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London Belongs to Me #1
London Belongs to Me
A New City A New Start. Same Old Demons.
Your flight is now boarding! Join Alex Sinclair for a life-changing, trans-Atlantic journey. London Belongs to Me is a coming-of-age story about friendship, following your dreams, and learning when to let go … and when to hang on.
Meet Alex, a recent college graduate from Tallahassee, Florida in love with London, pop culture, and comic cons. It’s not easy being twenty-one-years-old, and Alex has never been the most popular girl. She’s an outsider, a geeky fangirl … with dreams of becoming a playwright in a city she’s loved from afar, but never visited. Fleeing America after a devastating betrayal, she believes London is where she’ll be understood, where she belongs. But Alex’s past of panic attacks and broken relationships is hard to escape. When her demons team up with a jealous rival determined to destroy her new British life, Alex begins to question everything: her life-long dream, her new friends, and whether London is where she truly belongs.
Your flight is now boarding! Join Alex Sinclair for a life-changing, trans-Atlantic journey. London Belongs to Me is a coming-of-age story about friendship, following your dreams, and learning when to let go … and when to hang on.
Meet Alex, a recent college graduate from Tallahassee, Florida in love with London, pop culture, and comic cons. It’s not easy being twenty-one-years-old, and Alex has never been the most popular girl. She’s an outsider, a geeky fangirl … with dreams of becoming a playwright in a city she’s loved from afar, but never visited. Fleeing America after a devastating betrayal, she believes London is where she’ll be understood, where she belongs. But Alex’s past of panic attacks and broken relationships is hard to escape. When her demons team up with a jealous rival determined to destroy her new British life, Alex begins to question everything: her life-long dream, her new friends, and whether London is where she truly belongs.
394 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2016
116 people are currently reading
5879 people want to read
About the author
Jacquelyn Middleton
7 books495 followersAward-winning author Jacquelyn Middleton's books are "sexy and overflowing with hope" (Hypable) with "…the kind of sweet nothings hopeless romantics die for." (Kirkus Reviews) and …"identifiable and emotionally connective characters who readers can’t help but root for." (BlueInk Review).
Jacquelyn writes love stories for hopeful romantics—'hopeful' because her novels are always optimistic and she believes 'happily ever afters' are more important now than ever before. But life is messy, relationships are messy, and her books aren't afraid to go there, too. If you enjoy character and relationship-driven stories about people dealing with the triumphs and disasters we all face, Jacquelyn’s books are for you.
In 2019, she was named BEST CANADIAN AUTHOR at the RWA's Toronto Romance Writers 'Northern Hearts' Awards for UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES. She is also the author of LONDON BELONGS TO ME, LONDON, CAN YOU WAIT?, SAY HELLO, KISS GOODBYE, and the Christmas in London romance, THE CERTAINTY OF CHANCE, which earned a coveted Kirkus starred review and had Entertainment Weekly raving, naming it to their list of the best holiday romances of 2021.
An own voices author, Jacquelyn has dealt with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression all her life, and is dedicated to depicting mental health challenges honestly, realistically, and empathetically in her novels.
Jacquelyn's books have been featured by The Hollywood Reporter, NBC News, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Daily News, USA Today, Cosmo, Redbook, the Huffington Post, and Entertainment Weekly.
Stay in touch! Visit Jacquelyn on Instagram and share her love of books.
Sign up to her newsletter for book updates and contests, join her drama-free Facebook group Keeganites United where members take part in her popular online romance book club, get the inside scoop on early book news, and have the chance to enter exclusive contests, and follow her on Book Bub for book deals and announcements.
Jacquelyn writes love stories for hopeful romantics—'hopeful' because her novels are always optimistic and she believes 'happily ever afters' are more important now than ever before. But life is messy, relationships are messy, and her books aren't afraid to go there, too. If you enjoy character and relationship-driven stories about people dealing with the triumphs and disasters we all face, Jacquelyn’s books are for you.
In 2019, she was named BEST CANADIAN AUTHOR at the RWA's Toronto Romance Writers 'Northern Hearts' Awards for UNTIL THE LAST STAR FADES. She is also the author of LONDON BELONGS TO ME, LONDON, CAN YOU WAIT?, SAY HELLO, KISS GOODBYE, and the Christmas in London romance, THE CERTAINTY OF CHANCE, which earned a coveted Kirkus starred review and had Entertainment Weekly raving, naming it to their list of the best holiday romances of 2021.
An own voices author, Jacquelyn has dealt with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression all her life, and is dedicated to depicting mental health challenges honestly, realistically, and empathetically in her novels.
Jacquelyn's books have been featured by The Hollywood Reporter, NBC News, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Daily News, USA Today, Cosmo, Redbook, the Huffington Post, and Entertainment Weekly.
Stay in touch! Visit Jacquelyn on Instagram and share her love of books.
Sign up to her newsletter for book updates and contests, join her drama-free Facebook group Keeganites United where members take part in her popular online romance book club, get the inside scoop on early book news, and have the chance to enter exclusive contests, and follow her on Book Bub for book deals and announcements.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 343 reviews
June 9, 2023
Review on my channel!
This book has buckets of fun! Followed a lovable dorky main character as she struggles to find her place in the world post grad. A very relatable story full or friendship, fun, and even some romance. Highly recommend if you are looking for a great Chick-Lit read this holiday season.
This book has buckets of fun! Followed a lovable dorky main character as she struggles to find her place in the world post grad. A very relatable story full or friendship, fun, and even some romance. Highly recommend if you are looking for a great Chick-Lit read this holiday season.
October 18, 2017
Check out my non-spoiler review video here: https://goo.gl/vtiIXl
This is a fun new adult novel all about self-discovery set in my favorite city, London!
Likes:
- LONDON!
- How relatable the main character, Alex is. She is a reader, a fangirl, an Anglophile, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt--all things that I can relate to.
- The romance! It grew from friendship to romance very naturally and the love interest is my fave.
- I learned more about the world of playwriting, a field I had never read about before. Alex was so passionate about plays, it was contagious.
Dislikes:
- The writing style was too detailed for me, specifying how every person and place looks in each scene. Although this did allow me to see things exactly the way the author did, I prefer being allowed to picture the scene in my own way.
- Several characters seemed flat and stereotypical.
- There were two instances of girl vs. girl rivalry, both because one was jealous of the other getting a boy's attention.
This is a fun new adult novel all about self-discovery set in my favorite city, London!
Likes:
- LONDON!
- How relatable the main character, Alex is. She is a reader, a fangirl, an Anglophile, and struggles with anxiety and self-doubt--all things that I can relate to.
- The romance! It grew from friendship to romance very naturally and the love interest is my fave.
- I learned more about the world of playwriting, a field I had never read about before. Alex was so passionate about plays, it was contagious.
Dislikes:
- The writing style was too detailed for me, specifying how every person and place looks in each scene. Although this did allow me to see things exactly the way the author did, I prefer being allowed to picture the scene in my own way.
- Several characters seemed flat and stereotypical.
- There were two instances of girl vs. girl rivalry, both because one was jealous of the other getting a boy's attention.
December 13, 2016
Such a Heartwarming Story
I enjoyed London Belongs to Me so much! It was super relatable, especially being a fangirl, and such a story for every millennial out there trying to make their mark on the world.
I enjoyed London Belongs to Me so much! It was super relatable, especially being a fangirl, and such a story for every millennial out there trying to make their mark on the world.
November 6, 2017
3.5
Cute story, wanted a tad bit more romance & grit.
Cute story, wanted a tad bit more romance & grit.
Read
January 9, 2018dnf 70%
This one isn't for me, unfortunately. I very much enjoyed parts of the story and the characters but I would have loved to have a steadier progression of romance. There seemed to be a lot of emphasis on other things with a lot of "oh my goodness, I can't believe she did that!" moments. Sadly, it wasn't enough to keep me invested in the story, there was just something off about the pacing for me. The writing is good and the banter is enjoyable.
This one isn't for me, unfortunately. I very much enjoyed parts of the story and the characters but I would have loved to have a steadier progression of romance. There seemed to be a lot of emphasis on other things with a lot of "oh my goodness, I can't believe she did that!" moments. Sadly, it wasn't enough to keep me invested in the story, there was just something off about the pacing for me. The writing is good and the banter is enjoyable.
November 22, 2016
At one point in “London Belongs to Me,” Jacquelyn Middleton describes a love scene in a play written by one of the characters as “veering towards diabetes inducing.” Well, that gives the love scene a definite edge on “London Belongs to Me,” because this treacly, cliché-ridden book is so firmly in diabetes territory, I actually vomited while reading it. I mean, there’s a chance that could have been actual food poisoning (thanks, Olive Garden!), but I’m placing the blame fully on Ms. Middleton.
I’m not even sure where to start with this wreck of a novel, but I guess I’ll begin with the fact that it's sneakily, perhaps inadvertently, pernicious. The story Jacquelyn Middleton chooses to tell here is exactly the kind of dangerous wish fulfillment that gets young women into trouble. Alexandra Sinclair, the novel's heroine without engaging any of the real, unpleasant, browbeating work achieving something like that requires. Her friends do most of the grunt work and her one attempt at networking is aborted when she runs into a bathroom with a panic attack.
It's this sort of drivel, disguised as a "how to, coming of age" novel, that's not only eye-rollingly impossible, it's actively dangerous. It teaches young women that success is a matter of talent only, and that unpleasant inconveniences like networking, submitting yourself to criticism, and dealing with people you don't like very much are optional. It also perpetuates the sexist idea that promoting yourself is distasteful and shameful, and that women who engage in these practices are less than. Anyone who acted like Alex does in this book would have withered and ended up working in customer service, and they would have deserved it, because they'd have stubbornly ignored every piece of basic rudimentary advice it takes to make a career for yourself in the arts.
The problem is further compounded by the fact that, as a reader, you don't even want Alex to succeed. She's awful - honestly. This is a perky, blonde 21-year-old college graduate who shows up able to afford a years’ rent in hipster London in an apartment with an actual cleaning woman, has a father a few hours away to bail her out, and quickly forms a posse of friends whose only aim in life seems to be indulging Alex with every mild wish that could enter her head. And then we’re asked to identify with her.
Bridget Jones is mentioned in this book, so let’s use her as a reference point. The reason for the Bridget zeitgeist in the 90s – and the reason that book continues to be adored by so many women – is because Bridget is a lovable-but-seriously-flawed heroine. She has some definite talents and likeable qualities, but in the end, she’s her own worst enemy. She makes serious errors of judgment. She has some sizable gaps in her base of common sense. She gets in her own way. And her author is totally aware of all of this – Helen Fielding lets Bridget be a real woman and we love her for it, particularly because as Bridget stumbles through life, she also stumbles upon some hard-won happiness.
Alex Sinclair is not a real woman, and her happiness comes after such non-events as "lived in a small room," "saw a hot girl near her love interest," and "was the victim of literally the world's laziest plagiarism." Every single one of her problems are external. Left to her own devices, she easily earns the adoration of everyone who meets her, becomes unbelievably proficient at two separate, but disparate jobs within weeks, and manages .
Alex's biggest problem is the cartoonishly villainous Olivia, who is not a character so much as a plot device pulled from every bad teen girl movie you saw in the early 2000s. Olivia executes a poorly planned and instead of taking the very obvious, reasonable route of , Alex comes up with some convoluted logic meant to increase dramatic tension and prolong the novel's narrative. Olivia manages to screw with Alex a few more times, though Alex eventually glides through these problems pretty easily thanks to her friends and family, who apparently have nothing better to do with their time and money than to give it all to Alex. Alex then repays her fan club by crying over her inability to become an instantaneous success, perhaps so that they’ll once again rush in to reassure her that she’s the only person in the entire universe of this book who matters and is worthy of a storyline. I think we're meant to sympathize with Alex here because she's got an emotionally distant mother, but hell, her best friend Lucy has no living relatives and seems to have her shit together. That makes Alex's hangups mostly annoying and self-indulgent, and puts yet another wedge between her and the reader.
Alex is also sold to us as a feminist playwright, despite the fact that she’s the only person still backwards enough to use the term “chick” in 2016 and counts Stephen Moffat, who never met a sexist cliche about women he didn't embrace, as among her writing heroes. She also mistrusts just about every other female character in this book on sight and seems to view the fact that Olivia counts calories as evidence of her moral failings. Alex is also rail-thin, but crucially, she loves Nutella and brownies, leaving the reader with the inevitable conclusion that a fast metabolism is undeniable evidence of supreme likability. (Seriously, can we please retire this harmful stereotype among women's entertainment? It's awful.)
Alex is so remarkable, in fact, that , he’s thanking her within a week and apologizing for how much she had to go through.
This is without even touching the fact that a girl who thinks “You can do this” is an impressively deep self-help phrase she coined herself somehow managed to .
All of this, and everything else about Alex, points to a fundamental misunderstanding of Jacquelyn Middleton's as to why people read these types of books. Again, the reason my copy of Bridget Jones is basically falling apart after countless rereads is because Bridget offers hope of happiness amidst the dreariness of real life - not because she's a perfect woman unfairly victimized by external events.
The other characters in this book are, unfortunately, similarly one-note and terrible. You’ve got Lucy, the far-more-interesting best friend who graciously focuses every waking moment on devoting herself to the privileged Alex; Freddie, the obligatory gay friend who is conveniently more interested in Alex’s love life than his own; loutish Tom who likes booze and sex and not much else; poorly drawn Harry, whose friendship with Alex apparently wasn’t extensive enough for him to have discussed, and later recognized, her ; and Mark, the milquetoast whose main personality traits seem to be having an Irish accent and owning a Vespa.
And then, of course, there’s Olivia, whose status as a cliché is so well-earned, it would be an insult to include her in the same paragraph as all these other clichés.
The writing itself is also pretty excruciating. For as much as Jacquelyn Middleton understands geek culture, she’s much too desperate to prove her hipness with the written word. Tortured similes abound (“Alex wheezed like a bagpipe gasping for air,” “Alex’s delicate stomach deflated like a punctured Yorkshire pudding,” “The loose shoelace of her left Converse slapped through the overflowing puddles like a bloated noodle”), and you can almost see her jumping up and down in excitement with some of her awkward, meant-to-be-fresh-and-charming turns of phrases ("Tears played follow-the-leader down Alex's cheeks"). She jumps to third-person omniscient in odd places (including a weird one-time-only sequence where we’re in Olivia’s head for a while) and relies heavily on bland inspirational quotes from Pinterest boards and geek culture to communicate "big ideas" about the theme of the book.
Oh, and if I never have to read the phrase “Alex’s cheeks warmed” again, it will be too soon.
Really, the biggest reason this novel is such a disappointment is because it has the raw materials to be something fun and diverting - even for someone like me, who will never understand grown-ass women who still obsess over celebrities. Instead, though, it’s just as unsafely thin and misguided as Evil Olivia. If the novel's marketing as a coming-of-age novel with depth that features a slightly geeky female lead is what appealed to you about this book, try Rainbow Rowell’s “ Fangirl" instead. It’s realistic, empathetic, and whip-smart – all the things “London Belongs to Me” aims so desperately to be and fails at so miserably.
I hate giving books one star, but this one really, really deserved it.
I’m not even sure where to start with this wreck of a novel, but I guess I’ll begin with the fact that it's sneakily, perhaps inadvertently, pernicious. The story Jacquelyn Middleton chooses to tell here is exactly the kind of dangerous wish fulfillment that gets young women into trouble. Alexandra Sinclair, the novel's heroine without engaging any of the real, unpleasant, browbeating work achieving something like that requires. Her friends do most of the grunt work and her one attempt at networking is aborted when she runs into a bathroom with a panic attack.
It's this sort of drivel, disguised as a "how to, coming of age" novel, that's not only eye-rollingly impossible, it's actively dangerous. It teaches young women that success is a matter of talent only, and that unpleasant inconveniences like networking, submitting yourself to criticism, and dealing with people you don't like very much are optional. It also perpetuates the sexist idea that promoting yourself is distasteful and shameful, and that women who engage in these practices are less than. Anyone who acted like Alex does in this book would have withered and ended up working in customer service, and they would have deserved it, because they'd have stubbornly ignored every piece of basic rudimentary advice it takes to make a career for yourself in the arts.
The problem is further compounded by the fact that, as a reader, you don't even want Alex to succeed. She's awful - honestly. This is a perky, blonde 21-year-old college graduate who shows up able to afford a years’ rent in hipster London in an apartment with an actual cleaning woman, has a father a few hours away to bail her out, and quickly forms a posse of friends whose only aim in life seems to be indulging Alex with every mild wish that could enter her head. And then we’re asked to identify with her.
Bridget Jones is mentioned in this book, so let’s use her as a reference point. The reason for the Bridget zeitgeist in the 90s – and the reason that book continues to be adored by so many women – is because Bridget is a lovable-but-seriously-flawed heroine. She has some definite talents and likeable qualities, but in the end, she’s her own worst enemy. She makes serious errors of judgment. She has some sizable gaps in her base of common sense. She gets in her own way. And her author is totally aware of all of this – Helen Fielding lets Bridget be a real woman and we love her for it, particularly because as Bridget stumbles through life, she also stumbles upon some hard-won happiness.
Alex Sinclair is not a real woman, and her happiness comes after such non-events as "lived in a small room," "saw a hot girl near her love interest," and "was the victim of literally the world's laziest plagiarism." Every single one of her problems are external. Left to her own devices, she easily earns the adoration of everyone who meets her, becomes unbelievably proficient at two separate, but disparate jobs within weeks, and manages .
Alex's biggest problem is the cartoonishly villainous Olivia, who is not a character so much as a plot device pulled from every bad teen girl movie you saw in the early 2000s. Olivia executes a poorly planned and instead of taking the very obvious, reasonable route of , Alex comes up with some convoluted logic meant to increase dramatic tension and prolong the novel's narrative. Olivia manages to screw with Alex a few more times, though Alex eventually glides through these problems pretty easily thanks to her friends and family, who apparently have nothing better to do with their time and money than to give it all to Alex. Alex then repays her fan club by crying over her inability to become an instantaneous success, perhaps so that they’ll once again rush in to reassure her that she’s the only person in the entire universe of this book who matters and is worthy of a storyline. I think we're meant to sympathize with Alex here because she's got an emotionally distant mother, but hell, her best friend Lucy has no living relatives and seems to have her shit together. That makes Alex's hangups mostly annoying and self-indulgent, and puts yet another wedge between her and the reader.
Alex is also sold to us as a feminist playwright, despite the fact that she’s the only person still backwards enough to use the term “chick” in 2016 and counts Stephen Moffat, who never met a sexist cliche about women he didn't embrace, as among her writing heroes. She also mistrusts just about every other female character in this book on sight and seems to view the fact that Olivia counts calories as evidence of her moral failings. Alex is also rail-thin, but crucially, she loves Nutella and brownies, leaving the reader with the inevitable conclusion that a fast metabolism is undeniable evidence of supreme likability. (Seriously, can we please retire this harmful stereotype among women's entertainment? It's awful.)
Alex is so remarkable, in fact, that , he’s thanking her within a week and apologizing for how much she had to go through.
This is without even touching the fact that a girl who thinks “You can do this” is an impressively deep self-help phrase she coined herself somehow managed to .
All of this, and everything else about Alex, points to a fundamental misunderstanding of Jacquelyn Middleton's as to why people read these types of books. Again, the reason my copy of Bridget Jones is basically falling apart after countless rereads is because Bridget offers hope of happiness amidst the dreariness of real life - not because she's a perfect woman unfairly victimized by external events.
The other characters in this book are, unfortunately, similarly one-note and terrible. You’ve got Lucy, the far-more-interesting best friend who graciously focuses every waking moment on devoting herself to the privileged Alex; Freddie, the obligatory gay friend who is conveniently more interested in Alex’s love life than his own; loutish Tom who likes booze and sex and not much else; poorly drawn Harry, whose friendship with Alex apparently wasn’t extensive enough for him to have discussed, and later recognized, her ; and Mark, the milquetoast whose main personality traits seem to be having an Irish accent and owning a Vespa.
And then, of course, there’s Olivia, whose status as a cliché is so well-earned, it would be an insult to include her in the same paragraph as all these other clichés.
The writing itself is also pretty excruciating. For as much as Jacquelyn Middleton understands geek culture, she’s much too desperate to prove her hipness with the written word. Tortured similes abound (“Alex wheezed like a bagpipe gasping for air,” “Alex’s delicate stomach deflated like a punctured Yorkshire pudding,” “The loose shoelace of her left Converse slapped through the overflowing puddles like a bloated noodle”), and you can almost see her jumping up and down in excitement with some of her awkward, meant-to-be-fresh-and-charming turns of phrases ("Tears played follow-the-leader down Alex's cheeks"). She jumps to third-person omniscient in odd places (including a weird one-time-only sequence where we’re in Olivia’s head for a while) and relies heavily on bland inspirational quotes from Pinterest boards and geek culture to communicate "big ideas" about the theme of the book.
Oh, and if I never have to read the phrase “Alex’s cheeks warmed” again, it will be too soon.
Really, the biggest reason this novel is such a disappointment is because it has the raw materials to be something fun and diverting - even for someone like me, who will never understand grown-ass women who still obsess over celebrities. Instead, though, it’s just as unsafely thin and misguided as Evil Olivia. If the novel's marketing as a coming-of-age novel with depth that features a slightly geeky female lead is what appealed to you about this book, try Rainbow Rowell’s “ Fangirl" instead. It’s realistic, empathetic, and whip-smart – all the things “London Belongs to Me” aims so desperately to be and fails at so miserably.
I hate giving books one star, but this one really, really deserved it.
October 31, 2017
➳This book has me officially wanting to go to London once again and noticing the things I never did...
➳The adventures and beautiful descriptions being provided by Jacquelyn are just so beyond beautiful! This is a short review so I can get my hands on London, Can You Wait? as soon as possible. Talking all seriousness though this novel had me on my toes and had me very aware of the little details surrounding each word. I am so glad I got to read it for sure!
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➳The adventures and beautiful descriptions being provided by Jacquelyn are just so beyond beautiful! This is a short review so I can get my hands on London, Can You Wait? as soon as possible. Talking all seriousness though this novel had me on my toes and had me very aware of the little details surrounding each word. I am so glad I got to read it for sure!
➳Follow Me On:
Blog ♕ Instagram ♕ Facebook ♕ Twitter
February 9, 2017
"I'm no charity case. I belong here."
Synopsis:
Alex couldn't jump on a plane fast enough. Broken from unexpected betrayal, she flees sunny Florida for the Britannia cool of London - home of her favourite TV shows, plays and fangirl heroes. Alex believes London is where she belongs, where she'll heal old wounds, and chase her dream of writing for the theatre. Staying with her British friend Harry with barely a year's rent money in her pocket, the clock is ticking.
WHAT A GREAT BOOK.
It opens up with our main character Alex Sinclair, arriving in London at the airport - unfortunately without her luggage, which somehow got lost.
From there, things don't get better for her. She has to live in a ridiculously small room in her friends' flat and she also makes her first rival on the first day.
Alex is such a sweet and geeky person and despite struggling a lot in her first months in London, she somehow never loses hope and fights for her dream of becoming a playwright. I really enjoyed her geekiness for theatre and pop culture and I love how she admires strong female characters and also writes about them in her plays, though Alex herself has some problems becoming one herself. At times, she seems really insecure about her talents, which leads to her getting pushed around
All in all, her character is very well written and I adored her development throughout the book!
But Alex is not the only great character in the novel. I'm still in awe how the author managed to create the side characters just perfectly. Their depth is truly fantastic and makes it possible to understand each of their motives, even of Olivia, our main antagonist.
I loved how this book does not focus much on the romance, as it was my first new adult book, my main concern was getting a cheesy lovestory and nothing else, but this was not the case. It had so many important topics which came before the love story - for example friendship. Alex is a person who has been disappointed a lot by other people, which leads to her thinking that she has to sort out all od her shit on her own. How she finds her best friends and realizes that she is not alone and can actually rely on ther people was really touching.
"Please don't assume that you have to tackle problems on your own. Life can be a bastard. Don't push people away, especially when you need them the most. [...] It's like you're afraid of being left. I think maybe you pull the plug before it happens to you."
"Who says family's only connected by blood, eh?"
The writing style was really good, too. The author often used British slang, which was really enjoyable! The words seemed to flow really nicely, all in all, it was really easy to read.
Though I have to say, even as a non-native english speaker I did find some typos, but meh, who cares.
I recommend this to every fangirl out there, there a so many Sherlock and Doctor Who references that made me all giddy and happy!
All in all, it is such a sweet and heartwarming story about a girl finding her place in the world and I think many can relate to that.
That definetely wasn't the last book I read by the author!
Synopsis:
Alex couldn't jump on a plane fast enough. Broken from unexpected betrayal, she flees sunny Florida for the Britannia cool of London - home of her favourite TV shows, plays and fangirl heroes. Alex believes London is where she belongs, where she'll heal old wounds, and chase her dream of writing for the theatre. Staying with her British friend Harry with barely a year's rent money in her pocket, the clock is ticking.
WHAT A GREAT BOOK.
It opens up with our main character Alex Sinclair, arriving in London at the airport - unfortunately without her luggage, which somehow got lost.
From there, things don't get better for her. She has to live in a ridiculously small room in her friends' flat and she also makes her first rival on the first day.
Alex is such a sweet and geeky person and despite struggling a lot in her first months in London, she somehow never loses hope and fights for her dream of becoming a playwright. I really enjoyed her geekiness for theatre and pop culture and I love how she admires strong female characters and also writes about them in her plays, though Alex herself has some problems becoming one herself. At times, she seems really insecure about her talents, which leads to her getting pushed around
All in all, her character is very well written and I adored her development throughout the book!
But Alex is not the only great character in the novel. I'm still in awe how the author managed to create the side characters just perfectly. Their depth is truly fantastic and makes it possible to understand each of their motives, even of Olivia, our main antagonist.
I loved how this book does not focus much on the romance, as it was my first new adult book, my main concern was getting a cheesy lovestory and nothing else, but this was not the case. It had so many important topics which came before the love story - for example friendship. Alex is a person who has been disappointed a lot by other people, which leads to her thinking that she has to sort out all od her shit on her own. How she finds her best friends and realizes that she is not alone and can actually rely on ther people was really touching.
"Please don't assume that you have to tackle problems on your own. Life can be a bastard. Don't push people away, especially when you need them the most. [...] It's like you're afraid of being left. I think maybe you pull the plug before it happens to you."
"Who says family's only connected by blood, eh?"
The writing style was really good, too. The author often used British slang, which was really enjoyable! The words seemed to flow really nicely, all in all, it was really easy to read.
Though I have to say, even as a non-native english speaker I did find some typos, but meh, who cares.
I recommend this to every fangirl out there, there a so many Sherlock and Doctor Who references that made me all giddy and happy!
All in all, it is such a sweet and heartwarming story about a girl finding her place in the world and I think many can relate to that.
That definetely wasn't the last book I read by the author!
October 10, 2016
Alex Sinclair is an aspiring playwright who can't wait to get on a plane and leave Florida behind for London. She believes London is where she truly belongs. This is where her favourite TV programmes and plays are.
She stays with her British friend, Harry, and has just about enough rent money in her possession. She dreams of writing for the theatre but will a wealthy rival threaten
This is a well written debut novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Kirkwall Books and the author Jacquelyn Middleton for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
She stays with her British friend, Harry, and has just about enough rent money in her possession. She dreams of writing for the theatre but will a wealthy rival threaten
This is a well written debut novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Kirkwall Books and the author Jacquelyn Middleton for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 9, 2016
Pretty good, but my copy had a few typos... I still read it in less than a day during my finals week, so that's saying something (although I'm not sure if it says something about the kind of person that I am or the kind of book that this is - maybe both).
December 16, 2017
I finished this book today and it was so cute! I immediatey enjoyed it because the friendship between Lucy and Alex started out by fangirling online. I’ve met so many amazing friends through bookstagram that I would kill to live closer to so this was such a fun experience reading about their friendship! It was like my dream life haha.
I also loved the setting being in London. I’ve never traveled internationally so I felt like I got a little taste of it :) and the theatre! I’ve always loved theatre so I appreciated that element too.
My only complaint is that I wish we got a little more kissing, hehe. Because I do adore Mark! I did find the writing a little... cliche? Flowery? at the beginning but it got much better as the story went on!
I also loved the setting being in London. I’ve never traveled internationally so I felt like I got a little taste of it :) and the theatre! I’ve always loved theatre so I appreciated that element too.
My only complaint is that I wish we got a little more kissing, hehe. Because I do adore Mark! I did find the writing a little... cliche? Flowery? at the beginning but it got much better as the story went on!
September 26, 2020
So immersive. The author's obvious knowledge of and love of London shines through
March 21, 2021
3.5 stars.
Very typical and cliché but reading it was a blast. :)
Very typical and cliché but reading it was a blast. :)
November 27, 2017
This was such a light and fun read! Exactley what I needed to get out of a reading slump ☺️
November 27, 2017
DNF at 36%. There was nothing really wrong with this book, I think it would work well as a film starring a young Miley Cyrus or Amanda Byrne but it was maybe a bit too Cool Britannia, too NA, too predictable for my tastes.
Alex Sinclair flees to London to stay with her English college friend after betrayal at home. Apparently somewhat delicate and prone to anxiety attacks, she is an aspiring playwright. Her friend is engaged to a wealthy (but evil) beautiful girl who shares his flat along with her charming but wastrel brother. Alex soon meets up with her internet friend and her obligatory gay BFF whereupon they shop for Doctor Who memorabilia.
There's a plot involving a stolen idea for a script at which point I bailed out. Sorry just not for me - maybe being British and working in London I am immune to the Cool Britannia thing?
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Alex Sinclair flees to London to stay with her English college friend after betrayal at home. Apparently somewhat delicate and prone to anxiety attacks, she is an aspiring playwright. Her friend is engaged to a wealthy (but evil) beautiful girl who shares his flat along with her charming but wastrel brother. Alex soon meets up with her internet friend and her obligatory gay BFF whereupon they shop for Doctor Who memorabilia.
There's a plot involving a stolen idea for a script at which point I bailed out. Sorry just not for me - maybe being British and working in London I am immune to the Cool Britannia thing?
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
July 10, 2017
Things I loved:
- Setting of LONDON and its theatreland.
Things I found meh:
- (Descriptive) language
- Main character Alex
Things I didn't like:
- This black and white world. There's exactly one bad character but hey she's the worst of them all and is only one thing: EVIL. That's simply too one-dimensional for me.
- The super unrealisitic ending.
I could rant and rave much longer.. If I had to describe this in one word: CLICHÉD!
(1.5 stars)
- Setting of LONDON and its theatreland.
Things I found meh:
- (Descriptive) language
- Main character Alex
Things I didn't like:
- This black and white world. There's exactly one bad character but hey she's the worst of them all and is only one thing: EVIL. That's simply too one-dimensional for me.
- The super unrealisitic ending.
I could rant and rave much longer.. If I had to describe this in one word: CLICHÉD!
(1.5 stars)
October 15, 2017
I think my expectations were way too high for this book. Not very good writing, corny as hell, and kind of immature. Read it in a day though, so there's something to be said for that
September 16, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an early copy of LONDON BELONGS TO ME.
LONDON BELONGS TO ME is the story of a young aspiring playwright named Alex who moves to London to pursue a career in writing. (She’s also very glad to be getting away from her bitter mother and her cheating ex, but mostly she’s excited to start a new life in her favorite place.) Her dream of living in the U.K. is finally happening. However, her big move doesn’t start easy; her luggages is lost upon arrival, her roommate is the spawn of Satan, and she’s been exiled to live in a “room” that is essentially a closet. Still, she pushes through and tries to make the best of it. But everyone has a breaking point and in LONDON BELONGS TO ME, Alex discovers her.
One thing I absolutely loved about this novel was the feeling it exudes. Though the main character seemed to have more lows than highs, her relationship with her friends and family really brighten the story. I was really concerned about Alex in the beginning of the novel. Okay, I was seriously frustrated with her, but I’m so proud of the person she became by the end of the novel. I would elaborate more, but you’ll just have to read it to see what I’m talking about! Haha!
One other element that I enjoyed about LONDON BELONGS TO ME is that Alex is a rabid fangirl. Like me, she loves Doctor Who, Sherlock and is an Anglophile. I really loved her and her friends dorky qualities because they reminded me so much of myself and my friends. However, most important quality of all, was that this book dealt with anxiety. Alex has been suffering from panic attacks and anxiety as a child and as someone who has anxiety, and has had her fair share of panic attacks, it was great to feel represented by a character. I loved that Alex pushed through the tough times and didn’t let her mind stop her from making her dreams a reality. It was also great to see that she had such wonderful supportive people around her.
LONDON BELONGS TO ME was an enjoyable debut novel and I think if you’re looking for a light hearted read about a dorky, anxious, fangirl who moves to London to pursues her dreams, then this book is for you!
LONDON BELONGS TO ME is the story of a young aspiring playwright named Alex who moves to London to pursue a career in writing. (She’s also very glad to be getting away from her bitter mother and her cheating ex, but mostly she’s excited to start a new life in her favorite place.) Her dream of living in the U.K. is finally happening. However, her big move doesn’t start easy; her luggages is lost upon arrival, her roommate is the spawn of Satan, and she’s been exiled to live in a “room” that is essentially a closet. Still, she pushes through and tries to make the best of it. But everyone has a breaking point and in LONDON BELONGS TO ME, Alex discovers her.
One thing I absolutely loved about this novel was the feeling it exudes. Though the main character seemed to have more lows than highs, her relationship with her friends and family really brighten the story. I was really concerned about Alex in the beginning of the novel. Okay, I was seriously frustrated with her, but I’m so proud of the person she became by the end of the novel. I would elaborate more, but you’ll just have to read it to see what I’m talking about! Haha!
One other element that I enjoyed about LONDON BELONGS TO ME is that Alex is a rabid fangirl. Like me, she loves Doctor Who, Sherlock and is an Anglophile. I really loved her and her friends dorky qualities because they reminded me so much of myself and my friends. However, most important quality of all, was that this book dealt with anxiety. Alex has been suffering from panic attacks and anxiety as a child and as someone who has anxiety, and has had her fair share of panic attacks, it was great to feel represented by a character. I loved that Alex pushed through the tough times and didn’t let her mind stop her from making her dreams a reality. It was also great to see that she had such wonderful supportive people around her.
LONDON BELONGS TO ME was an enjoyable debut novel and I think if you’re looking for a light hearted read about a dorky, anxious, fangirl who moves to London to pursues her dreams, then this book is for you!
December 22, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. It was a great Debut and a lovely story. Not only about an outsider finding her place in the world but about life and overcoming challenges. I loved the characters, I want a Lucy and a Freddie for myself, they are amazing friends. And lets not forget about Mark. Keegs is my new crush. Alex was a great character, you can understand her, she feels real. The ending part was my favorite, I like those endings, I needed something like that. I HIGHLY recommend it and I want to thank Netgalley for letting me read this awesome book.
ESPAÑOL:
Gracias a Netgalley pude leer este libro. De hecho fue con este y The Secret Ingredient of Wishes que recomencé en Netgalley.
Después de terminar TSIOW me era difícil imaginar que iba a encontrar otro libro que me gustará tanto. Así que no leí inmediatamente LBTM. Error!
Desde el momento en que comencé a leer me sentí atrapada por la lectura, pero mientras más avanzaba en el libro más identificada me sentía con él. Alex es un personaje con el que te puedes identificar de una fácil manera. Sus amigos son la onda (yo quiero unos así!) Y Keegs!!!
La historia es distinta, nos salimos de América, y conocemos más de Londres, del teatro y de la cultura pop Británica.
La trama de la historia es sencilla, pero muy interesante; los personajes están bien elaborados y el final está bien logrado. Necesito más finales como ese, con un toque de esperanza.
La verdad es que el libro me encantó, fue fresco, distinto y fácil de leer. Me enamoré de los personajes y de toda la historia.
Realmente espero que este libro llegue a publicarse en Español pues muchas más personas deberían leerlo. Altamente recomendable!Reseña en el Blog
ESPAÑOL:
Gracias a Netgalley pude leer este libro. De hecho fue con este y The Secret Ingredient of Wishes que recomencé en Netgalley.
Después de terminar TSIOW me era difícil imaginar que iba a encontrar otro libro que me gustará tanto. Así que no leí inmediatamente LBTM. Error!
Desde el momento en que comencé a leer me sentí atrapada por la lectura, pero mientras más avanzaba en el libro más identificada me sentía con él. Alex es un personaje con el que te puedes identificar de una fácil manera. Sus amigos son la onda (yo quiero unos así!) Y Keegs!!!
La historia es distinta, nos salimos de América, y conocemos más de Londres, del teatro y de la cultura pop Británica.
La trama de la historia es sencilla, pero muy interesante; los personajes están bien elaborados y el final está bien logrado. Necesito más finales como ese, con un toque de esperanza.
La verdad es que el libro me encantó, fue fresco, distinto y fácil de leer. Me enamoré de los personajes y de toda la historia.
Realmente espero que este libro llegue a publicarse en Español pues muchas más personas deberían leerlo. Altamente recomendable!Reseña en el Blog
August 5, 2016
I can't remember the last time I related to a character as much as I do to Alex Sinclair. She gives me hope, and I love that. I loved the portrayal of what she (and I in myself) see as her shortcomings and how she manages to overcome that. I'm currently trying to start my writing career too, and what happens to Alex is one of my biggest fears, but that ending...that ending gave me the tinglies. Every time I finish read a section of this book, it makes me want to go and write, so thank you for that Jackie!
I loved how the focus wasn't on the romance (although that was a lovely part of it) but on Alex's growth, how she became stronger with the right people around her. I loved how the characters celebrated their geekiness and enjoyed it without being embarrassed.
Secondary characters are always hard to do; you either get too little or too much of them, but I think Middleton has nailed it here. Freddie, Lucy, Mark, Tom and even Olivia were fully rounded characters that could easily have novels of their own (which I'm still hoping for!) While I'm not generally a fan of random chapters in other characters' POVs, the one chapter from Olivia was actually really helpful in understanding her motivations, which I think was necessary for her character.
An excellent debut!
I loved how the focus wasn't on the romance (although that was a lovely part of it) but on Alex's growth, how she became stronger with the right people around her. I loved how the characters celebrated their geekiness and enjoyed it without being embarrassed.
Secondary characters are always hard to do; you either get too little or too much of them, but I think Middleton has nailed it here. Freddie, Lucy, Mark, Tom and even Olivia were fully rounded characters that could easily have novels of their own (which I'm still hoping for!) While I'm not generally a fan of random chapters in other characters' POVs, the one chapter from Olivia was actually really helpful in understanding her motivations, which I think was necessary for her character.
An excellent debut!
August 5, 2017
Reviewed on: 5171 Miles Book Blog.
As an Anglophile, I knew I had to read London Belongs to Me as soon as I saw Colleen Hoover post a giveaway for this title on Instagram. I love everything about England and was in need of a cheerful bit of Chick-Lit to read after the heavy books I've been hitting lately. Jacquelyn Middleton hit the ball out of the park with her debut novel. After almost 400 pages, I was still left wanting more.
"I love London. I watch British movies just to see London streets. Isn't it weird how you can fall in love with a place you've never even visited?"
If that line didn't hook me, nothing could have. I felt such a connection to the main character, Alex, because our personalities seem eerily similar. Is Jacquelyn Middleton the pen name of one of my friends? ;) It's like she knows me.
Alex is a girl looking to escape her rapidly deteriorating life in Florida after the devastation of being cheated on by her longtime boyfriend. As a recent college graduate, she's determined to make her name for herself in London's theater sphere as a playwrite. However, when she crosses the pond, things don't quite go according to plan. Alex finds herself questioning her decision to run away from Florida after her friend and roommate's conniving girlfriend makes her feel unwelcome in the city she loves. She didn't expect to find herself lonely in London upon arrival.
One of my favorite qualities about Alex was how endearingly dorky she was! She wasn't ashamed to be a proud fangirl of things she loved, including Doctor Who and Sherlock. I felt like she was comfortable being who she was even though she happened to be lonely and feel out of the loop at times. The greatest aspect of her dorkiness was the friends it allowed her to make! Lucy and Freddie were the coolest and most supportive friends to help Alex through her trials with the wicked Olivia. I wanted to hang out with all of them, too!
"Sometimes the people dearest to you aren't the ones you see everyday. Sometimes your besties are at the end of an Internet connection, smiling in solidarity over a new film trailer or geeky t-shirt design."
And Mark! Oh Mark! I can't help but picture Domnhall Gleason as Alex's Irish, actor, heart-throb boyfriend; though Mark is probably a little more conventionally handsome and dark-haired. However, I might be a little infatuated with the image of him as Gleason - he's my nerdy celeb crush, after all. ;) How good of an Anglophile would I be if I didn't gush over the British (technically Irish, in this case) actors, too? (*fans self*) Back on topic, Mark's spontaneous Vespa scene was probably one of my favorite book boyfriend moments of all time. What girl wouldn't love a free tour of one of the coolest British cities while grasping the waist of a hot Irishman?
Overall, this was the easy, girly read I was hoping to find within the pages of this book. Sometimes, I just need to get lost in Fictional London. Luckily, Jacquelyn Middleton will be releasing the sequel to this adorably, fun novel in October. I couldn't be more excited! It's time to get your hands on London Belongs to Me before London, Can You Wait? comes out! The good news is this title is only $1.99 for Kindle and will be hitting Kindle Unlimited soon. Read it now and come back here to tell me your thoughts. Let's be dorky fangirls together. :)
As an Anglophile, I knew I had to read London Belongs to Me as soon as I saw Colleen Hoover post a giveaway for this title on Instagram. I love everything about England and was in need of a cheerful bit of Chick-Lit to read after the heavy books I've been hitting lately. Jacquelyn Middleton hit the ball out of the park with her debut novel. After almost 400 pages, I was still left wanting more.
"I love London. I watch British movies just to see London streets. Isn't it weird how you can fall in love with a place you've never even visited?"
If that line didn't hook me, nothing could have. I felt such a connection to the main character, Alex, because our personalities seem eerily similar. Is Jacquelyn Middleton the pen name of one of my friends? ;) It's like she knows me.
Alex is a girl looking to escape her rapidly deteriorating life in Florida after the devastation of being cheated on by her longtime boyfriend. As a recent college graduate, she's determined to make her name for herself in London's theater sphere as a playwrite. However, when she crosses the pond, things don't quite go according to plan. Alex finds herself questioning her decision to run away from Florida after her friend and roommate's conniving girlfriend makes her feel unwelcome in the city she loves. She didn't expect to find herself lonely in London upon arrival.
One of my favorite qualities about Alex was how endearingly dorky she was! She wasn't ashamed to be a proud fangirl of things she loved, including Doctor Who and Sherlock. I felt like she was comfortable being who she was even though she happened to be lonely and feel out of the loop at times. The greatest aspect of her dorkiness was the friends it allowed her to make! Lucy and Freddie were the coolest and most supportive friends to help Alex through her trials with the wicked Olivia. I wanted to hang out with all of them, too!
"Sometimes the people dearest to you aren't the ones you see everyday. Sometimes your besties are at the end of an Internet connection, smiling in solidarity over a new film trailer or geeky t-shirt design."
And Mark! Oh Mark! I can't help but picture Domnhall Gleason as Alex's Irish, actor, heart-throb boyfriend; though Mark is probably a little more conventionally handsome and dark-haired. However, I might be a little infatuated with the image of him as Gleason - he's my nerdy celeb crush, after all. ;) How good of an Anglophile would I be if I didn't gush over the British (technically Irish, in this case) actors, too? (*fans self*) Back on topic, Mark's spontaneous Vespa scene was probably one of my favorite book boyfriend moments of all time. What girl wouldn't love a free tour of one of the coolest British cities while grasping the waist of a hot Irishman?
Overall, this was the easy, girly read I was hoping to find within the pages of this book. Sometimes, I just need to get lost in Fictional London. Luckily, Jacquelyn Middleton will be releasing the sequel to this adorably, fun novel in October. I couldn't be more excited! It's time to get your hands on London Belongs to Me before London, Can You Wait? comes out! The good news is this title is only $1.99 for Kindle and will be hitting Kindle Unlimited soon. Read it now and come back here to tell me your thoughts. Let's be dorky fangirls together. :)
February 12, 2018
This might be the perfect book for anglophiles, those who wish to travel or live in England and those not irked by Whovian and Sherlock fandoms. Initially this really excited me because I've never met anyone irl who loves Amy Pond, Tennat, Smith and Cumberbatch. It's obvious Jacquelyn Middleton put a lot of work into her first novel. It's a bit resonant of Sophie Kinsella's novels; so if you like Kinsella and fandoms, you might like the super modern (as in filled with really good, relevant pop culture references) London Belongs to Me.
The protagonist, aspiring playwright Alexandra Sinclair, experiences panic attacks that vary in frequency and intensity throughout the novel. Middleton handles the topic adequately. The attacks weave in and out of Alex's life like the rain - normal; just one of Alex's human hurdles not unlike the hurdles all human beans experience. By that I mean, Alex friends don't make Alex feel or seem like a peculiar freak of nature. They accept her as she is. This is a coming of age novel determined to tackle as many topics as it can on it's journey to the finish line. [ wow i actually sound like i know sports ! GOOOAAAAAAALIEEE !!! ] Alex learns how best to handle her anxiety attacks and how to find true friends. I really liked something TheBookHoarder mentioned in her review on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQt6j...). She said "the timing between each event was really good; when something bad happened to Alex, She didn't immediately recover (that doesn't happen in real life); she took sufficient time to heal. Alex doesn't come from the kindest uterus and grows to understand that family is not dictated by something as arbitrary as DeoxyRiboNucleic Acid [ ha! middle school was not completely for naught; you must believe that I didn't google that; which explains why it's most likely spelled wrong].
Enough summarizing! To the meat of this review - my feelings. I am a 21 year old anglophile and a forever sherlocked whovian, but I still wasn't crazy about this novel. I have a bit in common with Alex, but I didn't even come close to loving this novel. I liked the validity of online friends, strong friendships and the distinction between genuinely supportive people to keep around and people who will suck you dry and leave you for dead at the earliest opportunity. Over the past few months, I've noticed a mild but growing aversion to YA. Simultaneously, I'm a bit daunted by full on adult novels and find that in some of the adult novels I've read, the unlovable plot wasn't helped by the characters with children, divorces, 2nd or 3rd marriages and mortgages. Not only am I unable to relate to such things, I just really don't care about that stuff at this point in my life. Inability to relate to characters prevents me from fully indulging myself in a narrative.
I think Alex's story fell flat for me because I
(1) am growing tired of YA like narratives and fast not quite necessary romances
(2) felt mildly annoyed by Alex's choices; for much of the book, she didn't even attempt to combat her mental and (mostly) physical opponents
(3) did i mention the cute yet anxiety inducing romance?
(4)how come in books and movies people don't wait to hear the other person explain a misunderstanding ?!? Does this actually happen in real life?! If you really want to keep this friend/person in your life, JUST LISTEN ! You don't have to say anything or forgive them right away. After they've said what they needed to say
(5) the story dragged on from roughly the middle all the way to the end; I wasn't consistently interested in the plot for the entirety of this hefty novel; I think this took me so long to read because plot & characters
(6) avoidable problems and too convenient solutions
(7) Alex's anxiety and the situations she ended up in actually made me feel anxious. Not Illuminae level anxious but still pretty bad.
(8) stereotypes & cliches
After watching a few reviews for this book on YouTube, I think that, like most books, that people who go through experiences similar to Alex's, enjoy her story the most. So while I didn't fall in love with this book, you might :). I think this book could be a huge help and/or confidence boost for people who get panic attacks, have had tough breakups, have online friends, not the best family life, have suffered from refusing much needed help, are Whovians, are Sherlocked and are dreamers. Because this book may be just what a lost person in their 20's needs to resurrect their dreams from life's lethal clutches.
The protagonist, aspiring playwright Alexandra Sinclair, experiences panic attacks that vary in frequency and intensity throughout the novel. Middleton handles the topic adequately. The attacks weave in and out of Alex's life like the rain - normal; just one of Alex's human hurdles not unlike the hurdles all human beans experience. By that I mean, Alex friends don't make Alex feel or seem like a peculiar freak of nature. They accept her as she is. This is a coming of age novel determined to tackle as many topics as it can on it's journey to the finish line. [ wow i actually sound like i know sports ! GOOOAAAAAAALIEEE !!! ] Alex learns how best to handle her anxiety attacks and how to find true friends. I really liked something TheBookHoarder mentioned in her review on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQt6j...). She said "the timing between each event was really good; when something bad happened to Alex, She didn't immediately recover (that doesn't happen in real life); she took sufficient time to heal. Alex doesn't come from the kindest uterus and grows to understand that family is not dictated by something as arbitrary as DeoxyRiboNucleic Acid [ ha! middle school was not completely for naught; you must believe that I didn't google that; which explains why it's most likely spelled wrong].
Enough summarizing! To the meat of this review - my feelings. I am a 21 year old anglophile and a forever sherlocked whovian, but I still wasn't crazy about this novel. I have a bit in common with Alex, but I didn't even come close to loving this novel. I liked the validity of online friends, strong friendships and the distinction between genuinely supportive people to keep around and people who will suck you dry and leave you for dead at the earliest opportunity. Over the past few months, I've noticed a mild but growing aversion to YA. Simultaneously, I'm a bit daunted by full on adult novels and find that in some of the adult novels I've read, the unlovable plot wasn't helped by the characters with children, divorces, 2nd or 3rd marriages and mortgages. Not only am I unable to relate to such things, I just really don't care about that stuff at this point in my life. Inability to relate to characters prevents me from fully indulging myself in a narrative.
I think Alex's story fell flat for me because I
(1) am growing tired of YA like narratives and fast not quite necessary romances
(2) felt mildly annoyed by Alex's choices; for much of the book, she didn't even attempt to combat her mental and (mostly) physical opponents
(3) did i mention the cute yet anxiety inducing romance?
(4)how come in books and movies people don't wait to hear the other person explain a misunderstanding ?!? Does this actually happen in real life?! If you really want to keep this friend/person in your life, JUST LISTEN ! You don't have to say anything or forgive them right away. After they've said what they needed to say
(5) the story dragged on from roughly the middle all the way to the end; I wasn't consistently interested in the plot for the entirety of this hefty novel; I think this took me so long to read because plot & characters
(6) avoidable problems and too convenient solutions
(7) Alex's anxiety and the situations she ended up in actually made me feel anxious. Not Illuminae level anxious but still pretty bad.
(8) stereotypes & cliches
After watching a few reviews for this book on YouTube, I think that, like most books, that people who go through experiences similar to Alex's, enjoy her story the most. So while I didn't fall in love with this book, you might :). I think this book could be a huge help and/or confidence boost for people who get panic attacks, have had tough breakups, have online friends, not the best family life, have suffered from refusing much needed help, are Whovians, are Sherlocked and are dreamers. Because this book may be just what a lost person in their 20's needs to resurrect their dreams from life's lethal clutches.
February 15, 2018
Closer to a 3.5 stars actually. This story was just the ticket for me this week, as I’ve been craving a fun contemporary with just the right hint of romance! If you want something that weds a coming of age story with a plot that feels straight out of a movie and also has fangirl feels and a touch of romance, well, this would be the story for you!
October 23, 2017
I really, really wanted to love this book, but I just... didn't.
I though that the premise would be appealing enough for me to be excited about reading it, but after a few chapters I couldn't help but thinking it was "a little bit too much" of a cliché.
I though that the premise would be appealing enough for me to be excited about reading it, but after a few chapters I couldn't help but thinking it was "a little bit too much" of a cliché.
April 24, 2017
0.5 stars
What defuq was that ?? it was an eyesore .. most boring story I've read in a while .. nothing really stood out to me through out this trash, the only good thing about it that it was set in London my beloved city .. other than that it was garbage
What defuq was that ?? it was an eyesore .. most boring story I've read in a while .. nothing really stood out to me through out this trash, the only good thing about it that it was set in London my beloved city .. other than that it was garbage
October 30, 2017
Thank you so much Kirkwall Books and Jacquelyn Middleton for sending me your book for review! I settled into this cozy read right away and fell in love with all the characters within a few chapters. I lost myself in London with Alex and her friends and did not want to come back! An endearing story about self discovery against the odds in a new city, many readers will surely fall in love with Alex and the gang.
An instant connection to the main character of any book always wins me over. Alex Sinclair is no exception. A nerd, a fangirl, in love with London, eats all the cheese, and struggles with anxiety, yup I can certainly relate. The fact that she is also a playwright is really interesting. We often see characters who write books or are actresses, but the playwright aspect is more unique and I liked all the theater nods and history. The diverse cast that makes up this book are each in their own way a fun addition to the book. Without Lucy or Freddie this story would not be the same. Lucy is so spunky and unfiltered that she brings a raw element to the book. Freddie is too funny and I love seeing what he has to say next. Not to mention Mark who may just be a new book boyfriend for me, swoon! Add into the mix the girl who resembles a high school enemy that you love to hate and I think you have your bases covered.
I loved the writing and the ease in which the story tucks you in and pulls you along. Every bit of detail of the London sights and feeling made me feel like I was at the pub with this group of friends. The struggles Alex went through along the way were no small feat and it made me think what I would do if I just up and left, wanting to start over somewhere completely new. I also liked that topics such as anxiety and panic attacks were addressed because I feel that there isn't always enough discussion on these topics that affect so many people.
While I did appreciate mental health issues being addressed, I wished it wasn't addressed in such a negative way at some parts. For example, as if it was some huge secret to have panic attacks and people wouldn't like Alex if she let them know she suffered from them. Yet, being able to connect with a character that goes through that was certainly comforting and relatable.
I also didn't love how when things would go wrong there was almost always a neatly wrapped up answer to the problem. When Alex had to move out, conveniently her friends apartment opens up instead of having to get a better job that she should have been looking into and figuring out something on her own. Or when her computer is broken, well here's a new one for Christmas three days later. An old dress worn once before has to be worn again on New Years, nope here's that new dress you wanted, etc, etc. Life isn't always wrapped up so easily in little red bows and I wish every time something went wrong in this book it wasn't solved so conveniently.
Overall this book sucked me in and I didn't want to leave the streets of London. I closed this book feeling as though I had made a new group of friends. These characters felt so genuine and real that I know they'll stick with me for a while. I can't wait to dive into the second book following Alex Sinclair and the gang and see what's in store for all of them next!
An instant connection to the main character of any book always wins me over. Alex Sinclair is no exception. A nerd, a fangirl, in love with London, eats all the cheese, and struggles with anxiety, yup I can certainly relate. The fact that she is also a playwright is really interesting. We often see characters who write books or are actresses, but the playwright aspect is more unique and I liked all the theater nods and history. The diverse cast that makes up this book are each in their own way a fun addition to the book. Without Lucy or Freddie this story would not be the same. Lucy is so spunky and unfiltered that she brings a raw element to the book. Freddie is too funny and I love seeing what he has to say next. Not to mention Mark who may just be a new book boyfriend for me, swoon! Add into the mix the girl who resembles a high school enemy that you love to hate and I think you have your bases covered.
I loved the writing and the ease in which the story tucks you in and pulls you along. Every bit of detail of the London sights and feeling made me feel like I was at the pub with this group of friends. The struggles Alex went through along the way were no small feat and it made me think what I would do if I just up and left, wanting to start over somewhere completely new. I also liked that topics such as anxiety and panic attacks were addressed because I feel that there isn't always enough discussion on these topics that affect so many people.
While I did appreciate mental health issues being addressed, I wished it wasn't addressed in such a negative way at some parts. For example, as if it was some huge secret to have panic attacks and people wouldn't like Alex if she let them know she suffered from them. Yet, being able to connect with a character that goes through that was certainly comforting and relatable.
I also didn't love how when things would go wrong there was almost always a neatly wrapped up answer to the problem. When Alex had to move out, conveniently her friends apartment opens up instead of having to get a better job that she should have been looking into and figuring out something on her own. Or when her computer is broken, well here's a new one for Christmas three days later. An old dress worn once before has to be worn again on New Years, nope here's that new dress you wanted, etc, etc. Life isn't always wrapped up so easily in little red bows and I wish every time something went wrong in this book it wasn't solved so conveniently.
Overall this book sucked me in and I didn't want to leave the streets of London. I closed this book feeling as though I had made a new group of friends. These characters felt so genuine and real that I know they'll stick with me for a while. I can't wait to dive into the second book following Alex Sinclair and the gang and see what's in store for all of them next!
May 30, 2018
Book supplied by Regan/Kirkwall Books
Instagram: patronuswinchester
I was able to take some time from the daily hours of studying to read this one. Great decision. It's terrible how much time I can lose from reading just because of uni. Hopefully I'll be able to read the sequel soon enough, because I can't wait to read more about this characters.
A book set in London. Loved it.
I didn't think I was going to like it as much as I did. This one is probably the best contemporary book I've read, for many reasons:
1. The writing style: It's full of descriptions. There is a lot of attention to detail, which I highly appreciated.
2. Lucy and Freddie (the friendships): Alex's friendship with Lucy and Freddie was well developed, we are able to see how close they become in every chapter. I loved reading about these three together.
3. Alex's family: It was really nice seeing Alex's relationship with her family, something that sometimes is overlooked in some books. They were so supportive towards Alex's career and dream.
4. Mark: I loved how Alex and Mark's relationship built. It was very natural.
5. Alex and writing: It was great reading about how passionate Alex was about writing and theatre. It also let me learn so many things I didn't know about the theatre world.
6. The conflict: It kept me reading for hours, just to see how Alex would manage everything in the end.
7. The Sherlock references: (if I had a cat I would definitely call it Moriarty)
8. London: Who doesn't love a book set in London?
I loved how the book balanced friendship, work and love. It gave us a full insight of Alex's new life in London. Can't wait to read the sequel.
Instagram: patronuswinchester
I was able to take some time from the daily hours of studying to read this one. Great decision. It's terrible how much time I can lose from reading just because of uni. Hopefully I'll be able to read the sequel soon enough, because I can't wait to read more about this characters.
A book set in London. Loved it.
I didn't think I was going to like it as much as I did. This one is probably the best contemporary book I've read, for many reasons:
1. The writing style: It's full of descriptions. There is a lot of attention to detail, which I highly appreciated.
2. Lucy and Freddie (the friendships): Alex's friendship with Lucy and Freddie was well developed, we are able to see how close they become in every chapter. I loved reading about these three together.
3. Alex's family: It was really nice seeing Alex's relationship with her family, something that sometimes is overlooked in some books. They were so supportive towards Alex's career and dream.
4. Mark: I loved how Alex and Mark's relationship built. It was very natural.
5. Alex and writing: It was great reading about how passionate Alex was about writing and theatre. It also let me learn so many things I didn't know about the theatre world.
6. The conflict: It kept me reading for hours, just to see how Alex would manage everything in the end.
7. The Sherlock references: (if I had a cat I would definitely call it Moriarty)
8. London: Who doesn't love a book set in London?
I loved how the book balanced friendship, work and love. It gave us a full insight of Alex's new life in London. Can't wait to read the sequel.
November 27, 2020
London Belongs to Me by Jaquelyn Middleton is a story exploring relationships and friendships, as well as London.
College graduate Alex comes to London to stay with her friend Harry whilst she tries to start her career as a playwright. She’s a geeky, fangirl of Dr Who and comic cons who suffers from panic attacks.
Although this book is more suited to younger readers due to the age of the character, it is well written. I did enjoy experiencing the awe of visiting London through a young American’s eye especially witnessing the differences between the two countries.
Also on Kindle Unlimited
College graduate Alex comes to London to stay with her friend Harry whilst she tries to start her career as a playwright. She’s a geeky, fangirl of Dr Who and comic cons who suffers from panic attacks.
Although this book is more suited to younger readers due to the age of the character, it is well written. I did enjoy experiencing the awe of visiting London through a young American’s eye especially witnessing the differences between the two countries.
Also on Kindle Unlimited
May 4, 2019
My first completed book in the month of May! I meant to finish it in April but that clearly didn’t work out due to college. 😒
London Belongs To Me is my first read by @jaxmiddleton_author. This book was heartfelt and so sweet and I loved everything about it. This is her debut novel and her other books include “London, Can You Wait?” and “Until the last star fades”. I will be getting to those soon if they’re nearly as incredible as this one!! PLEASE check out her books!!
London Belongs To Me is my first read by @jaxmiddleton_author. This book was heartfelt and so sweet and I loved everything about it. This is her debut novel and her other books include “London, Can You Wait?” and “Until the last star fades”. I will be getting to those soon if they’re nearly as incredible as this one!! PLEASE check out her books!!
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