Love in Lockdown is one of the first post-pandemic stories I've read, and I like James's take on what romance might look like during a time when you can't actually see each other. I did find some of it quite absurd (why not just FaceTime??) and occasionally James gets too didactic, repeating far too many times how lockdown can make you rethink your priorities and your relationships, etc. Not that she's wrong, but she laid it on pretty thick, which feels unnecessary since everyone reading it has at least a taste of the experience already. That said, Jack and Sophia are adorable, there's a fun cast of neighbor characters, and it's a sweet story of love at first... Talk, I guess?

I am still on the fence about whether I prefer my escapist reads to include references to the pandemic or to simply pretend it never happened. But my reluctance didn’t stop me from picking up LOVE IN LOCKDOWN by Chloe James, a love story set against the backdrop of the UK’s full lockdown earlier this year.

Thank you @netgalley, @avonbooks and Chloe James for an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

LOVE IN LOCKDOWN is a sweet story about Sophie and Jack who live in the same apartment block and ‘meet’ one night while outside on their balconies clapping for healthworkers.
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I liked how James explores the ways in which lockdown and isolation have affected people's mental health.
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Despite its heavy topic, LOVE IN LOCKDOWN didn’t wear me down or make me feel anxious about what’s yet to come.
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It’s an engaging and endearing story full of love and I liked its emphasis on the importance of helping and caring for others in times of need. Glad I read this, as it was a powerful reminder that we'll get through this together >3

The cover was adorable and really gave me fluffy-romance vibes and the blurb sounded like your typical romance as well But it was just boring and i wasnt seriously invested in the characters it almost seemed forced and honestly i just didnt connect well, sadly. The characters were so blah And sometimes it felt like they did not exactly care about covid or the fact that this was a lockdown. Im glad it worked for others but for me it just completely missed the mark.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. For the most part I've been avoiding media related to the pandemic, but felt the premise of this was interesting so requested an ARC. I really enjoyed the book - Sophia and Jack were likeable characters, and I was keen to know how their story progressed. Covid wasn't dwelt upon per se, but themes surrounding it were explored well, even though the timeline felt a little off. The book was written well, and I'm impressed at how small a timescale it was written in. It was easy to read and very light-hearted, not what I'd expect from anything related to the pandemic, but was definitely a relief.

A romantic story of Sophia and Jack who are both struggling in the current COVID pandemic for various reasons. The coming together to clap for the NHS prompts Jack, whose balcony is above Sophia's, to ask if she is ok when he hears her crying. A balcony friendship develops and Sophia helps him with some errands, as due to health issues he can't go out. A lot of important issues such as mental health, the relentless tiredness of NHS workers and the amazing job teachers have played in the pandemic are all covered. An easy going read to get us through lockdown.

I went into this thinking, “do I really want to read about the effects of Covid while still living it?” And then I told myself, why not?! Just see what it’s about! I know for a lot of people, that will not be the case, and they will probably never want to read a book based on this topic. I see both sides.

For me, while this was a cute love story that happens between neighbors that have never seen each other, it was just too light hearted for me to be set during these times. Even when the characters faced depression, being furloughed, having to change their in person wedding to a zoom situation, it all felt like everyone was just like, “no big deal! Life is great!” Which is a fantastic mental state to be in, but not realistic at all.

In the end, it was actually a really light hearted pick me up book. If you are wanting to read a Covid related book that focuses on the positives that came out of our current times, this is your book!

Thank you to @netgalley and @avon_books for the advanced copy for my honest review!

This was such a lovely read and so relatable with the lockdown conditions. I really enjoyed the neighbourly and community feelings that were expressed throughout and how this contributed to the positive bits of COVID and lockdown in general. Both of the main characters were super likely and though it was a very light read, there were some nice deeper themes of health and family issues tackled delicately too.

Love in Lockdown is a sweet little romance between the two main characters Sophia and Jack.
Their relationship I found entertaining and also I loved the bonds of their community in such a hard time.
Honestly, I picked this book because I thought it would be fun to read something that was relevant to right now, but I think it was too close to home. I think I ended up more overwhelmed and anxious about covid and how it has affected my own life.
So definitely before you pick this one up, check on your mental state in regards to the pandemic today.

This book is such a cute romance story based on life in the UK at the beginning of the Coronavirus journey. It’s a lovely feel-good book that showcases love in all forms of the word, my favourite being that of community and how everyone comes together in desperate times, and that’s exactly what we are doing now!

It’s a comforting read, which touches on the struggles people face and highlights that loneliness and restlessness has been so common this year and that little things can make all the difference. It really is a lovely, heartwarming read and I’d fully recommend it!

First, I want to thank Netgalley for this book
This was a sweet and cute read. It started a bit slow, but it picked up the pace.
This is cute story about lock down, that now we are all experiencing, and finding a love in difficult circumstances.
This was a solid read. 3 stars.

This was a great story about two people, Jack & Sophia who “meet” during the pandemic lockdown. The majority of the story takes place on their balconies where they share their fears, emotions and really get to know each other without ever actually “meeting”. This story showed us that when we are forced to slow down and take a look at what’s right it front of us that it could change our lives. The background characters played a big part - it was heartwarming to see how everyone came together to help each other. This is a feel good story in the middle of a not so feel good time. ThanK you NetGalley, the publisher and author for a chance to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I had the chance to read a free copy of “Love in Lockdown” compliments of NetGalley, and it was such a delightful read. The first few pages started off a bit rough with confusing tenses. But I stuck with it and pretty soon I was immersed in lockdown with Sophia and Jack in the UK. It took me back to the start of the pandemic, but with the chance to view it through someone else’s eyes, filled with hope and promise and the excitement of meeting someone new... even if it takes quite a while to actually meet them. And as we get ready to go back into lockdown this late November in the US, this lovely story of Sophia, Jack, their neighbors and families, was such a nice escape and beacon of hope. Enjoy!!

This book was kindly given to me by NetGalley and the publisher for review.

This book is the first I've read that takes place during the Covid-19 quarantine. The book follows the characters, Jack and Sophia, and their methods of dealing with the odd situations that occur during the quarantine. I found myself agreeing and relating to some of their thoughts about being in quarantine. Their feelings are probably very relatable to a lot of people in the same situations. I think the plot was done well but the romance was underwhelming to me. I didn't feel the relationship was super developed but it was still cute. The book was enjoyable and I would recommend it for an interesting romance during a relatable time.
Rating between 3-4.

*thank you to netgalley for the review copy of this book* - which I had already purchased in august but didn’t even realise before requesting the review copy as it sounded that good. This was such a cute uplifting read one that was definitely needed right now. I have been in a reading slump lately and I picked this up lastnight and couldn’t put it down. Sophia and Jacks story is just so wholesome and it was good to have a nice story from all of this negativity lately.

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Happy publication day!
What a CUTEEE book. If you’re looking for a cheesy pick me up, this is the one. I find it a little crazy that it’s describing a time period we all experienced only a few months ago. It feels like yesterday but it also feels like it never happened, it was so odd. I think Chloe gave a really good representation of the events we experienced.

Fans of The Flatshare will love this! Let me know if you’re going to read this!

Thank you to @netgalley for sending me this ARC to review.

This was such a sweet read! Lockdown has been so tough for everyone involved, I think this captured the experience well! Although my personal lockdown experience was a little different with 3 kids, two school age attempting lockdown learning and a breastfeeding baby, it still managed to define the loneliness, the frustration and the constant worry! But also it captured the community spirit we all felt during lockdown! We spoke to our neighbours (socially distanced of course) and they helped ease that isolated loneliness that everyone felt. My neighbourhood came out together for the clap every week, and on V.E day we were all out in our camping chairs gossiping up and down the road! This is such a lovely, current read that we can all relate to at the moment and it just helps highlight the good aspects that came from lockdown!

5/5 ⭐️
Recommend ✅

#books #reading #bookworm #booklover #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookdragon #booklove #bookreview #thereisalwaystimeforbooks #booknerd #netgalley #ukbookstagram #ukbookstagrammer #ukauthor #loveinlockdown #chloejames

Love in Lockdown is a love story in the middle of a pandemic. Jack and Sophia have never talked to one another — until one night, after hearing Sophia crying on her balcony, Jack tentatively asks if she's ok. After that day, the two look forward to their conversations — Jack above on his balcony, readily supplying drinks and Sophia directly below, with any goods she's baked. The two grow closer together, planning activities to bond with the people in their apartment complex and caring for the other's well-being, and eventually falling in love.

I found this book to be a sweet and hopeful read. I loved reading about Jack and Sophia's daily chats, as well as how they checked in on their neighbors and family. The Zoom calls in the story reminded me of how much it hurts to be away from your family and miss the important moments in their lives. As much as this was a love story, it was also one about finding and building community with those you may not have interacted with before. This book was a wonderful escape (from my schoolwork and the news channel), and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a light and fluffy read.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

An endearing read! Refreshing and relevant for a bit of relief during these troubling times. Enjoyable and light yet with enough depth to sustain interest. Recommended.

Love in Lockdown is both heartfelt and thoughtful as two characters fall in love in the midst of a pandemic. We follow Jack and Sophia, two people who have unfortunate circumstances handed to them. Personality-wise they are opposite, yet the pandemic brings them connected through daily conversations on their balconies and frequent encouragements.

Love in Lockdown is the first work of fiction I've read covering the pandemic. It's been a very emotional time, yet I felt that this story is excellent in addressing the importance of community support and watching one another. Although Sophie experienced a cruel break up, this doesn't prevent her from helping others in need. Jack is also one who loves to do right for his neighborhood, and provides helpful advice while under quarantine.

In conclusion, this was such a lovely story of two people finding ways to stay connected through these emotional pandemic times!

**Thank you so much to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy, in exchange for an honest review!**

I initially requested this book because of the timeliness of a lockdown rom-com and the cute, lighthearted cover. Since I entered my own self-quarantine today, I thought it would be a good time to pick this one up! While it was a happy, quick read with some funny moments, I did not end up enjoying this book as much as I had hoped.

Jack and Sophia live in the same apartment building, with Jack's balcony directly above Sophia's. Jack is unable to leave his apartment due to a kidney disease that puts him in the high-risk category. During the first COVID-19 lockdown, the two meet and begin talking to each other daily and sending alcohol and treats to each other through a rope and box system between their balconies. While they don't ever meet face-to-face, they become enamoured with each other and support each other through the lockdown.

While some parts of this book were done very well, like showing the mental health issues that can come from self-isolating, the coming together of the apartment community, and the occasional funny lockdown story (failed haircuts and throwing together meals with whatever food you have left)—the overall story and romance was underdeveloped and unrealistic. I had a hard time accepting that the two never considered sending selfies or doing Zoom calls and that they entered into a relationship before ever meeting face-to-face. There were also a lot of overdramatic moments and plot lines that didn't feel necessary. The book was very dialogue heavy, which sometimes made it confusing to keep track of who was speaking.

I would agree with several other reviews who have said that there wasn't really an ending to the story. Since the pandemic is continuing to be an issue even after "lockdown" has ended, it seemed very unrealistic that the protagonists would meet in person and go about their lives like normal again, visiting family and going on dates. While I appreciated that the author wanted to keep the story lighthearted and optimistic, I think that adding in more mentions of COVID-19 (there was only one actual mention of COVID in the book) and details about masks and continuing precautions post-lockdown would have made the book feel more believable.

This was an entertaining and quick read and I would recommend it to fans of cute rom-coms with likable characters and little-to-no angst, however it was not for me.