Published 4th December 2025 by Simon and Schuster.
From the cover of the book:
Sometimes it’s as simple as meeting the boy next door.Jenni lives alone with her cat Oscar – yes, she’s single but, after breaking up with her boyfriend, she’s more than content to be living alone. Sometimes she worries she might be playing things too safe, but she’s had enough of taking risks.
Ben is a firefighter and, if he’s honest, he’s finding life hard. The arrival of a small tabby cat, who Ben decides to call Fred, helps him feel less isolated. But then, one day, Ben decides to take a chance. Wanting to reassure Fred’s owner he’s not stealing their cat, he attaches a note to the cat’s collar.
As the two neighbours start corresponding via the cat, their notes to each other reveal the truths they are hiding from even their closest friends, and themselves.
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After breaking up with her boyfriend, Jenni has settled into a routine living the solo life. It just seems easier to avoid the risks that might come with a new relationship, and she is perfectly content with just her cat, Oscar, for company. Or is she? Ben is a firefighter, with a job that requires dedication and bravery, but on the inside he is struggling... until a small tabby cat, he calls 'Fred', decides to make friends with him. Suddenly Ben does not feel so alone.
Ben is sure a cat of 'Fred's' calibre must have an owner in the neighbourhood, so he decides to attach a note to his collar to reassure them he has no intention of stealing him. Jenni finds the note on Oscar's collar (surprise, surprise) when he returns home to her. Soon the two strangers are sending notes to each other via cat-mail - notes which will change their lives for the better.
This warm-hearted twist on L.P. Hartley's The Go Between has two strangers opening up their hearts to each other through the intervention of a very special postie - the delightful cat, Oscar (or Fred, depending on who he is spending time with).
It is easy to fall for this novel from the very first chapter, especially if you are lucky enough to have a cat friend in your life. Jariwala clearly knows a thing or two about being chosen by a feline friend, and she writes Oscar as just the right side of wayward - with characteristics that all cat owners will be more than familiar with. This introduces a lot of humour to the story, and I found myself frequently laughing out loud when it comes to his very catty antics.
As the story weaves back and forth between Jenni and Ben, via Oscar, the way they begin to open up to each other on paper is wonderfully touching, and they share the truths that they have kept secret from the world, and even themselves. As the emotions flow, the potential for a romance that neither of them knew they were looking for (except, perhaps, for the crafty Oscar) sparks into life. Ahh.
This is an easy-to-read, gentle tale that manages to work its way right into you heart. I became deeply invested in the fate of Jenni and Ben, wanting everything good for them, all the way to the golden ending. Absolutely perfect comfort reading!
The Cat Share is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this Books and the City blog tour.
About the author:
