While the world is ravaged by a global pandemic, hotshot NFL running back Evan Sparks is locked in his own personal hell. With a career-ending scandal on his back, Evan hides out in his best friend’s empty San Francisco home, the full city shutdown locking him in a lonely twenty-story apartment in the sky.
Romance writer Sadie Walsh is having the worst case of writer’s block ever…until the … the incredible, muscular stranger staying next door gets her muse going strong. The pair of loners, never expecting to find a friend in all the madness, meet each day out on their balconies like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet.
Each new day brings unique challenges for the pair as they navigate the unknown and find solace together. They quickly figure out that as long as they have one another, they can handle anything.
Even falling in love under quarantine.
Writing together for the first time, New York Times bestselling authors Kylie Scott and Audrey Carlan team up to tell a story that not only is a beautiful escape during a trying time, but a true lesson on the power of humanity’s ability to survive. Through a sexy, hopeful, strangers-to-lovers romance, the authors prove with love, trust, and faith, we can conquer anything.
“Kylie Scott and Audrey Carlan weave a charming and witty romance into a confusing and stressful real-life scenario and the result is magic. Sexy, humorous and sweet, this is a quarantine must-read!” —Devney Perry, USA Today bestselling author
more
This collaboration was so awesome! Audrey Carlan and Kylie Scott are brilliant together! Woohoo!
Imagine being stuck in your house under quarantine with not a soul in the world to be around. Well, that is the reality for Evan and Sadie…except that they have a chance encounter by the balconies of the apartments they are in during this time.
What could possibly happen you ask…so much awesomesauce. You get to experience these characters sharing their angst over the pandemic. Sharing their thoughts and finding that the more and more they find out about each other, the more they are falling in love. The brightness with which these two ladies bring to life Sadie and Evan is refreshing in the reality of us having to stay home.
Evan is so sexy and is so powerful and is so down to earth. He learns so much about himself during this time and he learns that having a beautiful, intelligent and spunky woman at your side will bring you the true joys in life. Sadie is witty, hilarious, gorgeous, talented and she is so perfect for Evan. She goes toe to toe with him and isn’t afraid to speak her mind and be heard. She isn’t afraid to stand her ground and win the argument. She is also fiercely protective of those that she cares about.
To get lost in the romance between these two characters is a light in the dark that surrounds so much around them in their world and in ours. I loved the laughs, I love the angst, I love the anticipation, I loved it ALL!
Bravo Audrey and Kylie. Please say you’ll write some more!
4.5 Stars
Whoopee – the first Corona-Romance is here!
Evan is a football star who finds himself – through almost no fault of his own – in the middle of a sex and drug scandal. That’s why he’s hiding in his buddy’s apartment in San Francisco. Perfect day for the governor to start the Quarantine order. Great. Now he has to cat sit this devil feline and watch his new neighbor doing sexy yoga on her balcony with no way to escape.
Sadie – the yogi – is having a bit of a writer’s block. Which is not good for a romance author on deadline. But suddenly there’s this über hot half naked guy next door. And her creative juices are flowing like crazy!
And he’s also really nice and fun. They have great Corona conversations across their balconies!
But can you fall for someone like that? Across a balcony?
Yes you can! And it’s super adorable and funny to watch them doing just that.
Sadie with her snack addiction and Evan trying to cook healthy meals for her! Hilarious!
And then there’s the whole fear of the virus – both are worried about parents and friends.
Then we have to find out who set Evan up.
I really enjoyed reading this. It was cute and fun and sexy and so very Corona-y. Perfect little fairy tale-y romance to read during these weird times!
It won’t bother anyone but me … but I caught a lot of British/Australian words and phrases here and there. It just bothers me a bit to see that when a book is full of Americans in America :/
I honestly never really thought I would want to read a book with this time of Covid in it but they really knocked this out of the park! It’s fun and sweet, full of emotion and has a little mystery to solve too.
I bought this book on release day but intentionally let it sit in my library until late last night. As a huge fan of Kylie Scott, I knew I wanted to read this book and I looked at it longingly every time I opened my kindle. Never one to pay much mind to reviews or mean spirited gossip, I didn’t care then what the critics had to say – so that is not what deterred me. I just needed to get in the right headspace. I wanted to see the light at the end of the tunnel before I attempted to take on this story and I regret waiting.
Living in California and following the virus news from the first mentions of it in late 2019 to the school closures and Safe at Home orders in March of 2020, the timeline in the book is reasonably accurate. The emotions portrayed were authentic and proportionate to what was really happening at the time. The authors were respectful of the science and economics, as well as sensitive to the emotional toll this pandemic has had on so many of us. Nothing was downplayed or overly dramatic and the authors made sure to keep the characters responsible in their actions. I truly do not feel the book was opportunistic or exploitative.
As for the romance part of the story, I admit to having strong feelings about Evan in the first few pages. I had to push myself to move forward with the hope that he was redeemable and I am glad I did because Evan is just yummy book boyfriend material. Sadie was relatable, likeable, and funny. Love Under Quarantine is equal parts humor, heat, and heart. I even shed a few quiet tears. The story moved quickly and didn’t cover a lot of time, but it wasn’t an “insta-love” story. They didn’t stare at each other from across their balconies and yell, “Mine!”. I don’t feel like it was too rushed or unrealistic. Was it fast? Yeah, but it felt plausible.
I truly love this book and I know I will read it again and again.
Sadie, a romance writer who is facing a serious case of writer’s block, & Evan, a pro-football player, disgraced, wrongly accused, who is hiding out at his best friends apartment. An out of tune Kenny Roger’s song gets them talking on the balcony, when the city of San Francisco is put on lockdown due to the Covid-19 virus.
The authors drew off fiction for the steamy, romance aspects of the story, & also from real life emotions during this trying time. It was the perfect mix of real life & fiction. I laughed a lot through this book, Sadie & Evan have an amazing banter & was great.
I also loved that even though the story revolved around what is happening right now we still got a mystery to solve. I loved watching Sadie and Evan work together to help clear his name.
I have been a fan of Kylie Scott’s books for a long time but Audrey Carlan is a new author to me, & I really enjoyed what they came up with. I hope they work together again.
In life’s uncertainty, people find solace in unexpected ways and at unexpected times. And, while, in all likelihood, the hero and heroine of Kylie Scott and Audrey Carlan’s new release, Evan Sparks and Sadie Walsh, would never had connected with each other, given the reasons Evan’s hiding out in his best friend’s condo, who just happens to live next door to Sadie, but because San Francisco goes into lockdown and no one is allowed to leave their building, a surprising opportunity for them to get to know each other is created, and it’s one that Evan and Sadie take full advantage of in a number of significant ways.
The fact that their initial encounter is in the vein of Romeo and Juliet’s balcony scene made this English teacher’s heart happy, and while Evan and Sadie’s situation is definitely not ill-fated like the young people of Verona, Italy, makes this new connection an interesting one while also contemplating what will happen between Evan and Sadie once the quarantine is over.
The issues brought up in the story are done so in a thoughtful and compassionate way, given the current state of affairs in society, touching on both the minor and major concerns. Both Evan and Sadie share their concerns for their families, for their friends, and for the state of things when everything is over, expressing their feelings that are very much like all of ours as we deal with COVID19.
I love that the hero and heroine’s differences give them more to talk about rather than create various points of contention. And while they’re in quarantine for 14 days, their feelings and their attraction burns slowly, but once it ignites, it’s clear just how compatible they are and how this unexpected situation offered them, not only a safe place but a chance for more.
4 Poison Apples
Just what I needed, just when I needed it. Having to shelter in place was hard enough but then having my reading mojo slip away was confusing and distressing. Love Under Quarantine cured that really quick. The story has some relatable qualities but more than that it was just a fun read.
The interaction between Evan and Sadie from the start was fantastic. Each had their own story and when they came together, they rewrote them into an incredible love story. The snarky, sassy banter between them gave me a smile on my face all the way through the book.
„What we have is more real than anything I’ve ever had in my life.”
In times when tomorrow is uncertain and isolation is taking its toll, Kylie Scott and Audrey Carlan are bringing a story filled with love and hope to the brim. Love Under Quarantine is a book that cheers up and brings joy. It’s like a ray of sunshine on a gloomy day. Evan and Sadie’s story is full of sexual tension, pent-up lust and all the feels and it’s everything I needed these days!
I loved how the world situation brought characters together and how despite insta-lust they were forced to personally know each other first. I was thrilled to see that despite the circumstances they found something to look up to. Their interactions and witty banter left me with a constant smile on my face and their sizzling chemistry and palpable sexual tension heated me up.
I adore Evan and his down-to-earth personality. For a hot shot NFL star he’s pretty laid-back. Sure, he benefited from his fame in the past, but he also knows when he comes across something good and real.
Sadie is an exceptional woman. Lovely and caring, but also quirky and sassy. A sexy hunk of a man next door was exactly what she needed to find a muse for her new romance novel. On the paper they might be polar opposites, but in reality they complement each other beautifully. And they found each other in the hopeless situation, that’s just fantastic!
A sweet love story that was born in the middle of scandal and world disorder. Carlan and Scott created a cute and entertaining tale that brings pure joy. This steamy and funny read is a real page-turner!
Love Under Quarantine is sweet, sexy and will give you all the feels as you fall in love with this awesome couple. This story is intricate and full of hope, which is so perfect for readers as we are living in the reality of the situation. I am so excited that Audrey & Kylie created a love child and hope they do often in the future. You need to read this book for the phone sex, Gloria the devil kitty, and the candy alone. Oh and the touch of drama and scandal will keep you on your toes waiting to see how everything plays out! Kylie & Audrey must collaborate again because I am totally here for it! I’m so glad they gave us something special and honest to enjoy during this crazy time that I still can’t believe is our life!
Tracey, Life Reads With Friends
I am a huge fan of Kylie Scott. She is one of my very few one-click authors because I know she is going to deliver the goods with characters and dialogue. Love Under Quarantine is timely, obviously, but it still succeeds in telling the story with wit and charm. I have not read any of Audrey Carlan’s work up to this point, that will be changing.
Evan and Sadie meet in a high rise apartment building just as “Shelter in Place” has been declared. Anyone who reads this book is not going to have difficulty empathizing with the characters. We are all there. Evan is not an introvert, and you can see his struggles, but he needs to stay out of the public eye with the dumpster fire his life has become. Sadie, a romance novelist, is an introvert, and this is no big deal for her. She’s not his usual type, and he’s definitely not hers. The magic happens.
Her writer’s muse is not talking, but when she meets Evan, well, I think the muse saw how hot he was and began to sing. Evan, a pro football player, is dealing with the possibility of a career-ending scandal. The slight mystery that plays out, the development of Sadie’s novel, and the friendship that grows into a romance as tension amps up is fun. The dialogue, particularly in the drugstore, is superb.
The things highlighted that we all are dealing with under quarantine made me smile. Sadie has roots, Evan needs a haircut, there’s no toilet paper, selections are limited, and masks. Their reactions when they go outside for the first time. Much the same most people have experienced. Seeing their dynamic play in the situation only adds to the book.
I so enjoyed this story and read it in one sitting. That is mostly due to the fact that whenever I get a Kylie Scott book, I read it in one sitting. I love her writing that much. This book won’t appeal to some, and that’s fair. However, I loved everything about this book, and I believe it is one I will go back and read again because it will be one of the best memories of this bizarre time in history.
4.5 stars!
A swoony, sexy, fun and emotional love story set in the all-too-realistic world that we live in as two strangers fall in love while under quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic.
I have seen a few quarantine-related romances in development, and I’m gonna say straight up that I had no intention of reading any of them. Books have been my escape during this time, and I wasn’t keen to let reality intrude upon my escape time. But Kylie Scott is an auto-read author for me, so I dove in, and I’m so glad I did. While this book did hit on a few nerves with the anxiety-inducing reality of the world we are all living in, it does well to capture the emotion of our time, and uses that intensity to deliver an absolutely beautiful love story that completely swept me away.
Evan Sparks is an NFL star who is facing a career-threatening scandal. He has escaped to his best friend’s apartment in San Francisco to hide from the paparazzi and try to figure out his next move, and that’s where he is when the city is put into lockdown. His new neighbour, Sadie Walsh, is a romance writer who has lost her muse. She’s trying to get her groove back when life outside of her apartment comes to a grinding halt due to the unfolding crisis.
Evan and Sadie go through the full range of emotions that I’m sure we’re all experiencing. They’re scared, their anxious, they have friends and loved ones out in the world that they are worried about, and they are doing their best to keep themselves sane while being quarantined in their apartments. Their first fortuitous meeting on their balconies turns out to be a complete game changer both of them as their quick banter develops into a friendship that very quickly morphs into more as they become each other’s lifelines.
“This is so fucked up. You know what I want more than anything?”
“What? Tell me?”
“I want to hold you, tell you everything will be okay. Kiss your forehead…and your lips. Christ, what I wouldn’t give to taste your mouth. Make you feel what I’m feeling deep inside.”
She gasps but then whispers, “I wish that too.”
Unable to actually be together, they get to know each other over balcony yoga sessions, phone calls, shared meals, virtual movie nights and some steamy ‘close-but-not-too-close’ encounters. And in the middle of it all, they fall in mad love. It’s sweet, it’s sexy, it’s fun, and it even made me laugh out loud a few times. And though it’s fast moving it feels so real! They are completely open and honest with each other, and I could feel the emotion developing between them and I fell right alongside them.
“I press my palm flat to the wall trying to feel her energy, her presence, just beyond the barrier. “Sadie, this thing between us. It’s growing every day. Do you feel it? Tell me you feel it too and I’m not alone?”
“I…I feel it too. I don’t understand it, but I can’t deny it’s there. The attraction…”
“Is off the fucking charts.” I shake my head and press harder into the wall.
“How can this be real?”
“I don’t know, sweetheart, but it’s more real than anything I’ve felt before. I crave you.”
It’s an absolutely beautiful love story that had me feeling all the feels, and when they actually reach the point where they can be together… holy hot damn! It’s hot, steamy and super passionate, and there is so much emotion, and I freaking loved it!
“I’m in love with you, and I haven’t even kissed you,”
While they are falling for each other, Sadie gets her writing groove back, and they are dealing with their loved ones out there in the world going through their own hard times, and the mystery of the threat on Evan’s career. There’s a lot going on, but they find their way around it all functionally and sensibly. There are some hurdles for them to overcome, but they talk through everything so openly, and I LOVED that!
It’s a beautiful, beautiful romance that finishes in a great place, but I would have liked just a little bit more – (view spoiler) I wondered whether the lack of epilogue was intentional because the outcome of the current crisis is unknown, or whether it’s a message to find and embrace happiness wherever and whenever we can despite all that’s going on around us? Or maybe I’m reading too much into it, and they just didn’t write one? Either way, I would love to see more of these characters, and I’m hoping that at least one of the side characters gets a story in the future (*cough* Jake *cough*) so we can catch up with Evan and Sadie down the line a bit further.
I am a long-time fan of Kylie Scott, but this is my first read by Audrey Carlan. The two of them write seamlessly, and I loved this book. Though it hits close to home, I think that was the intention, and it succeeded in sweeping me up in the beauty of the love story, which was just what I was hoping for.
4.5 stars!
4.5 stars
Evan Sparks is hiding at his best friend’s apartment, under the guise of cat sitting. However he is really waiting for the media storm over a scandal threatening his career to die down. He isn’t a fan of the cat, and just wants to clear his name. But in the middle of the storm, the city goes into Covid-19 quarantine and he finds himself sheltering next door to a curvy woman who has caught his eye like no one before.
Sadie Walsh is a writer battling her muse. When an incredibly attractive man starts showing up on the balcony next door, suddenly her muse begins to speak again. Meeting on their balconies for snacks, meals, and yoga, this pair of loners finds a connection while the entire world waits for a pandemic to pass.
Sadie’s writers’ block could lead to financial strain if it continues, especially with the cancelation of all her author events for the summer. Evan is staring at a career in tatters if he can’t clear his name of wrongdoing, but he doesn’t know where to begin to look. Through all their career bumps, the friendship that builds over the balcony wall and through meals delivered to doors grows into a spark that has them both counting down the days until they can see if the sparks are only in their imagination, or if the sparks will shoot higher without a distance between them.
I liked the lightness this book gave back to a very unsettling time. I wasn’t sure how into the story I was going to be able to fall, based on how current this story is, but I was pleasantly surprised to find myself falling in love with each of their quirks, watching them maneuver the world of socially distanced grocery shopping, phone check-ins with out of town family, and the fear of the what if of this disease.
The premise of socially distanced dating is one of those cute-to-think-about situations that everyone thought of as the world turned to quarantine. Scott and Carlan have turned it into a meet-cute with quirky characters navigating the now-normal. This was more than just a quarantine story though, with both characters working to continue their chosen paths.
This is how you co-author an amazingly current book! I mean, Kylie Scott and Audrey Carlan just showed us all the book version of a mic drop with Love Under Quarantine. BOOM! I feel like I could leave this review with my Boom and Mic Drop and feel satisfied because I loved this story!! This story is fun and witty just what I expect from both if these authors. The characters feel vibrant and so relatable right now. Love Under Quarantine is a breath of fresh air… without the mask!!
The story between Evan and Sadie was chasmic! We get the best of Audrey Carlan and Kylie Scott! I mean, they were fabulous separately and now, we have them combined to give us this epic story that brings a bit of light, a bit of love to this crazy time. It’s written in a way where it feels instantaneous… we’re all living the same life as them. However, these authors have given us this insta-attraction, insta-lust, could it just be… insta-love?
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
Love Under Quarantine by Kylie Scott & Audrey Carlan is a well-timed reflection and romance set in the current events that have most of us tied up in knots of anxiety, panic, and more. Based on a recently disgraced football player who is apartment & cat sitting for his best friend Jake while Jake is out of town, Evan Sparks is now stuck at Jake’s apartment for the shelter in place order for San Fransisco. The only upside to this quarantine situation is the beauty of Jake’s neighbor, Sadie. After much effort on Evan’s part he discovers that Sadie is a funny, curvaceous, wonderful human being who also happens to be a romance writer and a snack/ candy fan, much to the chagrin of Evan’s healthy eating soul. The story gently deals with many situations of this pandemic that we have all had to deal with in one way or another, and some more tragic situations that some of us are fortunate to not have dealt with, yet. The romance is solid, with a wonderful slow-build. The characters are respectful of the pandemic guidelines and virus incubation period, although there is much impatience for the fourteen days to pass and pass quickly. The chemistry is off the charts. The ways they find to interact without touching or coming closer than 6 feet is ingenious, and I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Hope you do too!
This is a perfect read at the perfect time when the world is in such chaos and you have two brilliant authors who capture your heart with a wonderfully written romance about finding love in such a unique way, smack bang in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. Finding your one true love while in lockdown, that one person who completely understands you and supports you. Who could ask for anything more.
LOVE UNDER QUARANTINE By Kylie Scott & Audrey Carlan
This has been a most enjoyable read during the pandemic about the pandemic. Evan and Sadie are a great couple that each have issues to work through. Kylie Scott and Audrey Carlan did a wonderful job of putting this story together. I would love to see more collaborations between the two of them. Will Damron and Andi Arndt do an awesome job with narration. This is a 5 star read.
Being 100% I wasn’t sure I wanted to listen to a book about the pandemic but its Kylie Scott and I love her books.
I will say because I listened to the audio I was a little thrown off by the dual narration because I am so used to Andi doing both in Kylie’s other books. So I didn’t really welcome Will’s narration until about half way through. But then I warmed up to him and actually appreciated that he did Evan’s POV chapters.
I loved that Sadie is a romance writer that was kinda awesome. How they meet and start to talk is interesting. I think because so much hits home for a lot of us right now it’s a little hard to read.
The isolation and fear we are all feeling really shines through and that can be a little daunting. But the hope and love that the authors give us with the story twists gave it that little extra to want to know what happens.
Very glad I picked up this book and followed through with it. I really did enjoy this story and the different style than I am used to with Kylie’s work.
This book was just what I needed right now—a sweet steamy romance within a new trope, and a mystery as a bonus. IMO the pandemic trope was something new and refreshing. Were it handled differently it might not have appealed to me, but this was fun and flirty with such endearing characters that I embraced all of it. From weaving social distancing rules into the story, to the wild range of emotions that we are all having— the worry, the sadness, the frustration, the loneliness. It’s really unique, just like the alternate reality that we’re living through right now.
I don’t see the pandemic as a negative in this story. It merely defines the relationship between Evan and Sadie. They have a role model relationship really. Right now we all need to talk to each other. It helps to cry together, laugh together, and communicate, which Sadie and Evan do so well. (Some of their lines are insanely funny, others are bittersweet.) And they’re a team, respecting social distancing rules, problem solving, and supporting each other when tragedy strikes.
Although some call this relationship insta-love that’s not the way I see it. During intense shared experiences people become close and relationships are speeded up. But Sadie and Evan still had time to get to know each other because of both their proximity and their distance. They became friends first, then developed an attraction, then fell in love. Yeah, it all happened over the course of two weeks but you do see an evolution. And let’s face it, two weeks is longer than it takes in most romance novels.
Interestingly, the authors sent a message to their readers about the downsides of being a romance writer. Sprinkled throughout the story, Sadie details the harsh communications she gets from readers. (“Art is subjective… I put my heart and soul into it and then set it free. People are going to like it or not. I have no control over it.”) She talks about juggling writing, publicity, and managing a small business. It’s a lot more than readers realize.
This is a cute little story, great for lifting your spirits. A real life setting, a sweet and joyful romance, and a mystery to solve. It’s all done realistically and believably. I don’t think you can go wrong choosing this book for a day or two of entertainment, and I would definitely read it again.
What a perfect, positive read to get through this whole COVID quarantine thing! It was such an easy, cute read. Sadie Walsh is cute and quirky. Evan is sexy and caring. These characters had great chemistry together even though their feelings for each other were somewhat reserved for a little bit because of the unknown. This was funny and sexy, with an unexpected plot twist, and some sadness that brought reality to what a lot of people have been going through with COVID. The writing was great and kept me hooked throughout the book. I never once questioned the flow of the writing and which author wrote what because it was so in sync. I thought it was awesome that these two authors came together to produce a book during this time for their readers!
I loved the cheese. This story was perfect for me. I’ve been reading slower and been picky over what I read, deeper things not clicking right now. With the quarantine and my career in healthcare, my brain is already full. I dove into it a few days ago and founds myself smiling at the antics of the characters. There were things that rang true surrounding the quarantine and loved one’s being ill, the isolation and the need to make connections. Sadie is a sassy, independent woman who writes romance novels. Evan is a footballer who has has his share of negative media and just prior to the quarantine, found himself in hot water.
They connect in a way that they might never have in Love Under Quarantine, and though it was “cheesy” (yes I mean canned cheese), i enjoyed my time in quarantine with Evan and Sadie.