A romantic comedy that for me fell short.
The meet cute between Penny and Francesco was fun and their story had potential. Overall I could not get into this book. I didn't enjoy the writing of this store, both the dialogue and character development fell flat for me. Truly, I didn't think Penny was a very likable character. I did find the conclusion satisfying and I enjoyed the idea that friends become family.

This is an entertaining read, but the main character of Penny drove me crazy. She refused to see what was in front of her face, didn't fight for what she wanted, and then couldn't decide between three men even though it was obvious that two were totally wrong for her.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for letting me read The Love Square by Laura Jane Williams in advance! I'd read her first novel, Our Stop, and although I found it highly addictive, I also thought it was really cheesy and the writing wasn't always great. Happy to report I enjoyed The Love Square more!

The Love Square focuses on Penny Bridge (her name really annoyed me lol, sounds way too whimsical), who is a cancer survivor and Stoke Newington café owner, and is looking for love at the same time as she's desperate for motherhood. I thought this book was more polished and subtler than her debut, although there were still a few things that irritated me. A couple were just personal preferences that I can't really get blame Laura Jane Williams for - such as the fact that the language is sometimes a bit self-helpy - but there were a few big dramatic moments that didn't quite ring true for me, and sometimes the characters can be a little wooden and stereotypical. Also real celebrities made an appearance in the book and I don't know why but it made me a bit uncomfortable?!

But on the whole, I really liked The Love Square. Half of the book takes part in a Derbyshire village but I really appreciate how the village isn't rendered as cutesy or idyllic (like in The Switch), it's just a place where people happen to live. I don't know Stoke Newington too well but I used to live right next to Clissold Park so I love the references to that area! The central romance is also really nice and convincing, and Penny is an engaging character who feels authentic and modern, whilst still feeling fresh. I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed the restaurant setting, it's a lot of fun and made me so miss having gorgeous meals in places that aren't my flat ♥️ I think I'll continue to read Laura Jane Williams's books but I can't see her becoming a new fave. 3.5 stars 🌟

Penny was a really fun main character to follow. There’s something so relatable about her that it feels as though you’re being told a story by a friend. I really liked her and found her story to be a really quick read.

Her love interests were also very endearing. They were all so very different from one another but they were equally fun to read about. I liked that they gave some time to learn about each guy and their relationship with Penny before they brought in all the love square drama that was inevitably coming.

Having said that, the pacing of this book was a bit strange. The first third was about one guy, the second third about the next guy with hints about the first, and the final third involved the third guy and all the drama. It almost felt like the love square took a backseat for most of the book, as it didn’t actually exist until the 60% mark. Even then it never really felt like there was any real competition between them.

The way it was written made it so obvious what was going to happen and who she was going to end up with. Their relationship was very different to the others, so the whole time I was just waiting for her to finally realise and confirm it. It’s always a weird feeling when you know how the story will go before the main character does.

It was a very predictable story but one part really did surprise me. But I really didn’t like the surprise. You expect hiding multiple relationships to blow up in your face at some point, so I was fully expecting something to happen. But the outburst came from out of the blue. It was also really mean which was so out of character for this person. Yes, it got Penny to take some actions she probably should’ve done before, but I can’t get over how mean it was. There was so little drama in this book up to that point, so the sudden input of an outburst like that felt very wrong.

Loved this book, the men in Penny's life were a bit like buses - not one but three all come along at the same time & the reader is left wondering who Penny will choose. A brilliant easy to read story

I thoroughly enjoyed Laura Jane Williams first foray into fiction, One Stop, and was excited to get the opportunity to read her second offering, The Love Square.
A story about Love, of all sorts.
Penny is a cancer survivor, burned by her last serious relationship. She is a business owner, with a thirst for success with her cafe, but a huge amount of family loyalty too. And most of all, she wants love.
And it comes, from many directions, from her friends, her uncles and sister, and from three very different men.
Caught in a love square, Penny has to make decisions that could hurt, but could equally give her the best future ever.
I loved Penny. She's a strong woman, who doesn't actually know her own strength. Sometimes the need for approval of others overtakes the fact that she needs to be happy in herself, and love herself first.
Her three choices:
Francesco, the Italian chef with a passion for food to rival hers, and the promise of falling in friendship.
Thomas, the happy go lucky playboy with a huge heart.
Priyush, the mature, wave and sophisticated older man who is ready to offer a life of elegance and romance.
I loved the story, and the characters. An easy to read tale with a deeper meaning that the cover may let on.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 4.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

The Love Square by Laura Jane Williams was a good read. Well tried and tested formula of love interest and independent woman who has all but given up on finding “the one” Throw in sex, gay relationships and IVF and you’re slap bang current, hip and happening. Easy afternoon of chick lit.

This book took me completely by surprise! I fell completely in love with Penny and her struggle to manage the unexpected explosion of men in her life. Penny is a typical unlucky in love woman who for the most part is perfectly happy running her own cafe. But she can't deny she's looking for someone to love and love her back. When a handsome funny man walks through the door of her cafe, they immediately hit it off, but she's learned her lesson from the past. It's best not to fall to heard because they'll inevitably disappoint you.

After her uncle falls ill and she moves to the country to take over his pub, she leaves Francesco behind. During her months at the pub, she ends up casually dating two other men and reconnecting as friends with Francesco. When things come to a head, Penny must decide if she's willing to truly open her heart to a relationship.

I enjoyed reading a book about a woman my own age, rather than in her young twenties! Penny is a successful business owner and takes pride in her cafe and the food she creates. That added a unique aspect to this story that sets it apart from other contemporary romances. Plus, it's fun to read about a four-way juggling act than the standard love triangle!

This is an excellent addition to the genre and will be a hit for romance and women's fiction fans.

This was a good story and a good read but I just couldn’t totally enjoy it. I did like that Penny was making her own life without the need for a man, but the feeling around her having multiple relationships felt a bit behind the times. I wasn’t a huge fan of Penny or the men in the book so it was a difficult read for me.

I really enjoyed this feel good, light read about Penny and her three different men she is juggling in her life. The beginning of the story stated off strong for me as I really enjoyed her relationship with Francesco as the story progressed I found myself having a bit of a harder time connecting with Penny but I enjoyed how the author ended the story. It was the perfect light fun feel good family read that I needed at this time. I would rate this book 4 out of 5 stars and would definitely recommend it to friends. Thank you Net galley and publisher for the advanced read.

Charming, sweet, and fun. A great addition to collections where light women's fiction and romance are popular.

The Love Square, as you may expect from the title goes one step beyond the standard Love Triangle. One girl, 3 guys and a whole host of decisions to be made.

Penny Bridges is a cancer survivor, who used her life insurance to purchase her own cafe and over the past 5 years has made it a roaring success. There’s just a couple of things missing; that special someone and a family of her own. Just as she’s about to resort to single motherhood, just her and her frozen embryos, Francesco enters the scene - an Italian hunk who is delivering bread to the cafe as a favour and who sparks something inside Penny that has been non existent since her ex ditched her upon her cancer diagnosis. She has his number, but before she convinces herself to use it, fate intervenes.

As with any decent romance novel, a series of unfortunate events then occurs and we find Penny heading off to the Derbyshire countryside where Thomas and Priyesh enter the Love Square. Each of the men in Penny’s life provides her with something different yet fulfilling, Francesco with his humour and culinary skills, Thomas with his adventurous spirit and Priyesh with his sexual prowess. When a storm and some loose roof tiles brings the “square” to a dramatic, drenched ultimatum, Penny must decide what she wants and hope it’s not too late to get it.

For the most part, I really enjoyed this story, with its unusual take on the typical life triangle albeit a little reminiscent of the classic J-Lo movie, The Backup Plan. There are lots of twist and turns to keep you hooked right through to the finale and I couldn’t wait to see how things turned out for Penny.

If you’re looking for an LGBTQ+ friendly book, then this one could possibly be considered overly friendly. Whilst our leading lady is straight (as is made clear at least three times over), she is surrounded by lesbians, gays, gender non specific (which proved rather confusing when “they” would say something and I found it strange that two people would say the exact same sentence in unison on such a regular basis). Along with mixed race relationships, cancer, infertility, IVF and surrogacy, I can’t help but feel the book was trying a little too hard to tick all the inclusion and diversity boxes. Whilst most of this didn’t take away from the story, I didn’t feel like it all necessarily added to it either.

Definitely worth a read if you love romance novels but fancy something a little different to the norm.

I just absolutely loved this book - it was quite predictable where it was going but great nonetheless! A real feel good book with likeable characters

This was a weird book, there were parts i really enjoyed and parts i couldn't stand. Unfortunately I think there was more i didnt like.

This book follows a year or so in the life of Penny. A cancer survivor, cafe owner that's unlucky in love but desperately wants to be a mother.

As you can tell from the title her luck changes but I was not a fan of any of the men in this love square. The first relationship seemed good but then went awkward and weird so quick and I even found it so uncomfortable to read about.

The second one was ok, a bit cringey on the cliches and constant lizzo mentions. The 3rd one made no sense to me at all. I am all for woman doing what they want 100% but the way it was written was just icky to me.

There was one scene I particularly hated which took part in the red panda. Where i felt it all to be a bit hypocritical and a bit of slut shaming.

Also the end was bad... like it was a nice end but why did she keep in contact with all these guys and why were they present at that particular moment... weird!

I loved The Love Square, but then again, I’ve loved Laura Jane Williams’ writing since she self-published The Book of Brave years ago.

This story focuses on Penny Bridge, a chef who finds herself not in a love triangle with two men, but a love “square” with three of them (!), as she leaves the comforts of her London life to run her uncle’s restaurant in northern England. Penny and the rest of the cast of characters felt believable; I loved her family and friends, and even her potential love interests felt three-dimensional, not just “good” or “bad” guys.

Laura Jane Williams describes her stories as “modern romance,” and this one truly is a modern love story, one that will keep you on your toes (unusual for a genre where you can typically guess the outcome from the first chapter) and may even convert any rom-com sceptics out there!

Penny Bridges life never feels enough for her, she feels like somethings missing. Due to being ill her priorities have changed. She finds relationships difficult She doesn’t do trust, commitment or even love as she has the outlook that she does not deserve happiness. When an unexpected family emergency occurs, Penny finds that she is being asked to keep her family’s business running even though it’s in a place, where she spent her childhood years, but away from her own life. Even though she feels unhappy, family loyalty wins. Whilst she is there she experiences every emotion imaginable and finds that there are things about herself that she doesn’t like and need addressing. After a lot of soul searching she finds what she wants and goes for it.
I loved how Penny’s character was easy to relate to and love wins out in the end. Definitely worth reading and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Will definitely reading the other book by this author

Penny Bridge hasn't had much luck when it comes to love. Then she meets Francesco, and they have an instant connection. For the next 3 weeks, things seem to be going perfectly. Until an unfortunate twist of fate means she has to leave her life in London to look after her Uncle's restaurant in Derbyshire.
Over the next 12 months, she meets not one, but TWO men who also want to date her. Thomas has a busy and exciting life working in the music industry, while Priyesh is a wine merchant who's much older than her.
Penny never expected to find herself in the middle of a 'Love Square,' but the situation forces her to confront what she really wants in life.

I really enjoyed Laura Jane William's previous book ”Our Stop” so as soon as I saw The Love Square was available on Netgalley I had to request it!

This book is very different to Our Stop. I personally thought it was better! There's less comedy, but more emotion.

I could relate a lot to the main character Penny. I was also diagnosed with cancer in my 20s, and I felt that her thoughts, feelings, and long-term side-effects were portrayed accurately.

The secondary characters were also very likable. Not all relationships are traditional or conventional, and this was represented well. One of Penny’s friends is non-binary, and they were introduced in a very natural way. I loved the diversity, and how it never felt forced.

When it came to the three romances, I didn’t have a preference as to who I wanted Penny to end up with. I wouldn't say that I disliked any of them, I just felt more interested in Penny's relationship with herself.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a funny and enjoyable contemporary romcom with a difference. I like Laura’s writing and I like that she writes about diverse characters and is inclusive, and respectful to tough subjects. I liked most of the characters in this one and thought that the scene setting was great and I appreciated it as a northerner! I am all for strong female friendships too and love that although this was a book about love stories (yes plural), it was also about Penny’s personal and character development.

3.5 stars

Penny Bridge has pretty much sworn off relationships. She wants to focus on herself and her cafe in London instead. Then Francesco walks into her life...

He feels so right for her, but before their budding romance can get anywhere, Penny has to break things off. Her beloved uncle is ill and needs her to run his pub up north - she can't move hundreds of miles away and expect Francesco to come wth her. It's too soon.

As she's leaving, she spots Francesco with another woman and that makes up her mind. He wasn't perfect after all. Once working at the pub, she meets Thomas - laddy on the surface, but much deeper underneath. Then Priyesh, an older man she's drawn to.

Soon enough she's in a love square - even Francesco is back in her life to make up the final spot! But as a 'friend'. Who does Penny really want? More importantly, what does she really want from her life?

This is an emotional read that's as much about Penny's internal journey than the romance. She's battled cancer and now wants to have a baby via a surrogate - but when is the right time? The book's not quite as funny and light as you might expect - not that that's a bad thing.

I wasn't super keen on the misunderstanding sub-plot that crops up. They're my personal bugbear (even though, if I was to write, I'm sure I'd probably use one myself!). I wish there was another way to create tension. Also, by the end, you somewhat go off all the romantic leads!

Still the writing was enjoyable and I had fun on the journey.