Sophia lives in the apartment underneath Jack and during Covid lockdown they form a friendship that becomes incredibly important for each of them. Each dealing with health issues they keep their spirits up and the community spirit alive with their neighbours and friends.

This was a delightful read, very poignant and relevant.

This book was written in the middle of Lockdown #1. I fell in love with it from page 1.

Sophia is a teacher currently going into school to teach key workers children, Erica is a midwife and Sophia's roommate and Jack, cocktail extraordinaire, lives alone and is shielding due to a kidney disease.

They live in a block of flats and 'meet' doing the Thursday night clap. As time goes on Sophia and Jack build on their friendship from their balconies but they never meet - Jack is in the flat above.

We start to meet other residents of the block of flats and their own stories emerge.

I loved getting to know all the characters of this book. It was just a beautiful read. I loved the whole will they wont they aspect and how it was so relatable to everything that is happening now.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A timely and charming read that really tugs at the heartstrings, I absolutely adored Love In Lockdown - although it was definitely a bit surreal reading a book about lockdown.

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 new. And when the the first clap for the key-workers rings out around her courtyard, she’s moved to tears for all kinds of reasons.

Jack is normally used to living life to the fullest - but because of a health condition, he has to cocoon and is starting to go totally stir-crazy. That is 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.

While I loved the main romance of the story, I was also really drawn into the stories of their neighbours. I loved the sense of community that developed among the people who were living in the apartment block - like, how they were all checking in on each other and hosting weekly concerts out on their balconies, It kind of felt like I was part of the community as well.

This was such a wonderful, uplifting read! I absolutely devoured it in 2 days. The story follows Jack and Sophia, neighbours who live above and below each other in a block of flats. When the country goes into lockdown, during the first clap for carers, they strike up a conversation on their balconies. I love a cute, fluffy read and this is definitely that, however it was also very emotional and poignant. It’s the perfect book for the current circumstances, especially as England goes into lockdown 2.0. The point of view switches between Jack and Sophia with every chapter, and it’s nice to hear what each of them are going through individually, Sophia as a teacher and Jack shielding with a kidney condition, and then to see what happens when they unite and are able to support each other. The story also has many side characters, like Bertie and Mavis, who all have their own stories that intertwine with each other, and they all work together and get to know each other, and lean on each other in these hard times. It’s a beautiful story about community spirit and falling in love.

Really great book. Captured the whole lockdown situation perfectly. The characters were down to earth people whose lives had to change to survive the pandemic. The relationship between Jack and Sophie was intrigueing. I readvitvat a time we in Ireland were just facing into our second lockdown so very apt. This book should be on a list for teenagers to read in about 30 years time. They will not believe that this lockdown actually happened at call.

At the beginning of quarantine, I saw a TikTok about a guy trying to interact with another girl who was on a roof in NYC. In the TikToks, they started going on dates. When I saw this book, it reminded me of those interactions, which always seemed like a great idea for a book. So of course I wanted to read it.

I think this was a super cute book about the times that we're in. I think it was uplifting when nothing else seems to be over. Overall, I do recommend it!

I LOVE this book!! I love that love doesn’t stop during the worst of times — ie, NOW — and that it turns bad into good.
Also, it made me think of the couple that met across the tops of buildings: she was dancing, he was watching, and they ended up having virtual dates until they actually met!!

A charming and fairly original take on a romantic comedy, given that it takes place during our current pandemic.

Jack and Sophia are neighbors. His balcony is right above hers. They have never met in person. At the beginning of the pandemic when everyone is in lockdown, Jack can hear Sophia crying on her balcony after the nightly clap for the NHS workers. They begin to chat, and before you know it, it’s a daily ritual.

Jack can’t leave his apartment due to a health condition. Sophia is a teacher, and teaches in-person to a smaller group of students. Between the two of them, they come up with ideas that will help their community during these hard times, and Jack enjoys feeling like he has things to do and look forward to. Not only do Jack and Sophia share food and drinks via a cardboard box attached to rope, but they also start to share a mutual attraction (without seeing each other).

Will that attraction last past lockdown?

This is a feel-good, hopeful story written in a time when things don’t feel good or particularly hopeful. From the nightly claps for essential workers to the neighborhood coming together to help each other out (great cast of characters), interesting side stories, and a bit of romance, this book delivers exactly what it promises...a light and fun diversion.

3.5 stars.

Thank you to Avon Books UK, author Chloe James, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great book for what we’re going through now. Easy to read in one sitting. Definite page-turner. Would recommend if you like romantic comedies.

Cute fun read that made actual quarantine not so bad!! The characters were fun and quirky, I definitely wanted to be friends with them when all was said and done! The characters could have been a little more developed, and I felt like I was just dropped into the middle of a story I was trying to catch up on. But the writing and quirky nature of the main characters made up for that- it was a nice little getaway story:)

This was a very sweet story and I loved how much they all cared about each other. For me personally, after reading this book I realized it might be a little too soon for me to read books about being in a lockdown, while I’m still in the middle of one. I think I might have to wait a bit before I can fully enjoy stories like this.

It was an okay reading , it could be better
I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

"when everything else stops, love is all that's left. It counts for everything as it always does, in the key workers, the nurses, the hospital staff, the shop assistants, the bus and delivery drivers - everyone braving a common enemy for the sake of others " - Love In Lockdown, Chloe James

This book was just what I needed. It was fun and lighthearted and yes it was your typical romance novel and I could guess the ending but it was still one that I absolutely flew through and loved.

It is set during lockdown which was a really tough time for us all and the pandemic is still ongoing so we're still struggling now. I understand that for many they may not enjoy being taken back to such a sad time but I actually found it really comforting. It felt alot more real and recent when I was reading and the author has written it in a really lovely way too. She hasn't made it too fluffy and ignored all of the bad bits, she showed people's struggles and how hard it was for us all. She doesn't brush over any of this at all but she doesn't focus in too much on the negatives, this book really does show how much we all united in these times. And it's true, we did. Communities came together, we had the clap for the NHS and all other key workers and people were assisting in buying shopping for those vulnerable people who couldn't get it and all of this was shown in the book. Times were awful, it was a shock to us all and it deeply affected many peoples lives but as the quote I used at the start says, love prevailed.

This book was an absolute joy to read. It was heartwarming, comforting and I'd definitely reccomend if you're in the mood for a lighter read but one that may feel slightly closer to home.

I won’t be giving feedback on this book. I was unable to read as it’s not accessible on NetGalley shelf and the format is not readable on Kindle books - the line spacing is incorrect.

And so it begins -- the chronology of lockdown-era literature has already begun, and I truly enjoyed this story. I live in the US, so reading about the lockdown from the UK perspective was refreshing. I read this one in a single sitting, as I found it difficult to put down. Jack can be a relatable character to those who've had to take extra precautions during the pandemic, and the way Sophie takes it upon herself to make the lockdown period more livable for him is so touching. I can't wait to recommend this to students.

Love in Lockdown was a sweet read. Sophia, a teacher with new found epilepsy, lives in the apartment under Jack. He is a bartender with a health condition that has now trapped him in his apartment due to Covid. She has a huge (but broken) heart and wants to help everyone. They start chatting one night on their balconies and develop an adorable relationship. They also bring together the community around them.

I think the author did a great job in quickly writing a book that is so very current. I can’t imagine there are many out there yet. It will be a sore subject for most but this being a sort of romantic-comedy makes up for that. This book was slightly hard for me only because I’m still living a pretty quarantined life. Almost “too soon” I guess to read it. The part of quarantine when we were completely “locked down” seems ages ago so it was almost hard to remember why they wouldn’t meet. While my daily life hasn’t really resumed- I can’t imagine falling for the guy upstairs without seeing him or meeting him- even with Covid restrictions. I know that added to the charm but in 2020 they would’ve looked each other up on social media. Also a little hard to believe they couldn’t see each other at all from the balconies they spoke on.

I love the idea of a bartender sending down drinks, while being kind and a great listener. Swoon! I wanted a cute love story and while it was- it was a little slow for me. That really matches the lockdown lifestyle but as a reader on the outside of this relationship I wanted to scream “let’s go- you’re perfect for each other!” The extra characters were so cute- felt like a sitcom! Also so important to read the prologue and the epilogue- I don’t always do that but they MADE this book complete! I loved the little twist I definitely didn’t catch on to (found in epilogue). Also the British terminology was fun to figure out! As an American I had to think often about what they meant in this story.

Certainly a novel of and for 2020...a year none of us will forget! The author includes many of the small details we can all identify with:shortage of toilet roll, panic buying and queues as well as rainbows and clapping for NHS.
This is an uplifting and optimistic read set in the midst of a pandemic, reminding us of all that is most important when the things we fill our lives with are stripped away. A timely read as we find ourselves heading into a bleak second lockdown.
Enjoyable and uplifting...and hopefully one that will be historical fiction soon!

May be a bit cliche after 8 mos of a pandemic, but this quirky romance is filled with sweet gestures and restores my faith in romance in this crazy time.
Through sickness, health concerns, elderly and all- friends to lovers can shine through. There is good in the world.

My favourite thing about this book was the characterisation. The two leads were charismatic, believable and warm throughout. The backstory that each was provided made the connection between them feel realistic even though they had never met. Additionally, the side characters (particularly the older neighbours and Jack's brother) were a delight and really helped me to immerse myself in Jack and Sophia's world - I would even argue that at times, the side characters were in danger of overwhelming the two main characters, they were that well written.

An extra level of charm was bought into the book with the real-life touches from lockdown that were added to give the book a real sense of community; at times it read like a love letter to everyone who endured those tough months. It captured the essence of how the whole country united in the face of difficulty really well, but without coming across as saccarine or disingenuous.

My only hesitation with this book is the pace. It worked well for the plot that things moved fairly slowly, as it mimicked how lockdown really felt, but it meant that at times I struggled to stay engaged as fully as I would have liked to. I always know when I'm really loving a book because I'll carve out time to read it as quickly as possible - I just didn't get that feeling from this book and I think it's because it was more based in cosiness than pace.

Enjoyable and worth a read if you're looking for something easy-going and cute.

A very cute romantic story, set in COVID lockdown, between two neighbors. Sophia and Jack. Both characters head out to their apartment balconies (one floor apart, stacked on top of each other) to clap for essential workers and strike up a friendship - and, eventually, more. This was a sweet romance that also brought in some elements of friendship, both between Sophia and Jack and amongst their other neighbors. All in all, an enjoyable read that brings some much-needed positivity to the year 2020.