Book Review: Love in Lockdown

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?

Book Review: Fck the Bucket List for the Adventurer

Cover artF*ck the Bucket List For the Adventurer: Trekking into the Unknown is the 2nd in a trilogy. Part 1 is “For the Soul” and the upcoming Part 3 is “For the Health Conscious”. Of the three, I am the Adventurer, but hate the unknown. I had not previously read Part 1, so I was a bit unsure if I would be able to follow coming in at Expedition #10 instead of #1. However, it was written in such a way that you are able to pick up where one book left off and not feel confused or left out. (But I do intend to go back and read the first one eventually.)

The book explains how we feat change because it is the road to the unknown.  The unknown is perceived as dangerous and scary.  But what if we change our perception of the unknown? What if instead of thinking of it as scary – we think of it as a new opportunity? An adventure that is waiting for us? What if life is our greatest adventure to be experienced?  I feel like this for me, is easier said than done, but is definitely something I should keep in the back of my mind – if I think of everything as an adventure, maybe I’d be more likely to dive right in rather than my usual reaction to tiptoe in very slowly and scared, unable and unwilling to accept the change that may be happening.

Another great tip in the book is to question EVERYTHING.  This will help you learn and also help give you confidence in situations, especially when it is so easy to fall out of balance. 2020 had a lot of unknowns for everyone, everywhere.  For some, it was easy to get used to this uncertainty and unpredictability. Just because you don’t know where you are headed isn’t a bad thing.  Be curious. Be courageous. Say F*ck it and venture into the unknown. It is waiting for you.

I received a free e-copy of this book from Reedsy Discovery in order to write this review.

About the Book

At a certain point in your journey, you may not know where you’re headed but you become more curious and courageous to experience life and all it has to offer. Your heart knows when you’re ready to take the first few steps. And once you do, nothing will ever be the same. No one can do this work for you; it’s your job to become fully aware that you are standing at a juncture of possibilities. Are you entertaining thoughts about a healthier direction in your life? Are you ready to experiment and try things on to see what actually fits you?

This isn’t just another self-help book, spiritual book, or memoir-it’s an experience, beyond categories and labels. This book is for anyone who is ready to question everything, and simply say f*ck it-or whatever words you choose to use-when something in life no longer serves you. Are you ready to discover the wonder of you (Book 1, for the Soul), trek into the unknown (Book 2, for the Adventurer), and trust your heart (Book 3, for the Health Conscious)?

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