I really liked the first book, and this took off from there. There are some real struggles in Alex's life and incredible success for Mark, but their life together is torn apart...can their relationship survive? The love is real but the trust is broken. Shattered. One thing I loved about this book, it really doubled down on being realistic about Alex's panic attacks, and the real work of seeing a therapist to address underlying issues -- not just a pill.

I requested an e-ARC copy of ‘London, Can You Wait?’ from NetGalley and I am glad that I did. This was the book that introduced me author Jacquelyn Middleton. ‘London, Can You Wait?’ takes place over a year after ‘London Belongs to Me’. This book can read as a standalone but when I read Jacquelyn Middleton note at the beginning stating that by reading ‘London Belongs to Me’ you can get more out of the characters and their back stories, I decided to read ‘London Belongs to Me’ first. I am glad that I did this. Knowing backstory of the characters and some of the events that happened in the past helped me to get in to the story more.

For the people who didn’t read ‘London Belongs to Me’, I will give a brief overview. After betrayal of his boyfriend and best friend Alex Sinclair decides to leave Florida and everyone behind. She is playwright and in order to follow her dreams she decides to move to London. Alex is naïve, sweet, geeky and kind. She is also really insecure. Alex stays with her British friend Harry. Moving to a new country and having just enough rent money for a while doesn’t help her anxiety and panic attacks. By a lucky coincidence Alex runs into her friend Lucy, who she met online and her life in London starts to change for the better. Lucy and Freddie, who is Lucy’s gay best friend, are awesome. They are fun, supportive and they are the ones who introduced Mark to Alex. Mark Keegan is an actor. He is still struggling finding an acting job, so he works in different jobs. Ohhh without I forgot he is also Irish, what can I say I love the accent :) Their quadruple helped Alex a lot. Even though the gang has their up and downs, they are always together and supporting each other.

If you haven’t read ‘London Belongs to Me’ and don’t like spoilers STOP because rest of the review will have spoilers for you guys…

In ‘London, Can You Wait?’ gang is still together and they have couple more additions :) Alex and Mark are together almost for two years. Mark is not a struggling actor anymore. He is dealing with fame and everything that comes with it. The main problem is he does not realize how his workaholic behavior and fame affects his relationships. After launching her first play with a success, now Alex is struggling with her job and by Mark being away all the time adds more to the mix. Seeing Alex struggling with her anxiety and panic attacks was heart breaking. I think one of the reasons I felt everything really strongly because as a person who is struggling with panics attacks for the last 10 years, I can truly understand her struggles. While Alex is struggling with these Mark has no idea what is going on. He is so focus on his job and success; he acts like a blind person. Oh, Mark, Mark, Mark… There are so many things I want to say about you but I know I won’t be able to without spoiling the story so I am holding it in. Still, let me tell you guys this you will hate him, get super angry with him, feel sorry for him, your heart will break for him and you will love him back :) There are some twists that you won’t see it coming and you will be shocked. Seriously, I laughed, I cried, I got angry. With this book Jacquelyn Middleton took me an emotional rollercoaster ride that I didn’t expect. It’s an emotional read and you will literally feel all the emotions at one point or another. If you are looking for something that has all the spices in one pack like sweet, inspiring, funny, heart breaking and little sexy, this book is just for you.

Would I recommend this book: Yes.
Would I re-read this book: Yes.
Would I read future books by this author: Yes.

I rarely read new adult romances, because – to be honest – they make me feel old. I can rarely relate to the issues facing a twenty-year old any more, because it feels like I have been there and done that and I have no wish to go back and do it again! But I took a chance on Jacquelyn Middleton’s new adult romance London, Can you Wait?, and I am glad I did. It’s intelligently written, quite entertaining and sweetly romantic with a complex and layered plot and thoroughly developed characters, including a hoot of a secondary cast. I actually did relate to the story, because Ms. Middleton does an outstanding job of covering some issues that are ageless.

London, Can You Wait? is actually the second book in the series London Belongs to Me, and the protagonists, Mark and Alex, have already been in a relationship for almost two years when this story begins. I have not read the first book, also called London Belongs to Me, and I can say that I do not think it diminished my experience. Ms. Middleton does advise reading in order, but also says it is not a necessity. I would label the book as stand-alone…ish.

Mark Keegan is a famous, successful, twenty-five year old Irish actor, who is a heartthrob with a loyal female following and a favorite of the paparazzi. He and twenty-four year old American playwright Alex Sinclair met in London and have been in a committed relationship for twenty months. They love each other to distraction, but Mark is a hot commodity in the acting world and focused on his career. He believes he needs to strike while the iron is hot and is accepting quite a few acting jobs, which means he is away filming quite a lot. Alex and Mark are apart more than they are together nowadays, and the distance is really wearing on them both, especially Alex.

She’s stalled creatively and having a hard time writing, which is difficult after receiving acclaim for her previous project. She’s not as busy as Mark, and she worries he’s doing too much and not taking care of himself. She has suffered from panic attacks for most of her life and has been stable for some time, but the stresses in her relationship and worry over her career are proving to be too much and she’s started having attacks again. Both Mark and Alex desperately want to make things work and are committed to each other, but in an effort to keep the relationship going, they are both keeping secrets in order to prevent the other from worrying or getting upset. Alex isn’t forthright about her recent panic attacks and anxiety medication, and Mark doesn’t reveal everything about his acting jobs.

Of course, secrets meant to protect someone often end up causing more harm than good and that is exactly what happens to Mark and Alex, which sets off a chain of events that will test their love. Their journey is not predictable or guaranteed, which is one of the key factors that makes London, Can You Wait? as enjoyable as it is. The reader is pulled into the story and becomes invested in its outcome hoping for the best, and undergoing a bit of breathless anticipation as we wait to find out how things will play out.

Alex and Mark’s relationship is relatable and believable as both struggle to deal with their own issues while also struggling under the complications in their relationship. They, like most, have to do some soul searching and personal work in order to be able to be their best selves and a strong partner. They’re both mature and endearing as they make their way through the muddy waters of self-improvement and love, and the reader is right there alongside them.

London, Can You Wait? also has a marvelous cast of secondary characters who really add to the reading experience. They are fully developed and have their own stories, giving the book further depth and adding to the entertainment. I’d definitely love to read more stories featuring this group of friends.

I believe anyone should find much to love about this book, even if you are not normally a fan of new adult romances. The only reason I haven’t given the book an A grade is because the punctuation used in the dialogue is distracting, which sometimes made it hard to read. Some readers will not care, and many will not even notice; but it bugged me and I can’t not mention it. This small quibble aside, I can wholeheartedly recommend London, Can You Wait?

While I enjoyed the first book, London Belongs to Me, I had a lot of problems with it, as well, so I was a bit worried about this. Happily, my worries were completely unfounded. At its heart, this is a story about relationships, about secrets, about keeping the lines of communication open. This is exactly what a new adult book should be - showing the painful and amazing ways people grow into themselves and their place in the world around them.

Though it’s only been a year since the end of the last novel, it feels like so much has changed for Alex and Mark. I was very pleased with Alex’s strength and tenacity in tackling her anxiety, and also in making heartbreaking decisions to protect herself. I can’t say much more than that without getting into major spoilers, but Alex truly came into her own in this book, in terms of her personal life, relationships and career.

The secondary characters felt much more fleshed out, and their story arcs complemented Alex’s. I’d honestly love to read spin-off books about several of them, especially Lucy. I also loved the peeks into Alex's and Mark's families and the history and support they provided.

I could not put down this book once I started reading it. An amazing second book, and I hope to read more about Alex in the future!

I’ll start by saying I loved LBTM. When I read the book I was in a reading slump, it had been hard for me to find a GREAT story, something that made me feel. I found that on LBTM and I fell in love with the story and characters (especially Keegs). So, when I heard about the sequel I was beyond thrilled.
London, Can You Wait continues Alex’s story after a couple of years from the ending of LBTM. She’s now in a whole different place in her life but she remains the same: a simple, geeky girl who loves theater and Mark, her boyfriend. She still hangs out with her bezzie mates Lucy and Freddie and in general everything is going well, or so everyone thinks. The truth is she’s having anxiety attacks again, and with Keegs’ career getting better and better they barely see each other…
This book was about a lot of changes and it was great to see Alex being more mature and I really liked the way her character developed. She’s one of my favorite main characters. Not because she’s perfect, but because she feels real. And that’s exactly what LCYW gives us, an insight to the real life of a young woman trying to find her place in the world, trying to make her relationship work and dealing with a lot of things.
Talking about the plot, story, pace…this book was a rollercoaster. I mean… Jackie totally played with my feelings through almost the whole book. The first part was good, but the second part…OMG! I couldn’t stop reading! I just had to know what was happening next… I NEEDED to know everything was going to be alright. I won’t give you spoilers, but oh my…you definitely have to prepare yourself to read LCYW (like with a nice cup of coffee, snacks, and tissues, just in case…).
I felt connected to the book in many ways and that’s maybe why I enjoyed it so much. I don’t think there was a better way to complete Alex’s story and in general I loved the story. I loved it so much! It was sweet, funny and heartbreaking too, but above all, it felt real. I wish I could have Lucy, Freddie and even Simon as my friends, and let’s not forget about Mark, I mean who would not want to have a Keegs for oneself?

I was a bit apprehensive about reading this at first - I really enjoyed the first book, but I was quite happy to leave things where they were, to not find out about the ups and downs of Alex and Marks' relationship. But because I enjoyed the first book so much, I decided to give it a go. Turns out I was right to be apprehensive. I loved getting to know the characters again, particularly all the supporting characters. But it didn't take very long for me to start getting worried. The majority of this book is hard to read - not because it's badly written or anything, but because of what Alex is going through. More than once, I was tempted to put the book down, step away and forget it ever existed. It was actually enough to put me in a bad mood, and it's not so good when a book affects my emotions like that. But, thankfully, I persevered, and it was worth it in the end. Middleton sneaks in a few twists and turns, and pulls it out of the mire. It may not be an easy read, but it is a good one.

Oh my goodness! That was so romantic and fun. My eyes were glued to the story as I laughed, fan-girled with, cried, and loved right along with Alex. She’s a character after my own heart because she’s a geek just like me. Books are my life. They’re there for me when I’m lonely and sad; and most importantly, they never fail to make me feel alive. Characters like Alex make it so that it feels like she jumped out of the pages herself.

Alex and Mark are a strong couple that may have faltered as Mark becomes a heavy hitter and on the rise actor. I always think about if I were to ever meet an actor and have to share him with the whole entire world...literally. It’s not something I would be able to do. So I give props to the spouses of famous actors and actresses, it must be so hard! Which is why Alex and Mark end up in the situation they are in.

The two are deeply in love but being apart for weeks and months at a time, can really put a strain on a relationship. I enjoyed watching the two find a way back to each other. Because it’s inevitable for two people that are so in love. The story can be read as a stand-alone but I highly suggest reading the first book, ‘London Belongs to Me’ so that you can fully appreciate the characters. If you’re looking for a sweet, romantic read, make sure you pick this one up!

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to Jacquelyn Middleton and Netgalley for allowing 5171 Miles Books an ARC for review!

After reading (and loving) Jacquelyn Middleton’s London Belongs to Me during the summer, I couldn’t wait to read the sequel, London, Can You Wait?. I’m a huge fan of all things London and knew I would love both books. To my immense excitement, Jacquelyn Middleton allowed me my first paperback ARC as a book blogger, and was kind enough to sign it for me! I’m still in shock – thank you again, Jacquelyn.

It’s always a challenge to review a sequel because we are very anti-spoiler at 5171 Miles Book Blog! We want to encourage readers to support authors, rather than revealing all of the details in a short synopsis, making readers forgo the book. It’s a travesty, so I will be keeping myself in check, revealing my thoughts, and next to nothing regarding the plot.

London, Can You Wait? is the follow-up to Alex and Mark’s life in London Belongs to Me. If you’re eager to dive into this story, it can be read as a standalone, though I would not recommend impatience. There are important details about the story and lives of the characters readers will miss if they jump the gun. Besides, it’s so much more fun to spend loads of time with loveable characters you wish were your friends in real life.

As I began reading and saw the direction the story was taking, I began to fear London, Can You Wait? was going to be a sequel that was better left unsaid. You know the ones – the stories with characters you love and endings that leave you fully satisfied, only to wreck your hopes and dreams in the future with a sequel. I was angry at a particular character for their actions and literally felt sick to my stomach as the story was unfolding. I’m attached to nearly every one of these characters. They feel like my “people” after spending hours upon hours with them, so when their actions don’t match up with who I’ve known them to be, it hurts.

Luckily, Jax Middleton had a few tricks up her sleeve making this novel come around in the most perfect way. In this case, I’m grateful I’m a stubborn reader and usually stick it out until the end of every novel because there was a point when I wanted to stop reading. I felt so crushed and a little bogged down in the plot. Thankfully I kept at it, because I ended up loving this book as much as the first! The writing was stupendous, detailed, and well thought out. I loved spending time in not only London, but in Dublin and New York as well. The jet-setting of the characters made the story feel new and fun, but allowed me to get that taste of London I always desire. There are romantic scenes reminiscent of the first novel for nostalgic readers. And, all of our favorite characters were along for the ride, with the addition of a few new ones. Readers are sure to love Mark’s mom and being able to get more of a sense of Mark’s past life before meeting Alex, which added an unexpected and heartfelt element that was critical to the development of the story.

I was more than satisfied with the ending of this final installment in the London series. I know I will have a bit of book hangover in the days to come and will be missing not only Alex and Mark, but also Lucy and Freddie too. They were brought to life in the most realistic sense, making me wish I could travel to London and get to know them, or even add them up on social media. Call me a nerdy fangirl, I don’t care, because I would fit in perfectly with these fictional Londoners!

I can’t give these books enough praise. I savored both novels and hope you will consider picking them up right away! Enter the Goodreads giveaway for your chance to win a copy of London, Can You Wait? or pre-order it with the links below. This title is releasing soon, on October 26th. In the meantime, you can catch up with London Belongs to Me while it is still just $1.99 on Amazon Kindle. Also, make sure you are following us on Instagram for a chance to win BOTH books upon the release of London, Can You Wait?!

London, Can You Wait?, Jacquelyn Middleton

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre: New Adult, Romance

When I was approved for this ARC I bought book one, London belongs to me. 
I love the fame trope, the rock star, film, theatre settings and personalities so wanted to read Alex and Marks early story. TBH though I was underwhelmed, it was OK but not great for me, a bit ...err...average, mundane. If this hadn't been an ARC I wouldn't have read it. 
What a shame that would be though, its a Fabulous read, packed with drama, emotion, heartbreak, betrayals, love, lust and some incredible characters, all the things I love about this genre. I'd hate to have missed it and its definitely one for my keepers/re-reader files!

So we begin with Alex and Mark living together, both striving to build their respective careers, and finding it hard to make time for each other.
Mark has been successful in getting a TV role and now has become a household name, and the little bit of time they do get together gets broken into by fans, by his agent, by last minute opportunities he can't turn down.
Alex feels like she's last down the list but doesn't want to be That Girl. You know, the one that can't cope, gets needy, ruins his career. she knows how much this means to him, he's been so supportive of her career, even when she was thinking of giving up she just can't complain now his is taking off. things have to improve surely? 
But they don't and the time spent apart gets longer and longer, visits get put off, holidays cancelled and Alex panic attacks which had been pretty stable get worse. 

And then, just over a third of the way in crisis hits - I really didn't see that coming, and its heartbreaking, shocking, unbelievable.
Getting that so early made the story for me, I adore drama and heartbreak - so long as I know there's a HEA of course! So often its there and done with in just a few pages, so to have it covering a huge section of the book was perfect for me.  I was wondering, nail biting, could they survive this, get past it? How would things work out?
The surprises just keep coming too. We were there as both Alex and Mark grew as a result of what happened, how they needed to change, needed to sort out their lives and both became stronger people for it. We're all a product of our pasts, what happens to us shapes us, and there are some big secrets from the past here to come out. 

Its not all Alex and Mark though, but Harry,Tom, Lucy, Freddie, Si, a great supporting cast who's stories played their own part in building this wonderful second part of the novel.
It had everything part one lacked for me, and more. I'm so glad I didn't stop at LBTM, and read more from these guys, it had me laughing, crying, heartbroken, angry, furious, well...you name the emotion and this book brought it out.
A terrific read and clearly writing LBTM has helped Jacquelyn hone her writing skills for this genre. I look forward to what she does next. 

Stars: five, a fantastic second half, a story so much more than part one.

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

A follow-up book of a well written debut book of many characters supporting our two main characters, Alex and Mark, set in London, mainly.

The story takes a huge build up of Mark's childhood and we aren't sure the meaning of his past story.

Then we watch Alex struggle. It's not easy and light hearted, this story.

We just can't see our way out but our author is clever.

I though this was a really great story. I enjoyed the setting and the characters. A very fast and easy read. That being said it was pretty average for me. Nothing really stood out.