LOVE LOVE LOVEEEED THIS BOOK!
Beth Reekles is an amazing author, I mean, have you read the kissing booth? That is a MASTERPIECE. I loved everything about this book, the plot, the love story and how relatable it is!

Thankyou for giving me the chance to read in advance. Brilliant. Such a good rom com style. Really recommend this one

Having never read a Beth Reekles book before, I wasn't sure what to expect from Love, Locked Down. However, I did enjoy The Kissing Booth Films, and Love, Locked Down has been compared to Beth O'Leary's books, so I knew there was a good chance that I would enjoy it. Love, Locked Down focuses on a group of young adults who are confined to their flats after someone in their apartment building falls ill with a deadly virus. The characters are all going through different stages in their relationships when the building is put in lockdown - Imogen has just started seeing a guy off a dating app and doesn't expect anything to come from it; Serena realises that she still doesn't know basic things about her boyfriend Zach despite being with him for 4 years; Ethan is separated from his partner Charlotte as she was at her parents' house; and Olivia is stuck with a bridal party in her flat. Love, Locked Down is a fun and entertaining novel that reminded me of Beth O'Leary, with the multiple perspectives. It's also relatable, as we have all had to experience lockdown at some point in the last two years - although maybe not with a one night stand and entire bridal party!

I’ve never read a Beth Reekles book before but I have seen the Netflix adaptation of The Kissing Booth. While I enjoyed it, I knew that her new release would probably be more my cup of tea. I was a bit apprehensive about reading a book set during the height of lockdown but I felt as if I was in very safe hands.

A whole apartment block is put on lockdown after a case of a deadly virus is confirmed in the building. No one is getting in or out for seven whole days. That means that Imogen is stuck with her one night stand Nate; Isla and Danny are now living together after only just starting to date; long-term partners Zach and Serena seem to disagree about both the big and little things; Olivia is stuck with a whole bridal party in her flat and Ethan and Charlotte are separated because Charlotte was at her parents’ at the weekend and now can’t get back in. What else will this crazy week bring? Who will be together at the end of it?

So much about this book reminded me of my own thoughts and feelings, two years ago. We didn’t have any idea what lay ahead of us and I remember feeling terrified about the coming months. The impending loneliness, relentless uncertainty and inevitable disruption to everyone’s lives and mental wellbeing was a really tough thing to deal with and I think Reekles does a great job of depicting that.

Even introverts struggled with staying indoors! This is something that I don’t think many extroverts or outgoing people really understood. I remember people assuming that I wasn’t finding lockdown tough just because I enjoy indoor activities. It was not having the choice to go out and see people I love or travel to a new area coupled with the lack of knowledge of when it would all end that made it hard. I loved that this was touched upon through Ethan’s struggle of being separated from Charlotte and it made me feel very seen.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I really like the way that Reekles writes women. I didn’t really warm to Imogen, Isla or some of the bridal party and I’m not sure why. With Imogen, I found her to be quite self-centred, irritating and very irresponsible for a primary school teacher. However, I do know a primary school teacher who Imogen shares personality traits with, so I don’t think she’s an ‘unbelievable’ character. Of course, no one can like everyone!

Love, Locked Down is a heartwarming, funny rom-com with a dramatic yet beautiful climax. It’s full of romance in its various stages and it managed to take me back to the days of strict lockdown. It was a scary, unsettling time but it also gave us all time to stop and reflect on life. That’s exactly what these characters do and as a result, they grew from the week inside just like I hope many of us did.

The pandemic rom-com I've been waiting for. This perfectly captures the intense claustrophobia and sense of upheaval from the beginning of 2020. I loved all the different vignettes of people's lives in this building -especially Nate and Imogen, who was so much chaotic fun.

This was a strange book set in lock down, there were loads of characters and it was a bit confusing at times especially as it was an ebook and difficult to go back and forth, interesting to see how things panned out ….. I did skip some of it but it will speak to some, it wasn’t badly written just not for me

How soon is too soon to read lockdown stories? If they are like this then give them to me now. Love locked down follows 5 couples locked down in their block of flats for a week during the covid pandemic. We see relationships and friendships in all shapes and sizes throughout the book and I loved the mixture as i felt it really reflected how some people must have living in lockdown. It was very cleverly written as all the characters lives are somehow intertwined but it was never messy. My favourite couple was Nate and Imogen I could easily have read an entire book based on these 2. There were some very amusing parts to this book and others that made me feel quite emotional and I feel that they could be easily relatable to people and I felt the balance was just right for this story. There are alot of character and at the start I did get a bit confused as to who was who but as the story went on it got easier to remember. An enjoyable read.

When the pandemic causes a whole building block to go into lockdown, we look at the individual lives of the different people in the apartments. From a one night stand now trapped (after trying to sneak out), a bridal party unable to get away from one another, a couple finding out more about each other in 7 days than they knew about each other in 4 years to a couple who have become separated and have to spend 7 days apart.

Reekles writes each chapter as each individual apartment, showing us specific characters in each chapter; and wow, I felt the anxiety, the funny side, the frustration and the realisation in each different chapter, to each different character. I could also relate to each character in a different way.

The style of writing was easy to follow and well written with each character having an individual voice.

This is a great novel by Reekles, although some people may see this as a little 'too close to home' or 'too soon' but actually this was an enjoyable read and although Reekles explores different and difficult situations she really does show the love that can flourish during this difficult time.

Love, Locked Down follows 5 couples over the course of 7 days as they are all locked down in there apartment block.

Each apartments story is told by one point-of-view.
Imogen is stuck with the longest one-night stand and can't remember his name, Isla is worried the honeymoon period is over now her boyfriend will her her use the toilet, Olivia now has 4 people sharing her 1 bedroom, Serena find pineapple on pizza a major relationship turning point and Ethan misses his girlfriend so much that he starts to plan the perfect proposal.

I'm surprised how much i became absorbed into this story. Each person is having to deal with lockdown but they also interconnect throughout.
My favourite couple was definitely Imogen. I would read a whole book about her.

So many little things reminded me of the first lockdown (banana bread and Tiger King)

Fantastic book.

I did quite like this book and was hooked whilst reading it but I did think something was missing (can’t quite put my finger on it!) however, I would still recommend this book to anyone who wants an easy contemporary read. I enjoyed the multiple characters and how they were all linked somehow - very clever! Some of it did make me laugh remembering the first few weeks of the pandemic in the U.K. and the struggles everyone had being locked down. Thanks to Little Brown Book Co and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!

Someone in Building C has tested positive for the highly contagious virus that's been sweeping the nation - so as of right now, the whole building is on lockdown with no exceptions.

Imogen is stuck with a one-night stand who's name she can't even really remember and she definitely can't tell her best friend Lucy … who happens to also be locked in building C in Olivia's flat with all her friends for a DIY wedding prep weekend. Serena and Dan have been together for four years, but now that they're stuck together things are becoming different. Isla was wishing she'd spend some more time with new boyfriend and now they're spending the week together for the first time. YouTuber Ethan is stuck too, but his girlfriend Charlotte is locked out of the building and he's realising just how hard it is to be without her.

Five couples, one week, a love story like no other …

"Not not this is wholly unusual for me. Well, I mean. The virus is; the general sense of impending doom about something, not so much."

Love, Locked Down is an utterly hilarious fly-on-the-wall romcom with a dazzling cast of characters - each relationship was so dynamic and I found myself equally invested in not only their romantic relationships but the relationship between neighbours and friends. Albeit being a little dizzying for the few chapters, it was fairly easy to follow the many storylines and get to know each person surprisingly well. I would happily read a follow-up about each character after this (hint, hint!)

Although it wasn't specifically mentioned that this was during the time of covid, it gave me somewhere between a nightmare and nostalgia for lockdown version 1, of banana bread, Tiger King and Dettol-flavoured groceries and the strange timelessness of it all.

Beth Reekles perfectly captures the absurdity of love - the frustration, the pitfalls, the beginnings and ending and of course the all-consuming happiness. Each relationship she forms explores a different type of relationship in a unique way and celebrates the diversity and differences we can find in love.

Endearing, riotously funny and cinematic, Beth Reekles has got the rom-com equation locked down!

An entertaining collection of slightly overlapping stories set in a block of flats, locked down due to the pandemic. Although I'm not sure I was quite ready for a covid rom-com, I did enjoy this book, and got through it in one sitting. An entertaining cast of characters (some of who's stories I would like to know more about), an interesting mix of stories, and a hefty dollop of romance.

Pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this!

It gives off serious Love Actually vibes -I thought it was very clever how all of the characters intertwined (although a couple of times I did get a bit confused, but I had my head around it by the end)

Loved the little jokes about things we will have all experienced during lockdown (especially banana bread haha)

Relatable, funny and lighthearted

This story is set around five different apartments who have gone into lockdown, with unlikely consequences. The idea of a romance set during the pandemic was unappealing to me and whilst I still felt uncomfortable about it, the author did a great job at recreating the uncertain atmosphere.
I liked the layout of the story, it made it extremely easy to follow along; it was split into seven days and again, into the five different apartments. I enjoyed the different pov's and how they all interviewed together in the end. Imogen and Nate were definately the highlight of the story, and I found myself rooting for them.
My only critique would be that there were too many people involved in the story and they somehow all were linked together, it made it hard to follow along with the story. Maybe, the author could have removed one or two of the couple's and developed the existing couples more. It was also weird when the author spoke about pop culture like hello fresh and love island, but maybe that was only for me.
Overall this was an enjoyable, fast paced book which I finished in one sitting. It's a light and easy read and I'd recommend it to others.

An apartment block in lockdown, residents enclosed. A fly on the wall approach to the dramas, lives, loves and the everything in between of those residents with well crafted characters and genuinely solid storytelling. To be read by the beach or in the garden. Let this story take you away for a few hours of reading bliss.

Love Locked Down

The pandemic causes a whole building to go into lockdown. We follow the lives of the residents through this time. I found these characters to be likeable and funny.
There are many points of views, which I really enjoy in a book, but I think could put many people off...

Thank you NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK

This was a really enjoyable book and I actually read it while I was on a week long lock down! It definitely made it more exciting!
The only thing I have to say that made reading a bit difficult for me was the amount of povs we get in the story.
I did sometimes forget who's pov I was reading and would have to go back and check the beginning of the chapter. Other than that It was definitely entertaining and a great distraction!

After I first started this book I realised it isn’t my usual type of romance. I don’t generally read books with chapters from more than 2 protagonists but I found myself being drawn in by this one. It’s safe to say I enjoyed reading this book and seeing how being in ‘lockdown’ in very different romantic situations and how they can pan out sparked a lot of interest for me

I was a little hesitant about this book as I wondered if I wanted to read about people stuck in a building during lockdown. I mean, we’ve all just gone through that twice and I really want to move on. But, saying that I gave this book a try and I throughly enjoyed it. It was funny and the characters were just great. I’m so glad I was approved for this one. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

This book was funny with quite a few characters. It followed the lives of the each one as they are forced to stay in their apartments after someone in their building has a virus.

Even though there was a few characters, I was able to focus on their stories. I liked Imogen and Nate.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read.