Lockdown on London Lane
By: Beth Reekles
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: W by Wattpad Books
Pages: 304
Summary (Provided by Goodreads): For the inhabitants of London Lane, a simple slip of paper underneath each of their doors is about to change their lives in a hundred different ways.
URGENT!!! Due to the current situation, building management has decided to impose a seven-day quarantine on all apartment buildings on London Lane.
With nowhere else to go . . .
Ethan and Charlotte wonder whether absence really does make the heart grow fonder when they end up on either side of a locked door.
A fierce debate over pineapple on pizza ignites a series of revelations about Zach and Serena’s four-year relationship.
Liv realizes rolling with the punches is sometimes much harder than it looks after her bridesmaids’ party goes off the rails, leaving the group at each other’s throats.
Isla and Danny’s new romance is put to the test as they jump ten steps ahead on the relationship timeline.
And Imogen and Nate’s one-night stand is about to get six do-overs they never really asked for—not awkward at all.
Through make ups, breakups, love-ins, and blowouts, friendships are tested as everyone scrambles to make it through the week unscathed. Amidst all the drama, one thing remains constant: life is full of surprises.
First Impression
This book definitely grabbed my eye when I was at the library. Even since the first lockdown in 2020 my friends and I have predicted how long it would take for a quarantine romance to come out. There have been a few but this was the first one I’ve seen out in the wild and that caught my eye.
What I thought
This book was so cute and the perfect lockdown romcom. I don’t think I would’ve handled it well a year ago, but it hit the spot right now.
This story follows a small apartment complex that is put on lockdown after one of their residents tests positive for COVID (though in the tory it’s just referred to as ‘the virus’). One apartment follows a one night stand that lasts for 7 nights, another follows a wedding planning part with four girls all stuck together, a couple who has been together for four years but never discussed important matters, a boyfriend whose girlfriend gets locked out and he has to spend the week alone, and a new couple who has only been together for a month.
I loved seeing all of these different characters dealing with the reality of COVID. So many of the bits and pieces the characters went through was relatable. I also felt like Reekles did a great job making some of the apartments feel connected without the fantasy that they were all best friends.
My favorite apartment to follow was the new couple. As someone who dated during the pandemic, it was probably the one I related to the most. I loved watching Isla and Danny’s relationship blossom under the stress. Nathan and Imogen were also fun to read about as Imogen had come over to Nathan’s with the intent of it being a one night stand and now they need to live with each other for a week. Imogen did irritate me a little but it was interesting to see her grow over a short amount of time.
Liz’s storyline brought a bit of fresh air to the apartments as hers was the only one not dealing with a romantic relationship. It was interesting to see what happens when you get stuck with our best friend in a super stressful situation as well as two strangers.
Some people will say this book is silly or cheesy, but I loved it. It was the perfect book to read at the end of the school year when I was super stressed out. I loved all of the characters and I found myself laughing and grimacing with them. Reekles wrote the Netflix hit The Kissing Booth, so she definitely has a talent for writing books that would translate well to screen. I would watch a mini-series about this book in a heartbeat. If you think you can handle reading fiction about the pandemic I highly recommend checking this one out.