Lockdown on London Lane

Similar vibe as “Love Actually,” but set during lockdown instead of Christmas. I really enjoyed it.

Very cute. To be honest, I tend to think that if I had read it during the high of the pandemics I'd have loved it. As it is, can't help but seeing all of it as a bit old and used.

The Love Boat, but the characters stuck together are in COVID lockdown, not a cruise ship. Is it too soon to write a rom com based on a pandemic that has killed (checks notes) 9.81 million people? If you're not offended or bummed out by the premise, you will find a cute book about people thrown together (or in one case separated) when their apartment building is quarantined for a week due to a resident's positive test.

The story alternates between five apartments: a one-night stand couple who are uncomfortably stuck together; a long-term couple who realize their relationship isn't as solid as they thought; a brand-new couple whose relationship is forced to go from best-impression dating to cohabitation before they're ready; the very sad guy whose girlfriend returns from a trip but isn't allowed back in the building; and the frustrated introvert whose bridesmaid party for her BFF turns into a week of confrontation and resentment.

Some of the stories are more engaging than others, but it seemed curious to me that the primary concern is being stuck inside together, not getting sick (no one even mentions the person in the building who tested positive). You might think this book is tasteless and poorly-timed, or you might consider it a fun respite from a virus that has consumed our lives for more than two years.

“It's disconcerting, like someone stuck the whole world on pause.”

This book is following 5 sets of people who got stuck with each other because of lockdown. The first one is Isla who is stuck with her new boyfriend, Imogen who has no choice but to stay with a one night stand, Serena who is spending her time with a boyfriend who she realises likes pineapples on pizza, Ethan whose girlfriend got locked out so he is by himself in the flat, and Olivia who was forced to sleepover with 3 other girlfriends after a bachelorette party.

It is interesting to look back at what it was like when covid first started, when we were all uncertain on what would happen when everything went into lockdown. When we were all struggling to get food, when everything needs to be sanitised.

This books showed different relationship dynamics and how everyone deals with being stuck with someone you like and/or don't like. I enjoyed all the stories particularly Ethan's, Olivia's was the one I didn't really love just because I thought the characters were immature.