Reading this took me right back to 2020. Turns out that when the introvert in me enjoyed the lockdown, present-me did not like the reminder of the pandemic that we suffered through.

Eleanor is a forty-something single mom who is also a doctor at the hospital. Life at work got rough for her obviously. Gina is a 29-year-old who has yet to grow up. Needless to say the pandemic took care of that for some part.

These two neighbours happen to strike up a conversation after having seen each other for months in the hallway without really acknowledging each other. But fate had a different idea and when Eleanor desperately needs a babysitter and Gina is desperate for some social contact, she offers to babysit cute little Sophia.

It's a cute story about finding your true self and facing fears while living in a deadly pandemic that has scarred all of us in one way or another.

An ARC was provided to me via Netgalley in return of an honest review.

4*

This was such a cute story to read! Amanda Radley really sets the tone of the beginning of the COVID pandemic in a very truthful way. You'll read the start of it all from 2 different perspectives: Gina, a very outgoing 20-something game designer who all of a sudden has to work from home and sees here whole social life begin to shut down and Eleanor, a single mom in her mid 40's who works as a doctor in a hospital, who sees the pandemic coming and is getting at the end of her wits during the height of it. Gina starts babysitting for Eleanor and surprises her with how easily she adapts to her daughters needs and helps her to decompress after a long day at the hospital. Slowly but surely you read from both their perspectives that they're falling for the other person. We see a little bit of Eleanor's struggles, who assumed she was straight and falls for her babysitter, but also Gina, who is falling for the straight mom of the toddler she is babysitting. All in all I really enjoyed reading this story. The character development was subtle, which I liked, and the storyline was super sweet. It's exactly what I expected the book to be.

Thank you Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley for providing met with an ARC to read.

It was sweet and hopeful and I enjoyed it. I'd rather not read covid related books though, if you know what i mean

It's a decent read and a view of the early stages of Covid 19 in the UK and it's impact. Having said that it's not a history or anything like just a view of how our two character were affected by it. Both are interesting and it's certainly enjoyable to read their story. Is it a classic love story, no, but it is one for all that.

A pandemic romance novel revolves around Eleanor, a dedicated doctor battling the COVID-19 pandemic, and Gina, her kind-hearted neighbor and nanny to Eleanor's daughter. Balancing her medical duties and parenting responsibilities as a single mother, Eleanor's life takes a turn when Gina offers to babysit. Their relationship starts as a platonic friendship born out of lockdown companionship, gradually blossoming into a romance. While the book adeptly incorporates the realities of the pandemic, portraying the fears, uncertainties, and frustrations faced by people, the romantic aspect feels underdeveloped and rushed, lacking genuine chemistry. Nevertheless, it serves as a decent read for those seeking pandemic-themed literature.

This book heavily centres around the l pandemic, far more so than others I have read and for me this was the biggest negative. We lived the pandemic very very recently and I like to escape in books, not be reminded of the isolation and trauma.
That being said I liked the main characters and I liked that they had such different views on Covid - so true of real life. I think with a different setting I would probably have enjoyed the story more

Maybe, Probably is one of those books that made my thoughts race. Since we have all been part of this pandemic (and still are), it is just so interesting how it is experienced by someone that is not you. Even though we have a universal understanding and were all connected via the internet, everyone still had a slightly different experience during this time. It was so interesting, to read this book and I thought the pacing was *just* right, which, considering the topic I think is really hard to do. I really enjoyed it!

There are so many novels set in the pandemic years and they all read a bit rushed and forced. This book however, gets the balance just right. Character driven this feels like a natural novel set in during the pandemic rather than forcing the pandemic into the narrative.

The book was a good read. The story occurred during the pandemic which will forever be a part of history. The connection between the Main characters was fast but seemed genuine. I recommend, 4 stars.


Thankk you NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books.

3.5 stars

Each of us experienced the COVID pandemic in our own way and I think Radley nailed a good couple of examples in this book.

Gina's character was someone who annoyed me. She represented 'real people' from the pandemic and I didn't understand their behaviour, but Radley gave an insight into maybe why.

Eleanor was the opposite extreme, representing someone we admired.

The connection between them seemed genuine, though fast, and I appreciated that the age gap wasn't noted as a big part of the story. Yes, there's a gap, but they connect ... so be it.

The depth of the storyline was light and I think for more stars I wanted more layers, but still a good read.

What a start. It is set in Covid times in London. Not the first book I’ve read that has done that but this one is so well observed, certainly at the start I am transported back there, right up to people talking about covid parties to get it over with. I also love the non pandemic observations, of just day to day habits, like holding your glasses up to the lights after cleaning them! And bins……. I’m beginning to suspect I am in this book!
I’m not a gamer, but I loved and totally got Gina’s view and why. Another layer that makes this book very readable.
I loved the balance of having positive experiences through lockdown versus “lockdown” and all the negatives that should entail. “But having any positive thoughts about what was happening seemed somehow wrong.” As the writer put it better than I could.
The change in relationship is so well done in relation to covid and having to inform family. A wonderful use of a plot. Plot that is further enhanced with the reason for break up. I had got so into the relationship that I was as surprised as Eleanor with Gina’s stance (avoiding spoilers) after they consummated their relationship.
The break up is actually quite cleanly done, shockingly so and as such this feels fresh. It is not dragged out and I didn’t have to wait too long for my happily ever after (It is a romance, so no spoiler.)
Can I describe a covid novel as low angst? There isn’t much angst in the relationship but plenty of real reactions and insights to life as it was then. I often witter on in reviews about a lack of tension or jeopardy meaning pacing drops and I am not compelled to keep reading. I have discovered that it is only an issue if there is no plot apart from the romance. If the mains feel real, and their discovering each other feels real, usually with a gradual discovery rather than insta-relationship, that is enough to keep pacing tight. The pacing in this novel is perfect. In fact, for me this is a great book.

“A change in perspective and priorities had caused it.”
I’m not sure why but this sentence, to be honest,among many others in this book resonated.

“Just because you’re Sophia’s mum, that doesn’t mean that you can always fix everything. It just means that you have to love her.” As did this,

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Can’t get Amazon link but posted by franna 14 feb, appropriate cos I loved the book.

Set during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gina struggles with being at home without her large social circle. Her neighbour Elena, a doctor and mother to Sophia, needs a babysitter because the daycares have all closed. Gina offers to babysit Sophia during the day while Elena is at the hospital, in order to get a little social interaction, although with a baby. Set in a tumultuous time, Gina and Elena only have each other, first as neighbours and then as something more.

It was wild reading this book and watching Gina and Elenor go through what we all went through - it was like being back in March 2020 all over again but at the same time it sounded so strange like it wasn't even real. I hadn't been sure about reading a book set during the pandemic, but if anyone can make such a wild time into an incredible story it would be Amanda Radley - it was a nice reminder that even in the worst of times that human connection will always be something beautiful and hopeful. Sometimes I wanted to shake Gina for her laissez-fair attitude and immaturity, but her character arc was integral to the story, and her big heart was something very special. Sophia was adorable and added some much needed levity to the story. The chemistry between Elenor and Gina was fantastic, I love the little family they made.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read where COVID-19 and the following lockdown are at the centre of the story. I was initially a little apprehensive about this as it was such a serious time, is still fresh in our memories and I wasn't sure how enjoyable it would be to read. However, it felt sensitively and respectfully written to me. Having said this, I can imagine some people could find parts of this book triggering as there is a serious storyline where one of the secondary characters becomes very ill with Covid.

Eleanor's plate is full. She's a doctor in a busy London hospital, and is a single parent to young Sophia. Decent childcare is hard to find at the best of times, but the government has just announced a country-wide lockdown. She's just about out of options when she meets Gina in the communal hallway in their building. Gina is a graphic artist whose life has just got a whole lot smaller. She's working from home, with no coffee shop runs, she isn't allowed to go out with friends. Lockdown's got her feeling like the walls are closing in on her. Gina needs a new challenge, something, anything to do. So when she meets a very stressed Eleanor in their hallway, she offers to look after Sophia on a whim…

These two very different characters are unexpectedly thrown together, and the companionship they find in one another makes for a rather sweet, slow-burning but heartwarming romance. I enjoyed Maybe, Probably a lot and would recommend to others, and can see myself maybe, probably reading this again in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't connect with the novel because it's an LGBTQ relationship that I don't identify with because I don't belong to the collective. Being a novel that revolves around this element, it was difficult for me to engage and enjoy the novel. However, it is well constructed and the characters are realistic and relatable.

Really enjoyed this book, an engaging way of processing the early days of the Covid 19 pandemic, with a slow burn romance. Having a Dr and a frightened younger woman as characters navigating the pandemic worked well, especially as a way to understand why people behaved how they did. Whilst on some level leaving your child with a stranger could be considered risky, it does reflect how some people had to trust others during those early alarming days. The characters are well written and the story is intriguing and enjoyable. It also gets an extra star for being UK based, always a bonus!

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

COVID-19 is at the center of this read. The lives of many have been impacted. The political aspect has been a surprise but to some extent, not a surprise. When people are involved, there is usually more than one side to an issue. Gina Henley, graphic artist working for a video game company, bummed when her social network is impacted by the virus. Gina enjoys life outside of work and was really taken aback when COVID-19 entered her day-to-day life. Dr. Eleanor Osborne, cardiology is her specialty but when COVID-19 impacts her London hospital, all doctors are needed no matter their area of responsibility.

Eleanor has a daughter, Sophia and she needs childcare. The elderly neighbor believes it is too unsafe to continue to keep Sophia so Eleanor is in need of another babysitter, enter Gina. It was interesting to follow the interaction among Gina, Eleanor and Sophia. There is complication as well as misunderstandings that causes each women to self-reflect and find within themselves who they really are and what they really want. Enjoyable read with a perspective that shows the impact of COVID-19.

𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻.

This is a toaster oven romance novel that tells the story of two people who find companionship with each other during the COVID-19 pandemic and fall in love. The novel follows the lives of Eleanor, a doctor who works at the frontlines of the pandemic and Gina, her neighbour and nanny to Eleanor's young daughter. Eleanor is a single mother, juggling her work as a doctor and her responsibilities as a parent. Gina enters Eleanor's life after Gina offers to babysit one day and the two develop an instant platonic friendship that grows into romance later on.

I enjoyed the COVID-19 storyline better than I did the romance. The story takes place at the start of the pandemic and I thought Amanda Radley weaved in the realities of that time into the story well including the fears, uncertainty and frustration that people faced. The romance, on the other hand, could have been better paced. There wasn't any romantic chemistry between them, just platonic lockdown companionship for the longest time until the last quarter and then the pace exploded from the last quarter onwards.

Overall, this is an okay book for those who want to read a book set in the pandemic period.

This book takes place in the middle of the covid epidemic. Eleanor works. And the hospital in Britain. and has a young daughter, Sophia. Eleanor needs a babysitter and finds Gia who is more than willing to babysit. The plot revolves around Gia who is gay and Eleanor who is straight. Gia is younger than Eleanor but is drawn to her. Needs to grow up and is not happy to be confined because of the epidemic. Gia is also fearful of telling her parents, she is gay. Building a relationship on a lie does not appeal to Eleanor so Gia must make a choice.
I found the book compelling and the characters really resonate with mer. I recommend this book for romance readers.

Yes COVID was the absolute pits and it really, really sucked and we are still trying to fight with it and recover from it. But there were also some really lovely parts that came out of it that Amanda shines a light onto. A lovely feel good story about a really rubbish time we all lived through and continue to try and come out of.

Heartwarming!

I know we all groan a little bit when we hear the words lockdown and covid, because, let's face it, it was gruelling for all of us, but... Amanda Radleys maybe probably was really heartwarming to read. Even tho it's centred around covid, it also focuses on friendship, bubbles and finding out who we really are. The story has emotional situations but we also have happier ones too.

I've given Maybe, probably a 4 out of 5.

It's well worth a read.