It won’t be a book I remember long term I don’t think, as it’s just a contemporary with no magic or big plot twists but it was very entertaining to read and I’m really excited to watch the TV adaptation now! 

I think I’m going to do a few rereads next so there won’t be another review for a couple of weeks I don’t expect. I’ll next speak with you when I’ve read something new…