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Two-Room Flat
Spicy fiction made novelist Claire Gissler a star, but she can’t pen a sentence to save her life since her husband’s accidental death two years ago. Now, deeply in debt, her only hope of reviving her crumbling career is to flee small town America for big city London. Trouble is, she can’t afford the move. That is, not until handsome Adam Lambright — her husband’s best friend and the man she blames for his death — offers to let her stay in his flat... with him.
Adam Lambright used to know how to smile, how to have fun, how to love, but that was before watching his best friend die and his wife wither away from cancer. Now, ticked off at God, he’s vowed never to love again. That doesn’t mean he can’t help out his best friend’s widow. Heck, her life’s more of a mess than his own.
Seeing no other possible option, Claire moves to London. In that exciting city, she faces the challenges of rebuilding her career — and the attentions of her sexy English publicist. But, it’s her growing feelings for Adam that present the biggest challenge: learn to forgive or face heartbreak once again.
Adam Lambright used to know how to smile, how to have fun, how to love, but that was before watching his best friend die and his wife wither away from cancer. Now, ticked off at God, he’s vowed never to love again. That doesn’t mean he can’t help out his best friend’s widow. Heck, her life’s more of a mess than his own.
Seeing no other possible option, Claire moves to London. In that exciting city, she faces the challenges of rebuilding her career — and the attentions of her sexy English publicist. But, it’s her growing feelings for Adam that present the biggest challenge: learn to forgive or face heartbreak once again.
- GenresRomance
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2013
3 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 28, 2020
Fantastic story. I bought "Two Room Flat" and read it the same day. Claire is a fun and engaging character with enough angst and humor to carry the story smoothly from beginning to end. Adam is endearing and exasperating -- much like the men in our own lives. Urbach balances the tension and humor in this story with a deft hand. She also describes her historic London settings in rich detail, which (happily) enhance her story but don't overpower it. Also, watch for the subtle foreshadowing. "Two Room Flat" is Urbach's debut novel, but it's written with the mastery of a pro. I can't wait to see what her next novel will bring.
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September 19, 2020Well, in full disclosure, I'm a little biased because I'm the author. But I LOVED writing this book. I enjoyed my characters, fell in love with my hero, and set it in one of my favorite cities, London. If this were a movie it would be a PG-rated romantic comedy. Jill UrbachTwo-Room Flat
December 15, 2013
I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Claire is a mom, widow, author, good friend and a bit broken. She is having a hard time getting on with her life after the death of her husband and everything seems to be collapsing in on her.
Adam is a dad, widower, pilot and having a hard time getting on with his life also.
They were friends back when their spouses were alive and have lost track of each other. Adam comes up with a way for Claire to get back on track and they end up sharing a flat in London. We are invited along to see them heal, grow and find love again.
The journey is done with humor and I did not want to see it end. They are two characters you instantly come to care about and want to spend more time with.
Claire is a mom, widow, author, good friend and a bit broken. She is having a hard time getting on with her life after the death of her husband and everything seems to be collapsing in on her.
Adam is a dad, widower, pilot and having a hard time getting on with his life also.
They were friends back when their spouses were alive and have lost track of each other. Adam comes up with a way for Claire to get back on track and they end up sharing a flat in London. We are invited along to see them heal, grow and find love again.
The journey is done with humor and I did not want to see it end. They are two characters you instantly come to care about and want to spend more time with.
August 19, 2014
A sweet clean romance building on an older couple with successful past relationships that ended through no fault of their own, “Two Room Flat” is a wonderful read that romance readers of any age will enjoy.
Read full review in the October 2013 issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the October 2013 issue of InD’tale Magazine.
July 26, 2013
Let me start by saying that this was a very good read. I was engaged from the first page. The novel is set in the Pacific Northwest and London, England. It was so descriptive that I felt like I was there. I adored the story and felt the tension building between Claire and Adam. The author used a great technique of foreshadowing many of the chapters disguised in Claire's blog posts. The only place I feel like this book could have been improved is in the area of character development. I didn't really feel like I got to know them. I know there was more to Steven than we saw. Claire had a past that I wanted to see played out in her actions. All in all, a GREAT first novel by Jill Urbach. I look forward to reading more from this author!
July 26, 2013
Can't wait to read the final copy. Proud that author and dear friends of 20+(!) years trusted me with her "baby" to read before it was successfully published. So proud of you Jill. I really enjoyed the character who I "cast" as Jill herself. Great characterization and flowing narrative and of course the connection to London. Promising new author! So far can't find it for my Nook but it is available on Amazon for Kindle. If you're a true Anglophile this is a superb summer read!!!
August 22, 2013
Claire Gissler is struggling to overcome the loss of her husband, which has killed her passion for life and for her writing, leaving her foundering in her career. She blames her husband’s best friend, Adam Lambright, for his death. Adam is suffering too. His wife has died of cancer and his best friend died in an accident he feels responsible for. He and Claire are both at loose ends when an opportunity presents itself – for him to take over a friend’s business for the summer in London and for her to revive her career with a book tour in England. Seeing a chance to make amends, Adam offers to share his friend’s two-room flat for the summer, so that Claire has a place to stay abroad. She reluctantly takes him up on his offer.
I really liked this story. I appreciated that the protagonists were more mature. It’s unusual to find books that feature older couples, so that was a nice change from what seems like the very lasting chick lit trend of the 23 year old who thinks she’s going to die alone. I also liked that the characters had a pre-established friendship. While it may have taken a tumble as they both struggled with their grief, there was something there to build on rather than the frequently improbable love at first sight that romance novels like to dabble in.
I did struggle to read this book a bit due to formatting problems. This book was sent to me to review, and even the title had issues, presenting as Two-Room Flay and leaving me to wonder exactly what kind of book I had been sent to review! I hope that in the official edition of this book the formatting issues have been resolved.
Other issues included the “blog” sections of the book. Honestly, for the most part I thought the writing in the book flowed really nicely but the sections where Claire was blogging felt really stiff and awkward, making it a little hard to believe she was a best-selling author! I also felt like there were a few unresolved issues in the book that were brought up and then dropped – they felt like ideas the author had intended to explore and changed her mind about, but forgotten to take out.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable read. The characters feel real and natural. The plot point that gets us rolling (we all coincidentally need to go to London!) feels a bit contrived but the author manages to make that not matter as the story evolves. Definitely worth reading and I look forward to more from Jill Urbach.
I really liked this story. I appreciated that the protagonists were more mature. It’s unusual to find books that feature older couples, so that was a nice change from what seems like the very lasting chick lit trend of the 23 year old who thinks she’s going to die alone. I also liked that the characters had a pre-established friendship. While it may have taken a tumble as they both struggled with their grief, there was something there to build on rather than the frequently improbable love at first sight that romance novels like to dabble in.
I did struggle to read this book a bit due to formatting problems. This book was sent to me to review, and even the title had issues, presenting as Two-Room Flay and leaving me to wonder exactly what kind of book I had been sent to review! I hope that in the official edition of this book the formatting issues have been resolved.
Other issues included the “blog” sections of the book. Honestly, for the most part I thought the writing in the book flowed really nicely but the sections where Claire was blogging felt really stiff and awkward, making it a little hard to believe she was a best-selling author! I also felt like there were a few unresolved issues in the book that were brought up and then dropped – they felt like ideas the author had intended to explore and changed her mind about, but forgotten to take out.
Overall, this was a really enjoyable read. The characters feel real and natural. The plot point that gets us rolling (we all coincidentally need to go to London!) feels a bit contrived but the author manages to make that not matter as the story evolves. Definitely worth reading and I look forward to more from Jill Urbach.
October 3, 2013
Claire and Adam definitely have history together. Before their spouses died, they were friends as couples. Since their spouses died they are barely even civil to each other. That makes for some major conflict and tension as they regain that friendship and feel it morphing into something more. It happens pretty slowly as they find some common ground and then start spending more time together. They learn how to be friends and support each other. I like that the relationship grew from that instead of attraction first.
I really liked the tension and the build up. The attraction is real and zingy. I liked that this couple was more mature, not the usual young twenty-ish. It's nice to change that up a bit now and then. (or maybe it's just because I am getting older and like when I'm not the oldest one in the book/reader relationship. ha!)
I love the London setting. I can't wait to get there someday and this book had me dreaming of that day.
For me, this book was on the spicier side of sweet. There was a lot of talk about sexual things and situations although no actual sex.
I really liked the tension and the build up. The attraction is real and zingy. I liked that this couple was more mature, not the usual young twenty-ish. It's nice to change that up a bit now and then. (or maybe it's just because I am getting older and like when I'm not the oldest one in the book/reader relationship. ha!)
I love the London setting. I can't wait to get there someday and this book had me dreaming of that day.
For me, this book was on the spicier side of sweet. There was a lot of talk about sexual things and situations although no actual sex.
September 27, 2013
Claire is an author suffering from major writer's block after the death of her husband. Her agent calls with bad news: her publisher is dropping her and is asking for their advance back. The good news: the agent has arranged a book signing tour in the U.K., introducing Claire's heroine to the British public.
Adam was the best fried of Claire's husband and is responsible for her husband's death. Adam, who pilots private jets, recently lost his wife to cancer. A friend of his, another pilot who happens to live in London, is taking a three month leave to accompany his wife to her job overseas and offers Adam the use of their flat.
The flat has two bedrooms and Adam, who knows Claire's financial straits, invites her to join him. She has no choice but to accept.
The rest of the story follows the romance novel formula. Claire and Adam are both nice people, but I would have preferred a bit more "bite" to their characters and maybe some suspense about the ending.
Adam was the best fried of Claire's husband and is responsible for her husband's death. Adam, who pilots private jets, recently lost his wife to cancer. A friend of his, another pilot who happens to live in London, is taking a three month leave to accompany his wife to her job overseas and offers Adam the use of their flat.
The flat has two bedrooms and Adam, who knows Claire's financial straits, invites her to join him. She has no choice but to accept.
The rest of the story follows the romance novel formula. Claire and Adam are both nice people, but I would have preferred a bit more "bite" to their characters and maybe some suspense about the ending.
March 19, 2014
This really was a cute story. You knew what would happen, but that is just fine. The only thing I wished Urbach did a little more of was having the main characters forgive each other for the event that drew them apart in the first place.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews