This is a cute book and written in an easy style. I thought I would really enjoy the book, but I was surprised how unsettling it felt to read about the beginning of the pandemic. I guess I wasn't as ready to read about that as I thought.
Each chapter cycles through one of the various characters in the book and I found myself having trouble remembering which names went with which characters and what their particular predicaments were.
I enjoyed the writing style, but I guess the subject is still to fresh for me to be able to enjoy fiction about it. Maybe in another few years.

Pandemic related entertainment is a very slippery slope, to say the least. We’re still in the pandemic, after all, and unless it’s something academic that actually teaches us something, most of us aren’t really in the mood to contemplate what life was like in early 2020. Been there, done that, wasn’t fun at all.

Several TV shows have tried and mostly failed — from Love in the Time of Corona, to Connecting — to reach audiences with pandemic-centered stories. I wasn’t exactly sure a book built on the same premise could entertain me. And I was sure it couldn’t make me care. But I tip my cap to Beth Reekles, because Lockdown on London Lane is actually …a great deal of fun.

Yes, I said fun. There isn’t anything heavy about Lockdown on London Lane, despite the setting being one that all of us will find very familiar. The book doesn’t focus on the pandemic aspect, even if it does make some of the same jokes we used to make when we were young and innocent. Instead, the book is about people, about connections, and about how in the end, especially in the world we live in, it all comes together.

In many ways, reading the book reminded me of Season 1 of Modern Love. Both explored separate stories that were important, and unique. All those stories were, of course, all leading somewhere. But it was never about that. It was about the journey, about the message. Never about the destination.

Like in any good story, every one of the individual storylines has an arc and a point to it. Even if the point was somehow driven home by the way they all come together.

But no story, no individual drama is about anything other than — well, that individual drama. This works very well not just as a storytelling device but also as a microcosm of a pandemic that we’ve all experienced together, but that in no way, shape or form takes away from our individual issues. One shared global experience doesn’t mean we all have to reach the same, or that our journeys are similar.

I, of course, had my favorite from the five stories this book presents. It was to be expected of a book that explores different groups of people quarantining together. You probably will too, and chances are it won’t be the same as mine. That’s not just okay, it’s the way it’s mean to be, the reason the book works. We all find comfort in different things, after all.

And strangely enough, I found comfort and laughter in Lockdown on London Lane. Perhaps the written word is better suited to tackle this pandemic than TV is. Maybe it’s just better to read about it than to see it. Or maybe Reekles just found a way to make this topic charming that no one else had figured out before. Either way, I picked up this book not expecting to get here, or to be saying this but this one’s absolutely worth it if you just want a quick, easy, fun read.

Considering the aforementioned pandemic, that’s truly all I needed.

If only my COVID quarantine experience would have been something like this! Fun, cute mini romance stories of residents in the same apartment under a 7 day lockdown due to COVID. I enjoyed all the stories, but my favorite was absolutely the bridal lot. Thank you to Net Galley and Wattpad Books for the ARC!

The pandemic is going to be something that we are going to see more in literature and in arts in general I feel. It's been a hell of an experience for most of us. In Lockdown on London Lane, Beth Reekles, whose The Kissing Booth movie I really enjoyed (haven't read the book or anything else by her yet), 5 London residents found themselves in a situation that they never saw coming -- the lockdown!

The story is essentially about these people, about how the love and laugh and life in a time when anxiety, fear and just in general mass hysteria is at an all-time high.

I found this book to be funny in the most unusual of places. Since the subject matter was quite dark, including the setting, I feel that Beth was able to bring out the light and hopeful stuff in a way where it did not feel preachy. It's the little things that matter and that's what this book taught me!

Set during the beginning of the pandemic, Lockdown on London Lane gives a thoughtful and entertaining look at what a week of quarantine means for a building of neighbors who are all made to stay locked down, isolated within their building for a week due to another neighbor who came down with a positive case of Covid.

Told in multiple perspectives, each chapter gives a glimpse into the life of a few of the building’s inhabitants and how being on lockdown poses different challenges for these characters. It’s like every chapter is opening a door into that particular apartment and each tells its own fascinating story.

The premise itself is really interesting— we are offered a unique look into various apartments in a single building for a “slice of life” during a surprise mandatory weeklong lockdown— and it is very well executed. The situations the characters find themselves in feel realistic, believable, and thought-provoking. It’s fascinating to be a fly on the wall and observe lockdown in the individual ways the particular characters within the building on London Lane experience it and to watch the evolution of their relationships that results.

I was a little apprehensive about reading a pandemic story right now, but it was not triggering to me, though it could be for someone else.

Lockdown on London Lane brings a little light to the Covid-19 quarantine experiences. I liked how Beth Reekles included a wide variety of experiences throughout the book. We have Liv, who is with her best friend and bridal party. Who doesn't want to spend an entire week stuck with women in small quarters trying to plan a wedding?! Imogen whose one night stand with someone who's name she doesn't remember turns into a 7 day stay. Ethan and his girlfriend Charlotte on opposite sides of the door. They have to learn to make it on their own without each other. Zach and Serena's four year relationship is put on the rocks. Finally, there is Danny and Isla who's very NEW relationship is put to the test, do they really belong together?
I did like this book and how it shows how many different life's can be lived in the same building. There really was a variety of stories all under the same circumstances. Over-all, quick and fast paced read!

I absolutely LOVED this book, and it was so relatable. It makes you feel not alone during all this covid mess. It was such a cute, fun, and light read that I would recommend it to anyone!

I was a little reticent to read a book about Covid, but I loved this! I totally bought into all of the various stories and the pacing was perfect. No matter what the premise is, I need the story and characters to feel "real" and I felt like I was glimpsing into the lives of actual people living in this building.

I wasn’t sure at first about reading a book about the pandemic while it’s still happening. This turned out to be a cute fun lighthearted read that I really enjoyed. I’ve never read the authors other books or seen the Netflix show so she was completely new to me. Highly recommend for people who are looking for some light and easy to read during this time.

Lockdown on London Lane was the first book about the pandemic that actually felt like something I might want to read. Continual existence in this crazy time means that most of my reading is for escape, not reminders of what we're living through, but I loved the fresh take of the apartment building and variety of characters each having a very different experience.
I really enjoyed the beginning of the book. Getting to meet and learn about each apartment dweller was a fun experience. But towards the middle, I found it dragging- sometimes the story felt stuck on one person's point of view for too long or I feel that I missed a different character. The pacing just felt a bit off. That said, I still wanted to know more about what each person was up to and ultimately wanted to keep reading the book! Perhaps removing one or two characters might have fixed this issue.
I really love the author, and have read and re-read multiple of her books. I will maybe give this one another read whenever this whole craziness is behind us and see if it hits differently.

This was a cute story, one that would make a great mini-series or movie. I tried reading The Kissing Booth some years ago and didn't care for it at all, but I'm glad to report that what I struggled with most in that book is not an issue with this one, as Reekles's writing has grown and matured since her debut. This story was a fun exploration of relationships as people are trapped together and they can't hide from each other. Definitely a cute story, one I would recommend to fans of rom-coms.

I claimed a copy of this book via BookishFirst!~

TW: this book takes place during the COVID-19 pandemic during early quarantine/lockdown***

So let's get into it -

The cover: I really liked the cover right off the bat, it shows a bit of an outside view of what we can assume is the apartment where all of the main stories within this book is taking place.

The book: I did really like how this wasn't just ONE romance/love during lockdown story. This book features multiple couples that all live within the same apartment and their various experiences with romance/drama/relationship problems. They are not all "fairytale" romances, which I appreciate. There's a whole lot of drama, complications, and heartbreak too. It was a very meta read, so tread carefully if anything related to the quarantine or lockdown is not your thing.

One downside: at times, the multiple viewpoints were difficult to follow before getting to really know all of the characters.

Overall: This was a solid 4 out of 5 stars for me. I really enjoyed the whole book and getting to know all of the characters throughout.

I did not realize that this was by the author of the Kissing Booth until after I started and saw the list of the author's previous books, which might have kept me from picking up this one at all. The fact that this writing caused three nightmare movies to be made for Netflix felt like enough reason for me to stay far away from this author’s books!

But this was actually surprisingly not terrible? It’s split into different POVs for the different residents/current inhabitants of an apartment building in England. While some characters were definitely more interesting to read about than others, I didn’t completely hate any of them enough to put the book down, which is something!

I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever pick up another one of this author’s books, but this one was surprisingly not terrible! A light, mostly frothy read that was easy to get through.

I thoroughly enjoyed this and thought it was a cute and fun read. Very relatable and the author managed to accurately capture all of the emotions most of us have gone through at some point over the last 2 years - anxiety, fear, frustration, joy, etc. Loved all of the different scenarios and individual stories / situations. It reminded me a bit of Love Actually - various couples dealing with different circumstances and they're all somehow loosely connected to each other. Funny, heartfelt, and a great distraction from our current worries. I'd definitely read more from Beth Reekles!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the free advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

It was really interesting reading a book set in our current state of the pandemic. I couldn't imagine being locked down in an apartment with my one night stand or my girlfriends after a get together.
This was a quick and light read, it didn't really focus on any heavy topics, although the storyline did have me wondering what it would be like in each situation. I mean being stuck with someone you don't know that you literally just met on a dating site? Yikes!

My Rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 To be honest, when I saw “from the author of “Kissing Booth” on the cover I thought “Oh my God what did I sign up for” but 3 paragraphs in I was already hooked! I loved this book! The diversity of situations, all the very deep and very personal deliberations was incredibly interesting. This book is almost a study of human relationships, we need companionship and community, but that doesn’t mean we can be locked in a room with our partners or our best friends 24/7. I loved the need for alone time and independence that happened to all the characters. Also, the comparison between situations, what happens in closed quarters with a couple that’s together for a long time, compared to a couple that’s together for 1 month, to a couple that was a one night stand. This was extremely funny and entertaining while also giving me plenty of food for thought, which makes this the best kind of book for me. This was going to be 5 stars read up until chapter 44 (the second to last chapter) because I needed a HEA, this was honestly the only reason it didn’t get 5 stars. Now, I understand why it happened what happened, it made sense for the book, but even thinking about it makes my heart squeeze, so I couldn’t give it 5 anymore.

Feminist rate: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 This book, like I mentioned before, was a study in relationships, and I have to say, most of them were really healthy. It talks about communication, independence, respect, compromise, roles inside the household, things we keep hidden from our partners and so much more. Also, this was a very diverse cast and I loved that!

Adjectives and general thoughts: Deep, real, incredibly interesting, funny, and sweet

Recommend this to people who like analyzing things (at least for me this book was perfect for that) but also someone who likes an incredibly real read, that makes a very sad and anxious situation light and fun, without taking away its every.

If you want to read my complete review, this is my blog post: https://anaennoir.com/2022/02/02/lock...

This book is a fresh outlook of situations that were definitely relevant at the beginning of the lockdown. If you like movies like ‘Love Actually’ or ‘Valentine’s Day’ then this book may have something you like. I love how everyone is connected somehow, separate from being locked in the same building. It allows different perspectives that add to more than one storyline.
The story is one that many may be familiar with in someway. The occupants of an apartment building must quarantine for one week due to a positive test policy. We meet different apartments one by one and see the perspectives of all the occupants. Whether it is a one night stand, a recently dating couple, an established couple, or a group of women having a bachelorette weekend, everyone goes through realizations about themselves and their relationships. The fear, anxiety, and vulnerability that the characters go through is at the forefront. Very heartfelt and relatable. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy

THIS IS SO FREAKIN ADORABLE AND HEARTBREAKING AT THE SAME TIME.

Because of the multiple POVs, I'm gonna break down the review with each couple/apartment!!

Apartment #14 - Imogen & Nathan:

"Nate?"
"Yeah?"
"Kiss me again."
And oh, he does.

Imogen and Nathan are my favorites just because of how ridiculous their situation is. Imagine having to live with someone for a week, that you planned to have a one-night stand with. To make it more awkward, imagine sneaking out in the morning just to have to walk back to the same apartment you left from and face the person you just snuck out on...and you don't even remember their name. It's hilarious but I love them both so much. Imogen's chaoticness and Nathan's proper organized self are exactly what it means that opposites attract. The way Nate is such a gentleman and Imogen just wants him to let loose IS THE CUTEST THING. I just know they have mind-blowing sex.

Apartment #6 - Ethan & Charlotte:

Honestly, I'd give anything to be snuggled on the sofa with her right now, binge-watching the Twilight movies.

Ethan and Charlottle are the embodiment of adorable. I've literally never seen a cuter head over heels for each other couple. The way Ethan isn't embarrassed to say how much he loves her and misses her and is desperate without her made my heart melt I was about to cry. A man who would cuddle with me to watch twilight?? SIGN ME UPPPPP. The mistakenly posted video was pretty predictable but honestly, I'm not mad about it because that was also way too cute.

Apartment #17 - Serena & Zach:

He kisses the top of my head then steps back, holding me at arm's length.
"I love you. You know that right?"
I nod, sniffling. Shit, I am crying. Brilliant.
"Yeah. Yeah, I know. I love you too."

Serena and Zach's relationship is what broke my heart. They love each other so much and desperately want a future and the way they're trying so much to work it out makes my heart HURT. The way they care about each other is so beautiful AND THEY BETTER GET THROUGH THIS. I NEED TO KNOW THEY GET THROUGH THIS. I can also relate to Serena's overthinking so much and I feel like I connected with her most in this book.

Apartment #15 - Isla & Danny:

"Don't," I say, still giggling. "Danny, I'm all gross and sweaty."
"I don't mind," he murmurs, kissing all over my face and making me laugh again before his hands are around my waist and he draws me close, his lips on mine, and I can feel myself positively melting into him.

THEM. ISLA IS WHO I ASPIRE TO BE. DANNY IS SUCH A SWEETHEART. If the man I marry doesn't cook me 3-course meals I DONT WANT IT. THEY'RE SO IN LOVE AND THEY'RE SO CUTE. THEIR PUPPY DOG LOVE MAKES ME GRIN. Isla and Danny are the sweetest I just wanna hug them.

Apartment #22 - Olivia/Kim/Addison/Lucy:

"You know, since it's probably gonna be a while before we get to do a date IRL,"--oh, Jesus, she actually said "IRL," am I sure about this?--"I think we should probably do that again."
Whether she's the kind of person who says IRL or not--I absolutely, wholeheartedly, agree.
And I kiss her again.

Olivia's situation is exactly why I will never invite people over to my house to sleep over. NOPE, I COULD NEVER BEAR A WHOLE WEEK STUCK WITH PEOPLE I MOSTLY DON'T KNOW. I hated Kim for her outburst because actually what the fuck?? Lucy is an adorable little cinnamon roll that MUST BE PROTECTED. I wanna be friends with Addison because she seems like so much fun. I'm gonna keep you guessing about who that quote is talking about so you can go read the book to find out :)


Overall I loved this book so much!! I didn't expect to especially because it was about COVID and I thought "I'm already dealing with this shit why would I wanna read about it when I read to escape" but to be honest this book is more about how people cope especially in relationships when they're forced to be stuck together for a week. It's beautiful, heartbreaking, funny and SO CUTE

I enjoyed this romance tremendously, and the comparison to "Love Actually" sold me!

The novel reads like a soap opera - switching from apartment apartment to tell whats happening behind closed doors as they ride out the pandemic lockdown. I enjoyed every storyline, and the forced proximity struggles each faced over the seven days. The author does a nice job with pop cultures references and the realness being stuck down at home away from ones normal routine. So much of what these individuals endured was relatable.

Lockdown on London Lane was a great read, and I look forward to future books under the authors pen. Thank you Beth Reekles, WattPad Book and NetGalley for the complimentary copy.

New Adult | Romance | Women's Fiction

I’ve been really happy with every Wattpad Books title I’ve read in the last nine months or so. I don’t know if it’s the books they choose to put up for review or if it’s just the books I find interesting; all I know is every single one I’ve read has been worth it, and “Lockdown on London Lane” is no exception.

I’m not saying it’s a masterpiece of diverting rom-com quarantine fiction, because the writing can, at times, feel a bit juvenile and lack sophistication. The thing is? It may not be a masterpiece, but it IS a really freaking FUN piece of rom-com quarantine fiction.

I kind of feel like this is kind-of like one of those British ensemble rom-coms (the first one that comes to mind is “Love, Actually”), but take it and shove it all into one block of flats (or one apartment building, whichever comes easiest to you) that’s suddenly under lockdown for a week one morning (under the supervision of one very serious and imposing building superintendent) because someone in the building tested positive for “the virus” (they don’t say it’s COVID, but…). Since everyone was warned beforehand by the government they shouldn’t be going anywhere unnecessarily even before this building lockdown happens, well, the building super doesn’t really think they have any right to be too upset if the apartment/flat owners now find themselves either locked out of the building or if they all of a sudden have unexpected house guests for the week.So couples are separated, one-night stands suddenly become week-long stands, and new relationships, long-term relationships, and friendships all get tested.

The narrative is told, third-person POV, from several of the apartment dwellers or their guests, and each is deftly-written, their characters clearly formed and distinguishable. Each set of characters has a clear arc, even if the goal is transparent from the beginning. It’s predictable, but it’s so darn cute it’s hard to resent.

I say give it a try. If anything, it’s some fun and diversion to interject into your day.