Lockdown on London Lane by Beth Reekles...

 Nothing tests a relationship like being quarantined together in a weeklong lockdown. That's what's happened to the residents of London Lane Apartment Building C. 

• Isla's only been dating Danny for a month; she thinks she might be falling in love with him, but she's not ready for him to move in with her. He hasn't even seen her without her make-up on.
• Olivia's weekend bridesmaids' party just turned into a very long week with one worried bride and  two more bridesmaids crammed into her one-room apartment. An apartment that used to be clean and quiet.
• Zach and Serena have been together for four years, but Serena just found out that Zach likes pineapple on his pizza and it freaks her out, making her wonder what else she doesn't know about him, and if they're really meant to be together. 
• For Imogen, her one-night stand just turned into one long awkward week with Nate. He doesn't look thrilled about it either, especially when he catches her 'borrowing' his favorite Ramones t-shirt without asking.
• Then there's Ethan. He wishes his girlfriend, Charlotte, was in lockdown with him. But she's stuck at her parents' house. And missing her makes him realize just how much he loves her.

This book was unexpectedly romantic, funny, and entertaining. There are embarrassing moments, explosive arguments and some very honest and heartfelt conversations. Imogen and Isla and their interactions with Nate and Danny made me laugh. Seeing Serena's and Zach's relationship start to fall apart made me sad. I had a lot of sympathy for the very introverted Olivia as she tries to navigate her company. And Ethan's happy ending made me smile. I got caught up with all of these characters and their stories, and having the pandemic in the background just made it feel more real. I ended up really liking this one. 

Happy Reading!

   

From my TBR shelf...

Title & Author:  The Bachelor by Stella Gibbons

Why I bought it:  I loved Cold Comfort Farm so much I wanted to read more of Gibbons' novels. So I bought this one.

The plot in brief:  Constance Fielding and her bachelor brother, Kenneth, share a house outside of London. An elderly cousin lives with them. Their life is ordered and quiet...and a little dull. But with World War II still going on, they end up having to take in some boarders. First comes a former sweetheart of Ken's with her 26-year-old son, Richard. Then comes a young refugee named Vartouhi Annamatta. And it's Vartouhi who really livens up all their lives.

My thoughts:  This novel got off to a slow start. So slow, in fact, I almost quit reading it. But I persisted, and I'm glad I did because the novel got better, and the ending was humorous and fun. I never liked Connie; she's one of those sanctimonious and controlling characters who take all the joy out of life. Her brother, Ken, on the other hand, and the other members of the household were quite likable. But it's Vartouhi who's really one of a kind. I liked her a lot. While I didn't enjoy this one as much as I did Cold Comfort Farm, it's still a decent read.

My rating:  3/5 stars.

Happy Reading!

Another Stella Gibbons' book that I enjoyed:  Nightingale Wood