I enjoyed Our Stop although I did feel slightly older than the target audience so I was intrigued as to what Laura Jane Williams next book would be like. I’m glad I gave it a go as I felt this had broader age appeal and an interesting main character in Penny who I mostly liked but sometimes wanted to slap! Penny hasn’t had the easiest of pasts which have affected who she is and how she feels about relationships and that is well reflected in the way she views the three different relationships she has. The author does reflect well on the emotional side of relationships however she doesn’t shy from the intimate details either. Overall this a really easy to read and warm hearted story with a real mix of engaging characters.

I liked this book overall. One thing I struggled with was not how Penny treated Francesco, but how she didn't even seem to think twice about sleeping with Thomas when she was also sleeping with Priyesh (not that he was a favourite of mine but still). Yes, I know no-one's perfect, but she didn't appear to have any angst over this. Also, she should have tackled Francesco a lot sooner about what she saw him doing just before she left London. I liked all the characters. I loved the cooking element. I appreciated the honesty surrounding how Penny could get tired post-cancer. Learning about her early menopause and the fact she'd had her eggs frozen was compelling reading. The diversity of the characters in this book was great. I particularly liked Clemmie and her offer to be a surrogate. The ending was satisfying. There's just that one issue I had with Penny. It didn't ring true. A good read nonetheless. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for providing me with an Advance reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to like this book. I was excited to receive the ARC & couldn't wait to get started. But I just didn't like this book. To be fair, I'm sure I'm not the target audience for this at all, and the formatting of the ebook ARC was a bit of a problem, but overall I just couldn't get into the story. The POV seemed to change without notice or warning and the story location seemed to be changing and moving as well, which led to confusion.

This book has a LOT going on. This isn't some quick silly book - the characters are involved and dealing with a lot. I give the author lots of credit for dealing with a LOT of issues and topics all in one book. But maybe that was part of the problem? Too much going on?

But really for me, the biggest problem was the main character, Penny. I didn't like her. Not at all, at any point in the book. And with the story revolving so much around her, it was hard to get past my dislike of her. And her constant complaints. I mean, WOW the complaints! I've read a few other books of this style and genre this summer and just feel that they handled the situations much better than this one did.

I read Laura Jane Williams previous novel, Our Stop, and enjoyed it, however I found The Love Square disappointing. I could not warm to the main character, Penny, and all the situations seemed awkward and contrived. Penny is a young single cafe owner who has had her fair share of hardships. She has a wonderful relationship with members of her family, but has not had much luck in love. The story tells of events that find her with more men than she knows what to do with. I found myself skimming through the book, but I still wanted to know what happened at the end. A bit disappointing but still readable. Thanks to Avon Books UK and Netgalley for an advance arc of this novel.

After having devoured Our Stop and falling in love with Laura Jane Williams’ characters, humour, and writing style, I had high hopes for this novel. But this one is nothing like Our Stop, and I think that’s what made me have a hard time with it. It’s much more heartfelt and serious, with very little humour. 

Penny is an old soul, and I say that because while reading the first few chapters, I was sure she was an older woman. When it was revealed that she’s only thirty, I was shocked.  I think it’s a combination of her irritability, her having given up on finding love, the success she’s already found in her career, and her general outlook on life.  I have to say that I wasn’t a fan of Penny’s. She’s indecisive, which I can accept, since that’s honestly a critical aspect of the plot of the book. (If she wasn’t indecisive, she would be able to pick her man right away!)  But one part that really got to me was her jealousy. Can she honestly be upset that the men she’s with aren’t monogamous when she herself isn’t? That said, there was a little bit of slut shaming in this book that really upset me, and honestly made me dissatisfied with the man that she ends up choosing in the end.  

The blurb for the novel is a little misleading, and she isn’t truly dating three guys at the same time.  While the book has feminist themes, I wanted her to genuinely date these three men for the majority of the book, but she only starts to date the third man around the 60% mark. Based on my experience reading Our Stop, I had assumed that there would be humorous scenes where she bumps into one man while on a date with another, and other romantic comedy situations, but this book only has one or two of these, and the tone was all off. I felt more of a sense of dread than being overwhelmed with the giggles like I was during awkward scenes in her previous book.  

I know I shouldn’t be so critical, but when the blurb tells you that you will be laughing and crying while reading a “feel good book” I expect to laugh and “feel good” while reading it. Oh well. I’ll still check out the author’s next book, and I hope that she’ll return to the romantic comedy genre.  

I recommend this book to those looking for a heartfelt novel about a woman trying to figure out her identity.

*This review will be posted to https://powerlibrarian.wordpress.com/ on June 17, 2020*

A heartwarming, fun, perfect beach read. Great escapism with interesting, well-written characters.

Thank you to the author and publisher for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was cute. It was boring in parts. I put it down for 2 weeks. Then picked it up and finished over half of it in a day. Nothing really memorable.

After loving Laura Jane Williams first book Our Stop, I was so excited to jump into this one. I thought the premise for this story sounded hilarious and just the right kind of rom com for me. And I was definitely right about that one. I was hooked from the start and with some undoubtedly intriguing and sexy love interests it kept me hooked from beginning to end.
The Love Square follows Penny Bridges as she navigates through her dating life post cancer. Although she has been unlucky in love in the past, it seems that luck might be on her side as she meets not one, not two but three attractive, intriguing, and interesting men nearly all at the same time. She just has one issue. Which one to choose?
This story had some harder topics and moments throughout the book that made the book and its characters feel more realistic and gave loads of depth to the plot. I loved reading about a woman who knew her life and her goals for children in her life was going to have to be a bit unconventional.
I loved the family dynamic throughout this book and adored the relationship between Penny and her sister and I really loved their super strong bond.
I thought the setting in this book was super strong and the contrasting settings from Penny's cafe in London and her uncle’s country Pub were really interesting and fun to see. I loved being in and around the kitchen with these characters and reading made me constantly hungry (especially for some really yummy pasta!).
There were a couple of moments in this story that made me a little uncomfortable (mostly surrounding the main confrontations in the novel) however I really liked how this resolved. I wished Penny had some better and more open and honest conversations with the men who were all interested in her however I know that this miscommunication led to the major conflict and the overall resolution of the story.
I loved how this book ended and although some of the plot lines felt a little far fetched at some points, this book was heart-warming, and I found myself laughing out loud.
Laura Jane Williams has firmly stamped her name as an author for me with her second novel and I can't wait to see what she writes next.
4 out of 5 Stars.

I began this book with high hopes that were unfortunately dashed soon enough.

Penny is a strong independent woman in need of no-man or so she repeatedly keeps reassuring herself while also desperately moaning about being single.

The protagonist for me was very unlikeable as she came across as very self-centered with no regards for others emotions and just plain morally-irresponsible.

The mention of a non-binary gender character was also just very superficial and just a token representation to appear superficial.

Though I do enjoy a good rom-com, this book wasn’t for me.

Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really in two minds about this book. It had a lot of promise but it fell a little short, in my opinion.

Penny is a woman who has been dealt some major negative hands. Her father left when she was very young, she lost her mum to cancer and she has had cancer too, which has made her unable to carry a child. I would think that having dealt with all of that would make her a little more humble, a bit more empathetic to others but it didn't. She went out with Francisco, a lovely guy by all accounts and a genuine person but as seems par for the course for Penny, she sleeps with him pretty quickly and before you know it, she is driving away and he is left behind. Instead of being an adult, and communicating with him, she punishes him, for months. And then she sleeps with two other guys. I quite liked Thomas, he was honest at least. I felt sorry for Priyesh who seemed to not realise that Penny was playing some kind of game with him.

I found a lot of the book quite patronising. If you are not using the latest in technology, and are not a mad fan of Lizzo, then you are probably not the preferred demographic for this book.

On a brighter note, I loved the LGBTQI+ characters in this book, and the non-binary character of Charlie. Penny had some really solid people in her corner - her sister Clementine, her uncle David, her friend and colleague Stu and her best mate Sharon. All of these characters were lovely and had lots of depth.

All in all, I didn't much like Penny. She was pretty selfish and liked to play games with others. She is not someone that I would probably be friends with in real life because she played fast and loose with other people's feelings and saw sex as something people casually did with each other, which isn't the way I view it. By the time I got to the end of the book, I didn't really care what the ending was, to be very honest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon.

Penny is a cancer survivor who is looking to find love and start a family. Due to family obligations she has to abruptly leave behind her current love interest and move back home to run a business for her ailing family member. During this period of time, she encounters several more potential love interests none of whom seem very believable or compelling. I had a difficult time really getting into this book. I didn't really feel that there was any chemistry between Penny and any of her love interests. I usually enjoy British romances as there is often some humor mixed into the story. Normally I can finish a book of this length in a sitting or two, but as it was hard to really engage with any of the characters or feel that any of them were actually connected to each other, it was a little bit of a chore to finish it. Not what I was expecting from the book description.

Love a good romance?

Enjoy laughing out loud when reading?

Then you're in for a treat with The Love Square.

I mean we've all heard of a love triangle but have you ever seen love form a different shape before? I certainly haven't.

But that's just what happens when owner of cafe/restaurant Bridges Penny puts herself back into the dating world.

What starts as an innocent date with charming Italian chef Francesco, ends up with a complicated situation of too many men and not enough Penny to go around.

Will it be Francesco with all his culinary skills, perhaps Thomas with his musical connections or could it be Priyesh with all his wisdom?

The choice may well be taken out of Penny's hands if she doesn't make her mind up fast enough.

Penny is quite the protagonist. Filled with self doubt, this is a woman who is confused about what she she really wants from life but unknowingly her inability to make firm decisions ends up leaving others emotionally hurt in the process .

I really liked how independent Penny tries to be but what is refreshing is the fact that although she can do things by herself, we as the reader get to see that it's also quite nice to have a someone close to share their achievements with.

This is a story that is endearing from start to finish.

With a cast of characters that all add a certain depth to the tale and a storyline that will have you reaching for the tissues both from crying through laughter and a shared sadness.

And what I am pleased to confirm is that there is indeed a happy ending with all the feels.

It was such a good novel to read, it's a book for the ones who loved Bridget Jones Diary, a cute adult romance where our main character Penny has no luck for love, she's struggling with the romance aspect of her life and she's tired about it. But then she meets a georgous man, and then another, and another, it's not a triangle love story but a real Love Square as the tittle suggests it, she has to decide and this novel is about her choice and the steps she has to climb to find true love and to find herself too.
When i was reading this book, I cried a lot, I laught a lot and I was so moved, Penny was such a good character with some depth choices to make.

BOOK REVIEW: The Love Square by Laura Jane Williams @laurajaneauthor

3.5 stars

TW: Cancer, infertility, IVF.

The Love Square comes from the author of Our Stop, and in my opinion The Love Square is just about a better book.

The main protagonist a chef named Penny is a really interesting character and I found myself connecting with her from the beginning. She has battled cancer, is rather unlucky with her love life and is working out what she wants from life. Things get complicated and she has to leave her life in London to help out her uncle. Seeing Penny go through different stages of discovery about herself and others and how she reacted to change was interesting. Although the ending was pretty obvious from the start, the journey to how it got there was not so straight forward.
This story involves 3 men who I am not going to say much more about (zero spoilers) other than they could not be more different!
I loved the chef aspect of the storyline which was done really well and added some extra layers. Penny's story with cancer and infertility was also vital to giving more depth and making this story not just another chick lit. It gave a huge amount of emotion, ambition but most of all vulnerability to her character which had a huge impact on how she felt about herself and in turn how she acted with others.
The side characters were also excellent. People like her lesbian sister Clementine and her non binary friend Charlie added so much to the storyline, especially their humour!
I didn't like a few aspects of the storyline as I didn't believe Penny's character would have done some of the things she did. I also found a few aspects repetitive or not needed.
Despite this, I really did enjoy this story of love, not just a romantic love but love with family, friends and most importantly, love for yourself.
Please note that I was gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review

Suspend belief and just enjoy this comedy romance, with its will they won’t they plot. Deftly written.

"Priyesh was filthy and serious. Thomas was adventurous and free. Francesco was her friend above all else. Was it possible to feel deeply about three men equally, for different reasons in different ways? Penny didn't know the answer, but resolved that may she didn't need to."

In Stoke Newington, North London, chef and café owner of the Bridges Café, Penny Bridge, is happy with job and her friends. Unlucky in love, she is keen to start a family, but is struggling with infertility after surviving cancer; she can rely on the support of sister, Clementine, because they are even closer following the death of their mother many years ago. Then Francesco walks into her café and into her life and turns her head. Handsome, kind and funny, he seems too good to be true.

When Penny's Uncle David falls ills, she feels obliged to taking over the running of his gastro pub, The Red Panda, in Derbyshire. Believing Francesco to be too good to be true, she leaves him behind for Derbyshire. There she meets Thomas and then Priyesh, whilst holding the fort at the Red Panda and learning about herself and what she wants from her life. Will Penny find love?

I can struggle with romance novels, finding them rather predictable, but of course sometimes this is comfortable and enjoyable. What initially seems like a light read, deals with death, infertility, homosexual love and non-binary friendship. It is also fun, charming and poignant. Penny is warm and friendly, as are the other characters, her supportive family and friends. However I struggled with the switch in perspectives from different characters (mainly Penny but sometimes others) and wanted Penny to be single for longer, be happy with herself first. Also the outburst from one of the male characters (which got Penny to take makes changes) felt unpleasant and out of character. However, by the end it's clear Penny does have her own plans for her future and whilst she gets her happy ending, it is with a twist.

This was a really sweet, wholesome story that was very well written and kept me entertained throughout!
The characters are really well written and i found myself quite drawn to Penny, i thought she was great.

Wow I loved this, what a lovely easy read which made me laugh, smile and sometimes cringe at the choices Penny made. I loved how the book featured diversity with the characters and their relationships, but also the sensitivity in the storyline. It was well written and a great pace to keep attention, I would highly recommend this 🧡

Who knew that being single could be so complicated? This is the case for Penny who hasn't been lucky with love until she is. Going into this book I was under the impression that I would be reading a witty rom-com, but this book offers us so much more!

I'm so glad that this book had such a prevalent infertility plotline, it's nice seeing someone tackle a hard and painful subject with much sensitivity! I would consider this one of the main plots in the book as Penny has always wanted to be a mom and is considering a surrogate for the majority of the book!

I was also in love with the diversity of the characters, especially with a large LGBTQ+ representation! Penny's uncle [David] and sister [Clementine] are both in a long term relationship with respective partners! Also, we get introduced to Charlie who identifies as non-binary, they work together and offer a bit of light/fluffy banter. It really just goes to show me that love can come in all different forms, and we watch Penny as she has this amazing support system surrounding her! ALSO I loved Sharon, the best friend in her life!

Okay, now getting to the romance. Penny find's herself in a love-square meaning that 3 men are all after her affection. As mentioned above, this was the thing that bothered me the most about the book. I'm not sure if it's just me, but all of the love interests bothered me in some form.

Francesco started off strong, and then he just started going downhill. I found him at times a little selfish (ie, throwing tantrums) and just being rude towards Penny. Towards the end of the book, he says some VERY hurtful things about her. I understand that it was said with anger, however, I felt like it was just brushed aside.

Thomas was alright! Although I wasn't a fan of the whole monogamy plotline, we don't get to know him that well as he is busy touring with Lizzo (whom he namedrops WAY too much)! I wish we had gotten to know him a bit better, as I feel we are given the wrong first impression of him.

Priyesh was NOPE! I just really didn't see the two of them working out together.

This being said, I did enjoy the direction she went with at the end of the book (I won't say anymore because I don't want to spoil this). The book has some laughable moments, but I wouldn't consider it to be a witty rom-com. It's a good book, I think don't think it should be read when you're looking for something light to read!
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Thank you to NetGalley and publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!

Penny, the heroine of this book, is not your typical chick-lit heroine. In fact, the whole novel has a very modern feel about it. Penny is self sufficient, with a successful business and good relationships with her family and friends. She's done all that on her own, without the need for a man in her life.

But then she realises that there is a gap in her life for a meaningful relationship. Penny gets involved with three different men, all giving her different aspects of what she is looking for. But who will be the right answer?

I really liked this book, it's got all the elements of a classic chick-lit but with a nice modern slant to it. And you genuinely don't know what's going to happen at the end - it's got a great 'will they won't they' all the way through.