In its essence, Love Me Do is a modern day gender-swapped Cyrano de Bergerac meeting the romantic classic The Holiday. It’s an insta-love, “friends”-to-lovers, Hollywood glam love story. It’s a cute summer read, though it didn’t feel like the most original story. 3.5 stars

Love Me Do follows Phoebe, a greeting card copywriter from England, visiting her sister in the Hollywood Hills for a two week holiday. After her sister leaves town for a work emergency, Phoebe is left alone in her sister’s fabulous LA home. She quickly gets swept up in a world of extravagant characters; her sister’s bubbly personal trainer, Bel, her beyond handsome neighbour Ren, and the majestic, yet reclusive, former film star, Myrna.

After learning Bel “has feelings” for Ren, Phoebe decides to play matchmaker and lends Bel her words to sweep Ren off his feet. What could go wrong?

Overall, Love Me Do is a sweet story about healing and opening yourself up to new experiences. The female friendships shone, while I found the romance taking a back seat. I do wish we had a little more time with Phoebe and Ren (no offence to the man, but he was just kind of there).

Thank you HarperCollins Canada and NetGalley for an advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review. Love Me Do is already out in the UK and releases in North America on September 5th.

Book Review
Love Me Do by Lindsey Kelk

Phoebe- healing herself from an emotionally abusive ex and the loss of her grandmother, Phoebe is full of self doubt… she is also a people pleaser who goes along with the flow of things without stopping to think what she wants for herself

Ren- wood working, bird watcher who is shy and quiet (he actually took a back seat for me, he was just meh)

Bel- hated her at the beginning - just too over the top positive, peppy …ugh. She redeemed herself though- I believe this was the authors intention- don’t underestimate her

Suze- loved her interactions with her sister and Bel, also wanted more from her… I feel like the author teased a bigger more complex character that what the reader saw on the page

Myrna- the star of this book, I wanted more of her

Overall
I thought this was more of a character driven family type drama than a romance
Sure it was lighter, full of humour and funny scenes but it was the womens relationships with each-other that was the highlight for me

Thank you to @netgalley and @harpercollins for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own.

This book is one of the funniest things I have ever read and made so many five star pop culture references but unfortunately these didn’t make up for the utterly ridiculous plot and lack of flow. I think lots of people are going to love this but I’m not one of them. Glad I read it but I like my reads to be a little more realistic and relatable.

This was a summery delight. I've read plenty of books set in LA, but something about this escape into the Hollywood Hills felt different; more intimate and soft. I loved it.

It follows Phoebe Chapman during her brief visit from England to stay with her sister. But instead Phoebe finds herself alone in a beautiful home and roped into a matchmaking scheme between Bel, her sister's personal trainer, and the handsome bird-obsessed man next door, Ren.

And of course feelings get gloriously muddled in the process! I'd say the romance is more of a subplot, but it was super sweet while also bringing an opportunity for Phoebe to reflect on healing from a previous abusive relationship. Considering the timeline, their relationship develops fast, but I don't know—it worked for me! I loved their sentimental appreciation for love letters.

Ren was great, BUT the friendships were truly the star of this story for me! Not only between Phoebe and Bel, who was the epitome of sunshine and butterflies, but also between Phoebe and Myrna, a crotchety eighty-two-year-old former movie star. I could have read an entire story following only these three ladies. So many laughs!

This was an absolute delight.

Think Kate Winslet in The Holiday but she’s the solo star and completely fleshed out, with a reclusive, old Hollywood, curmudgeon celebrity as a neighbour, fun friends and a salt of the earth romantic MMC. Mix in Kelks British humour and you’ve got the perfect rom com.

Thoroughly enjoyed, a great pick me up read, a beach read or anything in between read.