Good afternoon, Arrowheads! Several months back, my cousin-in-law (pretty sure that’s a made up word, but anyway 😋) told me about a new author who is similar to Nicholas Sparks in that he writes romance books based in North Carolina. So of course, being the hopeless romantic North Carolinian that I am, I was completely down for trying one of his books. And. I. Am. So. Glad. I. Did. Get ready to hear me rave about the heartbreaking love story that is Losing London by Joey Jones!

Okay, so now that I’m emotionally stable (since this book is quite honestly the saddest story I’ve ever encountered), I can at last write a review.

At first, I was a bit wary. I mean, what if the book ended up reading like a cheap imitation of Sparks? Well, I’m ecstatic to inform everyone that Joey Jones is a brilliant, talented author who wholeheartedly deserves to be ranked in high esteem on his own merit.

In comparison to Sparks, Jones chose a setting in eastern North Carolina, in the town of Emerald Isle and wrote a romance; however, the author’s description of the more heated romance scenes aren’t described in detail as much as some of Sparks’s novels, and he uses much cleaner language. I don’t recall seeing a cuss word in the entire book, which is rare for romance geared at a general audience.

One aspect I liked most about the book was its subtle message of Christianity. Although Losing London is not marketed as Christian fiction, the characters’ relationship with and thoughts on God are inspiring. I also loved the fact that while the couple stumbles into sin, the characters later realize the error of their ways and make efforts to do what’s right in the sight of God. It was endearing to see a romance novel address this topic!

Now that I’ve rambled on for a few paragraphs about vague components of the novel, let’s get to the real review!

What I Loved:

The Characters

Even when Mitch was struggling spiritually at the beginning of the book, I fell head-over-heels for his characterization. Mitch Quinn is the epitome of a gentleman (minus one scene, but he redeems himself later). His selflessness and love for his adopted daughter, Hannah, made him a stand-out male lead that I won’t soon forget. Although Harper made me ill because she chose to withhold information from him, I could understand why she chose to do so. The secondary characters also brought life to the novel.

The Plot

This author knows how to formulate a brilliant plot and execute it in a way that leaves the reader both emotionally ruined yet begging for more. About halfway through I thought I had figured out the ending… nope. Nope. Not at all. I wasn’t prepared for all that one bit. 😭 And even though the plot shattered my heart, it was still amazing.

Literally Everything

I apologize for being so vague in writing this review, but there are so many aspects I feel need to be kept quiet as to not spoil anything for other readers. But truly, to me, this is one of those books that are difficult to pinpoint just why you love it so much. There’s no real specific thing… just everything. ❤️ Although I did ADORE the mentions of bowling, Snoopy, and teddy bears. Those are my life. 😂

Rating:

(An entire galaxy of stars)

Talk to Me, Arrowheads!

What’s your favorite clean southern romance? Drop your recommendations in the comments below!

Be sure to check back here on Mondays for special character interviews this month with characters from my soon-to-be released middle grade novel, Speak Your Mind!

Aim high, stay strong, and always hit your mark.

-Allyson 😀