Warm, tender and brimming with longing I really enjoyed this romance.

Uniquely written, it brims with nostalgia and the complexities of first love. There is a real sense of poignancy and angst to the prose but that's balanced perfectly with its gentle humour.

It made me reflect on my own first love and cringe in embarrasment.

I'm afraid that I'm definitely the wrong age group for this book. It was sold to me as being like 'One Day' but in fact it's page after page of teenage angst and the characters are just incredibly irritating. Ella continues to act like a teenager throughout the book and her inner dialogue doesn't get any more mature either. Perhaps, as other reviewers have said, it's a book for millennials which definitely excludes me :)

This is a story about unrequited love. Protagonist Ella fell in love with Lowe when they were teenagers but it takes fourteen years before it all comes together. Of course, it does. This is romance, and it's a good example of the genre. The hook is 'will they? won't they?' Some of the misdirection works well, to keep the tension strong, but there were several moments where the narrative felt like it was dragging a little bit - quite a lot - and actually, it's a testament to the quality of the writing that Dockrill managed to (and I'm going to use the phrase) string it out for 400 pages, but Ella is a compellingly drawn character, and romance lovers will love the contemporary nature of this novel. It's a good debut, and I'm very grateful for the ARC from NetGalley and the publishers.

Omg this book. I read it in a day! I just couldn't put it down. The characters are so strong and relatable. I loved Ella so much and her life and behaviours often made me laugh out loud. Her relationship with Lowe is just gorgeous, so slow burning and gradual but there are points that just make you want to cry out in frustration (in a good way) and weep,
Loved this book. Didn't want it to end and I will be shouting about it everywhere.

This book is well written and will be an enjoyable read for most. However, there is something about these type of stories which I just can't get along with. I don't want to get into why for fear of spoilers but it shouldn't put anyone off as this book is well written and will appeal to most

I loved the 2000s references in this as I am around the author’s age, but not enough happens for me in this book. I’m
at about 70% but going to DNF the rest. Not sure why Ella can’t express her feelings for Lowe for two thirds of the book and can’t be expected to do another third to find out.

An absolute nod to all of us who were teenagers in the 2000’s. Every page was filled with my teenage years, the smile never left my face.
The story of Ella and Lowe is now one of my favourite stories, ever. I absolutely broke down towards the end, my heart was breaking for Ella ( and Lowe ), their history, their lives. The most perfect book. Thank you!

Cute, cute, CUTE! Oh this book encapsulates that all-consuming feeling of full on fancying someone SO WELL. Especially for those who were teenagers in the 2000s. All the references were so spot on! It took me right back to being an awkward teenager; feeling confident and shy all at the same time, being obsessed with boys, the stupid things you do to save face but end up saving nothing at all. The miscommunication, the angst, the slow burn - I loved it. It took a few chapters to get used to the quick cadence but it makes sense for the character. Clever and different to recent romances I’ve read!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6461972010

A huge nostalgia fest for anyone who came of age in the nineties, and a straightforward, life affirming love story. I think the author's background is young adult and you can see that here - the parts of the book where the protagonists are teenagers are the parts that really sing. A tiny gripe is that it does became a little repetitive towards the end (will they, won't they, will they, won't they etc. etc.). But overall a happy, sparkly book that I enjoyed a lot. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I absolutely adored this book! The nostalgia, the way the writing pulled on my heart strings and memories, the characters…. It’s all just so relatable and real. It was like stepping back in time. I loved this book so much. I Will defo be recommending it to my book reading babes!

4.5 stars

I adored this, it had me wanting to scream at times - you know when two people are so right for each other and they clearly feel the same but neither will make a move and you just want to knock their heads together and say KISS ALREADY - that was me the entire time reading this book. This was SO relatable, my heart feels full after feeling so empty. I have no words, PLEASE read this, the writing is so poetic and beautiful I just !!! I feel like I need 10 hours to process this properly

90s nostalgia woven into teenage crush, turned love. The ups and downs and drama of opposite sex friendship and the heightened emotions of falling in love when you’re a teenager are played out with so many symbols of the 90s it’s not hard to fall into this epic love story and feel it all. As our main characters Ella and Lowe grow and mature you see how they evolve their friendship and their bond looking at how that becomes love and a relationship.
Beautiful, funny, nostalgic! A great read, especially for those who grew up and had their first love in this era.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and have provided my honest review

I was so keen to read this book, and it delivered! It's story about (maybe) unrequited love between teenage best friends, and is primarily set in the early 2000s. The time period was so brilliantly evoked, and I am actually so impressed by Laura Dockrill's ability to conjure up a totally convincing teenage mind (although it is told somewhat from the protagonist's adult perspective). Ella is such a good character, and as a devotee of friends-to-lovers this delivered (although I wouldn't call it a romance!) It's fun and funny and heartfelt and the narrative voice brims with character, and I really liked it. I read it in a day thanks to train journeys.

"I am in love with somebody I’ve only just met. My heart is a harmonica. South London is a valley. World, hear my song."


i initially wished for this book because of the gorgeous cover so my surprise when my wish was granted was unmatched. unfortunately, this book did not live up to my desired expectations.


"i love you, i love you, i love you" follows ella who pines for her friend lowe for over fifteen years. despite feeling love at first sight, she never leaves the friend-zone, resulting in pining, teenage longing and angst.


despite the romantic title and cover, this had very little romance. the majority of the story focussed on ella being unable to express her feelings for lowe. this meant considerable amounts of miscommunication/no communication that led to a very unsatisfying read. (for fellow romance girlies, their first kiss wasn't memorable in the slightest, and happened WAY over the 90% mark.)


i found the writing style to be slightly awkward and difficult to read. it reminded me of the way the “shatter me” series was written - there were many unusual metaphors, lots of strikethrough and constant repetition. it was almost poetic in the way it portrayed the turmoil of ella’s feelings for lowe, although this is up for personal interpretation.


i did love the millennial references and how it was presented in a very bittersweet and nostalgic way, and i think many people could find these relatable.


ultimately i couldn’t enjoy this book because it was such an exhausting slow-burn, it had very little romance and at times it was painful to read. however, it could be a great read for someone who is willing to reexperience their teenage years - the good, the bad and the very ugly - which is not what i thought i was signing up to by reading this arc.


2.5 stars


thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

This is funny, tender, heartwarming and all of it told in a singular voice that presents Dockrill - a proven talent at storytelling in non-fiction that all too frequently, sadly, doesn't translate into fiction - as a vivid new voice in women's commercial fiction. It is also (and also sadly), far too long. It's very good and very funny, but sharper editing would have made it even more so.

I so wanted to like this book, but unfortunately I only made it to sixty percent before giving up. I didn't feel anything for the characters or their love story. I thought it would be more in the theme of One Day, more grown up but I found the characters to be extremely juvenile . I also didn't like the writing style. I found it quite jarring and difficult to get into.

Sadly it just wasn't for me.

Ella and Lowe are perfect for each other - almost. From their first teenage meeting, their friendship spans 15 years as he becomes a rocker and she becomes a writer, and they keep just missing each other.

This book is so well-reviewed that I'm in a tiny minority who it didn't work for. I think that's down to the style: so many reviewers rave about the comedy, but I found Ella quite grating and struggled with how the sentences flowed. I wonder if this is aimed more at millennials who came of age at the same time as Ella (early 2000s), and some of the comedy reminded me of the Bridget Jones awkwardness, which doesn't always work for me. Reading the author's Guardian article about her own love made sense, since it seems like it's heavily inspired by her own childhood, and I didn't relate enough to find it charming; there's also a lot of miscommunication, which isn't for me. Unfortunately a pass from me, but it really worked for many reviewers, so don't write it off.

I love Laura Dockrill. I love her writing style and the way her finger is able to hit that nostalgia button so perfectly right, every time, without fail. This love story is *her* love story, and (shock horror) I love it <3

Thank you to the author and publisher for the chance to read this ARC, in exchange for an honest review. I did enjoy this, it’s a fun, nostalgic, “will they finally get together read?” I liked Ella, but, for me, there was so much back and forth with the leads and a lot of pop culture references which took a little bit away from the main plot.

Really enjoyed this book! I laughed so much reading it.

Ella and Lowe meet when they are teenagers. It's love at first sight for her but he just sees her as a friend. The story spans from their teenage years until they are in their thirties. Set when mobiles were just starting to be a thing for teenagers, msn messenger and dial up internet. The characters in the book are great and so realistic. With all her friends getting engaged, married and having babies will Ella and her boyfriend Jackson follow or does she hold a candle still for her first love.