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Double-Decker Dreams
Perfect for fans of Josie Silver and Sophie Cousens, bestselling author Lindsay MacMillan gives us a refreshing take on love at first sight.
American consultant Kat is staffed on a six-month project in London and has two very small, very reasonable ambitions before returning get promoted to partner and fall in love with a handsome English aristocrat. No problem, right?
But work is a grind, and the British men she meets are a far cry from her royal ideal. Then one morning, she sees a man on a double-decker bus and just knows that he’s her person. But when Kat finally musters the courage to board the bus and introduce herself, he turns out to be very different from the Prince Charming she expected.
Can Kat open herself up to a love that’s not like the movies, or is she too imprisoned by her rom-com expectations? And just as importantly, will she be able to see that success isn’t about landing a C-suite job, but rather living a life that’s aligned with her soul?
Readers looking for a charming modern love story will be smitten with this sharp, emotionally resonant rollercoaster ride through the heart of London.
American consultant Kat is staffed on a six-month project in London and has two very small, very reasonable ambitions before returning get promoted to partner and fall in love with a handsome English aristocrat. No problem, right?
But work is a grind, and the British men she meets are a far cry from her royal ideal. Then one morning, she sees a man on a double-decker bus and just knows that he’s her person. But when Kat finally musters the courage to board the bus and introduce herself, he turns out to be very different from the Prince Charming she expected.
Can Kat open herself up to a love that’s not like the movies, or is she too imprisoned by her rom-com expectations? And just as importantly, will she be able to see that success isn’t about landing a C-suite job, but rather living a life that’s aligned with her soul?
Readers looking for a charming modern love story will be smitten with this sharp, emotionally resonant rollercoaster ride through the heart of London.
332 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2023
40 people are currently reading
8630 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
February 16, 2023
There is no way to put this nicely, I absolutely hated this book. The main character Kat was just the worst. She was so awful to the main love interest of the story Rory. She literally judged him before she even met him. Kat saw him on the bus outside her window everyday and thought he was good looking. Then one day she works up the courage to talk him and he's not what she expected. That is weird stalker behavior and I was not here for it. Rory was actually a really good guy. But because of the preconceived notions that Kat had before she met him; she could not see that. I really think Kat needed to get a reality check. I don't like selfish characters in books. Kat rubbed me the wrong way. I am sorry Rory was put in the middle of this. I really did feel bad for him. I also felt a lack of romance in this book. I think I felt the lack of romance because Kat was the worst. I don't think I will read anything by this author again. If I could give this less than one star I would.
July 8, 2023
I didn't enjoy this one as much as I'd expected, based on the synopsis 😏.
Full review at LucyKnowsThings.com.
Full review at LucyKnowsThings.com.
May 24, 2023
I think I’m an outlier here but I loved this one. Okay, to be fair, I’m biased because the author talks about West Michigan which is where I’m from. I LOVE when authors talk about places in my state but especially when they are close by. I also thought it was a cute love story and not what I expected.
🌀Synopsis
Kat is living in London and trying to get a promotion. She’s pushing herself to the limit to try to climb that corporate ladder. Love seems to be irrelevant until she spots a handsome man on a bus one day. She keeps seeing him and convinces herself that she’s going to meet him and she does.
Instead of being the handsome british prince she imagined, he turns out to be American. Kat is super disappointed and doesn’t even want to continue the friendship. He continues to pursue her and they turn out to be good friends.
Kat even relies on him to help her through an inappropriate work encounter. It isn’t long before Kat realizes she has feelings for him and he’s in the process of getting back together with his girlfriend. Devastated, she accepts the friendship. Until he breaks up with his girlfriend again and their true feelings are revealed. Things are temporarily derailed when Kat has to admit she had a very different fantasy of what he was before she met him. Not thinking he could measure up, the two split. Kat is forced to figure out what she truly wants for both her career and her relationship.
🌀Synopsis
Kat is living in London and trying to get a promotion. She’s pushing herself to the limit to try to climb that corporate ladder. Love seems to be irrelevant until she spots a handsome man on a bus one day. She keeps seeing him and convinces herself that she’s going to meet him and she does.
Instead of being the handsome british prince she imagined, he turns out to be American. Kat is super disappointed and doesn’t even want to continue the friendship. He continues to pursue her and they turn out to be good friends.
Kat even relies on him to help her through an inappropriate work encounter. It isn’t long before Kat realizes she has feelings for him and he’s in the process of getting back together with his girlfriend. Devastated, she accepts the friendship. Until he breaks up with his girlfriend again and their true feelings are revealed. Things are temporarily derailed when Kat has to admit she had a very different fantasy of what he was before she met him. Not thinking he could measure up, the two split. Kat is forced to figure out what she truly wants for both her career and her relationship.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 22, 2022
Lindsay MacMillan is my new favorite author. I ADORED Heart of the Deal when I read it as a galley, and I was thrilled to be approved for Double Decker Dreams, though slightly apprehensive as I was hoping it would measure up. Well, did it ever!
Once again, MacMillan delights with a cast of characters that are far too human to be referred to as characters! The people in the book are quirky, multi-layered, and entirely themselves. Each of them is so distinct, and there aren’t too many as to overcrowd the narrative. The main character gains awareness and applies that newfound awareness to make real change in her life, which was satisfying and (mostly) believable. Some of the themes these people grapple with are similar to Heart of the Deal (career/life aspirations, sexual harassment in the workplace, changing friendships as you age, and finding love), but they feel almost brand new. MacMillan shines in her character building, but her greatest gift is her writing style. It’s as if the author has peeled open the brain of a late 20-early 30-something and lay their soul to bare. There were SO many lines (paragraphs! pages!) that resonated, it truly makes you wonder “did she write this book just for me?!”. Not to mention that the WAY she writes about these topics is just beautiful. Also, who hasn’t dreamed of meeting a fancy British lover when traveling in London?
The plot itself had a couple of pitfalls for me, namely that the main character’s career/life trajectory changed so dramatically from how it started out/how she imagined it, but I thought the arc mostly made sense given the insight into her brain that we’re given. However, it still rang a little disingenuous to her personality which is why I’m calling it out here.
I am ecstatic to have dipped back into a book created by MacMillan, who seems to read my mind with so many of her takes on the world/life/love. I truly have never read a book by anyone else who has done such an exceptional job of writing about being at the precipice of career/life/love aspirations.
Is it clear that I loved this book? Wholeheartedly giving this a 5/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Once again, MacMillan delights with a cast of characters that are far too human to be referred to as characters! The people in the book are quirky, multi-layered, and entirely themselves. Each of them is so distinct, and there aren’t too many as to overcrowd the narrative. The main character gains awareness and applies that newfound awareness to make real change in her life, which was satisfying and (mostly) believable. Some of the themes these people grapple with are similar to Heart of the Deal (career/life aspirations, sexual harassment in the workplace, changing friendships as you age, and finding love), but they feel almost brand new. MacMillan shines in her character building, but her greatest gift is her writing style. It’s as if the author has peeled open the brain of a late 20-early 30-something and lay their soul to bare. There were SO many lines (paragraphs! pages!) that resonated, it truly makes you wonder “did she write this book just for me?!”. Not to mention that the WAY she writes about these topics is just beautiful. Also, who hasn’t dreamed of meeting a fancy British lover when traveling in London?
The plot itself had a couple of pitfalls for me, namely that the main character’s career/life trajectory changed so dramatically from how it started out/how she imagined it, but I thought the arc mostly made sense given the insight into her brain that we’re given. However, it still rang a little disingenuous to her personality which is why I’m calling it out here.
I am ecstatic to have dipped back into a book created by MacMillan, who seems to read my mind with so many of her takes on the world/life/love. I truly have never read a book by anyone else who has done such an exceptional job of writing about being at the precipice of career/life/love aspirations.
Is it clear that I loved this book? Wholeheartedly giving this a 5/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
December 21, 2022
Ambitious and American, Kat has everything she wants…except a British boyfriend. When she sees a handsome man get off the double-decker bus outside her apartment, she dreams up a persona for him and eagerly awaits the chance to meet him. Will he be everything she’s built him up to be? You’ll have to read to find out.
Despite pacing issues, frustrating accent accommodations, and OTT drama at work, this was a nice, clean romcom. MacMillan’s background allows her to aptly write about career women who are redefining their success both in their relationships and careers. I loved the chance to take an armchair travel to London, where MacMillan's locations became characters, and live in a make-believe bookish world for a couple of hours today.
MacMillan explores what happens next after one discovers that there’s a discrepancy between one’s dream and reality. She highlights the importance of keeping our feet on the ground while we allow our heads to hang out above the clouds…and dream a little dream.
I’ll admit to humming Michael Buble’s ‘Dream A Little Dream Of Me’ as I turned the final page.
I was gifted this copy by Alcove Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
Despite pacing issues, frustrating accent accommodations, and OTT drama at work, this was a nice, clean romcom. MacMillan’s background allows her to aptly write about career women who are redefining their success both in their relationships and careers. I loved the chance to take an armchair travel to London, where MacMillan's locations became characters, and live in a make-believe bookish world for a couple of hours today.
MacMillan explores what happens next after one discovers that there’s a discrepancy between one’s dream and reality. She highlights the importance of keeping our feet on the ground while we allow our heads to hang out above the clouds…and dream a little dream.
I’ll admit to humming Michael Buble’s ‘Dream A Little Dream Of Me’ as I turned the final page.
I was gifted this copy by Alcove Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
January 13, 2023
While I appreciated the major themes in this story such as the importance of separating dreams from reality, consent, equality, and facing sexism in the workplace, this book fell flat for me.
Respectfully, Kat needs a lot of therapy and a reality check. She acted 13 and not 31. I considered DNFing 5% in but decided to stick in our because I was curious about the boy on the bus. Kat irritated me to no end and even more so once she met him and realized her “British Prince” and love her her life was nothing like she expected. Her behavior was sporadic and I didn’t like the way she belittled Rory and didn’t even give him a chance. She snapped at him once and called him plain multiple times, insisting someone like her could never fall for a “plain and simple” boy like him. I honestly didn’t like her character at all. Rory, on the other hand, is an absolute Angel and deserves the world. And Mala is the cutest thing on this planet. The writing was a little all over the place for me and often distracting. I ended up skimming a big chunk of the book. I wish their friends and family would have been explored a little more as well as had Rory’s POV. Overall it wasn’t for me but I feel like so many would enjoy this one.
Big thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Respectfully, Kat needs a lot of therapy and a reality check. She acted 13 and not 31. I considered DNFing 5% in but decided to stick in our because I was curious about the boy on the bus. Kat irritated me to no end and even more so once she met him and realized her “British Prince” and love her her life was nothing like she expected. Her behavior was sporadic and I didn’t like the way she belittled Rory and didn’t even give him a chance. She snapped at him once and called him plain multiple times, insisting someone like her could never fall for a “plain and simple” boy like him. I honestly didn’t like her character at all. Rory, on the other hand, is an absolute Angel and deserves the world. And Mala is the cutest thing on this planet. The writing was a little all over the place for me and often distracting. I ended up skimming a big chunk of the book. I wish their friends and family would have been explored a little more as well as had Rory’s POV. Overall it wasn’t for me but I feel like so many would enjoy this one.
Big thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 12, 2023
Double Decker Dreams
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Lindsay MacMillan
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: American consultant Kat is staffed on a six-month project in London and has two very small, very reasonable ambitions before returning get promoted to partner and fall in love with a handsome English aristocrat. No problem, right? But work is a grind, and the British men she meets are a far cry from her royal ideal. Then one morning, she sees a man on a double-decker bus and just knows that he's her person. But when Kat finally musters the courage to board the bus and introduce herself, he turns out to be very different from the Prince Charming she expected. Can Kat open herself up to a love that's not like the movies, or is she too imprisoned by her rom-com expectations? And just as importantly, will she be able to see that success isn't about landing a C-suite job but rather living a life that's aligned with her soul? Listeners looking for a charming modern love story will be smitten with this sharp, emotionally resonant rollercoaster ride through the heart of London.
My Thoughts: I was really conflicted with this story. Kat is in London on a work assignment trying to bide her time to make partner at her consulting firm. She sees this double decker bus everyday and sees this handsome man on the bus. She creates this whole fairytale about who he is, royalty, and why he would be on the bus. She creates this whole world and plans out their life. When she finally works up the nerve to meet him, she is disappointed. Can she get past this fairytale expectation?
The premise of the book was interesting to me, however, there were times at the beginning that I did not want to finish it, Kat was just a very selfish character. Kat’s attitude in parts of the book made me cringe a bit. I know that the character was written this way but I just couldn’t get past it. Now, I loved Rory, he had a heart of gold and was so compassionate about his students. The characters were developed well, some more likable than others, witty banter, and some chemistry. The author’s writing style was crisp, the details of London were fantastic, you could picture yourself there, and engaging.
This was not a horrible book, take out Kat’s childish attitude and it would have been a four star for me, but because of that, I am giving this 3 stars. I would still recommend for other readers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Lindsay MacMillan
I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Dreamscape Media and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.
Synopsis: American consultant Kat is staffed on a six-month project in London and has two very small, very reasonable ambitions before returning get promoted to partner and fall in love with a handsome English aristocrat. No problem, right? But work is a grind, and the British men she meets are a far cry from her royal ideal. Then one morning, she sees a man on a double-decker bus and just knows that he's her person. But when Kat finally musters the courage to board the bus and introduce herself, he turns out to be very different from the Prince Charming she expected. Can Kat open herself up to a love that's not like the movies, or is she too imprisoned by her rom-com expectations? And just as importantly, will she be able to see that success isn't about landing a C-suite job but rather living a life that's aligned with her soul? Listeners looking for a charming modern love story will be smitten with this sharp, emotionally resonant rollercoaster ride through the heart of London.
My Thoughts: I was really conflicted with this story. Kat is in London on a work assignment trying to bide her time to make partner at her consulting firm. She sees this double decker bus everyday and sees this handsome man on the bus. She creates this whole fairytale about who he is, royalty, and why he would be on the bus. She creates this whole world and plans out their life. When she finally works up the nerve to meet him, she is disappointed. Can she get past this fairytale expectation?
The premise of the book was interesting to me, however, there were times at the beginning that I did not want to finish it, Kat was just a very selfish character. Kat’s attitude in parts of the book made me cringe a bit. I know that the character was written this way but I just couldn’t get past it. Now, I loved Rory, he had a heart of gold and was so compassionate about his students. The characters were developed well, some more likable than others, witty banter, and some chemistry. The author’s writing style was crisp, the details of London were fantastic, you could picture yourself there, and engaging.
This was not a horrible book, take out Kat’s childish attitude and it would have been a four star for me, but because of that, I am giving this 3 stars. I would still recommend for other readers.
November 17, 2025
DNF at 17% I have read romance novels before, and they were good however Double Decker Dreams was not one of them this was the most horrible romance novel I ever read. I found Kat annoying and a red flag because she is obsessing over the guy, she saw on the double decker bus, and she didn't call out her boss for calling her kitten which I found a bit cringy that her boss would call her kitten. I found it a bit weird when she imagined the guy she saw on the bus being with her in Bath and how she assumed that he's wealthy or a royal by the way he was dressed. I also found Kat annoying that she kept assuming she was getting a promotion and kept obsessing over breaking the glass ceiling and climbing the corporate ladder. Not all women worry about breaking the glass ceiling or climbing the corporate ladder. I don't think I will read another book by this author again.
July 20, 2023
Lindsay MacMillan's Double-Decker Dreams is a combination personal journey and romance. The entire story is told completely from the point of view of the main character, Kat.
My issue with Kat is that I didn't really like her. We meet her when she's at a cross-roads. She is a bit wishy-washy as far as her career goals are concerned, and she's waffling about what kind of man she wants. Or if she even "wants" a man at all.
When faced with adversity, Kat waffles some more. Should she pursue a case against her inappropriate client? Should she give up on Rory? Should she change her career goals...
I do enjoy reading about characters very different from me, and I enjoyed MacMillan's writing style. Definitely a solid three star book.
I listened to the audiobook version of Double-Decker Dreams, and I had a few issues with Madeleine Maby's performance. This was a huge and varied cast of characters, and unfortunately some of her accents and voices didn't work for me.
an audiobook copy of Double-Decker Dreams was provided to me by Dreamscape Media, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
My issue with Kat is that I didn't really like her. We meet her when she's at a cross-roads. She is a bit wishy-washy as far as her career goals are concerned, and she's waffling about what kind of man she wants. Or if she even "wants" a man at all.
When faced with adversity, Kat waffles some more. Should she pursue a case against her inappropriate client? Should she give up on Rory? Should she change her career goals...
I do enjoy reading about characters very different from me, and I enjoyed MacMillan's writing style. Definitely a solid three star book.
I listened to the audiobook version of Double-Decker Dreams, and I had a few issues with Madeleine Maby's performance. This was a huge and varied cast of characters, and unfortunately some of her accents and voices didn't work for me.
an audiobook copy of Double-Decker Dreams was provided to me by Dreamscape Media, via NetGalley, for the purpose of my honest review, all opinions are my own
June 27, 2023
⭐⭐⭐🌠/5 Stars
I liked the premise of the book: a young 30-something on assignment in London, working as a consultant for a major oil company. One morning, she looks out the window of her flat before work, and sees the man of her dreams on top level of a double-decker bus. She begins to make up a storyline about how he's this rich aristocrat and how her life would be with him.
But when she finally musters up the courage to board that bus and meet him, she is up for a surprising awakening.
I thought it was a sweet story, although I thought that Kat was a little mean to Rory, but she redeemed herself towards the end.
I was given a complimentary digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are mine alone.
I liked the premise of the book: a young 30-something on assignment in London, working as a consultant for a major oil company. One morning, she looks out the window of her flat before work, and sees the man of her dreams on top level of a double-decker bus. She begins to make up a storyline about how he's this rich aristocrat and how her life would be with him.
But when she finally musters up the courage to board that bus and meet him, she is up for a surprising awakening.
I thought it was a sweet story, although I thought that Kat was a little mean to Rory, but she redeemed herself towards the end.
I was given a complimentary digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are mine alone.
September 13, 2023
Okay, I'm gonna have a lot to say here. First of all, I was super enjoying this book for most of the novel. It was fun, Kat got constantly put in her place for being unrealistic about love and generally annoying, Jules was hilarious, the London vibes were immaculate, and the message was so, so wholesome (plus it's squeaky clean!). I was thinking 4 stars for 99.9% of the book. Even with the juvenile writing. I was just enjoying it enough.
Then we hit the last few pages...
The epilogue might've been the worst thing I've ever read.
And then the acknowledgements made it weirder.
Basically, the epilogue turned into an absolute cringe-fest of "the greatest thing I've ever done in my life is become a mother" and stuff like that. First of all, it didn't fit with Kat's character. Second of all, it was a weird mess of preachiness. Yeah, that's just not good writing. (also the intense messaging was high key uncomfy tbh.) It was all too on-the-nose and cringey. She should've left the book with the more open ending instead of shooting herself in the foot.
Then I got to the acknowledgements. Why is that even worth noting? Well, I always read them, and most of the time it's not worth noting. Sometimes it brings me hidden gems (hello Fourth Wing). This time it just made things weird. In the acknowledgements, I learned that this book is 110% self-insert fiction. I'm not joking. Here's what I learned: the author is from Kalamazoo, Michigan; she was a VP at Goldman Sachs working the corporate job; she lived in a flat in Islington; and then she quit corporate life and moved back to Michigan to be more family-centered and all that. I think you can guess what the plot of the book is. Exactly that except there's romance. Oh did I mention the main character's name is Kat, and the author's freaking middle name is KAT. Too much self-insert is uncomfy for me, thank you very much. It made the whole book feel less fun and more didactic.
Basically, this is a fun romance; just skip the ending and never read the acknowledgements in this book.
Then we hit the last few pages...
The epilogue might've been the worst thing I've ever read.
And then the acknowledgements made it weirder.
Basically, the epilogue turned into an absolute cringe-fest of "the greatest thing I've ever done in my life is become a mother" and stuff like that. First of all, it didn't fit with Kat's character. Second of all, it was a weird mess of preachiness. Yeah, that's just not good writing. (also the intense messaging was high key uncomfy tbh.) It was all too on-the-nose and cringey. She should've left the book with the more open ending instead of shooting herself in the foot.
Then I got to the acknowledgements. Why is that even worth noting? Well, I always read them, and most of the time it's not worth noting. Sometimes it brings me hidden gems (hello Fourth Wing). This time it just made things weird. In the acknowledgements, I learned that this book is 110% self-insert fiction. I'm not joking. Here's what I learned: the author is from Kalamazoo, Michigan; she was a VP at Goldman Sachs working the corporate job; she lived in a flat in Islington; and then she quit corporate life and moved back to Michigan to be more family-centered and all that. I think you can guess what the plot of the book is. Exactly that except there's romance. Oh did I mention the main character's name is Kat, and the author's freaking middle name is KAT. Too much self-insert is uncomfy for me, thank you very much. It made the whole book feel less fun and more didactic.
Basically, this is a fun romance; just skip the ending and never read the acknowledgements in this book.
May 18, 2023
A sweet (if overly long/drawn out) friends to lovers romance set in London between two small town Michigan transplants. Kat is a career-driven business consultant who's always chasing the next big promotion except she's finding her life lonely and starts daydreaming about Rory, the man she sees riding past her house on a double decker bus. Eventually she works up the courage to meet him and the two strike up a great friendship.
While Kat is sure Rory is hung up on his ex, she sloooooowly finds herself falling for him as she learns to appreciate that love isn't all grand gestures but comes in the quiet moments of two people being there for one another.
I liked this one but I definitely thought it would have benefited from a lot of editing. Parts felt a bit dry/boring and I would have enjoyed it more if it was a bit shorter/faster paced. Good on audio narrated by Madeleine Maby this was a fine balance between women's fiction and romance. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: kissing only
While Kat is sure Rory is hung up on his ex, she sloooooowly finds herself falling for him as she learns to appreciate that love isn't all grand gestures but comes in the quiet moments of two people being there for one another.
I liked this one but I definitely thought it would have benefited from a lot of editing. Parts felt a bit dry/boring and I would have enjoyed it more if it was a bit shorter/faster paced. Good on audio narrated by Madeleine Maby this was a fine balance between women's fiction and romance. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review!
Steam level: kissing only
March 13, 2023
This was exactly what I needed! I literally laughed out loud, I teared up at some moments and I was cheering at others.
Super cute and fun. Quirky, multi-layers characters, a fun meet cute and nothing over the top that takes you out of the story.
Kat is an American whose career has brought her all over the world. She's now located in England and loving it. Except she would love to find a British boyfriend like in all her favorite rom-coms. So while she's on a zoom call one day, she happens to look out the window and sees the man of her dreams sitting on the double decker bus outside her window.
She creates a persona and a whole life for them before she even knows his name or anything about him. How will she find him and when she does will he live up to her expectations?
Of course, it takes ages to finally meet, and what she goes through to get to him is fun to watch play out in itself, but then to see the discrepancy in who she dreamed him to be and who he really is is where the magic happens. Her Prince Charming isn't a prince at all but can they overcome all the odds and fall in love anyway?
I adored this and will be reading everything and anything Lindsay writes. It was adorable without being cheesy and I couldn't get enough.
Thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for this eAr in exchange for my review.
Super cute and fun. Quirky, multi-layers characters, a fun meet cute and nothing over the top that takes you out of the story.
Kat is an American whose career has brought her all over the world. She's now located in England and loving it. Except she would love to find a British boyfriend like in all her favorite rom-coms. So while she's on a zoom call one day, she happens to look out the window and sees the man of her dreams sitting on the double decker bus outside her window.
She creates a persona and a whole life for them before she even knows his name or anything about him. How will she find him and when she does will he live up to her expectations?
Of course, it takes ages to finally meet, and what she goes through to get to him is fun to watch play out in itself, but then to see the discrepancy in who she dreamed him to be and who he really is is where the magic happens. Her Prince Charming isn't a prince at all but can they overcome all the odds and fall in love anyway?
I adored this and will be reading everything and anything Lindsay writes. It was adorable without being cheesy and I couldn't get enough.
Thanks to Alcove Press and NetGalley for this eAr in exchange for my review.
March 27, 2024
Third act miscommunication/ breakup trope 😭
Read
June 5, 2023A woman looks out a window and falls in love with a man she sees on a bus.
If you can get past that as a premise, you should read DDD. Apparently I didn't read the synopsis carefully enough, because I struggled. And I wanted to say to Kat what her friend Jules does say, namely: "bloody hell, what's gotten into you?"
Kat, an American living in London, makes up a whole fantasy life with this British man of mystery (Austin Powers joke hehe) and proceeds to plan how to best stalk him. She has make-believe conversations with him. (Seriously, if the genders are reversed, we'd all be up in arms about this creepy dude.)
About a quarter of the way through the book, she finally gets onto his bus (luckily he is a creature of habit and always takes the same one) and ....
I did enjoy this little twist but Kat is a little too .... eccentric for me.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
If you can get past that as a premise, you should read DDD. Apparently I didn't read the synopsis carefully enough, because I struggled. And I wanted to say to Kat what her friend Jules does say, namely: "bloody hell, what's gotten into you?"
Kat, an American living in London, makes up a whole fantasy life with this British man of mystery (Austin Powers joke hehe) and proceeds to plan how to best stalk him. She has make-believe conversations with him. (Seriously, if the genders are reversed, we'd all be up in arms about this creepy dude.)
About a quarter of the way through the book, she finally gets onto his bus (luckily he is a creature of habit and always takes the same one) and ....
I did enjoy this little twist but Kat is a little too .... eccentric for me.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Read more of my reviews on JenRyland.com! Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
September 25, 2023
Thank you NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC of this book.
Kat is an American who has been living in London for the past few months working on a project that she hopes will help her achieve one of her biggest goals in life; become a partner. What is her other goal? Fall in love and marry an Englishman.
One morning, she sees a man on a double-decker bus, and immediately, knows that he is the one; her Prince Charming. She decides to face her feelings and introduce herself to him. However, life is messy and things aren't that simple. And, her Prince Charming isn't who she thought he was.
Kat is a flawed character who is very ambitious and down to earth about her work, but in her personal life, she is flying in the clouds; enamoured by the stories in the movies, her expectations are very high. She needs to face reality and trust in life.
I didn't like how immature and superficial Kat seems to be at times. Rory is a lovely guy next door type. The secondary characters are fine, although Jules tends to become a caricature at times with all the cockney accent.
If you love stories in London, the author manages greatly to describe the city. You can tell she has spent time in London.
On the whole, it is an enjoyable story, and if you like stories in London, this is a good one.
Kat is an American who has been living in London for the past few months working on a project that she hopes will help her achieve one of her biggest goals in life; become a partner. What is her other goal? Fall in love and marry an Englishman.
One morning, she sees a man on a double-decker bus, and immediately, knows that he is the one; her Prince Charming. She decides to face her feelings and introduce herself to him. However, life is messy and things aren't that simple. And, her Prince Charming isn't who she thought he was.
Kat is a flawed character who is very ambitious and down to earth about her work, but in her personal life, she is flying in the clouds; enamoured by the stories in the movies, her expectations are very high. She needs to face reality and trust in life.
I didn't like how immature and superficial Kat seems to be at times. Rory is a lovely guy next door type. The secondary characters are fine, although Jules tends to become a caricature at times with all the cockney accent.
If you love stories in London, the author manages greatly to describe the city. You can tell she has spent time in London.
On the whole, it is an enjoyable story, and if you like stories in London, this is a good one.
May 30, 2023
As a bisexual former vegan from southwest Michigan, the constant negativity and over-generalizations toward Kalamazoo (boring, homophobic, farmer-filled loserville) honestly bothered me.
I did like all the descriptions of London, though, and Kat’s lesbian neighbors were so fun. Kat’s obsession with being a CEO didn’t really match with the romcom love life expectations. And the HR department/sexual harassment issue made her CEO determination even more frustrating (trigger warning, btw).
Rory, though, was SO precious. I really enjoyed him and he pretty much saved the book. He was a bit too childish at points, but still an excellent character.
But (yes, this review is a roller coaster) the audio narrator was no good… so monotone and boring, it made all negative storylines that much worse.
Maybe this is a romcom for pessimists. It’s an okay novel, and maybe people not from southwest Michigan or easily offended would like it better.
2.5 stars rounded down. I usually rip through books, but I felt zero excitement to push play on this one.
I did like all the descriptions of London, though, and Kat’s lesbian neighbors were so fun. Kat’s obsession with being a CEO didn’t really match with the romcom love life expectations. And the HR department/sexual harassment issue made her CEO determination even more frustrating (trigger warning, btw).
Rory, though, was SO precious. I really enjoyed him and he pretty much saved the book. He was a bit too childish at points, but still an excellent character.
But (yes, this review is a roller coaster) the audio narrator was no good… so monotone and boring, it made all negative storylines that much worse.
Maybe this is a romcom for pessimists. It’s an okay novel, and maybe people not from southwest Michigan or easily offended would like it better.
2.5 stars rounded down. I usually rip through books, but I felt zero excitement to push play on this one.
June 15, 2023
I didn’t like this book. At all. I thought I would, but this was honestly bad in so many ways.
If you didn’t like where you grew up, why spend so much of THIS BOOK bashing it? Deal with that NOT in writing. It rubbed me so wrong, especially being from the Midwest, and it made it hard to like it.
Furthermore, it felt too rushed and too bizarre. First, she was already making up a story about a person she’d never met. Then she’s suddenly in love with someone who she’s barely spent any time with. Then when they start seeing each other, it’s ANTI-FEMINIST to WANT A FAMILY? You’re losing me more and more. You can have a career AND a family, if that’s what you want. It left a sour taste in my mouth.
It all felt really weird to me.
If you didn’t like where you grew up, why spend so much of THIS BOOK bashing it? Deal with that NOT in writing. It rubbed me so wrong, especially being from the Midwest, and it made it hard to like it.
Furthermore, it felt too rushed and too bizarre. First, she was already making up a story about a person she’d never met. Then she’s suddenly in love with someone who she’s barely spent any time with. Then when they start seeing each other, it’s ANTI-FEMINIST to WANT A FAMILY? You’re losing me more and more. You can have a career AND a family, if that’s what you want. It left a sour taste in my mouth.
It all felt really weird to me.
December 6, 2022
wonderful sense of place and a great meet-cute concept. I did have trouble identifying with the heroine who seemed a little bit self-involved, even for the genre.
And, despite the charm and buoyancy of the supporting characters, the author's use of dialect was a continual distraction that pulled me out of the story.
Still, the attention to place and the treatise on wish fulfillment---not to mention some carefully placed hurdles in the heroine's path--- will keep the reader reading.
And, despite the charm and buoyancy of the supporting characters, the author's use of dialect was a continual distraction that pulled me out of the story.
Still, the attention to place and the treatise on wish fulfillment---not to mention some carefully placed hurdles in the heroine's path--- will keep the reader reading.
December 5, 2024
THE GOOD:
Really cute and sweet. Adorable. I really liked our heroine, Kat.
THE BAD:
Sadly, not reviewing this until five months later, so my memory is not the best.
CONCLUSION:
Recommended for fans of quirky rom-com's.
Really cute and sweet. Adorable. I really liked our heroine, Kat.
THE BAD:
Sadly, not reviewing this until five months later, so my memory is not the best.
CONCLUSION:
Recommended for fans of quirky rom-com's.
July 25, 2023
Thank you to libro.fm for providing me with an ALC of this audiobook. I am offering my honest opinion voluntarily.
This sounded like the kind of book that I'd really enjoy. Until I started listening.
Kat's character is an absolute nightmare. She's the kind of person I'd go out of my way to avoid. So when she is looking out her window and sees an attractive man on the double-decker bus, she automatically dreams up a backstory for him. Ok, everything seems fine here. This is something that doesn't seem so strange to me.
But after a few weeks of pining over "Alexander," the royal that she has dreamed up (as if a royal would ever be on public transportation anyway), she decides to force a meet cute by getting on the bus. And this poor man! He turns out not to be royal Alexander, but some average Joe from right near her hometown. Which automatically makes her attitude towards this sweetheart of a man change.
I have no idea how Rory puts up with her, but I did like the way their relationship does develop naturally. It wasn't until at least halfway through the book that I even *started* to not hate Kat, and about three-quarters of the way before I actually liked her character.
By the end, I was all in, but it took me a while to get there, and it took plenty of work on Kat's part to get us there too. Overall, this wasn't a bad read if you can get past Kat's character in the beginning, because she does get better.
This sounded like the kind of book that I'd really enjoy. Until I started listening.
Kat's character is an absolute nightmare. She's the kind of person I'd go out of my way to avoid. So when she is looking out her window and sees an attractive man on the double-decker bus, she automatically dreams up a backstory for him. Ok, everything seems fine here. This is something that doesn't seem so strange to me.
But after a few weeks of pining over "Alexander," the royal that she has dreamed up (as if a royal would ever be on public transportation anyway), she decides to force a meet cute by getting on the bus. And this poor man! He turns out not to be royal Alexander, but some average Joe from right near her hometown. Which automatically makes her attitude towards this sweetheart of a man change.
I have no idea how Rory puts up with her, but I did like the way their relationship does develop naturally. It wasn't until at least halfway through the book that I even *started* to not hate Kat, and about three-quarters of the way before I actually liked her character.
By the end, I was all in, but it took me a while to get there, and it took plenty of work on Kat's part to get us there too. Overall, this wasn't a bad read if you can get past Kat's character in the beginning, because she does get better.
June 1, 2023
I recently had the pleasure of listening to an advanced audio experience that took me on a captivating journey into a world of dreams and emotions. It beautifully explored the strong feelings that can come from instant attraction.
Throughout the audio experience, I was completely absorbed in the protagonist's thoughts and emotions as they developed a deep fascination with a special person. The story vividly showed their intense interest, and I easily connected with the excitement and curiosity that often accompanies such connections.
The storytelling in this audio adventure was fantastic, effectively portraying the protagonist's emotional journey. The voices of the characters were genuine and relatable, making it easy for me to understand their feelings.
The story also touched on the possibility of friendship or even something more meaningful developing between the characters, adding an element of anticipation that kept me engaged. I was genuinely invested in seeing how their emotions would unfold and if their connection could grow into something lasting.
This audio experience beautifully captured the emotions of attraction, curiosity, and the desire for a deeper connection. It transported me to a dreamy and enchanting world where emotions played a central role. I highly recommend this audio adventure to anyone who enjoys heartfelt storytelling and wants to explore the complexities of human emotions.
Special thanks to Dreamscape Media for delivering this captivating audio experience.
Throughout the audio experience, I was completely absorbed in the protagonist's thoughts and emotions as they developed a deep fascination with a special person. The story vividly showed their intense interest, and I easily connected with the excitement and curiosity that often accompanies such connections.
The storytelling in this audio adventure was fantastic, effectively portraying the protagonist's emotional journey. The voices of the characters were genuine and relatable, making it easy for me to understand their feelings.
The story also touched on the possibility of friendship or even something more meaningful developing between the characters, adding an element of anticipation that kept me engaged. I was genuinely invested in seeing how their emotions would unfold and if their connection could grow into something lasting.
This audio experience beautifully captured the emotions of attraction, curiosity, and the desire for a deeper connection. It transported me to a dreamy and enchanting world where emotions played a central role. I highly recommend this audio adventure to anyone who enjoys heartfelt storytelling and wants to explore the complexities of human emotions.
Special thanks to Dreamscape Media for delivering this captivating audio experience.
August 25, 2024
DNF @ 55%
So our story starts with Kat whining about being a poor millennial woman trying to make it in a different country. Basically, she wants to be a CEO.
While daydreaming out her window, she catches sight of her "perfect prince charming" man and then proceeds to stands by her window daily to very creepily watch him get off the bus.
And then her friend convinces her to stalk the man onto the bus!
Only for Kat to realize that he's not British and they're both from Michigan. And then proceeds to treat him like shit because how dare he not be a British prince and take her from her poor provincial life.
So our story starts with Kat whining about being a poor millennial woman trying to make it in a different country. Basically, she wants to be a CEO.
While daydreaming out her window, she catches sight of her "perfect prince charming" man and then proceeds to stands by her window daily to very creepily watch him get off the bus.
And then her friend convinces her to stalk the man onto the bus!
Only for Kat to realize that he's not British and they're both from Michigan. And then proceeds to treat him like shit because how dare he not be a British prince and take her from her poor provincial life.
January 17, 2025
DNF at 16%. This main character is DELULU!! Legitimately she supposed to be a 31 year old woman and an upper level consultant for a company and she reads like a 13 year old girl who crushing so hard on the hot basketball player from the other team. Doesn’t know his name or anything else but they are in love and will be married lol Also between the near consistent HP references and the horrific fat phobia and shaming of her one “friend/neighbor” for being fat and happy but also cockney so you can barely understand her. This is one big YIKES ON BIKES episode of I’m not reading any more of this! I don’t usually rate books that I didn’t read at least 50% of but this one’s getting a one star for the audacity.
May 30, 2023
Double-Decker Dreams by Lindsay MacMillian is the perfect antidote for readers who are disillusioned by the romanticization of love.
Kat, is an American consultant, temporarily assignment to London. Growing up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, she knew she was destined for more than small town living. Determined to reach her professional goal of becoming a CEO, Kat prioritizes work above everything else; even if it means being subjected to workplace misconduct. While her professional life is on track, her personal life is in shambles. That is until one day, while working from home, Kat locks eyes with a man riding the bus. Convinced love at first sight is real and the answer to her happily ever after, Kat sets out to meet her mystery man. Will he live up to her expectations, or will he prove once and for all that real life is never as good as the movies?
If you are like me and enjoy reading love stories, but are sick of antiquated fairytales, this is the book for you. Double-Decker Dreams is rooted in realism. It dispels the notion that you need grand gestures and lavish gifts to experience profound love. Instead, MacMillan focuses on the little things that collectively add up to make a person feel loved.
*It took me about fifty pages before I felt invested in Kat’s story. The idea that she fabricated an entire person/ relationship with a man she only ever made eye contact with, was a bit odd to me. Rest assured the payoff is worth pushing through!
Special thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
Kat, is an American consultant, temporarily assignment to London. Growing up in Kalamazoo, Michigan, she knew she was destined for more than small town living. Determined to reach her professional goal of becoming a CEO, Kat prioritizes work above everything else; even if it means being subjected to workplace misconduct. While her professional life is on track, her personal life is in shambles. That is until one day, while working from home, Kat locks eyes with a man riding the bus. Convinced love at first sight is real and the answer to her happily ever after, Kat sets out to meet her mystery man. Will he live up to her expectations, or will he prove once and for all that real life is never as good as the movies?
If you are like me and enjoy reading love stories, but are sick of antiquated fairytales, this is the book for you. Double-Decker Dreams is rooted in realism. It dispels the notion that you need grand gestures and lavish gifts to experience profound love. Instead, MacMillan focuses on the little things that collectively add up to make a person feel loved.
*It took me about fifty pages before I felt invested in Kat’s story. The idea that she fabricated an entire person/ relationship with a man she only ever made eye contact with, was a bit odd to me. Rest assured the payoff is worth pushing through!
Special thanks to Alcove Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.
June 27, 2023
Thanks #NetGalley for the advanced copy of #DoubleDeckerDreams by Lindsay MacMillan in exchange for an honest review.
In regards to the being honest part, I'll be very honest and let you know that I hated the FMC at the beginning of this book - well, really for a good chunk of the book if I'm being really honest. She was entitled and selfish and I wanted someone better for the MMC than her. Rory was sweet and kind and deserves someone who will treat him right and I didn't think Kat could be that person. In fact, I probably would have DNF'd this book if it hadn't been an ARC but it was so I stuck with it and it did take me longer to finish this book than it usually takes me to finish a book but I finished it and by the end, I was crying big, sloppy tears of happiness for these two.
This book shows a very realistic view point of love and finding and living out your HEA so if you are the kind of person that complains that romance novels set unrealistic standards for love, then you will probably love this book. Rory and Kat don't fall in love in a blaze of passion, they fall in love piece by piece with a slow simmer of devotion.
In regards to the being honest part, I'll be very honest and let you know that I hated the FMC at the beginning of this book - well, really for a good chunk of the book if I'm being really honest. She was entitled and selfish and I wanted someone better for the MMC than her. Rory was sweet and kind and deserves someone who will treat him right and I didn't think Kat could be that person. In fact, I probably would have DNF'd this book if it hadn't been an ARC but it was so I stuck with it and it did take me longer to finish this book than it usually takes me to finish a book but I finished it and by the end, I was crying big, sloppy tears of happiness for these two.
This book shows a very realistic view point of love and finding and living out your HEA so if you are the kind of person that complains that romance novels set unrealistic standards for love, then you will probably love this book. Rory and Kat don't fall in love in a blaze of passion, they fall in love piece by piece with a slow simmer of devotion.
June 18, 2023
I’ll be honest, i really wanted to slap some sense into Kat during the first half of the book 😂 she really got on my nerves when it came to Rory. He was soooooo sweet and deserved everything. The story progressed well though and i loved the friends to lovers aspect. The narrator was also nice to listen to.
April 20, 2023
2.5 stars
Ughhh. This is the kind of romance book that makes me irritated - where a woman discovers she does not need her career and will give it all up for love. Why is it never the guy gives up his career?
Also there were a couple things that took me out of the narrative in a big way.
One, Kat goes to buy Rory a last minute plane ticket to the US. Does she know his birthday? Have his passport number? Otherwise it would not work.
Two, for being a “successful” business person she does things most business people would be trained not to do. One is when she is told she did not get a promotion and that she is being asked to do extra work. She just says yes without taking a beat. I get that this is how many people would react in the situation - just that if she is supposedly working at the level of seniority that she is portrayed at, I would have expected more poise. Same thing with the apology from the CEO who groped her. While the challenges of coming forward with her story are more real, it was just not as fun.
I had almost hoped this would not be a romance and instead Kat would just learn some things from Rory- alas.
Ughhh. This is the kind of romance book that makes me irritated - where a woman discovers she does not need her career and will give it all up for love. Why is it never the guy gives up his career?
Also there were a couple things that took me out of the narrative in a big way.
One, Kat goes to buy Rory a last minute plane ticket to the US. Does she know his birthday? Have his passport number? Otherwise it would not work.
Two, for being a “successful” business person she does things most business people would be trained not to do. One is when she is told she did not get a promotion and that she is being asked to do extra work. She just says yes without taking a beat. I get that this is how many people would react in the situation - just that if she is supposedly working at the level of seniority that she is portrayed at, I would have expected more poise. Same thing with the apology from the CEO who groped her. While the challenges of coming forward with her story are more real, it was just not as fun.
I had almost hoped this would not be a romance and instead Kat would just learn some things from Rory- alas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 10, 2023
Being from Michigan I was very offended from the main character’s point of view of the state. It was like they had only ever been to one town and put that view on the entire state.
That being said, I thought that Kat was a very unlikeable character even to the end. And although I read through the beginning of the book pretty quickly, the ending was hard to get through as she kept comparing the old to the new. We got enough of the “old” Kat through most of the book that it felt redundant to the point of boredom at the end.
It also would have felt like more of a true change in person if she didn’t feel the need to keep looking back to compare. You don’t get the full sense of her being comfortable with her new self.
That being said, I thought that Kat was a very unlikeable character even to the end. And although I read through the beginning of the book pretty quickly, the ending was hard to get through as she kept comparing the old to the new. We got enough of the “old” Kat through most of the book that it felt redundant to the point of boredom at the end.
It also would have felt like more of a true change in person if she didn’t feel the need to keep looking back to compare. You don’t get the full sense of her being comfortable with her new self.
December 20, 2022
3 ⭐️. Although I appreciated several of the themes of this book - defining success in a career as well as a relationship is different for everyone - I didn’t like the generalizing, stereotypes, or whiplash nature of the main characters’ flip-flopping on practically everything. As a lifelong Midwesterner I was peeved to read that an “alarming percentage” of us are homophobic. I felt like this story had great potential, but the execution left a lot to be desired. Thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the ARC.
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