Love in Lockdown by Chloe James

During the Covid-19 lockdown Sophia gets to know her upstairs neighbour Jack during chats on the balcony. The story of them falling in love is set against the backdrop of their family, friends and community trying to cope with the pandemic. A heart-warming story that also covers more serious issues of chronic illness, bereavement and grief, loneliness and many others. Lovely characters, great story and a fabulous record of what the lockdown was really like (I'm sure we'll forget all the details the author includes as times goes on) - very highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

The cover was adorable and really gave me fluffy-romance vibe, so did the blurb. But it was just alright for me? It wasn`t something i was too invested in, sadly. The characters were so... meh? And sometimes it felt like they did not exactly care about the covid or the fact that this was a lockdown. Jack were a bit cute here and there, but that`s it.

Nice cover and of course the attraction of a romance during this pandemic.

I just did not really enjoy the writing style (present tense) and the romance was not as fulfilling as I hoped. The idea is quite nice (the balconies) but let's face it: it is 2020 and you can facetime/Skype/Zoom/Teams and snap pictures all you want.
The story did entertain me so 3 stars.

It’s lockdown and life as Sophia knows it has been turned upside-down. She is trying to adjust to the new normal, with Zoom calls, one-way sop paths, and disinfecting grocery bags, which is all quite different to the way life was before. Another new thing to add to her list of lockdown activities is the Thursday evening clap for the NHS. At 8pm on Thursday, Sophia heads out to her little balcony and joins the clap. She claps for her roommate, her mom, everyone she knows is out on the frontlines fighting against COVID-19. It’s an emotional moment, and as emotions bubble over, Sophia has a quiet cry on her balcony.

Or so she thought. While she is still drying her tears, a concerned voice calls down from the balcony above asking if she’s okay … she was sobbing quite loudly, and the man upstairs is worried that something is wrong. Sophia tries to explain herself, and while doing so strikes up an unexpected friendship with the man, whose name is Jack. Jack is shielding and staying inside because of chronic kidney disease, which puts him at extra risk of severe illness if he were to contract the virus. Thus, an unlikely friendship starts: Sophia and Jack share cocktails and meals via a makeshift dumbwaiter contraption, and counsel one another through their tough days or their family dramas. Somehow, in the middle of a time of isolation, Sophia and Jack have managed to not be so isolated after all.

I knew it would only be a matter of time before a book set during the COVID-19 lockdown would make its way onto shelves. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to expect of these books – would they be inordinately depressing, boring, or mundane, or would authors use this as a way of sparking creativity and telling stories in a unique and unexpected way. Furthermore, given that so many people read for escapism, how would an author manage to take a story set in the current bleak world and make it feel like an escape? On the whole, though, I think this book achieves that.

Love in Lockdown by Chloe James is definitely a “cute” romance story between two people who meet under exceptional circumstances. The thread running through the whole book is that of community spirit and the fundamental good of humankind. I was sceptical about it at first, and unsure of how the plot would be able to move forward with limited settings and interactions, but I was pleasantly surprised. The creative use of side plots made the book feel as if it was always moving along, although I think the book did get quite heavy with these side plots. I suppose this is a natural consequence of being essentially limited to two apartments as settings for the story, but I sometimes found that there seemed to be a lot happening all at once, and that there were slightly too many dramatic turns of event that seemed a bit unbelievable or trite. On the whole, though, I thought the author managed to keep the story moving along smoothly and managed to execute a satisfactory story arc in a creative way.

The writing style in the book is very easy to read, and I found that I zipped through the pages (or screens, on Kindle, I suppose) at a rate of knots. The book is pure froth, which, given the subject matter, is actually quite an achievement. I think it was an easy, uplifting read that focussed on some serious themes as well, such as what it is like to live with pre-existing conditions during this lockdown, as well as how loneliness and isolation can impact on mental health. One other thing that this book showed me is how differently I handled the lockdown in my South African setting, compared to the characters in this book. It was interesting to get an insight into another country’s version of lockdown, even if it was through a fictional setting, where poetic license is probably par for the course in certain instances.

Overall, I think this was an enjoyable romance novel, that delivers on the promise of escapism in a time where it is so desperately needed. I was nervous about the onset of “Lockdown Lit” but I think that if this book is anything to go by, I wouldn’t necessarily mind reading more books set during this period in our history … and I’ll definitely be looking out for more by Chloe James when I’m in need of something light-hearted and enjoyable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the advance copy in exchange for a review!

This is an extremely light-hearted fun, romance! At first, I was apprehensive about reading it as I didn't know if it would be a hard read since all over the UK rules are tightening again. It focuses very little on the actual lockdown and more on the relationships we developed throughout it. It was also so funny remembering all the little things that happened at the start of the major UK lockdown like Joe Wick's PE and the Thursday night clap for key workers.
Romance isn't my usual genre of choice but I thought this was a great quick, fun read to break up some heavier books!

Would you believe this made me nostalgic. It did portray lockdown 1 very well and I could really relate to the community, the weekly clap, the helping of neighbours, the one up manship of who was loudest and was there etc. I have a good friend who is online dating through all of this, so I see how hard it is to be single.

There was some great moments - the lockdown wedding, lockdown birth.

Loved the main characters but also Eddie (and Tilly)

A good feel good read makes a great change from my usual books and for that I am grateful.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon books for giving me an advance copy in exchange for an honest and fair review which I have done.

Love In Lockdown is a perfect romance for our times.
Jack lives in the flat above Sophia. He is a bartender who is furloughed during lockdown and isolating due to health issues. Sophia is a teacher who remains working for a small group of children of key workers.
Jack and Sophia become firm friends when they both start using their respective balconies and begin chatting; but do not meet face to face! They try to make the most of their time and start helping others in their community. Can their love for helping others bring them closer together? Will their romance blossom or will their past bad experiences in the love department stop them finding true love together?
Jack and Sophia are both excellent, well developed and likeable characters. They are supported by a number of other people in the community who all make Love In Lockdown a perfect read for this time. I highly recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Highly enjoyed this book which is a definite sign of the times. Love during the pandemic is like a minefield and this book brings it to life.

Love in Lockdown by Chloe James a five-star read that will capture you. This was easily one of my favourite reads this year, and I will be honest with you, I almost didn’t read it as I was kinda fed up with lockdown, but I am so glad I did, this had me laughing it had me crying, and I mean ugly crying with raking sobs that had my dog coming over to check on me. I don’t know why I identified with this story as much as I did, but my goodness it got me right in the feels, this dealt with so many different things and it dealt with them so well. I adored how this story brought the realities of being part of the young shielding group, my husband was told to shield, and I am a key worker so we have had to get creative, I lost my stepbrother to Epilepsy so I know how it can change lives in the blink of an eye, this story will touch so many lives and I really hope that everyone reads it, it deserves to bring a positive light to lockdown. Jack and Sophia are great characters, but they are only two there are so many others that will captivate you and have you looking back at lockdown with rose tinted glasses, remembering the good moments, the moments that matter.

I read Love In Lockdown over the weekend and really enjoyed it. It was written during the first lockdown in England, an unprecedented time when everyone was wondering how the world would cope with this global pandemic. This book follows Sophia, a teacher and Jack, a barman who has been furloughed. Jack lives in the flat above Sophia and over the course of the lockdown they develop a firm friendship. They become closer but due to the lockdown they are still kept apart. I felt this book was very well written, it was sympathetic to the cause but also captured the resilience and community spirit of the public. I can highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and the author for the chance to review.

I wish my lockdown was filled with as much love, romance, heart and community spirit as this gorgeous story. Watching Sophie and Jack’s love blossom made me cry tears of pure joy - and the bouquet? SOBBING! This book is essential 2020 self-care.

Charming and sweet is the best way to describe this book.

Nothing better than a nice story to lift your spirits and I believe Chloe James achieved this with Love in Lockdown.

Sophia Trent and Jack Stanton are living in the same building without ever meeting in person. Jack has some health issues and he’s unable to leave his apartment during the pandemic lockdown. Sophia, on the other hand, is able to continue with her job as a teacher. She studied law but after developing epilepsy she gave up her career and now works with kids. Due to her illness, her boyfriend of five years didn’t want to stay with her.

One day after that NHS clapping, she becomes emotional and starts crying. Jack who lives above Sophia can hear her and they strike a conversation. Soon this becomes the norm. Sophia sends treats his way, while he sends special cocktails using a box and rope to her apartment balcony. Together, this duo and with the help of WhatsApp start helping their courtyard community.

Love in Lockdown brings some solid points about the pandemic including mental health issues that can arise from isolation, the need to help the elderly and other vulnerable populations, the importance of telemedicine and exhaustion of the healthcare workers, the need for teachers to help kids during these dire times.

My one complaint about the book would be the ending, I felt it needed more. Something was missing in the romance department.

3.5/5 fangs

Cliffhanger: No

A complimentary copy was provided by Avon UK via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Omg this book came too early for me if you know what I mean? I mean we Are still under a serious pandemic and some of us Are still under lockdown.. the book felt rushed and for me it did not have depth. . Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

Love in Lockdown almost felt too soon like I was still living what I was reading! The characters all had a wide range of experiences and occupations which led to more storylines of how every person has been affected by this virus. The book was bit slow at the beginning and I was eager to return to the parts where Sophia and Jack relationship continued to develop. It was hard to believe that it took so long for them to actually meet one another in person! Overall, Love in Lockdown was a cute and hopeful romance story set against difficult times.

3.5/5

If you are looking for a relatable story for this time in history this would be the right one! Obviously the author pulled it together pretty quick and I think that was evident. Lacked some depth that I wish was there but overall a cute romance to read in lockdown and some extra hope for those still looking for that someone! hank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

5 Stars

I received a copy of "Love in Lockdown" from Avon Books UK and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I am so glad I had the opportunity to read it. I absolutely loved it. It was adorable, funny, and a really nice light-hearted story that many can relate to during these unprecedented times.

"Love in Lockdown" made me laugh out loud which was truly wonderful as I haven't read a book yet this year that has made me laugh so much. As a result I felt this book deserved a full five star review.

The book takes a look at isolation, how to remain safe, and helps us see how everything has changed for everyone globally. Life has changed significantly for everyone and this book captures the effect of isolation perfectly. The book focuses on the process of being on lockdown as opposed to the actual virus itself. The message to readers is simply be kind to others, help those who are in need, and above all love your neighbors.

The characters were very well written with Sophia and Jack at the forefront. Jack lives above Sophia and one night they start talking to one another outside from their balconies and within a few days they find themselves excited being unable to wait until their next balcony "meetup". As their relationship begins to develop they also start to form friendships with others from their neighborhood all from a distance.

For those who have felt the loneliness of isolation and missed social interaction, "Love in Lockdown" is a must read. I can't wait until publication date so I can purchase a physical copy of the book as it has earned a place on my to be kept forever bookshelf.

Love in Lockdown! After all of the world has experienced some kind of lockdown during 2020 due to Covid-19 I enjoyed reading this wonderful rom-com that felt so close to my heart, and I’m sure to most readers out there it will be the same.
The lockdown due to this pandemic posed so many challenges and the author portrays them with their characters in a very nice way. We have a neighbor love story of two persons that have never seen each other, Sophie, a teacher with epilepsy, and Jack, a bartender that suffers from kidney disease and therefore is totally isolated. The book explores the impacts on mental health, anxiety, and depression, the challenges for medical workers and their families, the challenges kids and elderly had and also the impact on those once in a lifetime events such as weddings!
This is a wonderful read, in which you get to love the characters, however it does not shy out of all those complicated topics I mention above. This is book about love and community even through trying times! 🥰

Thank you to #netgalley and the author for an ARC!

This contemporary romance in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic follows Sophia and Jack who are neighbours in the same block of flats, one level apart. They “meet” by chance when Jack hears Sophia crying below on her balcony, and due to the lockdown soon become friends. The story focuses firmly on the community spirit that we all adopted during the first national lockdown in the UK and reminded me of the community spirit that my own neighbourhood adopted, helping each other out as we could to ensure we were all safe.

This book was the first time I’ve read something that is based solidly in the time that we are currently experiencing and was made more poignant and real for me by the introduction of the second national lockdown in England which began as I was reading it. At times I did struggle to maintain my interest, however I think that that was more due to my own personal preference as I don’t usually read contemporary romance.

Overall, I found this book to be well written and charming, I loved the inclusion of the quirky neighbours that Jack and Sophia have, the developing romance between Jack and Sophia, and the positivity surrounding the lockdown situation which made me think about how I too could see the lockdown with more positivity. I therefore give this book 3 stars and look forward to reading more of Chloe James’ work in the future.

Love in Lockdown is the first novel I've seen about COVID-19. I'm sure there will be many more. For it to be published in November 2020, it must have been written both quickly and as events unfolded, although there is an epilogue which feels as tough it were added later. I'm not sure how much staying power Sophia and Jack's story will have but it was a pleasant way to pass a few hours, and it was an interesting look at lockdown in England, particularly for someone like me who lives elsewhere in the UK.

What a cute story! Perhaps I enjoyed this story even more as we all still right in the middle of this pandemic and it makes you think about what really matters.

Sophia is a teacher and during lockdown she gets to talking with her upstairs neighbor Jack... a man she has never met. Due to health reasons he is shielding and never leaves his home. Throughout this story their friendship grows to something more even though they have never even seen each other. It’s so cute and touching and all the smaller characters in this book also play a role in making the story extra special and making you think of how important friends are when you are going through hard times or unknown times like a pandemic.