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London Romance #1
London Calling
ASIN B00IN36K6E moved to the most recent edition here
A break-up. A mix-up. Will there be a make-up?
Jess Sharp’s life hasn’t exactly gone according to plan. She’s 32, unemployed, and single after a devastating breakup. She’s also left Australia for London to live in her parents’ spare room. Her chaotic life seems to be spiraling until she meets someone who could be a game-changer.
She’s optimistic after a wildly successful first date, but far too much tequila and the ghosts of girlfriends past may drag her far below her lowest point. Can she win the race for romance without tripping?
London Calling is the first book in a series of lesbian romance novels. If you like punchy drama, wicked humor, and charming British characters, then you’ll love Clare Lydon’s hilarious debut novel.
Buy London Calling today to see if Jess stands a chance!
A break-up. A mix-up. Will there be a make-up?
Jess Sharp’s life hasn’t exactly gone according to plan. She’s 32, unemployed, and single after a devastating breakup. She’s also left Australia for London to live in her parents’ spare room. Her chaotic life seems to be spiraling until she meets someone who could be a game-changer.
She’s optimistic after a wildly successful first date, but far too much tequila and the ghosts of girlfriends past may drag her far below her lowest point. Can she win the race for romance without tripping?
London Calling is the first book in a series of lesbian romance novels. If you like punchy drama, wicked humor, and charming British characters, then you’ll love Clare Lydon’s hilarious debut novel.
Buy London Calling today to see if Jess stands a chance!
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 24, 2014
About the author
Clare Lydon
42 books1,252 followersClare Lydon is a London-based writer of contemporary lesbian romance. She's a No.1 best-seller on lesbian fiction charts around the globe with five full-length novels to her name, as well as writing the All I Want series, set to continue throughout 2016. If you love romantic comedies, prepare to fall head over heels in love.
If you like books shot through with witty dialogue, 3D characters and sharp observations of modern lesbian life, why not give Clare's books a try?
More at: www.clarelydon.co.uk
Get a copy of my free Christmas novella 'It Had To Be You' by signing up to my mailing list here:
www.clarelydon.co.uk/it-had-to-be-you
If you like books shot through with witty dialogue, 3D characters and sharp observations of modern lesbian life, why not give Clare's books a try?
More at: www.clarelydon.co.uk
Get a copy of my free Christmas novella 'It Had To Be You' by signing up to my mailing list here:
www.clarelydon.co.uk/it-had-to-be-you
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
September 7, 2020
**'Some writers has this feeling of being anomalous --- a rare combination of fear, an affection for languages, a reverence for both literature and doggedness...'
Okay read!
The storytelling's progression was really slow but then got juicy from 47% onward. Recommended to any interested readers!
Okay read!
The storytelling's progression was really slow but then got juicy from 47% onward. Recommended to any interested readers!
April 16, 2018
“London Calling (London Romance #1)” presents a different type of romcom lesfic than I usually listen to. I enjoyed the audiobook, but I’m pretty sure I would not have enjoyed the story as a book. At it’s heart, “London Calling” is very much like the old Jerry Seinfeld show, “Seinfeld”…it’s a story about nothing, with flawed characters who are frequently hilarious, but nearly always are just drifting through life without any real sense of direction or purpose.
MC Jess leaves Australia to get away from her cheating girlfriend. She moves back home to London and…the rest of the book presents her POV as she spends her days drinking with friends, working as a café waitress, has a one-night-stand, flirts with MC Lucy, and deals with her ex-gf Karen. Very Seinfeldy.
As with the television show, many of Jess’ thoughts, comments and interactions are hilarious, even as her actions (or lack of actions) makes her a weak MC compared with most others in lesfic. She envisions doing very well if frottage were to become an Olympic sport (I’d like to see that added!!). Or, during a dinner with Jess’ family:
Brought to life by wonderful narration, I did enjoy this escapist, drift along through life, story about nothing. If you liked the Seinfeld shows, you’ll enjoy “London Calling”, and I recommend the audiobook. 4*
MC Jess leaves Australia to get away from her cheating girlfriend. She moves back home to London and…the rest of the book presents her POV as she spends her days drinking with friends, working as a café waitress, has a one-night-stand, flirts with MC Lucy, and deals with her ex-gf Karen. Very Seinfeldy.
As with the television show, many of Jess’ thoughts, comments and interactions are hilarious, even as her actions (or lack of actions) makes her a weak MC compared with most others in lesfic. She envisions doing very well if frottage were to become an Olympic sport (I’d like to see that added!!). Or, during a dinner with Jess’ family:
There was a pause, while we all looked around, rummaging in our brains for the next subject. I’m not sure why, but I took the lead, against all my better instincts. “I’ve started seeing someone too, so perhaps I’ll bring her along as well.” Where it had come from I had no idea, but there it was. Out there in the middle of the table along with the roast potatoes, sliced lamb and minced sauce.
Brought to life by wonderful narration, I did enjoy this escapist, drift along through life, story about nothing. If you liked the Seinfeld shows, you’ll enjoy “London Calling”, and I recommend the audiobook. 4*
June 14, 2019
I can see how leaving Sydney for London after finding out your girlfriend cheating on you with your roommate could make someone grumpy. And Jess’s grumpiness is probably what I like best about her. Or rather the way it translates into dry wit. She could be the most annoying character but instead Clare Lydon managed to make her fun.
Another thing I really enjoyed was the relationship between Jess and her sister-in-law and roommate Kate, the banter between them, dyke buddy style.
Very enjoyable book, made even better by the narration (I wasn’t sure about Emily Bennet’s voice at first but ended loving it for this novel).
Another thing I really enjoyed was the relationship between Jess and her sister-in-law and roommate Kate, the banter between them, dyke buddy style.
Very enjoyable book, made even better by the narration (I wasn’t sure about Emily Bennet’s voice at first but ended loving it for this novel).
December 4, 2014
I am the author, so yes, I might be a bit biased! But I would love to know what you think, so please leave your reviews - I love to read them!
If you'd like to know more: www.clarelydon.co.uk
Of find me on Twitter: @clarelydon
If you'd like to know more: www.clarelydon.co.uk
Of find me on Twitter: @clarelydon
December 9, 2019
I enjoyed it.
Jess, a UK expat living in Australia finds her girlfriend in bed with her flatmate and decides to move back home to London for a fresh start.
I soon found out this was a start to a series of books and it garnered my interest right away, I quite enjoy these loosely tied in lesfics you get from authors like Melissa Brayden and hopefully this will be just as good.
Great MC's, Jess and Lucy, believable and very cute, Great secondary characters who I assume will be MC’s in future installments, I just hope we don't get one for the crazy ex. I listened to the audio book and narrator is excellent, I love an accent honestly and Clare know how to write steamy scenes. I had previously read Once Upon a Princess by Clare Lydon and really enjoyed it so I’m definitely going read the rest of her works in the near future.
There was an incident thrown at us halfway through that you saw coming miles away but you have to accept that when you’re reading lesfics but I did audibly sigh when I got there. Otherwise I had no complaints, great story and some really funny lines, colorful characters and I will start reading the next book very soon.
3.75/5.00
Jess, a UK expat living in Australia finds her girlfriend in bed with her flatmate and decides to move back home to London for a fresh start.
I soon found out this was a start to a series of books and it garnered my interest right away, I quite enjoy these loosely tied in lesfics you get from authors like Melissa Brayden and hopefully this will be just as good.
Great MC's, Jess and Lucy, believable and very cute, Great secondary characters who I assume will be MC’s in future installments, I just hope we don't get one for the crazy ex. I listened to the audio book and narrator is excellent, I love an accent honestly and Clare know how to write steamy scenes. I had previously read Once Upon a Princess by Clare Lydon and really enjoyed it so I’m definitely going read the rest of her works in the near future.
There was an incident thrown at us halfway through that you saw coming miles away but you have to accept that when you’re reading lesfics but I did audibly sigh when I got there. Otherwise I had no complaints, great story and some really funny lines, colorful characters and I will start reading the next book very soon.
3.75/5.00
May 16, 2018
‘London Calling’ is a funny, romantic, sexy book and is perfect as an audio book. The London setting is so vividly written and the characters feel like people I know. Jess is one of those women for whom things are destined to go exactly the way she doesn’t want them to. Humour and mishaps are the order of the day for her as she tries to get on with her life after a painful break up. When she is blown away by gorgeous optician Lucy she tries so hard to make it work. Exes coming out of the woodwork threaten to scupper all that. I love the whole cast of characters as they add to the feeling of family - be they blood relations or great friends. The narration by Emily Bennett works really well. I can’t imagine anyone else capturing the tone of the book with such skill. Clare Lydon excels here and I’m desperate to listen to the next in the London series.
June 30, 2018
Awesome!
Great start of this series. Very enjoyable, humorous and it was absolutely satisfying following Jess’s journey from a heartbreak to finally finding the one. Now I look forward to reading the next one of this London series.
Great start of this series. Very enjoyable, humorous and it was absolutely satisfying following Jess’s journey from a heartbreak to finally finding the one. Now I look forward to reading the next one of this London series.
August 18, 2017
1.5 Stars, and only for a couple of funny lines.
Nothing happens.
Nothing. Happens.
Nearly the entire plot revolves around Jess's conversations with other characters. Entire chapters just of Jess and [Insert Relevant Friend Here] at lunch or drinks and the only outcome is [Insert Relevant Friend Here] mentioning a tiny relevant detail such as they have someone to hook her up with or That Cute Girl is back in town. The drama caused by ex-girlfriends and one night stands are barely more than hiccups.
There are way more characters than necessary and they all have short four or three letter names. They're also all aggressively shallow, reduced to their jobs and one or two character traits. At some point Jess thinks something along the lines of how her friend always compares her to a straight man with how much she thinks of sex, and Jess thinks, "What else is there besides food?" Well, uh, a better character would have some hobbies or concerns floating around their heads. Or a character arc. Literally anything. Jess is shallow and lies for no good reason. That's it. Unless we're counting "lesbian" as a character trait, and we might as well, since it feels like the first fifth is just Jess finding reasons to list every woman she's slept with. It's just biding time. Because, seriously, you don't need to convince me Jess is a lesbian. I'm a lesbian, this is a lesbian romance, I'm already sold on this angle, please get to the romance.
Unfortunately the romance isn't even worth it, because the characters are so flat. Both Lucy and Jess are devoid of personality, and are generically good looking, so they don't even really stick out as real characters. I can't even recommend it for the sexy bits for this reason, since it's so hard to care.
Like I said, there are a couple good lines. (The lesbian/bus salute thing had me giggling.) But besides that the prose was meh. The best thing I can say is that the voice was solidly active and fairly readable. Other than that? Filter words abounds -- way too many "I felts" -- and just general telling over showing all over the place.
Can't recommend it, unless you're desperate for literally any kind of bedroom scene.
Nothing happens.
Nothing. Happens.
Nearly the entire plot revolves around Jess's conversations with other characters. Entire chapters just of Jess and [Insert Relevant Friend Here] at lunch or drinks and the only outcome is [Insert Relevant Friend Here] mentioning a tiny relevant detail such as they have someone to hook her up with or That Cute Girl is back in town. The drama caused by ex-girlfriends and one night stands are barely more than hiccups.
There are way more characters than necessary and they all have short four or three letter names. They're also all aggressively shallow, reduced to their jobs and one or two character traits. At some point Jess thinks something along the lines of how her friend always compares her to a straight man with how much she thinks of sex, and Jess thinks, "What else is there besides food?" Well, uh, a better character would have some hobbies or concerns floating around their heads. Or a character arc. Literally anything. Jess is shallow and lies for no good reason. That's it. Unless we're counting "lesbian" as a character trait, and we might as well, since it feels like the first fifth is just Jess finding reasons to list every woman she's slept with. It's just biding time. Because, seriously, you don't need to convince me Jess is a lesbian. I'm a lesbian, this is a lesbian romance, I'm already sold on this angle, please get to the romance.
Unfortunately the romance isn't even worth it, because the characters are so flat. Both Lucy and Jess are devoid of personality, and are generically good looking, so they don't even really stick out as real characters. I can't even recommend it for the sexy bits for this reason, since it's so hard to care.
Like I said, there are a couple good lines. (The lesbian/bus salute thing had me giggling.) But besides that the prose was meh. The best thing I can say is that the voice was solidly active and fairly readable. Other than that? Filter words abounds -- way too many "I felts" -- and just general telling over showing all over the place.
Can't recommend it, unless you're desperate for literally any kind of bedroom scene.
August 6, 2017
I think maybe these contemporary romances aren't for me. This book moved really slowly - hardly anything happened and what did happen seemed to be resolved unreasonably quickly. It seemed weird to me that Jess (the protagonist) didn't really have to deal with any kind of lifestyle changes switching from an office job to working in a cafe. Almost all of Jess's problems are her own fault because she makes terrible decisions for no reason and lies all the time. I liked Lucy but I hope if there are more books in this series she gets a better girlfriend.
November 12, 2019
Big ol' yikes on this.
I can't even begin to explain how many times I eyerolled and cringed, plus I found it wasn't very LGBTQIA+ friendly. I know what you're thinking "but it's an F/F romance, how is that possible??" Well, dear reader, I felt pretty uncomfortable with how everything was so black and white in 'you like girls' or 'you like boys' boxes. Idk man there were a lot of sexuality jokes which made me uncomfortable and just nope.
I can't even begin to explain how many times I eyerolled and cringed, plus I found it wasn't very LGBTQIA+ friendly. I know what you're thinking "but it's an F/F romance, how is that possible??" Well, dear reader, I felt pretty uncomfortable with how everything was so black and white in 'you like girls' or 'you like boys' boxes. Idk man there were a lot of sexuality jokes which made me uncomfortable and just nope.
July 30, 2019
3.25* This is a cute romance. Jess is a Briton living in Australia with an ordinary job and a girlfriend. But, discovering that she's being cheated on, she returned home to London - back to family and support. We follow Jess all through the book. We see her trying to find meaning in this new life. She's wanting a new career and job. She's also reconnecting with old friends and finding the meaning of love. The story is not unfamiliar but it is well-written.
September 9, 2020
Loved this so much!!!
Jess is back home in London after breaking up with her ex Karen in Australia. Starting again after the devastation of the break up, Jess is finding her feet with a new job and a new love interest but there are few people standing in her way of happiness. Bumping her way through disaster, Jess has to get some perspective and make choices about what she really wants from life and the happiness she has dreamed of.
I loved this first book in the London Romance series! I had read the last three books in the series and knew I needed to read it all and can honestly say that although this was Clare’s debut novel and the first of the series, it is my favourite so far. It had all the elements of Clare’s writing we know and love and was the perfect rom-com. Every minute was exciting, especially with all that kept turning up and changing in Jess’ life and you couldn’t have predicted some of the awkward moments she managed to get herself caught up in.
I was laughing and crying with this book and Jess. Oh Jess, what to do with you! There were moments when she was a complete dork and your heart went out to her, and other’s where you wanted to shake her out of her own destructiveness. Purely brilliant. Such a rollercoaster with Jess as she was literally unpredictable with what she would say and do. She really was one of those characters who infuriates you because you can’t help loving her and her disastrous nature.
I had so much fun reading this and couldn’t put it down. It really is filled with fantastic moments from cute and funny, to romantic and sweet, to full on carnage and it was fantastic. Can’t wait to read more of this fabulous series.
Jess is back home in London after breaking up with her ex Karen in Australia. Starting again after the devastation of the break up, Jess is finding her feet with a new job and a new love interest but there are few people standing in her way of happiness. Bumping her way through disaster, Jess has to get some perspective and make choices about what she really wants from life and the happiness she has dreamed of.
I loved this first book in the London Romance series! I had read the last three books in the series and knew I needed to read it all and can honestly say that although this was Clare’s debut novel and the first of the series, it is my favourite so far. It had all the elements of Clare’s writing we know and love and was the perfect rom-com. Every minute was exciting, especially with all that kept turning up and changing in Jess’ life and you couldn’t have predicted some of the awkward moments she managed to get herself caught up in.
I was laughing and crying with this book and Jess. Oh Jess, what to do with you! There were moments when she was a complete dork and your heart went out to her, and other’s where you wanted to shake her out of her own destructiveness. Purely brilliant. Such a rollercoaster with Jess as she was literally unpredictable with what she would say and do. She really was one of those characters who infuriates you because you can’t help loving her and her disastrous nature.
I had so much fun reading this and couldn’t put it down. It really is filled with fantastic moments from cute and funny, to romantic and sweet, to full on carnage and it was fantastic. Can’t wait to read more of this fabulous series.
June 25, 2017
I know I say this often but I love Clare Lydon’s books. Her spin on British humour just hits home and makes me laugh when I think about certain scenes days and sometimes weeks after. This book is just another example of Clare Lydon’s phenomenal writing skills. She writes sexy, humourous novels that transcend the feeling of love.
‘London Calling’ starts in Syndey, Australia were Jess’s life has just been tipped on its axis and she’s now heading back home to Britain to start again. What Jess didn’t realise was that she had yet to meet the love of her life and sometimes heartbreak can lead you to know a higher level of happiness and love.
Great story and premise! The novel is written from Jess’s point of view and it was easily the best move because Jess is such a likeable and endearing character. I was extremely excited to know this book was part of a series because I needed more from not only the main protagonists but also the secondary character’s.
5 stars and can’t wait to read the next novel in the series… ‘This London Love’
‘London Calling’ starts in Syndey, Australia were Jess’s life has just been tipped on its axis and she’s now heading back home to Britain to start again. What Jess didn’t realise was that she had yet to meet the love of her life and sometimes heartbreak can lead you to know a higher level of happiness and love.
Great story and premise! The novel is written from Jess’s point of view and it was easily the best move because Jess is such a likeable and endearing character. I was extremely excited to know this book was part of a series because I needed more from not only the main protagonists but also the secondary character’s.
5 stars and can’t wait to read the next novel in the series… ‘This London Love’
August 1, 2015
British rom-coms have always exuded a certain kind of charm for me and that's why I jumped on this book. Verdict: Its got all the ingredients that make for a charming read but unfortunately, it also includes all the attendant cliches typical of this genre.
Betrayed in dramatic fashion by her Aussie love, Jess escapes back home to London to nurse a broken heart and pick up the pieces of her life. Her friends waste no time in getting her back onto the dating scene. Some missteps, a one-night stand, and lots of beer and wine later, she thinks she's found true love...but persistent exes and other assorted kinks are there to make sure things don't go too smoothly.
The book is written in the first person (from Jess' point of view) so everything really hinges on how we like or dislike her. Other than the bold move back home, she doesn't seem to have much drive or direction in life--a rather wishy-washy personality. This eventually resulted in totally avoidable complications that could have been easily nipped in the bud by a more assertive or logical-thinking person. That's pretty much what I didn't like about the book. Everything else was typical rom-com: beautiful leads, smart dialogue (thought at times it felt too scripted), sexy love scenes, and cliched plot that was predictable to the end.
Hmmm... I think I'm over-analyzing. Something one doesn't need to do with rom-coms. They're supposed to be mindless entertainment for lazy Sunday afternoons and this book pretty much served its purpose.
Rating: 3.8 stars
P.S. If Brit rom-coms are your cup of tea, don't miss the fabulous That Certain Something
Betrayed in dramatic fashion by her Aussie love, Jess escapes back home to London to nurse a broken heart and pick up the pieces of her life. Her friends waste no time in getting her back onto the dating scene. Some missteps, a one-night stand, and lots of beer and wine later, she thinks she's found true love...but persistent exes and other assorted kinks are there to make sure things don't go too smoothly.
The book is written in the first person (from Jess' point of view) so everything really hinges on how we like or dislike her. Other than the bold move back home, she doesn't seem to have much drive or direction in life--a rather wishy-washy personality. This eventually resulted in totally avoidable complications that could have been easily nipped in the bud by a more assertive or logical-thinking person. That's pretty much what I didn't like about the book. Everything else was typical rom-com: beautiful leads, smart dialogue (thought at times it felt too scripted), sexy love scenes, and cliched plot that was predictable to the end.
Hmmm... I think I'm over-analyzing. Something one doesn't need to do with rom-coms. They're supposed to be mindless entertainment for lazy Sunday afternoons and this book pretty much served its purpose.
Rating: 3.8 stars
P.S. If Brit rom-coms are your cup of tea, don't miss the fabulous That Certain Something
July 22, 2018
3.5 stars. This was super cute and I really liked the characters. But it felt like it ended just a bit early. I wasn't totally settled with where Jess and Lucy ended up. I'm definitely up for reading others in the series, though.
December 30, 2021
I feel bad rating a Lydon book so low, but I'm counting my lucky stars that for some reason my first Lydon read was London, Actually, which is book 5 in the series. Because if I'd read book #1 first, I probably wouldn't have continued, and I like Lydon's other books!
The writing is technically fine, but the descriptions suffer from first-book-itis. (When characters are introduced, for some reason we always need to know their height... and for men, how much hair they have.) And the editor missed a misuse of the word "fauna". The lacunae of missing commas abound. And the main character has a rant about someone saying "girl" for a woman, but then does it herself not long after.
But those are relatively minor. My two major problems are that I don't like the main character and I don't believe the romance. The main character is flawed, which is fine - flawed characters are necessary, so we can identify with them. (Who would have liked Bridget Jones if she were an Olympian model genius with perfect social grace?) But Jess' flaws aren't ones I can identify with, or even much appreciate. Also, she's an alcoholic, as apparently are most of her friends, but this isn't acknowledged. (I swear there was a lot more drinking in this book than in Shaken or Stirred, which is literally set in a bar for almost the entire book!)
And the romance is 2-D and insipid. It seems to be based entirely on lust for nearly the whole book, and the love interest is so incredibly perfect and understanding. It doesn't feel like romance at all.
So give this book a miss. But pick up later in the series, because Lydon really is a worthwhile author.
The writing is technically fine, but the descriptions suffer from first-book-itis. (When characters are introduced, for some reason we always need to know their height... and for men, how much hair they have.) And the editor missed a misuse of the word "fauna". The lacunae of missing commas abound. And the main character has a rant about someone saying "girl" for a woman, but then does it herself not long after.
But those are relatively minor. My two major problems are that I don't like the main character and I don't believe the romance. The main character is flawed, which is fine - flawed characters are necessary, so we can identify with them. (Who would have liked Bridget Jones if she were an Olympian model genius with perfect social grace?) But Jess' flaws aren't ones I can identify with, or even much appreciate. Also, she's an alcoholic, as apparently are most of her friends, but this isn't acknowledged. (I swear there was a lot more drinking in this book than in Shaken or Stirred, which is literally set in a bar for almost the entire book!)
And the romance is 2-D and insipid. It seems to be based entirely on lust for nearly the whole book, and the love interest is so incredibly perfect and understanding. It doesn't feel like romance at all.
So give this book a miss. But pick up later in the series, because Lydon really is a worthwhile author.
February 9, 2021
2.5
A sapphic romance set it London, ya'll I wanted to love this one so much, but unfortunately we didn't click.
There were deffs some funny lines, and 🔥 scenes, but the pacing wasn't working for me. For a book this length, I should have blew through it in a sitting, and it took me a week. Additionally, I reallllly didn't jive with the MC Jess - I stopped rooting for her after she dumped a girl/didn't even give her a chance because she couldn't stop fixating on how "annoying" her voice was... lmao, as a v loud person with a lisp, hits a bit of a nerve for me 😅
I will say this is a case of "it's not you, it's me" as I saw a number of other reviewers who loved it! One made a note that it reminded them a bit of Seinfeld... which would explain alot of why this one missed the mark for me, but works for others!
A sapphic romance set it London, ya'll I wanted to love this one so much, but unfortunately we didn't click.
There were deffs some funny lines, and 🔥 scenes, but the pacing wasn't working for me. For a book this length, I should have blew through it in a sitting, and it took me a week. Additionally, I reallllly didn't jive with the MC Jess - I stopped rooting for her after she dumped a girl/didn't even give her a chance because she couldn't stop fixating on how "annoying" her voice was... lmao, as a v loud person with a lisp, hits a bit of a nerve for me 😅
I will say this is a case of "it's not you, it's me" as I saw a number of other reviewers who loved it! One made a note that it reminded them a bit of Seinfeld... which would explain alot of why this one missed the mark for me, but works for others!
June 3, 2015
Detailed score: 3.5
Overall, a sweet, likable read.
A couple of quibbles: - I found it difficult to engage with the main character and understand what was particularly likable / notable about her. Tricky when you're seeing the world through her eyes
- some of the language used and actions of the characters seemed particularly juvenile for characters supposedly in their 30s
And then a big quibble
Overall, a sweet, likable read.
A couple of quibbles: - I found it difficult to engage with the main character and understand what was particularly likable / notable about her. Tricky when you're seeing the world through her eyes
- some of the language used and actions of the characters seemed particularly juvenile for characters supposedly in their 30s
And then a big quibble
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
June 14, 2019This book was a crash and burn.
The first person narrator put me off at the first page, then the walking on your forever girlfriend sleeping with your roomate, then fleeing back home, then old friends trying to absolutely make her meet someone. Hey people, she just got out of a relationship that ended pretty badly, can't you (and she) give her some time to adjust ?
I didn't wait for the romance incoming and closed the book.
I'm pretty glad I didn't start with this one or I wouldn't have read anything else from this writer.
The first person narrator put me off at the first page, then the walking on your forever girlfriend sleeping with your roomate, then fleeing back home, then old friends trying to absolutely make her meet someone. Hey people, she just got out of a relationship that ended pretty badly, can't you (and she) give her some time to adjust ?
I didn't wait for the romance incoming and closed the book.
I'm pretty glad I didn't start with this one or I wouldn't have read anything else from this writer.
June 24, 2015
Exhaustingly tedious.
October 24, 2017
A very straightforward, easy read. What I really liked was the lack of drama - people actually talked to each other, instead of letting misunderstandings build up. The story moves fairly quickly, with all the story lines are resolved quiet nicely
June 13, 2019
Had the right ingredients for a good British chick lit / romcom, didn't quite come together for me. I think it asked the reader to believe our narrator Jess is a real catch for a few different ladies without really showing us why; I imagine it would have worked much better with a bit from her love interest's perspective. Still, fun and breezy without being total fluff, which is exactly what I needed among some heavy reads, so I'll dig up some more of Lydon's work for when the mood strikes again.
January 3, 2022
Jess is just like me because I also make out with people I don’t like
this is a slow burn hate account pero estuvo cute enough
this is a slow burn hate account pero estuvo cute enough
Want to read
October 29, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (10/29/2019)! 🎁
March 6, 2014
I really enjoyed this book, so much so it's going in my to read again pile. I have been reading a lot of lesfic books recently and this has been one of my favourite. I read it in a day and now I wish I'd went slower so it would last that little but longer ha.
The story of Jess and the people who surround her is refreshing, funny and entertaining.
The setting of London was a nice change from America and for me it made the story that little bit easier to connect with. It was like I was sitting it a room with my friends. I felt completely invested in the love story between the two main characters and would love to read more about them and their friends and families... sequel?!
The story of Jess and the people who surround her is refreshing, funny and entertaining.
The setting of London was a nice change from America and for me it made the story that little bit easier to connect with. It was like I was sitting it a room with my friends. I felt completely invested in the love story between the two main characters and would love to read more about them and their friends and families... sequel?!
July 3, 2014
This book might not necessarily be a rollercoaster ride, but it's first-person-storyteller Jess will keep you reading anyway, because you quickly get drawn to this funny and quite endearing woman. You watch her fall in love again and get her life back together after her time away, where she got her heart broken. While at some point you do suspect that it could turn out well with this new love interest of hers, you don't dare to be so sure, because it would be way too perfect.
"London Calling" is a sweet and very romantic read with lots of giggles and throughout likeable characters.
"London Calling" is a sweet and very romantic read with lots of giggles and throughout likeable characters.
June 6, 2020
Bored
I tried to get into this book. I really did. But this book dragged. Not only was the writing style repetitive. But so were the actions. Jess kept going out for drinks with people and... Honestly were we supposed to like her? I certainly didn't. The editing was also lacking. Whoever the author hired as a copy editor really needs to bone up on their punctuation for both dependent and independent clauses, I'm just saying...
The cover is super cute and why I bought the book.
But because I couldn't bear to keep reading it, this gets
Two stars.
I tried to get into this book. I really did. But this book dragged. Not only was the writing style repetitive. But so were the actions. Jess kept going out for drinks with people and... Honestly were we supposed to like her? I certainly didn't. The editing was also lacking. Whoever the author hired as a copy editor really needs to bone up on their punctuation for both dependent and independent clauses, I'm just saying...
The cover is super cute and why I bought the book.
But because I couldn't bear to keep reading it, this gets
Two stars.
August 14, 2017
Loved this book. Loved the characters, the enthusiasm, the humor, the "Brit speak" (so delightful). My only disappointment was that the ending seemed unsure, like there was more to the story (to come perhaps). I'm not fond of serial novels, because there are too many good books to read and not enough time to read them. Instead of going on to a sequel, I'm more likely to look for a new story, so the end left me a bit unsatisfied. But lovely tale and much fun!
February 4, 2021
2.5 stars
Reviewing a Clare Lydon book is always a little confounding because here’s the thing: we thoroughly enjoy her writing. We love her very Brit humour. But we aren’t big fans of her characters. And the romance is *shrug*. But the writing rocks. So, therein lies the being confounded part.
Read the full review @https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
Reviewing a Clare Lydon book is always a little confounding because here’s the thing: we thoroughly enjoy her writing. We love her very Brit humour. But we aren’t big fans of her characters. And the romance is *shrug*. But the writing rocks. So, therein lies the being confounded part.
Read the full review @https://bestlesficreviews.blogspot.co...
December 25, 2017
I downloaded the ebook after reading 2 or 3 others by the author. Unfortunately, the writing did not keep me engaged and only my determination to always finish a book I've started got me to the end. I found that some parts were very clearly edited improperly and the ebook itself was missing a few pages.
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