⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 solid stars!

First of all, many thanks to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth was a very entertaining read if I do say so myself. This book seems to be marketed as a thriller among other things, but I didn't really find it to be much of a thriller myself. I felt like there was some good suspense, especially towards the end, but it felt more like I was watching an episode of Desperate Housewives than anything else. In my world it is more of a contemporary domestic/psychological drama. Which is A-OK in my opinion!

Set in a small suburb of Melbourne, Australia called Pleasant Court, The Family Next Door centers on the lives of a few of the wives that live there and what happens when a new single woman moves in. Really it is so much more than that, but when Isabelle moves in it sure does cause a bit of a ruckus. Especially since she seems to know everyone's names even the children. There is also a hefty dose of how well do we really know our neighbors, which was a lot of fun.

This book takes some heavier topics and presents them in a fairly light manner. I loved the switching viewpoints, and even though there are a few different characters it wasn't confusing. I didn't think the ending was super shocking for whatever reason, but there are a lot of revelations in the book and a few things you just will not see coming. At least I didn't.

Final Thought: I thought this was a very satisfying read, and if you are a lover of contemporary drama that is reminiscent of Desperate Housewives you should totally check this out. It was a page-turner and I can't wait to read more by Hepworth.

The Family Next Door in 3 words: Entertaining, Addictive, & Fresh

This is a page turner of a book with lots of twists and turns. Several families who are neighbors, all know each other, but don’t really know what is going on in each other’s lives. How well do you really know your neighbors and friends, and even family?!

The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth is based in a suburban neighborhood, Pleasant Court, where everyone is happily going about their seemingly perfect lives. Consumed with their own personal struggles with postpartum depression, infidelity, newborns, children and spouses they are a somewhat unsociable group until a new neighbor arrives. Isabelle is chic and single and all of a sudden they find themselves at coffees, dinners and neighborhood watch meetings. Why is Isabelle so interesting and why is she so interested in them? Will their worlds come crashing down as these revelations come to light? Once I got into this book I thoroughly enjoyed it. There are some great plot twists and I was not disappointed in the ending! I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

This book has a fun vibe reminiscent of the TV show, Desperate Housewives. There are plenty of secrets behind the closed doors in this Pleasant Court neighborhood, and there are enough twists and surprises along the way that kept me flipping the pages.

Altogether, this was a fun, entertaining read that was a refreshing change from some heavier reads. It was a nice easy read with a little mystery and conflict that kept me reading and wanting to know how it would all turn out. For a contemporary women’s fiction book, I give it 4 stars. I look forward to reading more from his author.

*Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an e-galley of the book in exchange for an honest review

You can tell immediately when a master storyteller has written the book in your hands. The story grips you from the beginning, pulls you in completely and doesn’t let you go until the author decides to release you.

This is one of those books. Sally Hepworth has described these young mothers so well, that I think women with children everywhere will see a bit of themselves in them. The character development was some of the best I have ever seen. On the outside, this group of women seem to have perfect lives with handsome husbands and children. They live in a community where the houses are lovely and the neighbors all wave at each other, but no real friendships have formed. Each woman is wrestling with something and the secrets are about to be exposed.

I enjoyed this well-developed story.

Worthy of noting: The f word is used a few times, and sex is mentioned between the married couples; however, there are no graphic scenes. Overall, compared with most books on the market, this was much cleaner in that respect.

I was very much looking forward to The Family Next Door by Sally Hepworth, but felt it didn't quite live up to all the hype. "A gripping domestic page-turner full of shocking reveals, perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty, Amanda Prowse and Kerry Fisher." That is from the Goodreads listing.

The story wrapped up nicely, but it was the getting there that was spotty and unreliable for me. There was a lot of flitting about by the mothers in this book, but everything seemed to be very surface level until near the very end suddenly everyone was best buddies. We didn't see how they got there. **SLIGHT SPOILER** Perfect example, Essie leaves her baby, Mia, at the park. All by herself in a stroller. Then she walks home. Quite a while later Essie's mother, Barbara, comes by and wants to know where Mia is. We see them show up to get her and then *poof* it's years later.

Most of what happens in this book is approached this way. Things happen, but we never get the meat of the story, just the surface. It may just be me, but after seeing the hype and listening to others discuss this book, I wondered what I missed. Don't get me wrong, it's not a terrible book, but I was left wanting more out of the characters - the women carry the story and their husbands are primarily filler.

If you like suspense you'd probably enjoy this book. I enjoyed it, but I didn't love it, which I was hoping to. Thanks to Netgalley, the publishers and author for an early copy.

This is one of those stories that makes you examine the people around you and think that you really don't know anyone.

Neighbors, Secrets, and Scandals - one of my favorite genres!

This novel explores the themes of marriage, family, parenting, postpartum depression, friendship, and infidelity. It reminds us that each person is dealing with something beneath a cool, calm, and collected surface.

Essie, Ange, and Fran are cordial neighbors and mothers. They view the new neighbor Isabelle as mysterious because she doesn't fit the stereotypical mold of having a spouse and 2.5 kids.

I enjoyed this story, but for me, it wasn't as good as some of the other books that I've read with similar themes. I didn't really connect with any of the characters until 75% into the book. I had challenges keeping the characters straight because they were written so similarly.

I also felt that the characters didn't really even connect with each other. I wanted a stronger bond between the ladies with more chemistry. Each of these women are self-absorbed and mired in their own problems without looking up to see if their neighbors needed their support.

The story is entertaining and well paced but is not a standout for me. However, I have seen many 4 and 5 star reviews with many people loving this book, so please don't let my review sway you!

Why in the world did this beautiful single woman move into our family oriented cul-de-sac?

This is the question everyone on the street is asking and wondering about because she has no children. There are quite a few characters/families to keep up with, but it doesn't take long to sort them out because they each have have a unique story. I enjoyed the multiple POV's from the ladies themselves. It was like getting to peek behind their doors and see behind the facade.

I liked the way this mystery unfolded and caught me off guard.  At times, I felt the tension jumping from the pages and wanted to shake some of the ladies and ask them what they were thinking.  I enjoyed Hepworth's writing style and was totally pulled into all the drama of each household.  A page turner with a tidy ending (that left me wanting something a bit more tangled).
Each chapter ended with mini cliff hangers that had me devouring this one in no time. Fans of domestic suspense are in for a ride! Lot's of fun here.

Welcome to Wisteria Lane, or maybe Knots Landing, for those who remember that show, and of course Desperate Housewives. This book contains elements of all those shows. Good looking characters, drama, post partum depression, adultery, affairs, a missing child, and of course secrets. Where would fiction be without secrets. A rare book where except for one, I felt sorry for and liked the men more than the women.

A entertaining read, I have to admit, did want to find out how everyone's relationships turned out, what happened when their secrets were finally revealed. One plot twist was quite surprising, but all in all, a soap opera vibe, which isn't quite my thing. An ending that while I applauded one woman's decision to put on her big girl panties and grow a backbone, was just too good to be true. Too tidily resolved.

A sisters read where most liked it more than I did. It happens.

ARC. From Netgalley.

I requested this title because of a recommendation from another reader. I really enjoyed this book. I love the idea of life happening all around us and we have no idea what’s going on with the people we are closest to. There is something about that that appeals to me.

This one also had a bit of mystery thrown in. When Isabelle moves into town talking about missing children, it throws the neighborhood for a loop, particularly Essie, who finds herself infatuated with Isabelle.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it.

I was bored and did not care for the main character at all. I did not complete the book. I will not put up a review. Just because a book doesn't work for me, does not mean it might not work for someone else.

The 3 neighborhood couples introduced here are diverse, multilayered and flawed. Ange, Fran and Essie seem to have pretty good lives, though behind their enviable facades, their lives are anything but normal. Secrets, struggles and betrayals behind closed doors are uncovered and lives begin to unravel.

When single Isabel moves into this family-centric neighborhood, Essie, Fran and Ange are abuzz with curiosity. She’s an enigma. Essie becomes obsessed with her. Isabel was a puzzle I couldn’t figure out. She had a specific purpose for moving to town temporarily and it seemed to have something to do with Essie’s daughter, Mia. But then, BOOM!, a pretty great twist I didn’t see coming. My brain had gone in an entirely different direction. Love a good, unexpected surprise! This was a page-turner and the 4th book I’ve read by Hepworth - love her storytelling.

How well do we really know our neighbors? It seems that when single woman Isabelle moves into Pleasant Court, a lovely little neighborhood in Melbourne, secrets come flying out like balls from a tennis machine. Essie and Ben have two little daughters. It is not news that Essie once walked away from her baby at a park. She went back but how do you get past that? Nigel and Fran seem like the perfect couple. She seems to be the no-nonsense kind of mother, always prepared, but she is hiding a big secret from her husband. Ange and Lucas are raising their two boys and Ange seems to be in charge of the goings-on in the court but they too, are not what they seem. And then there is Barabara, Essie’s mother, who probably has the darkest secret of them all. Isabelle is there on a mission and when the truth comes out, all hell breaks loose.

This book reminded me of watching that lovely little soap Knots Landing. We get these neat little peeks into everyone’s homes. We are voyeurs in a way. Each character adds something to the story. No one is out of place. I love how everything falls together and we really get to know them all. There was one part that made me think “ew” but it was explained really well and I learned something new. Sally Hepworth is such a great author with a way of making you so involved with her characters. Loved this book and look forward to the next one.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press (really becoming one of my favorite publishers) for this wonderful novel.

I have submitted a review for this book to ReaderToReader.com where it will remain on site indefinitely. If there are any questions or concerns, please contact Vickie Denney at: Vickie@ReaderToReader.com.


"The Family Next Door"
By Sally Hepworth
St. Martin's Press


Psychological Thriller -- Release Date: March 6, 2018


ReaderToReader.com for NetGalley download


"The Family Next Door" is set in Australia, where the reader is introduced to the residents who live in the Pleasant Court cul-de-sac. The neighbors are friendly yet each household is facing different circumstances that are common in life.

Essie suffers post-partum depression after delivering her first daughter Mia, and on a walk, she unknowingly leaves her in her pram in the park. Barbara, Essie's mom, resides nearby and is ever vigilant with her daughter. When she discovers Essie alone and sipping tea at a local shop, she takes matters in hand by rescuing Mia. Between her and Essie's husband, they seek medical help for Essie.

Others on the street, such as Fran, and Ange hold on to their own problems which are wreaking havoc on them. Fran assuages her guilt by jogging several times a day after giving birth to her second daughter, hoping running will manage her torment over her transgressions. Ange works as a real estate agent and is raising two boys while her husband, the owner of a photographer's studio is often away from home.

When Isabelle, a single woman moves in next to Essie, there is something about her that fascinates Essie. However, Barbara mistrusts Isabelle and is concerned by Essie's growing friendship with her. Isabelle becomes overly familiar with Essie for she is on a mission that isn't disclosed until Essie has another meltdown and is hospitalized.

It's usual for most families to have skeletons in their closets and secrets they want to conceal, and those in this neighborhood are no different. Twists and turns abound as lives are intertwined making for a compelling psychological mystery.

A quick and interesting read about a group of suburban families in Melbourne. I would have liked to see deeper character development, but if read as popular fiction, it definitely held my attention and had some interesting insights about adult friendship, marriage, motherhood.

4.5*
Do you ever secretly gaze at your neighbor and think, “wow, they have it all.” A beautiful home, a loving marriage, happy, healthy kids and a cute designer dog. Don’t you ever wish you could just have a fraction of that serene, picturesque life?
Well before you wish too hard...maybe just take a peek behind the scenes. As often happens, maybe their lives aren’t so perfect after all. And maybe, you in fact are the lucky one at the end of the day.

When a beautiful single woman moves into the neighborhood, everyone’s heads tilt with curious apprehension about her background and how she’s going to fit in. After all, she is single with no children in sight. And, she seems to be asking a lot of questions...🤔

Told from several POVs each with their own secrets and fears. Each voice is strong and distinctive. I joyfully had no trouble keeping all the characters apart. (Love that)

These are my favorite types of domestic shockers. I’m always trying to guess what lies each character is telling in order to keep their facade going. This book was so well done and kept me glued throughout. If domestic fiction is your thing, don’t miss out on this one!

A Traveling Sister read!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Sally Hepworth for an ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.

For this review and our Full Traveling Sister review please visit Norma and Brenda’s fabulous book blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereading.wordpress.com

I really enjoyed this book and read it in just a few days! The story had me hooked from the very first chapter. It had everything I loved from family drama to unknown secrets. I enjoyed reading from each characters perspective, as they each had an important role to play within the story. It was very easy to follow along with each character which I thought allowed the story to progress nicely. Overall I gave this book 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5. I thought the story was sad but left me hopeful for these women. It was the first book I’ve read by Sally Hepworth and I look forward to reading more! Thank you again to St. Martin’s Press, Sally Hepworth and NetGalley for this digital copy.

I'm a fan of Sally Hepworth 's writing and have enjoyed her previous three books. Usually, her genre is Contemporary Fiction leaning towards Women's Fiction but this time out, she's written more of a suspense read set in suburbia that begs the question ... Just how well DO you know your neighbours? If it's anything like this bunch, there's a whole lot of lying, cheating and stealin' going on.

The Family Next Door focuses around a group of women who live on the same small court in suburban Melbourne. As the book progresses, readers witness the secrets, lies and betrayals that are occurring behind closed doors. Let's just say, per capita, it's a lot of secrets!

I think this book had good bones - a solid premise, lots of characters but it grazed over the many issues it raised and the characters felt flat. I liked that some of the struggles of early motherhood are raised but didn't feel the usual emotional connection I expect from a Hepworth novel.

This is a good choice for people who enjoy a book with a toned down Desperate Housewives/Big Little Lies feel. It's an easy read with a twist or two but with a lack of depth to the characters and issues, I fear it's not a story I'll remember for long.

Even though I wasn't as enamoured with this book as I have been with her previous books, I remain a Sally Hepworth fan and look forward to reading her next bookish offering.

Disclaimer: This ARC was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

My reviews of Sally Hepworth's previous books:

Click the links below for my reviews ...

The Secrets of Midwives
The Things We Keep
The Mother's Promise

Norma and I were lost in the sunny, cultivated rich lush coulee with five of our Traveling Sisters reading The Family Next Door and we all ended up in the same Coulee enjoying this thought-provoking and engaging story that led to an interesting and fun discussion amongst us.

The Family Next Door is an entertaining, emotional, compelling, and suspenseful domestic thriller that explores the secrets, deceits, and lies of five women who live in a small seemly perfect suburban neighborhood.

Sally Hepworth does a good job creating a group of interesting women here with all the secrets and conflicts in their lives and relationships. She also does a great job showing us how the conflicts affected the men in the story, allowing us to feel for them as well.

We do really love these types of stories and find them fascinating and often wonder what goes on behind those closed curtains in peoples homes. We enjoyed pulling back the curtains and discovering the layers of secrets as they were revealed leaving us all shocked with a twist that we didn’t see coming.

Even though we ended up in the same Coulee a couple of us ended up tangled in the weeds thinking this was a little too much drama. For the rest of us, we ended up soaking up that drama on the sunny side with a nice crisp glass of white wine not wanting to leave. We highly recommend.

Publication Date March 6, 2018

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press and Sally Hepworth for a copy to read and review.

All of our Traveling Sisters Reviews can be found on our sister blog: http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...