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angelofthetardis's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
3.5
After being ditched for another woman, Tiffy is desperate to find a new place to live. Leon has a flat sitting empty at night while he's out working and is in need of extra cash. Seems like the ideal arrangement; they live together and yet have the place to themselves. It's just the rest of their lives that make things more complicated...
Picked this book up after seeing the recent TV adaptation advertised (still haven't managed to actually watch ot though!) and liking the premise. It certainly delivered upon my expectations; I was pleasantly surprised that the set up didn't feel contrived, but instead made perfect sense in the circumstances! Similarly, the exchange of messages via post-it note works really well; they have phones and know how to use them, but somehow again there was no questioning why they didn't just message or WhatsApp eachother, even when their notes become longer.
On the surface, this is a very cute story, but there are darker themes running throughout. Normally, the only thing that gets me to close the book and take a breath before continuing is second-hand embarrassment, but in this case there were a couple of occasions where I needed a moment to allow my more visceral reactions towards certain characters and actions to subside. Tiffy does go on something of a healing journey throughout the book, and so I also found myself having to revise my opinion on some of her thoughts and actions, and recognise them as almost a 'conditioned response' to a girl who can't quite let go of a guy who is clearly not good for her. I give the author kudos for illustrating the development and recovery process in such a way.
The book is very well rounded, with a number of great little sub-plots and other details that serve the main plot very well and flesh out both the main and secondary characters, making them particularly lovable (or hateable as the case may be). There's a little bit of social commentary on the state of the justice system, a story of long-lost love, and an admiration of crochet that absolutely tips this towards the 'cosy' end of the spectrum in places!
The one thing I didn't get to grips with was the way Leon's chapters were structured. The chapters alternate between Tiffy and Leon's PoVs, but while Tiffy's are written in fairly standard prose, Leon's are a bit all over the place. Parts are written in abridged sentences, almost like he's filling in a patient's chart as part of his job. Speech isn't set out in speech marks, but rather prefixed with the name of the speaker, giving the impression of text messages or even a script. And other elements of the text feel more like a continuation of the post-it notes. There isn't a specific reason given for this quirky style and, while it is still 100% readable, it felt like energy needlessly wasted when it could have been set out in the same way as Tiffy's and been just as effective while being easier to digest.
I was initially torn about whether I'd keep this book or not, but the more I think about adding it to the charity pile, the stronger the feeling I get that I'll want to read it again at some point. So, for now at least, it earns a place on my bookshelf.
Picked this book up after seeing the recent TV adaptation advertised (still haven't managed to actually watch ot though!) and liking the premise. It certainly delivered upon my expectations; I was pleasantly surprised that the set up didn't feel contrived, but instead made perfect sense in the circumstances! Similarly, the exchange of messages via post-it note works really well; they have phones and know how to use them, but somehow again there was no questioning why they didn't just message or WhatsApp eachother, even when their notes become longer.
On the surface, this is a very cute story, but there are darker themes running throughout. Normally, the only thing that gets me to close the book and take a breath before continuing is second-hand embarrassment, but in this case there were a couple of occasions where I needed a moment to allow my more visceral reactions towards certain characters and actions to subside. Tiffy does go on something of a healing journey throughout the book, and so I also found myself having to revise my opinion on some of her thoughts and actions, and recognise them as almost a 'conditioned response' to a girl who can't quite let go of a guy who is clearly not good for her. I give the author kudos for illustrating the development and recovery process in such a way.
The book is very well rounded, with a number of great little sub-plots and other details that serve the main plot very well and flesh out both the main and secondary characters, making them particularly lovable (or hateable as the case may be). There's a little bit of social commentary on the state of the justice system, a story of long-lost love, and an admiration of crochet that absolutely tips this towards the 'cosy' end of the spectrum in places!
The one thing I didn't get to grips with was the way Leon's chapters were structured. The chapters alternate between Tiffy and Leon's PoVs, but while Tiffy's are written in fairly standard prose, Leon's are a bit all over the place. Parts are written in abridged sentences, almost like he's filling in a patient's chart as part of his job. Speech isn't set out in speech marks, but rather prefixed with the name of the speaker, giving the impression of text messages or even a script. And other elements of the text feel more like a continuation of the post-it notes. There isn't a specific reason given for this quirky style and, while it is still 100% readable, it felt like energy needlessly wasted when it could have been set out in the same way as Tiffy's and been just as effective while being easier to digest.
I was initially torn about whether I'd keep this book or not, but the more I think about adding it to the charity pile, the stronger the feeling I get that I'll want to read it again at some point. So, for now at least, it earns a place on my bookshelf.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting
Moderate: Terminal illness, Violence, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Alcohol, War, Racism, and Sexual content
kat_andherbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? It's complicated
5.0
I’ve been wanting to read this book and to say it has surpassed my expectations is putting it lightly. I can’t find a single flaw. It had everything: slow burn, sharing a bed, opposites and a slight miscommunication tripe that lasted the right amount and had me at the edge of my seat. The chemistry between Tiffy and Leon and their adorable post its and showcasing the true friendship between Tiffy and her friends are only some of the excellent points of the book.
Just read it. You won’t be disappointed.
P.S. check trigger warnings before reading
Just read it. You won’t be disappointed.
P.S. check trigger warnings before reading
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, and Stalking
leyendoentremontanias's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Toxic relationship
annieb26's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Body shaming and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Alcohol and Medical content
ineedsomemoretea's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
- 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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Stalking
cupofbooksreviews's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I have given The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary five out of five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mad at myself for not picking up one of Beth O’Leary’s books sooner, but I somehow knew that her writing would be my cup of tea. I absolutely adored The Flatshare and honestly, I could read about Leon and Tiffy for hours and hours. Not only our main characters though, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Mo, Gerty, Rachel and Richie too. Can only hope we get to learn more and re-visit these characters in O’Leary’s future work.
The plot was everything I needed and the Post-It note communication between Tiffy and Leon had me smiling and giggling. On a different note, my heart was palpitating whenever Justin scenes happened, a very unlikeable character who had what was coming to him!
I cannot wait to read the rest of O’Leary’s novels and her future books too.
Mad at myself for not picking up one of Beth O’Leary’s books sooner, but I somehow knew that her writing would be my cup of tea. I absolutely adored The Flatshare and honestly, I could read about Leon and Tiffy for hours and hours. Not only our main characters though, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about Mo, Gerty, Rachel and Richie too. Can only hope we get to learn more and re-visit these characters in O’Leary’s future work.
The plot was everything I needed and the Post-It note communication between Tiffy and Leon had me smiling and giggling. On a different note, my heart was palpitating whenever Justin scenes happened, a very unlikeable character who had what was coming to him!
I cannot wait to read the rest of O’Leary’s novels and her future books too.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gaslighting, Stalking, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Domestic abuse, Medical content, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexual violence and Sexual assault
manola's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
fast-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
Really enjoyable read. From the synopsis, I was afraid the story might become long-winded in the waiting of both protagonists getting together (especially since they weren't seeing each other or ever meeting in person), but thankfully the story unfolded and became so much more than what I expected it to be.
Tiffy is incredible as a protagonist. She does have an air of this stereotypical movie-quirkiness recurrent in romance stories (mismatched clothing, being 'awkward' in social situations, etc.), but she manages to come across as such a lovely human being you're just glad to listen her talk about her life. Sometimes I did find the work-related shenanigans a bit slower to get through, but the author usually managed to pull something in at the last minute to turn the situation around and throw more conflict into the story.
Leon I also really liked. At first, his POV chapters felt odd and choppy because of his writing style (pretty robot-like, almost), becoming a bit annoying at times. But I eventually warmed up to him and it's interesting to see his writing style evolve as he changes as a character as well.
The rest of the cast was also enjoyable. Tiffy's best friends are a solid presence in the story and don't feel like background stuffing to give more depth to her personal life. Some characters did feel a bit too cartoonish (thinking of Martin here, specifically), and others slipped out of the plot without much reason to (a sort of fling Tiffy has that felt like a device for her development, and an old man-JW-who's suddenly out of the picture at the half-way point without explanation).
But overall, the characters do reel you into the story and push you into becoming invested. Both protagonists have their own personal drama to manage throughout, and some heavier themes are discussed (check trigger warnings here). The story manages to balance a sweet slow-burn romance with issues that carry a darker tinge. The characters feel real because they deal with shitty things that are uncomfortable to think about and more uncomfortable to read about, and they deal with them with a messiness that simply feels... human.
Truly recommend :)
Tiffy is incredible as a protagonist. She does have an air of this stereotypical movie-quirkiness recurrent in romance stories (mismatched clothing, being 'awkward' in social situations, etc.), but she manages to come across as such a lovely human being you're just glad to listen her talk about her life. Sometimes I did find the work-related shenanigans a bit slower to get through, but the author usually managed to pull something in at the last minute to turn the situation around and throw more conflict into the story.
Leon I also really liked. At first, his POV chapters felt odd and choppy because of his writing style (pretty robot-like, almost), becoming a bit annoying at times. But I eventually warmed up to him and it's interesting to see his writing style evolve as he changes as a character as well.
The rest of the cast was also enjoyable. Tiffy's best friends are a solid presence in the story and don't feel like background stuffing to give more depth to her personal life. Some characters did feel a bit too cartoonish (thinking of Martin here, specifically), and others slipped out of the plot without much reason to (a sort of fling Tiffy has that felt like a device for her development, and an old man-JW-who's suddenly out of the picture at the half-way point without explanation).
But overall, the characters do reel you into the story and push you into becoming invested. Both protagonists have their own personal drama to manage throughout, and some heavier themes are discussed (check trigger warnings here). The story manages to balance a sweet slow-burn romance with issues that carry a darker tinge. The characters feel real because they deal with shitty things that are uncomfortable to think about and more uncomfortable to read about, and they deal with them with a messiness that simply feels... human.
Truly recommend :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Chronic illness
evie_lake's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Stalking, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
datskira's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Sexual content
Minor: Medical content and Injury/Injury detail