I gave The Flatshare a try even though I don’t like reading romance. It gets me all weirded out. Most of the romance we read is based in our current reality and at the same time is so far from it that it can do nothing except warp your expectations.
I do, however, like reading ‘light’ books between ‘heavier’ books to give my brain some downtime. But how do I make the distinction? Pretty simple, really.
- Light Books don’t require too much intellectual gymnastics. The prose is plain and shallow (not a bad thing, just means they don’t have too many layers of meanings) and the story is straightforward.
- Heavy Books require tons of mental engagement and are full of layered prose and social/political commentary that requires serious thought and analysis.
As someone who appreciates intellectual conversations and layered prose, I’m not even ashamed to admit that these days I don’t have the brain for it. There’s so much happening in my life right now and when I finally find a moment to myself I like to curl up with a book that doesn’t demand too much of me. Most of the romance books I’ve read fall into the ‘Light’ category and are perfect for some mindless reading. And that’s precisely why The Flatshare was a good read for me.
The Flatshare (Plot)
Tiffy Moore and Leon Twomey each have a problem and need a quick fix.
Tiffy’s been dumped by her cheating boyfriend and urgently needs a new flat. But earning minimum wage at a quirky publishing house means that her choices are limited in London.
Leon, a palliative care nurse, is more concerned with other people’s welfare than his own. Along with working night shifts looking after the terminally ill, his sole focus is on raising money to fight his brother’s unfair imprisonment.
Leon has a flat that he only uses 9 to 5. Tiffy works 9 to 5 and needs a place to sleep. The solution to their problems? To share a bed of course…
As Leon and Tiffy’s unusual arrangement becomes a reality, they start to connect through Post-It notes left for each other around the flat.
Can true love blossom even in the unlikeliest of situations?
Can true love blossom even if you never see one another?
Or does true love blossom when you are least expecting it?
It isn’t my favorite read of the year. But it’s also not the worst. The prose is simple although Leon’s dislike for using pronouns was annoying at first. The rhythm of the book is easy to get into. The subject matter is plain – girl trying to escape abusive boyfriend, guy trying to make some extra money by subletting his bed (not just the flat – but his actual bed), throw in some friends, sprinkle some drama, a pinch of almost-violence – and there you have it, folks.
Buy The Flatshare (2019) on Kobo for only $13.59 by clicking here or on the image below:
I gave it 3-stars because it provided exactly what it set out to – a romance with a happy ending [err… Spoiler Alert?]. And also because we’ve all known a Justin (gaslighting ex) and a Kay (unsupportive ex). The rating could’ve been higher had the book been anything other than straightforward or had some big surprise packed in.
I’ll be uploading a mini-review for this (and other books I’ve read this year so far) on my Insta stories. Drop by, why don’t you?
