Very very cute! I really enjoyed how everyone was somehow tied together and that all the endings weren’t perfect happy endings. It was great to see the conflicts and how they worked through them during lockdown. And Mr. Harris was pretty funny.

(Thank you Netgalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. This in no way affects my opinion or review. These are completely my own, honest thoughts.)

This review can also be found on goodreads.

I'm sorry, but I just couldn't like this book.
I tried so hard to but it wasn't for me. I didn't enjoy the writing style and there were so many moments where I got second-hand embarrassment. With that being said, the idea of the plot was cool, but the execution just didn't work at all.

The story follows an apartment building in London, who is forced to go on a 7 day lockdown because of an ongoing pandemic. Each chapter follows a different apartment, and you get to see different characters that have different experiences with the lockdown. Relationships are put on trial, strangers that happen to be stuck together begin to bond, and friendships are pushed to their limits.

The premise of the book sounded really cool, and I was excited to see all the different point of views with the different apartments, but it just didn't do it justice. I felt like all the characters lacked depth and I couldn't really see myself relating to any of them, not even getting attached. The story was so slow and after reading 100 pages, I still felt like nothing had happened.

I really did want to like this book, but it just wasn't for me.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4129661737

This is the review that can be found on goodreads.

Let me quickly preface this by saying I was provided free online arc company from NetGallery in exchange of an honest review.
I was first excited to read this on Wattpad, when I saw what it was about, but then never got around to it. While reading this book, it sort of feels nostalgic (for a lack of better words) as to how the world was initially reacting to the pandemic, compared to now.

This book follows five different love stories whilst being kept in lockdown for a week. Each of the couples showcases different stages of being in a relationship and how being forced to deal with each other’s company’s with no breaks will impact one another and the relationship(with the exception of Ethan and Charlotte).

Generally, I’m iffy about different stories being told throughout the book, but the way this writer does it, makes me more open to books told in a similar manner. Reekles does a great job by having the stories overlap and the characters interact with one another, in some way or another, which weaves each of the stories into a book, rather than it’s own thing.

I loved the pop cultural references found in this book, especially to sitcoms. If I had to chose who my favorite character from this book is, it would be Imogen. Reading this book, I wanted to just go back to her story, not for the plot, but for her. She is unafraid to be herself, and wasn’t withholding parts of herself. She was honest, with a great wit, making her all that more enjoyable to read (and the main source of humor). Close second, would have to be Charlotte for similar reasons, even though we didn’t see much of her in the book. I like how near the ending we get a taste of what Charlotte is like, rather than being someone told from the narrative of her boyfriend.

I wished that we got to see more of Nate, and what he must have been feeling or thinking. Obviously, it would have be complicated to do so, but the chat that he has with Ethan, where he tries to explain how he feels Imogen, was a great thing to keep in mind while reading the rest of the story.

Near the end, there are some edits that need to be made, for example between two paragraphs, there was (insert spacer). There were also some minor syntax errors, such as a stray letter or two.

It was such a stunning book, 4 stars read for me. I cant wait to see everyone else's reactions. I am definitely going to be picking up this book again in the future as a re-read.

Lockdown on London Lane is a look at 5 apartments in a building that has gone on a mandatory weeklong lockdown because of a “highly contagious deadly virus” although we all know which one the author meant. 😉

A one night stand. A newly dating couple. A couple struggling. A man separated from the love of his life. A bridal party work weekend.

Relationships were tested. Insecurities were brought to the surface. Revelations were made.

I really enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure going in and it started a bit slow for me but I ended up reading the last 2/3 of the book in one day because I needed to know how each scenario ended.

I did appreciate that although the stories many focused on relationships; none of the parties forgot about the impending pandemic. Lots of fears were discussed about the uncertainties of the next few months (years) and decisions were made with it in mind.

I recommend this book as a light-hearted pandemic-based romance with a lot of reality mixed in.

When it comes to this novel, I linger back and fourth between a 3 and a 4 star review. Lockdown on London Lane follows multiple residents as their apartment building shuts down to quarantine. While the following of each character was light-hearted, I couldn’t help but wonder— is this too soon to be fictionalizing the pandemic we’re still not 100% out of yet? At the onset, I wondered if the writing style felt at first too immature, but as the book progressed, it became endearing and conveyed a sense of lightness amongst the backdrop of what had the potential to be a darker concept. Immogene & Nate’s relationship became chapters I looked forward to most, and I’ll be interested to see what else is to come for this author.

Book Review: Lockdown on London Lane by Beth Reekles


Rating: ★★★ (3.5 stars)

In Summary

Genre: Adult Fiction; Romance

Publication Date: 1st February 2022

No. Of Pages: 352

Keywords: Funny, lighthearted, relatable, romance, friendship

Content Warnings: References to lockdown

Format:  Paperback

Review

Lockdown on London Lane explores the different experiences of lockdown, from the everyday inconveniences that no one expected to the more eye-opening reflections about ourselves and our loved ones.


The book follows the lives of five flats in an apartment building as they adapt to a week of self-isolating. 


There is Ethan and Charlotte, a head-over-heels couple forced to spend the week apart; Zach and Serena, four years into their steady relationship discovering new revelations about each other; Isla and Danny, having dated for only a month but now quarantining together; Imogen and Nate, a one-night stand turned unexpected six-night stand; and Liv, hosting a bridesmaid party for four females embarking on a week of overcrowded living.


The unique situations of each character are told in a relatable and lighthearted manner, each linked with a sense of togetherness in what they are experiencing.


Set at the very beginning of the pandemic, the book has a heartwarming feel as it describes shared experiences of working from home; baking banana bread; attending virtual pub quizzes; to name a few of which we can all relate to! The plights of those self-isolating focus mainly on their interpersonal relationships, without delving specifically into the coronavirus or health-related scares; making it an accessible read.


While the characters are likeable and resonated with me, more diverse demographics would have added extra depth to the book. The chapters quickly switch between characters which, at times, can make the storylines blur more than you would like. However, it makes the book a fast-paced read and you find yourself racing through it.

 

The Round Up

Standout Quote or Moment: The endearing moment when all five stories are threaded together.

Read If: You want to indulge in a fun and contemporary read that explores different dynamics between characters.

Similar Books: The Switch by Beth O’Leary

Last Impressions: The book taking place during lockdown might seem off-putting, but the easy going storytelling allows you to embrace the lives of these adults without it leaving you with heaviness. The underlying tone of romance, friendship and humour, makes this book worth curling up to in February.

Written by Mia Pang

I really enjoyed this timely novel. Though we often read books where for whatever reason, a group of people end up stranded together, the pandemic twist really hit home right now. But aside from that aspect, the author did a really great job creating separate scenarios of people stuck in several different apartments in the same building that all felt wildly different yet connected in the end. So many different relationships, both platonic and romantic, we’re explored and the range of emotions was very well done. I laughed, I cringed, and I even cried. I thoroughly enjoyed this read.

4/5 ⭐️

5 residents on London Lane wake up one morning to discover they’re all being quarantined for a week due to a highly contagious virus going around.

This is my first time reading a book about COVID-19, and let me tell you, I thoroughly enjoyed it! The characters are so witty and funny, and I laughed, cried, smiled, and emphathized with them. Their stories were all relatable and so fun to follow along with. Even the first chapter had me giggling because of the humor right off the bat!

I’ll admit, initially it was confusing because there were so many characters and stories to follow, and it took me a few pages into each chapter to remember who was telling which story. But after I got the hang of it, it was a really fun and cute read! I love how the ending tied in all the stories together.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Wattpad Books and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fast-paced and lighthearted book that focuses on the residents of five apartments in a building during a 7-day pandemic building lockdown. The impacts of forced proximity on various types of relationships make up most of the story - there is a new relationship, a relationship on the brink of its end, a one-night stand, a friend group and a couple separated by the pandemic. The book takes place during the early days of a pandemic (it doesn't specifically call out the Covid-19 pandemic but given the timing of the release, I assume that's what it is). The pandemic content is generally light and does not deal with the tragedy, uncertainty and consequences of our time but instead focuses on the relationships being explored in the book. There are small connections between the tenants of each apartment (apart from the fact that they live in the same building) which, while I enjoyed, didn't feel was strictly necessary. The characters were relatable and for the most part likeable but lacked sufficient depth for me to feel connected to any of them, understand their motivations or even root for them.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read but I felt the focus may have been too scattered for readers to really connect to any character.

This book was so good! It’s about five residents who end up getting quarantined for a week due to a virus going around. I don’t like reading about covid but this book was so well done! The characters were easy to like and relate to and the relationships explored throughout this book were so perfect! This just shows you how being stuck with someone, romantically or not, really tests out how well they can cope being together and overcoming any challenges. 4/5 solid stars!

Lockdown on London Lane is what you get when you cross cult fave rom-com Love Actually with the COVID-19 pandemic. The story features vignettes from the lives of various London Lane apartment dwellers, sharing their ups and downs as they go through a week of sudden and complete quarantine. In the words of the building super, NO ONE IN OR OUT! There are a variety of situations represented-new couples thrown together, couples separated, and even an entire bridesmaid party.

This book ticked a lot of my boxes. I love rom coms set in London, and this one was lots of fun. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, though at times it felt a bit long. I think a strength of this book was that it was able to incorporate the reality of the pandemic in a way that was both realistic and somehow playful. As I read I could definitely see the scenes playing out like a movie, especially the ending which felt particularly cinematic. I'd recommend this book to other rom com lovers, or anyone who loves a romantic movie.

Thanks to Netgalley, I got an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Lockdown on London Lane was an okay read. I like how it was set during the pandemic and showed what people were going through at the time. It's real and very relatable. I just didn't care for some of the characters and all the different scenarios that took place. It was a bit much.

Loved this book.
Set at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the residents of a block of flats have to isolate after a resident tests positive.
The residents, and their weekend visitors are stuck inside for a week. We follow the stories of a disparate group of people as they tackle this new normal!
A great story and very relevant.
Highly recommend!

I did not enjoy the characters in this story at all. I feel the quarantine angle is already over done. All of us had to live it, I do not want to read about how miserable other people were during this time. I feel like this is a subject that could be left out of storylines.

I was somewhat looking forward to this book. However, I am having pandemic overload (which I would assume others are going through too) and I'm sick and tired of hearing about all the time. I read books to get away from real life, to escape from what's going on in the world. But alas, I carried on reading.

This follows a lockdown of an apartment building due to the pandemic and a positive case. It follows many flat mates and each chapter was a new apartment. I got confused at times because there were so many storylines going on at once but overall it was a good read, a solid effort from this author.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC for exchange of an honest review.

“Lockdown on London Lane” has an engaging story line that can be compared to Love Actually. I was able to enjoy bits of the book, and had no trouble falling along. It has some really funny moments and overall was a good read!

Super cute book about how various couples/groups of people handle being stuck together for an entire week.

It’s set at the beginning of the pandemic (weird that I can say ‘the pandemic’ and not ‘a pandemic’) and someone in the apartment building tests positive. The entire building is put on lockdown with no one in and no one out. This part of the book seems pretty outlandish to me but I can overlook it because the relationships are written so well. Each couple’s relationship faces some harsh realities and you see how they overcome, confront them and grow.

Solid 4 stars! A book that I think we can all relate to! I loved the collection of characters and the subtle way they overlapped. Their struggles, annoyances and triumphs were all very real and I found myself liking all the characters. Bravo Beth Reekles!

This was the written, pandemic version of Love Actually that you could only dream of, except its real. This story was adorable and I was thoroughly investing in each story, barely even noticing that the book was flying by in a matter of hours. I think my favorite couple was Danny and Isla. I adore the honeymoon stage and I felt like their relationship was quiet realistic. I was rooting for everyone in this book, my favorite individual character was Nate in all his nerdy glory. One of the most impressive things about this contemporary fiction was the amount of development and structure in each character, even the supporting characters with less importance to the story. If there was one thing to add to this I would have added the perspective of an elderly introverted couple whose lives didn’t change one bit with the lockdown… ahah

I think anyone could enjoy this novel. Its super fast paced, easily readable and realistic to people in most stages of life.

Until next time…