A review by rosgw
Double Booked by Lily Lindon

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Just finished this treat of a book. First thing I love about it: it is actually a comedy. Genuine snort laughs (clumsily asking for a double when ordering a cocktail made me chuckle; looking for assurance on the definition of the term “pussyfooting” and avoiding Urban Dictionary - amazing (and also wise counsel, as I did check UD and it wasn’t good. Unless you’re into that. Who am i to judge?)

Be forewarned that whilst it is a romance, but it’s not a sexy romance. The sex is scant, but where it is there it is legitimately awful (hello, banana suit). 

The book begins with a desperately impassioned attempt to stop the MC’s would-be fiancé from proposing. The humour takes the edge off what would in reality be a hugely suffocating experience of realising your partner simply might not be right for you at this point in your life. The MC’s grappling with her sexuality and relationship status all felt very genuine and true to life, in the context of the trauma of bereavement, and the relationship with her mother (who texts like my dad texts) was also lovely. (Legitimately, genuinely weep-inducing mother-daughter tête-à-tête in the final pages of the book.)

A tiny irritant: I live in northern England where it would be expensive enough to go to the pub, but the London prices these people would have to stump up to afford all the drinking they do would mean they’d all need  relatively extravagant wealth these days. Realistically this bunch of queers (except for Isobel) would all be pre drinking and smuggling in hipflasks in their gig bags . You can’t tell me a person that fretful about saving 50p by getting the off-peak tube home wouldn’t be more concerned about all these fancy lesbian cocktails she’s nailing.

Less an irritant, more an important plot point that required the suspension of disbelief:

I couldn’t totally buy the mutual misapprehension of Isobel and kit, who not once in their many years together had a moment where they’d clarified their feelings for one another before now in their mid twenties.

 

After only really engaging with US ff romance, it’s nice to read a UK one.  Fulsomely appreciated the British references (M&S multipack knickers? I wear you. Giffgaff? Probably sim only to save pennies for those cocktails. Busted? Better than Mcfly)

In brief, then, I would give this a strong recommend if you want an easy read that’s nice and queer. But expect no sex and quite a bit of laughter instead. To balance out, my next read will be a humourless shagfest!