I only read half the book and I just got bored with this one. The story was meh .

I don’t recommend .

Quick Summary: A feeling yourself, finding yourself romance

Until Robin Johnson found her "one," she had to go through some duds, but that's how it goes sometimes.

My Review: London Calling by Darby Baham was a lighthearted wo-fi ro. It was about a career-driven woman who was learning how to navigate her way through life, particularly regarding relationships. While doing so, she was seeking a loving partnership that would lead to forever.

My Final Say: This was a pretty simple read. It was humorous, realistic, and easy to follow. Readers who like to read books with a heavy dating theme should enjoy this book.

Other: The girlfriend group was priceless.

Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes +/-
Audience: NA/A

Thank you to Harlequin-Romance for granting me an opportunity to review this title.

London Calling surprised me because Robin doesn’t meet the endgame love interest until pretty deep into the book, and she went out with several contenders. I’d forgotten the blurb since six months elapsed from when I first heard about the book until I started reading it.

Overall, I enjoyed this as a standalone due to Robin’s strong friendships on both sides of the pond, some A+ banter with the love interests, and the proper deference shown to ~The Elusive Chanteuse~, Mariah Carey. That being said, I wouldn’t have been so confused at the beginning if I’d known of and read the first two books in the series before starting London Calling. The opening scene felt bold—not necessarily in a good way—because I’d missed the back story.

3.5 stars.

Tired of her bad luck with love after breaking up with her latest boyfriend, Robin "Rob" Johnson applies for a promotion when the opportunity comes, and she gets it. That means she has to move to London permanently instead of doing frequent work related visits to UK as she was doing before. Maybe it could be a fresh start for her love life? With the help of her British new friend and coworker Olivia Robinson, Rob is determined to find the man of her dreams before she turns 31.

After a failed first attempt at dating, she started using a dating app to find what she wants in a man. Using the app, there she goes date after date after date, all of them failing in her goal to find her Prince Charming. Then she meets Craig Robinson, Olivia's brother, and sparks fly instantly between them. Will it last, or it will become another heartbreak for Rob?

Rob wants to have someone in her life who loves her, I get it. But sometimes she looks TOO desperate to be in a relationship. Her clock is ticking or something? It's like she's feeling everyone around her were leaving her behind—especially her best friends from DC, all in love and married or soon to be married. That said, and for someone who set her goal to be accomplished in three months (that's when she turns 31), I found her TOO picky! Thank heavens Rob has her friends—"The Shoe Squad" as I call them—from DC, to put things in perspective. As for Craig...well, he's the X factor in this book. Having a huge record of failed dates as Rob, he has his issues but he's working on them. Also, he's pretty charming, a nice...hero? Well, he appears in the book after reading 50 percent of it, so I couldn't call him a "hero" after all. So bad we don't see more of him as the story is totally focused on Robin's "adventures" in dating.

I picked up this book because I LOVED book 1 and 2 of The Friendship Chronicles series (did I reviewed book 2? I need to check if I did...). That said, I found this story shallow as it goes from frivolous as fashion—hey, no offense right here, I LOVE FASHION, especially shoes!!—and TOO many drink cocktails for my liking (I don't drink and I can assure you that there are a lot of professional women who doesn't drink when they're hanging out with her girlfriends out there), showing Robin as a cliché with legs sometimes. Or that's how I perceived. On the other hand, did you noticed I didn't talk about Rob and Craig as a couple or anything related to romance? That's because I didn't felt any of that in the whole story. Chemistry? YES, they have a lot of it. Romance? Not so much.

I love Ms. Baham's writing technique—I really do. The book's writing format is FANTASTIC. With that in mind, I expected more from this book since the first two were simply brilliant. And more from her male characters!! I mean, this is how I described book 1 in this blog:

"This story [The Shoe Diaries, book 1] could be called “the black version of Sex & the City”, but it’s much more than that."

Can I say the same thing about London Calling? Probably not.

To be fair with the author, the story has a great developing, fabulous scenes and funny moments. At the same time, "The Shoe Squad" and Rob's interactions and dialogues are a true masterpiece. And ode to friendship and loyalty in its maximum expression.

London called and I am answering.
This book was so descriptive that it felt like you were in London sightseeing. Our female main character, Robin was my tour guide as she dated the city and different men. She desired a forever love while she actively worked hard making a name for herself at a new job.
There are so many things I enjoyed about this book. Robin had a strong sister circle that held her accountable and loved her. I do suggest that you definitely listen to a Mariah Carey playlist because sets the tone for some good reading.
Robin does eventually find her forever love but the journey to get there is quite interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for this digital ARC copy of London Calling in exchange for an honest review. I liked this book, but I wish there would have been more romance with Craig in the beginning of the book instead of around the halfway point. I did enjoy Robin's close personal friendships though. I loved how her friends supported her.

London Calling is the third book in Darby Baham’s Friendship Chronicles series. The story features thirty-year-old Robin Bridget Johnson. (I seriously LOVE when authors give characters middle names, don’t you?) Robin is on a quest to make a name for herself in the business world and also find true love.

The story starts out with Robin making the decision to leave Washington DC and move to London, after accepting a job promotion with a global investment management company. Leaving DC means that she’s also leaving her best friends Jenn, Reagan, and Rebecca. But have no fear, once she starts her new position she soon meets Olivia Robinson, the literal British version of herself. The two become fast friends and Robin starts to soak up all things British. This includes meeting men and going on some amazing and not-so-amazing dates.

When the unimaginable happens, Olivia is there to pick Robin up with movies, food, and of course drinks. A girls' night in with the two turns into a co-ed event when Olivia’s younger brother, Craig unexpectedly shows up and invites himself to stay. The charming Craig soon gets into a debate with Robin over who has the worst dating record. As you can guess, the two start to see each other, and things seem to be going really well. Soon, Robin’s mind and heart begin to disagree as to whether Craig is the right person for her. As Robin starts to fall into her old ways, the Shoe Divas from DC show up to put things in perspective.

Now, you might have noticed that I haven’t talked about Mr. Robinson. It’s because he surprised me and is honestly, literally the best part of this story. I don't want to give anything away. Seriously, he’s one of the good ones with a few jagged edges that need to be smoothed out. But he already knows this.

I’ve only read the second and third books in this series, but I have no doubt that The Shoe Diaries is just as good as, if not better than the books I’ve read. But let’s be honest. I thought the second book, Bloom Where You’re Planted was beyond amazing. As a new reader of Darby, I didn’t think London Calling could top Bloom but I was wrong. I found Robin and her quest for love to be so relatable. I was drawn into the story immediately and I felt every moment and emotion Robin went through.

That I know of, London Calling is currently the last book in The Friendship Chronicles series. However, I don’t think it should be. Olivia needs to find her own true love and I possibly have an idea of who it should be. Fingers crossed that I and other readers get to revisit this wonderful group of friends soon.

~ Favorite Quotes ~

“You got this. I believe in you.”

“It’s easy to take things for granted when it’s just there.”

“Actions speak louder than words.”

“Fear doesn’t have to stop you- it can push you and inspire you to move past it.”

Robin is off to London with a big promotion, amazing shoes, and hope for love. When she makes a new friend at work, sparks fly when she meets her friend's brother, Craig.

My biggest issue was that Craig didn't come in until over 50% in, so there romance felt rushed. As someone picking up a book marked for romance, I expected the main romance to take up more of the plot, instead of her previous relationships. As others have said, it made the story feel less like a romance, and more women's fiction.

I didn't think Robin was difficult, but the fact was that as a romance we didn't need all that background (relationships, guys, failures). I wanted to meet the main guy and see their relationship, I can hear about the past and don't need to experience it in a romance,

Other comments were that for a shorter novel, it felt slow. Likely because our main love interest was not introduced, but there were also so many descriptions that felt unnecessary and bogged down the writing.

My last personal peeve was Robin's casualness with her employees threw me off - who asks their new subordinate on the first day to be their wingwoman?!

On the other hand, the female friendships were strong and strong and Robin's US friends were so good to push her and challenge her. They told her what she didn't want to hear while supporting her.

Maybe if she met Liv as her neighbor, or elsewhere, their friendship could be introduced without a professional dynamic that felt off.

I requested the title because I just moved to London from the US myself, so had to read this. Overall, a shorter story that centered on one woman's development and challenges moving, being a boss, and trusting men with her heart.

Feat: Black romance, best friend's brother, and strong female friendships

3 stars
1 spice

This is my first time reading a book by Ms Baham, and I enjoyed the story. The title is so apropos because the heroine literally moved to London. I love that about her. Robin Johnson is that girl, a successful woman who refuses to settle…. In her profession and in love. This story is the third book of the Friendship Chronicles series. It’s a well written stand alone, because I have not read the other stories that precede it. Our heroine is starting a new life in order to find her true live. Although her besties remain in the States, they lend their support all the way. Her UK new bestie Olivia plays a major role in Robin’s future because she is the one who introduces Robin to her brother, Craig. You’ll understand when you read this delightful story.

Expat Robin’s career is on track, but her love life is a mess. Embracing her new life in London, will she finally find the man of her dreams?

This book is more women’s fiction than romance. Robin has several bad dating experiences before meeting Craig around the halfway point and finding her HFN. I can’t really call it an HEA because the relationship is still new pretty new at the end of the (short) novel. But the couple do survive the first test of their relationship, so the ending is optimistic. They’re both pretty low in the emotional intelligence department, but they’re working on it.

Women’s fiction and chick lit readers may enjoy this book. IMO, romance readers may not find what they’re looking for.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thanks to the publishers for the opportunity.

I have not read the other books in the series but this can be read as a stand-alone. While this is allegedly a romance, the romance is severely limited. The male love interest doesn’t show up until 70% in and that’s one day after the breakup of the female lead and her fourth partner in the book. After two weeks, she’s already invented very childish and immature reasons to no longer talk to the male love interest.

Im not sure what the authors goal with this story was but Robin needs more therapy, not any more dates.

I have not read the first 2 books in this series, however this book can be read as a stand alone.
The main character Robin is supposed to be an independent, professional woman (age 30) however she comes across as an insure, immature girl because she cannot find a man that lives up to all her expectations. She moves to a different country because she has gone thru all the prospects where she lives and immediately starts dating and finding fault with every man. At one point her friends tell her she needs to learn to give people a chance and not judge so quickly.
She also comes across as vain as she always has to look good (the book really focuses on her appearance) and she picks guys who only are gorgeous. The ending was very anti-climatic as she acted very childish towards the guy.
It felt very shallow and reads very immature and I don't want to read the others in the series.

This very much gave me lifetime movie and I am 100% here for it. I love not only a book about successful women. But a successful woman of COLOR? You don’t see it much in books lately. So with that this book gets a high rating for me. The main character was very loveable, her friends were super loveable as well. The love interest just how he’s explained made me say “yeah I would ALSO fall in love with this man” after finishing this I’m ready to fly to London and find the love of my life. Deff a great book.