I found it really hard to connect with the audiobook only because I couldn't connect with the narrator. I have a feeling it's something I will really enjoy, as I love a fake dating story, so I will for sure search for the physical copy of this.

A hot chocolate-sweet way to kickstart cozy Christmas vibes. I wasn't a fan of the audio narrator, but the comforting plot pulled through, about a young woman's resilience and courage. As all seasonal romances should do, it restores your faith in all things good in the world. Lurking in the shadows of an all-too-perfect hero (perhaps cliche for some) are some dark, mysterious themes about trauma and abuse that add some depth. Warning: some cringey teenage slang.

Meet Me In London by Georgia Toffolo is such a cute and enjoyable read.

Oliver’s dad is sick and his mom is pressuring him to date and that she wants to meet his girlfriend. Oliver doesn’t have a girlfriend, so decides he needs to find a fake girlfriend. Victoria is a bartender and one night Oliver is drunk at the bar and proposes. Oliver is opening a department store and Victoria makes her own clothes with the hopes of opening a boutique one day. Oliver comes up with the arrangement that they can pretend to date and he will give her a place in the store to sell her designs.

Oliver and Victoria’s arrangement is only business and nothing else or is it? What happens when they start developing feelings for each other?

Oliver and Victoria both do not date and have different reasons for that. The way they interact and hide their feelings is so cute. Oliver is very focused on his business but starts to realize how important other things are.

Victoria has a lot she is dealing with and some things she wants to keep hidden. Victoria is afraid of getting close to people, so will she let Oliver in?

Meet Me In London is such a great story and perfect for a light read in these difficult times. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Georgia Toffolo. She did an excellent job narrating and really added emotion to the story.

Thank you NetGalley and Mills & Boon/Harper Collins Audio UK for Meet Me In London.

I must admit I loved the synopsis for this book, and the lovely cover, but really wasn't sure if it would live up to expectations, as lots of celebrities write books but not all very well! But I was pleasantly surprised with this book, it was very enjoyable.

I switched between both the ebook version and the audiobook, but have to admit I much preferred the ebook version. As much as I like Georgia Toffolo the narrating really could have done with more inflection for different characters, but that's just my opinion!

The main characters were Victoria and Oliver. Victoria had been through a tragedy in the past, but had risen above it and moved on (mostly) with her life. She was a dress designer and helped out disadvantaged youngsters who also wanted to be designers, so a caring person.

Oliver was the son of the owner of a large department store, currently nearing the end of it's renovation, in the same street as a lot of other smaller shops, including the bar where Victoria worked part-time.

It wasn't really true to life in lots of parts, but when reading a light, uplifting, romantic sort of book who needs real life, especially these days! So if you're looking for a light-hearted, romantic story with good overcoming everything and the right person getting their HEA then this is the book for you. It was set around Christmas but really could be read any time of the year. Very enjoyable, and I look forward to reading the rest of the series (I assume) about Victoria's close-knit friends.

*I have read this digitally as well, so this review is purely on the audiobook rather than the actual story*

The fact the Georgia herself narrated this was a massive pull for me. I enjoy listening to authors narrate their own work and I wasn't disappointed with this one.

Georgia has a sweet innocence in the way she presents herself, and this comes across in her voice narration. It suits the book absolutely and I am glad she did it herself.

Her pacing is fine, the changes between characters was well done, and the enthusiasm she shows makes it all the more enjoyable.

I enjoyed the story and the narration was perfect to listen to on a Sunday with a cup of tea and some cake, very cosy vibes to it. I'd recommend this 100%.

If you are looking for light and fluffy, this an ok read.
It’s a romance with a capital ‘R’, Victoria is a designer working as a Bar Manager and Oliver is a retail mogul worth squillions who is setting up a new store around the corner. It’s the classic boy meets girl, boy asks girl to pose as his fiancé and fake feelings turn into real feelings along the way. How they negotiate this is your story.

The descriptions of London were great as were the descriptions of the department store where a lot of the scenes are set. There was a real connection to the surroundings but I didn’t feel the same connection with the characters. Whereas London was fleshed out the characters felt two dimensional, which meant although the story was sweet, the charm that makes a story great, was missing.

The other thing, which is probably purely because I listened to the Audio recording prior to a narrator being chosen, was that sometimes it was difficult to decipher who was speaking.

Three stars is not a bad rating and this is a debut novel, so some good, some not so good but definitely a solid start to improve upon.
Thanks to Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

OMG I loved this book. Victoria has been through so much but despite this she is the kindest person always helping others. When she agreed to help Ollie out as his fake fiancee in exchange for him helping showcase her students work in his store things turn complicated. Her life is about to change is so many ways and thank goodness she has her 3 besties to pick up the pieces. Will Victoria get her happy ever after? I was so sad when I came to the end as I wanted more. I need a sequel.

An absolute must for readers of this genre. You will fall in love with the heroine -Toffolo wrote a believable and adorable character in Victoria. You will be drawn into her world and be on her side every step of the way. I especially liked the lead male and how realistic a character he was. Readers of fiction want to be taken to a world that is unlike their own but not one that is far fetched, so I think the balance here was right. Recommended.

The story:

A romantic tale...

Oliver has an extremely overbearing mother desperate to see him settle down with the right girl and start a family. This is becoming more and more important to her in light that her husband, Oliver’s father, is extremely sick and she wants him all settled down and happy should the worst happen. Oliver’s mother is constantly nagging him about this and so when he meets Victoria they agree to a deal where she pretends to be his fiancé to appease her. As the story progresses they become closer and closer and boundaries of the deal are crossed…..

The narration:

I am not normally a fan of the author narrating the story – due to their lack of acting skills and experience, however on this occasion its exactly what I wanted! Having seen Georgia on television over the years I knew her extremely posh British accent would be a dream to listen to, and I was not wrong. She narrated it very well and at a perfect pace.

This story is ok, but it's not going to be memorable.
I didn't love the narrator and found that a little hard to get into the story. One thing I love about audiobooks is the way the narrator sucks you into the story and makes you feel apart of it, but in this case I felt like someone was reading at me.

Enjoyable story and likeable characters.

All in all, I quite liked the book. There was just something that kept putting me off a bit, a lot of headhopping. POVs have been changing suddenly within the same chapter which made the story little bit difficult to follow at times. It might have been as I've listened to it. Maybe it would be less noticeable when actually reading it.

It also took me a little while to get used to a narrator. I understand why some authors like to narrate their own books but it doesn't always work. I actually like Georgia Toffolo but found her voice little annoying at the beginning, not sure why.

However, all these things aside, I've enjoyed this audiobook and would still recommend it to others.

I have to admit, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, as I have not read any books by Georgia Toffolo before, let alone listen to them.

However, I absolutely loved it! The characters of Victoria and Ollie were brilliant, both so giving in their own way. The story was strong, with me willing them to follow their hearts and do what they wanted to do with their lives, despite their own histories.

A thoroughly enjoyable book, will look out for more of hers in the future.

I do like Georgia Toffolo and as such, was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of the audiobook via NetGalley. There’s a festive, winter feel to the book and I loved the descriptions of the settings. The story itself followed the ‘fake date / fake relationship’ trope which whilst offers few surprises, is a rewarding read. The book was brimming with warmth and there are a few laughs to be had along the way. It was also well - written and I enjoyed the narration by the author herself. All in all it was a very sweet read.

Genre: Romantic Comedy / Chicklit
Rating: 4/5🌟

I was thrilled to have both the audiobook and ebook version of this story. The audiobook is narrated by Georgia 'Toff' Toffolo and she really brings the story to life. I could listen to her all day, everyday!

I just loved this book, I was drawn in from the beginning. It's like being on a fluffy cloud, snugged up with a warm feeling running over you. It's a lovely, romantic novel. You know it's going to happen, you just don't know when! But the journey getting there is always the fun part.

I really enjoyed the story. The background to both the main characters was interesting. Him, maybe predictable, rich guy with a workaholic and ill father and a mother wants him married off!

But her background is so different, which is what makes this stand out! Both don't want another relationship! So to stop his mother interfering anymore, they agree to be fake fiance's!

"What could possibly go wrong? Just about everything."

** Audiobook ARC kindly provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review **
This was a pleasant little romantic tale with an added Christmas twist. As the ‘fake relationship’ is one of my favourite tropes, and the lovely cover caught my eye, I thought I’d give it a go.
The story, as I said, was pleasant enough. Toffolo’s writing style made for an easy read, and I’m sure it’s the kind of book that many will enjoy cuddling up with as the nights draw in and Christmas approaches.
My one criticism of the audiobook would be the choice of narrator. Georgia Toffolo seems like a lovely girl and I have nothing against her personally, and she reads the story quite well. But that’s really the problem, she reads the story rather than performs it. She also has a very distinct, upper class accent, so when characters are described as having a West Country accent or a slight American accent, yet all their dialogue is still read in her own voice, it jars a little. I think authors reading their own work is great when it is an autobiography or memoir, but I prefer to listen to a professional narrator or actor when it comes to works of fiction.
** Correct rating 3.5 stars **

I thought this was a sweet story about aspiring fashion designer Victoria Scott and Oliver Russell, in line for ownership of a department store. It's a feel good book that I mostly enjoyed reading.

An enjoyable winter themed read. It was lovely to see Victoria meet Oliver, who completely understands her passion for her fashion design work and helping the young girls achieve their dreams too. I was kept intrigued to see how it would all pan out.
Beautiful settings and some gorgeous friendships made this a very pleasurable to read.
I will definitely read more from this author.

This is so good it will melt your heart.
Funny and heartwarming with a cute, romantic storyline and a whole host of wonderful characters.
Oliver is adorable and totally swoon-worthy. I loved how he didn't think twice about helping Victoria with her students and her fashion show.
The emotional depth of the story comes from Victoria's friendship with her childhood friends and the consequences of a serious car accident they were all involved in. I would love to see more of her friends and read their stories next!
Oliver's lovely family also add warmth to the story. They didn't hesitate in welcoming Victoria to their family and I could feel their anxiety and worry over Oliver's dad's illness.
I enjoyed the narration of the book by the author. Tone and pacing were just right allowing me to get lost in the story straight away. I enjoyed every minute.

In an absolutely charming read, Georgia Toffolo writes a book that highlights the ability to find romance where you least expect it.

Victoria Scott is a fledgling clothes designer who loves all things vintage. She dreams of the day she can open her own boutique. Victoria has also suffered a tragedy which impacts her dreams of finding someone to share her life with.

Oliver Russell is coordinating the opening of his family’s new London department store. As the son of a workaholic father who is suffering health issues, Oliver’s life has taken him in a direction he really didn’t intend it to. Furthermore, his mother is pushing Oliver to bring his new girlfriend to meet the family. The problem is, Oliver only said he had a girlfriend to get his mother off his back in an earlier conversation. What he needs most right now is to find a woman who can satisfy his mother’s desires and get him back to the task of preparing for the opening of the store.

When Oliver meets Victoria he suggests a deal: if Victoria pretends to be his girlfriend for his mother’s sake at the store’s opening, he will provide space for Victoria to display her designing skills. It sounds like a no-lose proposition! Victoria agrees. After all, what harm could this bring? But as we all know relationships grow and change - could their relationship be based on more than just business?

I really enjoyed this book. It was engaging and sweet and reminiscent of a modern-day fairy tale While some would say it’s predictable, it simply did not matter. The characters were well-developed and very likeable. I appreciated the relationships that Victoria develops with Oliver’s parents and the obvious conflict she felt in portraying herself as Oliver’s girlfriend. While the book is set at Christmas time, it could easily be read at any point in the year.

I listened to the audiobook edition of this enchanting book which was narrated by the author herself. Her voice is so sweet-sounding and youthful it felt perfect for Victoria’s character. She is expressive and articulate, such that my Canadian ear could clearly understand the narrative. I’d recommend the audiobook edition to those that appreciate this format.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins audio for the ARC of this book in exchange for the honest review provided here.

This was a lovely light hearted audio book and was made more special by the author Georgia Toffolo also narrating it. I found this to be the perfect escapism and a nice cosy book to listen to while relaxing in the bath. As a fan of made in Chelsea it was interesting that the characters names in the book lended themselves to those in the series this is a perfect uplifting Christmas read and would love to read about further adventures of the other characters If this book were made into a series of them.