A sliding doors scenario which I love but the writing style wasn't for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.

All of these characters have so much depth, I enjoyed reading this so much. The book is very realistic; shows that there’s hope and that there’s different paths to take. There’s 2 separate time lines, and a big meaning of what is meant to be

Firstly, thank you Netgalley and to the writer/publisher for allowing me an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to admit, I haven't read many books that follow a sliding door structure but this book was great. Really enjoyed this book with emotionally intelligent characters, a green flag MMC and witty, in-depth story telling. This book explored how a decision can send your life down a different path and how we are faced with endless decisions that can alter the way our life goes.

A great book to introduce me to LJW- can't wait to read more by her.

I really enjoyed this ‘sliding doors’ style love story. The challenges and relationships were relatable - particularly the feeling of pressures that women tend to experience in their twenties and thirties. I think anybody feeling the pressure to find love and start a family will benefit from reading this story that shows how many twists and turns life really can take and that ultimately we’re all on the path we should be.

Lovestruck has an interesting plot, but I couldn't get over one thing.

The 3rd person, present tense writing! It felt like I was reading a play. It really threw me off and I couldn't get over it.

I appreciated the active, but natural, inclusivity of the characters though. I would read something else by this author IF the tense was fixed.

Loved this! Absolutely loved the sliding doors narrative. The characters were well written and highly likeable. Would recommend this to pull you from your January blues.

No star rating

I couldn't cope with the writing style and therefore didn't make it past chapter two. Sorry. Someone please tell the author (or editor!) to stop using adverbs and give their sentences more direction.

Finally ready to take the plunge, Becca is ready for true love - or so she thinks! But what's a girl with no life plan going to do when two men come in her path? She was just trying to manifest Mr Right and suddenly an old flame pops up. Does Becca answer his call and reignite things from years past, or delete him out of sight forever as she moves towards this new man in her life? The game has only one choice but two ways it could go... join us on the journey through Lovestruck where you get to see both sides unfold!

Becca Calloway is the story’s main character, and she receives an unexpected text from her ex-boyfriend. What follows is a masterclass in storytelling as we see how Becca's life would be different if she answered the text or chose to ignore it. We get to meet Becca's best friend Jia Li, her salon partner Carlos and witness their interactions through both timelines. It is this dual timeline that sets Lovestruck apart – readers can compare and contrast both versions of Becca's life as they read along.

Laura Jane Williams has a magic touch when it comes to writing characters that feel like real people. They don't shy away from their flaws, they face them and come out stronger in the end. Her heroes are also typically good-hearted guys with more positive than negative traits - perfect for her heroines who have an admirable way of expressing emotion without settling for anything less than love (in all its forms). It's another shining example where Williams proves why she is one amazing author. I loved Jai Li in particular in this book.

Lovestruck serves up all the best ingredients for a satisfying life. It's like getting hope, possibility and freedom of choice in one mouth-watering package - because no two paths are quite alike! By making sure we stay true to our heart desires (and trust that everything will ultimately work out) it can truly be an adventure full of exciting new possibilities. So go ahead: live boldly and treat yourself with kindness – you're always headed somewhere special!

Williams builds the tension throughout both timelines until it reaches its climax at the end. Throughout both storylines, we get to watch Becca grow as a character, which makes us root for her even more! She has been thrust into a situation that she doesn't understand but must confront nevertheless; I was so eager for her to make it out unscathed!

In Lovestruck, Laura Jane Williams has created an intriguing story that keeps readers hooked as they navigate two different paths alongside Becca Calloway. With great characters and thrilling plot twists, this book will keep you guessing right up until the very end! So, if you're looking for your next great read, add Lovestruck to your TBR list!

Very fresh and relatable, with down to earth, likeable characters. The 'sliding doors' premise has been done before but there are some genuinely interesting dilemmas in this enjoyable novel

Really enjoyed this story and how different it was with the 2 journeys. Becca is a great character and very likeable

Another great read from Laura Jane Williams!
Two parallel universes, different decisions, different moments... How do the endings differ too?

Loved this book; one you want to keep reading to see what happens in the 'other' world. It's romance fiction but with a twist. The story flows effortlessly, the characters are real and the whole thing feels entirely believable. Williams has such a natural story telling style, it gives you all of the feelings!


Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my ARC.

Thank you for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a sliding doors concept where we follow our main character Becca in two situations, one where she replies to a text from her ex and one where she doesn’t. The concept of this is very interesting, who hasn’t thought about what might have happened if you made a different decision at various points in your life!

This was a fun and easy romance just as fans of Laura Jane Williams have come to expect. The characters were relatable and likeable and there was enough twists and development in the story to keep it interesting even if the hints at various points had me guessing the ending fairly early on. It has some lovely messages about friendships, family and how the choices we make can have an impact on our lives.

This story has a 'sliding doors' style. Becca receives a text message from her ex on a night of making manifestations for the future. As the book continues, it is split into what follows if she texts back and if she doesn't.
It too me a little while to get into the story and I felt that the ending became quite obvious but the story kept going and, for me, was overly long and complex
Overall, an enjoyable book.

This is a fun book. I didn't gel with the characters as much as I would have liked but that could be a personal thing.

That said, I know a few people who would love this and I will recommend it to them when it comes out.

Lovestruck has struck my heart!

Becca Calloway yearns for love. While hosting a manifestation party in her hair salon, she accidentally creates two timelines - one where she texts back her ex and gives in to the great 'What If?' and one where she explores a different romantic route. With each timeline running along each other, we see the love stories blossom - but which one will be the one to give her a happily ever after?

Lovestruck is a beautifully funny emotional romance that follows an intriguing 'Sliding Doors' theme. Becca is such a relatable character, and her desire for love is so heartwarming you can't help but root for her to find happiness. Her two main love interests, the ex, who's come back for her heart, Mike, and the younger handsome novelist, Noah, are well rounded-out complex characters that give each storyline a unique adventure. Her two faithful best friends, Jia Li and Carlos, are the perfect sidekicks that add humour and lightness (and honestly great advice) to the story. Also, a quick shoutout to the parents, that are all very supportive and open-minded!

Without saying too much, the ending isn't as straightforward as it seems, and I was pleasantly surprised about the outcome. You can read more below in the spoiler section if you want to.

To sum up, I loved this book. The storyline was easy to follow, and the more challenging emotional plot points were balanced with lightness and fun. The characters were complex and relatable; the side characters weren't just a disguised ploy or accessory to help move the story along. The ending was beautiful and I fully felt like I lived Becca’s emotions during it. This book was a wonderfully great read and perfect to cosy up with.

Of course we’ve all seen the 90s classic Sliding Doors, and probably a few other films and novels with similar concepts (I loved the Netflix movie Look Both Ways!) so Lovestruck by Laura Jane Williams isn't particularly new or groundbreaking, but it still manages to be an entertaining read on the whole.

The story follows Becca, a hair salon owner in her mid-thirties, and the two outcomes of a pivotal decision: does she or doesn’t she reply to a text from her ex boyfriend who she broke up with after he moved to New York without her?

The two timelines share most of the same side characters and some subplots, with the main difference being the love interests that Becca dates in each timeline. Occasionally it was a bit difficult to remember what had happened in which timeline, and the slightly confusing nature of the plot wasn’t helped by a couple of mistakes that I noticed – the main one being a character in the US phoning someone back in the UK in the evening (US Eastern time) and having the person in the UK answering during their lunch break!

Despite this, I found this novel to be enjoyable and liked its messages about friendship, family and romantic relationships, and how the choices we make on a daily basis can have huge and unexpected consequences.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review for NetGalley:
This book surprised me in the best way possible.
Becca is looking for love when she receives a text from her ex - cue Gwyneth Paltrow Sliding doors moment - in one version of events we meet the ex, Mike, and see if he deserves a second chance. In another version of the story, we meet the charming whirlwind romantic that is Noah.
It’s difficult not to give spoilers, but this is great if you want a romance where you’re not exactly sure who she should end up with. The best friend characters are great and full of personality.
The only downsides are getting used to the two version of events and trying to keep track of who knows what and when. It might be helpful if the two versions of events were referred to as Mike and Noah rather than ‘she does/doesn’t text back’.
A really sweet romance which I’d happily recommend to a friend.

I've really struggled to get into this story so far, I'm usually a fan of the sliding doors narrative so I will definitely be coming back to try again!

I thoroughly enjoyed Love Struck and if you’re a fan of Sliding Doors this is the book for you!
Becca is a salon owner in her mid-thirties desperate to be settled down (despite her feminist beliefs).
After a ‘why not’ manifestation ceremony with her friends that sends that desire into the world she gets a text from her ex-boyfriend. She hasn’t seen him in five years since he moved to New York to start up a business, leaving her behind.
The question of whether she should text him back or not is pivotal for Becca and the decision can lead her on two very separate paths (or timelines).
The exploration of both paths find Becca learning much about herself, relationships, friendships and what she values most in life.

The story is told intriguingly, running along parallel timelines in two different scenarios.

One where she doesn't bother to answer the text and the other where she does...

I won’t ruin the story by sharing spoilers but Williams does this really well – I was never confused about which timeline the chapter was in.

I loved Becca's best friend, Jia Li, and her salon partner, Carlos and getting to know their personalities and friendships throughout the timelines.

The tension, as it builds in both timelines, is palpable, and I couldn't wait to see how the end panned out in both versions.
I really liked Becca as a character and her development throughout both timelines.
A really great read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Becca has a dilemma, is the text from her ex a sign and should she reply? Laura Williams gives us both options! I loved the “turn a different corner” approach and reading both sides of the what if together makes you Becca’s biggest cheerleader!
Neither Mike or Noah seem Mr Perfect as you read on, they are both flawed and you find yourself so invested in Becca you want more for her.
On one hand you have Mike who abandoned her to fulfil his dream, does he deserve a second chance now it has all gone wrong? On the other hand you have Noah who despite his reassurances slips up more than once.
In the background of both stories are her besties Jia Li and Carlos who she shares the salon with ( Carlos co owns it with her )
They are her biggest cheerleaders and on hand with advice.
What will Laura choose - to text back or not text back