ARC Review: Love in Lockdown | Chloe James

Love in Lockdown | Chloe James

Page count: 384

Publication date: November 23, 2020

Publisher: Avon Books UK (Imprint of Avon)

Genres: Adult, contemporary, romance, chick lit

Synopsis

“Sophia is afraid lockdown will put her life on pause – just as she was she was going to put herself out there and meet someone. When the first clap for the keyworkers rings out around her courtyard, she’s moved to tears for all kinds of reasons.

Jack is used to living life to the fullest, and is going stir-crazy after just days isolating. Until that night he hears a woman crying from the balcony beneath his. He strikes up a conversation with the stranger and puts a smile back on her face.

Soon their balcony meetings are the highlight of Jack and Sophia’s days. But even as they grow closer together, they’re always kept apart.”

A world of thanks to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for supplying me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I just finished and I’m still suffering from the overload of the warm-and-fuzzies and cuteness! This was exactly everything I wanted out of a cutesy romance.

Life in the COVID-19 lockdown is rough on anyone’s mental sanity, but when Sophia’s apartment complex rang with applause for the essential workers, she broke down and cried. In concern, the man on the apartment balcony above hers strikes up a conversation with her and puts a smile back on her face. Eventually, Sophia’s nightly balcony talks with Jack, the man from the apartment above hers, are the highlight of her day. But can you really fall in love with someone you’ve never actually met face to face?

This was such a fun new spin on a romance! I wish someone had given a copy to me while I was still in quarantine, just to show me that there can always be light and love even in these strange times. I know that there’s an inflation of quarantine stories recently, but this one is probably my favorite to date.

But of course, when you have a book that’s mildly rom-com-ish like this one, there’s always that little touch of unrealisticness that kind of tasks away from the story as a whole. Sophia and Jack’s balconies appear to be far enough apart that they have to use a pulley system to send each other stuff. Wouldn’t they have to shout at each other? And then wouldn’t the neighbors hear it all? It just doesn’t make sense. Maybe Sophia and Jack are just more patient than I am, but I couldn’t imagine not even attempting to see the other person’s face. Jack tries half-heartedly, but he enjoyed the mystery of it all. I guess I get that, I could just never imagine doing it myself!

Though there really wasn’t much of a plot, one thing this book excelled at was simply making me happy. Cutesy romance just tends to do that to me! I really should put more into my rotation. Everyone needs some fluff now and then to break up whatever you’re reading, whether it is dark gory fantasy, nerve-wracking thrillers, or one of those sad contemporaries that aim (and normally succeed) in making you cry.

I just have one small note: what happened to Anna? This one little subplot appeared where this other girl in the apartment complex started paying attention to Jack, but it completely faded away. I think I would have enjoyed the drama, it’s a bummer we didn’t get to see more.

This was such a fun book! I’m glad quarantine gave someone some inspiration while I admittedly did nothing but lounge around in my pajamas reading. I would definitely recommend it to all looking for a cute lockdown romance!