Love in Lockdown took me a few tries to really get into – it got off to a bit of a slow start and being set in lockdown had me wondering if it might be “too soon” to read such a book since we are STILL in a lockdown of sorts nearly a year later… For the most part, this book focuses on Sophia and Jack – he lives above her and they “meet” when they go outside to clap outside each evening to support the frontline workers. There are quite a few sub characters in the book too – many of which they know from the courtyard of the apartments as well as Jack’s brother and wife who have a baby during the pandemic and Sophia’s parents and sister – who has a pandemic Zoom wedding! Of course there’s your nosy neighbor and your lonely older man neighbor as well who work their way into some of the plot lines. Since Jack isn’t really able to leave the house, Sophia offers to do shopping for him and they end up trying to figure out the best way they can use what they’ve got and what they know to help our their neighbors as well. Since Jack is always home, he takes up chatting to some of the neighbors on the phone so they won’t feel so lonely. It’s all very sweet – but the title of the book makes you think someone is going to fall in love – and it took quite a bit for anything to really develop on that front. Things seemed to take off a bit more when I was about halfway through the book – I would have liked it to have picked up a bit sooner – as I said I had started and stopped it a couple of times because it never really “grabbed” me, but in the end it was very sweet.
I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.
About the Book
A joyful love story set against the backdrop of lockdown – perfect for fans of The Flatshare
What if you met the right person at the wrong time?
Sophia is afraid lockdown will put her life on pause – just as she was she was going to put herself out there and meet someone. When the first clap for the keyworkers rings out around her courtyard, she’s moved to tears for all kinds of reasons.
Jack is used to living life to the fullest, and is going stir-crazy after just days isolating. Until that night he hears a woman crying from the balcony beneath his. He strikes up a conversation with the stranger and puts a smile back on her face.
Soon their balcony meetings are the highlight of Jack and Sophia’s days. But even as they grow closer together, they’re always kept apart.
Can they fall in love during a lockdown?