5 books you'll love if you enjoyed The Flatshare
Beth O’Leary’s books to me, are the perfect form of escapism. A light romance, with more complex characters, that allow you forget about life and just emerse yourself in another life for a short while. Here are five books you’ll enjoy, if that’s your vibe.
And if you’d like to listen to me chat to Beth about her first two books, go and check out the podcast!
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1. Uncoupling by Lorraine Brown
Similar in style to Beth O’Leary, Uncoupling is a contemporary romance set on a train and in Paris. Hannah and her boyfriend are on a train which divides on their way to a wedding, she then has to spend a day in Paris before she can get the train back to Amsterdam where the wedding is several hundred miles away.
It’s somewhat predictable, but that did not take away any enjoyment, and I finished it in just a few days. I’d really recommend this book.
2. The Split by Laura Kay
This fantastic book tells the story of the breakup of Ally and her girlfriend and the breakdown which follows. This book is hilariously captivating and can be perfectly summed up by the tagline on the cover.
Ally’s relationship is over, and she’s taking the cat…
If you’re looking for a queer rom-com, that isn’t about being queer, where the characters just happen to be, this is a brilliant book to read.
3. Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
Ghosts is one of those books that makes you feel utterly and unapologetically human. It makes you as frustrated with the characters as you are with yourself, it breaks your heart when their's breaks, and it makes you so grateful for the people in your life who drive you mad.
Dolly Alderton has such a beautifully simple way of writing which doesn't feel simple at all. It's easy to read but makes you feel so much.
4. The Sight of You by Holly Miller
This was not the book I expected. By the end of this book, I was in tears. This book follows the love story between Joel, who has dreams of people he loves that always come true, and Callie, a wonderful person who's hung up on the past. Their relationship, this story, and the writing are all so beautiful and you can't help but keep reading.
This book will make you feel love. True and overwhelming love. Cheesy like real life, but also tough like real life.
An absolutely phenomenal read.
5. The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary
It would be remiss of me to recommend books similar to The Flatshare, without recommending another of Beth’s books. The Road Trip is her latest novel which came out in April. I was lucky enough to be one of the first to read it (thanks to her wonderful publishers), and it did not disappoint.
The story follows an ex-couple, their friends and a stranger on a road trip up to Scotland for a wedding, and it explores the messy history they all have.
I read this book in less than 24 hours, which probably says a lot about how much I loved it. It had the easy to read style I love of Beth’s, but with a level of intrigue and mystery I felt was really different to her other books. The flashbacks and the uncovering of what happened really grips you and you can’t put it down.
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