Covid lockdowns hit the entire world – and it’s inevitable that there will be and was a LOT of TV shows, books, films etc that centre around it. Engaging with that content at the time would have been a bit too on the nose & a bit too much of an overload, but even now, it feels a bit too soon!? Everything was a bit too covid-forced in this storyline, from the detailed paragraphs about Joe Wicks and clapping for the NHS – it encouraged a few too many cringey eye rolls unfortunately! We get it’s based in covid times – the whole point of the story was that it was lockdown, we didn’t need the incessant call-backs to how life was then, I was holding my breath waiting for the reference to banana bread or zoom call pub quizzes. Outside of this, the story itself was cute enough, but it took WAY too long for them to actually meet or see each other in the flesh, to the point it was too unrealistic and again, a little cringe. Not my cup of tea!

Love In Lockdown was sweet and cute without being sappy.

I’ve decided not to include a synopsis as the general plot is pretty self-explanatory once you’ve read my entire review.

I appreciated that this contemporary romance had a serious side, that there were tough conversations, obstacles, and real world (and past relationship), baggage to overcome. And added bonus, it contained some pretty surprising twists. I thought it was cool how the characters had a brief interaction in the prologue (prior to lockdown), but never exchanged names or the fact that they were neighbours. It was also cool that they never met in person through the majority of the novel therefore their romantic feelings were solely based on non face-to-face interactions rather than physical attraction.

The first person alternating point of view between the romantic leads, Jack and Sophia, completely worked for me as I loved experiencing both sides of a blossoming romance and anticipating what is to come especially when it involves a misunderstanding which this novel did. I enjoyed all the side characters as well – family, friends, neighbours, children Sophia taught, and pets.

Love in Lockdown was not only the first romance I have ever read set during COVID-19, but the first novel as well, and it surprised me how much I had forgotten (blocked out?) about everyday life in lockdown. It all seems so surreal now! Anyway, my long-winded point is that we need stories like this to remind us (and future generations) exactly what it was like during those two years, and I thought the author nailed both the positive and negative impact of COVID expertly and sensitively. The zoom wedding was one of my favourite scenes, and I loved all the interactions between the neighbours in the block of flats where Jack and Sophia lived. Equally the loss of freedoms, stress, worry and loneliness associated with COVID and lockdown as experienced by the characters mirrored how we all felt.

I am definitely keen to read more romances by this author.

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK, and Chloe James for the e-ARC.

I love a romance and this was perfection! This author has quickly become a favourite of mine! A great well written book with great chemistry

As much as I wanted to read this book when I was first granted access via NetGalley I never managed to get round to reading it. I have now gone back through and read the Synopsis and found that now this book is just not for me and will not be reviewing. I want to thank the publisher for allowing me to have access to the book but due to my tastes changing in reading this book no longer appeals to me.

Synopsis:

Sophia is afraid lockdown will put her life on pause just as she was putting herself out there to meet someone. Jack is used to living life to the fullest and is going stir crazy until he hears a woman crying from the balcony below. He strikes up a convo with her and puts a smile back on her face. Soon the balcony meetings are the highlight of their days but even as they grow closer together, they’re always kept apart.

Review:

This is such a sweet story - wouldn't it be lovely to fall in love like this during lockdown? Even the companionship would have been wonderful if you were living on your own. If only all the single ladies had a sweet Jack living an apartment away! The lockdowns were a hard time for many, this story was a lighthearted take on them. An enjoyable and lighthearted read that I quite enjoyed.

This was one of the first books I read that tackled lockdown and I looked forward to seeing it as a backdrop for romance. However, this was a bit sickly sweet and lacked a bit of grit to make it more engaging.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love in Lockdown by Chloe James

A bit of a slow but chute read about two people trying to find love during a pandemic no one expected putting a positive spin on a dreadful time for some .

A charming read with warm and engaging characters. This captures the emotions of lockdown perfectly.

I enjoyed this book. It did take me longer than I wanted to get through it because I didn’t realize how hard it would be to look at the pandemic through a fictional character. Overall, I enjoyed this book.

I tried with this book but really couldn't get into it, the concept was good but the spark just wasn't there for me

I admire how the author wrote about the difficult circumstance we were in. I enjoyed this new type of love, where you can't see, embrace, kiss, or even be close to the person you love. This is our new reality, and we're figuring out what to do now that we can't do what we used to.

It is a nice narrative with a sweet romance between two people who don't know each other and are trying to figure out what to do with this new sensation in this strange situation. It was a slow read for me, but the tale is incredibly wonderful and amusing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

I enjoyed reading this book. The love was cute and the exploration of the affects of lockdown was well done. However, there were some few moments where I felt were dull. But this was a 3 star read for me.

Lovely feel good book to read. It was a joy to read. Lovely characters. Great plot. The book was charming. Very well written. I’d definitely recommend this book.

While I struggled reading this book when I initially received it during the 2020 pandemic, I have gone back and I am so glad I revisited this title. The content may be slightly triggering to some, but I believe James handled the delicate topic with grace and humor. I know this is a late review, but Love in Lockdown is a positive spin on a horrible situation and an enjoyable romance book for all.

After some reflection, I think I liked the premise more than the book itself. I also think books that took place during quarantine/lockdown were more enjoyable at the time it occurred and have not aged well with me.

Love in Lockdown follows the story of Sophia and Jack, two neighbors who strike up a friendship (sight unseen!) from their balconies during the initial full lockdown in the UK.

This was a cute story! I think the author did an excellent job capturing the feelings of what the lockdown period felt like!

It was less about romance/love and more about the human connection and camaraderie during the darkest days of the pandemic. I would've enjoyed it more if it was positioned as so (instead of a romance) and if I had read it in 2020 when those quarantine days were fresher in my mind vs two years later.

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

Not the right genre for me. Good writing and a nice storyline, and I think people will love this book if they like this genre. Unfortunately not for me, but still a good book.

I wanted to love this book-- two strangers meet on their balconies during covid lockdowns, and fall for each other. It sounds sweet, and like something that could really get readers through a tough time. I tried to read it in 2020 and couldn't get into it, and then recently tried again. I still couldn't get into it, which is disappointing.
The book seems to be mostly dialogue that I found was often hard to follow. 1/3 of the way into the book, I still couldn't really get a feel for either of the main characters, so I couldn't really root for them or for the relationship. It read to me like a rushed draft that could have used another round or two of revision.