The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary

“Being nice is a good thing. You can be strong and nice. You don’t have to be one or the other.” ― Beth O'Leary, The Flatshare

“I wake with a jolt that sends a shock of pain through my ankle. Crying out, I look around me. Floral wallpaper. Am I at home? Who's that man in the chair by the door, reading .... "Twilight?" Leon blinks at me, putting the book down in his lap. 'You went from unconscious to judgemental very quickly there.” ― Beth O'Leary, The Flatshare

“Remind myself that there is no saving of people —people can only save themselves. The best you can do is help when they're ready.” ― Beth O'Leary, The Flatshare

“My dad likes to say, ‘Life is never simple’. This is one of his favourite aphorisms. I actually think it’s incorrect. Life is often simple, but you don’t notice how simple it was until it gets incredibly complicated, like how you never feel grateful for being well until you’re ill, or how you never appreciate your tights drawer until you rip a pair and have no spares.” ― Beth O'Leary, The Flatshare

“Holly couldn't sleep; we played checkers. She lifts her fingers and dances them over the board like she's weaving a magic spell before she touches a counter. Apparently it's a mind game - makes the other player watch where you're going instead of planning their next move. Where did a seven-year old learn mind games?” ― Beth O'Leary, The Flatshare

“It was a weird way to get to know Leon, writing all these notes over the last few months, and it sort of happened without me noticing - one minute I was scribbling him a quick note about leftovers, the next I was in a full-on, day-to-day correspondence.” ― Beth O'Leary, The Flatshare