A book of a long term friendship about people who make mistakes. Set in the 80s and 90s, time to rediscover your past. Totally relatable, very entertaining and just what everyone needs. My first book by this author but definitely not my last. Absolutely loved it.

Jenny/Jen/Jennifer/Jenny Richards and Nick Levene met at college. Two completely different but similar people who have an excessive list of chance encounters, happy memories and goodbyes, all spanning decades.

It's a beautifully messy love story with a love letter to London woven through it.

A synopsis can easily give too much away and this is one where you shouldn't know any more of the plot than the above.

The characters are at the heart of this novel, their stories intertwining in a rich exploration of people and never shying away from the hardships. As such, it's only at the end of the novel that you realise just how much they've been through and how far they've progressed. Manning understands people in a way that can resonate with anyone.

She has a captivating writing style, perfectly balancing characters' introspective thoughts and their wider interactions to deliver a full view of events and their implications.

A note to Future Me- the epilogue was not for you, it irritated you highly, never read that again.

I really enjoyed London, With Love. It was an easy page turning read which I finished in one sitting. I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and develop and just thought it was a lovely story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for my ARC.

This book gave me all the feels! I adored it, and didn't want it to end!
I loved the fact that it was set in London - the place I live, and so could picture all of the scenes. it felt so filmic, and so real.
The earlier unrequited teenage love I could really relate to, and it really broke my heart.

I love books that span a number of years, particularly romance books that do this - it just makes the storylines seem so much more realistic. It's a chance to see the highs and lows of the characters.
I fell in love with Jen and Nick and genuinely cared about where their lives were going.

really really enjoyed this book!

Wow, I absolutely adored this book! I loved everything about it- the way the chapters spanned through the years, the relationship between Jennifer and Nick and how they continued to impact each other’s lives, the way they just came across as so REAL as characters. It was just perfection in a book and I’m going to recommend it to everyone I know. A breath of fresh air.

An interesting read tellling the story of Jen and Nick over a several years. Not sure how much I connected with the characters even though I am a fan of Sarra Manning’s writing. Worth a read. (3 ⭐️)

London, With Love by Sarra Manning

London. Nine million people. Two hundred and seventy tube stations. Every day, thousands of chase encounters, first dates, goodbyes and happy ever afters.
This is a story of Jennifer and Nick who meet as teenagers and continue to repeatedly bump into each other over the next two decades. Sometimes they are best friends, sometimes they are not speaking and then sometimes there is a spark. This is definitely a story of 'will they' 'won't they'.
This book takes you on a journey with Jennifer (Jen and Jenny) spanning from teenage years through working life, finishing in her early 50's. Dealing with all aspects of her career, romance and personal struggles - but the one constant is Nick.
This book deals with various life events throughout the years, including the death of Princess Diana and 9-11.
I fell totally in love with Jennifer and Nick and the ups and downs of their friendship, Sarra writes about London with such admiration giving us a tour of the city within the words on the page. This story develops as the book goes on and even though there are some dark moments, they are totally relevant and add to the depth of the story. The characters in this book feel real and relatable.

I'm a fan of Sarra Manning and this book did not disappoint.

Thank you NetGalley and HodderBooks for the chance to review.

Told over the course of 30 years, through trials and tribulations of both personal and global scales, we follow Jennifer/Jen/Jenny/any variation thereupon and her ever changing relationship with Nick.

Set against the background of an evolving London, we take the 'right person, wrong time' trope to entirely new heights.

Even though, from the moment she claps eyes on him at 16 years old, Jennifer and Nick's paths diverge, London always has a way of throwing them back together.
From all encompassing teenage obsession, to adult affection, with periods ranging from apathy to hatred in between, we follow them from the alt scene of the 80's all the way to post lockdown life.

Having loved 'One Day' and 'One Day in December' I was so hyped to dive into this and safe to say I wasn't disappointed.

I loved seeing Jennifer change and grow through the snapshots of her life we were privy to. The use of her changing how she wanted to be addressed was a clever little way to indicate to the audience that the era had changed. While I did feel that Nick's character didn't develop as much as Jen for the majority of the story, this is understandable considering there's distance between them at many points throughout their lives. For Jen's POV to provide nuanced descriptions on Nick would be inappropriate, even if the fact he didn't seem to be developing at all irked me in the moment.

Honestly, this was such a lovely, feelgood, heartwarming lovestory (with a bit of heartbreak included for good measure). Highly recommend!

Following the life of Jennifer traveling from 1986 to 2021 and the rollercoaster of her relationship with Nick, her best friend, but Jennifer wants more. Her dream of getting together with Nick always so near and yet so far, emotionally they don't seem to be able to get on the same emotional level at the same time, afraid it will ruin their friendship. Could your school crush ever turn out the way it does in your dreams?... 💭

A great read, touching on actual world events, that make Jennifer take stock of what's really important. A definite should read.

I zipped through this in a day. Easy reading, likeable characters, humour and romance and Sliding Doors moments.

I’ll read anything from Sarra Manning and this didn’t disappoint!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

A good story telling the tale of Jen and Nick, friends from the age of 16, over time as they grow and have their own relationships. They lose touch but always find their way back to each other, neither admitting their feelings for one another. Significant events are covered like the London bombings and the twin towers falling and I thought these were very sensitively described.
An enjoyable read.

London with Love is one of those wonderful books that transports you fully into the lives of its characters, so that you forget all about the outside world while you're immersed.

Jen and Nick's story begins in 1986, and we follow them through their formative years, and major historic events, right up to the present time when covid restrictions are finally eased.

Theirs is a love story, but it is anything but smooth. Jen has always loved Nick, but she truly believes he sees her only as a friend.

Over the years they lose touch, but somehow always end up bumping into one another, which reignites all Jen's confusion and longing.

Or Nick admits he has feelings, but Jen shuts him down, believing him to be incapable of being all in.

I was willing these two brilliant characters to finally meet at the right time, to finally both admit their feelings, and get on with living their best life together.

Did they though?

Giving nothing away here except to say I want more of Jen and Nick. The Carrie and Big of romantic fiction.

Warm, wise, witty and heartfelt, I loved every second of London with Love.

After i read the blurb, i immediately thought of "One day", one of my favourites. A love story between two best friends over several years, falling in and out of love.

I initially really liked the book, i really love friends to lovers trope, and i thought i will love this book as well. We meet Jennifer, a sixteen year old girl who is shy, and doesn't really like herself, so she "changes" her name to Jen as she tries to reinvent herself. Then she meets Nick and their story starts.

I liked Jen in the beginning, i was really curious about how her story will unfold. Unfortunately, we do not have Nick's POV, which would have been so so interesting. The book is not romantic at all, it's "spicy", with sex scenes that have no romance.

What was annoying for me is the fact that i thought this will be a beautiful rom com, but it's the misscomunication trope, it's Jen who can't make up her mind and she keeps trying to be "the best version of herself", which she can't be without Nick, of course.

The most disturbing thing i found is the fact that the author uses 9/11 for bringing out Jen's desire for Nick and they end up having sex, of course. It did not felt right for me. I could not root for Jen, or for Nick honestly. The only thing i liked was the ending, which was really obvious.

A fantastic book. Romance, friendship, tears, laughter, it’s got it all.
Turn off the tv, get your favourite drink, snuggle on the sofa and dive in. You won’t regret it.

I am one of Sara Mannings biggest fans and this was my most anticipated release of the year but I’m so sad to say I really didn’t enjoy it. Sarra’s writing is as always so wonderful and her characters are so realistic and full of life but the actual storyline was what I didn’t like. I thought from the blurb the story would be a dream for me but it took a completely different turn and I didn’t like how long I had to wait till the couple got together and how sad and emotional the book become in places as it covered so many tragic world events in detail which was really unexpected also. Definitely have a read of it if you loved books like One Day but if your looking for something light and similar to Mannings other books then you won’t find that here.

Loved this London life!!! It sparked so many memories for me over all these years, being mostly a London girl. The tiniest whisper to One Day, but completely different in every way. Brilliantly written, great relatable characters, and a true joy to read!!
Jennifer Richards starts a new college for A levels and meets Nick, they become firm friends after a night out at a Smith's gig, the ensuing years of their on off friendship fraught with their own adventures, jobs and relationships. Will they, won't they remains throughout!!
I loved being transported back to the 80s and 90s, loved the characters evolving over the years from awkward insecure teens to adulthood.
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read early, absolutely loved it!!

This story is so lovely! It’s real, genuine honest and simply beautiful. It grips you right from the very first few pages and when it turns you out at the other end you’ve felt all the emotions and your brain is content.

Beside this being a great book spanning the life and loves of Jen/Jenny/Jennifer this is also a love story with London and it’s transport network.. When Jen goes to college she decides that she’s going to be cool Jen and meet like minded people and these will be her people .and one of those people is Nick her best friend . we follow her through studying and working many jobs striving for better employment and dreams of books .Jen and Nick go though many years and loves can they ever get the timing right ?

Meeting at the age of 17 but never becoming a couple Nick and Jen are best friends. Through the many changes in their lifestyles, jobs and romances they still link up. Will they ever be a couple, should they be a couple? Following the narrative of a 30years plus relationship.
An usual take on a relationship but one you can relate to

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

Unfortunately, this book wasn't for me... I was really excited when I read the synopsis as I thought I'd love it but I think the book just wasn't for me.

I found it too slow even though there were jumps in time. I didn't really like the characters of Jenny. I found her quite irritating. Yet I loved the period of time of the first 30% of the books. This is a time period I wish I could have experienced. I like the descriptions of the author.

But I wasn't fond of the characters nor did I felt connected to the story. So I decided not to finish it.

This has nothing to do with the author or the book. Maybe I just read it at the wrong time or wasn't involved in the story.