This was a super cute light read — about love, friendship and finding your true happiness. When I saw Laura had a new book being released I was excited to pick it up, since I enjoyed her latest book, Our Stop. ⁣

The Love Square follows Penny, a 31 year old woman who has been unlucky with love since her long-term boyfriend left her 5 years ago. After countless failed dates she finally finds the one, and then another one, and another one. Before she knows it, Penny has got herself stuck in a love square.

I really liked this, almost more than I expected I would. I won't lie though, I was expecting a light-hearted romance based on the cover and description, but in reality this was quite a heavy and emotional read too. Penny survived cancer, and lost her mum to cancer when she was younger. Her cancer has left her infertile, and this is a running theme throughout the book, her desire to have a child of her own while being unable to carry her own children. I think the infertility storyline was handled very well and with a lot of respect, although I don't have any personal experience with infertility or anyone in my life who has struggled with infertility so this could be different if you have personal experience.
I actually really disliked Francesco. At first he seemed like the perfect guy, but after a while I could no longer stand his possessiveness, his judgement about Penny moving on when they had been dating for only a few weeks. The other two love interests were fine, Priyesh was probably my favourite of the two, but Thomas was a fun guy.

Pros:
I loved the LGBT representation in this, a happily married lesbian couple, a happily married gay couple, a gender non-binary character, with none of them turned into a big deal. This was a pleasant, unexpected surprise.
I loved that Penny was her own person, she decided when she wanted a child, regardless of how her romantic life was going, and this didn't change at the end.
The writing style was very easy to read, even through difficult topics.
I loved all of Penny's people: Charlie, Sharon, Clementine, David, they all added so much fun and wisdom to the book and were who Penny should have been focussing on, rather than the three average men in her life.

Cons:
As I mentioned, I started to despise Francesco. I don't think I could have got back together with him if I were Penny after he called her a slut.
The constant references to Lizzo, while fun at first, felt a little forced and as if the author was trying to appeal to a younger audience. However, many repeated cultural references like this might not have the same impact in 5/10 years, and reduces the longevity of a book, in my opinion.

Overall, I still really enjoyed this and am glad I got to read it, and it is a solid 4 star read for me.

Penny is a lovely young girl who just doesn’t know what’s wrong with her, why can’t she find lasting love like her friends and the family she so desires? She has pledged to work on her career and has a very successful café in London. After her Uncle becomes unwell, she moves to manage his restaurant in Derbyshire for a year to give him the chance to recover.

With her new life underway, Penny finds herself with not one but three lovers, all very different and each with their own unique qualities, but Penny can’t choose, and all seems to go wrong until the lovely fairy tale ending.

Throughout the book you learn of Penny’s struggles through her life, a young cancer victim, she undergoes IVF with the help of a surrogate. She has chosen to have her eggs harvested and fertilised by a sperm donor to create embryos for her future family. This looked at how this could be difficult in future relationships, any baby would be hers but not her partners and examined her concerns over this. Ultimately Penny is a strong independent woman and had already chosen to take the path to have her own family (using her embryos) which is delayed by helping her Uncle.

I really liked that Penny isn’t a superhero, she has had cancer and still suffers some aftereffects and the effects of her medications. Penny needs to rest and nap to ensure that she doesn’t become too exhausted and this felt much more real than in a lot of other books where suddenly the sufferer is better than ever and has no ill effects. She is realistic and a great, strong character who is easy to like.

I really liked the diversity of characters throughout the book, it’s a quick and fun read, perfect for beside the pool in summer. While I really enjoyed this book but felt like the ending was a little rushed and needed a bit more filling, but it didn’t ruin the enjoyment at all.

A great heartfelt story about a woman who has had a tough start the adulthood and how she can then move onto happiness... Eventually!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the ARC.

The Love Square follows the story of Penny, a bubbly and cheerful woman who runs a successful café in London, is an incredible chef, and seems to have everything going for her; after a harrowing battle with cancer in her 20s, Penny opted to freeze her eggs in the hope of becoming a mother someday, as due to her treatment etc she would not be able to carry a child herself. However, the sense of direction and focus that Penny initially has is entirely thrown off-track when she, by chance, stumbles across Francesco, a charming Italian cook, who completely steals her heart. However, this romance is abruptly shaken-up, after Penny takes on the responsibility of her uncle’s pub in Havingley, which is a world away from the life she knows and loves in London; Francesco and Penny are torn apart by circumstances, but Penny’s loyalties to her uncle outweigh anything else.

And thus, the main plot of The Love Square begins; Penny meets and spends time with two new men, Thomas, a young and care-free Tour Manager for Lizzo, and Priyesh, and older Wine Merchant, though Francesco is still firmly on her mind. We see Penny change, progress, and develop in character, as she finds herself deeper and deeper in the thick of an incredibly awkward ‘Love Square’. This amazing book explores all types of relationships: platonic, familial, sexual and romantic, and each character that is featured brings something unique and interesting to the story, and is fundamental to Penny’s character-development. Though on the surface, The Love Square seems to document the reality of contemporary love and relationships, in all of its messy and relatable ways, it is in fact a lot deeper than that, as all of these relationships and mishaps appear to serve the purpose of fuelling personal growth, introspection, and realigning focus and aspirations.

At times this book is incredibly funny and light-hearted, though it is simultaneously moving and emotional, and I found myself really rooting for Penny; The Love Square is a really enjoyable and heart-warming read that will certainly lift your spirits.

Laura Jane Williams’ second novel The Love Square was just the read I needed. I was able to cosy up in my reading chair and just escape. Having thoroughly enjoyed “Our Stop” I was excited to read “The Love Square” and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

The book is about Penny, Penny up until now had been pretty unlucky in love and at one point even sought out advice from a previous date as to what it was about her that lead to things not working out.

Her life takes a change when she moves to take over her Uncles kitchen, leaving London for Derbyshire. This is when things get interesting… her love life also takes a change in direction when she meets a remarkable new man… followed by another and then another.

I love the characters, and their interaction with one another.

Laura Jane Williams’ writing is infectious and entertaining, and would happily read more of her work, I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this book to anyone!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for providing a ecopy of this book to read and review.

Penny was such a fun character! I loved watching her grapple with different relationships throughout this story. A great portrayal of dating in the modern world.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for the advance copy of #TheLoveSquare by Laura Jane Williams

***
Penny Bridge has always been unlucky in love.

So she can’t believe it when she meets a remarkable new man.

Followed by another.

And then another…

And all of them want to date her.

Penny has to choose between three. But are any of them The One?
****
I loved Our Stop but this was even better. The characters were so relatable and I even felt It was such an honest account of every possible kind of love: romantic, familial, platonic, sexual and self - all without being too clichéd/cheesy. This was a great distraction from the outside world and hopefully, when this is released in August, this will be someone's beach read.

Penny has decided she's doomed when it comes to love but is otherwise happy with her London life, owning a small cafe and considering whether or not to become a solo parent. So fo course, just as she's made this decision she meets and becomes involved with three different men who each, in their own way, bring out something great in her. But does she love any of them? And do they love her?
This is a nice light read for these socially-distant coronavirous times (I read this in April/May 2020) and would also be good for a plane ride or a trip to the beach. I like that each of the men is not what they appear to be at first sight, but have more to offer as Penny gives them each a chance. Add in a few good friends, a loving sister and a doting uncle/father-figure this makes for an enjoyable read.

Even though the title says it all this book still managed to take me by surprise. Maybe it is all the pastel colors cover's fault. This turned out to be a more emotional book than I expected. Penny is single and dating. One, two, three... One day you have no choice and suddenly there are too many.

I liked that the characters were imperfect. That fact made them more realistic. There is a great LGBTQ rep. So kudos to the author for diversity. I also liked how the author dealt with the infertility storyline. It is a complex and beautifully represented world we are living in.

I liked the side characters and their stories. There is an amazing relationship between Penny and her sister. Sadly the romance part of this book didn't hold my interest at all. Even with three choices, it felt kind of flat and predictable.

Overall, It an okay read.


Thank you NetGalley and publisher for the copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Penny is an independent woman, running her own successful business, she's got good friends, she's got life plans, but she's been unlucky in love. Then she meets Francesco and within weeks everything in her life turns upside down.

I loved the way this book spent as much time building the relationships Penny had with her friends and family, especially her sister, as it did on the romantic relationships. And I really fell for Penny as a character, as strong and brave and funny as she was frightened and flawed and vulnerable.

It's rare to read a book with a central romance that makes every decision, bad or good, feel so very earned and relatable. Even when the characters made mistakes, even while I was desperately begging them not to, I understood why they were making them and that depth of understanding adds a layer of connection to the characters that really engaged me in their lives.

All in all I really enjoyed it, a surprisingly deep and satisfying journey of love and friendship, and taking ownership of the (love) life you deserve.

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

LJW does it again - clever, witty, insightful and full of heart. I felt so privileged to have the chance to read THE LOVE SQUARE in advance. Definitely for any fans of intelligent, feel-good romcoms!

Penny Bridge is happy running her cafe but feeling unlucky in love until a handsome Italian comes in. She starts up a whirlwind romance with Francesco that is interrupted when her uncle has a heart attack and asks her to take over his restaurant in the countryside. It’s not long before Penny finds herself stuck between three men, trying to figure out what she really wants after all.

There are lots of positives with this book. There is one side to the novel that’s a fluffy, fun romance and then there’s the more serious, emotional side that really allows you to connect with Penny as a character. We learn that at 25 years old Penny discovered she had Stage 2 Breast Cancer and as a result had her eggs frozen with the help of a sperm donor. Her struggles with infertility and longing to be a mother whilst worrying that these revelations could scare off a potential boyfriend are emotional. Her relationship with her sister Clementine is really heartwarming, it’s nice to see such a positive connection. There’s also various LGBTQ+ representation throughout the novel as well as ethnic diversity.
In all honesty, I didn’t need this to become a love square - I could have quite happily explored the ups and downs of a long distance relationship with Francesco or even a love triangle but the storyline with Priyesh didn’t enhance the plot at all for me. It really just created a lot of unnecessary drama which was frustrating because there were so many other interesting themes and plot points being explored that felt more important.
Despite this, I did really enjoy the book and loved watching Penny discover who she wanted to be. It was such a fast, easy read and think fans of Mhairi McFarlane would appreciate the humour and story here.

I simply could not put this down, I loved it. This book stirred every emotion in me, it was one of those books you can't wait to finish to see what happens to everyone but at the same time you don't want it to end.
Laura Jane Williams is one heck of a writer.
Thank you netgalley

I loved Laura Jane Williams’ first novel, Our Stop, and have been looking forward to reading more from her. The Love Square is another enjoyable modern romance, following unlucky in love Penny, who ends up in relationships with three very different men, offering three very different things. She has to learn how to put herself first and decide what she really wants from life. A fun, if somewhat predictable read.

I really loved Laura’s first book, Our Stop, but didn’t warm to this book quite so much.

This book certainly had an interesting premise, with the main character caught between three men, therefore part of the Love Square of the title.

I was engaged with Penny and her woes, and really liked her friendships with Sharon and Charlie, and especially her sister Clemmie (love the Personal Podcasts!) and enjoyed the descriptions of London too. I also enjoyed going on her journey with her, and seeing her decide what she really wanted.

What I struggled with was engaging with two of the three love interests - Priyesh and Thomas. It took me a while to see Priyesh as attractive, and while Thomas gave Penny a lot in his own way, I just couldn’t see her having strong feelings for either of them. Francesco was much more three-dimensional and attractive, and I could see the friendship and love between them, however there were a couple of times when he acted so badly that I couldn’t quite understand why Penny would still want him.

Saying that, I loved the universal themes of love, and what it means to be human, and it was a very universal book in terms of diversity, with LGBTQ+ characters and relationships, which I thought was very topical and open.

The Love Square is an uplifting story about a woman who doesn't know what she wants and is told what to do by everyone else. Penny Bridges is a great central character who I rooted for the entire time. The love stories were fun but for me the most compelling plot line was her decision to have kids as a single parent, using her sister as a surrogate. I loved Our Stop and look forward to Williams's future novels as they are easy to read but don't shy away from deeper issues such as infertility and misogyny.

Penny Bridges is working hard in her cafe in London when she meets Francesco. Their relationship burns hot and fast. Then Penny is obligated to move and take over her uncle’s restaurant in her hometown. Then everything in Penny’s life goes haywire.

In this new life, Penny meets some new men, Thomas and Priyesh. As she becomes part of the life of the village, and brings the restaurant back to life, Penny seems to lose who she is. Francesco reappears in her life, then everything seems to explode again.

Penny is a complicated character. On the one hand, she seems to know what she wants and is happy to go after it. On the other, she is needy and whiny and in need of constant validation from others. I wanted to like her, but it was hard. I think a lot of readers will connect with her situation: you know what you want, but get thrown off track by life.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my review.

The Love Square by Laura Jane Williams a five-star read that will entangle you. This one had me all of a twist, I liked Penny then I didn’t then I did and didn’t and on and on it went, until I really liked her, her struggle and past made her a real character and in the end I got why she behaved the way she did and it made me like her even more, to face one life challenge is difficult, but to then have to uproot life again just as you are finally getting back to your normal, well it would drive any of us a little crazy. I loved that this was a Love square and not a love triangle, it just added to the drama and the humour in some ways, I adored Our Stop so I had high hopes for this one and I am so glad that Laura Jane Williams didn’t disappoint, she kept up with the amazing writing and creates a wonderful story once again.

This book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this book but I didn't love it. All the ingredients were there: a well rounded heroine, an interesting plot and loveable side characters. Where did the book fall flat for me? The love interests. I just didn't think any of the three men were worthy of our heroine's time! They came across as selfish and none of them seemed to understand Penny or her needs.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. But read it for Penny's relationship with her wonderful sister and not for the romances.

(Content warning: cancer; infertility issues)