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
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3.5 stars. Love Under Quarantine was co-written by Kylie Scott and Audrey Carlan. I am a fan of Ms. Scott’s books, but this is the first time I have read anything by Ms. Carlan. This is Sadie and Evan’s story. Evan is an NFL player who is wrongly under investigation for doping. He is hiding out from the press and housesitting at his friend’s apartment when the Covid-19 quarantine goes into affect. Sadie is the cute girl in the apartment next door and a romance writer. During quarantine, the two meet, gradually get to know each other, and fall in love- all over the balcony, six-feet-apart trips to the grocery store and, eventually the phone and video chat. When they finally get together in person, they find they never want to be apart again.
This book sounded like a light and funny love story to read during this difficult time while the world is still under quarantine. I just think maybe the book had an identity crisis and wasn’t sure whether it was a rom-com or a drama. I don’t know if it was too soon to enjoy the circumstances or what. I had a hard time connecting to the book. It took me a little while to feel any chemistry between the couple or depth to the story. The climaxes were quick blips in the story and were overdramatic, but over too fast. I also felt the explanation of the Covid-19 circumstances to be a bit preachy and overexplanatory, since we’re still in the midst of this pandemic. Still, the story was relatively interesting and there were some funny and cute moments (along with some tragic ones). I liked Sadie and Evan together, too.
Overall, I enjoyed this book in general. I just had a hard time connecting enough to the story to completely love it.
Sadie is a romance novelist who has somehow lost her muse and trying to stay alive during the Covid19 and Evan is a football player trying to redeem himself while in lockdown. Though they are neighbors the authors shows us a friendship yet something they never expected to happen, love. Not only only do we see their love but we also have Sadie’s book characters making her wonder if she is losing her mind amidst the virus. I loved that these two are able to really start something without all the sex in the way but that doesn’t stop these authors from turning up the heat between them. All in all it was a good way to escape everything happening in a way only authors can do with comedy and sexual tension.
“I received an eBook copy from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own.”
Loving this book that hits real-life right now! With everything going on right now, this was the perfect book that we as readers could somewhat relate to and involve what we’re experiencing right now. Evan, a professional football player, was hiding out at his friend’s condo while some drama unfolded involving his career, and then quarantine happened and he was stuck there for at least two weeks. In trying to figure out what to do, he stumbles upon his friend’s neighbor, Sadie, who seems to be somewhat his opposite but the sparks instantly fly. Sadie is dealing with writers block, and while trying to spark inspiration ends up striking up a conversation with Evan and the pair begin a friendship. As the days pass, the pair realizes that as they talk to each other, the feelings start to build but they can’t do anything about it because of self-isolation. But once the two-week period is over, it’s game on. Meanwhile, Sadie’s gotten her muse back and is writing like crazy, and Evan is determined to figure out who has set him up and work towards clearing his name. I loved the mystery of who set Evan up throughout the storyline but also how the characters took self-isolation and quarantining seriously despite their attraction. This insta-love book was a great read and entertaining during this time!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Love under Quarantine is an eerily realistic romance. My feelings about this book were all over the place, I absolutely love romance books because they let me escape all the crap that goes on in everyday life but there were parts of this story that brought reality slamming back into me… the fact that the story touches on current issues we are struggling with right now is kind of a double edge sword, it makes it believable but it also drags me out of the romance bubble I like to hide in. Love under Quarantine jumps from the realistic setting to telling the story of insta-love between Sadie and Evan. I always struggle with insta-love being too far-fetched for me to really get into but luckily the characters made this entertaining for me and with everything turned upside down with COVID, the insta-love worked for them!
I loved Sadie… there is nothing better in a romance book than a lead female I can relate to! Evan was a little bit of a harder sell for me, he started off as the typical professional baller but then we started to see another side of him. He was stuck at a friend’s apartment hiding out after his professional career was caught up in scandal. I am not sure why but I have a weakness when animals are involved in romance books, somehow they add the absolute best comedic relief… and that ‘parkour ninja kitty’ description had me cracking up! The banter between Evan and Sadie was great and I loved that even though Sadie was kind of a hermit, she didn’t back down from Evan. She spoke her mind and defended her junk food habits with everything she had… I seriously loved and agree with her version of healthy snacks and meals for Evan! The way the relationship started as just having human interaction in this overwhelming time with social distancing really did make this the ultimate quarantine book! The little bit of mystery thrown into the story really added to things and kept me curious and wanting to know who set Evan up!
This was a great spin on what’s going on now. Being quarantined has not been a piece of cake but Love Under Quarantine sure made it a little better. I enjoyed this book these two authors co-wrote together.
This book was very relatable with everything going on now, the anxiety and stress. You could relate to these characters. Sadie is a romance writer and is always looking for new ideas. She has been having a hard time coming up with something to write about.
The way Evan and Sadie met is sweet. He ends up becoming Sadie’s muse. These two have amazing chemistry.
I really enjoyed this book.
Love Under Quarantine has the snarky rapport and laugh out loud humor we expect from Kylie Scott. It also has the quick-witted dialogue and smoking hot character connection expected from Audrey Carlan. These two authors came together and wrote a book that will go down as a favorite read of 2020.
Evan is in hiding in his best friend’s condo from a scandal that he believes he was framed. Sadie is a romance author dealing with writer’s block. They kept each other company by helping each other get through the pandemic. They got to know each other & instantly fell into lust. The playboy NFL player & the girl next door. He’s a health freak & she loves junk food. They were total opposites but like they say opposites attract. They were made for each other. Grab this book to help you get through this tough time & fall in love with Evan & Sadie.
This my first book from both authors and the first story about quarantine I’ve ever read! And I’m actually really glad I had the opportunity to read this. It had romance, slow burn, a hint of angst and specially a sensibility about the pandemic we are facing.
The story starts with the lockdown of San Francisco due to the virus and then going forward the story I was able to read how they reacted to various scenarios, such as: the anxiety of the unknown, financial problems, the shock of going out for the first time to buy groceries, the feelings when a loved one might get ill or even die. And I felt represented.
The story also had a lot of romance and steamy scenes! Evan is a pro football player, who just before the lockdown got involved in a huge scandal, one that can ruin his career and reputation. Now he is locked at his best friend home and ready to discover who is setting him up. Right there, he meet Sadie, his neighbor! Sadie is a romance writer who is suffering from writers block, that is, until she met Evan! Now she found her muse and it’s ready to write their story.
I loved both of them so much! They are fun, attractive, both supportive of their lives and caring how each other is handling the quarantine. It was also good that they weren’t able to touch each other for 14 days, so they got to find out a way met their desires while also getting to know each other, so the slow burn was brilliant.
I got emotional in this book, specially during the end. This virus situation is crazy and I truly don’t know how we are going to be when this is over. That said, I loved the ending! It was perfect considering what we are living, I would love for the authors to publish something in the future (when everything is over) to tell how they all are! Wishful thinking.
This is a book you need to read, it’s light and relevant.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book (given by the authors)…
I honestly was unsure if I could handle a quarantine book at the moment, but I am so glad I read because it was so good. Evan and Sadie are just so cute and swoon-worthy trying to date and follow the rules of the quarantine.
The book imitated our current quarantine situation very well (only thing missing was hand sanitizer) including the toilet paper shortage. At these crazy stressful times it’s comforting to read book like this that gives a chance to take your mind of the crazy while at the same showing why it’s important to follow the rules for your saddlery and others.
Evan is going through a career crisis that seems to be orchestrated by a mysterious person that wants to ruin him. Sadie is an author who is having a bit of writers block and having to deal with the financial consequences of the pandemic. I loved Evan and Sadie, they were so goofy and watching an old fashion courtship was refreshing and truly endearing. Now that’s not to say there weren’t any steamy moments because there definitely are.
I loved how even bragged about his Sadie girl to his family and his friends; on the flip side I loved how Sadie defended Evan against her family and friends. When you have Evan the health-nut footballer and Sadie the junk food Queen, you will get an interesting mix of crazy fun antics. Although the book is filled with goofy, fun and silly moments the book does tactical some tragic moments.
You should definitely read this book, it helped brighten up my day 🙂
I wonder if we will get a book on Jake, Evan’s doctor friend who is a very brave person.
This was a cute read! Of course, since we’re all under stay at home orders (or just coming out from such orders), this book was quite relevant. I could relate with Sadie being stuck at home and only having telephone conversation with family. Life wasn’t too different for her since she was an author. The mask wearing, social distancing aspect was a scary part of it and you felt her apprehension. What she wasn’t expecting was the good looking next door neighbor! Evan was hiding out in his friend’s apartment, looking after his cat when the pandemic hit the city. He was in a rough head space, but he also appreciated the newfound friendship he had with his new neighbor. Sadie and Evan hit it off and the chemistry between them was palpable. But it was so much more. The majority of their relationship wasn’t physical. And it was realistic. I really enjoyed getting lost in this read.
Amazing story of Evan and Sadie, the NFL playboy star who found himself in a scandal, he goes to hide and then the Quarantine lockdown is stated, he is now stranded and finds himself looking at Sadie, the neighbor doing yoga across the balcony. They both started having conversations and one thing leads to the next. A story that a year ago would’ve been cataloged as a Dystopian novel is now a realistic contemporary beautiful romance story you need to read. Great 5 stars!
I enjoyed this book. Even though it was fiction, it had so much truth to it. This pandemic is real and this kinda just put it in more perspective. Everything that has happened in the world today has been incorporated in the story of Evan and Sadie. Evan is hiding out at his friends apartment when the stay at home order was announced. But it was the best thing that could’ve happened to him. He met, Sadie. She is the calm to his storm. And he becomes her muse. But the more time they spend getting to know one another from each of their balconies, the more they connect with one another. I love their banter back and forth, especially on food. Sadie is witty and doesn’t put up with much. Evan is strong and loves that she can take it as much as she dishes it out. Just a fun relationship that blossoms in the strangest way. I liked this story because even though there is so much going on in the world, love can still be found.
What a beautifully written story. You need to read this cute little story about Evan and Sadie to see how they cope with being under quarantine.
A Love in Contemporary Times
I’d say that this is absolutely a rom-com on steroids, except the gorgeous and healthy footballer, Evan Sparks, would take exception, because he’s spending the quarantine holed up in his mate’s apartment hiding from a career ending steroids drug scandal. He’s protesting his innocence, but those publicised photos are very convincing! So, I’ll just say this, Authors Kylie Scott and Audrey Carlan have come together and created what is a very contemporary romantic comedy for our times!
He’s one unhappy camper. Betrayed, and gutted. And I could feel his frustration emanating from the pages. It was just as easy to be in his head as he first laid eyes on the hot blonde chick doing yoga next door. And I loved getting to know him, as he got to know her, moving from player, to well, someone with more depth.
Sadie is a romance author suffering from a case of writer’s block, until she sees the epitome of male perfection on the balcony next door, and the written descriptions from her character absolutely tickled my sense of humour. Seriously, I was hooked from the first page!
Yep, this is definitely a courtship in quarantine, a love in contemporary times. And the chemistry was every bit as real.
5 Stars.
I’ve been wanting to read this book since the I first seen the teasers on Facebook for it…
I was not disappointed!
Firstly.. characters..
Evan; a football player hiding from the media and a false accusation.
I love how even though he’s an alpha male football player he is such a big softy and an incredibly sweet guy! I admire the fact that even though he’s been screwed over he’s still willing to give Sadie a chance.
Sadie; a romance writer with major writers block.
I love how even though she’s a bit of a recluse she takes the time to interact and get to know Evan. I admire the fact that even though she’s lusting after Evan she puts their safety before both of their lust.
Secondly.. storyline.
This story line was definitely something I needed right now, Audrey and Kylie did amazing work!
I never quite knew where this was going and I was hooked from chapter 1.
The fact that it’s hitting close to home for some people and it’s relatable is a huge plus in my books.
Lastly.. Thank you..
I wanted to say thank you to Audrey and Kylie, with the world being hit with this crazy pandemic we all need a bit of happiness and romance at the moment and this definitely hit the spot!
I would definitely recommend this to anyone and everyone looking for something to take their mind of off real life right now!
Okay a book that we can connect to. With everything that is going on being locked up in your house it is refreshing to see theses authors bring our new reality and give it a romantic twist. We have drama surrounding our hero Evan, being stuck at home and able to fix things is hard. Sadie our heroine works from home creating works of art that entertain, writing books! Can love happen when you are stuck with no where to run? I loved how she pondered the same things I did… How many people will end up together, how many will break up? Being kept in one place with now where to hide is a hard thing to do it changes people. But for Sadie and Evan it brought them closer, showing us a prettier and sexier side of the quarantine. I applaude them for taking from our reality and creating an entertaining book that shows us a silver lining. Who knows what will happen to our world when this is all over? I know one thing for sure romance is still in the air if we keep hope alive like Evan and Sadie, there can be happiness in this mess that is our world, specially if we keep reading!
This is in my top 2020 reads!
Sadie is a talented writer who is having a writer’s block with a fast approaching deadline. She finds herself in a world lockdown during the COVID 19 pandemic with a hottie next door.
Evan is a football player who is “cat sitting” for his best friend in San Francisco. He is lost and distraught over some serious accusations that could cost him his career. He finds himself stock at his buddy’s apartment with the new the stay at home orders. Caring for a cat that really doesn’t like him seems like torture until he sees the eye candy neighbor doing yoga.
Both Sadie and Evan have their own issues to deal with and now this horrific disease that has created a lot of fear and unknown is added to their plates.
Their interactions are hilarious. The sexual tension and the insta desire is phenomenal. Total opposite people finding love and sanity together is what we all need to get our heads into a better place right now.
As a front line person, I was super excited to dive into this book. Thank you Audrey and Kylie for writing this sweet, romantic, fun and realistic book that allowed me to look forward to have joy at the end of a hard shift. 2020 has been rough but you both have made this pandemic easier to deal with by allowing me to fall in love under quarantine with Sadie and Evan!
Nanedsmomba- reviewer and blogger for Life Reads With Friends
4.5 stars
This subject matter is definitely current and brings a bit of romance and joy into this chaotic and isolating time. You have two people who have been too consumed with their careers to really give themselves to any kind of relationship. And suddenly they have found a stranger that becomes their port in the storm.
Evan is a pro football player known for partying and hooking up. But when he finds himself embroiled in a drug and sex scandal, he needs to hide out in his friend’s vacant apartment…right as the entire country feels it necessary to hide out in quarantine.
Sadie is an author feverishly trying to find her lost muse. And her muse returns in the form of a hot, sexy athlete suddenly putting on shows on the balcony next door. Inspiration is struck. Sparky dialogue and mutual attraction commence. But these two manage to truly connect in ways without being within 6 feet of each other by actually getting to know each other. Sharing the experiences of life during covid-19 quarantine and finding ways to interact meaningfully takes their relationship to a level neither saw coming.
But they are living in an uncertain world. His whole career is on hold. She is writing but may be putting too much of herself into it. And they have not even kissed. Will their feelings translate the same once they can actually touch? And what happens when the world opens up again?
I enjoyed the fact that this is about a situation we are living through together regardless of what our lives were before. It chronicles some of the ways life has changed due to the pandemic and how much more important things have become. Priorities. Family. Friendships. And the cohesiveness of the country and world at large. Finding a rare and beautiful connection that is even more life-changing during this is inspiring and hopeful.
These authors’ styles flow well. The characters are completely likable even with their quirks and flaws. Evan is not only finding love, but also his true self. He is actually nurturing, supportive, protective, and open. And Sadie is sassy, sweet, and both calms him down and riles him up. They have fun banter and rapport, and loads of sexual tension. Their situation has some complications and they are bound to make mistakes, but the angst is not overdone and does not drag on too long.
Overall, it is a sweet, witty, sexy, insta-love but also slow-burn romance(sounds like an odd combo, but it really is due to their circumstances). I would have liked an epilogue with a snapshot of their future a bit farther out, but I still left it with a satisfied smile.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Picture this…..I’m sitting in quarantine during the Covid-19 2020 pandemic and along comes a story about finding love in quarantine….during the Covid-19 2020 pandemic. What did I do? I jumped on it, that’s what! Co-written by 2 amazing authors, I knew this would be the perfect book to pass the time as I safely chill out in my house. And boy am I glad that I read it! It’s a fun, sexy story that is timely while accurately portraying current events.
When we first meet Evan, I thought he was going to be a huge jerk but boy did he prove me wrong! This sexy, muscular, testosterone-filled hunk of a professional football playing man surprised me in more ways than one. There are so many layers to this man and I loved how the authors peeled each one back to reveal the man underneath. His soft, tender side won me over a soon as it was revealed! Watching this macho man fall to his knees over his sexy next door neighbor…..perfection!!! And speaking of his neighbor, I ADORED Sadie! She was a total hoot! A virtual shut-in author, she binges on junk food (yes girl!), rocks her curves and says what’s on her mind. She’s outspoken and hilarious and the perfect match for Evan. They connected across a balcony and I loved every single second of it! Their chemistry was spot-on and I was convinced pretty quickly that these two were definitely made for one another.
Carlin and Scott write beautifully together. The story has humor, romance, sex and angst and these two powerhouse authors made it look natural. Their words flowed and meshed to the point that I couldn’t tell who was writing what scene. They took an unprecedented worldwide event and created a story that felt real and accurate. In my book, that’s a total win! This is a definite read! 4 1/2 stars.
* A review copy was provided by the authors *
What a completely relatable story but with a fictional romance built into it.
In this trying time most readers read for escapism and even though this book is about the quarantine of 2020, it also allows the readers to escape what we are dealing with day to day.
I have been a fan of Kylie Scott’s books for a long time but Audrey Carlan is a new author to me, but I think these two authors have a future for co-writing together. I thought this story flowed well and was written seamlessly.
This story follows the lives of Sadie, a romance writer who is facing a serious case of writer’s block, and Evan, a pro football player, who is hiding out at his best friends apartment. Evan is facing some serious allegations against him and that is why he is at his friends place. When the city of San Francisco is put on lockdown due to the Covid-19 virus, Evan and Sadie don’t know what to do. Little did they know that the person in the apartment next door would become each others saving grace.
This story is pretty much an insta-love situation because the story plays out over an 18 day period. I thought it worked well for this situation….nothing was really rushed. You understand more when you read the book. This story also gave us all the different emotions you would expect from a romance novel. The authors drew off fiction for the romance story and the steamy aspects of the story, but also drew from real life emotions during this trying time. It was the perfect mix of real life and fiction.
What I loved the most about this book was the amount of laughing I did. Sadie and Evan have an amazing rapport ….their banter was great. I loved how Sadie stood up for herself and defended her “snacks” with everything she had….my kind of girl. This story really helped me forget about the world around us and also gave me some hope that everything will work out in the end. Everyone needs a little hope in these times!!!!
I also loved that even though this was to mirror what is going on in the world today, the storyline also had a great mystery to solve. I loved watching Sadie and Evan work together to help clear his name. They truly made a prefect team!!!
If you are a fan of one or both of these authors, then I would recommend this book to all romance readers. I know I enjoyed this story immensely.