Cute story. Relatable to current times (Covid). I loved the multiple POVs. I love a book where you can see things from a different perspective. Quick and fun read for me to pick up after a long day.

When I first read the First Impression/First Look of this book, I generally KNEW that it was inspired by the quarantine.

The book first starts with a notice that lets the reader know OF the situation. There's a quarantine and the place goes in lockdown. A girl wakes up in a one night stands' apartment, unknowing of it all. Planning on just waking up and leaving, she can't BECAUSE of this lockdown.

Then another side of the story, a new couple are both locked together to learn more about each other. And in a positive way.

There are many other stories, but I will not review them all on here, as I would like to type it up on my blog.

I love the concept as it's EXTREMELY creative. It brings reality into a better/easier way to "enjoy" it. Not really ENJOY but make it a bit more "fun" if you understand i guess.

But overall, I really enjoyed this. It was relatable in a way.

When a resident tests positive with the new coronavirus, the residents of Lockdown Lane: Building C are forced to quarantine in place for 7 days, with no one allowed in or out of the building.

Ethan and Charlotte are forced apart when she returns home just as the quarantine takes effect. Zach and Serena, having spent the past four years together, realize they may not want the same things out of life. Imogene and Nate were a one night stand that now has to last an entire week. And Isla and Danny’s new and “perfect” relationship starts to show cracks when they see behind the proverbial curtain. And poor Olivia, who hosts a DIY wedding weekend for her soon-to-be-married best friend and all her bridesmaids, is left with both a crowded apartment and crowded emotions.

This was my first pandemic read and I have to say, it’s still too fresh for me y’all. I was having awful PTSD flashbacks of sanitizing groceries, packages, etc. (remember when we did this at the beginning 🤦🏻‍♀️?

However, this was such a unique read and I quickly became more engrossed in what was happening in the lives and relationships of all the characters, then in my own bad flashbacks. I became emotionally invested in the outcomes of each and every one of the relationships of this eclectic ensemble cast, rooting for a happy ending for all of them (well as happy as you can get in the midst of a pandemic). And the way all their lives intertwined, made it that much more fascinating of a read.

Well done, Beth Reekles!! And a big pat on my own back for surviving my first pandemic read without too much trauma, tantrums, tissues or tears.

This was a cute read. I thought the characters were well fleshed out, although I didn’t always understand their motivations. Definitely an interesting take on the lockdown situation and puts several couples in awkward situations as well as a group of friends. I really liked the ending and how shows that even in trying times there are still bright spots. Overall, a sweet read that I would recommend others (that don’t mind pandemic plots) check out.

The setting is an apartment building on London Lane as the virus is just starting to make people nervous. Residents wake up to find a note under their doors saying that someone in the building has tested positive and the entire building is locked down to prevent the spread. That means no one goes in or out for a week, deliveries are met by the building's super who scrubs everything with a disinfectant before you can take delivery yourself.

In the building are a varied group of residents, all facing issues with the forced closure. There are the group of women involved in making centerpieces for a wedding 6 months down the road... unless the virus delays it. There is the woman sneaking out after a one night stand to find she has to go back and wake him up to let her in and now gets to spend an entire week with the guy she didn't think she'd contact again. The couple who have been together for 4 years are having a rough time of it when forced togetherness makes her realize she really doesn't know him as she thought and he's wondering what the hell?

It's fluff. I read about a third and decided I didn't care how any of them made out. Some characters were a bit over the top drama wise and that was enough to almost cringe when another chapter would start dealing with their issues. It's not a bad book, but I found it kind of annoying.

Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 ⭐️

While I thought the premise was very cute (and painfully realistic for the current times!), I thought this story was just...okay. It makes me a little sad, because I truly feel this story had a lot of potential!

This book follows five different storylines/couples that are required to go into a one week lockdown after someone in their building tests positive for a virus. Each of these couples deals with different issues, and I really appreciated that each storyline did feel different from the others: there was the couple that had a one night stand and are now stuck together, the newly committed couple forced to live together for the first time, the long term couple that is going through some relationship issues, the couple that is separated from each other, and the group of friends/bridesmaids which have tensions with each other (maybe some romantic tension, as well? 😉). That being said, I personally felt this was also a major downfall of the book; following five different storylines in a book that is a little over 300 pages is very hard, which meant that the stories (and at times the characters) often remained very superficial. This book would have had a much stronger execution if it maybe focused on just three or four storylines, instead. I feel the fact that I also enjoyed reading certain storylines a lot more than some others really affected my reading/final score. However, I will say that I really liked how all the stories melted together at the end, and I would totally read another book if it centred Ethan/Charlotte, Imogen/Nate, or even Isla/Danny!

I realise this was Reekles' debut into Adult fiction, so I definitely think this was a good first attempt. Overall, I think this is very cute, but definitely go into it with the expectation of it being a very simple story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad books for the eARC!

It has multiple POV’s which was interesting. I was definitely more interested in some then others.

A good, fun read!

I’d recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

I had been hearing about this book for awhile and was excited when I was approved to review it. The book follows 5 different apartments and the romantic inter working of those apartments. It has everything from the one night stand turned 10 day stand; new boyfriend living with you, to the more established relationships figuring out if matrimony is in their future or not as well as talking about female friendships.

I found the book to be cute. I know we’re all a bit fatigued from talking about COVID but the author really didn’t focus that much on COVID itself which I appreciated. Take the virus out of the book itself and it’s still a really cute rom com.

The only thing I found slightly annoying (and it’s not enough for me to dock a star) was that there were times where the author repeated herself in a paragraph after already saying the same thing in the paragraph above. I don’t know if it was just a weird edit in the book or if it was meant to be that way but I noticed it in a couple chapters and it kind of threw me.

3 we’ll deserved stars on this one!

This was a fun read! I've been seeing a lot of people describe it like a COVID Love Actually and that is the perfect way to describe it. I loved the storyline and all the different romances that we got to experience and how they were connected in some way. Most of the characters got on the nerves, but I can't really complain because it was really realistic. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to some aspects of the book, but it wasn't anything ground-breaking for me.

Thanks NetGalley and Wattpad books for the ARC.

This was a cute collection of stories about different couples in different stages of their relationships and how they deal with Covid lockdown. It may have been a little too real for me right now as we head into year three of Covid..

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad books for the eARC!

I don’t read many contemporaries… so I was a little hesitant going into this book. But, I’m so glad I read it. It’s funny, it’s heart wrenching, it’s witty, and it’s everything I could have wanted.

This book follows five different storylines, centered around the residents of an apartment building under a mandatory quarantine.

Zach and Serena, dating for four years and everything starts to crumble when Zach orders a Hawaiian pizza… and Serena realizes she didn’t know Zach liked pineapple on pizza. Their story was the most emotional to me… and they made me CRY. They were so REAL, which is something you don’t often get in a romcom like this. But, it was raw and heart wrenching (even at moments, heartbreaking), and it was exactly how a relationship like theirs would go in a mandatory 7 day quarantine. I adored them so much, and I’m curious to see their future if Beth ever decides to continue their story.

Ethan and Charlotte, completely in love and happy together, and completely inseparable… until, of course, Charlotte is locked on the other side of the door and can’t be there during the quarantine. Seeing Ethan’s struggles as he attempted to go through his days without Charlotte was both heartwarming and hilarious. Seeing him struggle to keep the routine he had with Charlotte (read: completely throw out the routine) was so funny because it’s so accurate. His ending was one I adored because it was so beautiful and I would love to see more of him and Charlotte.

Liv, trapped in her small apartment with her best friend and her best friends bridal party. As the maid of honor it was her job to host the DIY wedding decor night… and it backfired in the form of a mandatory quarantine. Liv’s inner monologue was so relatable and completely how I would be if I was trapped with three very different women, including a bridezilla. Her sarcasm, her complete disdain for the whole situation… it made me love her. (Plus, she is lesbian and I LOVE the representation.)

Isla and Danny, a new couple who are still in the cupcake phase. They love spending time together… but 7 days of constant companionship is a lot for a couple who have only been dating a month. At first, I really disliked Isla. She was so frustratingly smitten with Danny that I kind of wanted to rip my hair out. But, by the end, I thought they were such a cute couple. The balance between needing to be perfect and letting everything just flow was a huge part of what made their relationship work, and I loved it.

Imogen and Nate, a one night stand that turned into a 7 day stay. Complete opposites in every way, they were completely lost on what to do for this quarantine. Imogen and Nate’s story was my absolute favorite. The fact that they were polar opposites and still somehow managed to get along, Nate coming up with a nickname for her, the running jokes about Imogen forgetting his name… it just made me laugh and want something like they had. EVERYTHING about them was fantastic. Nate was so sweet and Imogen was so sarcastic and lovable… and they were the highlight of this story for me.

The stories of the residents are so real and at the same time, like a sitcom. I couldn’t get enough of the humor, the reality, and the connection. I got throughly invested in these characters and I was so sad when I got to the end. I didn’t want any of their stories to be done, but I like that they were left open enough that there is potential for more (and dear lord I am hoping Beth will write more).

Overall, I thoroughly loved this book. It was a well-built story with just enough romance, sarcasm, and quarantine crazy. Beth did a fantastic job of spinning a story that got me to laugh a lot and even cry. I would read this book again, that’s how much I loved it.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange of my honest review.

5 STARS

LOCKDOWN DOWN LONDON LANE follows the story of the people living in an 5 apartment complexes when the whole building was lockdown for 1 week due to one of the residents turning covid positive.

First, there is Ethan and Charlotte. Ethan, who was a youtuber and a gamer, was inside the apartment building whereas Charlotte was out when the lockdown was imposed. The separation causes Ethan to realize certain things.

Then there is Imogen and Nate-Nathan-Nate (my personal favorite). For Imogen and Nate , it was supposed to be a one night stand which turns into one week stand. Imogen is a messy primary school teacher and Nate, who works in a project management in a bank is organized as shit. Would they cope one week with such contrast character? Would they grow fond of the other?

Then there is Zach and Serena . They have been together for 4 years. Before lockdown, they barely spent time together as they were busy with their work. But now that they are stuck together in their apartment . They start to realize there are a lot of things that they don't know about each other , making a crack in their relationship. How would they take this revelation ? Would they be able to resolve their conflict?

then there is Danny and Isla who has just started dating a month ago. When the lockdown happened, Danny gets stuck in Isla's apartment, jumping ten steps ahead of their relationship. They start getting know embarrassing things about each other that a couples in a one month old relationship wouldn't know. Would they be able to keep their budding relationship intact?

Last but not the least, there is Olivia who is planning her best friend's Kim's bridesmaid party. All the girls get stuck in Liv's one room apartment for a week. How would Liv get through this week playing hostess to them? What would happen at the end of the lockdown?

The writing style was good. I wasn't a very big fan of The Kissing Booth book ( the movie was good). The ending wasn't very conclusive but I know it is how she writes ( she did the same thing with the Kissing Booth 3 ). So I am not complaining. Otherwise it was good . I would surely recommend the book. It was really refreshing reading it .The characters in each apartment were diverse but yet interconnected. the way Reekles did it was superior. I would surely reread it.

OUT FEBRUARY 1ST

I can't believe we finally have a book about going into lockdown! This book was so cute and sweet. It really showed all the things that we all went through in lockdown. I loved every person story and wished that I could find out how they all ended up after that week. I love all Beth Reekles books and this was no exception!

This book starts out with what looks like ordinary junk mail being slipped under the doors of every tenant that lives in apartment building C on London Lane, we come to discover that someone in the building has tested positive for the virus that is going around and the entire building is on a 7 day quarantine. No one in or out.

That in it of itself had me hooked, all of our lives have been thrown into an upheaval with COVID the last few years but I personally live very rurally and honestly did not see much of a change to my daily life other than the introduction of masks, so it was super interesting to me to see how things might have gone down so differently for people that were trying to live out there lives in a populated city, let along an apartment complex.

Now we start to meet our characters. This book has multiple POVS and I can honestly say that I was interested in seeing how everyone was going to come out of this at the end of the week. It was also a nice reminder that just because you may live in the same area or apartment complex everyone is living such vastly different lives.

Lets dive in shall we?

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

First we meet Imogen, who is trying to sneak out of Nate's apartment after a one night stand only to find out that she cannot actually leave the building and is going to be stuck with this man for an entire 7 days, As we go through the story we find out how vastly different Nate and Imogen actually are. She is a spontaneous, fly by the seat of her pants teacher and he is a by the book, every inch of his apartment is organized and everything has its place financial planner. Their time over the week is sweet and fun, learned about the other and learning a little bit about themselves along the way. There isn't too much angst and they end their quarantine on a good note with a possible budding relationship on the horizon.

Next we meet Ethan, and let me start by saying that I absolutely adore Ethan. He is a content creator on twitch and youtube and is a total nerd who is just lovely. His live in girlfriend Charlotte is visiting her parents and due back the morning of the lockdown, they soon discover that Charlotte will not be allowed back in until after the lockdown is lifted and Ethan spends the week realizing how much his life revolves around Charlotte and how much he wants it to continue to do so. It is really so sweet as he makes these realizations over the week. It all comes to a head when he decides that he wants to propose and has no idea how to do so. He ends up making a video journal entry so he can get his thoughts down and accidentally posts it to his youtube channel. He wakes up to discover that his accidental proposal has gone viral and honestly freaks out a bit, until Charlotte shows up yelling at him via the balcony and accepts his proposal with all the building tenants cheering them on from their own balconies. Cuteness overload!

Over in apartment 17 we meet Serena and Zach, they have been together for years and things have not been going well as of late. They have been snarky and snappy with one another, kind of just going through the motions. They are now stuck in the apartment together. Since Zach is a nurse there is obviously no way for him to work from home. Leaving them completely in each others space which they are not used to. This one was the tough story. It all seems to come to a head when Zach orders a hawaiian pizza leading Serena to realize that they haven't spent much time talking with each other lately and that they actually don't know that they want out of their futures. Do either of them want marriage? What about kids? These are important discussions that she is know figuring out they don't know the answers to. They spend a lot of time fighting, and the neighbors can hear. Their story ends with Zach leaving for his brothers house at the end of the lockdown and us readers not knowing what is going to happen to the couple! Will they work it out? Are they too far gone? I need answers!!!!

Then we have got the love birds over in apartment 15. Isla and Danny are in a brand new, month long relationship and Danny was spending the weekend when the lockdown news hit. Suddenly they are going to be spending the week together and Isla is freaked. They have their own routines and ways of life that the other doesn't know about. And honestly how is she going to poop?! This is not something she was ready to embark on quite yet. They are clashing on small things that wouldn't come out so early in a relationship until Isla explodes, yelling at Danny in the kitchen about cleaning and scheduling work outs and how she has been trying to be the perfect girlfriend and hiding her flaws all boiling to her ripping a huge fart and running away in embarrassment. It was actually really cute how Danny coaxed her out of the bathroom telling her he liked her not the persona she was trying to put out for him and letting her know that she totally farts in her sleep. They were adorable. Their lockdown ends with them deciding Danny should move in for a month just to see how things go since the world is so up in the air they otherwise aren't sure when they would get to see each other again.

Lastly we have apartment 22, which honestly as an introvert would be my worst nightmare. Olivia has planned a wedding planning weekend for her best friend Kim and the other bridesmaids Lucy and Addison. She is so ready for that weekend to be over on Sunday when they get the notice that the girls will be stuck there for a week. Together. In Olivia's one bedroom apartment. While everyone else gets a week off of work, Olivia is stuck working from home while also trying to play hostess to the ladies, which is driving her nuts. Kim has been being a bit of a bridezilla and when after some wine Olivia mentions that it may be better to postpone the wedding because no one knows how the world will be changing with the virus Kim loses it. They end up in a screaming match where Olivia reminds Kim that she is being a total bridezilla and Kim outs Olivia to the other girls in the wedding party before destroying a bunch of the DIY things they had created for the wedding and shattering a wine bottle against Olivia's wall. I would have lost my shit honestly. Kim was totally out of line and the other girls agree, but are too nervous of throwing her into another fit to say anything to her. All of this makes Olivia even more uncomfortable and upset. They eventually make up and Olivia forgives Kim (a little too quickly if you ask me) after they talk things through. Then Kim lets it drop that Addison has a total crush on Olivia and has been flirting with her all week. Their lockdown ends with the girls all leaving as friends again and Olivia and Addison making plans for a zoom date.

But I want to talk about the star of this book. Mr. Harris. and I will tell you right now that in my mind he was Mr. Filch from Harry Potter lol That poor man was trying to keep the peace and everyone safe in the apartment complex and was given the worst jobs. But his interactions with our characters, especially with Imogen, really stole the show and I loved every time we got to see him on the page.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. I think it was a nice peak into what could and is actually happening all over with COVID and the situations that people may find themselves in. I will also say, I am sooo thankful that I live in the middle of now where during this pandemic!

My Alter Ego is Fictional
Book Blog

Title: Lockdown on London Lane by Beth Reekles
Category/Genre: Contemporary Romance

Should one read a romance about the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic while new variants emerge all over the world?

I picked up Lockdown on London Lane by Beth Reekles because of the London setting. I love reading books set in the UK because I studied abroad in London during college. The phrase “lockdown” stuck out to me in the title. Having heard this phrase during the start of the pandemic I knew I wanted to read it. Knowing it was a contemporary romance, made me wary of how a lasting romance forms during this confusing time. Reekles set up a bunch of different scenarios that she stuck her characters in during a week-long quarantine. The book centers around each of the different couples in the same building. Forced into mandatory week-long isolation from the outside world, these characters learn to live in a scary and complicated world. Reekles hones in on the initial confusion and fear that comes with an emerging contagious virus. This reminds readers of wiping down groceries and getting our clothes delivered. It also reminds readers of having to transition to working online and all the problems that come with moving to virtual meetings and social distancing. The author’s notion that people react and respond the same way if given the chance proves true. Reekles also states that people go stir crazy when left to their own devices while quarantining. People who get to understand their partners on a deeper level.

I will briefly describe the main couples in the book.

The one-night stand that couldn’t leave.
The budding one-month relationship turns too serious too fast.
The bridal party that never left after a weekend of wedding planning.
The 4-year relationship that hasn’t talked about the future.
And the couple that was separated by the building’s lockdown.

All of these couples face their own challenges during the week-long lockdown.

The author creates a world just like the present, but without all the politics and vaccine discussions getting in the way. The book’s setting transpires at the very beginning of the madness. She talks about the way people initially interacted with lockdowns, and how they learned more about other people.

I finished this book with mixed feelings. Initially, I thought it was too soon to read about the pandemic. Especially considering the pandemic’s lasting impact. However, after reading from each of the character's points of view, I found each storyline relatable.

The best thing about the book: we get to see the universal human experience. Even when faced with a pandemic, readers see themselves reflected in the story. It made me understand that a lot of people had meaningless fights and feared the future. I felt not so alone anymore. I think that the point of this book relates to the fear felt by everyone. The story reminds us of our shared human experience in a time of division and hate. We are all just trying our best to navigate in a crazy scary world. The author allows readers to see and relate, allowing for more empathy overall. This book has many themes, but the best shows love and compassion.

Pros: All the shenanigans that people get into while stuck at home.
Cons: It is easy to confuse some of the characters until we get to know them better.
Recommended for: people who want to feel less isolated during this COVID-19 pandemic.
Rating: 4 stars

I really loved this book. I didn’t think i would like the multiple POVs but i did. I thought that it had good character development but definitely could have had more, i felt there wasn’t enough focus on each relationship for enough time! Give me more of ‘Livvy’ and Addison please! I really liked the representation too. The writing was good as well and very easy to read, i read it very quickly.

LOCKDOWN ON LONDON LANE is a pandemic story about the residents of an entire apartment building that get put under a seven-day quarantine. While the book doesn't mention Covid by name, it instantly brought me back to the early stages of the pandemic, and you know what? I didn't mind it. It seems too soon to be writing books about a situation that we're all still living through, but this story was honestly such a joy to read. It mentions the lighter things we must all remember from 2020, like baking sourdough and Tiger King. The story is told in five different points of view, following couples in various stages of their relationships, from the just beginning to the long term. The construct of having these couples locked together (or locked apart, in one case) allowed the author to really explore a lot of aspects of how relationships work. I related so much to some of the characters and their dating struggles and found these parts of the book funny. What I didn't expect to find was the more emotional and serious parts of the book. It's not a dark book by any means, but for such a fun read, it also had a lot of depth.

I honestly wasn't sure how much I would enjoy this book, mainly because stories with more than two points of view aren't my favorite. I normally find myself more interested in some points of view than others and feel like I want to skip chapters to get back to those ones. But that did not happen at all for me with this book. Even though I found one point of view the most fun (a girl who just hooked up with a Tinder date and tries to escape in the morning only to find out she can't leave his apartment), each point of view was extremely compelling to me for different reasons. While I was reading, I basically did nothing else. I seriously could not put it down, because I was so invested in each character's story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wattpad Books for providing me with an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I've been looking for a book like this pretty much since the pandemic began, and I'm so happy I finally found it! There's so much media that focuses on the seriousness of the pandemic, so it was a nice change to have something with a more light-hearted slant.

The five stories were fun, easy to read, and often super relatable. It perfectly captured all the confusion and weirdness of early pandemic when everything just stopped and we had to figure out things like working from home and being around the same people 24/7. Would recommend as a light-hearted read.

I always appreciate a book with multiple POVs, although I definitely cared more about certain characters and was eager to get back to their storyline than others. I personally read fiction for the escapism, so reading about our current pandemic wasn't very fun, but each character's unique positions and relationships were definitely relatable and accurate.

Overall, this book was decent, but somewhat boring. There were five different POVs and while I didn't mind switching between them all, some stories really didn't have all that much going on. It would just be a lot of narration of that character. I found this part boring and often found myself just skimming through that part.

I enjoyed the ending for the most part, but I wish there would have been more of an epilogue of sorta, showcasing what happened post(ish)-pandemic. Just to see how all the couples faired at the end.