Laura Jane Williams - Lovestruck

Laura Jane Williams - Lovestruck

4⭐

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 430

Format: Paperback Proof 

Publisher: Penguin Random House 

Date Published: 8th June 2023

Huge thank you to Penguin Random House for sending me this book to read and review. 

Book Blurb: 

This isn't one love story. It's two.

Becca Calloway is calling it: she's ready for Mr Right, and she's ready now.

She even goes as far as to hold a manifestation ceremony for him - and when she receives a text from her ex five minutes later, she knows it's a sign.

The problem is, she doesn't know which way it's pointing...

Should Becca reply and reignite things with her old flame Mike? Or delete and block, moving forward with the new man in her life?

Becca has one choice, with two ways this could go. And in Lovestruck, you're about to see them both...

My Review: 

So, this was my first ever Laura Jane Williams book and although I really enjoyed it, at times it was too slow and too long for me. Also, I didn’t seem to care much for Becca’s happy ending either as the ending of this book really led me down. However, I enjoyed the writing style and short chapters, as well as the premise of the two timelines that happen due to one choice that Becca makes. The small crossovers and details in each of the timelines were also a very smart addition.

The book follows Becca who is in her mid-thirties and searching for Mr Right to settle down and start a family. She tries to manifest that for herself and suddenly she gets a text from her ex who she hasn’t heard from in six years. She needs to decide whether she replies to the message or not. Thus, we are immersed in two timelines. One follows Becca if she replies to the text and the second one shows us what would happen if she doesn’t reply to the message.

As much as I liked the premise of this book I just couldn’t connect with the characters. For me, they felt so two-dimensional, especially Becca, who although suppose to be in her thirties acts like she is in her early twenties. I also think I would have liked this book a lot more if all the characters, especially the two supporting characters, that later prove to be more important for the plot than not, were developed more.

Despite the enjoyable writing and scene setting, the ending for me was the biggest letdown.  I also didn’t feel any chemistry between Becca and her actual Mr Right and her Mr Right was a bit of a letdown with all of the 300+ pages of setting for Becca to finally find him. I didn’t like the ending because at least I as a reader, personally, didn’t get much information about the Mr Right during the whole book and only in the very end do we get to know more about him. It just felt a bit random.

Overall: I enjoyed the humorous elements and situations throughout the book, as those mixed with easy writing and good scene setting, kept me going. I think the characters could have been developed better as they felt very two-dimensional. Other than that, I really enjoyed the premise of the book as it was interesting and had so much potential. I will be giving Laura Jane Williams another chance as I  try reading her backlist.  

About the Author:

Laura Jane Williams (she/her) is known as the queen of the meet-cute. She is the author of seven romantic comedies, as well as the forthcoming enemies to lovers (August 2024). Laura is also the author of three works of non-fiction. The rights to Laura's international bestseller our stop have been sold for television, and her books have been translated into languages all over the world. She loves romance, being a parent, and lifting very heavy weights.

https://www.laurajaneauthor.com/