Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

14 reviews

ceceska's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

Ce livre suit l'histoire de Tiff qui vit avec Leon dans le même lit mais à des heures différentes de la journée. Tiff vient de sortir d'une relation toxique. Les deux protagonistes ne se sont jamais rencontrés mais ils s'échangent des petits mots dans l'appartement. Est-ce qu'il est possible de tomber en amour avec quelqu'un que l'on n'a jamais rencontré?

J'ai apprécié l'histoire mais il y avait des longueurs. J'ai aimé le début et la fin mais le milieu de l'histoire était répétitif.

Les personnages étaient ok. Un peu unidimensionnels. Tiff est un peu l3 cliché de "not like the other girls". Elle est quirky et gorgeous mais ne le sait pas. Pourquoi pas écrire un personnage d'une femme qui est belle et qui le sait? C'est ridicule d'écrire encore des personnages comme ça...

Le personnage de Leon est décrit comme ayant cheveux bouclés bruns et ayant un "adorable lopsided smile". Ces mots ont été tellement utilisés c'en était étourdissant. Le personnage n'est pas assez développé selon moi.

Les amis de Tiff sont très premier degrés. Ils n'ont pas d'utilité mis à part de faire avancer l'histoire de Tiff. 

Le personnage de Justin était réaliste. J'ai apprécié cela. Le cheminement de Tiff avec la violence conjugale était réaliste.

L'histoire de Ricky était assez prévisible. Il n'y avait pas de rebondissements.

Bref, ce livre était très prévisible et beaucoup de celui-ci était très unidimensionnel. Je ne recommanderai pas ce livre. Puisqu'il y en a des meilleurs. C'est dommage parce que le début du livre était vraiment bon et l'histoire était prometteuse.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Chronic illness, and Medical content

Minor: Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Terminal illness

This book shows how a woman overcomes emotional abuse by her ex.

hjb_128's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Stalking, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual assault

samcanuel's review against another edition

emotional funny fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This book got me out of a major reading slump. I really enjoyed how the narrators each had a distinct voice. This story dealt with heavy topics with grace and entwined a sweet love story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Medical content, Domestic abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Violence, Sexual violence, and Terminal illness

Minor: Fatphobia, Body shaming, Alcohol, and Sexual content

wonderfulwaytooweird's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

LOVED this book. I finished it in a day. Just what I needed as a break between series reading. Engaging, funny, sweet, emotional, and just absolutely lovely. All of the characters were all so human and well-written, they all really shined in O'Leary's writing. Also I ADORED Leon. He was absolutely perfect in every way and I loveeeeed him. I really enjoyed Tiffy too but I just want to emphasize that I absolutely thoroughly enjoyed reading from Leon's pov. Many times I feel like, a man's perspective or character is too boring, or uninteresting, or just not realistic. But Leon was just absolutely perfect. I loved reading this, it was SO much fun. would definitely read again 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, and Sexual violence

Minor: Medical content, Terminal illness, and Fatphobia

sissiemilia's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Mietin tässä, että raskinko antaa tälle 5 tähteä, mutta en keksi yhtäkään syytä antaa matalampaa arvosanaa. Ihan mahtava, tunteellinen ja kaunis kertomus. Kaikki muutkin O’Learyn kirjoista menee saman tien lukulistalle. Lukekaa ihmeessä!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Racism and Alcohol

r3ader's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

To be honest it took me some time to get used to the way Leon's chapters were written, but after some time and understanding why it was written like that, I got used to it. 

I had no idea what deep subjects are in this book, but I was positively surprised. 

In the beginning I was kinda annoyed by Tiffy, but learning with her about her past and her changing makes you look on the beginning differently. 

Over all, while I am not a total fan of the writing in Leon's parts, I really enjoyed this book and finished it quickly, because you can hardly stop reading!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Sexual content

Minor: Confinement, Fatphobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Violence, Homophobia, Alcohol, Body shaming, and Physical abuse

theirgracegrace's review against another edition

emotional funny inspiring slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The Flatshare was my book club's first book of 2023 and I will say that I was not initially thrilled with the idea of a romance novel. That was shattered when I actually started reading it! The characters are loveable and real in a very millennial way, the "arrangement" in the heart of the plot is a bit on the nose, and the subplots are where a lot of the most interesting action happens. The "side" plot of Tiffy's

gaslighting and abuse by Justin

caught me off guard, as it reasonably would, and became the most emotionally charged part of the book for me. All in all, an incredible work and one I will love to reread!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Medical content, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Cursing, Sexual content, Alcohol, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Bullying, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Racism, Body shaming, Cancer, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Police brutality, and Violence

Minor: Death, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Child death, and Dementia

jadawhooreads's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book! I really enjoyed Beth O’Leary’s casual and fun writing style; especially reading the differences in how Leon and Tiffy think with their split POVs. I thought it was very well paced and I didn’t want to put it down for long. Tiffy and Leon as characters were well fleshed out and I enjoyed their dynamic with each other and their slow burn attraction. I squealed a good amount of times while reading, I felt like I was reading fan fiction it was so wholesome at times! Even with Tiffy and Leon aside, I was interested in other characters and I didn’t find myself ‘skim reading’ over them (which is rare for some books I can’t lie). I would definitely read a sequel of Gerty and Mo and Richie and see how they’re getting on; I loved their different energies and they felt real, not just there to serve Tiffy and Leon. ALSO, can I just say I ADORE how Tiffy was clearly written as a plus sized woman and YET it wasn’t her only character trait and it didn’t affect how people were attracted to her, or how people treated her. I ALSO ADORE how Leon (and Richie) was both Black and Irish and yet again, it wasn’t his defining trait, and it wasn’t the defining reason why Tiffy was attracted to him. Sometimes when I read heterosexual romances it can be a bit bland or problematic, but this was full of life and making them both inclusive and yet not having Tiffy’s body or Leon’s race be the only thing they talk about was so refreshing; massive props!

I literally don’t have any criticisms of the book, perfect sized, well paced goodness! 🥰

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Violence

Moderate: Chronic illness

Minor: Body shaming and Fatphobia

nav26's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I LOVED this. I have been trying to get it from the library for a while but the hold kept coming in at an inconvenient time and then I'd have to wait weeks again. Ended up getting a physical copy from the library at the right time and wow. I sped through it. It's a mostly light read, but there are some aspects of trauma that I feel were well addressed. I think Tiffy is absolutely hilarious and wonderful, and Leon is quiet but sweet - they're a perfect match in the most adorable way. It was a slow, sweet build to their romance that made me appreciate it all the more. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Medical content, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Sexual violence

rawrsoobin's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting

Minor: Stalking, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship