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London Belongs to Us
Seventeen-year-old Sunny's always been a little bit of a pushover. But when she's sent a picture of her boyfriend kissing another girl, she knows she's got to act. What follows is a mad, twelve-hour dash around London - starting at 8pm in Crystal Palace (so far away from civilisation you can't even get the Tube there) then sweeping through Camden, Shoreditch, Soho, Kensington, Notting Hill . . . and ending up at 8am in Alexandra Palace.
Along the way Sunny meets a whole host of characters she never dreamed she'd have anything in common with - least of all the devilishly handsome (and somewhat vain) French 'twins' (they're really cousins) Jean Luc and Vic. But as this love-letter to London shows, a city is only a sum of its parts, and really it's the people living there who make up its life and soul. And, as Sunny discovers, everyone - from friends, apparent-enemies, famous bands and even rickshaw drivers - is willing to help a girl on a mission to get her romantic retribution.
Along the way Sunny meets a whole host of characters she never dreamed she'd have anything in common with - least of all the devilishly handsome (and somewhat vain) French 'twins' (they're really cousins) Jean Luc and Vic. But as this love-letter to London shows, a city is only a sum of its parts, and really it's the people living there who make up its life and soul. And, as Sunny discovers, everyone - from friends, apparent-enemies, famous bands and even rickshaw drivers - is willing to help a girl on a mission to get her romantic retribution.
264 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2016
26 people are currently reading
2712 people want to read
About the author
Sarra Manning
44 books1,941 followersSarra Manning is a teen queen extraordinaire. She spent five years working on the now sadly defunct J17, first as a writer and then as Entertainment Editor. She then joined the launch team of teen fashion bible Ellegirl, which she later went on to edit and has consulted on a wide range of youth titles including Bliss, The Face and More.
Sarra is now editor of What To Wear magazine. She's also been a regular contributor to ELLE, The Guardian, ES Magazine, Seventeen, Details and Heat and wrote the Shop Bitch column for Time Out. Sarra lives in North London with her dog Miss Betsy
Sarra is now editor of What To Wear magazine. She's also been a regular contributor to ELLE, The Guardian, ES Magazine, Seventeen, Details and Heat and wrote the Shop Bitch column for Time Out. Sarra lives in North London with her dog Miss Betsy
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
May 31, 2016
I've (almost) always lived in London and adore books set here, especially when they're written as well as London Belongs to Us.
London Belongs to Us takes us on a fast-paced London adventure: 17-year-old Sunny receives a photo of her boyfriend kissing another girl, so she leaves Crystal Palace to find out what's going on and ends up at Alexandra Palace 12 hours later. It's an unpredictable, colourful journey that takes Sunny through Camden, Shoreditch, Soho and more. I've been to almost every place and with Sarra Manning's help, could vividly picture Sunny on her madcap journey with French cousins, Jean Luc and Vic – and not forgetting the many other diverse characters Sunny encounters on the way.
I rarely read a book that's so much fun as London Belongs to Us. It was such a joy to read about my home city in all its glory, not forgetting the gritty parts. As an east Londoner, I enjoyed the attitude to the (so far away) south London and the characters they meet on the way, from drag queens and rickshaw drivers to lead singers and the awfully posh. It's a delight!
Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
London Belongs to Us takes us on a fast-paced London adventure: 17-year-old Sunny receives a photo of her boyfriend kissing another girl, so she leaves Crystal Palace to find out what's going on and ends up at Alexandra Palace 12 hours later. It's an unpredictable, colourful journey that takes Sunny through Camden, Shoreditch, Soho and more. I've been to almost every place and with Sarra Manning's help, could vividly picture Sunny on her madcap journey with French cousins, Jean Luc and Vic – and not forgetting the many other diverse characters Sunny encounters on the way.
I rarely read a book that's so much fun as London Belongs to Us. It was such a joy to read about my home city in all its glory, not forgetting the gritty parts. As an east Londoner, I enjoyed the attitude to the (so far away) south London and the characters they meet on the way, from drag queens and rickshaw drivers to lead singers and the awfully posh. It's a delight!
Thank you to the publisher for providing this book for review!
I also reviewed this book over on Pretty Books.
October 7, 2025
This author is such a familiar comfort, I loved her books as a teen! RTC
Read
May 26, 2016Full review can be found on Heart Full Of Books, here!
I was first drawn to this book because of it’s short timeline. It takes place over one night, and that would probably mean it would be a quick, fun read that could entertain me for a few hours. And I was right! London Belongs to Us is snappy and fast paced, the perfect read to start a summer of reading contemporary books.
I was first drawn to this book because of it’s short timeline. It takes place over one night, and that would probably mean it would be a quick, fun read that could entertain me for a few hours. And I was right! London Belongs to Us is snappy and fast paced, the perfect read to start a summer of reading contemporary books.
Read
April 11, 2016I loved this book. It was a galloping, giddy ROMP of a book that you can fly through in one go. And I love how it's a romance where London is the leading male, not an actual person :)
January 26, 2018
I didn't expect liking this book so much as I did.
It's a really cute, fast paced read.
It's not about romance, it's about London and finding your badass self and not needing anyone's validation. I loved it!
It's a really cute, fast paced read.
It's not about romance, it's about London and finding your badass self and not needing anyone's validation. I loved it!
July 25, 2016
Well, Sarra Manning did it again! Although this was definitely not my favourite of her books that I've read so far, I still found it lighthearted, funny, and compulsive to read, and enjoyed every minute of it.
Sunny's has a boyfriend, and she's considering sleeping with him for the first time, but then the pictures show up of him kissing another girl. With the help of two French cousins known as The Godards, she goes on an all-night mission through the various areas of London to find him, and finally stand up for herself and dump his sorry ass. But of course, all kinds of crazy antics ensue!
I've always loved Manning's writing style, and in particular how she writes dialogue. It's silly and comedic without ever feeling forced, which is something I really appreciate. There were a diverse cast of characters in this particular novel, and what I really loved was that characters from other much-loved books by Manning appeared throughout the novel! I love the mixing of the different worlds.
Overall, if you like fun, fast-paced YA, this is a great choice. Like I said, not my favouite of her books, but definitely one to check out if you like contemporary romance.
Sunny's has a boyfriend, and she's considering sleeping with him for the first time, but then the pictures show up of him kissing another girl. With the help of two French cousins known as The Godards, she goes on an all-night mission through the various areas of London to find him, and finally stand up for herself and dump his sorry ass. But of course, all kinds of crazy antics ensue!
I've always loved Manning's writing style, and in particular how she writes dialogue. It's silly and comedic without ever feeling forced, which is something I really appreciate. There were a diverse cast of characters in this particular novel, and what I really loved was that characters from other much-loved books by Manning appeared throughout the novel! I love the mixing of the different worlds.
Overall, if you like fun, fast-paced YA, this is a great choice. Like I said, not my favouite of her books, but definitely one to check out if you like contemporary romance.
November 5, 2016
Look, this book is short and cute and you should totally get on board with it if you want something catchy and easy to read, yet still very fun!
I've first heard about this book on several booktube channels and I decided to give it a try on a whim; I'm trying to ease my way back to reading (after a disastrous October where I finished 0 books) and romances always do the trick.
Sunny loves her town and she thought she also loves Mark; until it is proven that he's cheating and acting totally unacceptable. So, she decides to make him pay, and a long chase in London at night time ensues, riddled up with crazy decisions and surprising encounters.
First of all, this book is not about Sunny and it's not about romance. It is simply about London, an ode sung to this city as seen through the eyes of a teenager. I'm sadly unfamiliar with the city and I have a feeling that people who actually know more about it, and especially those who love it, will also appreciate this book a lot more. But it's fun, figuring out spots and history through landmarks and places of interest of youngsters, and having it all presented in such a short amount of time, makes the "tour" that much more exciting!
And I think this is why I actually enjoyed the book and read it this quickly: it's fast-paced and funny, a trip through the heart of both London and its people and it's impossible to accompany these characters without feeling the thrill of the chase yourself.
Oh, and I like Sunny, our main character! She's not exactly likeable, but she's 100% a teenager girl and her voice felt very real and very in tune with her age, her upbringing and her life. I loved the dialogue in this book, again, very childish at times and serious at others and there's always the lingering doubt and burst of power that comes with being a certain age. Basically, even if I didn't love the characters, I felt a connection to them, because they're just so... exactly how I've been and all my friends have been and they're real and just so true.
The writing style is simple, what I've been expecting, and even though it is a first person narrative, I found myself less bothered by it than I'd usually do, because it somehow works with the entirety of the book. I liked the small breaks between the chapters: small updates and lists, fun diagrams that really help immerging you into the story.
Also, because one of the main characters is French, there are also some lines in this language and it was a fun and (very, very) easy way of brushing out my little knowledge. And hei, I know you secretly love people speaking French, so.
Basically, I'd recommend this book to:
- someone who loves London, knows London, wants to know more about London, lives in London
- teenagers, people who want an honest insight in the life of a teenager
- someone wanting a relaxing/fun/fast read
- someone wanting a short book, one good for killing time
- contemporary YA lovers
I've first heard about this book on several booktube channels and I decided to give it a try on a whim; I'm trying to ease my way back to reading (after a disastrous October where I finished 0 books) and romances always do the trick.
Sunny loves her town and she thought she also loves Mark; until it is proven that he's cheating and acting totally unacceptable. So, she decides to make him pay, and a long chase in London at night time ensues, riddled up with crazy decisions and surprising encounters.
First of all, this book is not about Sunny and it's not about romance. It is simply about London, an ode sung to this city as seen through the eyes of a teenager. I'm sadly unfamiliar with the city and I have a feeling that people who actually know more about it, and especially those who love it, will also appreciate this book a lot more. But it's fun, figuring out spots and history through landmarks and places of interest of youngsters, and having it all presented in such a short amount of time, makes the "tour" that much more exciting!
And I think this is why I actually enjoyed the book and read it this quickly: it's fast-paced and funny, a trip through the heart of both London and its people and it's impossible to accompany these characters without feeling the thrill of the chase yourself.
Oh, and I like Sunny, our main character! She's not exactly likeable, but she's 100% a teenager girl and her voice felt very real and very in tune with her age, her upbringing and her life. I loved the dialogue in this book, again, very childish at times and serious at others and there's always the lingering doubt and burst of power that comes with being a certain age. Basically, even if I didn't love the characters, I felt a connection to them, because they're just so... exactly how I've been and all my friends have been and they're real and just so true.
Not caring what people think of me is amazing. I wish I’d figured this out years ago.
The writing style is simple, what I've been expecting, and even though it is a first person narrative, I found myself less bothered by it than I'd usually do, because it somehow works with the entirety of the book. I liked the small breaks between the chapters: small updates and lists, fun diagrams that really help immerging you into the story.
Also, because one of the main characters is French, there are also some lines in this language and it was a fun and (very, very) easy way of brushing out my little knowledge. And hei, I know you secretly love people speaking French, so.
Basically, I'd recommend this book to:
- someone who loves London, knows London, wants to know more about London, lives in London
- teenagers, people who want an honest insight in the life of a teenager
- someone wanting a relaxing/fun/fast read
- someone wanting a short book, one good for killing time
- contemporary YA lovers
April 23, 2016
Fabulous stuff. I am an unashamed Sarra Manning Fan Girl. I have adored her work since her J17 days and I am so pleased that I got the opportunity to read this book.
I really loved loads of things about this book
I loved how diverse the characters were. The main character Sunny is mixed race and it was really interesting to see the impact that has on the way in which she is treated by some of the secondary characters in a world that should be well past making racist assumptions about others.
Special shout out has to go to Sunny's roller derby team. I love that there is a UKYA book out there with a roller derby team featured.
I enjoyed that the book plays out almost in realtime making it a really intense adventure which you live along with the character as each event plays out. I also really enjoyed The Tour of London you get across the evening as each part of the book takes part in different parts of the city. The story captured those differences well and showcases the real diversity that can be found in one city. The real geeky part of me really loved the facts about the different areas that prefaced each section.
All in all a really exciting adventure which I really enjoyed.
I really loved loads of things about this book
I loved how diverse the characters were. The main character Sunny is mixed race and it was really interesting to see the impact that has on the way in which she is treated by some of the secondary characters in a world that should be well past making racist assumptions about others.
Special shout out has to go to Sunny's roller derby team. I love that there is a UKYA book out there with a roller derby team featured.
I enjoyed that the book plays out almost in realtime making it a really intense adventure which you live along with the character as each event plays out. I also really enjoyed The Tour of London you get across the evening as each part of the book takes part in different parts of the city. The story captured those differences well and showcases the real diversity that can be found in one city. The real geeky part of me really loved the facts about the different areas that prefaced each section.
All in all a really exciting adventure which I really enjoyed.
December 21, 2016
I didn't expect to love this book as much as I did, but I should have known better because Sarra Manning. This entire book is a crazy roller coaster of an adventure as our heroine, Sunny, finds out that her boyfriend has another girlfriend from his previous school and has been two-timing her for the entire duration of their "relationship." Sunny starts off wanting to forgive him, but as she searches London for him, she begins to realize that she deserves a lot better. The plot doesn't seem all that revolutionary, but the people Sunny meets on her night--girls who encourage her to stand up for herself, friends who tell her that self care is not selfish, buddies who support her for who she really is, and even other girlfriends who prove that women support each other instead of putting each other down--make this a wonderful story. I love these types of strong friendships and this book passes the Bechdel test ten times over. It also has so many meaningful conversations about class, privilege, and race. Just... I love Sarra Manning. Can every YA book be this nuanced and yet still so much fun?
July 16, 2016
Read more reviews on my blog.
I received this from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
OVERALL: LONDON BELONGS TO US is a an exhilarating, summery book that is truly funny and enjoyable. A great read for this summer!
LONDON BELONGS TO US is a bright, fun novel chronicling British teenager Sunny’s epic all-night journey around London. After seeing a photo of her boyfriend, Mark, with another girl, Sunny sets off on a mad search across London looking for the truth. Along the way she meets various entertaining characters (including French cousins Jean Luc and Vic), makes some personal discoveries, and explores more of the city she loves.
Before starting, I was fully expecting LONDON BELONGS TO US to be a contemporary romance. But, mainly, LONDON BELONGS TO US is a love-letter to London. In fact, the main relationship of the entire book is Sunny’s relationship with her city. The way Sarra Manning wrote about London was genuinely touching. It’s even better that each chapter begins with a small history of the area of London Sunny finds herself in during that chapter. If you don’t know London that well, I’m sure you will by the end. Manning takes us all over the city - through Camden, Soho, Kensington, Notting Hill... Everything is detailed, and it’s so easy to get lost in.
LONDON BELONGS TO US takes place all within one night. Because of this, it’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and full of snappy, fun scenes. The only reason I can think for why I personally found it slow at times is because of my reading slump which made me uninterested in all books for a while. The actual novel is so short and fast that, without my slump, I’m sure I would have devoured it (from reading reviews, I know others have).
I think it’ll be perfect for some light-hearted, young adult contemporary summer reading. It’s set in August, during the summer holidays, and it’s genuinely, fantastically, laugh-out-loud funny. Manning really captured how mad and thrilling it must be to be on an epic, twelve hour journey across London, because I felt every moment of it.
Truthfully, there are so many characters that I found some of them forgettable, but throughout the entire book, Sunny is a delight. Her narration is almost constantly funny, which is what made LONDON BELONGS TO US so enjoyable. Her own personal discoveries along this journey are also quite empowering. I was constantly rooting for her. I also really liked her best friend, Emmeline, and I really appreciated that, at the end of the day, it gave the message of girls supporting girls. Plus, it’s wonderfully diverse with its cast of characters, which is perfect considering the diversity in London.
LONDON BELONGS TO US is also jam-packed with British pop culture references. Personally, I love modern day references in books (especially in UKYA novels) because when you understand the little inside jokes, it makes it so much more entertaining. LONDON BELONGS TO US feels so British and, from a British perspective, it’s great.
I can’t stress how much fun LONDON BELONGS TO US is. It’s hugely enjoyable and genuinely lovely to read. Sunny is such a good, entertaining character, and seeing London through her eyes was great. If you love London, you’ll love this fast-paced, touching love-letter to the city.
I received this from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
OVERALL: LONDON BELONGS TO US is a an exhilarating, summery book that is truly funny and enjoyable. A great read for this summer!
LONDON BELONGS TO US is a bright, fun novel chronicling British teenager Sunny’s epic all-night journey around London. After seeing a photo of her boyfriend, Mark, with another girl, Sunny sets off on a mad search across London looking for the truth. Along the way she meets various entertaining characters (including French cousins Jean Luc and Vic), makes some personal discoveries, and explores more of the city she loves.
Before starting, I was fully expecting LONDON BELONGS TO US to be a contemporary romance. But, mainly, LONDON BELONGS TO US is a love-letter to London. In fact, the main relationship of the entire book is Sunny’s relationship with her city. The way Sarra Manning wrote about London was genuinely touching. It’s even better that each chapter begins with a small history of the area of London Sunny finds herself in during that chapter. If you don’t know London that well, I’m sure you will by the end. Manning takes us all over the city - through Camden, Soho, Kensington, Notting Hill... Everything is detailed, and it’s so easy to get lost in.
LONDON BELONGS TO US takes place all within one night. Because of this, it’s fast-paced, unpredictable, and full of snappy, fun scenes. The only reason I can think for why I personally found it slow at times is because of my reading slump which made me uninterested in all books for a while. The actual novel is so short and fast that, without my slump, I’m sure I would have devoured it (from reading reviews, I know others have).
I think it’ll be perfect for some light-hearted, young adult contemporary summer reading. It’s set in August, during the summer holidays, and it’s genuinely, fantastically, laugh-out-loud funny. Manning really captured how mad and thrilling it must be to be on an epic, twelve hour journey across London, because I felt every moment of it.
Truthfully, there are so many characters that I found some of them forgettable, but throughout the entire book, Sunny is a delight. Her narration is almost constantly funny, which is what made LONDON BELONGS TO US so enjoyable. Her own personal discoveries along this journey are also quite empowering. I was constantly rooting for her. I also really liked her best friend, Emmeline, and I really appreciated that, at the end of the day, it gave the message of girls supporting girls. Plus, it’s wonderfully diverse with its cast of characters, which is perfect considering the diversity in London.
LONDON BELONGS TO US is also jam-packed with British pop culture references. Personally, I love modern day references in books (especially in UKYA novels) because when you understand the little inside jokes, it makes it so much more entertaining. LONDON BELONGS TO US feels so British and, from a British perspective, it’s great.
I can’t stress how much fun LONDON BELONGS TO US is. It’s hugely enjoyable and genuinely lovely to read. Sunny is such a good, entertaining character, and seeing London through her eyes was great. If you love London, you’ll love this fast-paced, touching love-letter to the city.
July 23, 2016
LONDON “A city of eight million people. Eight million lives. Eight million stories. This is just one of them”
We first came across this book via Books on the Underground, an organisation that does just what it says – a couple of book lovers plant top books on the tube in London for people to find, read and then return for the next person. It’s like an informal library. “We are not an official TFL endorsed project, we are a not-for-profit organisation run solely by a pair of London book lovers“. Great stuff!
Well, this kind of book is what TripFiction is all about! Sunny, the young protagonist, over a period of 12 or so hours is intent on catching up with her boyfriend Mark, who is particularly adept at giving her the slip….and now, that she has been sent a photo of him kissing another girl, well, that just seals her determination.
It is her colourful journey around the capital that brings the nocturnal life of the metropolis to vibrant life. She slips from North London right down to Crystal Palace (and how much fiction is set in this part of South London we wonder), and then moves across town to Clapham, Camden, Chelsea, Soho, Shoredich and more, still in hot pursuit of her lothario. Only she has teamed up with two rather handsome French brothers, Vic and Jean-Luc who make sure she gets to any given destination dictated of course by Mark’s whereabouts. On the way she picks up a broom (don’t ask) and this too accompanies her as she heads via clubs and pubs, raves and rants (and radgies – ‘The hoodies. The Rude Boys. The bruvvas” – who soon find themselves without their bikes after a few light fingers lift them to catch a bus, a justifiable decision in light of an earlier encounter in the evening).
And it is at the South Bank, that the denouement comes.
This is a wonderful tour around London in the company of a very sassy young Sunny. Each area has a few gems. the reader can glean more about its individual history, which is just a lovely way to find out a bit more about the city…. Until the 16th century Soho was full of sheep and cows and Henry VIII converted it into a royal park, for example; Dalston takes its name from Deorlaf’s Tun (tun being an ancient word for farm); and Shoreditch was originally Sewer’s Ditch but saw the first ever playhouse in England built there in 1576… at a time when it was home to French Silk Weavers, subsequently reclaimed by theatre folk.
This is certainly a top candidate for some literary wanderlust around London.
This review first appeared on the TripFiction blog: http://www.tripfiction.com/ya-novel-s...
We first came across this book via Books on the Underground, an organisation that does just what it says – a couple of book lovers plant top books on the tube in London for people to find, read and then return for the next person. It’s like an informal library. “We are not an official TFL endorsed project, we are a not-for-profit organisation run solely by a pair of London book lovers“. Great stuff!
Well, this kind of book is what TripFiction is all about! Sunny, the young protagonist, over a period of 12 or so hours is intent on catching up with her boyfriend Mark, who is particularly adept at giving her the slip….and now, that she has been sent a photo of him kissing another girl, well, that just seals her determination.
It is her colourful journey around the capital that brings the nocturnal life of the metropolis to vibrant life. She slips from North London right down to Crystal Palace (and how much fiction is set in this part of South London we wonder), and then moves across town to Clapham, Camden, Chelsea, Soho, Shoredich and more, still in hot pursuit of her lothario. Only she has teamed up with two rather handsome French brothers, Vic and Jean-Luc who make sure she gets to any given destination dictated of course by Mark’s whereabouts. On the way she picks up a broom (don’t ask) and this too accompanies her as she heads via clubs and pubs, raves and rants (and radgies – ‘The hoodies. The Rude Boys. The bruvvas” – who soon find themselves without their bikes after a few light fingers lift them to catch a bus, a justifiable decision in light of an earlier encounter in the evening).
And it is at the South Bank, that the denouement comes.
This is a wonderful tour around London in the company of a very sassy young Sunny. Each area has a few gems. the reader can glean more about its individual history, which is just a lovely way to find out a bit more about the city…. Until the 16th century Soho was full of sheep and cows and Henry VIII converted it into a royal park, for example; Dalston takes its name from Deorlaf’s Tun (tun being an ancient word for farm); and Shoreditch was originally Sewer’s Ditch but saw the first ever playhouse in England built there in 1576… at a time when it was home to French Silk Weavers, subsequently reclaimed by theatre folk.
This is certainly a top candidate for some literary wanderlust around London.
This review first appeared on the TripFiction blog: http://www.tripfiction.com/ya-novel-s...
June 25, 2018
A very decent UKYA contemporary with a strong feminist theme; it reminded me a little of Holly Bourne's books (in a good way!)
It was great fun to be taken on a wild tour of London by MC Sunshine 'Sunny' Williams and a gang of great supporting characters - especially Sunny's best friend Emmeline and the French cousins Jean-Luc and Vic. Each chapter is set in a different part of London, and begins with a few pithy paragraphs about the area, which I really liked.
I thought the writing in the first few chapters was a little clunky, but this definitely improves as the story picks up pace. The premise made me a little nervous as I hate the trope of two girls fighting over a boy, but it was handled well and Emmeline was on hand to provide feminist criticism whenever someone slut-shamed Tabitha (the 'other woman' in Sunny and Mark's relationship). So overall it was a very enjoyable book, despite a slightly shaky start.
It was great fun to be taken on a wild tour of London by MC Sunshine 'Sunny' Williams and a gang of great supporting characters - especially Sunny's best friend Emmeline and the French cousins Jean-Luc and Vic. Each chapter is set in a different part of London, and begins with a few pithy paragraphs about the area, which I really liked.
I thought the writing in the first few chapters was a little clunky, but this definitely improves as the story picks up pace. The premise made me a little nervous as I hate the trope of two girls fighting over a boy, but it was handled well and Emmeline was on hand to provide feminist criticism whenever someone slut-shamed Tabitha (the 'other woman' in Sunny and Mark's relationship). So overall it was a very enjoyable book, despite a slightly shaky start.
Read
March 28, 2017I loved a couple other books by this author, but this book is told in FIRST PERSON. I'm just not in the mood for a first person book.
June 7, 2019
Cette lecture est complètement dingue.
C'est l'histoire d'une nuit interminable au cours de laquelle Sunny cherche son petit copain qui a été surpris en train d'embrasser une autre fille. En compagnie de deux pâtissiers français (très sexy), elle arpente les rues de Londres pour sermonner le goujat.
Ce qui déroute, au début, c'est la totale désinhibition du récit et du personnage. Car Sunny va passer de la nana en pleine crise existentielle à la badass qui s'ignore et défonce tout.
Mais c'est vachement drôle car on vit des expériences incroyables, on fait des rencontres insolites, on tente l'impossible, on rit, on pleure, on aime, on quitte, on trahit et on reprend tout à zéro. On trimballe aussi un balai avec le plus grand naturel. Bref. On voudrait suivre la cadence, toutefois ça part vite dans tous les sens.
En bonus, ça se passe à Londres qu'on explore de long en large et en travers. Ça vaut tous les guides touristiques du monde et c'est simplement extra (même si le dénouement fait pâle figure). On aimerait que ça ne se termine jamais... que l'aube ne pointe jamais son nez. Enfin, quelle sacrée aventure ! De toute façon, j'aime beaucoup le ton désinvolte et sans filtre de Sarra Manning. Je partais donc conquise d'avance !
(NB : C'est l'occasion également d'y recroiser l'inénarrable héroïne d'Attachiante... TOP !)
C'est l'histoire d'une nuit interminable au cours de laquelle Sunny cherche son petit copain qui a été surpris en train d'embrasser une autre fille. En compagnie de deux pâtissiers français (très sexy), elle arpente les rues de Londres pour sermonner le goujat.
Ce qui déroute, au début, c'est la totale désinhibition du récit et du personnage. Car Sunny va passer de la nana en pleine crise existentielle à la badass qui s'ignore et défonce tout.
Mais c'est vachement drôle car on vit des expériences incroyables, on fait des rencontres insolites, on tente l'impossible, on rit, on pleure, on aime, on quitte, on trahit et on reprend tout à zéro. On trimballe aussi un balai avec le plus grand naturel. Bref. On voudrait suivre la cadence, toutefois ça part vite dans tous les sens.
En bonus, ça se passe à Londres qu'on explore de long en large et en travers. Ça vaut tous les guides touristiques du monde et c'est simplement extra (même si le dénouement fait pâle figure). On aimerait que ça ne se termine jamais... que l'aube ne pointe jamais son nez. Enfin, quelle sacrée aventure ! De toute façon, j'aime beaucoup le ton désinvolte et sans filtre de Sarra Manning. Je partais donc conquise d'avance !
(NB : C'est l'occasion également d'y recroiser l'inénarrable héroïne d'Attachiante... TOP !)
July 30, 2016
Originally posted on: http://www.albainbookland.com/2016/07...
What a fun read London Belongs to Us turned out to be! It all happens in 12 hours but what 12 hours! They couldn't be any more fun and adventure-packed even if they tried. It all starts in a park far, far away (well, actually, in Crystal Palace) where Sunny and her best friend are meeting some friends for a picnic. And then, she gets a text and Sunny's world turns upside-down. She needs to find her boyfriend asap. Slight problem though, he is in Camden... so to get there Sunny finds herself in the back of a vespa with a gorgeous French boy. From here, she starts a quest around the whole city to try to find the elusive boyfriend and basically having the time of her life.
Sunny is a very interesting and entertaining character to read. She doesn't like confrontations and prefers to be told what to do and how to behave than rather decide for herself but as the night progresses and she finds herself in the most crazy and challenging situations, she slowly discovers that she has her own voice, opinions and aspirations. Maybe always being told what to do is not the best way to life your life? I loved discovering this new and more secure Sunny, she really was like a ray of sunshine and once she started believing more in herself, she found out she could do anything she put her mind on it.
So as we follow her around London, discovering all its areas (I really enjoyed the small introductions with fun facts and figures for every area), we also meet the most interesting and diverse cast of characters. They all help Sunny in her quest (sometimes quite unwillingly) and also in becoming this new self. Certainly not a moment to get bored in this novel.
If you love London (who doesn't'?) or even if you haven't been there but would love to visit it (who wouldn't?), this read is for you. Plus, it has a kick-ass heroine (even if she started a bit too hang up on her boyfriend, we soon forgave her), craziness galore and even pie charts! Giggles guaranteed. Go pick it up.
Rating: 4 stars
I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
What a fun read London Belongs to Us turned out to be! It all happens in 12 hours but what 12 hours! They couldn't be any more fun and adventure-packed even if they tried. It all starts in a park far, far away (well, actually, in Crystal Palace) where Sunny and her best friend are meeting some friends for a picnic. And then, she gets a text and Sunny's world turns upside-down. She needs to find her boyfriend asap. Slight problem though, he is in Camden... so to get there Sunny finds herself in the back of a vespa with a gorgeous French boy. From here, she starts a quest around the whole city to try to find the elusive boyfriend and basically having the time of her life.
Sunny is a very interesting and entertaining character to read. She doesn't like confrontations and prefers to be told what to do and how to behave than rather decide for herself but as the night progresses and she finds herself in the most crazy and challenging situations, she slowly discovers that she has her own voice, opinions and aspirations. Maybe always being told what to do is not the best way to life your life? I loved discovering this new and more secure Sunny, she really was like a ray of sunshine and once she started believing more in herself, she found out she could do anything she put her mind on it.
So as we follow her around London, discovering all its areas (I really enjoyed the small introductions with fun facts and figures for every area), we also meet the most interesting and diverse cast of characters. They all help Sunny in her quest (sometimes quite unwillingly) and also in becoming this new self. Certainly not a moment to get bored in this novel.
If you love London (who doesn't'?) or even if you haven't been there but would love to visit it (who wouldn't?), this read is for you. Plus, it has a kick-ass heroine (even if she started a bit too hang up on her boyfriend, we soon forgave her), craziness galore and even pie charts! Giggles guaranteed. Go pick it up.
Rating: 4 stars
I would like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
August 31, 2018
I have SO much love for this book. It only took me a few hours to read because it's so good and I couldn't put it down.
An adventure around London with two fit French boys and a group of friends, what can be better? Especially as it's a mission to dump a no good boyfriend! Sunny is an amazing character and I love how she develops into someone strong and sassy. Although I wish there could have been more (any) romance, I understand that the more important issue is for Sunny to be independent.
This book is 5 stars and 10/10.
An adventure around London with two fit French boys and a group of friends, what can be better? Especially as it's a mission to dump a no good boyfriend! Sunny is an amazing character and I love how she develops into someone strong and sassy. Although I wish there could have been more (any) romance, I understand that the more important issue is for Sunny to be independent.
This book is 5 stars and 10/10.
July 7, 2016
This is a wonderful, sparky YA love letter to London. A hugely fun race across the capital that will appeal to Sarra's existing fans (there are some great shout-outs to characters from her previous books) and make her a lot of new ones. (12+)
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
*Please note: this review is meant as a recommendation only. Please do not use it in any marketing material, online or in print, without asking permission from me first. Thank you!*
March 3, 2023
Be kell vallanom, hogy ezzel a választással melléfogtam, pedig már régóta a várólistámon van. A road movie-kat egyébként szeretni szoktam, meg London is kiváló helyszín, de ez az eszetlen rohangálás halálra fárasztott, és annyira értelmetlennek éreztem. Bevallom, nem tudtam azonosulni a helyzettel és a főhőssel, de azért örülök, hogy lett jellemfejlődése a végére. Volt néhány megmosolyogtató jelenet, de összességében nem szórakoztam jól. Azért nem volt hiábavaló elolvasni, mert nagy kedvet csinált egy londoni kiránduláshoz!
January 23, 2025
i had such high hopes but this was not very good 😔😔😔
i just feel like there was no point in this book like i get how the point was Sunny’s character development and how she like discovered herself or whatever but it was dumb that was following mark around London in the first place bc she only started doing it for revenge in the second half. Any reasonable person would’ve not been strung around and fooled by him, sunny just didn’t make good choices and it annoyed me so much. This whole book was also so cringy. It was a short read but it was so bad so it took be a while to get thru
i just feel like there was no point in this book like i get how the point was Sunny’s character development and how she like discovered herself or whatever but it was dumb that was following mark around London in the first place bc she only started doing it for revenge in the second half. Any reasonable person would’ve not been strung around and fooled by him, sunny just didn’t make good choices and it annoyed me so much. This whole book was also so cringy. It was a short read but it was so bad so it took be a while to get thru
June 19, 2016
I thought I would enjoy this title a lot as I've really liked all of Sarra Manning's previous books. Unfortunately it just didn't grab my attention and it seemed too much like other stories I've read before. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for contemporary YA when I picked it up, but for me, it was more of a miss than a hit.
The main character Sunny spends most of the book, which takes place throughout the course of one night, on the hunt for her runaway, potentially cheater, boyfriend. Her travels take her to numerous well-known areas of London, including Mayfair, Soho and Camden (Ahh Camden, I know it well). What frustrated me was that I wanted to shout at her not to bother, to forget all about Mark and go home instead, rather than traipse all over London for someone that she shouldn't waste her time on. On the other hand, I did enjoy being reminded about how diverse and varied London is and how much the City has to offer. It's one of my favourite places to visit so it was fun to see some of the areas I haven't been to before.
The ending was a bit too clichéd for my tastes and I felt that it didn't really offer anything new to the reader. It's such a shame because the book sounded good and I thought it would be great fun, but in the end it fell flat for me and was a struggle to finish.
The main character Sunny spends most of the book, which takes place throughout the course of one night, on the hunt for her runaway, potentially cheater, boyfriend. Her travels take her to numerous well-known areas of London, including Mayfair, Soho and Camden (Ahh Camden, I know it well). What frustrated me was that I wanted to shout at her not to bother, to forget all about Mark and go home instead, rather than traipse all over London for someone that she shouldn't waste her time on. On the other hand, I did enjoy being reminded about how diverse and varied London is and how much the City has to offer. It's one of my favourite places to visit so it was fun to see some of the areas I haven't been to before.
The ending was a bit too clichéd for my tastes and I felt that it didn't really offer anything new to the reader. It's such a shame because the book sounded good and I thought it would be great fun, but in the end it fell flat for me and was a struggle to finish.
July 19, 2018
One. huge city one runaway boyfriend one summer night.
A fresh, contemporary romance, this is a coming of age tale for today's teens. Totally relatable to anyone who has ever been troubled by first love and boy/friend issues so, pretty much all of us!
January 2, 2018
I’d say Sarra Manning is one of my favorite writers. YA or just plain fiction, her books I can reread more than most authors and I never want to stop reading. I become antisocial when reading one of her books because I just can’t stop. This is the first books of hers that I could put down and wasn’t dying to pick back up. I think you’ll like it more if you live in London because it’s more relatable and fun. I’d normally probably give it 4 stars but I just hold her books to such a high standard that I had to do 3 stars. There’s friendship and romance and a fun all night adventure that I’ve loved in stories before but I just didn’t love this one. It was fun but didn’t have the huge romance storyline that I typically love with her books. I think all the different locations in one night for such a short book can be fun but i think there may of been too many locations and rushing around that it all felt rushed that you didn’t really get to enjoy some of the storyline and characters. I don’t know. So still a good book, it just didn’t keep to my expectations of her other books and was different. Still a nice book though! Great characters!
February 3, 2017
Loved this book! It was a short read and takes place over only one night. This was such a fun story to read - if you want a nice YA book that isn't cheesily romantic, definitely pick this up. I've visited London recently but this makes me want to go there again, like right now.
April 9, 2022
I'm quite disappointed in this book. I really hoped there would be a bit more of a plot and the characters felt a bit flat. It kinda of had the feel of oh then I'll add in a comment on this and then I'll say that rather than naturally flowing as a story.
June 19, 2025
This quick and cute adventure all over London is perfect for our upcoming trip to the city.
shelved
May 27, 2017Read about 20 pages - the voice just isn't for me.
July 2, 2016
http://www.pagetostagereviews.com/201...
Sunny is a London teenager in a happy relationship with her boyfriend Mark, and with her parents away for the night she has decided that she is ready to take the next step in their relationship. That is, until she receives a text from OMG!Martha in which she sees Mark kissing a girl in short shorts. Even though she had just made the trek all the way to the other side of London to Crystal Palace, Sunny is absolutely crushed and the only thing she wants to do is to go home and wallow with a tub of ice cream and a movie.
While she has all the intentions of travelling home, when Mark messages her to say that the photos are not what it seems she decides to go find him and discuss the whole thing in person. What follows is a crazy 12-hour long trip to every corner of London while Sunny is carrying a broom and she has two French boys on mopeds in tow. Modes of transport during the night include rail replacement buses, trains and even a rickshaw, as she follows in the footsteps of Mark and pieces together the truth about the revealing photos and the girl trying to snatch Mark away from her.
London Belongs to Us starts out as a girl blindly following a boy, but as the night progresses, Sunny loses some of the inhibitions that usually hold her back and she becomes a more kick-ass version of herself.
This has got to be one of the best contemporary YA reads ever! It is fresh and funny, with a fantastic protagonist and as every chapter started with a little bit of history about the iconic London location Sunny would be exploring the next few hours it also made me discover more (in a hilarious way) about the city that I've been calling my home for the past 6 years.
I loved, loved, LOVED Sunny. She was such a fun character to experience this crazy whirlwind of a night with and the people that become a part of her story (read: the French boys) were an absolute delight. I love that while perhaps this started off as the story of a girl hung-up on a boy, throughout the night Sunny actually came to understand more about herself. And all the crazy things that happened to her ultimately created this fantastically funny and incredibly inspirational story of empowerment.
And you don't have to be a Londoner (or have even visited this city) to appreciate all the tidbits about the different areas mentioned, but it was heaps of fun to read about the tube while I was on one (thank heavens it wasn't a rail replacement bus) and about Alexandra Park just after I'd been there myself. It made the story come even more alive and I felt like I was travelling all corners of London with Sunny and the French boys. I want to reread the book (yes, already!) and follow in their footsteps while reading, if only South London wasn't such a stupidly long way away. #NorthLondonRepresent.
London Belongs to Us is a love letter to London and one of the funniest books I have ever read. I could not stop reading out passages to friends and I'm still giggling over the whole broom management theme. And when a novel has pie charts too, you know you're definitely onto a winner. There is nothing I can say that will capture just how amazing it is, so pick up London Belongs to Us as soon as it hits the shops on June 2 and find out for yourself!
Sunny is a London teenager in a happy relationship with her boyfriend Mark, and with her parents away for the night she has decided that she is ready to take the next step in their relationship. That is, until she receives a text from OMG!Martha in which she sees Mark kissing a girl in short shorts. Even though she had just made the trek all the way to the other side of London to Crystal Palace, Sunny is absolutely crushed and the only thing she wants to do is to go home and wallow with a tub of ice cream and a movie.
While she has all the intentions of travelling home, when Mark messages her to say that the photos are not what it seems she decides to go find him and discuss the whole thing in person. What follows is a crazy 12-hour long trip to every corner of London while Sunny is carrying a broom and she has two French boys on mopeds in tow. Modes of transport during the night include rail replacement buses, trains and even a rickshaw, as she follows in the footsteps of Mark and pieces together the truth about the revealing photos and the girl trying to snatch Mark away from her.
London Belongs to Us starts out as a girl blindly following a boy, but as the night progresses, Sunny loses some of the inhibitions that usually hold her back and she becomes a more kick-ass version of herself.
This has got to be one of the best contemporary YA reads ever! It is fresh and funny, with a fantastic protagonist and as every chapter started with a little bit of history about the iconic London location Sunny would be exploring the next few hours it also made me discover more (in a hilarious way) about the city that I've been calling my home for the past 6 years.
I loved, loved, LOVED Sunny. She was such a fun character to experience this crazy whirlwind of a night with and the people that become a part of her story (read: the French boys) were an absolute delight. I love that while perhaps this started off as the story of a girl hung-up on a boy, throughout the night Sunny actually came to understand more about herself. And all the crazy things that happened to her ultimately created this fantastically funny and incredibly inspirational story of empowerment.
And you don't have to be a Londoner (or have even visited this city) to appreciate all the tidbits about the different areas mentioned, but it was heaps of fun to read about the tube while I was on one (thank heavens it wasn't a rail replacement bus) and about Alexandra Park just after I'd been there myself. It made the story come even more alive and I felt like I was travelling all corners of London with Sunny and the French boys. I want to reread the book (yes, already!) and follow in their footsteps while reading, if only South London wasn't such a stupidly long way away. #NorthLondonRepresent.
London Belongs to Us is a love letter to London and one of the funniest books I have ever read. I could not stop reading out passages to friends and I'm still giggling over the whole broom management theme. And when a novel has pie charts too, you know you're definitely onto a winner. There is nothing I can say that will capture just how amazing it is, so pick up London Belongs to Us as soon as it hits the shops on June 2 and find out for yourself!
March 6, 2017
Review coming soon.
August 1, 2016
Read it in a day, so very funny and clever! Full review to come.
Sarra Manning's new book is the very definition of a wild ride. Set over one day and night, Sunny goes on a quest across London to find her boyfriend and demand an explanation for this photo of him kissing another girl. For various reasons, he is difficult to pin down and Sunny gets more and more irritated. Manning created a brilliant main character in Sunny; she grows ever braver as the night wears on and I loved her voice from the very start. A girl of mixed race and untameable hair, Sunny is used to letting her voice get over-shadowed by friends and her boyfriend, but finally she's had enough.
Joining her on her journey are French boys Jean Luc and Vic, both of whom were absolutely hilarious. A bit stand-offish at first, we get to know them as Sunny does, and even though there is flirting and banter, I loved that there wasn't any major sparks. As Sunny is on the hunt for her soon to be ex-boyfriend's man-parts, I really appreciated that there wasn't any funny business, just moral and vehicular support.
There was also a great exploration of diversity without it being shoved down your throat. Especially in London, literally everyone is different and you will come across or be friends with a random mix of people, as shown by Sunny pleading her case with an Amazonian night-club bouncer, finding kindred spirits with drag queens at a kebab shop, and being her best friend's wing-woman with the roller derby girl she likes.
I loved seeing a different side to London; as I'm usually the tourist in this city, I don't know the areas and their people like Sunny does but her little history background lessons were equal parts helpful and hilarious. And as she and the boys literally zoom through all the neighbourhoods of central London, the city itself became character in her story and I fell in love with the city like Sunny does.
All in all, another major hit for Manning and definitely a new favourite of mine.
Sarra Manning's new book is the very definition of a wild ride. Set over one day and night, Sunny goes on a quest across London to find her boyfriend and demand an explanation for this photo of him kissing another girl. For various reasons, he is difficult to pin down and Sunny gets more and more irritated. Manning created a brilliant main character in Sunny; she grows ever braver as the night wears on and I loved her voice from the very start. A girl of mixed race and untameable hair, Sunny is used to letting her voice get over-shadowed by friends and her boyfriend, but finally she's had enough.
Joining her on her journey are French boys Jean Luc and Vic, both of whom were absolutely hilarious. A bit stand-offish at first, we get to know them as Sunny does, and even though there is flirting and banter, I loved that there wasn't any major sparks. As Sunny is on the hunt for her soon to be ex-boyfriend's man-parts, I really appreciated that there wasn't any funny business, just moral and vehicular support.
There was also a great exploration of diversity without it being shoved down your throat. Especially in London, literally everyone is different and you will come across or be friends with a random mix of people, as shown by Sunny pleading her case with an Amazonian night-club bouncer, finding kindred spirits with drag queens at a kebab shop, and being her best friend's wing-woman with the roller derby girl she likes.
I loved seeing a different side to London; as I'm usually the tourist in this city, I don't know the areas and their people like Sunny does but her little history background lessons were equal parts helpful and hilarious. And as she and the boys literally zoom through all the neighbourhoods of central London, the city itself became character in her story and I fell in love with the city like Sunny does.
All in all, another major hit for Manning and definitely a new favourite of mine.
October 20, 2016
Thank you to NetGalley, author Sarra Manning and publisher Bonnier Publishing for the opportunity to read this book.
I love London so what can be more perfect than a book set in London? Well the book being a fun read which this is.
Seventeen year old Sunny is in love with her boyfriend Mark all is good and Sunny is ready to make a big comment to Mark and loose her virginity with him to show him how much he means to her. Sunny thinks the feeling is mutual well that is until she is sent a picture from Mark of him kissing another girl. Sunny is furious and quite rightly so, do Sunny sets of on a mission to get her own back.
Starting at Crystal Palace travelling through places like Soho, Shorditch, Kensington, Nottinghill and more Sunny embarks on a 12 hour journey to get her own back.
Not realising what she will find on her way, the life experiences she will have and the characters she will meet. Sunny is also faced with some discrimination as we see how some people react to her along the way. Sunny never thought that getting retribution would impact so many people, people who are souring her on and willing to help her get to her goal.
Along the way Sunny meets French twins (well they are really cousins passing as twins) Vic and Jean-Luc both of which are described as heart throbs. So it softens the sting a little. Along the way they have so many adventures and funny things happy that the book keeps you hooked.
This book is told in real time so it feels like you are going along with the journey with them all. At the start of the book Sunny is a shy timid little thing but by the end she is full of sass. What I loved the most about this book was all the little gems of details that Sarra puts in telling you some of the history of each place that Sunny visits.
This is a great light hearted read, full of sass, laugh out loud moments, and characters that you'll love. You really will feel part of this exploration of London and you will be cheering Sunny on to get her own back.
I hope you enjoy this book. Happy reading ☺️
I love London so what can be more perfect than a book set in London? Well the book being a fun read which this is.
Seventeen year old Sunny is in love with her boyfriend Mark all is good and Sunny is ready to make a big comment to Mark and loose her virginity with him to show him how much he means to her. Sunny thinks the feeling is mutual well that is until she is sent a picture from Mark of him kissing another girl. Sunny is furious and quite rightly so, do Sunny sets of on a mission to get her own back.
Starting at Crystal Palace travelling through places like Soho, Shorditch, Kensington, Nottinghill and more Sunny embarks on a 12 hour journey to get her own back.
Not realising what she will find on her way, the life experiences she will have and the characters she will meet. Sunny is also faced with some discrimination as we see how some people react to her along the way. Sunny never thought that getting retribution would impact so many people, people who are souring her on and willing to help her get to her goal.
Along the way Sunny meets French twins (well they are really cousins passing as twins) Vic and Jean-Luc both of which are described as heart throbs. So it softens the sting a little. Along the way they have so many adventures and funny things happy that the book keeps you hooked.
This book is told in real time so it feels like you are going along with the journey with them all. At the start of the book Sunny is a shy timid little thing but by the end she is full of sass. What I loved the most about this book was all the little gems of details that Sarra puts in telling you some of the history of each place that Sunny visits.
This is a great light hearted read, full of sass, laugh out loud moments, and characters that you'll love. You really will feel part of this exploration of London and you will be cheering Sunny on to get her own back.
I hope you enjoy this book. Happy reading ☺️
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