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The Flat Share is one of those books that once you pick it up, you won’t want to put it back down.
I’ve started reading books again over the last few months after years of failing to pick up a single one and read more than the first few pages. As someone who used to be an avid reader, I missed books and found myself on Amazon one night purchasing some of the top books which were recommended to me. The Flat Share was one of those books, alongside one of my other recent favourites “am I normal yet?” which by Hollie Bourne. I decided to get a trial of audible too for those times when I just want to chill and do something which isn’t looking at a screen. As a blogger, of course, I had to share this review with you, p.s. this review does contain spoilers.
I decided I would also get The Flat Share as an audiobook as it’s quite a heavy book to carry around too. The book is narrated by Carrie Hope Fletcher and Kwaku Fortune. Having parts of it read as audiobook helped me to narrate what the characters would sound like for the rest of the book. So what did I think of The Flat Share?
The Storyline
The premise of the book is two strangers, Tiffy and Leon who both need something in their lives which the flat share provides. It is the ideal solution for both parties, with palliative care nurse Leon needing extra funds to get his innocent brother out of jail and Tiffy needing somewhere to live after the break down of her long term relationship with her manipulative ex. The pair live completely different lives so they don’t actually meet, with Leon working nights and staying at his girlfriend’s on the weekend and Tiffy working during the days Monday-Friday.
Throughout the book the pair communicate via post-it notes, starting with the simple here are some leftovers to full-blown conversations. The pair meet in an accidental awkward situation and things aren’t the same after that. You see their relationship blossom after Leon breaks up with his girlfriend.
The book is filled with twists and turns which kept me on edge throughout. Including Tiffy’s ex who was gaslighting her throughout the relationship and the story showed how with good friends and growing confidence you can get out of that toxic situation.
The progression
The timeline in which the book progresses is fascinating and the book tells the two-points of views side by side. At the start, Leon’s girlfriend deals with the agreement and it only goes ahead with the condition they never actually met, For the first half of the book leading completely different lives and only hearing of each other via notes. You can tell them growing to get know to each other through these notes which is a great element of the book as although modern forms of communication are mentioned throughout it’s like their version of communication.
When the pair finally meet, you’re itching for them to get together, but a few twists and turns of the romance story gets in the way. Of course, including Tiffy’s manipulative ex. The time in which Tiffy spends with Leon she learns more about how she should have been treated the whole time.
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The ending of The Flat Share.
In my opinion, the book ended perfectly and I’m glad it ended how it did (with a happy ending, of course). After the ending of the YOU (the book/Netflix series), I couldn’t handle another terrible ending to a good story. With an epilogue of the future included too. For Beth O’Leary her first book is stellar and it’s one of those books, I already know I’ll be picking up again in the future. I can’t wait to see what O’Leary has in store in the future for her fans and if you’re yet to read the flat share, I’d 110% recommend it.
