London for Lovers – review

Are you looking for a Valentine’s Day gift that might have a practical use? If so, London for Lovers could be the book for you,

Sam Hodges and Sophie Vickers recently married, a feat that appears to have qualified them to pen this compact volume.

Whether marriage kills passion, or the imminence of a romantic holiday was seen by the publisher as a ploy to sell yet another guide book to the capital, there is little in this book to suggest it would be of particular use to lovers.

That said, it is a relatively up-to-date and nicely presented short guide to many areas of London that don’t feature so prominently in your typical Big-Ben-and-Buckingham-Palace product designed for short-stay visitors.

The book will be of interest mainly to youngish (or young at heart) couples and singletons in need of ideas for weekend outings. It is divided into Time Out-style themed sections that include Leafy London, Late Night London, Last Minute London, Lazy London, Learned London, Live London, Left Field London and Lost London, interspersed with historical snippets and quirky bits of information on local attractions.

Hackney features in Late Night London (an entry on Dalston as well as one on Shoreditch) and Left Field London (a section on Hackney Wick). Goldsmiths Row Book Market also makes an appearance in the pages on Colombia Road.

Though far from comprehensive, this nicely illustrated volume will provide material for a number of romantic outings – and will be of particular use for those new to the capital.

London for Lovers: Romantic Days and Nights Out in the City by Sam Hodges and Sophie Vickers is published by Square Peg, 2013. ISBN: 9780224095525. RRP: £12.99