I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide me review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

This was my first time reading a book from the author but I am delighted to say I thoroughly enjoyed the story and I look forward to reading more books from the writer in the future

The Houseshare is a light and easy read. The story centres around 24 Ulysses Crescent, Which from what I imagine is a big old house separated into a number of different living units, within the one big house. Focusing on mental health and family relationships.

There was great character development and lovely plot lines.

An easy read, perfect for passing away an afternoon.

The Houseshare is a light & easy read. It revolves around the residents all living in separate units in one house.
Deals somewhat with fractured family relationships over 3 generations as well as mental health.

I could no finish this book which is such a shame because I was really looking forward to this!
The edit that transferred to my kindle was all over the place, it was randomly showing the authors name and the title of the book in the middle of sentences and half of words were down the page so I didn’t know what was happening!

A light read with enjoyable characters, definitely a book to take with you to the beach over summer if you like this sort of book

A quick and easy read that I found myself picking up after a long day to unwind. The characters are beautifully written and I came to love them within the first few pages and was rooting for them all the way to the end. At times I wanted to stop reading because I just wanted the experience to go on for longer.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again Fiona O’Brien is a vastly underrated Irish author who in my opinion doesn’t get enough recognition in the wider public eye. She writes gorgeous, highly readable stories and this new book, The Houseshare is no exception. The cover is stunning as the door welcomes you into the story and to number 24 Ulysses Crescent which overlooks Dublin Bay. I was made to feel right at home instantly and it had echoes of the great Maeve Binchy whose books I loved so much. It’s a warm and inviting story which I sped through as I was enjoying it so much.

Initially, I was slightly apprehensive that given this story would focus on numerous characters, as the house of the title is split into various flats, that I would be confused and unable to keep track of who was who. I needn’t have worried as it was easy to familiarise myself with each character and their various backstories and how their strand of the plot developed. But I will say I think some of the characters weren’t utilised enough and perhaps could have been left out. Rory and Nessa are the two that spring to mind as I felt their storyline was very fleeting and I found myself wanting to read more about the other characters.

Doctor Ed owns the house and it has been his family home for many years but as he is now in his old age he has retreated to a small flat in the garden and Morah is now the caretaker of the flats contained within number 24. Doctor Ed is like the father/grandfather figure throughout the book. He is always ever present and the various residents always seem to gravitate towards him when they have problems. He is wise and can offer good advice but also keep a confidence when required. He can sense that not everybody that resides in this special house is happy but he bides his time knowing that when things come to a head he will be there to offer a helping hand in any way that he possibly can.

Morah’s life is turned into a nightmare when Evelyn Malone moves in. She knows her from the past and seems to carry a deep resentment towards her. All this is outlined within the first chapter or two and it made for a very intriguing opening. Why is Morah hell bent on vengeance regarding Evelyn? What could have caused such hatred and malice towards a person? Is Evelyn all she makes out to be and really how does she not recognise Morah? Morah harbours long held resentments and she comes across as angry and bitter and that she is nosy and sticks her beak into other people’s business but my interest was certainly piqued as to what could have caused her to be this way?

Evelyn had an air of regality and of being well to do about her. It also came across as if she was slightly above the other residents but her life had come crashing down when her husband died and he had lost everything in the financial crash. She enjoyed a pleasant lifestyle but now things have changed but she doesn’t do regrets or what ifs. She ploughs ahead as it’s the only way she knows how to keep going. Her son Tristan is in New York and the odd phone call is all the contact they have and as for her daughter Pauline who lives in London, the rift between them grows ever wider. So when Evelyn trips and breaks her hip as she leaves the house to swim in the sea she is left helpless and this is not how she likes to be. She always likes to be in control of all aspects of her life. She detests feeling vulnerable or that she has to rely on others and hates admitting defeat. Her granddaughter Truth, whom she last saw many many years ago, volunteers to leave London and to come and look after her.

It was a big step for Truth to come and live with Pauline. For really she didn’t know her at all and it’s not like you could say that they had any kind of relationship of sorts at all. But Truth herself was running from something and needed time away from what was causing so much anxiety and stress in her life. A horrible false narrative has emerged regarding her and this has led to a life of misery and suffering. Will coming to Dublin allow her to come to terms with what has happened and can she forge a relationship with Evelyn who is very closed off, terse and not that forthcoming? I loved the development of the story between Evelyn and Truth because it also allowed other doors to be opened into the various different strands of the story allowing a wide range of issues and emotions to be explored in a sensitive, careful and delicate way.

As previously mentioned there are lots of other characters who make up the house share. Some of which are more memorable than others. Bruce is divorced from Stella but has always wanted to get back with her. They have two apartments in the house which make it easier for co-parenting their young son Fred. But Bruce is changing his lifestyle and moving on and now it’s Stella who is having second thoughts. Stella is a dark character as she goes through some very tough times. She becomes unreasonable, paranoid, controlling and very unstable. It was sad to read her descent into a hole that it seemed like she would never come out of and Fiona O’Brien dealt with this issue very well for sadly it is all too prevalent these days.

Mike is a sculptor and a very intriguing and intensely private character who has invisible barriers erected around himself. But will a certain someone be able to break these down? Rory uses the basement gym and I previously mentioned he was very under utilised as well as Nessa who runs her own vegan café. I would have loved much more development of their storylines or else just leave these two out altogether as everything else going on with the rest of the characters was more than enough to sustain the entire book. But pushing this minor issue aside and perhaps it’s just me who felt like this, overall The Houseshare is a really lovely read which I enjoyed very much. There are plenty of twists and turns which keep you guessing right until the very end and I was particularly hooked by the Evelyn/Morah aspect of the storyline. All the characters go through an awful lot but whether they emerge stronger on the other side you’ll have to read The Houseshare and discover for yourself.

24 Ulysses Crescent is a beautiful old mansion overlooking Dublin Bay that has been refurbished into flats. this is a beautiful story about the friendships and secrets of the tenants who live there.

A compelling novel that was an enjoyable read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. I have chosen to write this honest review voluntarily and it reflects my personal opinion.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I thought it was well-written, although sometimes I had the feeling that it was the second in a series because I should have known something about events or relationships that had happened in the past. The descriptions of the house and it's setting were very good, it was easy to imagine the area. The characters were clearly described, although some of them seemed very unlikeable, and the developing relationships were interesting. There was a theme of mental health throughout the book, linked to various forms of mental illness, which was quite a large part of some storylines so that I began to wonder if anyone in the house had not suffered at some time in their lives, but this is just my own feeling about the characters. The ending seemed a little rushed but in general I enjoyed this book and would read more by this author.

I really enjoyed this story, the setting, the characters and the way they their stories all unfolded. I would absolutely read this author again!

this was beautifully written and i really enjoyed it. the characters were great and i can’t wait to read more of this authors work.

This is a new author for me. I liked the blend of well-drawn characters and the intense relationships between them. It is good to see older characters fully rounded instead of bland granny type roles. Past events influenced those of the present and added an air of mystery which gradually unfolded. An enjoyable read which I highly recommend.

I really enjoyed The Houseshare it had great characters, a well plotted storyline and I think anyone who enjoys Mariam Keyes would enjoy this women's fiction novel.

"The Houseshare" is a great ensemble piece about the lives and loves of the people living in a house split into flats by the owner. The residents are a mixed bunch, at different stages of their lives, and have some complex and challenging relationships. The characters are well drawn and believable, with some great back stories.

A lovely summer read. Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

The story of the residents of Number 24 Ulysses Crescent.
Evelyn seems queen bee, but as you start to understand her character she is not as nice as you think, and see,s to be having an effect on the lives of her neighbours and her closest family.
I lied how it is told from various points of view, and you hope that things work out OK for them all and that Evelyn get her comeuppance !

A nice and well written story that I thoroughly enjoyed. It's well plotted and compelling, i liked the characters and the setting.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was a lovely read, very enjoyable with good characters and good story line. I am giving this 4 stars and I recommend this to be read by as many people as possible.. I don't remember reading this author before but I will certainly be looking out for more of her books.

Thanks to Netgalley and publisher for this e ARC

The Houseshare is a spell-binding summer tale of romance, friendship and how some secrets can never stay hidden. Thank you for this advanced copy which was a great read, I had trouble putting this down! I liked the way it was written and it made for an easy read. I would definitely recommend and look forward to reading another book by this author!

This was a easy enjoyable read for me. I loved travelling to 24 Ulysses’s Crescent and meeting all the wonderful people who live there. The friendships and looking out for each other I really appreciated as all too often nowadays this is not the case.

Evelyn who is a glamour granny falls and breaks her hip, her granddaughter Truth arrives from London to look after her. The two woman haven’t seen each other for years but as time passes events take over and some well hidden secrets come to light. I loved both of these characters, so well written that I felt like I knew them.

The lives and loves of all the other characters were intertwined throughout the story and each character had their own issues and personalities.

I was rooting for Truth to find her happy ending and I admired her ability to make decisions and not just go with the flow. This book is an ideal summer read, light and refreshing .