I was lucky enough to receive a copy of London With Love via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. As a born and bred Londoner it brought back so many memories - going to school, my first job, meeting dates at various London tube stations, visiting so many of the places mentioned... I have to admit that reading it made me feel quite emotional and yearning for a past life. I loved the way the story weaved through historical events; I was intrigued by how they would be dealt with and it didn’t disappoint. I’ll always vividly remember working in High Street Kensington and daily seeing the sea of never-ending bouquets outside Kensington Palace when Princess Diana died. I loved the two main characters for all their flaws and I just wanted them to have a happy ending, but the twists and turns kept me guessing until the end. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

Many thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for an advance review copy.

When I saw this book advertised I knew I wanted to get stuck into Nick and Jen's story straight away. Although I've never lived in London I visit a lot and the idea that the novel was structured around London tube stations really appealed. It was good to be able to visualise some of the locations used, although that's by no means necessary to enjoy this wonderfully romantic story of love lost, love found, love lost again... Given it's set at sporadic points over the course of a couple of decades, the premise did put me in mind of One Day, so it's interesting to see other reviewers have mentioned that.

Whilst at times I found both Nick and Jen annoying, and even by the end failed to find Nick hugely appealing, I did completely emphathise with Jen's struggles to accept both herself, and her path in life. There's a definite point at which her luck changes from a career perspective, and this seems to be the making of her.

I'd completely recommend it for an escapist romantic drama, with events in recent history woven in too - and proving fairly fundamental in the way the plot develops. There's one question I was left with - did we ever find out what happened to Priya, or did I miss that?

A lovely romantic story with young people navigating their early years of freedom and their sexuality. Relive music gigs and pop groups.

Firstly, thanks to @netgalley and @hodderbooks for my advanced readers e-book copy in exchange for an honest review!

A friends to lovers, slow-burn, this book had similar vibes to reads such as One Day in December. Jenny and Nick have been friends since they were teenagers and the book tells the story of how they come together and break apart again over the next 30 or so years. I often found Jenny infuriating when she couldn’t see what was right in front of her. It’s worth noting that there’s trigger warnings (none of which are acknowledged at the beginning) including terrorist events, cancer and covid (I’m just not sure I’m ready to read about lockdowns yet!). For me this book was a middle of the ground read, I loved elements of the writing but found the pacing a little slow and some components of the plot somewhat questionable. Maybe I just prefer my romance books to remain light-hearted and easy without gritty topics!

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Captivating, emotive and a special special book. This has just knocked my favourite book of all time off the top spot. One I will read again and again. Absolutely fantastic. I couldn’t love Sarra Manning any more if I tried! 5 stars just doesn’t seem enough.

London, With Love is a fairly light-hearted romcom, but I felt increasingly frustrated throughout reading at some of the characters’ behaviour and non-action. I felt like the ‘will they won’t they’ was dragged out for a little bit too long and found myself getting a bit bored that the romance just wasn’t there until the mid-end of the book.

I loved the way Jen/Jenny/Jennifer was portrayed differently throughout, with the subtle name changes depending on ‘who’ she was at the time. I enjoyed reading her story as she found herself. But I found Nick quite one-dimensional, irritating and some of the things he did/said really angered me.

Sometimes it did feel more like I was reading a London tube map than a story with the amount of references to the underground. However, I did enjoy reading about Jen’s career and the various book-related jobs she went through.

I wouldn’t rush to read it again myself, but I would recommend if you’re looking for a very slow burn and like reading about London.

Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This story follows Jen and Nick, who meet in the 80s at 16, through 20-odd years of friendships, fall-outs, and world events. It was an enjoyable, easy read and definitely evoked a lot of nostalgia! I particularly loved how London this book felt; the tube was basically a character in its own right.

Jen was such a relatable character! From being a teenager and having a be-all and end-all crush to growing into her own woman, her story focuses really well on her life and achievements outside of the men that she's dating. Yes, she is imperfect and regularly flips between her feelings of simple nostalgia and big love for Nick, but I think that's what made me like her so much. Nick was a little bit underdeveloped and I felt myself wanting a chapter from his POV, but this was Jen's story and ultimately I'm glad it focused on her.

I do understand why some people didn't love the way certain world events were used to progress Jen's story, but it personally didn't bother me and I thought it worked well.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had really high hopes for this book, based on the brilliant advance recommendations I’d seen from some of my favourite authors. It’s not one of my favourite ever, but if you’re a fan of romance then it’s definitely one for you.

There were mentions that it’s similar to One Day and that’s definitely the case - Jennifer and Nick bond over their love of The Smiths and soon become best friends. Jennifer is besotted with him from the start, but as Nick makes his way though most of the girls in their circle of friends Jennifer hides her feelings. So begins a story that will see their paths cross at various points throughout the last thirty-odd years.

As you’d expect from the title, London plays a significant role in the book. It’s where the characters are from, and many of their most significant moments occur in or around tube stations. I’ve visited London quite a few times but I don’t have the encyclopaedic knowledge of the underground, or the suburbs, that I think would have led me to enjoy this book more. A lot of time is spent talking about which tube lines or trains they’re catching, or why one bus is better than another despite their end destination being the same; it all just felt a bit irrelevant. Maybe for Londoners, or those who’ve lived / worked / studied in the city it would add an extra level of interest, but for a Northerner like me it didn’t make much impact on the story.

Sarra Manning does a great job of making each section of the book feel like it’s own moment in time, and she’s clearly done lots of research. As the book follows the characters through their lives this book includes quite detailed chapters about 9/11 and the July London bombings. These were difficult chapters to read and I do think some people might find them quite triggering. I appreciate that these were significant moments in all of our lives, but they really change the tone of the whole ending of the book.

Overall, this is a romantic journey led by two flawed central characters. Fans of sprawling love stories will enjoy following Jennifer and Nick, but I do think ‘One Day’ is still the original and best of this type.

"The trouble with you two is that you could never get your timing right..."
*
Perfect for fans of Love, Rosie, How to Save a Life and One Day. A breathtaking novel about friendship, love and finding yourself whilst also acting as an ode to the streets of London and its transport lines. The story spans two decades and follows Jenny as she finds her place in the world and tries to fight her feelings for Nick, the boy who was her friend but not her boyfriend. It is definitely a 'right person wrong time' novel that will leave you smiling from ear to ear before tugging on your heart strings and bringing tears to the fore.
*
"Two people bound together by all the years they’d known each other, all the good and bad they’d put each other through..."
*
Thirteen year old me fell in love with Sarra's writing when she told Edie and Dylan's story in her Diary of a Crush series. So of course thirty year old me jumped at the chance to review this ARC! And I couldn't put it down - I devoured Jenny and Nick's story. I could relate to Jenny and her worries at each stage of her life and I panicked at what was to come when I seen certain dates pop up. There were times I could hit Nick for how pretentious he was being and then there were times that I wanted them to sort out their issues and get together. This is the perfect story to get lost in - as much a love story for London as it is for the characters. Such a stunning cover too! Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder Books for the ARC.
*
"They held hands until the end of the line..."

Totally in love with this book! The setting and its changes through the decades are spot on. As someone of a similar age to Jen and Nick I can really relate to the experience of all of the poignant events if our time. Very much in the vibe of One Day, this story is captivating and will definitely stay in your heart.

I absolutely loved this and could not put it down. Following Jen and Nick through 35 years of their life and the different iterations of their relationship and their selves was just such a nice concept and I found myself flicking the page desperate for them to get together. It gave some real heart to the story that it coincided with 9/11 and 7/7 and it wasn’t gratuitous at all but poignant. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to read 'London, With Love' prior to publication. It was engaging, intriguing and impossible to put down. (Thank goodness for the bank holiday weekend!) Jen met Nick at sixth form college, and this is her story. She has always loved him, but knew it was unlikely they would get together. Being and staying friends is more important, right?
Jen's relationships over the years, with her friends, her family and with the men she meets along the way were all there, along with London. The tube, the streets and the life are almost the stars of the show. (I LOVE London, so I was right with her there.)
As well as a tribute to the best city in the world, 'London, With Love' also reflected the history of anyone who has grown up over the last 30 years. I recognised so much of myself and my friends in the book and found myself remembering what I was doing on certain dates (9/11, New Year's Eve 1999 etc). I couldn't help relating to Jen and Nick and I absolutely loved that about the book.
Definitely five stars from me.
Now, where did I put my Wonder Stuff t-shirt...?

Beautiful story full of love and emotion. Teenage angst carrying through with regrets. Frustrating at times as you want to be that friend that bangs their heads together.

I feel like books like these are going to grab at a certain audience.

I know what I was getting myself in for and I did like it it just wasn’t a favourite. It took a while to get into and I kept having to see how many years have passed.

This is a personal preference of “will they won’t they” and the couple through the years. It just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this arc

I was so looking forward to this book after reading the blurb and I was not disappointed, devouring this in a few sittings over the bank holiday weekend.

The story starts in the 1980s, when I too was a teenager, so this this really resonated with me and I suppose that's what helped my empathy with the characters, as well as the location, which was close to where I lived at a similar age.

I found it easy to picture Jen and Nick from the descriptions given and sympathised with the teenage angst.

We span several decades with this sweeping story, learning of different jobs, relationships and lots of will they won't they moments.

I also enjoyed the details of other characters in the story and it all felt very believable.

There were also a few references to major events throughout the story at relevant points in time, such as the death of Princess Diana, 9/11 and the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London. These events were described very well.

I don't want to give away too much to spoil the story but I really, really enjoyed this book and will now be on the lookout for more books by this author..

I wanted to read Sarra Manning's latest because I have LOVED some of her previous work - I really enjoyed 'Unsticky', and have reread 'You Don't Have to Say You Love Me' at least 3 or 4 times. I loved how the FMCs in both those stories had an arc that went beyond finding a man. I also loved the actual romance in those stories...which, for me, is key to enjoying a romance novel whole-heartedly.

'London, With Love' unfolds through the POV of Jennifer/Jen/Jenny starting from when she is a teenager all the way through to her 50th (actually 51st) year. Through this journey, her best friend Nick pops in and out of her life, as they both navigate early adulthood, career, ambition, love and loss. Jenny is easy to root for - she's reserved, dependable, clever and stands up for herself, family and friends when needed. She's also in love with Nick, but she has the gumption to stand up for herself when she feels Nick treats her badly.

London -gorgeous, exciting, expensive, grimy, but always loved London, is more than a backdrop to Jenny's life-story, almost assuming a 3rd character.

Nick...oh Nick. We never get his POV - and what we see of him over the years, I found difficult to like. He is the reason why this book wasn't a 4 or 5 star read for me.

****Spoilers****
Nick, as a teenager is aware that his best friend is in love with him, but is not interested in pursuing anything with her. He is happy chasing and being chased by his "little blondes", and doesn't want the "intensity" of what a relationship with Jen would entail. Understood- I could respect someone who had this clarity and wasn't playing with his best friend's feelings.

Nick, as a 20-something is interested in more from Jenny, but feels like she's in a bad place and doesn't want to push her. Again, understood, and appreciated.

Nick, as a 30-something in a committed relationship with someone else kisses his best friend and tries to stake his claim (that is all it felt like)

Nick, again as a 30-something, sleeps with his best friend, when he's been busy looking for mortgage with his girlfriend/fiancee. He then suggests they just ditch their significant others and stay in NYC - what a prince! Bletch!
As an aside, so not a fan of using distress from 9/11 as a reason for Jenny to initiate sex) to just stay in NYC. I felt this was out of character for Jenny.
*******
So, would I recommend this book after all that?
Hmm, if you had only enough time to read one (and ONLY ONE) book from Sarra Manning, I would say go pick up "You Don't Have to Say You Love Me".
Otherwise, in spite of my gripes with Nick, I found myself reading well into the middle of the night to find out how it all ends and if Jenny gets her HEA (maybe even with someone else! Hah!), so yes, I think London, With Love is worth a read.

I love London, I love romantic reads…what better book could there be for me! This story covers a 20-year span in the lives of Jennifer and Nick. It begins in 1986, when Jen and Nick are teenagers, studying their A-levels. Jen has a big crush on Nick, but she can’t possibly admit that to anyone, especially as all her friends think Nick is pretentious! Thrust together at a Smiths gig, they both become friends, but Jen harbours her crush on Nick for years!

The storyline dips in and out of their lives over the next 20 years - some of those years they are friends for, some of them they don’t speak and there’s even some little glimpses that love between them! I loved how the storyline took us through, not just Nick and Jen’s life, but also some of the biggest world events during that time. Jennifer certainly had to be the unluckiest person ever being in New York during 9/11 and the attack on the World Trade Centres and in London during 7/7 bombings, and I thought it was clever how the author wove these stories into Nick and Jen’s timelines! Jen is a lovely character and being fictionally a couple of years older than myself, I found myself relating to her character so well, particularly the younger Jen! Nick is just an idiot, but in the nicest possible way. It felt like he strung Jen along for so many years, and then he’d do something to redeem himself, but then on the next page went back to being the metaphorical teenage boy that he always seemed to be.

The storyline flowed along at a good pace, building up the tension in Nick and Jen’s relationship as the story moved on. I loved the London references, and could picture the Underground, the stations and the landmarks as I read. There was a good, varied selection of supporting characters, although some of them were more likeable than others. They were though, all realistic and ones which you could imagine knowing at some point through your life. Being a 40 odd (*ahem!) year old woman, I could relate to the 80’s and 90’s references to music and lifestyles, and it brought back some happy memories of the time!

The book was a lovely, sweet and interesting take on the on/off relationship between the two main characters. I love books which are set over a span of years, and where the paths cross over that time. It kept me wondering what would happen between Nick and Jen throughout, and whether we would get to see a happy ending! It’s light-hearted and funny at times, with plenty of emotion and seriousness in equal measures. Would recommend!

This is the story of Jennifer and Nick, they’ve known each other since they were teens in the 1980s. Over the following years we follow them as their relationship evolves.

I loved the first few chapters set in the 80s, I was drawn in from the off. Unfortunately what follows doesn’t, for me, live up to this start. I found myself not particularly liking Jen. And the story a slog to get through, which is a real shame as the early chapters held real promise for me.

Jen and Nick! What a couple. I didn't really enjoy their love story but I did enjoy the nostalgia of going back to the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. The author has an excellent memory for the small things from those times that make someone who lived through them think 'oh yes!'. I was rather surprised by the change in style and language at one point. Not necessary and although I am broadminded and read anything the language used for 'that' scene just seemed unnecessary in this book. 3½ rounded up to 4 stars

This is the first book that I have read by this author, and thanks to @netgalley I was able to read this one before it was published. This book follows the journey of Jen, who meets Nick when she starts at college. This then follows their relationship as they happen to meet up at various times throughout the years of Jen's life. A very easy book to follow and it pulls you in as you live through Jen's life and her various relationships; and of course her difficult relationship with Nick. The story was also sensitively written as real life events were wound into the story (e.g. twin towers and London bombings); which made the story believable. Really enjoyable and will definitely read more books by this author in the future.