In a way, reading as many books as I can has been my weapon for surviving the stress of working on my undergraduate thesis. Writing a review afterward, on the other hand, has been the armor I use to keep myself sane and cheery. With this knowledge in mind, I'm sure you have pretty much guessed what I'm about to mention in the following announcement: just completed my second book in a day titled The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary.
After being dumped by her ex-boyfriend of two years, Justin, Tiffy is left with no choice but to search for a low-rent apartment as soon as possible. After a long and exhausting hunt, it is then decided that she must be opting for a very strange arrangement instead: a flatshare with a guy named Leon Twomey who will occupy the flat only in the afternoon while Tiffy is at work.
For months, Tiffy and Leon have never met in person, but they leave post-it notes here and there for each other to find and answer. Bit by bit, Tiffy then learns that Leon's younger brother is wrongly imprisoned while on the other hand he finds out that Justin is very obsessive and has emotionally abused Tiffy all this time. Finally the two meet, though the condition of their first encounter is not exactly ideal to begin with.
What everyone keeps saying about The Flatshare is absolutely right so yes, I found this book very cute and entertaining. Tiffy and her friends were hilarious (especially Rachel with her sometimes-inappropriate jokes) while Leon was honestly way lovely despite being a little quiet. I very much adored the way the POVs felt so different in this book: Tiffy's was fun and quirky while Leon's was purposely marked by the frequent non-existence subject in his sentences (which really grew on me at some point as I thought it was cute).
While this book focused on Tiffy and Leon's dynamic relationship as flatmates, it also covered some serious topics such as gaslighting and emotional abuse. It occurs to me now that not being able to register the truth until we're out of something is very terrifying but sadly true. Tiffy didn't realize that she had been emotionally abused by her ex until she had some time alone with herself to eventually heal. How the author chose to explore and handle this particular topic was quite great in my opinion. I liked the conclusion too though to be honest I was kinda hoping for something more.
In conclusion, The Flatshare was such a cute rom-com with adorable friendship and a great progression that I felt like I wanted to know all the characters better. Gerty, Mo, Rachel, and Tiffy were such a perfect combo. Threw in Leon and Richie to the mix; no wonder Tiffy's life was a wonder in the end. If you like rom-com or in need of something light and fluffy, I suggest that you pick this book up in your leisure time.
Actual rating: 3.9★
