Coming Down (Love in London Book 1)

I really enjoyed this book. Have never read from Carrie Elks before so was intrigued to see how the book went. All I can say is wow. Such a moving story about two teenagers Beth and Niall who fall in love. But due to a accident that happened they were separated. You then read present time, 9 years later and how they live their lives. By chance Beth and Niall happen to meet again and you read about the connections and choices they make. I really found this story moving it involves drugs, situations and really hard hitting decisions. I thought the author portrayed areas well and I was drawn into the characters and story.

This is the first book in the Love in London series, but can be read as a standalone, I read this entire series totally in the wrong order and was absolutely fine.When Beth runs into a guy from her past, she hopes that the past will remain where it should be. But nothing about Beth’s life is ever that easy. She remembers how it felt to be that carefree teenager, before everything went horribly wrong. But now she is married, grown up, no longer free to do whatever she wishes.The connection between Beth and Niall is obvious. Even with her rich husband hovering in the background. He wants the lovely little wife to be by his side at functions and they seem to have more of a friendship than a relationship. Unfortunately her desire for her teenage love never went away.A really great read, thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I could not put this book down! It was gripping from the very first page. The story grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I had a lot of sympathy for the main characters, Beth and Niall, and I liked how they weren't black and white, but very human. I felt their pain and guilt for what had taken place in their past, how they still hadn't really got over what happened, and how it was affecting their present.This story was very romantic, which I liked, but I also thought the parallel story of Beth helping the drug addict and her daughter was powerful and moving. I thought that the author did a good job of weaving the strands of the two stories together, especially towards the end.Beth and Niall, as well as the other characters, were believable and I especially found the relationship between Beth and Neil touchingly portrayed. They're both vulnerable and both hurting and the way in which their relationship progresses over the course of the story was very well drawn.All in all this was a great read and I'm keen to read the next one now! Carrie Elks is definitely an author to watch.

I have never read anything by this author and just kind of stumbled on this book and I'm so glad I did. Usually I read books set in America so it was nice for a change to read a book with the setting in London as I come from there although I don't live there anymore so it was nice to recognise some of the places in the book. But this author is a brilliant writer and it captured my imagination throughout the book. The story revolves around 3 characters, Beth, Niall and Simon. It goes back 9 years every other chapter and then is in the present. Niall is Beth's past 9 years ago and Simon is her present as she's married to him. But Niall appears back in her life again after a tragic parting for both of them 9 years earlier. Simon is a lot older than her and it is obvious that although she is fond of him she doesn't love him or have the same passion for him as she still does for Niall after meeting up with him again. There is a lot of angst and drama throughout the story as Beth is also involved in an afternoon club for the children of addicts and she is involved with Daisy the mother and addict of her daughter Allegra who attends the afternoon club. This story has everything in it and I just couldn't put it down which to me is the ideal book. I am now going onto the second one called 'Broken Chords' Book 2 which is about the story of Lara who is Beth's friend. I just hope it's as good as this one.

There are a few mistakes, and words that are missing at the start of this book in places. Beth is married to Simon, they are a upper class couple, Simon is more so than Beth is. Niall comes back in Beth's life. Beth and Niall knew one another at university. Niall was a drug dealer, until their friend Rugby died. They both dealt with it in different ways. Beth works at a clinic for children who like doing art, while their parents attend a clinic for coming off drugs. Simon and Beth separate. Daisy and her daughter Allegra go to the clinic, Beth tries her best to help Allegra as much as can. A good read. It makes you want to carry-on reading, it also shows the past when Beth and Niall went to university.