Though first published in 2019, The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary has gained a massive new following thanks to its recent TV adaptation. We were immediately hooked by the quirky premise on the front cover: Tiffy and Leon share a bed, but they have never actually met. We dove in with few expectations and found it to be time incredibly well spent.
The Premise: Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat—fast. Leon Twomey works nights as a palliative care nurse and is short on cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but the arrangement is simple: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work during the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time. They communicate solely through a growing mountain of Post-it notes.
But between obsessive exes, demanding clients, and wrongly imprisoned family members, they’re about to discover that to find the perfect home, you have to throw the rulebook out the window.
The Characters: The character work here is fantastic. We loved Tiffy—she is larger than life, from her eccentric clothing choices to the joyful, light-hearted notes she leaves for her mysterious flatmate. She’s the kind of woman who feels like a friend to everyone. Leon is more reserved, and while we occasionally wished he’d show a bit more "backbone," we truly admired his quiet determination and kindness. The supporting cast—including Gerty the sharp barrister and Tiffy’s horrid ex, Justin—are well-rounded and add significant depth to the plot.
The Verdict: This was our first Beth O’Leary novel, but it certainly won't be our last. We especially loved how it revived the "art of letter writing"—even if it was in the form of messy, colorful Post-it notes! There is something so romantic about getting to know someone through their written words before ever seeing their face.
The split narrative perfectly captures both sides of this unconventional romance, making us root for them to finally meet—whether by design or accident. We absolutely loved it and highly recommend it for your 2026 reading list. Now, we're off to binge-watch the TV series!
