Scan barcode
A review by allhallowsraven
The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
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
4.5
4.5* | 8.14 on CAWPILE
Really loved this. One little thing stopping this from getting 5* and that is the use of the words 'chubby' and 'chubbier' in reference to a child. Just thought it was unecessary. Apart from that I felt the story was really grounded in reality, I thought the pacing was ok, it could of benefited from speeding up in a couple of areas but nothing off-putting.
Loved the inclusion of mental/emotional abuse themes, as I feel that this is not common in what would otherwise be a 'fluffy', lighthearted romance. It was good to see obsessive behaviour be dealt with as it should, as absolutely not good at all. Not a fan of the 'bad guys are so sexy' trope myself, it's completely unrealistic and quite honestly alarming.
There have been some reviews about certain aspects of the characters and reactions to certain situations r.e. Leon seeming to give up immediately when there is a major obstacle in the story but honestly, this didn't bother me. This again grounded it in reality for me, he's imperfect just like everyone else and acts without thinking, which we all do from time to time.
I thought the concept was really fun and handled really well, this plot could well have fallen over fast in the hands of another writer but Beth kept me interested throughout and the additions of the odd moments/comments/details of reality really made it for me.
Whilst this probably won't be regarded as anything particularly special, literary speaking in comparison to other works of fiction, so much of reading is about the experience. I had a really good experience with this story and found myself unable to stop reading, especially during the second half. A book that provides that deserves a high rating!
Looking forward to exploring Beth's other works in future.
Really loved this. One little thing stopping this from getting 5* and that is the use of the words 'chubby' and 'chubbier' in reference to a child. Just thought it was unecessary. Apart from that I felt the story was really grounded in reality, I thought the pacing was ok, it could of benefited from speeding up in a couple of areas but nothing off-putting.
Loved the inclusion of mental/emotional abuse themes, as I feel that this is not common in what would otherwise be a 'fluffy', lighthearted romance. It was good to see obsessive behaviour be dealt with as it should, as absolutely not good at all. Not a fan of the 'bad guys are so sexy' trope myself, it's completely unrealistic and quite honestly alarming.
There have been some reviews about certain aspects of the characters and reactions to certain situations r.e. Leon seeming to give up immediately when there is a major obstacle in the story but honestly, this didn't bother me. This again grounded it in reality for me, he's imperfect just like everyone else and acts without thinking, which we all do from time to time.
I thought the concept was really fun and handled really well, this plot could well have fallen over fast in the hands of another writer but Beth kept me interested throughout and the additions of the odd moments/comments/details of reality really made it for me.
Whilst this probably won't be regarded as anything particularly special, literary speaking in comparison to other works of fiction, so much of reading is about the experience. I had a really good experience with this story and found myself unable to stop reading, especially during the second half. A book that provides that deserves a high rating!
Looking forward to exploring Beth's other works in future.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Racism